Checkatrade vs Your Own Website: Which Is Better for Tradespeople?
Vertex Web Solutions · 16 May 2026
Lead sites like Checkatrade can bring work — but you don't own anything, and you pay per lead forever. Here's how they really compare to having your own site.
What you're actually buying with a lead site
With Checkatrade and similar, you're renting access to leads. The moment you stop paying, the leads stop and you're left with nothing — no asset, no listing, no audience. You're also shown next to your competitors, often competing on price for the same job.
What you own with your own website
Your own site and Google Business Profile are assets you keep. They work whether or not you're paying a lead site, they build authority over time, and the enquiries come straight to you — no per-lead fee, no being lined up against five rivals on one page.
The honest trade-off
Lead sites can be useful for filling gaps, especially early on — they bring work without you doing much. But they don't build anything. Your own presence is slower to start but compounds: every review, every page, every month makes you more findable, and it's all yours.
The smart play
You don't have to pick one forever. Plenty of trades use a lead site to stay busy while they build their own website and Google ranking — then wean off the per-lead fees once the calls are coming in direct. The goal is to own your lead flow, not rent it for life.