Below are the best review-management systems for small businesses (shortlist + when to pick each), with quick feature, pricing, and fit notes — tailored for a small-business operator in the UAE who needs practical, affordable tools that work with Google Business Profile, Facebook, industry sites and that can scale if you grow.

Top picks (why each is good for small businesses)

1. Birdeye — Best all‑around, multi‑channel platform with strong automation and AI.

   • Why: Centralized inbox for reviews, automated review requests, sentiment/insights, listings management and lots of integrations for POS/CRM. Good if you want an all‑in‑one reputation + listings + CX platform. (Birdeye.com)

2. Podium — Best if you rely on SMS / messaging and quick local responses.

   • Why: Mobile-first unified inbox (SMS, social, reviews), simple review invites (SMS/links), and fast customer conversations. Strong for service businesses that need fast replies and lead-to-review flows. Note: Podium’s pricing skews higher than the simplest tools. (blog.HiFiveStar.com)

3. ReviewTrackers — Best budget-friendly monitoring + reporting for single-location shops.

   • Why: Location-based pricing, focused review aggregation, alerts and analytics. Good entry-level option for tracking Google/Facebook/review sites without heavy enterprise complexity. Plans advertised from about US$89/location/month (verify current). (ReviewTrackers.com)

4. Grade.us — Best for agencies, marketing partners, or businesses that want white‑label and flexible review-request workflows.

   • Why: Strong review-request automation (email + SMS add-on), shareable widgets, white‑label pages and multi‑location/agency features. Pricing is modular and friendly for marketers. (blog.HiFiveStar.com)

5. Yotpo / Trustpilot / Reviews.io (e‑commerce focus) — Best for online stores.

   • Why: E‑commerce review widgets, integrations with platforms like Shopify/Magento, product review features and SEO/value for product pages. If you sell online, these give product-level reviews and marketing tools. (smartsites.com)

Other useful options to consider

• NiceJob, GatherUp, Reputation.com — useful depending on volume, multi-location needs, or if you want managed reputation services. (smartsites.com)

How to choose (quick checklist)

• Channels you need: Google Business Profile + Facebook are essential; determine if you need industry sites (Zomato, Careem, TripAdvisor, etc.) or product reviews.
• Outreach method: If customers prefer WhatsApp/SMS (common in UAE), choose a platform that supports SMS or integrates with WhatsApp Business (Podium, some platforms via integrations).
• Budget: Basic plans for small businesses often start in the low hundreds USD/month; some vendors (ReviewTrackers, Grade.us) have lower entry prices or per‑location pricing. Get current quotes — many vendors price per location or per seat. (g2.com)
• Integrations: Make sure it integrates with your POS, CRM or CMS so review requests can be triggered automatically.
• Languages & local support: If you need Arabic support or local payment/localization, ask vendors about Arabic language capability and regional support (many platforms are global but UX/support vary).

Price guidance (estimate ranges)

• Entry / single‑location: roughly US$50–150/month for basic review aggregation and request tools (some start lower, some at ~$89/location). (g2.com)
• Mid-tier (automation, SMS, multi-location): US$200–600+/month depending on features and locations (Podium, Birdeye mid plans). (Birdeye.com)
• Enterprise / multi‑location: $500–several thousand /month depending on scale. (Birdeye.com)

Practical next steps (recommended)

1. Shortlist 2–3 vendors from above that match your needs (e.g., Podium if SMS/WhatsApp-first; Birdeye if you want full CX suite; Grade.us or ReviewTrackers for budget/agency use).
2. Ask for a demo and confirm:
   • Does it support Arabic (UI/reply templates) and WhatsApp Business or SMS in the UAE?
   • Which UAE/local review sites or directories can it monitor?
   • Exact pricing for number of locations and whether pricing is per location or per seat.
   • Integration capability with your POS/CRM and whether there are setup fees.
3. Trial one platform (most offer free trials or demos) and measure: increase in review request response, time-to-reply, and any lift in average rating.

Sources and further reading

• Birdeye: product overview and market positioning. (Birdeye.com)
• Market comparison and pricing discussions for small businesses (industry roundups). (blog.HiFiveStar.com)
• ReviewTrackers pricing & plan details (location-based pricing examples). (ReviewTrackers.com)
• Aggregated lists of top tools for small businesses (includes Yotpo, Grade.us, NiceJob etc.). (smartsites.com)

If you’d like, I can:

• Narrow this to the top 3 that specifically support WhatsApp and Arabic for UAE businesses (I’ll check current vendor support and pricing), or
• Build a 1‑page comparison (features × price × best use case) for 3 finalists you name.

Which follow-up would you prefer?