Local Guides points, levels & badging

As a Local Guide, you earn points when you share reviews, photos, and knowledge on Google Maps. Those points lead to higher levels of the program, as well as benefits like early access to Google features and special rewards from partners. At Level 4, you also unlock your first Local Guides badge, which helps your contributions to places get noticed.

To make sure you’re signed up for updates, review the email preferences on your Local Guides settings page.

Local Guides points

View your contributions

Earn points by contributing content to Google Maps. Score a place with ratings, describe your experience with reviews, share photographs and videos, provide insights with answers, respond to questions about a place, update information with place edits, add missing places, or verify information by checking facts.

Maps contribution Points earned
Review 10 points per review
Review with more than 200 characters 10 bonus points per review
Rating 1 point per rating
Photo 5 points per photo
Photo tags 3 points per tag
Video 7 points per video
Caption (In photo update) 10 points per caption
Answer 1 point per answer
Respond to Q&As 3 points per response
Edit 5 points per edit
Place added 15 points per place added
Road added 15 points per road added
Fact checked 1 point per fact checked
Reported incorrect 1 point per item reported incorrect

Local Guides levels

Reach higher levels as you earn points for your contributions.

Level Points Badge
Level 1 0 points No badge
Level 2 15 points No badge
Level 3 75 points No badge
Level 4 250 points
Level 5 500 points
Level 6 1,500 points
Level 7 5,000 points
Level 8 15,000 points
Level 9 50,000 points
Level 10 100,000 points

Please note your points and level can take up to 24 hours to update. Points do not expire, though they may decrease if content is removed for violating our policies. Remain an active contributor on Google Maps to be eligible for rewards and early access to new features.

Program requirements

Find your Local Guides level
  1. Make sure you have the latest version of Google Maps.
  2. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Google Maps app Maps.
  3. Tap Contribute Contribute and then View your profile.
  4. Your level and total points count are shown.
Tip: Your profile may take up to 24 hours to update.
Earn the Local Guides badge

Local Guides Level 4 and above receive the badge in Google Maps as a reward.

Private reviews, edits, or photos

Reviews, edits, or photos marked private by Google are in violation of our policies and are visible only to you. Private reviews, edits, or photos do not count toward your Local Guides level.

My points went down. What happened?

Points may be deducted if your contribution is determined to be in violation of our content policy. Contributions that violate our policies do not count toward your Local Guides level.

Do my points expire?

Points earned from contributions to certain categories, such as points of interest or businesses on Google Maps, don’t expire. Points from contributions to permanently closed businesses that have been removed from Google Maps won’t count toward your Local Guides level. Points, levels, and badge qualifications are subject to change. For more information, refer to the Program Terms and Conditions.

Tip: If you can't find the answers to your questions in this article, you can post a question in Local Guides Connect.

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