How do the four platforms compare at a glance?
| Checkatrade | MyBuilder | Bark | Rated People | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Monthly membership | Pay per shortlist | Prepaid credits per lead | Membership plus cost per lead |
| Published starting price | From around £30 + VAT a month (basic) | No joining or membership fee; shortlist fees typically £2 to £35 | £1.80 per credit | Not published; plan prices by phone |
| You pay when | Every month | A homeowner shortlists you and details are shared | You choose to respond to a lead | Monthly or annually, plus each lead you buy |
| Pay if you don't win? | Yes, membership is fixed | Yes, once details are shared | Yes, credits are spent on contact | Yes, each lead you take has a cost |
| Competition per lead | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Maximum of three trades |
| Main customer | Homeowners searching a vetted directory | Homeowners posting a job | People across hundreds of service categories | Homeowners posting a job |
Sources, all as of October 2026: Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Bark, Rated People.
None of the four publishes a simple price list for plumbing in London or Essex. Treat every figure here as a starting point and get your own quote in writing.
How does Checkatrade charge plumbers?
Checkatrade is a directory you pay to be in. Its trade guide gives basic plans from around £30 plus VAT a month, with the real price set by your trade, area, local competition and the lead volume you choose (as of October 2026).
The headline catch: basic members are not shown in Checkatrade's search, according to that same guide. To appear where homeowners are looking, you need a plan above the entry level.
What you get in return is the vetting badge and brand recognition. Checkatrade says it runs up to 12 checks on members and offers homeowners a guarantee of up to £1,000 on eligible work (Checkatrade, as of October 2026).
We look at the pros and cons in more depth in is Checkatrade worth it?
How does MyBuilder charge plumbers?
MyBuilder flips the model. Its sign-up page says "There are no joining or membership fees" and that shortlist fees typically range "from £2 to £35 depending on the size of the job" (as of October 2026).
How it works for a plumber:
- A homeowner posts a job, such as a leaking cylinder or a new bathroom suite.
- You say you are interested in the leads you want.
- The homeowner shortlists from the interested trades, based on profiles and feedback.
- Once you are shortlisted and details are exchanged, you pay the shortlist fee.
MyBuilder's tradesperson terms add detail worth knowing before you start (as of October 2026):
- The fee is set per lead, based on the job's likely size, value and location, and shown before you commit.
- Displayed amounts exclude VAT.
- You do not need to win the job for the fee to be payable.
- Fees are invoiced at least weekly and paid by card.
- Refunds are at MyBuilder's discretion and given as account credit.
- An optional monthly fee buys sponsored placement.
Good for: plumbers who want control over each job they pay for, and those who are good at winning a homeowner over in the first conversation.
How does Bark charge plumbers?
Bark runs on credits. Its UK help centre gives the current rate as "£1.80 per credit", with larger packs bringing the per-credit cost down (as of October 2026).
Each lead shows its credit cost before you respond. Bark's pricing page says that cost depends on "the service, the value of the job, and the supply and demand in the area", and that leads are free to receive (as of October 2026).
Points to check before you buy a pack (as of October 2026):
Credits expire.
Bark says credits bought from 1 November 2025 lapse three months after purchase.
Unused credits aren't refunded.
The help article says so directly.
First-pack guarantee.
The pricing page says Bark will return all credits from your first pack if you don't win business with it. Read the terms before relying on it.
Bark also covers far more than trades. It describes customers across "hundreds of service categories" (as of October 2026). That means your plumbing lead sits on a general marketplace, not a trade-only one.
Good for: plumbers who reply within minutes, are disciplined about which leads they pay for, and keep a close eye on credit spend.
How does Rated People charge plumbers?
Rated People uses a membership plus a charge for each lead. Its how it works page says you can choose a monthly or annual plan, that "There's a small cost for each lead, depending on the size of the job", and that each lead goes to a maximum of three tradespeople (as of October 2026).
Plan prices are not printed on that page. It asks trades to phone for pricing, and notes that TrustMark-registered tradespeople without an account may be eligible for a free year's membership.
Rated People also offers an "Unlimited" plan. Its announcement describes "a fixed fee each month" for an unlimited number of leads, limited to jobs with a homeowner budget of up to £4,000 (as of October 2026). It does not state the fee.
Good for: plumbers who like knowing the most competitors they face on a lead, and who do a lot of smaller domestic work.
Which platform suits which kind of plumbing business?
Brand new, no reviews, want a vetted badge
Checkatrade
Busy, only want to pay for jobs you choose
MyBuilder
Fast responder happy to pick and pay per lead
Bark
Want limited competition on each lead
Rated People
Mostly emergency call-outs
Your own Google Business Profile and a phone-first website
High-value boiler, bathroom or heat pump installs
Your own website with detailed project pages, plus targeted ads
How should you track whether a lead site is paying?
Whatever you choose, run the numbers every month. A simple sheet with these columns is enough:
- Date and platform
- Cost of the lead, shortlist or credits
- Did you quote? (yes / no)
- Did you win? (yes / no)
- Job value and gross profit
After three months, divide total spend by jobs won. That is your real cost per job on each platform. Compare it with what a job from your own website or Google profile costs you.
What should you ask any lead platform before you sign?
Prices on these platforms change, and the details sit in terms most people never read. Before you pay a penny, get answers in writing to these questions:
- What exactly do I pay, and when? Monthly, per lead, per shortlist or per credit, and whether VAT is on top.
- What happens if a lead is fake or the customer never answers? Ask about refunds or credit returns, and how to claim.
- How many other plumbers get the same lead? Some platforms say; others don't.
- Is there a minimum term or notice period? And can I pause in a busy month?
- Can I choose my postcodes and job types? Paying for a bathroom lead 20 miles away is wasted money if you only want boiler work locally.
- Do credits or account balances expire? Bark, for example, says credits bought from 1 November 2025 expire after three months.
- What happens to my reviews if I leave? Find out whether you can still show them or link to them.
If a sales rep can't answer clearly, treat that as an answer in itself.
What is the alternative to paying per lead?
Every platform above is a form of renting customers. For context, when we checked UK Google Ads data in October 2026, the click cost on "plumbing leads" was around £32.53 and on "boiler leads" around £26.90 (DataforSEO). Lead sellers pay for that traffic and then sell the enquiry on to you.
The owned alternative is your own site and Google Business Profile. The customer sees only your business, your reviews stay with you, and there is no fee each time the phone rings. It takes longer to build, which is why many plumbers run one lead platform alongside it while their own channels grow.
If you want to stop relying on rented leads, look at local SEO for plumbers for your Google profile, Google Ads for plumbers if you want paid enquiries that land on your own site, or plumber marketing for the full picture. We don't guarantee rankings or lead numbers. We do give you a fixed written quote within one working day.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper for a plumber, Checkatrade or MyBuilder?
It depends on how many jobs you take. MyBuilder has no membership fee and charges per shortlist, while Checkatrade charges a monthly membership. A plumber taking a handful of jobs may pay less on MyBuilder; a busy one may prefer a fixed monthly cost.
Is Bark worth it for plumbers?
It can be for plumbers who are quick to respond and pick leads carefully. You pay credits to contact each customer whether or not you win the job, so track your win rate from the first pack.
Is Rated People worth it for plumbers?
It suits plumbers who want a steady flow of smaller domestic jobs and can respond fast. Rated People sells each lead to a maximum of three trades, which limits competition, but you pay a membership plus lead costs.
Do I pay MyBuilder if I don't win the job?
Yes. MyBuilder's terms say the shortlist fee becomes payable once the customer's contact details are shared with you, and you don't need to win the job for it to be due.
Can I be on all four at once?
You can, but costs add up and you will be answering a lot of enquiries. Most plumbers do better picking one or two, tracking results for three months and dropping the weakest.