The Best Alternatives to MyBuilder & Checkatrade for Plumbers & Fitters
MyBuilder and Checkatrade are the two names everyone reaches for — but they’re not the only way to win bathroom and plumbing work, and often not the best value. This is the full menu: every realistic way to get jobs in 2026, grouped by how you pay and how much control you keep, with a straight steer on which suits which kind of business. If you’re switching away from one of the big two, start here.
First, the Four Types
Every option below is really one of four models. Get the model right for your business and the specific brand matters far less:
| Type | How you pay | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Pay-per-lead | Per lead, no subscription (MyBuilder, Bark) | Flexibility & quiet months |
| Subscription directory | Monthly fee, often a contract (Checkatrade, TrustATrader, Rated People) | Busy trades that value a trusted brand |
| Channels you own | Little/nothing per job (Google Business Profile, own site, word of mouth) | Cheapest work long-term |
| Pay-per-real-lead | Per genuine lead, refunded if a dud (Bathrooms & Plumbing) | Leads now, without win-or-lose risk |
Other Lead Platforms
The quickest switch is another platform. Each has a different catch — we’ve reviewed the main ones in full:
- Rated People — subscription plus credits, but caps a lead at three tradespeople, so a higher win rate than an open directory.
- Bark — free to join, pay-per-lead credits; broad and fast, but a general marketplace and credits expire after three months.
- TrustATrader — a subscription directory much like Checkatrade, strong on vetting and trust; costs vary by area.
- Which? Trusted Traders, MyJobQuote and Yell — more about visibility and validation than a steady lead stream; useful in a mix.
Want the big names side by side? See MyBuilder vs Checkatrade vs Rated People vs Bark, or our platform-specific guides on MyBuilder alternatives and Checkatrade alternatives.
The Channels You Own
The single biggest thing the platforms won’t tell you: the cheapest, most reliable work comes from things you own outright, not leads you rent. They take longer to build, but they compound and nobody can switch them off:
- A Google Business Profile. Free, and the best first move any tradesperson can make. It puts you on Maps and local search, carries your Google reviews, and lets you show off finished jobs. Keep it active and ask every happy customer for a review.
- Your own website + local SEO. A simple site that ranks for “bathroom fitter in [your town]” brings enquiries at no cost per lead once it’s ranking. Yours, not rented.
- Word of mouth and repeat customers. Still the best lead there is. A base of repeat and referred work is what makes you less dependent on paying for leads at all.
One to cross off the list
You’ll still see “Local Heroes” suggested in older articles — the British Gas-owned platform closed to new work in late 2023, so it’s no longer an option. Always check a platform is still running before you rely on it.
Pay Only for Real Leads
If you want work coming in now — but without a subscription through the quiet months or paying win-or-lose in a crowd — that’s the gap we built Bathrooms & Plumbing to fill:
- Two of you per job, at most — never a crowd.
- You only pay for real work — a dud lead is refunded.
- Trade-only and qualified — real bathroom and plumbing jobs with a brief.
- Free to join, no subscription, and local — set your area and we text you when a job lands nearby.
The Verdict: What to Actually Do
Don’t just swap one directory for another. The trades who worry least about the next job do the same thing:
- Start the channels you own today. Set up your Google Business Profile and start asking for Google reviews — this is free and pays back for years.
- Run a no-commitment lead source alongside for work in the meantime — pay-per-lead or pay-per-real-lead, so you’re not locked in while you build.
- Track your cost per won job on anything you pay for, and keep only what earns its keep.
Do that, and MyBuilder and Checkatrade become one option among many — used only if and when the numbers actually work.
See what a job looks like
Signing up is free, takes under a minute, and there’s no subscription. You set your area and the work you do, and we’ll text you when something lands nearby — qualified, shared with one other person at most, and refunded if it’s a dud. Get local jobs sent to you →
MyBuilder, Checkatrade, Rated People, Bark, TrustATrader, Which? Trusted Traders, MyJobQuote and Yell are trademarks of their respective owners and aren’t affiliated with Bathrooms & Plumbing. Costs and terms vary and can change — always check each platform’s current pricing and terms before signing up. This article is offered as a fair, general guide to the options available to tradespeople.