Is Checkatrade Worth It for Installers?

I speak to a lot of installers: gate firms, garage door fitters, loft boarders, fitted furniture companies. Checkatrade comes up in nearly every conversation. Some are happy with it. A lot more are frustrated, and the frustration is mostly the same: they're paying every month and have no real idea whether it's working.

This guide isn't a hatchet job. Checkatrade is a well-known brand and plenty of trades do well from it. It's here to help you decide with numbers rather than a sales call.

What Checkatrade costs in 2026

According to Checkatrade's own pricing page at the time of writing (September 2026), there are three levels:

The "from" price matters. On the Growth plans, you pick your trade, your postcode areas and how many leads you want a year, and the monthly price is worked out from that. For a busy trade in a busy area, the real figure can be a lot higher than £59. Checkatrade's own offer terms refer to these as 12-month fixed plans, so read the contract for the minimum term and notice period before you sign.

What you're actually paying for

Strip it back and you're paying for three things:

• The badge. Checkatrade vets members and verifies reviews. For some homeowners, the tick is reassuring.
• A place in the directory. Homeowners search by trade and postcode and see a list of firms. You're one of them.
• Enquiries on the higher plans. An agreed number of leads a year for your trade and area.

The thing to notice: in a directory, the homeowner is looking at you side by side with your competitors. Your reviews and your price are being compared before you've even spoken to them. That's fine if you're the cheapest or the best-reviewed firm in your area. It's harder if you're a specialist charging properly for quality work.

What installers tell us about Checkatrade

These are the complaints I hear most, in conversations with installers. They're personal experiences, not a survey, and yours may be different. But if you nod along to most of them, it's worth taking a harder look at what you're paying.

"I don't really know what's happening"

This is the big one. Installers pay every month but can't easily answer simple questions. How many homeowners saw my profile? How many other firms did they look at? Why did last month go quiet? Where do I rank, and why? When you can't see what's going on, you can't tell whether it's working or how to make it work better.

"The leads aren't the jobs I want"

A gate installer wants automated gate installs, not someone asking for a hinge repair. A loft boarding firm wants full boarding jobs, not a quote for one loft ladder. Directory categories are broad, so the enquiries can be too.

"I'm up against everyone on price"

When the homeowner is comparing a list of firms, the conversation often starts with "what's your best price?" Hard going if your whole business is built on doing it properly.

"I'm locked in"

A 12-month plan is fine when it's working. When it isn't, installers feel stuck paying for months they'd happily cancel.

"When I've had a problem, it's been hard to get it sorted"

Several installers have told me they felt like one small account among tens of thousands, and struggled to get a clear answer from someone who understood their trade. Your experience may well be better. But it's worth asking before you sign who your contact will be and how quickly they'll get back to you.

How to tell whether Checkatrade is paying for itself

Pull three numbers from the last six months (or your contract so far):

1. 1Total paid to Checkatrade, including any extra credit or add-ons.
2. 2Number of jobs you actually won from Checkatrade enquiries. Won and paid, not quoted.
3. 3The profit on a typical one of those jobs, after materials and labour.

Divide the first by the second. That's your cost per booked job. Then compare it with the profit.

The same product, the same price bracket, two very different answers. That's why "is Checkatrade worth it?" has no single answer. It depends on your job value, your area, how fast you answer, and how well your profile stands up next to the others.

Questions to ask before you sign or renew

1. 1What's the total price over 12 months, after any introductory offer ends?
2. 2What's the minimum term and notice period? What happens if I want to leave early?
3. 3How many enquiries a year does the plan include, and for exactly which job types?
4. 4Can I exclude small jobs and repairs I don't want?
5. 5What reporting will I see: profile views, how often I appeared, where I ranked?
6. 6What happens if the enquiries don't arrive? Is there a credit or refund?
7. 7Who is my named contact, and how quickly do they respond?

When Checkatrade is a good fit

• You do lots of smaller, quicker jobs where volume matters more than job value.
• You already have a strong set of Checkatrade reviews in your area.
• Your prices are competitive and you're comfortable being compared.
• Someone in your business can answer every enquiry within minutes.
• You like the badge as a trust signal to show on your van and quotes.

The alternatives

Most installers weighing up Checkatrade are choosing between a handful of options. The honest summary:

For the pay-per-lead sites, read our guide to what Bark leads really cost. For the wider picture, see home improvement leads: what you're really paying for and buying leads vs generating your own.

Local Jobs is the third column. We run Facebook and Instagram adverts from your own Meta account, showing your work, in the postcodes you choose, for the job you want more of. The homeowner contacts you, not a list. You see what was spent, how many enquiries came in and what each one cost, every month. It's rolling monthly, so if it isn't paying its way, you stop. See how it works.

Common questions

How much does Checkatrade cost a month?

At the time of writing, £0 for a free profile, £30 a month for Approved, and from £59 a month for Growth plans that include enquiries. Growth plan prices depend on your trade, postcodes and how many leads you want, so many firms pay more than the starting price.

Can I cancel Checkatrade at any time?

It depends on your plan. The enquiry plans are typically 12-month fixed plans. Check your contract for the minimum term and notice period.

Is Checkatrade worth it for a specialist installer?

It can be, if your cost per booked job is comfortably below your profit per job. If your jobs are high value and you'd rather not be compared on price, adverts in your own name are often a better fit.

What's the best alternative to Checkatrade?

It depends what you want. If you want quick volume, pay-per-lead sites. If you want enquiries only you receive, for a specific job in a specific area, run adverts in your own name, yourself or with someone who does it for you.