Reviews
The review score you stress about is worth the least
Communication is table stakes.
Communication only +3.9%
Based on
80,897 listings
Key finding: Across 80,897 listings, communication scores are associated with only a +3.9% lift in nightly rate, while cleanliness (+10.3%) and accuracy (+10.4%) are worth more than twice as much.
The short version
Communication is the review category hosts worry about most. It also moves your price the least. The reason is simple. Almost everyone already scores near the top on communication, so it cannot set you apart. Cleanliness and accuracy are scarcer, and the market pays for what is scarce.
The data
Looking at the review categories that relate to nightly rate:
Accuracy: +10.4%
Cleanliness: +10.3%
Communication: +3.9%
Accuracy and cleanliness each carry more than twice the price association of communication.
Why it works
Price rewards difference, not effort. When nearly every host maxes out communication, a high communication score is expected rather than exceptional. It becomes table stakes, the price of entry, not a reason to charge more. Cleanliness and accuracy are harder to nail consistently, so fewer listings score at the top. That scarcity is what the market reads as quality, and quality is what gets priced.
What to actually do
Keep communication solid, but stop treating it as your growth lever. Fast, friendly replies are the floor, not the edge.
Invest where the money is. Tighten your cleaning standard and audit turnovers so cleanliness scores stay high without slipping.
Make your listing accurate. Match photos, amenities, and descriptions to reality so guests arrive to exactly what you promised.
The honest caveats
This is a correlation, not proof of cause. Higher cleanliness and accuracy scores are associated with higher nightly rates, but the study does not prove that raising those scores will raise your price on its own. Listings that score well on cleanliness and accuracy may differ in other ways too. Treat these figures as a signal about where guest value concentrates, not a guarantee of a specific rate increase.
Methodology
The analysis covers 80,897 listings, drawn from IntelliHost and Key Data in 2026. We compared review subscores against nightly rate to measure how each category relates to price. Comparisons hold listings against similar properties within the same ZIP code and bedroom count, so the figures reflect differences between comparable homes rather than differences between markets or property sizes.
Frequently asked questions
Which review score matters most for nightly rate?
Accuracy (+10.4%) and cleanliness (+10.3%) show the strongest association with nightly rate. Both are worth more than twice as much as communication at +3.9%.
Should I stop caring about communication scores?
No. Communication is table stakes, so you need it to stay competitive. It just cannot differentiate you on price because almost everyone already scores near the top.
Why does communication barely affect price?
Because it is not scarce. When nearly every host maxes communication, a high score is expected and cannot command a premium, which is why it lands at only +3.9%.