How Do I Show Prices and Fees Honestly in My Business Ads?

The short answer

If you advertise a price, show the total a customer will really pay, or say clearly and close to the price what extra fees, minimums, and conditions apply. Fine print can’t fix a misleading price. The same rule applies to your ads, website, Google Business Profile (GBP), quotes, and anything your team says on the phone.

What this tells Google and AI

Prices and fees you publish are direct inputs. Google, Bing, and artificial intelligence (AI) tools read prices on your website, listings, and profile, and they read reviews where customers talk about cost. Clear prices that match what customers actually pay support trust, and reviews that say “the price was what they quoted” help too. Hidden fees tend to show up later in reviews as “bait and switch,” which is the kind of public signal no business wants.

What this means

A pricing disclosure is the information a customer needs to understand the real cost before they buy. That includes:

• Required fees: trip charges, service call fees, fuel or disposal fees, booking fees
• Conditions: “with a 2 year contract,” “new customers only,” “weekdays only”
• Minimums: minimum job size, minimum hours, minimum order
• Limits: “up to 1,500 square feet,” “first room only,” “while supplies last”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says key terms that affect cost should be clear and conspicuous and placed near the advertised price. Buried disclaimers and tiny text are unlikely to work, and fine print can’t contradict the main message.

Made-up example: Cedar Ridge Carpet Care runs an ad for “$99 carpet cleaning.” The real offer is 3 rooms up to 200 square feet each, plus a $25 trip fee outside city limits. The honest version reads “$99 for 3 rooms (up to 200 sq ft each). $25 trip fee outside city limits.” in the same size text, right under the price.

Why it matters

• The FTC Act bans deceptive advertising for every business, and that includes misleading prices. The FTC also has guides on deceptive pricing, bait advertising, and use of the word “free.”
• The FTC junk fee rule is narrow. The Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees took effect May 12, 2025, and covers live event tickets and short-term lodging. If you’re not in those businesses, it doesn’t apply to you directly, but the FTC Act still does.
• States enforce pricing laws. The FTC notes that pricing rules often vary locally. Many places require you to charge no more than the advertised price. Check with your state attorney general’s office.
• Surprise fees become bad reviews. A customer who feels tricked on price tells the next customer, in public.
• Disputes and chargebacks follow. A customer who didn’t agree to a fee is more likely to dispute the charge (see 10.7.7 Chargebacks).

Who this applies to

Any business that shows a price, rate, discount, or “free” offer anywhere. If you never publish prices, this still applies to quotes and to what staff say when customers ask about cost.

How to do it

1. List every place a price appears: website, GBP services and products, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, ads, flyers, vehicle wraps, social posts, and phone scripts.
2. Write down the total cost for each advertised offer, including every fee a typical customer will pay.
3. Put conditions next to the price, in plain words and readable type. Don’t make customers click or scroll to learn about a required fee.
4. Be careful with “free.” If a free offer requires buying something else, the FTC says you can’t raise the price of the item they buy to cover it. Say the conditions near the word “free.”
5. Only call it a sale if it’s real. A “was $200, now $150” claim should be based on a price you actually charged.
6. Match your quotes and invoices to what you advertised (see 11.1.2 Estimate and 10.7.5 Invoices).
7. Update every listing at once when prices change, so your profile, website, and directories agree.
8. Check your state’s rules, especially for price posting, deposits, and industry rules for contractors, auto repair, and similar trades.

What proof to keep

• A price sheet with every advertised offer, its total cost, and its conditions
• Dated screenshots of ads, listing prices, and web pages
• Records that show “regular” prices you actually charged, if you advertise a sale
• Copies of quotes and invoices that match the advertised terms
• Any customer complaints about price, and how you fixed them

Common mistakes

• “Free estimate” with a trip fee that’s mentioned only after the visit is booked.
• Starting prices with no “from” or “starting at” wording, so customers expect the low number every time.
• Old prices on a listing after a price increase. Google, Bing, and AI tools may keep showing the old number until you change it.
• Fees in a different color or size than the headline price.
• A different price on the phone than on the website.
• Forgetting the ad agency’s copy. You are still responsible for prices someone else writes for you.

When to get help from a pro

Attorney: before running “free,” “sale,” financing, or subscription offers, or if your trade has its own pricing rules. Questions to ask:

• Does my state require me to post prices or give written estimates in my trade?
• Is my fee disclosure clear and close enough to the price?
• Can I advertise a sale price, and what records do I need to back it?

Bill’s note

[Bill: add a short note. For example, how you decide whether SiteSmarty clients should list prices on their profiles, or a time a hidden fee on a client’s site led to complaints.]

If you’d rather have this done for you, SiteSmarty sets up Google Business Profile services and prices that match your website.

How I did this for SiteSmarty

• [Date I did this:]
• [What I actually did, step by step: building the SiteSmarty price sheet and checking every place a price appears]
• [What it cost and how long it took:]
• [What surprised me or what I’d do differently:]
• [Screenshot or photo to add, with private info blurred: the SiteSmarty pricing page with conditions shown next to each price]
• [Result so far:]

Questions people ask

Can I advertise a “free estimate” if I charge a trip fee? Only if you say so clearly, right next to the offer. Otherwise the estimate isn’t really free.

Does the FTC junk fee rule apply to my business? It applies to live event tickets and short-term lodging. Other businesses are still covered by the FTC Act’s ban on deceptive ads, plus state laws.

Can I put conditions in fine print? Not if the fine print changes the main offer. The FTC says disclosures must be clear, easy to notice, and close to the claim.

Do I have to list prices on my Google profile? No. But if you list them, keep them current and make sure they match your website and quotes.

Audit check

• Question: Does every advertised price show its required fees, conditions, minimums, and limits clearly and next to the price?
• Pass looks like: Each price matches the price sheet, conditions appear in readable type beside it, and quotes match ads.
• Fail looks like: Hidden trip fees, “free” offers with surprise charges, old prices on listings, or conditions only in fine print.
• Evidence to collect: Price sheet, dated screenshots of ads and listings, sample quotes and invoices.

Where this fits

Do this first: 11.3.1 Truthful Advertising Claims, 11.1.6 Payment Terms

Do this next: 11.3.3 Guarantees

Related pages: 11.1.2 Estimate, 11.1.7 Cancellation Policy, 14.1.7 Services, 14.9.2 Products on Your Profile, 13.4.2 Service Pages, 10.7.2 Deposits

Sources

• Federal Trade Commission, "Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business" (checked October 17, 2026)
• Federal Trade Commission, "The Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees: Frequently Asked Questions" (checked October 17, 2026)
• Federal Trade Commission, "Guide Concerning Use of the Word Free and Similar Representations" (checked October 17, 2026)

This page explains general rules and Bill's own experience. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.