Everyone has a bathroom horror story. Mine happened in Mexico City.
I was three days into a trip — exploring Roma Norte, eating everything in sight — when my stomach decided it was done cooperating. I needed a restroom, and I needed one immediately. Google Maps showed a pin for a nearby cafe. I walked in, ordered a coffee I didn't want, asked for the bathroom, and was handed a key attached to a wooden spoon.
What I found behind that door is something I'm still trying to forget.
The thing is, I could have avoided it. If I had had a quick way to compare nearby options before walking in, I would have gone another two blocks to the hotel lobby that turned out to be perfectly clean. The information I needed was hard to find when it mattered.
That's when the idea for Throne Score started.
The problem isn't finding a bathroom — it's finding a good one
There are apps that show you where bathrooms are. Pins on a map. But location alone doesn't tell you anything useful. Is it clean? Is there soap? Can you actually lock the door? Is it accessible if you're in a wheelchair? Does it have a changing station if you're traveling with a baby?
These aren't luxury questions. For a lot of people — parents with young kids, travelers with IBD or Crohn's disease, wheelchair users, anyone with a medical condition that makes restroom access urgent — knowing what you're walking into before you open the door is a real need.
Yelp doesn't rate bathrooms. Google reviews mention them sometimes, buried in a paragraph about the food. There was no dedicated system for rating the one thing every single person needs access to, multiple times a day, every day of their life.
So we built one.
What makes Throne Score different
Throne Score gives nearby places an estimated score when Google ratings are available. Color-coded map pins can reflect estimates and the private ratings you record for yourself.
You can filter for accessible places and places open now, and find the spots you've tagged for baby changing. Private ratings and notes help you remember what to expect next time.
The app is free with no account required. Throne Score Plus ($3.99/month or $19.99/year) removes ads and adds advanced filters always on, up to 50 lists, Double XP weekends, a free Throne Shield every week, and every crown in the Crown Vault. The map, estimated scores, your own ratings, and the core filters are free for everyone.
Why it matters more than people think
Here's something that surprised us when we started talking to early users: the people who care most about bathroom quality aren't germaphobes or complainers. They're parents trying to change a diaper without laying their baby on a wet counter. They're people with Crohn's disease who plan every outing around restroom proximity. They're wheelchair users who've been burned by "accessible" restrooms that technically have a wider stall but no grab bars and a door that opens the wrong way.
For these people, a reliable bathroom finder isn't a novelty — it's infrastructure. We think of Throne Score the same way people think of restaurant reviews or hotel ratings. You would check available information before choosing a hotel. You should not have to walk into a restroom blind either.
What's next
Throne Score launched on the App Store in March 2026. The app works wherever Google Maps lists places near you, and we've written local restroom guides for 41 cities. Every time you rate a restroom, your private notes help you plan better next time.
If you've ever wished you knew what to expect before walking into a restroom — — that's exactly what Throne Score is for.
Download the app. Rate your first throne. Make every outing a little less stressful.