MyBuilder vs Checkatrade vs Rated People vs Bark: Which Is Actually Worth It?
Four big names, four different ways of charging you. If you fit bathrooms or plumb for a living, you’ve probably tried at least one of them — and wondered whether another would be better. This is the side-by-side: how each one actually charges, how many people you’re up against per lead, whether you’re tied in, and which suits which situation. We’ve got a full deep-dive on each too, linked as we go.
The Four, at a Glance
Costs and terms vary by trade, area and over time — and none of these publish a fixed price for everyone — so treat the figures as reported ballparks and always check current terms. Here’s how they line up:
| Platform | How you pay | Per-lead competition | Commitment |
|---|---|---|---|
| MyBuilder | Pay-per-lead shortlist fee (scales with job; non-refundable) | Several per job | None — pay as you go |
| Checkatrade | Monthly membership subscription (no public price list) | Many listed per search | Usually 12-month contract |
| Rated People | Subscription + credits (~£35+VAT/mo incl. credits; leads ~£2–£65) | Max 3 (often 1–2) | Reported inconsistently — check |
| Bark | Pay-per-lead credits (free to join; credits ~£1.20; leads ~£7–£40; expire in 3 months) | ~5 (some report more) | None, but credits expire |
| Bathrooms & Plumbing | Pay per real lead (refunded if it’s a dud) | 2 max | None — no subscription |
The Two Ways They Charge
Strip it back and there are really two models here, and the difference matters more than the brand names:
Pay-per-lead (MyBuilder, Bark)
No compulsory monthly fee — you pay only when you take a lead. Good for testing the water and for quiet months, because you can simply not buy. The catch: you pay whether or not you win, so a run of losses hurts, and Bark’s credits now expire three months after purchase.
Subscription (Checkatrade, and Rated People with credits on top)
You pay a recurring fee to be there. Better value if you win enough work to cover the fixed cost — but you keep paying through the quiet months, and Checkatrade typically ties you in for 12 months, with reviews that don’t come with you if you leave.
Which Suits Your Situation
- New business, testing the water? A pay-per-lead site (MyBuilder or Bark) avoids a fixed commitment while you learn whether the leads convert.
- Want the least competition per lead? Rated People caps it at three, the tightest of the four.
- Want a brand homeowners already trust? Checkatrade’s recognition does some selling for you — if the annual maths works.
- Busy and seasonal? Be wary of subscriptions through your quiet months; pay-per-lead flexes with your workload.
The One Thing They All Share
Whichever you pick, they all work the same way underneath: you pay to reach a customer, then you compete to win the job. So the number that decides whether any of them is “worth it” isn’t the sticker price of a lead or a membership — it’s your cost per won job. Keep a simple month’s log of what you spend on a platform and what you actually win from it. That single figure tells you the truth faster than any review, this one included.
A Different Model Worth Knowing About
All four ask you to pay to reach a customer you then have to compete for. It’s why we built Bathrooms & Plumbing around a tighter deal for the trade:
- Two of you per job, at most — tighter than any of the four above.
- Trade-only and qualified — real bathroom and plumbing jobs with a brief, not a general marketplace.
- You only pay for real work — dud leads refunded, and no credits on a three-month timer.
- No subscription, no contract, and it’s local — you set your area and we text you when a job lands nearby.
It won’t suit everyone, and plenty of tradespeople do well on the platforms above. But if the theme running through all four — paying to fight over shared leads — is what wears you down, it’s a different model worth a look.
See what a job looks like
Signing up is free, takes under a minute, and there’s no subscription, no contract and no expiring credits. You set your area and the work you do, and we’ll text you when something lands nearby — qualified, and shared with one other person at most. Get local jobs sent to you →
MyBuilder, Checkatrade, Rated People and Bark are trademarks of their respective owners and aren’t affiliated with Bathrooms & Plumbing. Costs, competition limits, contract terms and refund policies vary by trade and area and can change — always check each platform’s current pricing and terms before signing up. This comparison reflects each platform’s model as commonly described and the experiences tradespeople report, and is offered as a fair, general guide.