To remove a duplicate business listing, first pick the listing you want to keep. Then report the other one as a duplicate on that platform. Each platform has its own steps.
We checked the help pages of 7 major platforms in October 2026. Only 2 of them, Google and Facebook, say what happens to reviews when duplicates merge. On Google, reviews combine. On Facebook, reviews on the merged Page are deleted.
Duplicate Listing Removal by Platform
This table shows how to report a duplicate on each platform. Every row comes from the platform’s own help page.
| Platform | How to report a duplicate | Claim first? | What happens to reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Maps | Suggest an edit > Place closed or not here > Duplicate of another place | No | Reviews combine. Replies may be lost |
| Google Business Profile (both in your account) | Business Profile settings > Remove Business Profile | Yes, primary owner | Customer reviews stay. Your posts, photos and replies are deleted |
| Yelp | Edit > check “This is a duplicate of another business on Yelp” | No | Not published |
| facebook.com/pages/merge > Request Merge | Yes, admin of both Pages | Deleted from the merged Page | |
| Apple Maps | Place card > Report an Issue | No | Not published |
| Bing Places | Report the duplicates in Bing Places for Business | Not published | Not published |
| Nextdoor | Ask Nextdoor support to combine the pages | Not published | Not published |
| Foursquare | Report a problem on the place page | No | Not published |
| OnToplist | Contact us with both listing URLs | No | Not applicable |
Four things stand out:
- 4 of 7 platforms let anyone report a duplicate. You don’t need to claim the listing on Google Maps, Apple Maps, Yelp or Foursquare.
- Facebook is the strictest. You must be an admin of both Pages before you can merge them.
- Google and Bing disagree on moves. Google says to update the address on your old profile. Bing says to create a new listing and close the old one.
- Removing a listing from your account doesn’t remove it from the map. Google and Apple both say the removed listing may still appear.
Pick the Listing to Keep First
Decide which listing survives before you report anything. Some merges can’t be undone.
Keep the listing that has:
- The most reviews
- Your correct name, address and phone number
- Verified or claimed status
- The longest history
This matters most on Facebook. Reviews on the Page you merge away are deleted. So keep the Page with the reviews, even if the other one looks newer.
Remove a Duplicate Google Business Profile
Google allows one Business Profile per business. Google’s duplicate profile guidance says it won’t show a profile it treats as a duplicate in Search or Maps.
Pick the fix that matches your case.
If Both Profiles Are in Your Account
You can remove the extra profile without affecting the one you keep. Only the primary owner can do this.
- Go to your Business Profile on business.google.com.
- Select More > Business Profile settings.
- Select Remove Business Profile > Remove profile content and managers.
- Select Continue > Remove > Done.
Read Google’s removal rules first. Your posts, photos, videos and review replies on that profile are deleted for good. Customer reviews stay.
New owners must wait 7 days before they can remove anything. The removed profile may still appear on Maps.
If the Same Business Shows Twice on Maps
Ask Google to merge the two profiles. You don’t need to own either one.
- Open Google Maps and sign in.
- Select the duplicate listing.
- Select Suggest an edit > Place closed or not here.
- Select Duplicate of another place, then Submit.
Those steps come from Google’s Maps help page. Google reviews every merge request. When two profiles merge, their reviews combine. Replies to those reviews may be lost, so copy any reply you want to keep.
Don’t pick Doesn’t exist here for a real business. If Google approves it, the whole place is removed from Search and Maps.
If Someone Else Owns the Profile
Request ownership from the current owner. They have 3 days to answer.
- Approved: you can manage the profile.
- Denied: you can appeal.
- No answer: you may be able to claim the profile. Google says this option isn’t always available.
If You Moved
Don’t create a new profile for the new address. Google says to update the address on your existing profile instead.
Remove Duplicate Yelp Listings
Yelp says each business location should be listed only once. Anyone can report a duplicate. You don’t need a business account.
On the Yelp website:
- Open the duplicate business page.
- Click Edit.
- Check This is a duplicate of another business on Yelp.
- Paste the link to the page you want to keep.
- Click Submit Changes.
In the Yelp app, tap Edit Business and explain the duplicate in the Notes field. These steps are from Yelp’s support page on duplicates. Yelp doesn’t say what happens to reviews when it merges pages.
Merge Duplicate Facebook Pages
Facebook lets you merge two Pages only if all of these are true:
- You’re an admin of both Pages.
- The Pages have similar names and represent the same thing.
- They have the same address, if they have one.
To merge, go to facebook.com/pages/merge. Pick the two Pages and click Continue. Then click Request Merge.
Know what you lose. Facebook’s merge help page says followers and check-ins combine. Posts, photos, reviews, ratings and the username are deleted from the Page you merge. You can’t undo a merge.
If the duplicate Page isn’t yours yet, claim it first. Then merge it.
Remove Duplicate Apple Maps Listings
Anyone can report a duplicate on Apple Maps. Open the duplicate place card, scroll down and tap Report an Issue. On a Mac, you can also use Maps > Report an Issue > Report Place Issue. Apple describes both paths on its Maps support page.
If the duplicate sits in your own account, you can remove it there. Apple Business Connect is now called Apple Business.
- Sign in to Apple Business.
- Select the location.
- Select Preferences > Manage > Remove Location.
- Choose Someone else manages this location or This location is permanently closed.
Apple’s guide warns that a removed location may still appear in Apple Maps. Only the “permanently closed” option marks it as closed on Maps. Use that option only if the place really closed.
Remove Duplicate Bing Places Listings
Sign in to Bing Places for Business and search for your business. If you see duplicate listings, report them there.
Bing’s advice on moves is the opposite of Google’s. Bing says to create a new listing with the new name and address. Then mark the old listing as closed. Don’t apply Google’s advice to Bing, or the reverse.
Bing also warns that other data sources may override your listing. This can happen if you haven’t updated it in more than 6 months.
Duplicate Listings on Nextdoor, Foursquare and Other Directories
Nextdoor doesn’t have a public duplicate button. Its business FAQ says its support team will combine duplicate pages for you.
Foursquare asks you to flag only exact duplicates, meaning the same name and the same address. Use Report a problem on the place page. Its editing guidelines say not to flag a separate place inside another place, like a shop inside a mall.
OnToplist handles duplicates by hand. Contact us with both listing URLs. We either remove the duplicate or merge it into the listing that ranks in search, with a redirect. In rare cases, a firm that works in two practice areas keeps one listing on each category page.
For other directories, look for a “suggest an edit” or “report” link on the listing. If there isn’t one, email support. Send both URLs, your correct name, address and phone, and one line saying they’re the same business.
True Duplicate or Two Real Listings?
Not every pair of similar listings is a duplicate. Check this table before you remove anything.
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Same name, address and phone on two listings | Merge or remove the extra one |
| Old address still live after a move | Follow each platform’s move rule (Google and Bing differ) |
| Two real locations in different places | Keep both |
| A separate listing for one service | Keep one listing and list the services on it |
| Two different businesses at one address, each with its own sign | Keep both |
| A practitioner’s profile plus the firm’s profile | Usually keep both |
| Similar name, different owner, different phone | Not yours. Leave it alone |
Google backs several of these rows. It says to list all your services on one profile, not one profile per service. It also allows separate profiles for distinct businesses at one address, like individual practitioners.
If Google merges two real businesses by mistake, you can appeal. You’ll need proof of permanent signage that shows both businesses.
How to Find Duplicate Listings
Search the way a customer would. Use a private browser window so your own account doesn’t change the results.
Run these searches, with your own details:
"ABC Plumbing" Springfield
"555-123-4567"
"123 Main St" Springfield
"ABC Plumbing Services"
site:yelp.com "ABC Plumbing"
Repeat them with any old business name, old address and old phone number. Duplicates often hide under details you stopped using years ago.
Copy the name, address and phone from each listing into one place. Our free NAP consistency checker compares them for you. It separates format differences, like “Ste 100” and “Suite 100”, from real mismatches.
How to Prevent Duplicate Listings From Coming Back
Many listings are built from data sources, not by you. If a source still has your old details, a removed duplicate can return.
Bing says other sources can override listings that haven’t been updated in more than 6 months. Data Axle, a business data provider, says it matches new data against its database to avoid creating duplicates. That only helps if your record there is correct.
To keep duplicates from coming back:
- Write down one exact version of your name, address and phone. Paste it into every new listing.
- Keep a list of every listing you own, with the URL and login.
- Update existing listings after a move or rename. Follow each platform’s own rule.
- Check again after any change to your address, phone, owner or brand name.
Our guide to NAP consistency covers the matching rules in more detail. If you run several locations, see how to manage listings for a multi-location business. If you’re adding new listings now, our US local business directory is one place to start.
Methodology
We checked each platform’s own help page on October 18, 2026. We used only pages published by the platform. We did not use agency or software vendor guides.
Sources by platform:
- Google: duplicate profiles, removing a profile, removal from Maps, marking a duplicate on Maps
- Yelp: reporting duplicate business pages
- Facebook: merging Pages
- Apple: removing a location, reporting an issue in Maps
- Bing: managing your listings
- Nextdoor: business FAQ
- Foursquare: editing guidelines
- Data Axle: Local Listings
“Not published” means we found no official page that answers the question. The platform may still have a process.
What we left out: Tripadvisor, Yellow Pages, and BBB. We found no current official page on duplicates for any of them.