An honest comparison
Checkatrade alternatives for UK trades
If you're paying to be listed and wondering whether there's a better way, you're not alone. Here's a fair look at the main alternatives — the other directories, the free options, and the one that's a different thing entirely.
Why trades look for an alternative
To be fair, a directory can bring in work — especially when you're starting out. The reasons trades start looking elsewhere are usually the same three:
You pay to be seen. Membership fees plus paid extras, and the cost of the leads you actually win adds up over time.
You own nothing. Every listing builds the directory's brand and search authority, not yours. Stop paying and you disappear overnight.
You compete on budget, not skill. Visibility goes to whoever pays for it, so a genuinely great trade can sit below a bigger advertising spend.
The alternatives, honestly
1. The other directories
MyBuilder, Rated People, Bark, TrustATraderand the rest are worth knowing about, but be clear-eyed: they're broadly the same model. You still pay to appear or pay per lead, and you're still renting visibility on someone else's platform. Switching directory changes the logo, not the deal.
2. A Google Business Profile (free)
Every trade should have one — it's free, and it puts you on the map with reviews and photos. But it's a listing, not a full presence: you don't control much, and it works best pointing at a proper website behind it.
3. Your own website
The different one. Instead of renting leads, you build the one thing online you actually own — a site on your own domain, with your work, your reviews and your name ranking on Google. No per-lead fee, and the value compounds the longer it's up.
Side by side
| Option | Cost model | What it builds | You own it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Directories (Checkatrade, MyBuilder…) | Membership and/or pay-per-lead | The directory's brand | No — stop paying and you're gone |
| Google Business Profile | Free | Your Google listing | Partly — it lives on Google |
| Your own website (Heyguv) | A monthly plan, no per-lead fee | Your own domain | Yes — the site and its authority |
A fair summary of the models, not the specific prices — directory fees change, so check the current terms with each provider.
Rent leads, or own what wins you the work
That's the real choice. A directory rents you visibility for as long as you keep paying. Your own site is an asset that keeps working and keeps growing. Heyguv builds you that site in about a minute — your trade, your town, your work — and keeps it ranking. See it before you pay a penny.
Straight answers
Is Checkatrade worth it?
For some trades, especially starting out, a directory can bring in work. The trade-off is that you keep paying to stay visible, and every job you win builds the directory's brand rather than your own. Plenty of trades use one alongside their own website rather than instead of it.
What's the cheapest alternative to Checkatrade?
A free Google Business Profile plus your own website. You stop paying to be listed on someone else's platform, and the work you do builds your own presence instead of theirs.
Do I still need a website if I'm on Checkatrade?
Yes. Whether a lead comes from a directory, a Google search or word of mouth, the first thing most people do is look you up. Your website is what they find — and it's the one place online you actually own.