How many 5-star reviews do you need?
Put in your Google rating and how many reviews you have. It works out how many five-star reviews it takes to reach the rating you want, and what one bad review would do.
Google rating calculator
Your rating is the average of every star rating you've had, so each new review pulls it a little. The more reviews you already have, the more it takes to move.
How the sum works
Google shows the average of all your star ratings, to one decimal place. So your rating is your total stars divided by your number of reviews.
- Reviews now
- 37
- Average now
- 4.2
- Stars between them
- 155.4
- Five-star reviews added
- 23 × 5 = 115
- New stars ÷ new reviews
- 270.4 ÷ 60
- New average
- 4.50
Each five-star review adds five stars and one review. Keep adding them until the average reaches the rating you want, and that's your number. Because Google rounds, the new rating can show a review or two sooner.
Getting there without breaking Google's rules
You can't choose who leaves five stars, and Google doesn't let you try. Asking only the customers you think are happy is review gating, and offering a discount or a prize for a review is against Google's rules too.
What works is asking every customer, soon after the job, with a link that opens the review box. Most happy customers will leave a review when it's easy, and a steady flow of them is what moves the number. There's more on that in how to get more Google reviews.
That's what ReviewLoop does. It asks every customer for you, soon after the job, with one reminder if they don't tap the link. Everyone gets the same Review us on Google button, so it's all above board.
Questions about ratings
How does the Google rating calculator work?
Google shows the average of all your star ratings. The calculator takes your rating and number of reviews, works out your total stars, and finds how many five-star reviews would lift the average to the rating you choose. The sum is shown on the page so you can check it.
Why does it take so many reviews to move my rating?
Each new review is one of many. With 200 reviews, one more five-star review barely moves the average. The more reviews you have, the steadier your rating, which is also why one bad review hurts a business with lots of reviews much less.
Does Google round my rating?
Google shows your rating to one decimal place, so a small change might not show straight away. The calculator works to the exact average, so the number it gives you is never short.
Can I just ask my happy customers to get there faster?
No. Google's policies don't allow asking only the customers you expect to be happy, and Google can remove reviews or restrict your profile for it. Ask every customer. We explain why in review gating and Google's rules.
Is a perfect 5.0 worth chasing?
Once you have one review below five stars, a true 5.0 is out of reach, and you don't need it. Moving from the low 4s into the high 4s, with plenty of recent reviews, makes far more difference when people compare you with the business down the road.
Does it work for other review sites?
It works for any site that shows a simple average of star ratings. Some sites weight recent reviews or score differently, so treat the answer as a guide there.
Want more reviews coming in? See how ReviewLoop works.
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ReviewLoop asks every customer for a Google review, so the reviews keep coming without you chasing them.
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