Checkatrade vs MyBuilder vs Bark for UK Tradespeople
Checkatrade vs MyBuilder is the question most UK tradespeople ask first, with Bark close behind. All three send you work, but they charge in completely different ways, and that changes how much risk you carry and how much each job really costs you. There’s also a newer kind of platform worth knowing about, Tradehand, which handles your job admin as well as sending you the work. Here’s an honest breakdown of all four for 2026.
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MyBuilder is the better place to start for most tradespeople: there’s no monthly fee and no contract, it’s free to express interest in a job, and you only pay a fee when a homeowner shortlists you. Checkatrade is worth it once you have plenty of reviews and capacity for a steady flow of work, because its brand brings customers to you, but it’s a monthly subscription, usually on a 12-month plan.
Quick Verdict
Strongest brand
Checkatrade
Best brand trust and conversion, but only if you have reviews and can commit to a monthly plan.
Lowest risk
MyBuilder
No subscription. Free to show interest, and you only pay when a homeowner shortlists you.
Most volume
Bark
Widest reach but mixed lead quality. Works best if you’re fast to respond and selective with credits.
Different approach
Tradehand
Free to list, 5% only when you get paid, and they run the admin on the job for you too.
How Each Platform Works
These platforms use fundamentally different business models, and that affects everything from cost to lead quality to how much admin lands back on you.
- Checkatrade – monthly membership. You choose your trade, the postcodes you cover and how many leads you want a year, and pay a monthly cost for that. Customers find you through Checkatrade and contact you directly.
- MyBuilder – pay when shortlisted. Homeowners post jobs, you express interest for free, and you pay a shortlist fee only if the homeowner shortlists you and you swap contact details. No monthly fee.
- Bark – credit-based. Customers post requirements, Bark matches them to professionals, and you spend credits to get the customer’s details.
- Tradehand – free to list, 5% commission only when you get paid for the job. No lead fees, no subscription, and it also runs the admin side of the job for you: quoting, scheduling, customer updates and paperwork.
Checkatrade vs MyBuilder: Head to Head
| Checkatrade | MyBuilder | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Monthly membership | Shortlist fee per job |
| When you pay | Every month, whether or not work comes in | Only when a homeowner shortlists you |
| Cost | Quoted on your trade, area and lead volume | Varies by job size, shown before you’re shortlisted |
| Contract | Usually a 12-month plan | None |
| Competition per job | Customer chooses who to contact | Up to three trades shortlisted per job |
| If you don’t win the job | Membership already paid | Shortlist fee is not refunded |
| Brand recognition | ✓ Very high | ⚠ Moderate |
| Best for | Established trades with reviews | New trades and testing an area |
Which is best? If you’re new or quiet, MyBuilder is the safer bet, because a bad month only costs you the shortlist fees you chose to risk. Once you have 20 to 30 strong reviews and want a steady flow of work, Checkatrade’s brand tends to convert better, as long as the monthly cost is covered by a couple of jobs. Plenty of trades use both: MyBuilder to fill gaps and Checkatrade for regular work.
Checkatrade – Monthly Membership
Checkatrade
Monthly membership, customers find you
Membership
The most recognised trade directory in the UK. Checkatrade checks its members’ ID, address and documents, and runs heavy TV and radio advertising, which drives genuine consumer search. Customers can call you, request a quote or book straight from your profile. Membership is now priced on your trade, the postcodes you choose and the number of leads you want each year, and Checkatrade has added quoting, payment reminders (Checkatrade Pay) and AI job management tools.
Pros
- Strong brand recognition, consumers actively search for “Checkatrade” by name
- Vetting builds trust with customers, especially for high-value jobs
- You choose your areas and lead volume, so you can size the plan to your capacity
- Well-established review system, reviews carry genuine weight with customers
- Quote and payment tools now included alongside the leads
Cons
- No single published price, you only see your cost during sign-up, and members commonly report paying £100 or more a month
- Fixed plans are usually 12 months and renew unless you cancel in the renewal window
- New members with no reviews rank poorly and get few enquiries
- You pay every month whether or not the work comes in
- Saturated in many areas, you’re competing with established members who have 100+ reviews
MyBuilder – Pay When Shortlisted
MyBuilder
Free to express interest, pay only when shortlisted
Shortlist fee
MyBuilder works differently to Checkatrade. Homeowners post jobs, and you browse work in your area and express interest for free. If the homeowner shortlists you, you pay a shortlist fee and you both get each other’s contact details. The fee depends on the size of the job and is shown to you before you’re shortlisted, so you’re never charged for a job you didn’t want.
Pros
- No monthly subscription or contract
- Free to express interest, you only pay when a homeowner shortlists you
- You see the job details and the fee before you commit
- Good for testing a new area or trade category before spending real marketing budget
- Review system that builds credibility over time
Cons
- Up to three trades can be shortlisted for the same job, so you’re still competing
- The shortlist fee isn’t refunded if the homeowner picks someone else
- Lead quality varies, some jobs are poorly specified or from customers who aren’t ready
- Lower brand recognition than Checkatrade
Bark – Credit-Based Matching
Bark
Credit-based, respond to matched customer requests
Credits
Bark operates a matching model: customers describe what they need and Bark sends the request to matched professionals in the area. You spend credits to get the customer’s details, with the number of credits depending on the job and shown before you respond. The platform covers a huge range of trades and services, which means wide reach but more variable lead quality.
Pros
- Wide reach, one of the largest lead generation platforms in the UK
- No subscription, buy credits as needed
- Covers a huge range of trades and services
- Can generate a high volume of leads in busy areas
Cons
- Lead quality is inconsistent, many tradespeople report high volumes of tyre-kickers
- You pay credits to contact the customer even if they never reply
- Up to five professionals can buy the same lead, so response speed is critical
- Credits can run out quickly if you’re not selective
Tradehand – Commission-Based, Full-Service
Free to list, 5% only when you’re paid, admin included
Commission
Tradehand is a newer UK marketplace built around a different idea: once a homeowner books a job, Tradehand handles the office side for that trade, answering, quoting, scheduling, follow-up, and getting paid, so the trade stays on the tools instead of buried in admin. The customer gets a live tracking page, similar to a food delivery app, showing when the trade is on the way, and a written report with paperwork once the job’s done. There’s no monthly fee and no cost to list, Tradehand takes 5% only when a job actually gets paid. It also helps with marketing, optimising a trade’s Google Business Profile, building them a website, and requesting reviews once a job wraps up. Electricians are furthest along on the platform at the time of writing, with more trades opening up as it grows.
Pros
- Free to list, no subscription and no lead fees, only a 5% cut when you’re actually paid
- Handles the admin on the job for you, not just the introduction to the customer
- Customer-facing tracking page and automatic paperwork, less to chase after the job
- Marketing help included, Google Business Profile, a website, and review requests
Cons
- Newer to market than the other three, smaller track record so far
- Trade coverage still expanding, electricians are furthest along, other trades more limited for now
- Less brand recognition with consumers than Checkatrade
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Checkatrade | MyBuilder | Bark | Tradehand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Monthly membership | Shortlist fee | Credits per lead | 5% commission on paid jobs |
| Monthly cost | Quoted, often £100+ | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Contract required | ✕ Usually 12 months | ✓ None | ✓ None | ✓ None |
| Trades per job | Customer chooses who to contact | Up to 3 shortlisted | Up to 5 | Booked directly |
| Brand recognition | ✓ Very high | ⚠ Moderate | ⚠ Moderate | ✕ New |
| Vetting / trust badge | ✓ Yes | ⚠ Basic | ✕ No | ⚠ Basic |
| Review system | ✓ Strong | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes, automatic requests |
| Help with job admin | ⚠ Quote and payment tools | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Runs it for you |
| Risk level | ✕ Higher, monthly cost and contract | ✓ Low | ⚠ Medium, pay even if no reply | ✓ Low, no fee unless paid |
Which Platform Should You Use?
The Alternative Worth Considering First
All four platforms rely heavily on Google for their own traffic. A tradesperson with a well-optimised Google Business Profile and 20+ genuine reviews can rank above all of them in local search results, permanently, at zero ongoing cost.
Before spending money on any lead generation platform, spend an afternoon on your Google Business Profile. It costs nothing, builds over time, and generates leads that belong to you, not to a platform that can raise its prices or change its algorithm at any time.
Whatever platform generates your leads, Jobber makes sure every enquiry gets followed up fast, automated quote reminders, on-site invoicing from your phone, and a client portal so customers can approve and pay without the back and forth.
The Bottom Line
There’s no single winner, it depends on where you are in your business. Checkatrade has the best brand recognition but carries the most financial risk, with a monthly cost and usually a 12-month plan. MyBuilder is the lowest-risk way in, because you only pay when a homeowner shortlists you. Bark gives the most volume but you pay to contact customers who may never reply. Tradehand is the newest of the four and the only one that also runs the admin on the job for you, worth a look if paperwork is what’s actually slowing you down rather than the flow of leads.
If you’re going to use any of them, make sure your business is set up to respond to leads fast, follow up consistently, and convert enquiries into booked jobs. That last part, converting leads, is where most tradespeople lose money, not in the lead platform itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
MyBuilder is better for new or quieter tradespeople because there’s no monthly fee or contract and you only pay when a homeowner shortlists you. Checkatrade is better for established trades with plenty of reviews, because its brand brings customers to you, but you pay a monthly membership whether or not work comes in. Many trades use both.
Checkatrade doesn’t publish a single price. Your monthly cost depends on your trade, the postcodes you cover and the number of leads you want each year, and you see it during sign-up. Members commonly report paying £100 or more a month, and fixed plans usually run for 12 months.
MyBuilder is free to join and free to express interest in jobs. You pay a shortlist fee only when a homeowner shortlists you and you exchange contact details. The fee depends on the size of the job and is shown before you’re shortlisted. It isn’t refunded if the homeowner chooses someone else.
On MyBuilder, a homeowner can shortlist up to three tradespeople for a job. On Bark, up to five professionals can buy the same lead, which is why replying quickly matters so much there.
MyBuilder is the main lower-risk alternative, with no subscription. Bark offers more volume on a credit system. Tradehand is a newer option that charges 5% only on paid jobs and handles the job admin. The cheapest alternative of all is a well-run Google Business Profile with plenty of genuine reviews.
TradeStack HQ helps UK tradespeople find the best tools to run smarter businesses. Some links on this page are affiliate links – we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. Platform pricing and terms checked in October 2026 and can change, so confirm the current terms before signing up.