[Objective] The levels of rural revitalization and the development levels of its subsystems in various prefecture-level cities in Guangdong Province were evaluated comprehensively, and the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and influencing mechanisms from 2017 to 2021 were explored, in order to provide scientific references for the continuous advancement of the rural revitalization project. [Methods] A measurement system was constructed based on five subsystems:prosperous industries, affluent livelihoods, civilized rural customs, effective governance, and eco-friendly habitation. The TOPSIS method was employed to assess the level of rural revitalization in Guangdong Province. Hot-spot analysis was used to investigate the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of rural revitalization levels and the development levels of each subsystem in Guangdong Province. Geographical detectors were applied to clarify the main influencing factors of rural revitalization and the interaction patterns of each factor. [Results] ① During the study period, the level of rural revitalization in Guangdong Province showed a slight increase, and the evolution types of research units were predominantly characterized by grade improvement. The Pearl River Delta region consistently remained a high-value unit aggregation area. Although the development levels of each subsystem changed relatively consistently, there were notable differences in the evolution of research unit types. ② Over the study period, various attributes of research units were generally characterized by hot-spot aggregation, with high-value aggregation areas consistently located in the Pearl River delta. ③ From 2017 to 2021, the main influencing factors of rural revitalization in Guangdong Province were financial support, industrial excellence and economic foundation, and the interaction types of each factor are nonlinear or double-factor enhancement in the two study years. [Conclusion] Over the study period, the rural revitalization level in Guangdong Province displayed modest improvement, with varying evolution trends in the development levels of each subsystem. Notably, spatial heterogeneity was evident, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of factors driving rural revitalization.