Why results differ from what I see on my phone

Both can be right. They are answering slightly different questions.

What changes your own results

• Your exact location. Your phone searches from where you stand. Our grid points sit at fixed positions, which may be some distance from you.
• Your Google account and history. Google personalises results using places you've searched for, saved or visited. Owners can see their own business higher than a stranger would.
• The time. Results shift during the day and from day to day. Our scan is one moment.
• The app and the map view. The Maps app, a browser and Google Search can show different lists. Moving or zooming the map changes the area Google searches.
• The exact words and language you type.
• Ads. Listings marked "Sponsored" can appear above the regular results on your screen.

How to compare fairly

1. Sign out of Google or use a private window.
2. Stand near one of the grid points, or compare with the point closest to where you are.
3. Use exactly the search term you scanned.

Even then, expect small differences. Google also tests changes on some users and not others.

Which one should I trust?

Use the scan to see the pattern across your area and to compare over time with the same settings. Use your own phone as one data point, not the full picture.