Checkatrade, MyBuilder, and Bark all promise the same thing: more leads for your trade business. But they work differently, cost differently, and deliver very different results depending on your trade, your area, and what kind of work you're looking for.
Here's an honest comparison to help you decide which — if any — is right for you.
How Each Platform Works
Before comparing them, it helps to understand the different models:
Checkatrade is a directory. You pay a monthly membership to be listed, and homeowners browse profiles and contact tradesmen directly. Many trades also have per-lead fees on top. Checkatrade vets its members, which gives the platform a trust advantage.
MyBuilder works differently. Homeowners post a job description, and tradesmen choose which jobs to respond to. You pay either credits to express interest or a commission on jobs won, depending on the pricing model. You're competing for specific jobs rather than waiting for enquiries.
Bark sits somewhere in between. Customers submit a request, Bark matches them with professionals, and you buy the lead if you want to contact them. There's no monthly membership — you only pay for the leads you choose.
The Comparison Table
| Checkatrade | MyBuilder | Bark | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost model | Monthly fee + per-lead fees | Credits or commission on jobs won | Pay per lead (no membership) |
| Monthly cost range | £150-£500+ | £50-£300+ (varies by jobs) | £0-£300+ (depends on leads bought) |
| Lead type | Customer browses and contacts you | You choose which jobs to respond to | Customer matched, you buy the lead |
| Competition per lead | 3-4 tradesmen typically | 3-6 tradesmen respond per job | 3-5 professionals contacted |
| Lead quality | Mixed — some serious, some browsing | Generally good — customers post detail | Inconsistent — very wide range |
| Best for | General trades, repair work | Larger home improvement jobs | Wide range of services |
| Reviews | Built-in, strong system | Job-specific feedback | Basic rating system |
| You own the profile? | No — Checkatrade owns it | No — MyBuilder owns it | No — Bark owns it |
Checkatrade: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Strong brand recognition — homeowners trust the name
- Built-in review system encourages customers to leave feedback
- Vetting process gives you credibility
- Good for reactive work (boiler breakdowns, leaks, emergencies)
Cons:
- Monthly fees add up regardless of how many leads you get
- Per-lead fees mean busy months get expensive fast
- Shared leads create price competition
- Your reviews and profile disappear if you leave
- Saturated in many urban areas
For a detailed cost breakdown, see our Checkatrade cost guide.
MyBuilder: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- You choose which jobs to respond to — no paying for irrelevant leads
- Customers post detailed job descriptions, so you know what you're quoting for
- Tends to attract higher-value home improvement jobs
- Customer reviews are tied to specific jobs, which builds credibility
Cons:
- Multiple tradesmen compete for the same job
- Commission model means you're paying a percentage on jobs you win
- Less suited to emergency or reactive trades
- Smaller customer base than Checkatrade in some areas
- Again — your reputation lives on the platform, not with you
Bark: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- No monthly membership — you only pay for leads you want
- Wide range of services covered (not just trades)
- You can control spending by choosing which leads to buy
- Lower barrier to entry
Cons:
- Lead quality is the most inconsistent of the three
- Covers everything from dog walking to loft conversions, so the audience is less targeted
- Customers often don't respond after you've paid for the lead
- Less brand trust among homeowners compared to Checkatrade
- Very little control over how your profile appears
Which Platform Is Best for Your Trade?
It depends on what kind of work you do:
Emergency and reactive trades (plumbers, electricians, locksmiths): Checkatrade is probably the strongest option because homeowners search when they have an urgent problem. But the competition is fierce in cities.
Home improvement trades (kitchen fitters, bathroom installers, builders): MyBuilder tends to deliver better-quality leads because customers describe the job in detail and you can assess whether it's worth pursuing.
Specialist or niche trades (landscapers, decorators, tilers): Bark can work because its wide reach means it captures requests that don't fit neatly into the other platforms.
All trades: None of these platforms are as good as having customers come directly to you through Google.
The Problem They All Share
Every platform has the same fundamental issue: you're renting your reputation and paying for leads that you share with competitors.
Whether it's Checkatrade, MyBuilder, or Bark, the customer is being presented with multiple options. They're encouraged to compare. That puts you in a price competition from the first moment — before you've had a chance to show what makes you different.
Compare that to what happens when someone searches "plumber near me" on Google, sees your Google Business Profile with 80+ reviews, visits your website, and calls you directly. There's no competition. They've already chosen you. They're calling to book, not to get a quote they'll compare against three others.
That's why Google reviews beat platform reviews for long-term business growth. And understanding your cost per lead across every channel helps you see which is actually delivering.
The Alternative: Own Your Leads
All three platforms charge you for introductions. The alternative is making the introductions unnecessary — by being the business customers find first when they search online.
That means:
- A website that ranks for your trade and area
- A Google Business Profile that appears in the map pack
- Enough Google reviews to build instant trust
- No per-lead fees, no monthly platform subscriptions, no shared leads
The upfront investment is typically less than what you'd spend on any of these platforms over 12 months. And unlike platforms, everything you build belongs to you and compounds over time.
When It Makes Sense to Use a Platform
Platforms aren't always wrong. They make sense as a short-term bridge:
- You're brand new and need your first 10-20 jobs
- You have no online presence yet and need leads while you build one
- You're testing a new service area and want to gauge demand
The mistake is staying on platforms for years, spending thousands, and never building anything you own. The smartest approach is using platforms temporarily while investing in your own presence for the long term.
What to Do Next
Not sure which channel is actually delivering your best leads? We can audit your current online visibility, show you what customers see when they search for your trade, and map out what it would take to stop relying on platforms.
Get a free audit and see exactly where you stand.
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