--- title: "Google Review Length: 41 Words on Average vs 30 in 2021" url: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/google-review-length-over-time description: "Google review length is rising: reviews from the last 12 months average 41 words against 30 in 2021, and one-star reviews run 88.5 words. See the data." lang: en --- Share Share on X: https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fgoogle-review-length-over-time&text=The%20Average%20Google%20Review%20Is%2041%20Words%20Long%2C%20Up%20From%2030%20in%202021 Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fgoogle-review-length-over-time Share on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fgoogle-review-length-over-time Share on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fgoogle-review-length-over-time&title=The%20Average%20Google%20Review%20Is%2041%20Words%20Long%2C%20Up%20From%2030%20in%202021 Google reviews posted in the last 12 months average **41** words, up from 30 in 2021, and the share of reviews with no text at all has fallen from one in three to under one in five. One-star reviews are the longest, at 88.5 words. Analysis of 130,269 Google reviews of 10,039 US local businesses · Google reviews, September 2026 ## Key Findings 1. 1. Google reviews posted in the last 12 months average **41.2** words, against 30.4 words for Google reviews posted in 2021, more than a third longer. Copy stat 2. 2. **18.5%** of Google reviews posted in the last 12 months are star ratings with no text, down from 33.3% in 2021. Copy stat 3. 3. The same businesses are getting longer reviews: across 1,600 local businesses, recent Google reviews average **45.6** words against 31.6 for their reviews from 2021 or earlier. Copy stat 4. 4. One-star Google reviews average **88.5** words and two-star reviews 90.1, more than twice the 37.1 words of five-star Google reviews. Copy stat 5. 5. Google reviews of daycares average **68.7** words, the longest of 18 local business categories, against 27.1 words for restaurant reviews. Copy stat ## Summary A parent choosing a daycare reads the reviews on Google. Five years ago many of them would have been a row of stars with nothing written. Today a typical review describes the teachers, the pickup routine and how the child settled in, in a full paragraph. You might expect reviews to be getting shorter as people grow used to tapping a star and moving on. The data says the opposite, and that matters to any local business. Longer reviews give future customers more detail to judge a business by, and they give the owner specific feedback, good and bad, that a bare star rating never did. Google reviews posted in the last 12 months average **41** words, up from 30 in 2021, and grew longer every year from 2020 to 2025. The share of reviews with no text has nearly halved, from 33.3% to 18.5%. The longest reviews of all come from unhappy customers. ## What we measured On September 23, 2026 we analyzed 130,269 Google reviews of 10,039 US local businesses in 18 categories, up to the 20 newest reviews for each business. We counted the words in each review and grouped the reviews by the year they were posted, by their star rating and by the category of business. To confirm the trend holds within the same businesses, we also compared recent and older reviews of the 1,600 businesses that have both. A review's length is the number of words in its text. A review with no text is a star rating left without any written comment. "The last 12 months" means reviews posted from late September 2025 to September 23, 2026. The average adds up all words and divides by the number of reviews; the median is the middle review, with half longer and half shorter. ## Google reviews have grown longer every year since 2020 41.2 words is the average length of a Google review posted in the last 12 months, up from 30.4 words in 2021. The median review tells the same story more sharply: 24 words in the last 12 months against 12 in 2021, so the typical review has doubled. Review length bottomed out between 2019 and 2021, at around 30 words, then climbed every year to 44.9 words in 2025. No text by year posted 2019 34% 2020 34.7% 2021 33.3% 2022 26.7% 2023 21.3% 2024 19.5% 2025 16.9% 2026 (to September 23) 18.7% Source: Suff Digital analysis of 130,269 Google reviews of 10,039 US local businesses · Google reviews, September 2026 | Year posted | Average words | Median words | No text | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2019 | 30.6 | 11 | 34% | | 2020 | 29.6 | 11 | 34.7% | | 2021 | 30.4 | 12 | 33.3% | | 2022 | 34.6 | 18 | 26.7% | | 2023 | 37.4 | 21 | 21.3% | | 2024 | 41.8 | 26 | 19.5% | | 2025 | 44.9 | 28 | 16.9% | | 2026 (to September 23) | 40.7 | 23 | 18.7% | Fewer customers leave stars alone. In 2021, 33.3% of reviews had no text; in the last 12 months, 18.5% do. The change is not about which businesses are reviewed: across 1,600 businesses with reviews from both periods, recent reviews average 45.6 words against 31.6 for their reviews from 2021 or earlier. Customers of the same businesses are writing more. ## Unhappy customers write the most Negative reviews are the longest by far. In the last 12 months, a one-star review averages 88.5 words and a two-star review 90.1, more than twice the 37.1 words of a five-star review. Four-star reviews are the shortest, at 27.4 words, with a median of 6. Average words by star rating (last 12 months) 1 star 88.5 2 stars 90.1 3 stars 52.3 4 stars 27.4 5 stars 37.1 A satisfied customer says thanks in a sentence or two. An unhappy one tells the whole story: what went wrong, when, who they spoke to and what it cost them. That makes a negative review the most detailed account of a business a future customer will read, and the most important one to answer. The median one-star review runs 51 words, long enough that a one-line reply looks dismissive. ## Daycares get the longest reviews, restaurants the shortest By category, daycare reviews average 68.7 words, followed by real estate agents at 65.3 and roofers at 59.9. Restaurants get the shortest reviews at 27.1 words, with pest control companies at 29.5. | Category | Average words per Google review | | --- | --- | | Daycares | 68.7 | | Real estate agents | 65.3 | | Roofers | 59.9 | | Lawyers | 54.9 | | Veterinarians | 46.3 | | Movers | 46 | | Landscapers | 41.2 | | Chiropractors | 41.1 | | Gyms | 40.9 | | Plumbers | 39.8 | | Auto repair shops | 39.8 | | HVAC companies | 39.4 | | Hair salons | 37.6 | | Cleaning services | 37.3 | | Electricians | 37 | | Dentists | 35.3 | | Pest control | 29.5 | | Restaurants | 27.1 | The longest reviews go to services that involve trust, money or a long relationship: childcare, buying or selling a home, a new roof, a legal case. Customers who went through something that personal write it up in detail, and future customers facing the same decision read every word. A restaurant meal or a pest treatment gets a quick verdict. ## What this means for local businesses Read your reviews closely. Longer reviews carry specific praise and specific complaints, which is free feedback on your service, and future customers read the same detail before they call. If several reviews mention the same problem, fix it before the next one does. When you ask for reviews, ask customers to mention what you did for them: the job, the problem you solved, the person who helped. A review that names a specific service helps the next customer with the same need, and gives Google words to match against searches. Reply to the specifics, especially in long negative reviews. A reply that addresses the actual problem and offers to put it right reads far better than a generic apology. Our local seo packages (https://www.suffdigital.com/seo/local-seo-services) include review requests and reply support for local businesses. ## Embed this research Paste this on your site to embed the charts. It links back to the source automatically.

Source: The Average Google Review Is 41 Words Long, Up From 30 in 2021 - Suff Digital

## Cite this study APA Suff Digital. (2026). The Average Google Review Is 41 Words Long, Up From 30 in 2021. https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/google-review-length-over-time Plain link The Average Google Review Is 41 Words Long, Up From 30 in 2021 - Suff Digital - https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/google-review-length-over-time ## Frequently asked questions ### How long is the average Google review? ### Are Google reviews getting shorter? ### Which Google reviews are the longest? ### Which businesses get the longest Google reviews? ## Related studies - Local SEO 34.5% of One-Star Google Reviews Mention Price vs 13.1% of Five-Star Reviews: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/one-star-google-reviews-price-complaints - Local SEO "Friendly" Appears in 11% of Five-Star Google Reviews vs 30.2% for "Recommend": https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/words-in-five-star-google-reviews - Local SEO 7 in 10 Negative Google Reviews Never Get a Reply From the Business: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/replies-to-negative-google-reviews - Local SEO 81.7% of Local Businesses With Under 10 Google Reviews Never Reply vs 20.5% With 200+: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/google-review-reply-rates ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#organization", "name": "Suff Digital", "alternateName": "Suff Digital Marketing", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#logo", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/logo.png", "contentUrl": "https://www.suffdigital.com/logo.png", "caption": "Suff Digital" }, "image": { "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#logo" }, "description": "Suff Digital is a full-stack digital marketing agency that turns websites into predictable revenue engines, SEO, paid media, content, CRO, and web design built around revenue, not vanity metrics.", "slogan": "Digital marketing built for what's next.", "email": "hello@suffdigital.com", "telephone": "+1-629-236-0099", "foundingDate": "2022", "founder": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matt Suffoletto", "jobTitle": "Founder & CEO" }, "contactPoint": [ { "@type": "ContactPoint", "telephone": "+1-629-236-0099", "email": "hello@suffdigital.com", "contactType": "sales", "areaServed": "US", "availableLanguage": [ "en" ] } ], "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Nashville", "addressRegion": "TN", "postalCode": "37219", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": { "@type": "Country", "name": "United States" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/suff-digital/", "https://www.instagram.com/suffdigital/", "https://www.youtube.com/@suffdigitalmarketing", "https://www.tiktok.com/@suffdigital" ], "knowsAbout": [ "Search Engine Optimization", "Pay-Per-Click Advertising", "Paid Social Advertising", "Conversion Rate Optimization", "Web Design", "Digital PR", "Link Building", "Website Migration", "Website Maintenance and Support", "Technical SEO", "Local SEO", "AI Search Optimization" ], "hasOfferCatalog": { "@type": "OfferCatalog", "name": "Suff Digital Services", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/ppc" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Paid Social Advertising", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/paid-social" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/cro" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Web Design", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/web-design" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Digital PR & Link Building", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/digital-pr" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Website Migration", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/website-migration" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Website Maintenance & Support", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/website-maintenance" } } ] } }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#website", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/", "name": "Suff Digital", "inLanguage": "en-US", "publisher": { "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#organization" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/google-review-length-over-time#article", "headline": "The Average Google Review Is 41 Words Long, Up From 30 in 2021", "description": "Google reviews posted in the last 12 months average 41 words, up from 30 in 2021, and the share of reviews with no text at all has fallen from one in three to under one in five. 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One-star reviews are the longest, at 88.5 words.", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/google-review-length-over-time", "creator": { "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#organization" }, "datePublished": "2026-09-24", "dateModified": "2026-09-24", "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "isAccessibleForFree": true, "measurementTechnique": "Google reviews" }, { "@type": "FAQPage", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/google-review-length-over-time#faq", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long is the average Google review?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Google reviews posted in the last 12 months average 41 words, with a median of 24 words (September 2026)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Are Google reviews getting shorter?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No, they are getting longer. Google reviews averaged 30.4 words in 2021 and 41.2 words in the last 12 months, and the share of Google reviews with no text fell from 33.3% to 18.5%." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which Google reviews are the longest?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Negative ones. One-star Google reviews average 88.5 words and two-star reviews 90.1 words, more than twice the 37.1 words of five-star Google reviews." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which businesses get the longest Google reviews?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Daycares, whose Google reviews average 68.7 words, followed by real estate agents (65.3) and roofers (59.9). Restaurant Google reviews are the shortest at 27.1 words." } } ] } ] } ] ```