The bottom line
- Networx shared leads start at $10. It’s the only one of the 10 platforms below that publishes a per-lead range. Bark publishes a credit price, and everyone else shows the price inside your pro account. To see leads next to software and card fees for a whole 5-person business, read what a trades business really pays.
- So compare the rules. The real differences are whether other pros get the same lead, when you get money back, and whether you sign a contract.
- The contract is the big one. Thumbtack, Networx and Yelp’s self-serve ads say no contract. Angi subscriptions are fixed-term, renew on their own, can go up each term and can carry an early termination fee.
- Judge a platform by the cost of a won job, not a lead. Our cost per job calculator turns a lead price into that number.
10 US lead platforms. The order is not paid for: no platform here pays us.
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Thumbtack
Visit Thumbtack- How you pay
- Pay per lead; pro sets an exact price per service; weekly budget caps spend; Opportunities charged only if the customer responds
- Published price
- Free to join; lead prices not published
- Who else gets the lead
- Not published
- Refund or credit
- Automatic Fair Shot refund if the customer replies to no pro within 72 hours (you replied within 4 business hours and kept first contact on Thumbtack); other requests within 45 days; refunds to Thumbtack balance by default
- Contract
- None
- Cost to leave
- Not published
Not published: lead sharing, exit cost
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Google Local Services Ads
Visit Google Local Services Ads- How you pay
- Pay per valid lead (call, message, booking); budget-capped; being migrated into Google Ads
- Published price
- Not published
- Who else gets the lead
- Not published
- Refund or credit
- Automatic credits only; no credit for wrong job type or outside service area; credits usually within 30 days
- Contract
- Not published
- Cost to leave
- Not published
Not published: price, lead sharing, contract, exit cost
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Angi (Angi Leads, formerly HomeAdvisor)
Visit Angi (Angi Leads, formerly HomeAdvisor)- How you pay
- Per lead, subscription (prepaid, auto-renewing fixed term) or lead bundle, set in your onboarding Contract
- Published price
- Not published
- Who else gets the lead
- Shared; frequently sent to several other pros (competition limits exist, number not published)
- Refund or credit
- Discretionary credits, request within 30 days; store credit only, expires 6 months after issue; not for no-callback, hired someone else, shopping, or lost job
- Contract
- Fixed term set in your Contract if you take a Subscription; auto-renews
- Cost to leave
- Early Termination Fee may apply; amount set in your Contract, not published
Not published: price
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Yelp Ads
Visit Yelp Ads- How you pay
- Cost per click, monthly budget cap
- Published price
- $5 a day minimum on average
- Who else gets the lead
- Not applicable (ads, not leads)
- Refund or credit
- Not published
- Contract
- None for self-serve
- Cost to leave
- No fee
Not published: refunds
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Nextdoor Ads
Visit Nextdoor Ads- How you pay
- Impressions and clicks; Pay As You Go, billed after your ads run
- Published price
- Not published
- Who else gets the lead
- Not applicable (ads, not leads)
- Refund or credit
- No refund for ads already delivered; other requests case by case, 5 to 10 business days back to your card
- Contract
- None (no fixed term); pause or delete a campaign any time
- Cost to leave
- No fee stated; ads can run up to 24 hours after you pause, and that spend is billed
Not published: price
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Porch
Visit Porch- How you pay
- Pay per lead (on demand, monthly budget, or both)
- Published price
- Not published
- Who else gets the lead
- Shared (policy refers to several pros contacting the same customer); max not published
- Refund or credit
- Credits to Porch balance only, no card refunds; within 30 days; auto credit if the customer cancels within 24h or is unresponsive for 7 days after required outreach
- Contract
- Not published
- Cost to leave
- Not published
Not published: price, contract, exit cost
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Networx
Visit Networx- How you pay
- Prepaid budget; per-lead price by category; Shared (Pay Per Lead) or Exclusive plan
- Published price
- Shared leads $10 to $100+, exclusive $15 to $120+, per lead
- Who else gets the lead
- Shared: up to 4 pros per lead; Exclusive plan: 1 pro
- Refund or credit
- Credits for leads outside your chosen radius or categories, with disconnected numbers, or from someone not authorized to hire
- Contract
- None; cancel any time
- Cost to leave
- No fee
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Houzz Pro
Visit Houzz Pro- How you pay
- Software subscription; lead advertising is a separate flat monthly package
- Published price
- Software $199 or from $399 a month; ad package from $499 a month
- Who else gets the lead
- Not published
- Refund or credit
- Not published
- Contract
- Annual subscription, starting after a 30-day free trial
- Cost to leave
- Not published
Not published: lead sharing, refunds, exit cost
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Bark
Visit Bark- How you pay
- Prepaid credits; each lead shows its credit cost before you respond; no commission
- Published price
- $2.35 per credit; credits per lead not published
- Who else gets the lead
- Not published
- Refund or credit
- Credit return within 14 days for invalid contact details, duplicate or test leads, or minors; Get Hired Guarantee returns used credits once on a first Starter Pack if not hired
- Contract
- None for credit packs; Elite Pro has monthly and annual terms
- Cost to leave
- Not published
Not published: lead sharing, exit cost
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Modernize
Visit Modernize- How you pay
- Quote-based programs with an account manager; leads priced at predicted value within a pro-set limit
- Published price
- Not published
- Who else gets the lead
- Not published
- Refund or credit
- Not published
- Contract
- Not published
- Cost to leave
- Not published
Not published: price, lead sharing, refunds, contract, exit cost
Checked Oct 20 to 26, 2026 on each platform's own pages, help center or terms. "Not published" means we checked and the platform does not say; we never fill the gap with a guess. Each link goes to the platform's sign-up page for pros.
Our pick, by what you need
For just starting: a new contractor with no reviews yet · must have No contract, Spending cap, Money back for bad leads, Publishes what it takes to join, Pay only when the customer responds
Our pick
Not ranked on cost
Only one platform publishes month-to-month terms, a spending cap, money back for bad leads, published entry requirements and paying only when the customer responds: Thumbtack.
You can leave if it doesn't work, you cap what you spend, money comes back for bad leads, you pay only when a customer actually answers, and you can see before paying what the platform needs from you to join.
Lowest cost:Can't be worked out.
None of the 10 platforms publishes a full price, so no one can say which is cheapest for you. Compare the price each one quotes you in the cost per job calculator.
Why not the others?
Doesn't offer: Angi (a spending cap and paying only when the customer responds), Bark (paying only when the customer responds), Houzz Pro (month-to-month terms and paying only when the customer responds), Networx (paying only when the customer responds), Nextdoor Ads (money back for bad leads and paying only when the customer responds), Porch (paying only when the customer responds) and Yelp Ads (paying only when the customer responds).
Can't confirm (not published): Google Local Services Ads (month-to-month terms) and Modernize (month-to-month terms, a spending cap, money back for bad leads, published entry requirements and paying only when the customer responds).
For trying a lead platform for the first time · must have No contract, Money back for bad leads
Our pick
Not ranked on cost
These 3 publish month-to-month terms and money back for bad leads (A to Z, not a ranking): Bark, Networx and Thumbtack.
You can walk away if it doesn't work, and leads that go nowhere come back.
Lowest cost:Can't be worked out.
None of the 10 platforms publishes a full price, so no one can say which is cheapest for you. Compare the price each one quotes you in the cost per job calculator.
Why not the others?
Doesn't offer: Houzz Pro (month-to-month terms) and Nextdoor Ads (money back for bad leads).
Can't confirm (not published): Angi (month-to-month terms), Google Local Services Ads (month-to-month terms), Modernize (month-to-month terms and money back for bad leads), Porch (month-to-month terms) and Yelp Ads (money back for bad leads).
For wanting leads no other pro gets · must have Leads only you get
Our pick
Not ranked on cost
Only one platform publishes exclusive leads: Networx.
You aren't racing other pros to call the same customer.
Lowest cost:Can't be worked out.
None of the 8 platforms publishes a full price, so no one can say which is cheapest for you. Compare the price each one quotes you in the cost per job calculator.
Why not the others?
Doesn't offer: Angi (exclusive leads) and Porch (exclusive leads).
Can't confirm (not published): Bark (exclusive leads), Google Local Services Ads (exclusive leads), Houzz Pro (exclusive leads), Modernize (exclusive leads) and Thumbtack (exclusive leads).
How we picked
A full price means one published price per lead (not a range) plus every monthly fee, added up at 20 leads a month, the cost per job calculator's starting number. Our pick is the lowest cost option that has every must-have, so without prices we only show who has them. Payment from a platform never changes this. How we pick
What a won job really costs
A cheap lead is only cheap if you win the job. Here is the math on Networx’s lowest published prices, with example job numbers you’d swap for yours:
- Shared lead at $10: 20 leads cost $200. You reach 80% of them and win 25% of those, so 4 jobs. That’s $50 per won job.
- Exclusive lead at $15: the same 20 leads cost $300. At the same win rate, that’s $75 per won job. To match the shared cost, you’d need to win 6 jobs, a 37.5% close rate on the leads you reach.
Those are Networx’s published floors. Your category’s price is in your Networx dashboard. Try your own numbers, or compare three platforms at once, in the calculator.
Who else gets the lead
- Networx says a shared lead goes to “a maximum of four” pros. Its exclusive plan sends the lead to you alone.
- Angi’s Pro Terms say a lead is “frequently” sent to several other pros.
- Google prices some message leads partly on whether the customer contacted other advertisers, so its leads aren’t sold as exclusive.
- Thumbtack promises “limited competition per lead” but gives no number.
- Yelp and Nextdoor sell ad space, not leads, so the question doesn’t apply. You pay for clicks or views whether or not anyone calls.
Is paying extra for a lead only you get worth it? See exclusive vs shared leads for the close rate you’d need.
Getting money back: credit or cash
Most platforms that give money back give credit, not cash. That matters if you plan to leave.
- Thumbtack refunds to your Thumbtack balance. It sends a refund back to your card only if you ask within 10 business days of the refund being approved.
- Porch adds credit to your Porch balance and says it does not refund to your card.
- Angi decides credits case by case. Approved credits are store credit that expires six months after it’s issued, and you must ask within 30 days of the charge.
- Google gives automatic credits only, usually within 30 days, and no longer credits leads for job types or areas you don’t serve.
- Bark returns credits for leads with invalid contact details, duplicate or test leads, and leads from minors, if you ask within 14 days of buying.
What it takes to join each platform
If you’re just starting out, check that you can get on before you budget for leads. Here is what each platform says it needs from a pro, how long approval takes, and whether you pay before or after the customer answers. Google lists reviews among the requirements for its pre-badge ads, “subject to category requirements”, so a business with no reviews yet should check its category first.
Angi
- What you need
- The owner, principal or a relevant manager must pass a criminal background check; all state and local licenses; an average rating of 3 stars or higher once you have a review source
- How long
- Not published
- You pay
- Whether or not the customer answers"The following situations are accounted for in our lead pricing and therefore not eligible for lead credits: ... Consumer is not calling you back ... Consumer already found someone to complete the work ... You did not win the job" source
Bark
- What you need
- Not published
- How long
- Not published
- You pay
- Whether or not the customer answers"You only pay to contact customers that you think are the right fit for your business" source
Google Local Services Ads
- What you need
- To start with pre-badge ads: a license or business registration, reviews (subject to your category's rules), billing set up and a budget. Background, insurance and license checks by category for the Google Verified badge source
- How long
- Not publishedGoogle says checks vary by category and location and publishes no overall approval time. A D-U-N-S number, when asked for, "can take up to 30 days".
- You pay
- Only once the customer contacts you or replies"Customers choose you: You only hear from customers who have specifically selected your profile out of all the rest." source
Houzz Pro
- What you need
- Not published
- How long
- Not published
- You pay
- Whether or not the customer answers"Add an Advertising Package ... Starting at $499/mo" source
Modernize
- What you need
- Not published
- How long
- Not published
- You pay
- Not published
Networx
- What you need
- Not published
- How long
- Not published
- You pay
- Whether or not the customer answers"For each quality lead received, the value of that lead is deducted from the predetermined budget." source
Nextdoor Ads
- What you need
- Not published
- How long
- Not published
- You pay
- Whether or not the customer answers"This means you are billed for impressions and clicks after you receive them." source
Porch
- What you need
- Not published
- How long
- Not published
- You pay
- Whether or not the customer answers"Buy leads individually, set a monthly budget and receive leads automatically, or combine both options." source
Thumbtack
- What you need
- Every account owner must pass a criminal background check (free; an SSN or a photo ID such as a passport or driver's license) source
- How long
- Background check results typically in 5 to 7 business days, then 1 to 3 business days for the badge to show source
- You pay
- Only once the customer contacts you or replies"On Thumbtack, you pay for leads, new customers who reach out to you directly." source
Yelp Ads
- What you need
- Not published
- How long
- Not published
- You pay
- Whether or not the customer answers"Each time your ad is clicked, we will charge you according to your CPC price." source
From each platform's own pages, read Oct 24, 2026. A to Z, not a ranking. "Not published" means we found no page of the platform that says.
Why did Angi charge me for a lead?
Angi charges for the lead, not the job. Its lead credit rules say: "The following situations are accounted for in our lead pricing and therefore not eligible for lead credits: ... Consumer is not calling you back ... Consumer already found someone to complete the work ... You did not win the job" (Angi lead credit guidelines). Credits are for things like duplicate leads, wrong job types and wrong contact details, and they come back as store credit. Angi also lists a card processing fee of 2.99% per transaction on EasyPay. More in what Angi charges pros.
Is $500 a month enough for leads?
It depends on the price per lead in your trade, and only Networx publishes one. At its lowest shared price ($10), $500 buys 50 leads; at its lowest exclusive price ($15), 33. Its own example: "For example- Concrete lead = $58 per lead. To receive 10 leads per month, $58 x 10 = $580 prepaid budget." (Networx). Yelp Ads start at $5 a day on average, about $150 over 30 days, but you pay for clicks, not leads. Thumbtack, Angi and Google show the price only inside your account, so set a weekly or monthly cap and check what a won job cost you after a month in the cost per job calculator.
By trade
The fee rules these platforms publish don’t change by trade. Two platforms do name trades:
| Platform | Trades it names | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Google Local Services Ads | Plumbing, HVAC, electrical, appliance repair, house cleaning, lawn care, roofing, pest control, moving | First US accounts moved to Google Ads pay-per-lead from August 2026. Google’s timeline |
| Modernize | Windows, roofing, siding, HVAC, solar | Its lead programs are built around these projects. Modernize |
More on the change at Google in Google Local Services Ads cost.
Platform guides
- Thumbtack: you set your own lead prices, plus the automatic refund rule.
- Angi: subscriptions, the renewal increase and the early termination fee.
- Google Local Services Ads: what counts as a paid lead, and the move to Google Ads.
- Yelp Ads: the daily minimum, paying per click, and how to cancel.
- Thumbtack vs Angi: which ties you down less.
- Nextdoor Ads: how you’re billed, and how to stop.
- Houzz Pro: its software plans, and the separate Advertising Package that sells visibility to homeowners.
- Exclusive vs shared leads: the close rate that makes exclusive worth it.
- Free contractor leads: what’s free, and when the first charge starts.
Getting paid on the job
Once you win the work, card fees are the next cost. See what a card reader for the truck costs, or check your rate in the card fee calculator.
Get told when these prices change
Providers change fees with little notice. Alerts start soon, and we'll send nothing else.
Common questions
How much do contractor leads cost?
Most platforms don't publish a price. Thumbtack, Angi, Google Local Services Ads and Porch show the price inside your pro account. Networx is the exception: its help center says shared leads run $10 to $100+ and exclusive leads $15 to $120+, depending on the job category.
What is the best lead generation for contractors?
The one with the lowest cost per job you actually win, and that depends on your close rate and job size more than on the lead price. Start with the rules you can check before paying: no contract (Thumbtack, Networx, Yelp self-serve), automatic refunds (Thumbtack, Google), and how many other pros get the same lead.
Are exclusive leads worth paying more for?
Only if they raise your close rate enough. On Networx's published minimums, an exclusive lead costs 50% more than a shared one ($15 against $10). So if you win 1 in 4 reached shared leads, exclusive leads need to win 3 in 8 to cost the same per job. Run your numbers in the cost per job calculator.
Which lead platforms have no contract?
Thumbtack says no contracts. Networx says you are not locked into a long-term contract. Yelp says there are no term contracts for self-serve ads. Angi subscriptions are fixed-term, renew automatically and can carry an early termination fee set in your contract.
How do I get roofing, HVAC or plumbing leads?
The same way as any trade: the platforms here publish the same fee rules for every trade. Two name trades. Google's first move of Local Services Ads into Google Ads, from August 2026, covers roofing, HVAC and plumbing among its categories. Modernize says its leads are homeowners ready to start windows, roofing, siding, HVAC and solar projects.