Yelp

Yelp

Local business discovery via user reviews

Overview

Yelp runs an online platform that helps people find and choose local businesses by collecting and displaying user reviews and ratings from readers. It covers restaurants, bars, salons, doctors and other services, and works as a local search and discovery service. Users search for categories, read reviews, compare options, and can make reservations or join waitlists for restaurants. Yelp makes money mainly from advertising to local businesses—enhanced profiles, sponsored listings, and targeted ads—and also collects transaction fees from its reservation system. The differences from competitors include a strong emphasis on peer-generated reviews and a broad local directory with integrated reservation features, giving businesses a way to reach nearby customers. The goal is to help people make informed local decisions and connect them with relevant service providers while generating revenue from advertising and reservation-related services.

About Yelp

Simplify's Rating
Why Yelp is rated
C
Rated C on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated D+ on Differentiation

Industries

Data & Analytics

Consumer Software

Enterprise Software

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2004

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Yelp Host handled 1.5 million annualized calls in April 2026, doubling from January.
  • Yelp Assistant drives 15% of Request-a-Quote projects, proving monetizable engagement.
  • Yelp's OpenAI deal launched July 23, 2026, opening paid AI distribution.

What critics are saying

  • Q1 2026 restaurant, retail, and other ad revenue fell 11%, signaling category decay.
  • Paying advertising locations fell 6% year over year in Q1 2026, shrinking inventory.
  • ChatGPT can answer local queries without Yelp visits, threatening traffic and existential relevance.

What makes Yelp unique

  • Yelp's 330 million reviews and 8 million listings create unmatched local intent data.
  • Yelp Assistant now books reservations, quotes, and appointments across every category.
  • OpenAI, Apple Maps, and Yahoo all license Yelp's content, extending distribution beyond Yelp.

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Funding

Total Funding

$163.3M

Below

Industry Average

Funded Over

6 Rounds

IPO funding comparison data is currently unavailable. We're working to provide this information soon!
IPO Funding Comparison
Coming Soon

Benefits

Health Insurance

Vision Insurance

Dental Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Remote Work Options

Paid Vacation

Paid Holidays

Parental Leave

Wellness Program

Home Office Stipend

401(k) Retirement Plan

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Company Equity

Stock Price

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
Yahoo Finance
Jul 29th, 2026
Yelp's AI phone service now takes food orders and books tables via OpenTable

Yelp announced that its AI-powered phone service, Yelp Host, can now handle conversational food ordering for restaurants. The service connects directly to point-of-sale systems like Toast or Square to place orders and process transactions. The expanded service includes customisable voices and accents, support for 17 languages, and reporting tools for tracking metrics such as after-hours call volume. Yelp Host also integrates with OpenTable, allowing the AI to check availability and book tables without human intervention. The expansion comes as Yelp's traditional advertising revenue stagnates. Net revenue increased just 1% year over year to $361 million in Q1 2026, following 4% growth in 2025. Restaurant advertising dropped 11% last quarter as diners reduced discretionary spending.

Yahoo Finance
Jul 23rd, 2026
Yelp licenses local reviews to OpenAI for ChatGPT integration

Yelp is licensing reviews, photos and business information to OpenAI, giving ChatGPT access to real-time local recommendation data, the company announced. ChatGPT will surface Yelp reviews, ratings, photos and business details in response to user queries, with Yelp's branding and links appearing when OpenAI uses its content. Yelp's "Request a Quote" feature will also be added, allowing ChatGPT users to contact local service providers directly. The companies declined to disclose financial terms of the deal, which does not prevent Yelp from making similar agreements with other AI companies. "If you want to answer local queries, you really need Yelp," said CEO Jeremy Stoppelman. Yelp already supplies data to Yahoo+ and Apple Maps, treating ChatGPT as another distribution platform rather than a competitor.

Yahoo Finance
Jun 8th, 2026
Yelp shares down 23% YTD as analysts see 24.6% upside potential amid AI growth

Yelp shares have declined 14% over the past month and 23% year-to-date, with total shareholder returns negative across one, three and five-year periods. The stock closed at $23.25, trading below both analyst price targets and an estimated intrinsic value of approximately $30.82, suggesting potential undervaluation of 24.6%. The company is developing new AI-driven revenue streams, including search API licensing that has generated a $10 million run-rate. However, the business faces headwinds from softer advertising demand and rising competition in search, which could pressure traffic and monetisation. Analysts highlight the tension between high-margin AI opportunities and competitive risks as investors assess whether the recent weakness represents a buying opportunity or reflects concerns about future growth.

Yahoo Finance
May 18th, 2026
Yelp reports flat sales amid advertiser decline despite $361.5M revenue beat

Yelp reported mixed first-quarter results, with revenue of $361.5 million beating analyst estimates by 2.2% despite flat year-on-year growth. The company's adjusted EBITDA of $79.35 million significantly exceeded expectations, beating by 28.3%. However, management maintained cautious full-year guidance, citing macroeconomic pressures affecting local businesses. CEO Jeremy Stoppelman noted that local businesses face a challenging economic environment, particularly impacting advertising budgets in consumer-dependent categories. Key analyst questions focused on the company's conservative outlook despite strong quarterly performance, anticipated EBITDA margin expansion driven by AI offerings, and early traction from Yelp Assistant, which now generates 15% of Request-A-Quote projects. Details regarding the OpenAI partnership remain undetermined, with implementation and revenue impact still under development.

Yahoo Finance
May 7th, 2026
Yelp beats Q1 revenue estimates with $361.5M, reaffirms $1.47B full-year guidance

Yelp reported first-quarter revenue of $361.5 million, exceeding analyst estimates of $353.7 million but remaining flat year-on-year. The local business platform's GAAP earnings of $0.30 per share beat consensus estimates by 13.8%. The company reaffirmed its full-year revenue guidance of $1.47 billion at the midpoint, in line with analyst expectations. However, EBITDA guidance of $320 million came in slightly below estimates of $322.4 million. Yelp's adjusted EBITDA of $79.35 million significantly exceeded analyst estimates by 28.3%. CEO Jeremy Stoppelman noted the company "continued to accelerate Yelp's AI transformation" during the quarter. Analysts expect revenue to remain flat over the next 12 months, representing a deceleration from its 6.1% compound annual growth rate over the past three years.

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