TL;DR: Checkatrade costs £100-300/month all-in and works for new businesses needing leads fast. But you pay per lead forever, compete with every other tradesperson on the platform, and don’t own the customer relationship. For most established tradespeople, SEO is a better long-term investment.
If you’re a tradesperson looking for more work, Checkatrade has probably crossed your mind. It’s one of the biggest trade directories in the UK, and plenty of tradespeople swear by it.
But plenty of others have spent hundreds of pounds a month and barely seen a return.
So is Checkatrade actually worth the money? This is a breakdown based on what tradespeople across different trades actually report.
How Checkatrade works
Checkatrade is a paid trade directory. You pay a monthly membership fee, and in return you get a profile listing that appears when homeowners search for tradespeople in your area.
The platform verifies your credentials (insurance, qualifications, trading history) and lets customers leave reviews on your profile. When a homeowner searches for a trade in their area, Checkatrade shows them a list of vetted tradespeople.
Sounds straightforward. The devil is in the detail.
What does Checkatrade cost?
Checkatrade doesn’t publish fixed pricing on their website. Costs vary depending on your trade, location, and the package you choose. But here’s what tradespeople typically report paying:
| Cost element | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Monthly membership | £50 - £120/month |
| Lead credits (per lead) | £4 - £30+ depending on trade |
| Featured listing upgrade | £30 - £60/month extra |
| Typical total monthly spend | £100 - £300/month |
The membership fee gets you listed. But to actually receive enquiries, you’ll often need to buy lead credits on top. Higher-value trades like roofers and builders tend to pay more per lead because the job values are higher.
The good parts
Let’s be fair about what Checkatrade does well:
- Established brand recognition. Homeowners know the name, and many trust it over a random Google search.
- Vetting adds credibility. The verification process means something to customers who’ve been burned by cowboy builders before.
- Reviews build trust. A strong review profile on Checkatrade carries real weight.
- Quick to get started. You can be receiving enquiries within a couple of weeks of signing up.
For tradespeople who are just starting out or who need work quickly, Checkatrade can fill the gap while you build up other lead sources.
The problems tradespeople keep raising
This is where it gets complicated.
You’re competing with everyone
When a homeowner searches for a plumber on Checkatrade, they see a list of plumbers. Not just you. You might be one of 15 or 20 listed tradesmen. The homeowner often contacts 3 or 4 tradespeople for quotes, and you’re in a bidding war before you’ve even picked up the phone.
Lead quality varies massively
Not every lead is a real job. Some leads are tyre-kickers comparing prices. Some are people who have already hired someone and just want a second quote for leverage. Some leads are for jobs outside your area or expertise. You still pay for those leads.
The costs add up
At £100-300 per month, Checkatrade can work out more expensive than many tradespeople realise. If you’re a locksmith paying £200/month and converting one in five leads into a £100 job, you’re barely breaking even.
You don’t own the customer relationship
Every customer comes through Checkatrade’s platform. If you leave, those reviews stay behind. You’re building Checkatrade’s brand, not your own.
Pricing pressure
Because the homeowner is comparing multiple quotes side by side, there’s constant pressure to be the cheapest. This squeezes your margins and attracts price-driven customers rather than quality-driven ones.
Checkatrade vs alternatives
Checkatrade isn’t the only option. Here’s how the main directories compare:
| Platform | Monthly cost | Lead model | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checkatrade | £50-120+ | Credits per lead | Established tradespeople wanting volume |
| MyBuilder | Free to list | Pay per lead (£2-20) | Tradespeople comfortable with quoting online |
| Rated People | Free to list | Pay per lead (£4-30) | General trades, competitive areas |
| Bark | Free to list | Pay per lead (£3-25) | Broad range of services |
| Google Business Profile | Free | Free leads | Any tradesperson with a physical location |
| Your own website + SEO | One-off or monthly | Free leads once ranking | Tradespeople wanting long-term, sustainable leads |
If you’re considering a cheaper directory, read our Trustatrader vs Checkatrade comparison for a detailed breakdown of costs, lead quality, and which suits different trades.
The key difference between directories and SEO is this: with directories, you pay for every lead, forever. With SEO, you invest upfront and then leads come in without a per-lead cost.
When Checkatrade makes sense
Checkatrade is worth considering if:
- You’re a new business and need work quickly while other marketing builds up
- You’re in a trade with high job values where the cost per lead is a small fraction of the job (think bathroom fitters or kitchen fitters doing £5k+ jobs)
- You’re in a less competitive area where the directory isn’t flooded with tradespeople
- You treat it as one channel, not your only channel
When it probably isn’t worth it
Checkatrade is likely not worth the money if:
- You’re in a trade with lower job values and tight margins
- Your area is saturated with tradespeople on the platform
- You’re relying on it as your only source of leads
- You’ve been on it for a year and the maths doesn’t work out
The alternative: owning your leads
The real question isn’t whether Checkatrade is good or bad. It’s whether there’s a better way to spend that £100-300 per month.
For the same money you’d spend on Checkatrade over 6-12 months, you could invest in SEO for your trade business. The difference is that SEO builds something that belongs to you – your website, your Google Business Profile, your reviews. Once you rank on Google for terms like “plumber in Sheffield” or “roofer near me,” those leads cost nothing.
No bidding wars. No per-lead fees. No building someone else’s platform.
For a side-by-side look at all the major platforms, read our full comparison of Checkatrade, Bark, MyBuilder, and Rated People.
Should you join?
Checkatrade has its place. It’s a decent short-term lead source, especially for new businesses. But for most tradespeople who have been in business a few years, the maths of paying per lead indefinitely doesn’t stack up against investing in your own online presence.
Tradespeople who’ve made the switch from directories to SEO consistently say the same thing: the leads are better quality, there’s no bidding war, and they wish they’d done it sooner.
If you’re weighing up directories against SEO, get in touch – we’ll audit your current online presence and tell you which approach fits your trade.