Local businesses reply to 30.4% of their one- and two-star Google reviews, so seven in ten complaints sit on the profile with no answer. Five-star reviews get a reply 42.4% of the time: owners thank their fans and leave their critics unanswered.
Analysis of 130,269 Google reviews of 10,039 local businesses · Google reviews, September 2026
Key Findings
- 1.Local businesses reply to 30.4% of their one- and two-star Google reviews, against 42.4% of their five-star reviews, so seven in ten negative Google reviews go unanswered.
- 2.Three-star Google reviews are the least answered: 25.8% get a reply from the business.
- 3.Plumbers reply to 20.3% of their negative Google reviews, less than half their 45.3% reply rate on five-star reviews.
- 4.One-star Google reviews average 88.5 words, more than twice the 37.1 words of a five-star review.
- 5.9.9% of Google reviews of local businesses are one or two stars, and 85.7% are five stars.
Summary
A homeowner comparing moving companies reads a one-star review describing a scratched table and a missed pickup window. Below it, there is nothing. Was the complaint fair? Did the company fix it? The reader has no way to know, so they assume the worst and move on to the next company.
A reply to a negative review is written for that reader, not for the unhappy customer. It is the one chance a business has to give its side, show how it handles problems and turn a complaint into evidence that someone cares. Because complaints are rare, each one stands out, and the reply under it is read closely.
Local businesses reply to 30.4% of their one- and two-star Google reviews, so seven in ten complaints stay unanswered. Five-star reviews get a reply 42.4% of the time. Even businesses that do reply are less likely to answer their critics than their fans.
What we measured
On September 23, 2026 we analysed the 20 newest Google reviews of 10,039 US local businesses in 18 categories, 130,269 reviews in all, and recorded each review's star rating, its length and whether the business owner had replied. We then calculated the share of reviews that received a reply at each star level and within each category.
Negative reviews are one- and two-star reviews. The reply rate is the share of reviews at that star level with a reply from the business. The gap for a category is its five-star reply rate minus its negative reply rate, in percentage points.
Owners thank their fans and skip their critics
Five-star reviews get a reply 42.4% of the time, twelve points more. The pattern fits a common habit: owners enjoy thanking happy customers and put off the uncomfortable ones. The result is the opposite of what a reader needs, since a thank-you under a five-star review adds little, while a reply under a complaint can change a reader's mind.
Negative reviews are rare, which makes each one more visible. Only 9.9% of Google reviews of local businesses are one or two stars, against 85.7% at five stars. They are also long: in the past 12 months, one-star reviews averaged 88.5 words and five-star reviews 37.1. A long, detailed complaint with no answer takes up more of a profile than several short compliments.
Three-star reviews get the fewest replies
Reply rates are fairly flat from one to four stars and then jump for five-star reviews. Three-star reviews are the least answered of all: 25.8% get a reply, below one-star reviews at 29.9% and four-star reviews at 29.6%.
Source: Suff Digital analysis of 130,269 Google reviews of 10,039 local businesses · Google reviews, September 2026
The middle ratings are often the most useful. A three- or four-star review usually praises something and names one thing that went wrong, the kind of specific feedback a business can act on. It is also the review a hesitant customer finds most believable, so a short reply that addresses the one complaint does a lot of work.
Plumbers and HVAC companies show the widest gap
Plumbers reply to 20.3% of their negative reviews and 45.3% of their five-star reviews, a 25-point gap. HVAC companies show the same pattern, 27.6% against 53%, followed by movers at 34.9% against 56.3%. Home service trades that are quick to thank happy customers tend to go quiet when a job goes wrong.
Source: Suff Digital analysis of 130,269 Google reviews of 10,039 local businesses · Google reviews, September 2026
| Category | Negative reviews replied | Five-star reviews replied | Gap (points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers | 20.3% | 45.3% | 25 |
| HVAC companies | 27.6% | 53% | 25 |
| Movers | 34.9% | 56.3% | 21 |
| Cleaning services | 42.9% | 62% | 19 |
| Roofers | 34.8% | 51.3% | 17 |
| Pest control companies | 43.6% | 59.8% | 16 |
| Real estate agents | 27.1% | 42.8% | 16 |
| Electricians | 23.7% | 40.1% | 16 |
| Dentists | 25.5% | 38.8% | 13 |
| Landscapers | 23.3% | 35.4% | 12 |
| Lawyers | 16.2% | 25.5% | 9 |
| Veterinarians | 39% | 40.4% | 1 |
| Restaurants | 31.9% | 27.9% | -4 |
| Gyms | 44.1% | 42.8% | -1 |
| Hair salons | 31.4% | 30.7% | -1 |
Lawyers reply to the fewest negative reviews of any category shown, 16.2%. Restaurants, gyms and hair salons are the only categories where complaints get a reply more often than praise. Restaurants handle the most reviews, with a median of 214 per restaurant, so they reply selectively, and complaints come first.
What this means for local business owners
Reply to negative reviews first. Keep it short: acknowledge the problem, avoid arguing about details in public, and offer a way to continue the conversation by phone or email. Future customers are reading your reply as closely as the complaint.
Do not skip the middle. Three- and four-star reviews get the fewest replies and often contain the most useful feedback. A reply that thanks the customer and addresses the one thing they did not like shows you listen.
Make it a routine, not a reaction: check new reviews every few days and answer them in order of star rating, lowest first. Our reputation management services give local businesses a consistent process for answering every review, starting with the negative ones.
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<p style="font:14px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif">Source: <a href="https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/replies-to-negative-google-reviews">7 in 10 Negative Google Reviews Never Get a Reply From the Business - Suff Digital</a></p>
Cite this study
Suff Digital. (2026). 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
7 in 10 Negative Google Reviews Never Get a Reply From the Business - Suff Digital - https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/replies-to-negative-google-reviews
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