TopChoice combines three separate things: an independent Top 5 built through our own research, an optional Verified Profile that confirms a business is genuinely who it says it is, and TopChoice Spotlight, a paid promotional placement. Here's exactly how each one works, and how they relate to each other.
Our Top 5 lists are selected through editorial research. Businesses cannot purchase inclusion or a higher position.
TopChoice Spotlight is a separate paid promotional package offering prominent placement and an enhanced business profile. Spotlight placements are labelled as sponsored.
A business may appear in both sections when it has independently earned a place in our Top 5.
Our recommendations are editorially curated by a New Zealand-based team. We don't host our own reviews and we don't sell places in the Top 5. For each trade in each city we research the active local market, weigh up public reputation signals from Google and other platforms, and apply our own checks, including relevant licensing and accreditation for trades that require it. From there we shortlist the five businesses we'd genuinely recommend. Every business is assessed on factors such as:
Lists are reviewed periodically and can change as businesses grow, improve or fall short, so the recommendations stay current and worth trusting. Paying for a Verified Profile or a Spotlight placement never changes this assessment, a business's order, or whether it appears at all.
TopChoice has confirmed that a Verified profile is managed by an authorised representative of the business and has checked key business details, the website, phone number and email are genuine, the business is currently operating, and relevant public registration details where appropriate, such as an NZBN.
Verification is not an endorsement, is not a workmanship guarantee, and does not influence our independent Top 5 rankings. A Featured or Spotlight business receives the same checks automatically as part of its onboarding; a business that isn't Featured can apply for a standalone Verified Profile separately. See our Verified Profiles page for full details.
TopChoice Spotlight is a paid promotional package. It gives a business a prominent, clearly labelled sponsored position above the editorial Top 5 on its chosen service and location page, plus an enhanced dedicated business profile with services, customer reviews and contact details.
Spotlight placements never influence which businesses appear in the Top 5, their order, or how they're assessed. Every occupied Spotlight placement carries a visible Sponsored label, and every Spotlight profile is marked as a sponsored profile, so it's always clear which is which. See our TopChoice Spotlight page for pricing and details.
TopChoice is an independent editorial platform. Our rankings reflect our opinion based on publicly available information, including business details, service areas, customer feedback, professional credentials and other relevant selection factors.
TopChoice is continually expanding and reviewing its directory. Business ownership, locations, services, qualifications, pricing and availability can change, and information may occasionally be incomplete or incorrect. Our lists are designed to be a useful starting point rather than the sole basis for choosing a provider.
Before engaging a business, conduct your own checks and confirm its current services, experience, qualifications, licences, insurance, pricing and suitability for your needs directly with the provider.
If you believe a listing contains incorrect or outdated information, please contact us so we can review it.
Put your business front and centre when customers explore your service and location. TopChoice Spotlight combines a prominent position above our Top 5 with a dedicated profile showcasing your services, customer reviews and contact details.
Explore Spotlight