The review velocity calculator finds the Google review target home contractors need for Grade A velocity. Enter your current reviews and your top competitor's numbers and it calculates your monthly target, how long it takes to close the gap, and what your grade means for your map pack position.
Free · No signup required · Results instant
Your Business
Your total reviews right now
Leave blank if you have not tracked this
Your current Google average rating
Used to benchmark against your trade average
Your Top Competitor
Find this on their Google Maps listing
Count the reviews dated in the last month
Your results appear here
Fill in your numbers on the left and hit Calculate
How the calculator works
The review velocity calculator compares your monthly review rate to your top competitor's, then sets a monthly target that closes the gap instead of just matching their total count. Enter both businesses' review counts and it calculates your target in seconds.
Why velocity beats volume
Google's map pack algorithm tracks the rate new reviews arrive, not just how many you have. A contractor with 40 reviews receiving 8 per month consistently outranks one with 80 reviews receiving 2 per month, because velocity signals an active, trusted business right now.
6+
reviews per month / Grade A velocity threshold
2.3
position improvement / average for Grade A businesses
90
days / until velocity gap becomes position gap
Grade A velocity
This calculator scores 6 or more new Google reviews per month as Grade A velocity, the tier Google's map pack algorithm rewards most. A contractor stuck at 1 to 2 reviews a month is losing ranking ground every 30 days even with strong total reviews.
Benchmarks by trade
Review velocity targets vary by trade and competition density. HVAC and plumbing contractors in competitive metros typically need 6 to 10 reviews a month in the top 3 map pack positions, while remodeling and pool building trades can rank with 3 to 6 a month.
These benchmarks are pulled from active Homerankr campaigns. They represent the review rates of contractors who are ranking in the local 3-pack in competitive markets.
| Trade | Avg reviews to rank | Velocity (top 3) | Velocity (top 10) | Grade A threshold | Biggest miss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 80-120 | 6-10/mo | 2-4/mo | 6+/mo | Wrong GBP category |
| Plumbing | 60-100 | 5-8/mo | 2-3/mo | 5+/mo | No emergency keyword coverage |
| Roofing | 50-90 | 4-8/mo | 2-3/mo | 4+/mo | Seasonal velocity drop |
| Remodeling | 40-80 | 3-6/mo | 1-2/mo | 3+/mo | No automation after project end |
| Pool Building | 30-60 | 3-5/mo | 1-2/mo | 3+/mo | Off-season velocity collapse |
| Electrical | 50-90 | 4-7/mo | 2-3/mo | 4+/mo | No after-hours ask system |
Benchmarks based on active campaigns in competitive US metro markets. Your market may require higher or lower velocity depending on competition density.
The fix
Hitting your review velocity target every month comes down to automation: a two-touch SMS and email sequence fired within 60 minutes of job completion, with an early warning check that suppresses requests from unhappy customers before they go public. No manual asking required.
when to ask
The best time to ask for a review is within 60 minutes of a job closing while the homeowner is still in a positive emotional state. Every hour you wait drops the response rate. Most contractors ask days later, if they ask at all. Automation ties the ask to the moment the job is marked complete in your system.
A text message with a direct Google review link gets a 35% response rate. An email gets 12%. Running both in sequence, SMS first, email 48 hours later for non-responders, captures both groups without being intrusive.
The contractors who hit Grade A velocity do not cherry-pick which customers to ask. They ask everyone, every time, automatically. The system filters, a customer who had a bad experience is flagged before the public review request fires.
protect your rating
Before the review request fires, a one-question internal satisfaction check goes out. If the customer signals a negative experience, the review request is suppressed and your team is notified to resolve the issue first. This is how Homerankr clients maintain 4.8+ averages while running high-volume review automation.
This is the Homerankr system behind these numbers. Automated two-touch sequences, early warning suppression, and monthly velocity reporting included in every package.
The risk
Dropping below Grade A velocity does not just stall your rankings, it hands ground to competitors. A business with zero new reviews in a 30-day window risks losing map pack position to any competitor still asking, and the gap compounds roughly every 60 to 90 days. Book a free AI visibility audit for your home service business to see where your velocity stands today.
Problem
C. Carlin Plumbing had 22 reviews across 4 years of operation. Velocity grade D, averaging less than 1 review per month. Ranking position 6 in the local map pack for their primary keywords.
What we did
Installed two-touch SMS and email review automation tied to their invoicing system. Every job close triggers the sequence automatically. Early warning system added to suppress review requests from flagged customers.
Result
34 new reviews in 90 days. Total went from 22 to 56 with a 4.9-star average maintained throughout. Map pack position moved from 6 to 2. Inbound calls from the map pack increased 31%.
56 reviews · 90 days · #2 map pack · 31% more calls
Read the full C. Carlin Plumbing review velocity case study, or browse the trades hub for the SEO system built for your trade.
More free tools
Two other free calculators pair with your review target: the ROI calculator shows the projected revenue return of closing your velocity gap, and the missed call calculator shows how much revenue unanswered calls are quietly costing your business every single month right now.
Find out how much revenue you are losing every month from unanswered calls.
Calculate now →Enter your average job value and see exactly what Homerankr returns on your investment.
Calculate now →Check whether your business is being recommended by ChatGPT and Google AI for your trade and city.
Check now →