Quick Answer
Checkatrade works best if you want a steady stream of inbound enquiries and can absorb a fixed monthly cost of around £100. MyBuilder suits trades comfortable competing on shortlists, with no monthly fee and costs only when a homeowner picks you. Rated People sits in the middle with a low subscription plus per-lead charges, but lead quality has declined noticeably since 2023. None of them replace a proper website and Google presence, and the smartest operators use one platform alongside their own marketing rather than depending on any single source.
Table of Contents
- How each platform actually works
- The real cost breakdown
- Lead quality and conversion rates
- Which trades do best on each platform
- The hidden costs nobody mentions
- Using AI to manage your platform presence
- How these platforms have changed
- What tradespeople are saying
- Recommended videos
- Frequently asked questions
- My verdict
Checkatrade
Rated People
MyBuilderHow each platform actually works
These three platforms look similar from the outside, but they operate on completely different business models. Understanding the mechanics matters because it affects everything from lead quality to your actual cost per job won.
Checkatrade is a directory. You pay a monthly subscription (£80 to £170 depending on trade and location), and homeowners find you by searching. They browse profiles, read reviews, and contact you directly. You do not pay extra per enquiry. Founded in 1998 and acquired by Homeserve in 2019, it has over 50,000 vetted members and runs TV advertising campaigns. The model rewards trades with strong review counts because Checkatrade ranks profiles partly by review volume.
Rated People is a lead marketplace. Homeowners post jobs, and you buy access to those leads. The subscription starts at around £35 plus VAT monthly (which includes some lead credits), with individual leads costing £3 to £15 depending on job size. A maximum of three tradespeople can purchase the same lead. Founded in 2005, it claims 75,000 new leads per month across all trades.
MyBuilder is a shortlist model. Homeowners post jobs, tradespeople express interest for free, and you only pay when the homeowner shortlists you. Shortlist fees range from £7 to £60 depending on job value. There is no monthly subscription. MyBuilder posts around 130,000 new jobs each month and tends to attract homeowners who have written detailed job descriptions, which generally means more engaged customers.
The real cost breakdown
The headline figures tell you almost nothing. What matters is cost per job actually won. Here is what the numbers look like in practice for a typical plumber or electrician working in a mid-sized city.
| Factor | Checkatrade | Rated People | MyBuilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fixed cost | £80-£170 | £35 + VAT | £0 |
| Cost per lead | £0 (included) | £3-£15 | £7-£60 (on shortlist) |
| Annual minimum spend | £960-£2,040 | £420 + leads | £0 + shortlists |
| Contract lock-in | 12 months | Monthly rolling | None |
| Max competitors per lead | Unlimited (directory) | 3 | Up to 10 shortlisted |
| Typical cost per job won | £40-£80 | £45-£120 | £30-£90 |
| Vetting required | Yes (12 checks) | Minimal | Minimal |
| Customer guarantee | £1,000 | None | None |
The cost-per-job-won figures assume you are converting roughly 1 in 5 leads into actual paid work, which is the industry average. If you are above that, your effective costs drop. If you are below, they climb fast.
One thing worth noting is that Checkatrade locks you into a 12-month contract. Miss the cancellation window and you are committed to another full year. Rated People and MyBuilder both offer more flexibility if you want to pause or stop.
Lead quality and conversion rates
Lead volume means nothing if the customers never pick up the phone. The quality gap between platforms is where the real story sits.
Checkatrade leads tend to be warmer because the homeowner has actively searched for a specific trade, read your profile, looked at reviews, and chosen to contact you. They have already pre-qualified themselves. The downside: in popular areas, homeowners contact multiple Checkatrade members simultaneously, so you still compete on speed and price. Tradespeople with 50 or more reviews report much higher contact rates.
Rated People leads are job postings that multiple trades can purchase. The homeowner posts once, and up to three trades get access. Conversion is lower because the customer often posts the same job on multiple platforms. Some trades report that leads are stale by the time they reach out. The platform has also faced criticism for leads where the customer has no genuine intent to proceed.
MyBuilder leads benefit from the shortlist model. When a homeowner adds you to their shortlist, they have already looked at your profile and decided you are worth talking to. This pre-qualification step means conversion from shortlist to job is generally higher than raw lead-to-job on Rated People. The trade-off is that you might express interest in many jobs and get shortlisted on fewer than half.
Across all three platforms, the realistic conversion rate sits at around 1 job won per 5 to 10 leads. Trades with strong profiles, fast response times, and good review scores consistently beat this average. The platform itself matters less than how you use it.
Which trades do best on each platform
Not every platform suits every trade equally. The match between your work type and the platform's customer base makes a significant difference.
Checkatrade works best for: Emergency trades (plumbers, electricians, locksmiths) where homeowners search in the moment. Also strong for trades where trust matters most, such as gas engineers and roofers. The vetting process and guarantee give homeowners confidence on higher-value work. Sole traders in less competitive postcodes can dominate their local results.
Rated People works best for: Quick-turnaround project trades, like painters, decorators, and handymen doing sub-£500 jobs. The speed of the lead delivery suits trades who can quote fast and start soon. Less effective for specialist trades where the homeowner values credentials over price.
MyBuilder works best for: Builders, kitchen fitters, bathroom installers, and anyone doing larger projects (£1,000 to £20,000+). The detailed job descriptions and shortlist model suit trades where the customer wants to compare quality of work, not just price. An electrician I know won three EV charger installations from MyBuilder despite quoting highest of three, because his profile work photos were better than the competition.
The hidden costs nobody mentions
The monthly fee or lead cost is the obvious expense. But every platform carries hidden costs that rarely make it into the marketing material.
Time cost: Responding to leads, writing quotes, following up with customers who ghost you. On Rated People, if you buy 20 leads a month, that is 20 phone calls, 15-20 quotes written, and maybe 3-4 jobs won. At a day rate of £250-£350, the time spent quoting is an invisible expense worth tracking.
Checkatrade renewal trap: The contract auto-renews annually. You get a narrow cancellation window, and missing it commits you to another 12 months. Several tradespeople report price increases of 30-50% at renewal with minimal notice. One carpenter reported their annual fee jumping from £1,100 to £1,500 in a single renewal.
MyBuilder ghost shortlists: You pay the shortlist fee when a customer adds you. But some customers shortlist five or six trades and then go quiet. You have paid your fee, but the customer never responds to messages. There is no refund mechanism for unresponsive customers.
Review pressure: On Checkatrade especially, your ranking depends heavily on review volume. New members start at the bottom. Building from zero to 50 reviews takes months of actively asking every customer to leave feedback. During that ramp-up period, your cost per job is much higher because you appear lower in search results.
Race to the bottom: On Rated People especially, you are competing directly on price with other trades who bought the same lead. This pushes margins down. Some trades report cutting their normal rates by 15-20% just to win platform leads, which is a hidden subsidy from your profit margin to the platform.
Using AI to manage your platform presence
The AI angle on lead generation platforms comes down to two practical applications: review management and response speed.
AI-generated review responses: Tools like StartEdge and Reputation.com can monitor your reviews across Checkatrade, Trustpilot, and Google, then draft responses in your tone. For trades managing 50+ reviews, this saves genuine time. A personalised response to every review signals to potential customers that you care, and the platforms reward active profiles.
Sentiment analysis on your reviews: AI tools can scan your entire review history and flag patterns. If three customers mention "arrived late" in their feedback, that is actionable intelligence you might miss reading reviews individually. Services like Scale Trades Online offer this as part of their marketing dashboards.
Speed of response: On Rated People and MyBuilder, the fastest responder often wins. Some trades use AI-assisted quoting tools to generate preliminary cost estimates within minutes of receiving a lead, then follow up with a detailed quote. The trades responding within 15 minutes convert at roughly double the rate of those responding after an hour.
How these platforms have changed
Checkatrade founded
Started as a local directory in Emsworth, Hampshire. Paper-based vetting process for local trades.
Rated People launches
Introduced the pay-per-lead model to UK trades, letting homeowners post jobs and tradespeople bid for access.
MyBuilder goes live
Pioneered the shortlist model where trades only pay if the customer actively picks them.
Homeserve acquires Checkatrade
Checkatrade sold for a reported £90 million. Prices subsequently increased, and the platform expanded nationally with TV advertising.
Market saturation hits
All three platforms face complaints about declining lead quality as member numbers grow and competition intensifies in popular areas.
AI integration and platform consolidation
Platforms introduce AI matching, review response tools, and automated quoting features. Google LSAs emerge as a serious competitor.
What tradespeople are saying
Recommended videos
Stop Relying on MyBuilder: Best Trade Lead Sites in the UK
James Dooley
Best Tradesmen Websites to Get More Leads (2025)
James Dooley
Top Alternatives to Checkatrade for UK Tradesmen
James Dooley
Stop Wasting Money! These Tradesmen Websites Actually Work
FatRank
How to grow your trade business with Rated People
Rated People
Are You Getting Ripped Off by Lead Sites?
ToolBox Talk For Electricians
Frequently asked questions
Yes, and you probably should. Most successful trades I speak to use one paid platform alongside their own website and Google Business Profile. The platforms do not have exclusivity clauses. Spreading your presence reduces the risk of depending on any single lead source.
MyBuilder. Zero monthly cost means zero risk. You only spend money when a homeowner actively picks you. Start there, build some reviews, then consider Checkatrade once you can afford the monthly commitment and have enough photos of completed work to fill a strong profile.
Plan for 3-6 months before your profile gains enough reviews to rank well in your area. The first year is typically the weakest. Trades who stick it out and build 50+ reviews report consistently better lead flow than new members. If you cannot afford 6 months of subscription without a return, it is not the right time.
Typically yes. Word-of-mouth referrals convert at 60-80% because trust is pre-established. Platform leads convert at 10-20% because you are still a stranger. But platforms provide volume that word-of-mouth cannot, especially when you are growing or filling gaps in your diary.
Not easily. You are locked in for 12 months. There is a cancellation window before renewal, and if you miss it, you are committed for another year. Set a calendar reminder 30 days before your renewal date. Several trades have reported price increases at renewal with the only alternative being another year at the higher price.
My verdict
If you are a sole trader wanting low-risk lead generation with no upfront commitment, start with MyBuilder. If you have the budget and patience to build a strong profile with 50+ reviews, Checkatrade delivers the most consistent inbound leads over time. Rated People sits in an awkward middle ground where lead quality has not kept pace with price increases, and I would not recommend it as your primary platform in 2026.
But here is the bigger point: the trades I know doing well are not dependent on any single platform. They combine one lead platform with a proper website that generates leads, strong local SEO, and more often Google Local Services Ads. The platform is a supplement, not the strategy.
Get more from your lead generation
TrainAR Academy has free guides on building your online presence, from social media strategy to Google Ads alternatives. Learn what the top-performing trades are doing differently.
Explore TrainAR Academy
