It turns out that earning an Airbnb badge isn’t as simple as having five-star reviews. AirDNA analyzed millions of listings to uncover the real ranking factors behind the top Airbnb badges—and how hosts can improve their odds of getting one

The Truth About Airbnb Badges: What Airbnb Doesn’t Tell You

Airbnb badges recognize top-performing listings, but only 12.3% of eligible listings make it into the Top 10%, 5%, or 1%.

Listings with a perfect 5.0 rating have an 80% chance of making the Top 1%, while 4.97–4.99 ratings only have a 20% chance.

Cancellations, guest complaints, or hosting too many listings lessens your chances of getting a badge. 

You’ve racked up great reviews, maintained a high rating, and delivered a solid guest experience—so why hasn’t your listing earned an Airbnb badge? With millions of eligible listings, only a small fraction make it into the Top 10%, 5%, or 1%, leaving many hosts wondering what they’re missing.

The truth? Airbnb doesn’t tell hosts exactly what it takes to earn a badge. It’s not just about five-star reviews—factors like review volume, rating thresholds, guest experience touchpoints, and even property type play a major role.

If you’re struggling to get the visibility and recognition your listing deserves, we’ve done the digging for you. This guide breaks down Airbnb’s ranking system, reveals why some high-rated listings still don’t make the cut, and shares data-backed strategies to help you secure a top spot.

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What Are Airbnb Badges and How Do They Work?

Airbnb badges recognize top-performing listings, helping them gain an edge in search rankings, guest trust, and booking rates. While the Superhost badge is awarded to hosts for maintaining high standards across their entire portfolio, the newer ranking-based badges focus on individual listings that consistently deliver exceptional guest experiences.

Here’s how the Airbnb host badge system works:

Guest Favorite Badge: The entry-level badge for listings with consistently high ratings and positive guest feedback. Getting a Guest Favorites badge is a prerequisite for the other badge types.

Airbnb Top 10% Badge: Awarded to the top 10% of eligible listings worldwide, based on ratings, review count, and reliability.

Airbnb Top 5% Badge: A more exclusive tier, recognizing the best 5% of listings that outperform the competition.

Airbnb Top 1% Badge: The most elite badge, given to the highest-rated 1% of listings globally.

Each badge builds upon the one before it, meaning a Guest Favorite listing has the potential to advance into the Top 10%, 5%, and eventually 1%. Understanding these rankings can help hosts set clear goals for improving their listing’s performance and visibility.

How many listings qualify for Airbnb badges? 

With 8 million active listings on Airbnb, not every host gets to showcase a badge. To even be considered, a listing must have at least five reviews and an overall rating of 4.7+ stars. That leaves 4.9 million listings eligible, but only a small percentage make it to the top:

Guest Favorites: 2.1 million listings qualify, making up 43.6% of eligible properties.

Top 10%: Around 299,000 listings qualify, representing 6% of eligible properties.

Top 5%: About 254,000 listings land in this tier, covering the top 2-5% range. 

Top 1%: Only 63,000 listings qualify, making up 1.3% of eligible properties.

This ranking system shows just how competitive Airbnb’s badges are. Even though 4.9 million listings qualify, only 12.3% earn a Top 10%, Top 5%, or Top 1% badge. That means most listings, even well-rated ones, don’t make the cut. But trust us when we say, you want to. 

Listings with badges don’t just get bragging rights—they see higher search visibility, increased guest trust, and often more bookings at better rates. Earning a badge can give your listing the competitive edge it needs to stand out in a crowded market.

Airbnb Badge Requirements: What It Takes to Be a Top Host

To qualify for any of the top Airbnb badges, a listing must meet Airbnb’s minimum requirements:

At least five reviews in the past two years (to qualify for a “highlight” at the top of the listing page)

Airbnb sets basic requirements for badges, but it doesn’t explain exactly what pushes a listing into the Top 10%, 5%, or 1%.

So, we took a closer look at the two factors Airbnb uses for badges—review count and rating— and how they affect badge eligibility.

One of the biggest factors in earning a badge is how many reviews a listing has—especially for newer properties. The data shows that:

If a listing has fewer than 35 reviews, getting more reviews makes the biggest difference. A listing in this stage should focus on increasing review volume because each new rating improves its chances of earning a badge. Those reviews need to be 5-stars, though—the less reviews you have, the less wiggle room you have with your average rating to qualify.  

Once a listing has 35+ reviews, the overall rating becomes more important. At this stage, maintaining a 4.85+ rating is the best way to qualify for a Top 10% badge.

Even small rating-increases matter. A 0.15-star jump (for example, from 4.85 to 5.0 stars) can boost a listing’s chance of earning a badge by up to 50%. This means focusing on guest experience—like accuracy, check-in, and communication—can make a real difference in achieving top recognition.

Key takeaway: If you're a newer host, focus on getting more reviews—the more you have, the better your chances of earning a badge. If you already have 35+ reviews, shift your focus to maintaining a 4.85+ rating, since overall rating matters most at this stage.

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How to Improve Your Chances of Getting Airbnb Top 10%, 5%, and 1% Badges 

Many hosts meet Airbnb’s basic badge requirements but still don’t make the cut. If you’re wondering why your listing hasn’t earned a badge—or how to get one faster— the devil is in the details. We looked at the data to find out what you can do to increase your chances of earning an Airbnb badge. 

The difference between a Top 10% or Top 5% badge and no badge at all often comes down to tiny differences in overall rating. Our analysis found: 

Listings with a 4.85–4.95 rating have only a 20% chance of earning a top-tier badge (top 1%, 5%, or 10%).

Listings with a perfect 5.0 rating, on the other hand, have an 80% chance of getting at least one badge.

This means that even near-perfect listings still struggle to break into Airbnb’s top tiers. Only those maintaining a full 5.0 rating see the highest success rates. While this is challenging, it highlights how small improvements in guest experience can make a big difference in badge eligibility. 

Keep in mind that the probability of getting a top-level badge also varies based on the number of reviews that you have. We’ve chosen to use 35 ratings as the default in this overview, as the data indicates that the probability of getting a badge is relatively stable once you’ve reached 35 reviews. 

Before 35 reviews, we’re looking at a sub-30% chance of getting a badge with 5-9 reviews, even if all of them are 5 stars. The probability climbs steeply from there, hitting 60% at 20 reviews, 74% at 35 reviews, and above 80% once you hit a review count of 95 or above, assuming that the average rating for those reviews is 5 stars.

Unsurprisingly, it’s harder to get a top 1% badge than it is to get a top 10 or 5% badge, regardless of your rating. Interestingly, listings with 35 reviews that average a 5-star rating have a higher probability of earning a top 5% badge than a top 10% badge. 

Outside of that anomaly, though, the data follows a clear trend: listings with 5-star ratings have a higher probability of gaining any individual top-level badge than listings with an average rating between 4.85-4.95 stars, and that probability goes down as you move from 10 to 5 to 1%.

The more ratings you get, the more you need to up your hosting game 

We also uncovered a surprising trend: Ratings tend to dip every 40 reviews (that’s about 80 different stays). Even the best listings see small declines over time, making it harder to maintain a perfect score.

More reviews bring more variation—as guest volume increases, so does feedback diversity.

Small inconsistencies add up—minor lapses in experience can start affecting long-term ratings.

For newer listings, this means the best chance to secure a high rating is early on, before more reviews make it harder to maintain. For experienced hosts, keeping guest experience consistent across all stays—from check-in to cleanliness—can help prevent small rating dips from costing a top Airbnb badge.

Nail the details: Listing accuracy and check-in matter more than you’d think

Earning an Airbnb Guest Favorite or Top 10%, 5%, or 1% badge isn’t just about overall rating—accuracy and check-in ratings play a major role. The data shows:

Listings in the Top 1% consistently have perfect 10s in accuracy and check-in ratings.

Even in the Top 10%, accuracy and check-in ratings are nearly flawless (9.99 and 9.98).

For Guest Favorite and Top 10% badges, accuracy and check-in ratings need to be near-perfect, but there's a little more leeway in other rating categories like cleanliness, communication, and value. While these still need to be high, they don’t have to be flawless to qualify.

That means even small inaccuracies in your listing details or a complicated check-in process could be the reason your listing isn’t ranking higher.

Interestingly, location ratings matter the least. While still important, the data shows that listings with lower location scores can still qualify, whereas accuracy and check-in ratings need to be near-perfect.

Host cancellations, guest complaints, and Airbnb customer service issues can also knock a listing out of badge eligibility. Keeping your listing details accurate, streamlining check-in, and minimizing cancellations are key to securing a top spot.

Leverage unique property characteristics 

Want a better shot at landing an Airbnb Top 1% or Top 5% badge? It might be time to think outside the box. 

Our analysis shows that smaller, unique vacation rentals typically obtain Airbnb badges at a higher rate than traditional homes.

Shepherd’s huts and barns are the most likely to rank in the Top 1%, with 9% and 7% making the cut. Their rustic charm and uniqueness help attract more five-star reviews.

Guest suites, farm stays, and cottages also perform well in the Top 1%, suggesting guests value private, cozy stays with character.

Ranches and tiny homes rank higher in the Top 5% and 10%, showing that compact, experience-driven stays are growing in popularity.

Yurts and shipping containers make it into the Top 10%, proving that guests love creative and unique accommodations. 

Over half (51%) of unique stays earn a Guest Favorite badge, performing better than houses/villas (49%) and far outpacing hotels/hostels (22%).

Unique stays consistently attract more guest interest, higher ratings, and more reviews, all of which improve badge eligibility. 

Guests love one-of-a-kind experiences, making them more likely to leave positive feedback and recommend the property. That extra engagement gives unique listings a real advantage, especially for new hosts trying to break into the top tiers of Airbnb badges.

Scope out the competition in your market 

The data shows that some countries have a higher share of top-ranked listings, meaning that in certain markets, listings have a better shot at earning a Top 10% or Top 1% badge.

Venezuela (10%) and Brazil (9%)  have the highest percentage of properties in the Top 10%. This suggests that in some markets, there’s less competition among high-rated listings, making it easier to break into top tiers.

Venezuela (4%) and New Zealand (3%) lead in Top 1% listings. Factors like guest expectations, rating trends, and market saturation may contribute to more listings achieving elite status in these regions.

Markets with more professionally managed properties see fewer badge-earning listings. Countries like Taiwan, Malaysia, and Hong Kong have lower percentages of top listings, likely because large-scale property managers operate in a way that prioritizes efficiency over personalized guest experiences, leading to slightly lower ratings.

Even if you’re not hosting in these specific markets, the data reveals a broader trend—your competition level and guest expectations affect how easy it is to earn a top badge.

In markets with fewer standout listings, achieving a high rating can help you rank among the best more easily.

In highly competitive or professionally managed markets, focusing on a more personalized, guest-first approach may help your listing stand out.

Understanding your market’s landscape can help you set realistic goals and tailor your hosting strategy to maximize your badge potential.

Gain insights into the revenue and occupancy trends in your market.

Why Some Airbnb Listings Don’t Get a Badge – Common Mistakes Hosts Make

A great rating isn’t always enough to earn an Airbnb Guest Favorite or Top 10%, 5%, or 1% badge. Even some of the highest-rated listings miss out, leaving hosts wondering what went wrong. In fact, 700,000 listings with near-perfect 4.97–4.99 ratings still don’t have a badge—proving that Airbnb’s ranking system factors in more than just guest reviews.

High ratings but no badge? Here are some possible reasons why 

If your listing has strong reviews but hasn’t earned an Airbnb host badge, here’s what could be holding it back:

Cancellations and guest experience issues: Even a few host cancellations or negative experiences can disqualify a listing.

Customer service complaints lower trust scores: Airbnb tracks guest-reported issues, and repeated complaints can impact a listing’s eligibility—no matter how high the rating.

Managing too many listings reduces badge chances: Hosts with more than five properties are less likely to earn a badge, likely because maintaining consistency across multiple listings is harder. 

For instance, hosts with just one listing have a 58% chance of getting a top 1% badge (assuming other criteria are met). Once the host takes on more than one listing, that probability drops to just 35%. Conversely, the bottom 10% of Airbnb listings see an outsized number of hosts with 21+ units, meaning the bigger your Airbnb business, the harder you’ll have to work to keep them up to scratch.

Not being a Superhost may put you at a disadvantage. Data shows that Superhosts are far more likely to earn Top 10%, 5%, and 1% badges. This suggests Airbnb favors hosts with a proven track record of reliability, low cancellations, and exceptional hospitality—all key Superhost criteria.

A high rating alone isn’t enough to earn a badge. Airbnb’s ranking system looks at consistency, cancellations, and guest trust. For hosts aiming for a top host ranking, delivering a smooth, reliable guest experience matters just as much as maintaining great reviews.

How a Top 1% Badge Increases Bookings and Visibility

Earning an Airbnb badge on any level is an achievement—but reaching the Top 1% puts a listing among the best of the best on the platform. These are the elite few that consistently outperform millions of other listings worldwide.

Do Airbnb badges improve search rankings and bookings?

Earning an Airbnb Guest Favorite or Top 1% badge can directly impact how often your listing gets seen and booked.

Higher-rated listings rank better in Airbnb search results, meaning they show up more often in front of potential guests.

Guest Favorite and Top 1% badges attract more bookings, since guests are more likely to trust and book a property that’s been recognized for top performance.

Hosts with top badges command higher nightly rates and occupancy. With clear proof of Airbnb's quality, these listings can charge higher rates while staying in demand.

Simply put, earning an Airbnb host badge makes a listing more visible, more trusted, and more profitable.

If you’re looking to push your listing into the Top 10%, 5%, or 1%, here’s a quick review of what you can do to improve your chances: 

Start with review volume — Listings need at least 10-15 five-star reviews to qualify for Guest Favorite status—building a strong foundation early is key.

Aim for perfection — A 4.85+ rating (97-99 on our scale) gives a 20% chance of earning a Top 10% badge, while a perfect 5.0 (100 on our scale) raises the likelihood to 80% for the Top 1%.

Monitor performance at every 40 reviews — Ratings tend to dip after every 40 reviews (~80 stays), so regularly checking guest feedback at these times and making adjustments helps prevent declines.

Optimize accuracy and check-in scores — These two subcategories weigh heavily in badge qualification. Take a look at your check-in process and work on giving accurate listing details to improve ranking potential. 

Keep your portfolio manageable — Hosts with five or fewer properties are more likely to earn badges. Property managers handling larger portfolios should focus on maintaining quality across all listings rather than just expanding.

Your pricing strategy should be as unique as your rental property.

What are Airbnb host badges, and how do they work?

Airbnb badges recognize top-performing listings based on guest ratings, reviews, and overall experience. The key badges include:

Superhost Badge — Awarded to hosts (not listings) who maintain a 4.8+ rating, low cancellations, and a strong hosting record across all their properties.

Guest Favorite Badge — Awarded to listings with consistent high ratings.

Airbnb Top 10 Percent Badge — Given to the top 10% of eligible listings worldwide.

Airbnb Top 5 Percent Badge — More exclusive than the Top 10%, requiring even stronger ratings and reliability.

Airbnb Top 1 Percent Badge — The most competitive, reserved for the highest-rated listings on the platform.

These badges help listings stand out in search results, increase guest trust, and boost booking potential. 

Do Airbnb host badges really make a difference? 

Yes! Data shows that the most popular Airbnbs, especially those with badges, appear higher in search results and get booked more often. Guests are more likely to choose a Guest Favorite or Top 1% listing because the badge signals quality and reliability.

Listings with a Top 10% or Top 5% badge also tend to have higher occupancy rates and can charge higher nightly prices since they’ve built a strong reputation with guests.

Why do some high-rated listings still not have a badge?

Even listings with a high overall rating might not earn a badge because of factors beyond just guest reviews. Our data shows 700,000 listings with near-perfect 4.97–4.99 ratings still don’t have a badge. Here could be some reasons why: 

Host cancellations can hurt trust and reliability scores, making a listing less likely to qualify.

Guest complaints or service issues lower a listing’s internal ranking, even if overall ratings are high.

Hosts that manage multiple properties (5 or more) are less likely to earn Airbnb badges, since maintaining the same level of quality across multiple listings is more difficult.

How can I improve my chances of earning an Airbnb host badge?

If you’re wondering how to run a successful Airbnb and earn a top ranking, here are some quick tips:

Get at least 10-15 five-star reviews early on to qualify for Guest Favorite status.

Maintain a rating of 4.85+ stars—listings in this range have a 20% chance of earning a Top 10% badge, while 5.0-star listings have an 80% chance of reaching the Top 1%.

Monitor ratings at every 40-review milestone. Many listings see a small drop in rating after 40+ reviews, so keeping an eye on guest feedback is key.

Optimize accuracy and check-in ratings. These categories heavily impact badge eligibility, so a seamless experience matters.

Do certain types of Airbnbs have a better chance of earning Airbnb host badges? 

Yes! Some types of listings tend to perform better than others when it comes to earning Airbnb host badges. Data shows that unique properties, like shepherd’s huts, barns, and tiny homes, are more likely to rank in the Top 1%, 5%, and 10%.

Many high-rated Airbnb listings never earn an Airbnb badge—why? AirDNA analyzed the data to uncover what separates Top 10%, 5%, and 1% listings.

The Truth About Airbnb Badges: What Airbnb Doesn’t Tell You

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