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Checkatrade Review

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Should I use Checkatrade?

UK directory for finding vetted tradespeople - checkatrade.com

· 2 days ago

UK homeowners get a free, large trade directory with ID checks, but independent verification of trades stays essential. Tradespeople face reported fees near £150 monthly for four leads, so calculate cost per lead first.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 20+ public sources; forum and press coverage dominates, and many snippets are truncated.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security postureNo public security data in sources

Pricing

Reported around £150/month

Trade membership

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • UK homeowners finding local trades
  • Trades wanting review visibility
  • Trades with spare lead-generation budget

Not for

  • Trades needing cheap, pay-per-lead volume
  • Trades without budget for monthly fees
  • Non-UK tradespeople or homeowners
  • Buyers expecting guaranteed scam-free vetting

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

One electrician reports £150 monthly bought four leads. Compare cost per lead before signing.

high

Vetting checks ID, but Guardian reporting found gaps. Verify insurance and qualifications yourself.

medium

Pricing changes under new ownership left some members disillusioned, per member posts.

low

Guarantees on some listed trades cap at £1,000 with terms and conditions attached.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free to search and contact tradespeople
  • Checks trade ID before listing
  • Offers £1,000 guarantee terms on listed members
  • Signed CMA commitment on fair review practices
  • Described as the UK's leading trades platform

Cons

  • Members report £150 monthly for four leads
  • Trades say membership alone does not win work
  • Guardian investigation questions vetting depth
  • Homeowners report scam experiences on the platform
  • Members report price hikes under new pricing

Sources & method

- 14 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x2review x9news x3

Key stats

  • Value for money: 2/5

    Rating

  • Reported around £150/month

    Starting price

  • 14

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 2/5. Reported £150 monthly for four leads
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Simple postcode search, positive app feedback
  • Feature depth: 3/5. Vetting, guarantees, cost guides, new marketplace
  • Support quality: 2/5. Trustpilot and Glassdoor report declining service
  • Security posture. No public security data in sources
  • £150/month Reported membership cost For 4 leads, per one electrician on Reddit
  • Yes Free tier Free accounts available for trades
  • Vetted Limited Parent company Trades as Checkatrade
  • 359 Glassdoor employee reviews Sentiment trends negative in snippets

Pricing

Trade membership

Reported around £150/month

  • Four leads reported per month
  • Includes vetted profile and reviews
  • Monthly fees range by trade and area

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

Forum sentiment leans negative on cost and vetting for trades, while app store users report smooth consumer experiences.

“Checkatrade wanting £150 a month for 4 leads”
Reddit, r/ukelectricians
“Avoid Checkatrade like the plague”
Reddit, r/DIYUK
“Excellent service from start to finish”
App Store review

Companies that use it

  • G2 Architecture
  • Total Security Systems
  • Total Security Experts Limited
Full analysis

Based on 20+ public sources; forum and press coverage dominates, and many snippets are truncated.

Free UK trade directory for homeowners; trades report £150 monthly for few leads and vetting gaps persist.

Methodology

Based on 20+ public sources; forum and press coverage dominates, and many snippets are truncated.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. Checkatrade official sitecheckatrade.com
    official
  2. Free accounts for tradescheckatrade.com
    official
  3. Checkatrade Trustpilot reviewstrustpilot.com
    review
  4. Stay away from Checkatrade for trades, r/DIYUKreddit.com
    review
  5. Checkatrade wanting £150 a month for 4 leads, r/ukelectriciansreddit.com
    review
  6. Checkatrade is awful, r/HousingUKreddit.com
    review
  7. Does Checkatrade's vetting really check out? (Guardian)theguardian.com
    news
  8. Online review sites commit to improve practices (gov.uk)gov.uk
    news
  9. Checkatrade - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
    news
  10. Checkatrade App Store reviewsapps.apple.com
    review
  11. Should I Use Checkatrade to Find a Builder? (MyBuildAlly)mybuildally.co.uk
    review
  12. Checkatrade employee reviews (Glassdoor)glassdoor.co.uk
    review
  13. Disappointing experience with new pricing (Facebook)facebook.com
    review
  14. Checkatrade vs Rated People costs (Tradesman Saver)tradesmansaver.co.uk
    review

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