**European Economic Area (EEA) developers**
> [!NOTE]
> If your billing address is in the European Economic Area, effective on 8 July 2025, the [Google Maps Platform EEA Terms of Service](https://cloud.google.com/terms/maps-platform/eea) will apply to your use of the Services. Functionality varies by region. [Learn more](https://developers.google.com/maps/comms/eea/faq.md.txt).
Place reviews lets you add user reviews and ratings to your web pages. This page
explains the differences between place reviews as used in the `Place` class
(new) and `PlacesService` (legacy), and provides some code snippets for
comparison.
- `PlacesService` (legacy) returns an array of [`PlaceReview`](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/places-service.md.txt#PlaceReview) instances as part of the `PlaceResult` object for any `getDetails()` request if the `reviews` field is specified in the request.
- `Place` (new) returns an array of [`Review`](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/place.md.txt#Review) instances as part of a `fetchFields()` request if the `reviews` field is specified in the request.
The following table lists some of the main differences in the use of place
reviews between the `Place` class and `PlacesService`:
| [`PlacesService`](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/places-service.md.txt) (Legacy) | [`Place`](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/place.md.txt) (New) |
|---|---|
| [`PlaceReview`](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/places-service.md.txt#PlaceReview) interface | [`Review`](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/place.md.txt#Review) class |
| Methods require the use of a callback to handle the results object and `google.maps.places.PlacesServiceStatus` response. | Uses Promises, and works asynchronously. |
| Methods require a `PlacesServiceStatus` check. | No required status check, can use standard error handling. [Learn more](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/errors.md.txt). |
| `PlacesService` must be instantiated using a map or a div element. | `Place` can be instantiated wherever needed, without a reference to a map or page element. |
| `PlaceReview` returns attribution data for the review using the `author_name`, `author_url`, and `profile_photo_url` fields. | `Review` returns attribution data for the review using an [`AuthorAttribution`](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/place.md.txt#AuthorAttribution) instance. |
## Code comparison
This section compares code for text search methods to illustrate the differences
between Place reviews in the legacy `PlacesService` and the newer `Place` class.
### Places service (legacy)
The following snippet calls `getDetails()` to request place details including
reviews, and displays the first review result in an infowindow.
```javascript
const request = {
placeId: "ChIJpyiwa4Zw44kRBQSGWKv4wgA", // Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA
fields: ["name", "formatted_address", "geometry", "reviews"],
};
const service = new google.maps.places.PlacesService(map);
service.getDetails(request, (place, status) => {
if (
status === google.maps.places.PlacesServiceStatus.OK &&
place &&
place.geometry &&
place.geometry.location
) {
// If there are any reviews display the first one.
if (place.reviews && place.reviews.length > 0) {
// Get info for the first review.
let reviewRating = place.reviews[0].rating;
let reviewText = place.reviews[0].text;
let authorName = place.reviews[0].author_name;
let authorUri = place.reviews[0].author_url;
// Format the review using HTML.
contentString =`
${place.name}
${place.formatted_address}
Author: ${authorName}
Rating: ${reviewRating} stars
`;
} else {
contentString = `No reviews were found for ${place.name}`;
}
const infowindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow({
content: contentString,
ariaLabel: place.displayName,
});
// Add a marker.
const marker = new google.maps.Marker({
map,
position: place.geometry.location,
});
// Show the info window.
infowindow.open({
anchor: marker,
map,
});
}
});
```
- [`getDetails()` reference](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/places-service.md.txt#PlacesService.getDetails)
- [`PlaceReview` interface reference](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/places-service.md.txt#PlaceReview)
### Place class (new)
The following snippet calls [`fetchFields()`](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/place.md.txt#Place.fetchFields)
method to request place details including reviews, and displays the first review
result in an infowindow.
```javascript
// Use a place ID to create a new Place instance.
const place = new google.maps.places.Place({
id: "ChIJpyiwa4Zw44kRBQSGWKv4wgA", // Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA
});
// Call fetchFields, passing 'reviews' and other needed fields.
await place.fetchFields({
fields: ["displayName", "formattedAddress", "location", "reviews"],
});
// If there are any reviews display the first one.
if (place.reviews && place.reviews.length > 0) {
// Get info for the first review.
let reviewRating = place.reviews[0].rating;
let reviewText = place.reviews[0].text;
let authorName = place.reviews[0].authorAttribution.displayName;
let authorUri = place.reviews[0].authorAttribution.uri;
// Format the review using HTML.
contentString =`
${place.displayName}
${place.formattedAddress}
Author: ${authorName}
Rating: ${reviewRating} stars
`;
} else {
contentString = `No reviews were found for ${place.displayName}`;
}
// Create an infowindow to display the review.
infoWindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow({
content: contentString,
ariaLabel: place.displayName,
});
// Add a marker.
const marker = new google.maps.marker.AdvancedMarkerElement({
map,
position: place.location,
title: place.displayName,
});
// Show the info window.
infoWindow.open({
anchor: marker,
map,
});
```
- [See the example](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/place-reviews.md.txt)
- [See the documentation](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/place-reviews.md.txt)
- [`fetchFields()` reference](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/place.md.txt#Place.fetchFields)
- [`Review` class reference](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference/place.md.txt#Review)