Your Own Website vs Checkatrade & MyBuilder
Directories like Checkatrade, MyBuilder and TrustATrader can bring work in — but they're not the whole picture. Here's an honest comparison for UK tradespeople weighing up where their money should go.
| What matters | Your own website | Directories |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | £399–£1,399 one-off + optional £25–£75/month | £70–£120+ per month, plus lead fees |
| Who owns the leads | You do — enquiries come straight to you | The platform — you rent access to them |
| Your brand | Your name, your reviews, your photos | Listed alongside every competitor |
| Long-term value | Builds equity every year | Stops the moment you stop paying |
| Google presence | Ranks for your name and services | Google mostly sees the directory, not you |
| Control | Update prices, services, photos any time | Limited profile fields |
The honest verdict
Directories are quick to plug in and can bring early jobs while you're finding your feet. But every month you pay Checkatrade or MyBuilder is a month you're building their brand, not yours. A one-off website — done properly — pays for itself in one or two decent jobs and keeps working for you every year after that.
Best of both worlds
Most successful UK trades we work with do both for a while: they use a directory for a steady trickle of leads, and their own website as the place customers actually judge them before booking. Over time, the website takes over as their main source of work.
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