Ask ten tradespeople whether Checkatrade or Google Ads brings better work and you will get ten strong opinions. Usually each one is right about their own business. The two channels work in different ways, cost money in different ways and suit different stages of a business, so the useful question is not which is better, but which gives you the lowest cost per booked job for the work you actually want.
This guide compares them on the numbers that matter, using published 2026 figures, and ends with a simple way to test both.
How each one charges you
| Checkatrade | Google Ads (Search) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | Membership, sometimes plus per-lead fees | Each click on your ad |
| Typical cost (2026 estimates) | £50 to £200+ a month; £600 to £2,400 a year before extras | £3 to £15 per click for most trades |
| Who else gets the enquiry | Often shared with other members in busy areas | Exclusive: the customer contacts you |
| What sells you | Your Checkatrade profile, score and reviews | Your ad, landing page and Google reviews |
| Control over job type and area | Category and area settings | Keyword, postcode, hour of the day |
| Speed to start | After vetting and profile set-up | Days, once the account and tracking are built |
Checkatrade does not publish a standard price list. Ranges are from Trade2Base's 2026 reviews of what tradespeople report paying; check current terms directly.
Checkatrade: what you are really buying
A Checkatrade listing buys you a place in a directory that homeowners already trust, plus the vetting badge that comes with it. For a newer business with few Google reviews, that borrowed trust can be worth a lot.
The costs vary widely. Trade2Base reports basic memberships of about £50 to £80 a month for less competitive trades and areas, and £120 to £200 a month or more for plumbing, gas and electrical work in busy urban markets. Some packages add per-lead fees of roughly £5 to £30, charged whether or not you win the job, and premium placement pushes a competitive city trade towards £3,000 a year.
The bigger issue is competition for each enquiry. In busy areas the same homeowner may contact several members. Trade2Base estimates that answering a shared enquiry properly can take 15 to 20 minutes, with the same enquiry often going to four or five other trades. If you are the fifth to ring back, your conversion rate and your cost per job suffer.
Google Ads: what you are really buying
Google Ads buys you attention at the exact moment someone searches, in the area you choose, for the job you choose. You pay only when someone clicks, and the enquiry comes to you alone.
The trade-off is that you have to earn the conversion yourself. There is no directory badge doing the persuading, so your ad, your landing page, your Google reviews and how fast you pick up decide whether a click becomes work. Published 2026 estimates put most UK trade clicks between £3 and £15, with emergency and high-value work at the top of that range and London often well above it.
Cost per booked job, worked out
Here is a like-for-like comparison at a modest £200 a month, using Trade2Base's worked example for a trade with a £320 average job and a 40% booking rate on Checkatrade:
| Channel | Monthly spend | Leads | Booked jobs | Cost per booked job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checkatrade | £167 | 5 to 9 | 2 to 4 | £42 to £84 |
| Google Local Services Ads | £200 | 5 to 8 | 3 to 4 | £50 to £67 |
| Google Search Ads | £200 | 8 to 15 | 3 to 6 | £33 to £67 |
Source: Trade2Base, "Checkatrade vs Google Ads" (May 2026). Illustrative model, not a guarantee.
The ranges overlap a lot. That is the honest finding: neither channel wins on paper. What separates them in a real business is response speed, the quality of the reviews behind you and whether you are measuring booked jobs at all.
Lead quality: shared versus exclusive
Exclusive leads are not automatically better, but they are easier to convert. When a homeowner clicks your ad and rings you, they have already chosen you over the other results on the page. When an enquiry is shared, you are starting a race.
On the other hand, directory leads often come with a clearer brief, because the platform asks the customer what they need before passing it on. Search Ads can do the same if your landing page asks for the postcode, the job type and a photo, but only if you build it that way.
When Checkatrade makes more sense
- You are new, with few Google reviews, and need borrowed trust.
- Your trade has a lot of low-urgency, planned work where homeowners like to compare vetted options.
- You do not have a website or landing page that converts yet.
- You can respond to enquiries quickly during the working day.
Trade2Base suggests a Checkatrade listing is worth keeping once you have 50 or more verified reviews there, or a booked-job conversion above 40%.
When Google Ads makes more sense
- You want exclusive enquiries and control over which jobs and postcodes you pay for.
- Your work is urgent and phone-led, where being first on the page matters.
- You have a landing page that turns visitors into calls and can track calls back to keywords.
- You want to grow beyond what a directory can supply in your category.
Trade2Base puts the practical starting point for standard Google Ads at about £300 a month or more, with three to six months of data before you judge it properly.
Using both without wasting money
Most established trades we speak to end up using both: a directory for trust and steady planned work, and Google Ads for urgent jobs and the services they most want to grow. The mistake is not using both. The mistake is not knowing which one paid for which job.
- Give each channel its own phone number, so every call is tagged at source.
- Ask every new customer where they found you and note it against the job.
- Record the job value, not just whether it was booked.
- After 90 days, compare cost per booked job and average job value by channel.
- Move money towards the channel with the better ratio of job value to cost per job, and check you have the capacity behind it.
A note on Local Services Ads: Google's Local Services Ads sit between the two. You pay per lead, the listing carries a Google verification badge and the enquiry comes to you. For eligible trades they are worth testing alongside Search Ads. Read our comparison of Local Services Ads vs Google Search Ads.
The bottom line
Checkatrade sells trust and convenience; Google Ads sells control and exclusivity. On published 2026 figures, their cost per booked job overlaps, so the better choice is the one your business can convert best. Track both properly for three months and the answer will be in your own numbers, not in someone else's opinion.
Other directories and lead sites
Checkatrade is not the only option. Pay-per-lead sites work differently again:
| Platform | How you pay (2026 estimates) | Shared with |
|---|---|---|
| Rated People | No membership; roughly £3 to £15 per lead | Up to three tradespeople |
| MyBuilder | Credits; roughly £3 to £12 per lead | Up to three tradespeople |
| Google Local Services Ads | Per lead, roughly £15 to £50 | Exclusive to you |
Source: Trade2Base 2026 guides. Check each platform's current terms.
Cheaper per lead does not mean cheaper per job. A lead shared with two other trades has, at best, a one-in-three chance of being yours before price and speed even come into it.
What to do about reviews
Reviews are the hidden factor in this comparison. Checkatrade reviews only help on Checkatrade. Google reviews help on Google Ads (seller ratings and Local Services Ads), Google Maps and your organic listing. If you rely on Checkatrade for trust, consider asking happy customers to leave a Google review as well, so you are building trust you own across more channels.
Questions to ask before renewing a directory
- How many jobs did we win from it in the last 12 months, and what were they worth?
- What did it cost in total, including per-lead fees and add-ons?
- How many enquiries were shared with other trades?
- Could the same money produce more on Google Ads, given what we know about our conversion rate there?
Frequently asked questions
Is Checkatrade or Google Ads better for tradespeople?
Neither wins everywhere. Published 2026 models put cost per booked job at roughly £42 to £84 for Checkatrade and £33 to £67 for Google Search Ads at a £200 monthly spend. Track your own cost per booked job for both before deciding.
How much does Checkatrade cost per month in 2026?
Checkatrade does not publish a standard price list. Tradespeople report roughly £50 to £200 or more a month, around £600 to £2,400 a year, with some packages adding per-lead fees.
Are Google Ads leads exclusive?
Yes. When someone clicks your ad and calls or fills in your form, the enquiry comes only to you, unlike many directory leads that can go to several trades.
Can I use Checkatrade and Google Ads together?
Yes, and many established trades do. Give each channel its own phone number and record job values so you can compare cost per booked job after about 90 days.
Related guides
- Local Services Ads vs Google Search Ads for UK Trades
- How Much Does It Cost to Advertise on Google in the UK?
- Is Google Ads Worth It for a Small Business?
Sources
- Trade2Base, "Checkatrade vs Google Ads for tradespeople" (27 May 2026)
- Trade2Base, "Is Checkatrade worth it in 2026?" (8 June 2026)
- Trade2Base, "Google Ads budget for tradespeople" (8 June 2026)
- Google Local Services Help: Getting started with Local Services Ads
Not sure which channel is paying for your jobs?
Ask for a free Google Ads review. We will look at how your enquiries are tracked today and show you how to compare Google Ads and directories on cost per booked job.