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Star Rating Target Calculator

Tells you how many new reviews, and how many months of collecting, it takes to move your average star rating from today's number to the rating you want.

Your numbers

Results update as you type.

Your estimate

New reviews needed...
Months at your pace...
Rating after those reviews...
Is the target reachable?...

Estimates only. Assumptions are listed below, and you can change every input.

A 4.2 star average with eighty reviews feels close to 4.5, but the gap is a lot of five star reviews. Because the average is anchored by everything already published, each new review moves it less as the count grows, and owners routinely underestimate the work. This calculator does the weighted average math so you know the real number before committing to a review campaign, and it flags targets that cannot be reached with the ratings you are likely to collect.

The estimate treats your current rating and review count as a fixed total of stars, then adds new reviews at the average rating you expect them to carry. It solves for the smallest whole number of new reviews that lifts the overall average to your target and reports the resulting rating. If the new reviews would not average above the target, no number of them can get you there, and the tool says so instead of returning a misleading figure. Months needed divides the count by your expected collection pace.

How to use this tool

  1. Copy your current average and total review count from your public profile.
  2. Enter the rating you want and an honest average for the new reviews you expect, then your monthly collection pace.
  3. Check the feasibility line first; if the target is reachable, plan the campaign around the reviews needed and months at your pace.

What the math assumes

  • The average is a plain arithmetic mean of all reviews; platforms that weight recent reviews or hide some will show a different number.
  • Results are computed to full precision; a platform that displays one decimal may show the target slightly earlier or later than this count.
  • All new reviews are assumed to carry the average rating you enter, with no drop in quality as volume grows.
  • No existing reviews are removed or edited during the campaign.
  • Months needed is the review count divided by your monthly pace and assumes that pace holds every month.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the tool say my target is not reachable?

The overall average can never rise above the average of the reviews you add. If you expect new reviews to average 4.5 stars, a 4.6 target is impossible no matter how many you collect. Lower the target or raise the quality of the reviews you ask for.

Should I enter 5 stars as the expected rating for new reviews?

Only if your recent history supports it. A few 4 star reviews in the mix pull the average down more than people expect, so using your real recent average gives a more useful count.

Does removing a bad review change the math?

Yes, and this tool does not model removals. If a review is deleted for violating platform rules, rerun the calculator with the updated rating and count.

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