Reviews make up 40% of the Trust Score
Every site on Tested.gg has a Trust Score between 0 and 100. This score is recalculated daily using four data sources. User reviews account for 40% of the total weight - the single largest component.
The other 60% comes from security practices, transparency data, and traffic metrics. This split means reviews matter significantly, but no single data source controls the score alone. For a full breakdown, see how Trust Scores are calculated.
Recency bias
Not all reviews carry equal weight. The algorithm applies a recency bias that gives more influence to newer reviews. A review from last week affects the score more than a review from six months ago.
This design reflects reality. Platforms change over time - they update fees, improve support, or let service quality slip. The Trust Score stays current by prioritizing recent user experiences over outdated ones.
Volume thresholds
A site with 2 reviews and a 5.0 average does not receive the same Trust Score boost as a site with 200 reviews and a 4.5 average. The algorithm applies volume thresholds that reduce the influence of the review component when the total review count is low.
This prevents new or obscure sites from earning artificially high scores from a handful of early reviews. As the review count grows, the review component's contribution to the Trust Score stabilizes and carries its full 40% weight.
Why one bad review does not tank a score
A single negative review on a site with dozens of positive ones has limited impact. The algorithm considers the distribution of ratings, not just the average. A site with 95 positive reviews and 5 negative ones shows a pattern of mostly satisfied users.
The recency bias also works both ways. If a negative review is old and the recent trend is positive, its influence fades over time. Conversely, a cluster of recent negative reviews signals a potential change in platform quality and pulls the score down faster.
What reviews cannot do
Reviews influence only their 40% share of the Trust Score. They cannot override poor security practices, lack of transparency, or low traffic metrics. A site with glowing reviews but no HTTPS, no visible ownership information, and minimal traffic still receives a lower Trust Score.
This separation prevents review manipulation from being a viable strategy for dishonest operators.