GetFindable vs Checkatrade: which gets a UK trade more leads? (2026)

Checkatrade gets you in front of homeowners who are already searching a trusted directory and gives you a vetted trust badge; GetFindable runs paid ads under your own name so every lead that comes in is exclusively yours. Neither "gets more leads" in every case — Checkatrade wins on ready-made search traffic and reputation-building, GetFindable wins on exclusivity and control of the ad spend. Which gets you more work depends on whether you need trust-building infrastructure or a bigger, exclusive flow of enquiries.

How does Checkatrade actually work?

Checkatrade is a directory. You apply to join, pass its vetting process — commonly cited as up to 12 checks covering qualifications, insurance, identity, references and a credit check — and then pay a membership fee to keep a profile live on a site that gets a large volume of homeowner searches. Reviews are checked for authenticity, which is a genuine part of the trust it's built over two decades.

Checkatrade doesn't publish a fixed national price list, and members report a wide range depending on trade and region — figures cited range from around £30-£70 a month at the entry level up to £120-£150+ a month for higher-visibility tiers, plus VAT. On top of membership, some trades are also charged per lead — reportedly from around £5 for a small job up to £20-£40 for a bigger one like a kitchen or bathroom. Full membership with advertising and reviews is commonly reported as tied to a 12-month contract, with written notice required to leave, so check the current terms before signing. Given pricing varies this much, always check Checkatrade's own site for the number that applies to your trade and area.

How does GetFindable work, and how is that different?

GetFindable runs Google, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok ad campaigns under your own business name, plus AI-search visibility work, and sends every resulting enquiry into a portal that's exclusively yours — no other tradesperson sees it or gets to quote against you on it. The subscription is £149/month (Starter) or £199/month (Pro, which adds a built-for-you website), monthly rolling with no fixed contract. Ad spend is paid by you, separately, direct to Google/Facebook/TikTok — that's on top of the subscription, and it's the fair way to compare the two models, because Checkatrade's membership fee doesn't include any ad spend either; it's paying for directory placement and vetting, not media.

Do you share leads with other tradespeople on either?

This is the central structural difference. Checkatrade is a directory: homeowners can browse multiple vetted profiles in your trade and area and contact more than one of you for the same job, so you're often quoting alongside competitors before you even know it. GetFindable's ads point to a landing page or form built for your business specifically, and the resulting lead sits in your portal only — it's never sold on or shown to a competing trade business.

What is Checkatrade genuinely good at?

Three things, honestly. First, homeowner search traffic — Checkatrade sees a large volume of monthly visitors already primed to hire, which is hard for any single business to replicate on its own. Second, the vetting badge and verified reviews carry real trust value, especially for a business with few reviews of its own. Third, it requires very little marketing skill from you: your job is to keep your profile and reviews strong, not to run campaigns.

What is GetFindable genuinely better at?

Exclusivity and ownership. Every lead is yours alone, so you're not racing three other plumbers to call back first. You also own the relationship and the ad accounts feed data back so targeting improves over time, rather than the directory operator holding all the buyer intent data. And there's no 12-month tie-in — if it isn't working, you leave at the end of a month.

Who should actually pick Checkatrade?

A trade business that's brand new and has no reviews yet, or one operating in a trade/area where homeowners are used to searching directories first (kitchens, bathrooms, larger vetted-trade jobs), genuinely benefits from Checkatrade's trust infrastructure. It's also worth running alongside paid ads rather than instead of them — the review credibility it builds can improve how your own ads and landing pages convert.

Who should pick GetFindable?

A business that wants a predictable, exclusive flow of leads under its own name, doesn't want to be quoted against by direct competitors on the same enquiry, and would rather control its own ad spend and targeting than pay a directory a flat fee regardless of lead volume.

Comparison table

If you want leads that are yours alone, without a directory contract or other trades quoting against you on the same job, GetFindable runs the ads and sends every enquiry straight to your own portal.