How to list your startup on the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
TL;DR
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives businesses in the United States and Canada a free business profile with a letter rating from A+ to F. Accreditation with the BBB Seal is a separate, paid status with annual dues set by your local BBB, open only to businesses that have sold for at least six months. It suits consumer-facing startups whose buyers check a company before they pay.
What is the Better Business Bureau?
The BBB is a network of local BBB organizations that publishes business profiles, handles consumer complaints and rates businesses on a 100-point scale turned into a letter grade. Seven elements add or deduct points, among them complaint history, time in business, transparency, licensing and advertising issues. Customer reviews do not count toward the grade. A business with too little information gets NR (not rated).
The BBB Seal is used by more than 400,000 businesses across the US and Canada. The domain authority of 91 belongs to bbb.org. Your gain is trust: a buyer who searches your company name finds a profile with your details and rating.
Who should submit to the Better Business Bureau?
- Startups selling to consumers or small businesses in the US or Canada: home services, e-commerce, subscriptions, local services, financial and education products.
- Founders whose buyers pay upfront and look for proof that complaints get answered.
- Skip it if your company has no address in the US or Canada. The profile form asks for a US state or Canadian province.
- Skip accreditation for now if you have sold for less than six months. A free profile is still possible.
- Low priority for B2B software sold to larger companies.
How much does the Better Business Bureau cost?
The business profile is free. Accreditation is paid, and BBB publishes no national price list: the local BBB sets the annual dues, based on factors such as the number of full-time employees, and several local BBBs offer a fee calculator. The BBB serving Eastern New England recommends a one-year commitment and states there is no penalty if you resign. Accreditation does not appear among the rating factors BBB lists.
How do you share your startup on the Better Business Bureau?
- Search for your company on bbb.org. If a profile exists, claim it. If someone else already controls it, contact your local BBB.
- If there is no profile, fill in the free business profile form: contact name, street address, state or province, phone, email, an optional website and up to three business categories.
- Keep the profile current through your BBB account and answer every complaint BBB forwards to you.
- For accreditation, submit the short form at bbb.org/get-accredited with your business name, time in operation and postal code. Your local BBB then contacts you by phone or email.
- Meet the BBB Standards for Trust: at least six months of sales, all required licences, no serious government actions and a rating of B or higher at every location.
Tips to get more out of the Better Business Bureau
- Pick the three categories your buyers search for instead of a broad label.
- Answer complaints fast and in writing: complaint history counts toward your grade, reviews do not.
- Make ownership, address and licences visible on the profile, since transparency and licensing are rating elements.
- Ask your local BBB for the exact dues and included benefits before you commit.
Our verdict
For a US or Canadian startup that sells to consumers, the free BBB profile takes little time and shows buyers a real, reachable company. Accreditation is worth paying for once you have six months of sales and buyers who look for the Seal. Startups outside North America can skip the BBB.
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