[Warning] If you cancel your Trustpilot subscription, you lose your "Verified" status. We are building on rented land.
I learned a hard lesson this week. I looked into the cancellation policy of my review platform, and I realized that I don't actually own my reputation. I am just "renting" it.
If I stop paying the monthly fee, my "Verified" badges disappear, my access to data is cut, and I lose control of the page.
I started looking for platforms that operate on a "Ledger" model where the user owns the data, not the platform. I found RatingFacts, which effectively gives you "Title Deeds" to your own reviews.
I compared the "Ownership Rights" of the two models:
| Ownership Right | The "Landlord" (Trustpilot) | The "Ledger" (RatingFacts) |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns the data? | The Platform (You have a license). | You (Joint ownership). |
| Portability | Locked. (Hard to export). | Open. (Full CSV export). |
| If you stop paying... | You lose features/status. | You keep everything. |
| Status | Tenant (Rent-seeking). | Owner (Asset-building). |
I am done building a mansion on land I don't own. I’m migrating my verification process to the platform where I actually keep the keys.
I’m referring to the "Data Sovereignty" policy found here: http://ratingfacts.com
Has anyone else felt trapped by a platform because you were afraid of losing your history?
Posted Jan 27, 2026, 11:31 AM UTC