How many reviews to reach your rating
New reviews needed equals your review count times the gap to your target, divided by the gap between the rating new reviews earn and your target, rounded up.
Review gap calculator
firmkit.co/tools/review-gap-calculator/ · Oct 19, 2026
Example numbers, not yours.
Your calculation, step by step
- 38 x 4.4reviews times your current rating
- target 4.7the average you want after the new reviews
- k = 38new reviews at 5.0 stars, from k = n x (target - rating) / (new rating - target), rounded up
Get the full plan by email
Opens on this page the moment you press the button. Print it, save it, or mail a copy to yourself from there.
Your count and months stay free above.
- A 12‑month table of your projected rating at your pace
- How many reviews a month, and how many customers to ask
- An ask cadence you can print
The table and plan need JavaScript, because they are built in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere without it.
Report ready. It is the next section.
Your table and printable plan
This report uses the example numbers.
Made with firmkit.co/tools/review-gap-calculator/.
How the numbers are worked out
The formula, in words
Average after = (reviews x rating + k x new rating) / (reviews + k)
Solve for k: k = reviews x (target - rating) / (new rating - target), rounded up
Months = k / reviews a month. Count gap = competitor reviews - your reviews, if positive
If you have no reviews, one review at the new rating sets your rating. If your rating is already at or above the target, k is 0. If the target is at or above what new reviews earn, it cannot be reached, and the tool says so.
What the tool cannot know
- Whether future reviews will all be the rating you entered. Real reviews vary.
- How Google rounds a rating on screen. It shows one decimal.
- Reviews that get filtered, removed or edited.
- Whether a competitor’s count and rating will keep moving.
Every assumption, and who set it
| Assumption | Value | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews and rating | Your numbers | You |
| Rating of new reviews | 5 to start | You |
| Reviews a month | Your numbers | You |
| Ask-to-review rate | Blank | You, optional |
| Rounding | Up to a whole review | Firmkit |
Sources
- The formula is a weighted average. No outside statistic is used.
- Review rules, checked Oct 19, 2026: Google Maps user-contributed content policy. It bans incentives such as payment, discounts or free goods for a review, and bans discouraging negative reviews or selectively soliciting positive ones.
- How to ask for Google reviews (Firmkit blog).
Source check
- Google Maps user-contributed content policy. Read at Google on Oct 19, 2026
Questions people ask
How many five-star reviews lift a 4.2 to a 4.6?
It depends on how many reviews you have. With 20 reviews at 4.2, you need 20 new five-star reviews to reach 4.6, because 0.4 divided by 0.4 is 1. With 50 reviews you need 50. The calculator does this for any count, and shows when a target is unreachable.
Do old reviews still count?
Yes, every review counts toward your average. Fresh reviews also show that customers still choose you, and some shoppers read the newest first. So ask all year instead of in one burst. If your newest review is more than 90 days old, this tool flags it so you remember to ask.
Should I ask every customer for a review?
Yes, ask every customer, not only the happy ones. Google does not allow screening for positive feedback or offering rewards for reviews. Asking everyone also gives you an honest rating. Ask within a day of finishing the job, send one reminder, then stop. Never pressure anyone.
Should I reply to every review?
Yes. Reply in plain words within two days, and name the service you did. A calm reply to a bad review shows future customers how you handle problems. Thank people without repeating personal details. Never argue, and never offer anything in exchange for a changed review.
Can I buy reviews?
No. Buying or faking reviews breaks Google’s rules and can get reviews removed or a profile penalized. It also puts a false number in front of real customers. Earn reviews by asking every customer after the job. This calculator shows how many that takes so the goal feels concrete.
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