Checkatrade vs MyBuilder vs Rated People: Which Platform Delivers Best Leads?

Summary

Lead generation platforms are a significant investment for tradespeople — both in money and time. Understanding how each platform's business model works, what customers actually use them for, and how to optimise your presence determines whether the investment pays off. Many tradespeople join all three, which is rarely the most efficient approach.

The fundamental difference between the platforms is their business model: Checkatrade is primarily a subscription platform where you pay annually to be listed and verified; MyBuilder and Rated People are primarily lead-purchase platforms where you buy credits to express interest in specific jobs. Each has different implications for your cost-per-job and the quality of customer you attract.

A broader point: none of these platforms should be your only source of leads. Google Business Profile (local SEO), word-of-mouth referrals, and repeat business cost nothing per lead and typically deliver better-quality customers who already trust you. These platforms are best used to supplement a core referral business, not replace it.

Key Facts

• Checkatrade monthly fee — approximately £80–£170/month depending on trade and area (£960–£2,040/year); no per-lead charges
• MyBuilder credits — approximately £1.50–£10 per credit; leads require 3–10 credits typically; variable by job size
• Rated People credits — similar to MyBuilder; approximately £3–£8 per lead acceptance
• TrustMark — government-endorsed quality scheme; Checkatrade members are TrustMark registered; adds credibility
• Checkatrade vetting — identity, insurance (public liability), qualifications checked; reviews verified as real customers
• MyBuilder vetting — less rigorous; basic identity check; reviews less formally verified
• Customer behaviour — customers post jobs; 3–5 tradespeople typically quote per job; price competition is real
• Conversion rate — industry average approximately 1 quote per 5–10 lead contacts; varies by trade, season, area
• Lead quality — correlated with barrier to entry for customers; platforms with more friction attract more committed customers
• Response time — first responder advantage is real; immediate response to new leads increases conversion significantly
• Reviews — Checkatrade requires proof of completion (customer email/phone verified); harder to game; more trusted
• Profile completeness — fully completed profiles (photos, description, qualifications) convert significantly better than minimal profiles
• Local SEO — Checkatrade pages rank well in Google search for "[trade] [town]" queries — often page 1; valuable traffic

Quick Reference Table

Detailed Guidance

Checkatrade: Making the Subscription Pay

Checkatrade is owned by Homeserve and positions itself as the premium vetted trades directory. Its core proposition to customers is trust — the Checkatrade badge is well-recognised and the review system is more rigorously managed than most competitors.

How to get value from Checkatrade:

1. Complete your profile — every blank section is a missed opportunity. Include: company description, qualifications, specialisms, service area. Upload 8–10 quality photos of completed work. A detailed profile converts significantly better.
2. Respond quickly — many customers contact 3–5 tradespeople; the first to respond with a professional follow-up message often wins the job.
3. Gather reviews actively — every completed job is an opportunity for a review. Send the customer the review link within 24–48 hours of completion while the experience is fresh. 50+ reviews is the threshold where the profile becomes self-selling.
4. Use your Checkatrade brand — the logo on your van, business cards, and website adds social proof. Don't hide the association.
5. Monitor which categories drive leads — Checkatrade lists you under multiple work categories; check your member dashboard to see where leads are coming from and adjust your listing accordingly.

The subscription cost is recoverable from 2–3 jobs for most trades. If you complete 1 job per month from Checkatrade (which is realistic for an active member with good reviews), the ROI is positive. The question is whether the subscription cost is justified versus a lower-cost alternative.

MyBuilder: Working the Credit System

MyBuilder's pay-per-lead model means there is no commitment — you can be inactive for months and only spend credits when you want leads. The lead purchase model favours flexibility but penalises passive members.

How MyBuilder works:

• A homeowner posts a job (free for them)
• You see the job listing and can pay credits to "express interest"
• The customer then decides which 3–5 tradespeople to contact for quotes
• You are not guaranteed a quote just by expressing interest — the customer chooses who to invite

This means you can spend credits without getting a quote invitation. Monitor your interest-to-invitation rate — if it's below 30–40%, either your profile needs work or you're bidding on jobs outside your sweet spot.

Optimising MyBuilder spend:

• Only express interest in jobs that match your core capability and are in your efficient travel zone
• Respond quickly — customers tend to invite the first few who express interest
• Write a personalised response (not a template) when expressing interest — describe what makes you suitable for this specific job
• Monitor your credit spend vs quoted jobs ratio; adjust activity if ROI is poor

Rated People: Similar to MyBuilder

Rated People operates a very similar credit model to MyBuilder. The tradesperson network and customer base overlap significantly. The main practical differences:

• Slightly different credit pricing
• Different regional coverage (check your area)
• Some tradespeople find one platform has better lead volume in their specific area

If MyBuilder is working well, there is limited value in also subscribing to Rated People unless you have capacity for more work and MyBuilder volume is insufficient. The management overhead of two platforms is real.

Which? Trusted Traders: Premium Positioning

Which? Trusted Traders is a higher-barrier entry platform run by Which? (the consumer organisation). The assessment process includes:

• In-depth application and identity verification
• Assessment of business practices and customer satisfaction
• Trading Standards endorsement in some areas

The annual cost (£1,000–£3,000+) and the more rigorous assessment process filter out tradespeople who are not serious. Which? has strong brand recognition among older, more affluent homeowners — a demographic that often has larger jobs and is willing to pay a premium for quality. For established trades with a strong track record, Which? Trusted Traders can be the highest-ROI platform.

Avoiding Common Platform Mistakes

Mistake 1: Joining all platforms simultaneously Managing profiles on three platforms, responding to leads quickly, and gathering reviews across all three is a significant time commitment. Start with one, optimise it, measure ROI, then consider adding a second.

Mistake 2: Treating the profile as a set-and-forget Platforms reward active members. Log in regularly, update your availability, respond to messages promptly. Inactive profiles are deprioritised in search results.

Mistake 3: Only competing on price On all these platforms, customers see multiple quotes. If you compete purely on price, you attract the most price-sensitive customers — who are also the most likely to be difficult, slow to pay, or to dispute the final invoice. Differentiate on reliability, reviews, qualifications, and communication quality.

Mistake 4: Not following up on lost quotes After submitting a quote, follow up if you haven't heard back within 5–7 days.

Using squote: squote keeps a history of every quote you have sent, so you can see at a glance which ones are outstanding and follow up at the right moment — without relying on memory or a spreadsheet. Many customers are overwhelmed with choice and a polite, professional follow-up can win the job. Most tradespeople don't follow up — this is a significant differentiator.

Mistake 5: Neglecting Google Business Profile The highest-quality, zero-cost-per-lead source for most tradespeople is Google organic search. A well-maintained Google Business Profile with good reviews drives calls directly — no commission, no subscription. This should be the foundation of your digital presence, not an afterthought.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Checkatrade worth it for a new business?

It depends on your starting position. If you have no existing customers, limited reviews, and are building from scratch, Checkatrade can be worth it — but only if you actively build your profile and gather reviews quickly. The risk is paying £1,000+ for a year and not generating enough leads because the profile is thin. Consider starting with MyBuilder (lower barrier, pay-as-you-go) to build up cash flow and reviews, then graduate to Checkatrade once you have a track record.

How do I get more reviews on Checkatrade?

After every completed job, send the customer the review link by text or email within 24–48 hours. A simple message: "Great working with you on [job]. Would really appreciate a quick review on Checkatrade — here's the link." Customers who are happy rarely leave reviews unprompted; a direct ask dramatically increases conversion. Aim for at least 1 review per completed job. Never offer discounts or incentives for reviews — this is against platform terms and damages trust.

Are these platforms worth it for commercial work?

For B2B commercial work (offices, retail, small commercial fit-outs), Checkatrade and MyBuilder are primarily domestic platforms and deliver limited commercial leads. Better routes for commercial work include: direct outreach to property managers and facilities managers, CBRE/JLL and local commercial property agent relationships, local business networking (BNI, Chamber of Commerce), and tender portals (Contracts Finder, Procontract, local authority portals for public sector work).

What's the best platform for plumbers/electricians specifically?

Both Checkatrade and MyBuilder perform well for reactive maintenance trades (emergency plumber, 24hr electrician). The immediacy of the need means customers don't do extensive comparison — they want someone fast. For planned refurbishment work (full rewire, bathroom refurb), Checkatrade's review premium matters more as customers spend longer researching. Electricians should also ensure Part P notifications and EICR certificates are prominently featured in their profile — these are credibility signals that customer actively look for.

Regulations & Standards

• No specific regulations govern trade directory platforms, but Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 applies to misleading claims about vetting or guarantees

• GDPR (UK GDPR) / Data Protection Act 2018 — customer data collected via platforms; tradespeople are data controllers for any customer data they retain post-quote

• Checkatrade — For Tradespeople — Membership information and pricing

• MyBuilder — How It Works — Credit system and lead purchase guide

• Rated People — Tradespeople — Credit and lead guidance

• Which? Trusted Traders — Assessment process and membership

• google business profile — Setting up and optimising Google Business for free leads

• contracts — Written contracts for jobs won through lead platforms

• quoting tips — Writing quotes that convert

• payment terms — Payment terms for new customers from platforms