Reviews
The 4.9 sweet spot beats a perfect 5.0
Chasing a 5.0 is the wrong goal.
+68% at 4.9
Based on
2.7M listings
Key finding: Listings rated 4.90 to 4.94 earn 68% more median revenue than listings rated 4.95 to 5.0, across 2.7 million listings.
The short version
A perfect 5.0 is not the goal you think it is. In the data, the strongest revenue sits with established listings holding a solid 4.9, not with the flawless-looking 5.0 crowd. That top bucket is mostly new listings with too few reviews to have settled yet. For an operator, this means you can stop panicking over a single imperfect review and focus on staying strong and staying booked.
The data
We looked at 2.7 million listings and split them by rating.
Listings at 4.90 to 4.94 earned 68% more median revenue than listings at 4.95 to 5.0.
The 4.95 to 5.0 bucket is inflated by new, low-volume listings that have not gathered enough reviews to regress toward their true level.
That is the whole picture. One headline number, one clear pattern. The sweet spot is a strong, established 4.9.
Why it works
A brand-new listing with three reviews can sit at a perfect 5.0 by luck. It has not been tested by enough guests to reveal its real quality. Those young listings drag the top bucket toward looking perfect while carrying low booking volume and low revenue. An established 4.9, by contrast, usually means dozens or hundreds of stays and a proven track record. Guests trust a rating that is backed by real volume, and volume is what pays. The 4.9 signals experience, not a small sample.
What to actually do
Stop treating a 4.9 as a problem. It is a healthy, credible score that guests trust.
Prioritize review volume over review perfection. More stays and more reviews matter more than protecting a spotless average.
Do not overcorrect after one bad review. Keep delivering a consistent stay and let your rating settle where established, well-booked listings live.
The honest caveats
This is a correlational finding, not proof of cause. We are not saying that dropping from 5.0 to 4.9 will raise your revenue by 68%. The pattern reflects who sits in each bucket. The near-perfect group is skewed toward new, low-volume listings, and that mix is a big part of why its median revenue is lower. The takeaway is about where healthy, established listings land, not a lever you pull to manufacture more income. Your own market, property type, and pricing still drive your results.
Methodology
The analysis covers 2.7 million listings, drawn from IntelliHost and Key Data in 2026. We grouped listings by guest rating and compared median revenue between the 4.90 to 4.94 band and the 4.95 to 5.0 band. Median was used rather than average to reduce the pull of a small number of very high or very low earners. The comparison is across the full listing population in the sample.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 4.9 rating bad for my short-term rental?
No. In this data, listings at 4.90 to 4.94 earned 68% more median revenue than listings at 4.95 to 5.0. A strong, established 4.9 is a healthy place to be.
Why do 5.0 listings make less money on average?
The 4.95 to 5.0 group is heavily weighted toward new listings with very few reviews. They have not gathered enough stays to regress toward their true rating, and they tend to carry lower booking volume and revenue.
Should I try to lower my rating to 4.9?
No. This finding is correlational, so lowering your score will not add revenue. Focus on building review volume and delivering a consistent stay, and let your rating settle naturally.