Stop renting leads. Own your lead machine.
Directories like Checkatrade can bring in work — but the leads are shared, the reviews build on their profile, and the day you stop paying it all disappears. Here is a fair comparison, and the alternative: owning the channels that generate your leads, so every enquiry and every asset stays yours.
The best Checkatrade alternative is owning your own lead channels — a Google Business Profile, a website on your domain, and ad accounts in your name. The leads are exclusively yours, there are no per-lead fees, and the assets keep producing work even after you stop paying an agency. You build equity instead of renting visibility.
Reviewed and updated 18 July 2026 · by Craig W., Founder of Scalepoint
What the directory model actually costs
Checkatrade does not publish its prices, so trades often sign up without modelling the real cost per won job. Here are the figures that matter, drawn from Checkatrade’s own published guidance and independent reporting.
Every Checkatrade enquiry is a shared lead — the same job typically goes to several tradespeople, so you compete on price for work you have already paid to see.
Independently reported monthly membership range once lead credits and featured-listing upgrades are included — before any per-lead fees on newer plans.
Scalepoint’s fixed Google Ads management fee, with ad spend passed to Google at cost and every enquiry exclusively yours. £500/month minimum recommended spend.
Renting from a directory vs owning your leads
| Factor | Owning your leads | Lead directory (e.g. Checkatrade) |
|---|---|---|
| Who gets the lead | Exclusively you | Shared with several trades |
| Ongoing cost model | Fixed fee + ad spend at cost | Membership + per-lead fees |
| Pricing transparency | Published, fixed monthly fee | Quote-based, not public |
| What you own | Website, GBP, ad account, customer list | A listing you rent |
| Reviews build on | Your own Google profile | The directory’s profile |
| If you stop paying | Assets and rankings remain | Leads stop that day |
| Brand the customer remembers | Yours | The directory’s |
| Control over spend | You set it, you see it | Set by the directory |
Once a lead is shared three or four ways, the real cost per won job is far higher than the sticker price. Our free calculator does the maths.
Checkatrade vs running your own Google Ads
Running your own Google Ads usually wins on unit economics, because you keep every enquiry and pay Google directly at cost. Checkatrade is quicker to switch on and needs no management, but the leads are shared and the directory sets the terms.
The difference is who controls the channel. On Checkatrade you rent visibility: the directory decides the price, the same job goes to several trades, and your reputation builds on their profile. With your own Google Ads account, a modest local budget on high-intent searches — “emergency electrician near me”, “boiler repair [town]” — sends exclusive enquiries straight to a site you own. When you pause, the account, the data, and the learnings are still yours.
The honest caveat: ads need a working budget and a few weeks to settle, and someone has to manage them well. That is the job. If you would rather not touch it, we run Google Search Ads for trades from £495/month — spend at cost, no markup — and pair them with local SEO so the free map-pack traffic compounds while the ads carry the near-term load. See the full picture in how owning your leads works.
Where directories genuinely help.
This is not a hit piece. Directories like Checkatrade earned their place for good reasons, and for some trades they are a sensible part of the mix.
- A recognised trust badge. Homeowners know the brand and the vetting, which can shorten the trust gap for a newer business.
- No marketing to manage. You pay, you appear. For a trade with zero time and no interest in marketing, that simplicity has value.
- Immediate visibility. A new listing can produce enquiries faster than SEO, which compounds over months.
The issue is not that directories do not work. It is that everything you build on them — reviews, reputation, visibility — belongs to the directory, not you. The moment you leave, you start from zero. Trades in construction and the building trades feel this most, because a single won job can be worth thousands.
Build the channels you actually own.
Three owned assets replace what a directory rents you — and unlike a membership, they keep their value.
The map-pack listing where local trade searches convert. Optimised and reviewed by us, owned by you. This is the single highest-leverage replacement for a directory listing. Our map-pack ranking guide shows how.
A site on your domain plus Google and Meta accounts in your name. Ad spend goes to the platform at cost — our fee here, the platform’s spend there. This is the core of the Growth System.
Every enquiry captured and kept, so repeat work and referrals are yours to nurture — not locked inside someone else’s platform.
How to move off Checkatrade in 90 days
You do not need a hard switch. Build the owned channels alongside the directory, then taper the directory spend as your own pipeline grows — so there is never a gap in work.
- Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile
Your map-pack listing is the single highest-leverage replacement for a directory listing. Claim it, complete every field, add real photos, and start requesting reviews from happy customers so your reputation builds on an asset you own.
- Put a simple, fast website on your own domain
A one or two-page site on your domain, built to load fast and convert, gives ads and Google somewhere to send people — and it is yours to keep. No rented profile, no shared listing.
- Open Google Ads in your own name for exclusive enquiries
Start with a modest local budget on high-intent searches. You set the spend, pay Google directly at cost, and every enquiry is exclusively yours rather than shared with several other trades.
- Capture every enquiry into a list you control
Log calls and form fills so repeat work and referrals are yours to nurture. This is the compounding asset a directory never gives you.
- Taper the directory as owned enquiries grow
Keep Checkatrade running while your owned pipeline builds, then reduce the spend as your Google profile, ads, and reviews start carrying the load. No hard switch, no gap in work.
See what owning your leads would look like.
Tell us your trade and your area. We send back a free written audit within 3 business days — no call required, no lock-in.
Common questions about Checkatrade alternatives
What is the best alternative to Checkatrade?+
The strongest long-term alternative is owning your own lead channels — an optimised Google Business Profile, a website on your domain, and Google or Meta ad accounts in your name. Unlike a directory, the leads are exclusively yours, there are no per-lead fees, and the assets keep working even if you stop paying an agency.
Is Checkatrade worth it for tradespeople?+
Checkatrade can deliver enquiries and offers a recognised trust badge, which suits trades who want leads without managing any marketing. The trade-offs are a membership fee plus leads shared with several competitors, and reviews and reputation that build on Checkatrade rather than your own business. Whether it is worth it depends on your close rate and margin.
How much does Checkatrade cost in 2026?+
Checkatrade does not publish its prices — you get a quote through a sales process, and the figure varies by trade and area. Independently reported memberships commonly land between £100 and £300 a month once lead credits and featured-listing upgrades are included, and newer pay-as-you-go plans add per-lead fees on top. Because pricing is not fixed or public, model your own numbers before you commit.
Are Checkatrade leads exclusive or shared?+
Checkatrade leads are shared, not exclusive. The same enquiry typically goes to several tradespeople, so you compete on price for work you have already paid to see. Owning your own channels means every enquiry that comes through your website, ads, or Google profile belongs to you alone.
Is running your own Google Ads better than Checkatrade?+
For trades with a bit of margin to invest, running your own Google Ads usually wins on unit economics: you set the budget, pay Google directly at cost, and keep every enquiry exclusively. Checkatrade is simpler to switch on and needs no management, but the leads are shared and the spend is set by the directory. Scalepoint manages Google Ads from £495/month with ad spend passed through at cost — no markup, £500/month minimum recommended spend.
Can I leave a directory and keep my reviews?+
Reviews left on a directory stay on that directory — you cannot take them with you. That is the core risk of renting your reputation. Building reviews on your own Google Business Profile means they are tied to an asset you own, so they keep working for you regardless of which marketing channels you run.
Do I have to stop using Checkatrade to own my leads?+
No. Most trades build owned channels alongside the directory, then taper the directory spend as the owned pipeline grows. There is no need for a hard switch — the goal is simply to stop being dependent on a channel you do not control.
How long does it take to replace Checkatrade with owned channels?+
A well-run Google Business Profile and a Google Ads account can produce enquiries within the first few weeks, while local SEO and reviews compound over three to six months. Most trades keep the directory running in parallel and taper it as owned enquiries grow, so there is no gap in work.
Keep reading
The full model
The pay-per-lead model compared
The Shortlist Fee model compared
The economics in detail
Own your area on Google
Exclusive, high-intent leads
The true cost of shared leads
Fees only, ad spend at cost
GBP, reviews and citations guide
Marketing built for your trade
Checkatrade does not publish its pricing publicly; membership is quoted through a sales process and varies by trade and area, per Checkatrade’s own guidance. Cost ranges reflect independent 2026 reporting and will differ for your trade — model your own numbers with the cost calculator. Scalepoint pricing is our current published rate. Last reviewed 18 July 2026.