Checkatrade is worth it for some UK tradespeople, mainly newer firms with few reviews of their own and trades that sell to homeowners who search on Checkatrade before they search on Google. It is less likely to pay off if you already have strong Google reviews, a busy Google Business Profile and enough work coming in from people who find you directly. The honest test is simple: divide what a year of membership costs by the number of paid jobs it puts in your diary, and compare that cost per booked job with your other channels.
What do you get from a Checkatrade membership?
Checkatrade is a directory and lead platform where homeowners search for vetted trades, read reviews and send quote requests. According to Checkatrade’s own membership guide (updated May 2026), members can get:
- A profile with photos, business details and verified reviews
- Quote requests and direct contact from customers
- Bookable services in some categories
- Business tools and, depending on the offers available at the time, discounts on things like insurance, materials and fuel
One detail matters more than the rest. The same page says that on the basic package “you won’t appear on the Checkatrade search”. To be found in search results, you choose a lead volume for the year, and that is where the cost goes up.
What checks does Checkatrade carry out?
Checkatrade lists 12 checks on its how we work page (updated February 2026), including ID, proof of address, regulated qualifications such as Gas Safe, CCJ and financial checks, and director history. For customers, that vetting is much of the appeal.
How much does Checkatrade cost for trades?
Checkatrade does not publish a full price list. Its membership guide says basic plans “start from around £30 + VAT per month” and that other prices depend on your trade, your location, local competition and the lead volume you choose (checked 14 October 2026). Remember that the basic plan does not put you in Checkatrade search.
Because the price that matters is the one quoted for your trade and your postcode, ask for it in writing, along with:
- The minimum term and whether the membership renews automatically
- The notice period and any cost of leaving early
- How many leads the quoted plan is expected to produce, and whether other trades receive the same lead
- What happens to your profile and reviews if you stop paying
Read the member terms and conditions before you sign, and check current pricing with Checkatrade directly rather than relying on figures quoted on other websites, which vary widely.
What is Express by Checkatrade?
Express is Checkatrade’s booking and payment service. Under its Express product terms (effective 1 October 2026), there is no minimum term and Checkatrade deducts a percentage service fee from the job price, shown to you before you accept each booking.
What changed when Checkatrade bought Rated People?
On 17 September 2026, Rated People announced that Checkatrade Group had completed the acquisition of selected Rated People assets, including the brand and website. The same notice says Rated People memberships ended before the brand changed hands, that members who want to keep getting jobs from the platform need to sign up with Checkatrade, and that questions about past memberships go to the liquidators, S&W.
If you relied on Rated People, look at the whole picture before simply moving your spend across. Two well-known lead platforms now sit in one group, so it makes sense to build some demand you own as well.
Want to know where your business shows on Google?
We will search for your trade in your area, show you what a customer sees and tell you the three things we would fix first. It is free, with no obligation. Get your free Google check or call 07749 941111.
When is Checkatrade worth it?
Checkatrade tends to make the most sense when:
- You are new or have few reviews. Vetting and verified reviews borrow trust while you build your own.
- Your customers are homeowners planning a job, such as kitchens, bathrooms, roofing or landscaping, who compare several trades before choosing.
- You answer every enquiry fast. Platform leads reward whoever replies first.
- You track the result. You know how many quotes it produced, how many you won and what those jobs were worth.
When is Checkatrade not worth it?
It is harder to justify when:
- You are already busy from referrals and Google. Paying for a profile that brings work you would have won anyway adds cost, not jobs.
- Your work is mainly emergency call-outs, where customers tend to ring the first trusted name they see on Google rather than browse a directory.
- You win on quality, not price, and find that platform customers are collecting several quotes and choosing the cheapest.
- You cannot see your cost per booked job. If you do not know what each paid job costs, you cannot tell whether the membership pays for itself.
How do you work out if Checkatrade pays for itself?
Use the same number for every channel: cost per booked job. For Checkatrade, it works like this:
- Add up 12 months of membership fees, plus VAT if you are not VAT registered.
- Count the enquiries that came from Checkatrade.
- Count how many of those became paid jobs.
- Divide the annual cost by the number of paid jobs.
Then compare that figure with what a booked job costs you through Google Ads, Local Services Ads and your own website. Whichever produces profitable jobs at the lowest cost deserves more of your budget.
What are the alternatives to Checkatrade?
Most trades do best with a mix, where at least part of the work comes from channels they own.
- Your Google Business Profile. It is free to set up and is where many local customers look first, in the map results and increasingly in Google’s AI answers. Our guide to the Google Business Profile for tradesmen covers the setup that wins calls.
- Google Local Services Ads. You pay for each valid lead rather than a membership, according to Google’s help page on how leads work, and eligible businesses can earn the Google Verified badge.
- Google Ads and SEO, which build enquiries that come to you rather than to a shared platform.
- Your own trust signals. Registrations, real photos of past jobs and clear business details on your website do much of what a directory badge does. See our guide to trust signals that win jobs.
Frequently asked questions
Do Checkatrade reviews help your Google ranking?
Not directly in the way Google reviews do. Google’s help page on local ranking says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and how well known a business is, and that more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking. Reviews on other sites still help customers trust you, but they do not replace reviews on your Google Business Profile.
Is Checkatrade cheaper than Google Ads?
It depends on your trade, your area and how well you convert enquiries. Compare cost per booked job, not the monthly fee or cost per lead.
Want help building work you own?
We will look at your Google presence, your current lead sources and what each paid job is really costing you. Get in touch with Unavoidable Marketing for straight answers, including when a platform like Checkatrade is the right call.
Not sure how you look on Google next to the trades you compete with?
We will search for your trade in your area, show you what a customer sees and tell you the three things we would fix first. It is free, with no obligation. Get your free Google check or call 07749 941111.
Let’s make you Unavoidable.
About the author: Andrew Heppinstall is the founder of Unavoidable Marketing, a Leeds agency that helps UK trades and local service businesses win work through Google Local Services Ads, SEO and paid search. His article “What makes Google ads effective?” appeared on the Business Matters page of PHAM News in September 2026.