Review Rating calculation method, how does it work?

[Küllike0]

Hello!

Do you know how Airbnb calculates avarage rating for the hosts?

Do they take for the calculation all reviews from the very beginning or like for example in Booking.com (only last 2 years ratings)?

I just noticed that long time my average rate was 4,8, little bit later even 4,9 and now dropped to 4,7.

I looked my past reviews - all were 5-s. How could then rating drop like that?

Or do this system takes reviews from these guests aswell who already gave theire review, but I have not reviewed them yet?

I have 1 review like that, she have given me review but I cant see it at the moment, because I havent give her a review yet (havent looked over the pace yet after her leaving). Can I assume now, that she gave me a bad review?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Küllike0it calculate the last 12 months

[Jennifer10]

I just spent the better of 4 hours trying to figure out this very question. Here is what I found....

Changing the way host ratings are calculated benefits potential guests even more than it would the hosts. Currently, guests are not being shown an accurate measurement of what they can expect due to a flaw in the system of calculating host ratings/percentages. 

One of the inaccuracies centers around reviews "host cancelled" and/or if a guest didn't leave a star rating for one of the review categories. Airbnb seems to still count these "missing" stars into overall calculation -- 0 stars are awarded but 5 stars are still possible.

DISCLAIMER: If I am incorrect in the way the host ratings/score is calculated then I apologize but from experience dissecting my own ratings this is the only system of calculation that even came close to matching mine.

1 review = 7 categories x 5 stars = 35 stars possible

EXAMPLE

Guest #1

5 stars in 4/7 categories = 20 stars

4 stars in 2/7 categories = 8 stars

3 stars in 1/7 categories = 3 stars

Total 31/35 stars or 88%, score 4.42. 

Guest #2

5 stars in 1/7 categories = 5 stars

4 stars in 2/7 categories = 8 stars

n/a stars in 4/7 categories

Total 13/35 stars or  37%, score 1.86

Guest #3 (Host canceled) 

n/a stars in 7/7 categories

Total 0/35 stars. 0%, score 0.00

Guests #4-#7 (4 separate guests/reviews)

5 stars in 7/7 categories = 35 stars each

Total 35/35 stars x 4 (140 stars total), 100%, score 5.0

After these 7 guests the host averages are: 

31 + 13 + 0 + (35x4) = 184/245 stars

(88%+37%+0%+(100% x 4)) / 7 = 75%, score 3.75 

To illustrate this flaw remove the “missed” categories in Guest #2 review… 

Now Guest# 2 totals are:  13/15 stars, 87%, score 4.33.

Increasing host’s overall 7 guest average to 82%, score 4.1. 

Going one step farther….

Removing the “host cancelled” review decreases the number of reviews (6 guests, instead of 7) and reduces the total number of stars by 35. 

This increases the host’s score/rating to 96%, score 4.84. 

That’s a huge difference 96% score 4.84 vs 75% score 3.75!

[Sandra856]

Hi @Jennifer10 🙂

It is ONLY the overall rating that counts. Not the sub-kategories.

Best, Sandra

[Jennifer10]

That's impossible. If it were true my Overall Rating would be considerably higher, my 5 star review total would be 10% higher, and the 5 star/4 star/3 star/1 star chart would only have 4 and 5 star reviews listed. 

Second misconception is that the ratings/score only takes into account the last 365 days. From what I've seen, it takes into consideration ANY and ALL review information listed. If your profile states 56 reviews, then 56 reviews are being calculated.

It will benefit hosts and guests if there was better transparency on the rating and review system scores. Having an "overall rating"  unrelated to the sub-categories is misleading for everyone. "Overall" means encompassing, so I think most hosts and guests believe the overall rating is an average of the sub-categories, and not a seperate category. 

[Gigi34]

We all are working to hard and making so much money for airbnb! But the worse part is that we are treated as we do not matter.  It is time for a host union.

[Sandra856]

Hi again @Jennifer10 🙂

Well the "over-all rating" is a category on its own and it is the only one that counts in the race to get at least 4,7.

The rating system is one of the most discussed subjects in this forum. Just search a little and you will find a lot about it. 

Best, Sandra

[Jennifer10]

I realize it is one of the most discussed topics on the forum. Yet no one seems to accurately and definitely say how this system works.  Stating the only thing that matters to get a a rating of 4.7 is the "overall-rating" score is incorrect, well -- at least in my case (so I assume others have the same problem?)

Yes, I understand "overall-rating" is a seperate set of "stars". It has NO correlation to the stars of the sub-categories. 

In the last 365 days I have 24 reviews total.

4 have an "overall-rating" of 4 stars.

20 have an "overall-rating" of 5 stars. 

There are a possible 120 stars. (24 reviews x 5 stars each) 

I have 116/120 stars.

96.6% (0.966) x 5 (number of stars)

My overall rating SHOULD be 4.83.  (My rating acoording to Airbnb is 4.6.) 

If one of my formulas is incorrect, please tell me which one. 

I came closest to matching the overall rating (and percentage of 5 star reviews) shown in my Dashboard when I calculate EVERY review regardless of age, address, or the completeness of the review (some only marked 3 subscategories, other had sub-categories with the overall-rating left blank.)

[Sandra856]

Hi @Jennifer10

Yes, I would definitely call airbnb and ask them about your rates because when you have 4 "overall-rating" of 4 stars and 20 "overall-rating" of 5 stars you should end out with an overall-rating that says 4,83333. You will loose your superhost status after the next calculation period if you have 4,6 and receive warning messages because you are under 4,7. 

Airbnb completely changed the rating system 1. July 2018. Before and after that date there has been many, many discussions in this community. I have been a part of this community for a while and I'm 100 % sure that it is only the overall rating that counts. Call airbnb. 

[Sandra856]

@Jennifer10  Also I want to add this link. Huma from London (a regular in this community) explains what happends if guests chooses to only rate some of the categories.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/The-General-Confusion-About-Star-Ratings/m-p/866168

[Craig1]

so confusing,..

[Angie29]

Trying to figure out ratings:  BEYOND CONFUSING, to say the least.    

[Danielle1086]

The rating system is complete trash. Your rating should be a calculation equally weighting score for each of the 5 categories to determine the overall rating for each guest. Making guest choose 1 overall rating and that being the only factor that influences your rating as a host is absurd. What happens over and over is 5 stars for everything but one area which is given a 4 and 4 stars overall rather than  what should be a 4.8.  @Airbnb you really need a better system here. It's a pretty simple formula. 

[Deborah1226]

I completely agree! I had a 4.8 superhost status and it was ruined by a 21 year old guest who didn’t like my check-out rules. They were minimal rules, BTW. So she gave me 3 stars. She also said I wasn’t a good communicator, even though I’ve received 5 stars  from everyone else and have a 100% response rate. She ignored messages and wasn’t a good communicator, herself. There’s no way to refute any of this. My superhost status is ruined and will take at least 15  5-star reviews to get it back to 4.8, according to their rating system. :frowning_face: That’s an absurd way to rate and take averages! It’s really screwed up. 

[Clara116]

@Deborah1226  Sorry you had that review that messed up your ratings.

I was curious and looked at your listing and reviews and when I read you use essential oils and someone mentioned the smell. As a retired massage therapist/aromatherapist for 20 yrs now. Might I recommend just use the Peppermint as many many people have sensitivities and aversions to Eucalyptus ...and a few show allergic reactions - I used just Peppermint in my therapy building over 15yrs. And now 6 1/2 yrs and almost every person exclaims AHHH, WOW and loves the smell. I use a diffuser 3-4 hrs before guests arrive right after cleaning so that it is diffused and not too much, but lovely. Hope you don't mind my suggestion.

Happy Hosting,  Clara