Checkatrade or MyBuilder, which is better for getting work?
They monetise differently and that changes who they suit. Checkatrade is closer to a paid directory listing with vetting and reviews. MyBuilder is closer to a job marketplace where trades bid on posted work. Higher-value, longer-consideration trades usually do better on a listing model than a bidding one.
The structural difference
Most comparisons list features. The feature lists barely matter, the business model is what determines whether you make money on the platform.
A listing model puts you in front of someone searching for a trade, and they choose you. A marketplace model puts a posted job in front of several trades, and they compete for it. Those produce different kinds of customer and reward different kinds of business.
| Listing model (Checkatrade-style) | Marketplace model (MyBuilder-style) | |
|---|---|---|
| How you get seen | Customer browses or searches, then picks | Customer posts a job, trades respond |
| Cost shape | Weighted to subscription | Weighted to per-lead or per-response |
| Competition | Against other listed trades | Directly against other bidders on one job |
| Price pressure | Moderate | High, it is a live tender |
| Suits | Higher-value, considered work | Smaller, well-defined, quick-to-quote jobs |
| Reviews | Central to the proposition | Present, tied to completed jobs |
Which fits your trade
This follows from job value and how specifiable the work is, not from which platform advertises more.
- Extensions, renovations, full rewires, new roofs, considered purchases where the customer wants to choose. A listing model generally serves these better; bidding erodes margin on work that should be won on trust.
- Fixed, describable jobs, a replacement tap, a socket, a small repair. A marketplace works well because the job can be priced accurately from the description.
- Emergency work, neither is ideal. Emergency demand goes to whoever appears first on a phone, which is a Maps and local-pack question.
What most people get wrong
The question is usually asked as though one platform is better. Both are lead rental, and the meaningful comparison isn't between them but between renting enquiries and owning them. A trade paying both platforms while ranking for nothing is renting twice.
The second error is bidding on a marketplace with the same margin you would quote directly. A tendered job needs either a lower cost base or a differentiated offer. Winning on price alone against three other trades is a way to be busy and unprofitable.
Where these figures come from
"mybuilder vs checkatrade" runs at 170 monthly UK searches with low advertiser competition (0.14) and a £1.01 cost per click, unusually cheap attention from trades actively comparing their options. Measured via Google Ads keyword data, 2 August 2026.
Related questions
Can I use both?
Many trades do, especially while building an owned channel. Track cost per won job separately for each, they'll usually be very different numbers, and one of the two is often clearly not working.
Do these platforms help my own Google ranking?
A consistent listing is a citation and contributes modestly to local trust signals. It won't rank your own website. That comes from your site and your own profile.
Which has better quality leads?
Quality depends on your trade and job values far more than on the platform. The only reliable answer comes from running your own cost-per-won-job figures for a quarter.
Not sure where you stand?
We run the checks against your business and come back with the gaps and the first three priorities. No access needed, nothing changed.