HomeStars focuses on consumer reviews of home improvement companies, contractors, home services, and retailers. Unlike competing services, there is no subscription fee and the editorial policy aims to empower members with transparency and community spirit. The editorial team checks reviews to ensure they're within the guidelines (and not fake). Much like TripAdvisor, HomeStars is all about consumers sharing relevant info with their peers. The home improvement space is one of the most lucrative markets in the world, reaching half a trillion dollars in annual consumer expenditures in North America. To date, offline word of mouth has been a common method for planning home projects and to avoid getting "burned." Online WOM should be free of bias. As information on sites like HomeStars grows richer, consumers become increasingly dependent on the platform, and encounter paid category listings when they are "at the top of the purchase funnel." Such startups are typically dependent on funding to reach scale. HomeStars is angel-backed and seeking a Series A round. The current business model is validated in pilot cities, selling category listings to businesses.