MyBuilder Alternatives: Where Else Can Plumbers & Fitters Get Work?
MyBuilder works for plenty of people, but its pay-for-every-lead, win-or-lose model isn’t for everyone. If you’re after something that suits you better — cheaper, less competition, or leads you don’t have to fight for — here are the real alternatives. And an honest steer up front: the best “alternative” often isn’t another lead site at all, but the channels you actually own. We’ll cover both. (Still weighing MyBuilder itself? Here’s our honest review.)
Other Lead Platforms
The obvious first move is another platform. They’re quick to switch to, but each has a different catch — we’ve reviewed the big ones in full if you want the detail:
- Rated People — a subscription-plus-credits model, but it caps a lead at a maximum of three tradespeople (often one or two), so you’re up against fewer people than most.
- Checkatrade — a trusted-brand directory on a monthly membership and usually a 12-month contract. Strong on customer trust, but you pay through the quiet months and your reviews don’t come with you if you leave.
- Bark — free to join, pay-per-lead with credits. Broad and quick, but it’s a general marketplace and the credits now expire after three months.
- TrustATrader — a subscription directory in the Checkatrade mould, big on vetting and trust. Costs vary by area, so get a quote.
- Which? Trusted Traders, Yell and MyJobQuote — more about visibility and validation than a steady stream of leads; useful as part of a mix rather than a sole source.
Weighing several against each other? Our side-by-side comparison lays out cost, competition and contracts for the big four.
The Channels You Own (Often the Best)
Here’s the bit the lead sites won’t tell you: the cheapest, most reliable work usually comes from things you own outright — not leads you rent. They take longer to build, but they compound, and nobody can switch them off or put the price up.
- A Google Business Profile. Free, and one of the single best things any tradesperson can do. It puts you on Google Maps and local search, shows your reviews, and lets you post before-and-after photos. Set it up, keep it active, and ask happy customers to leave a Google review — it pays back for years.
- Your own website + local SEO. A simple site that ranks for “bathroom fitter in [your town]” sends you enquiries that cost nothing per lead once it’s ranking. It’s the long game, but it’s yours.
- Word of mouth and repeat customers. The oldest and still the best. Do good work, stay in touch, and ask for the referral — a steady base of repeat and recommended work is what makes you less dependent on paying for leads at all.
A quick word on one you’ll see mentioned
You may still find “Local Heroes” suggested as a MyBuilder alternative 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 do want a lead source right now — but the thing that puts you off MyBuilder is paying win-or-lose, in a crowd — that’s exactly why we built Bathrooms & Plumbing differently:
- Two of you per job, at most — never a crowd.
- You only pay for real work. Dud lead — wrong number, not genuine — and we refund the fee.
- Trade-only and qualified — real bathroom and plumbing jobs with a brief, not a general marketplace.
- Free to join, no subscription, and local — you set your area and we text you when a job lands nearby.
It’s not the answer for everyone, but if “pay for the lead, not the job” is the sticking point, it’s a straightforward switch.
How to Choose
You don’t have to pick just one. The trades who worry least about where the next job’s coming from tend to do the same thing: use a lead source or two for work now, while building the channels they own for the long term. Start your Google Business Profile today, keep asking for reviews, and run a lead platform alongside it — then track your cost per won job on each so you know what’s actually earning its keep. Drop what doesn’t, and lean into what does.
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 — already 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, Yell and MyJobQuote 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.