Best Tradesperson Recommendation Sites in The UK

Best tradesperson recommendation sites in the UK

Below is an at-a-glance view of the main platforms most tradespeople ask us about.

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How tradesperson recommendation sites work

Most UK trade platforms fall into three simple models.

• Membership directories: You pay an annual or monthly fee to be listed, usually after vetting and checks.
  • Examples: Checkatrade, TrustATrader, Which? Trusted Trader.
• Lead‑generation sites: Customers post jobs; you pay per lead to contact them.
  • Examples: Rated People, MyBuilder, Bark.
• Marketplace / e‑commerce style services: Customers buy a service at a fixed price and pick a provider based on reviews.
  • Example: Amazon Home Services in the UK.

All three models use reviews and ratings to build consumer confidence and help you stand out if you deliver good work and communicate well.

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Key factors when choosing a site

Choosing the right tradesperson recommendation site is less about finding a “winner” and more about matching the platform to how you actually work day to day. Think about your trade, your local area, your budget and your confidence with sales before you commit to any long‑term spend.

Consider these factors:

1. Trade and job type

Builders, kitchen/bathroom fitters and general multi‑trades often see strong results on MyBuilder and Rated People, because these platforms host a high volume of project‑based jobs where customers compare multiple quotes. These sites suit trades who are happy to price varied jobs, from small repairs to larger refurbishments, and who can respond quickly when new leads appear.

Heating engineers, gas installers and electricians may find Checkatrade, TrustATrader and Which? Trusted Trader a better fit, because customers on these sites often search for specific, safety‑critical work and pay closer attention to qualifications and accreditations. Specialist trades can use these directories to highlight certifications, membership of schemes and manufacturer training, which reassures cautious homeowners.

If you offer niche or high‑end services, for example, renewables, smart homes or underfloor heating, a mix of a directory (for trust) and at least one lead‑gen site (for volume) can work well. This combination lets you build authority while still keeping new work flowing.

2. Location and competition

Your postcode can make or break the value of a particular platform. In some areas, Checkatrade or TrustATrader categories are already full or crowded, so even with good reviews it can be hard to stand out or join at all. Where this happens, pay‑per‑lead platforms like Rated People, MyBuilder or Bark can be a more realistic starting point, because you are not locked out by area caps.

In quieter or rural areas, a strong presence on one or two trusted directories can be enough to dominate local search and word‑of‑mouth, especially if there are only a handful of active competitors. Always check how many similar trades are already listed in your patch and how often new jobs appear before you sign up.

3. Budget and risk

Membership directories bring fixed, predictable monthly or annual fees. This can be great once you are established, because every extra lead effectively becomes cheaper, but in the early days it is a real commitment that eats into cash‑flow if enquiries are slow. You need to be honest about whether you can afford a few quiet months while your profile and reviews build up.

Lead‑generation platforms, on the other hand, give you granular control. You can choose which leads to buy and pause spending when you are busy or cash‑strapped. The trade‑off is that it is easy to overspend on low‑quality or badly‑matched jobs if you do not set clear rules for yourself. Treat any new platform like an experiment: start small, measure everything and only scale what pays.

4. Your sales confidence

If you are confident on the phone, good at asking questions and comfortable explaining your prices, lead‑gen sites can be very powerful. You will often be one of only a few trades contacting the customer, so a sharp response and professional follow‑up can win a lot of work, even when you are not the cheapest.

If selling is not your favourite part of the job and you would rather customers come to you, consumer‑facing directories may feel more natural. Here, the emphasis is on building a strong profile and review history so that when people find you, they are already half‑convinced. You will still need to price and communicate well, but the interaction feels less like cold sales and more like handling warm enquiries.

5. Long‑term brand building

Reviews are a form of currency, and they do not usually transfer between platforms. If you build 100 five‑star reviews on one site and later decide to leave, you are effectively starting from scratch elsewhere. That is why it pays to think early about where you want your long‑term reputation to live and to prioritise one or two platforms for the bulk of your review requests. Also, asking for reviews on Trustpilot and Google can mitigate the problems if you decide to transfer platforms.

You should also consider how a platform supports your wider brand. Can you link to your website, show your qualifications and upload project photos? Does the type of customer it attracts match the work you actually want? Over time, your aim is to create a consistent picture of your business wherever people look you up online.

Choosing a platform doesn’t have to be a one‑off decision. Start with two or three platforms that make sense for your trade and area, track exactly what you spend and what you earn from each, and then double down on the ones that bring you the right kind of work at a sustainable profit.

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How to get more value from any recommendation site

Whatever recommendation site you use, the mechanics are similar: clear positioning, strong reviews, fast responses and smart tracking. Focus on getting these basics right and every platform you’re on will start delivering better quality work, not just more enquiries.

1. Build a strong profile

Use clear, simple language to explain what you do, where you work and the type of jobs you actually want. Instead of listing every possible service, focus on your core strengths (for example “boiler installs and servicing in North London” or “consumer unit upgrades and EV charger installs in Essex”) so customers instantly know if you are a good fit.

Add good‑quality photos of your work, ideally before‑and‑after shots, taken in good light and from angles that show the full job. A small gallery of recent projects helps customers visualise the standard they can expect and makes you look more professional than a bare profile.

Highlight relevant qualifications and training, such as Logic4training gas, electrical and renewables courses, as well as memberships (Gas Safe, NICEIC, F-Gas Register, MCS and similar). This reassures customers that you are properly trained and up to date with current standards, which is especially important for safety‑critical work.

Keep your service area and contact details accurate and up to date, including emergency call‑out rules and working hours. This reduces time wasted on unsuitable enquiries and improves the experience for people who do hire you.

2. Collect and manage reviews

Ask every happy customer to leave a review while the job is fresh in their mind, ideally before you leave site or as soon as you send the invoice. A simple follow‑up text or email with a direct link to your profile makes it quick and easy for them to do it.

Respond politely to all feedback, including the rare negative review, focusing on solutions rather than blame. A calm, professional reply that explains what happened and how you tried to fix it often impresses future customers more than a perfect, unbroken five‑star record.

Use feedback to improve how you quote, communicate and tidy up – these are common themes in customer comments. If people keep praising your punctuality, make that part of your pitch; if they mention confusion about pricing, adjust your quotes and explanations to be clearer next time.

Aim for a steady flow of recent reviews rather than a big burst and then silence. Regular activity signals to customers (and algorithms) that you are active and trusted right now, not a business that has gone quiet.

3. Be fast and professional on leads

Reply quickly to new enquiries, even if it is just to ask a couple of clarifying questions or to book a time for a proper call. Many customers choose the first competent person who gets back to them, so speed alone can win you a lot of work.

Provide clear, itemised quotes and realistic timeframes; customers hate surprises more than higher prices. Break down labour, materials and any extras, explain what is included and what is not, and put everything in writing so there is no confusion later.

Follow up once if you have not heard back, then move on to the next lead to avoid wasting time. A short, polite message asking if they still need help is usually enough; if they do not reply, assume they have chosen someone else and focus your energy elsewhere.

Keep your tone friendly but professional in messages and calls, as many customers judge you on communication before they ever see your tools. Good manners and clear explanations can be as important as technical skill when they are deciding who to trust in their home.

4. Track return on investment

Keep a simple spreadsheet of spend per site, leads won, revenue and profit, noting where each job came from. Over a few months you will see which platforms consistently bring in profitable work and which ones only generate time‑wasting quotes.

Review monthly which platforms bring you not just jobs, but the right kind of work – in the right locations, at the right price point, and aligned with the services you actually want to grow. There is no point paying for streams of small, awkward jobs if your focus is boilers, rewires or larger projects.

Do not be afraid to pause or cancel under‑performing platforms and test new ones. Treat every site like a marketing channel you control, not a subscription you are stuck with; when the numbers stop working, change something.

Use what you learn to fine‑tune your profile, pricing and service mix, so each pound you spend on recommendation sites does more for your business with less effort.

In a competitive, digital-first market, the tradespeople who thrive are those who pair strong technical skills with a clear, credible online presence. By choosing the right recommendation sites, building a standout profile, and delivering consistently good service that generates positive reviews, you can turn online platforms into a steady source of well-paid, local work.

Checkatrade: pros, cons and who it suits

Checkatrade is one of the longest‑running trade recommendation sites in the UK, created in the late 1990s to protect homeowners from rogue traders after a tornado in Selsey. Its focus has always been consumer protection and strong vetting of tradespeople.

How Checkatrade works

1. You pay a membership fee to be vetted and listed; there is no extra charge per individual lead.
2. Customers search by trade and location, view your profile, then request quotes directly.
3. After each job, customers can leave feedback, which builds your score and future visibility.

Checkatrade invests heavily in national TV and radio advertising, pushing brand awareness that benefits listed trades. Many established trades report that a strong Checkatrade profile alone can keep them busy year‑round in the right area.

Pros

• Strong consumer trust and brand recognition.
• No per‑lead bidding; customers contact you directly.
• Good for building a long‑term local reputation and repeat business.

Cons and considerations

• Membership cost is a significant monthly outgoing, especially for new businesses.
• Some postcodes are saturated with similar trades, so you need standout reviews and a well‑written profile.
• You still need to convert enquiries: fast responses, clear quotes and good customer service make a big difference.

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Rated People: flexible for active lead hunting

Rated People leans towards the tradesperson rather than the customer, offering more control over which jobs you pay to chase.

How Rated People works

1. You pay a low monthly fee (around £15 at the time of writing), then buy individual leads that suit you.
2. Rated People collects detailed job information and budgets from customers before showing leads to trades.
3. Only up to three tradespeople can buy contact details for each job, which reduces “quote fatigue” for customers.
4. Customers can still see profiles and previous feedback before choosing who to accept.

This pay‑as‑you‑go model lets you scale spend up or down based on your schedule and cash‑flow.

Pros

• You choose the leads you want by trade, budget and location.
• Limited competition per job (max three trades buying each lead).
• Good for topping up your diary in quieter months or when you are growing.

Cons and considerations

• Customers cannot easily browse all trades in an area. They mainly interact via job posts, which may reduce inbound profile visits.
• You pay for the lead whether or not the customer picks you, so conversion skills matter.
• Lead quality varies, so you need discipline about the jobs you buy.

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TrustATrader: similar to Checkatrade, with some twists

TrustATrader is another consumer‑facing directory that vets trades and promotes them via TV and radio, but it adds features designed to enhance your day‑to‑day operations.

How TrustATrader works

1. You pay a membership fee for vetting and a profile listing.
2. Customers browse the site, view reviews and contact you directly, similar to Checkatrade.
3. TrustATrader caps memberships in each area, limiting the number of trades in the same category and postcode.

Extra features include card payment acceptance with no monthly fee and a “text‑a‑trader” service.

Pros

• Limited competition per area can make it easier to stand out.
• Built‑in card payments help you get paid quickly without extra merchant accounts.
• Strong consumer brand in many regions.

Cons and considerations

• Area limits mean you may not be able to join if your local category is already full
• Like any directory, your success still depends on reviews and response times.
• Membership fees are an ongoing commitment, so track your return on investment.

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MyBuilder: high volume, mixed lead quality

MyBuilder operates in a similar space to Rated People but with a slightly leaner approach to how customers post jobs.

How MyBuilder works

1. Customers post a job by filling in a single, simple form.
2. Tradespeople pay when they are shortlisted or contact the customer, with prices linked to the estimated job value.
3. Simpler posting means more jobs overall, but less detail up‑front about scope and budget.
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Pros

• Potentially large volume of work, especially for building and multi‑trade projects.
• Paying based on job value can feel fairer, especially for bigger projects.
• Good for trades who are confident qualifying customers quickly on the phone or in person.

Cons and considerations

• Less detailed customer vetting and job information means more time spent filtering out poor fits.
• As with other lead sites, you pay for leads even if the customer disappears or chooses someone else.
• Some homeowners and trades on forums report mixed experiences, so manage your expectations and track performance.

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Bark: wide reach, not just trades

Bark is more of a “general professional services” marketplace than a pure trades site, listing everything from personal trainers to electricians and boiler engineers.

How Bark works

1. Customers answer questions about the service they need.
2. Bark uses this to send potential leads to matching professionals.
3. You buy credits (around £1.10 each) and spend them to unlock customer contact details; most jobs cost between 1–20 credits, with an average of six or seven.

There are no membership fees, only the credits you choose to use.

Pros

• Easy to sign up and start seeing leads, often within minutes.
• You can switch activity on and off, which helps when you are fully booked.
• No fixed subscription, so it is low‑commitment test‑bed for new businesses.

Cons and considerations

• Because Bark covers almost every service, the 10,000 daily job requests it advertises translate into a smaller pool for your specific trade.
• Trustpilot reviews from trades are mixed, with common complaints about lead quality and cost.
• As always, you pay to contact a lead, not to secure a job, so you must qualify and follow up well.

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Summary

For tradespeople in the UK, the most effective recommendation sites are Checkatrade, Rated People, MyBuilder, TrustATrader, Bark and Amazon Home Services, with Which? Trusted Trader and similar schemes adding extra credibility. Checkatrade and TrustATrader work best as vetted directories for building long-term local reputation, while Rated People and MyBuilder suit trades who are happy to chase pay-per-lead jobs and compete on speed and service. Bark offers a flexible, credits-based model across many service types, and Amazon Home Services gives new entrants a route to fixed-price installation work in front of a large customer base, albeit with higher commission.

The right platform for you depends on your trade, area, budget and confidence with sales, so it makes sense to test two or three sites, track your return on investment and double down on what brings profitable, local work. By combining a clear, up-to-date profile, consistent reviews and fast, professional responses with solid technical training from a provider such as Logic4training, you can turn recommendation sites into a reliable source of high-quality jobs rather than a drain on time and money.

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FAQs

Which is the best tradesperson recommendation site in the UK?

There is no single best site. The strongest results usually come from matching the platform to your trade, area and business stage. Builders and multi‑trades often do well on MyBuilder and Rated People, while gas engineers and electricians may get more targeted leads from Checkatrade, TrustATrader and Which? Trusted Trader. Many successful tradespeople use a mix of one or two directories for reputation and one lead‑gen site for volume, then refine their choices based on what actually converts into profitable work.

Are sites like Checkatrade and TrustATrader worth the membership fee?

Checkatrade and TrustATrader can be worth the fee if you are in an area with good demand and are committed to collecting reviews and responding quickly to enquiries. They offer strong consumer recognition and a clear vetting process, which many homeowners look for when hiring gas engineers, electricians and heating installers. However, competition and area caps can limit results in some postcodes, so you should monitor how many leads and completed jobs you get versus your membership cost.

What is the difference between directories and pay‑per‑lead sites?

Directories such as Checkatrade, TrustATrader and Which? Trusted Trader charge a fixed fee to host a vetted profile, and customers contact you directly from search results. Pay‑per‑lead platforms like Rated People, MyBuilder and Bark list customer jobs, and you pay to access each lead, usually alongside a small number of other trades. Directories are better for ongoing local brand building, while pay‑per‑lead models suit trades who want more control over when and where they buy work.

How can I avoid wasting money on poor-quality leads?

To avoid wasting money, set clear rules on the types of jobs, locations and budgets you will buy, and stick to them. Start with a small monthly budget on sites like Rated People, MyBuilder or Bark and track every lead from spend to final invoice, so you can see which kinds of jobs and platforms actually pay off. It also helps to respond fast, qualify customers with a few quick questions and walk away from enquiries that do not feel serious or well-defined.

How important are reviews on tradesperson sites?

Reviews are one of the main signals customers use to decide who to contact and who to trust with their home. A steady stream of recent, detailed reviews on Checkatrade, TrustATrader, Rated People, MyBuilder, or Trustpilot and Google can dramatically improve your conversion rate, even when your prices are not the lowest. Because reviews do not usually transfer between platforms, it is smart to focus your efforts on one or two key sites where you plan to build a long-term reputation.

Can I rely only on recommendation sites for work?

Some tradespeople get most of their work from recommendation sites, but relying on a single platform is risky if prices, algorithms or competition change. For a more stable pipeline, combine one or two platforms with your own website, social media, local marketing and strong word‑of‑mouth from existing customers. Over time, many experienced engineers and installers aim for a balance where online platforms fill gaps in the diary rather than providing all of their income.