Checkatrade has its place, especially when you are starting out. But it is a rental, not an asset, and the longer you stay the clearer that becomes. Here is an honest comparison of what it really costs against a website you own.
We cover what Checkatrade actually costs, the catch that fees alone hide, and how the same money spent on your own site compares over time.
About this page
About this page: a comparison compiled by LeadFly Websites. Checkatrade pricing is cited and linked to current sources; exact figures vary by trade and location and change over time, so we use published ranges. Our own pricing is a one-off £500. Last updated June 2026.
The key findings
- Checkatrade typically costs from around £60 a month, and commonly £100 to £150 before many trades receive a single lead (SwiftLead).
- For some trades and areas it runs to £199 to £399 a month, roughly £2,400 to £4,800 a year (cost analysis).
- Many trades also pay per lead, from around £5 to £15 for small jobs and £20 to £40 for bigger ones (SwiftLead), and those leads are usually shared with competitors.
- You never own your Checkatrade listing. Stop paying and your presence and reviews disappear with it.
- A website we build is a one-off £500 that you own outright, often less than two months of a mid-tier Checkatrade plan.
What Checkatrade actually costs
The headline price is only the start. Published breakdowns put Checkatrade membership from around £60 a month, but most trades do not stay on the basic tier. With upgraded profiles and featured placements it commonly reaches £100 to £150 a month, and for some trades and locations £199 to £399, which is £2,400 to £4,800 a year.
On top of the membership, many trades pay per lead, roughly £5 to £15 for a small job and £20 to £40 for a larger one. Crucially, those leads are usually sent to several tradesmen at once, so you pay to compete for work you may not win.
The catch the fees hide
The real issue is not the monthly figure, it is what you are buying. Every pound spent on Checkatrade rents you visibility on someone else's platform, on their terms. The listing is not yours. The reviews you earn are not yours. The moment you stop paying, all of it vanishes, and you are back to square one.
You are also building someone else's asset. Checkatrade ranks at the top of Google for your trade in your town using the collective work of its members, then charges those members for the leads it captures. You are funding the very thing that sits above you in the search results.
The same money, spent on something you own
Now compare a website you own. A site we build is a one-off £500. That is often less than two months of a mid-tier Checkatrade plan, paid once, with nothing monthly after it. Every enquiry it brings in is yours alone, not shared with three rivals, and it costs you nothing per lead.
Over a year the gap is stark. A tradesman on a £120-a-month plan spends well over £1,400 and owns nothing. The same tradesman could have a professional website built once, kept forever, generating direct enquiries, with £900 still in pocket.
The honest verdict
This is not a case for never using Checkatrade. When you are brand new with no reviews and no presence, it can prime the pump. The mistake is treating it as a permanent strategy. As a long-term plan it is expensive rent on an asset you will never own.
The strongest position is to own your own site, build your own reviews on your own Google profile, and use lead platforms, if at all, as a temporary top-up rather than the foundation. One puts you in control. The other keeps you paying.
Frequently asked questions
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We build websites for tradesmen that bring in direct enquiries you own, for a one-off £500 with no monthly fees and nothing shared with your competitors. Based in Watford, building across the UK.