Estimated read time: 7 minutes
Introduction
Every tradesperson has faced this question: should I keep paying Checkatrade (or Rated People, or MyBuilder), or should I invest that money into my own website?
The answer isn’t as simple as “one or the other.” But understanding the real difference, and what each actually costs you, will help you make a much smarter decision about where your marketing money goes.
What Directories Like Checkatrade Actually Are
Directories like Checkatrade, Rated People, Bark, and TrustATrader are marketplaces. They aggregate demand (homeowners looking for trades) and supply (tradespeople paying for exposure or leads).
They work, up to a point. But they come with structural problems that compound over time.
The Real Problems with Relying on Directories
You’re Renting Visibility, Not Building It
Every pound you put into Checkatrade builds Checkatrade’s business, not yours. If you stop paying, your visibility disappears overnight. There’s no asset, no equity, no lasting return on your spend.
You’re Competing on Price
When a homeowner posts a job on a directory, they typically receive quotes from three to five tradespeople at once. The default filter most homeowners use to compare them is price. Directories train customers to price-shop, which squeezes your margins.
Shared Leads Mean Wasted Time
On many lead-gen platforms, the same enquiry is sold to multiple tradespeople. You might call a lead quickly only to find out four other roofers already called them. Your quoting time has value. Shared leads waste it.
The Subscription Creep
Directory memberships have risen considerably in recent years. When you add up annual Checkatrade fees, enhanced listings, lead credits, and additional categories, many trades businesses are spending £1,500–£4,000+ per year on directories, often without clearly tracking what return they’re getting.
What Your Own Website Does That Directories Can’t
It Generates Exclusive Leads
Every enquiry that comes through your website is yours alone. No competition, no bidding, no sharing. The customer specifically found you and came to your website.
It Builds Long-Term Value
A well-built, well-optimised website keeps generating enquiries month after month, year after year. Unlike a directory subscription, the asset you’re building compounds over time. Your Google rankings improve. Your review count grows. The site gets more valuable, not less.
It Works How Customers Actually Search
The majority of people searching for a local tradesperson start on Google, not a directory. They type “plumber in [their town]” or “roofer near me” and click on the first credible result. A website built to rank locally puts you directly in front of that high-intent traffic.
It Reflects Your Brand, Not the Directory’s
When a customer lands on Checkatrade, they see Checkatrade’s branding, Checkatrade’s reviews, and six other roofers right below you. When they land on your own website, they see you. Your work. Your story. Your reviews. Nothing else competing for their attention.
The Honest Answer: Both — But With a Plan
The smartest position isn’t to abandon directories entirely, it’s to stop depending on them.
Short-term, directories can fill the gap while your own website builds authority. But medium-term, the goal should be generating the majority of your enquiries through your own digital presence, so you’re not at the mercy of a subscription renewal or a directory policy change.
A good benchmark to work toward: 70% of enquiries from your own website and Google Business Profile, 30% from directories and word-of-mouth. At that point, you could cancel Checkatrade tomorrow and barely notice.
What to Look for in a Proper Trade Website
Not all websites are equal. A website built to actually generate work needs:
- Speed-optimised for mobile (where most local searches happen)
- Location pages for each area you serve
- Genuine photos of your own work
- Integrated Google reviews displayed prominently
- A clear, prominent call-to-action on every page
- A system to handle enquiries automatically when you’re on the tools
That last point is critical. A great website without a system behind it still loses leads. The website gets them to enquire. The Growth Engine makes sure no enquiry goes unanswered.
Ready to Build Your Own Lead Machine?
Stop renting visibility. Start building an asset.
👉 Book a Marketing Flight Check for a free audit of where your leads are coming from now — and what it would take to own your own pipeline.
Published by Brightr | wearebrightr.com | Business Class Websites™ and Growth Engines for the Trades