Podium
$399+/month USD- 12-month lock-in contracts with auto-renewal
- D- rating on the Better Business Bureau
- 50+ bundled features most small businesses never use
- No transparent pricing; a sales call is required
Our Story
Founded by Ben Adler. Built for businesses that deserve better reputations.
Starworks was founded by Ben Adler in Melbourne after working at Betty's Burgers and seeing first-hand how crucial customer experience and reviews are. After running other small businesses too, we saw how just a few bad experiences going public can seriously impact reputation and sales, even when most customers are happy. That's why we built Starworks: a simple system that helps businesses consistently follow up, earn more positive reviews and respond professionally when things go wrong.
Why We Built Starworks
We Tried the Existing Solutions. They Weren't Built for Us.
Before building Starworks, we looked at every reputation management platform on the market. The two biggest names, Podium and Birdeye, were enterprise tools with enterprise pricing. They can suit chains with hundreds of locations, but they are a poor fit for a local business that simply wants more Google reviews.
Birdeye
$299+/month USD- 90-day cancellation notice required or another year begins
- Up to $1,500 in setup and onboarding fees
- 8% automatic price increase at every renewal
- 200+ integrations and 10+ AI tools, which can overwhelm a local business
Priced for enterprise
Both platforms charge $300 to $800+ per month and are designed for multi-location chains, not a two-van plumbing or landscaping business.
Trapped in contracts
12-month lock-ins, auto-renewals and early termination fees can leave a business stuck for another year.
Feature bloat
Payment processing, VoIP phones, social media management and referral marketing are bundled in whether they are needed or not.
Poor support, real complaints
BBB complaints describe continued billing after cancellation, misleading sales practices and support tickets going unanswered.
So we built something better.
Starworks focuses on the reputation tools a local business actually needs: AI-powered responses, automated SMS review requests and smart review routing, from $41/month AUD when billed annually. No contracts. No setup fees. No hidden price increases. Cancel any time.
From $41/month annuallyNo contractsNo setup feesCancel any time
The problem
Managing Your Reputation Shouldn't Be a Second Job
Most local businesses don't have a reputation problem. They have a follow-up problem.
You deliver great service, but asking for reviews feels awkward, following up takes hours you don't have, negative reviews catch you off-guard, and responding professionally under pressure is hard.
Meanwhile, your competitors with dedicated marketing teams pull ahead. Not because they're better, but because they're more visible.
73%
of customers never leave a review without being asked
5-8 hrs
businesses spend per week managing reviews manually
22
positive reviews needed to offset one negative review
Our approach
Automation That Feels Human
We don't believe AI should replace your voice. It should help carry it. Starworks learns how you communicate, then handles repetitive work like sending follow-ups, drafting responses and catching issues before they become public reviews. The platform also runs the public Starworks Score and local ranking pages that can send quotes, bookings and enquiries to subscribers, while helping businesses be understood in ChatGPT, Claude and Google AI.
Set It and Forget It
Most platforms need constant babysitting. Starworks runs in the background, sending review requests automatically based on your schedule while you focus on the business.
AI That Learns Your Voice
During setup, we analyse how you talk to customers. Starworks drafts responses that match your tone, ready for you to approve or edit before sending.
Managed Service Option
Prefer a done-for-you start? Our onboarding team writes your first review request, imports customers and prepares your first campaign with you.
Our principles
What Drives Us
Built for How People Choose Now
Reviews, the Starworks Score and local ranking pages help customers compare businesses, while clear reputation signals help ChatGPT, Claude and Google AI understand what makes you relevant.
Built for Busy Owners
You should not need a manual. Setup is deliberately simple, and the system keeps working in the background without demanding another daily task.
No Vendor Lock-In
Cancel any time. Export your data any time. Your customer list and review history belong to you, always.
Australian, Through and Through
Built in Melbourne for Australian businesses. We understand local business challenges, the stress and the importance of genuine customer relationships.
Who it's for
Built for Small Businesses & Tradies
Starworks is built for small businesses, especially tradies and local service businesses where reputation directly drives bookings:
Plumbing & Electrical
Win the callout before the competition
Gardening & Landscaping
Turn every tidy verge into a new regular
Car Detailing & Mechanical
Let the finished car do the talking
Painting & Roofing
Proof that the job was done properly
Cleaning & Pest Control
Repeat work follows a strong local name
Who we might not be for
If you're a large enterprise with a dedicated marketing team, you might outgrow us (though many stay). We work best for businesses with 5-100 employees who want more reviews without more work.