How much does Checkatrade cost, and is it worth it?

Three things the table doesn't tell you:

• Growth is priced per business. You pick the postcode areas you want to work in and how many leads you want a year, and Checkatrade gives you a fixed monthly cost. So "from £59" is the starting price. Yours depends on the areas and number of leads you choose.
• VAT. The pricing page doesn't say whether the prices include VAT. Checkatrade's October 2026 offer terms apply discounts to "the membership price excluding VAT", so ask for the price with VAT before you sign.
• Offers are time-limited. In October 2026 the pricing page advertised a first month free, for offers running 1 to 31 October. The offer terms list different discounts for different trades, so check which one applies to yours.

Customers search by trade and postcode. You set the postcode areas you cover, and you appear in search for those areas. Customers can then book through your profile, call you, or ask for a quote.

Before you get the tick, Checkatrade runs up to 12 checks, including ID, address, qualifications, county court judgments, company history and a customer experience check. Public liability insurance is listed as optional. If you have it, add it to your profile, because it's one of the first things a careful customer looks for.

Checkatrade also sells sponsored listings and adverts in its printed directories (what you get). It doesn't publish prices for those.

1. The term. Checkatrade says fixed plan memberships are for 12 months. Ask what happens at the end of the year: does it renew on its own, and how much notice do you need to give?
2. Leaving early. Ask whether you can leave before 12 months and what it costs. Get the answer in writing.
3. What your monthly price buys. On Growth, ask how many leads a year the price is based on, which postcode areas it covers, and what counts as a lead.
4. The Direct Debit. The offer terms require an active Direct Debit. Ask how you end the membership itself, because stopping a Direct Debit doesn't always end a contract.
5. Your reviews. Ask what happens to your profile and reviews if you leave.

We couldn't open Checkatrade's full membership terms when we checked (the page blocked automated access), so we haven't summarised them here. Read them before you sign. Checkatrade's pricing page links to them.

If you also take commercial work through Checkatrade for Business, that has its own terms. For jobs that need a quote, you "may be charged when a job is matched to you", whether or not you win it. Fees are non-refundable, and Checkatrade doesn't guarantee a minimum number of jobs (product terms, effective 30 September 2026).

It can be. It tends to suit you if:

• You're new to an area and don't have word of mouth yet. A vetted profile with a tick gives strangers a reason to call.
• Your customers already use it. Ask your last few customers whether they checked Checkatrade before they called you.
• You want steady leads at a fixed cost and you have the time to reply quickly and quote.

It's less likely to pay off if:

• You're already booked weeks ahead from repeat customers and referrals.
• You can't reply fast. Leads go cold if the customer has asked three trades and you answer last.
• Your trade or area is thin on Checkatrade, so few customers search there for what you do.

A simple test: work out how many jobs a year you need from Checkatrade to cover the yearly cost, using your average profit per job, not your average invoice. If you're paying £59 a month plus VAT and make £150 profit on a typical job, a handful of jobs a year covers it. Track where every job comes from for the first three months so you know.

• Fill in everything. Checkatrade itself says a complete profile with photos, reviews, services and accreditations helps you get chosen.
• Ask every customer for a review. The Approved plan includes one-click review requests. Use them after every job, not only the good ones.
• Reply fast. Set up a saved reply on your phone for new enquiries so the customer hears back within the hour.
• Check your postcode areas. Remove areas you don't really want to drive to, so you're not paying for leads you'll turn down.
• Don't let it be your only shop window. Customers who find you on Checkatrade often search your business name on Google before they call.

Reviews on Checkatrade show on Checkatrade, not on Google. Two free things you control are worth doing alongside it:

• A Google Business Profile. It's free (Google) and it's what shows on Google Maps when someone searches "plumber near me". Ask customers for Google reviews too: our Google review link guide shows how.
• Your own website, even a single page with your services, areas covered and photos. See do I need a website.

We help trades get found on Google with an accurate Business Profile and clear pages about their services and areas. We also prepare a Google review request after each job, and draft replies to new reviews, for you to approve.

• Getting found on Google
• Google review requests and replies
• Website design for small businesses

You approve every message and who receives it before anything is sent.