Looking for a Bark alternative?
How Bark works for trades, and how we work
Buy credits, then spend them to contact customers. Here is how that works, taken from Bark's own pages and linked so you can check, next to how Hard Hat Way works. For their current prices, see their pricing page. Then decide what suits your business.
How Bark works for trades
- There is no compulsory membership. You buy credit packs and spend credits to contact customers. Bark pricing for professionals
- Each lead shows how many credits it costs before you buy, based on the service, job value and local demand. Bark help: what is a credit?
- Credits bought since 1 November 2025 expire after 3 months, and expired credits are not refunded. Bark terms (professionals)
- Credits are not returned if you are not hired. They are returned (as credits) if the contact details are invalid and you report it within 7 days. Bark terms (professionals)
- Up to five professionals can respond to each customer request. Bark pricing for professionals
Checked on 26 September 2026. Terms change, so check Bark's own pages, including its current prices, before you decide. If anything here is out of date, email support@hardhatway.com and we will correct it.
Side by side
Bark vs Hard Hat Way
| Feature | Hard Hat Way | Bark |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Free, or Pro £12.99 a month (£99.99 a year), VAT included | No compulsory membership; buy credits |
| Per-lead fee | None. You never pay to see or reply to a job | Yes, in credits |
| Refunds | If a customer never opens your quote, the quote slot comes back | Credits back for invalid details within 7 days |
| Contract | None. Monthly or yearly, cancel any time | None; credits expire after 3 months |
| Who rates you | Other trades rate your posted work; customers rate finished jobs | Customer reviews |
Where Bark is strong
Bark covers a huge range of services, well beyond building, and you can see what each lead costs before you spend anything.
What you get here
Written down, and it stays that way
Free to start, and it stays free
3 quotes on posted jobs a month, unlimited direct requests from customers who find your profile, and the community side. No card needed.
Pro is £12.99 a month, flat
Unlimited quotes on posted jobs, Job Radar alerts and branded ProQuote PDFs. The same price whatever your trade or area.
No lead fees, ever
You never pay to see a job or to reply to one, and you are told when a customer chooses someone else.
Rated by your own trade
Your standing comes from other trades judging the work you post, and every customer rating is tied to a finished job.
Meet the founder
22 years on the trowel. No investors. No boardroom.
Stu Crompton is a bricklayer from Wigan with 1.6 million followers who watch him lay bricks properly. He paid the directories, got nothing back, and taught himself to code. Hard Hat Way went live on the App Store after 114 days and on Android 25 days later: 139 consecutive days, between shifts.
“I built this for customers who want a proper job, and for trades who take pride in what they do. Nothing less.”
Straight answers
How does Bark charge tradespeople?
You buy credits and spend them to contact customers. Each lead shows its credit cost before you buy, and credits bought since November 2025 expire after 3 months. Hard Hat Way has no lead fees and nothing that expires.
Does Bark refund credits?
Only in narrow cases, such as invalid contact details reported within 7 days, and the refund is in credits. Nothing comes back if you simply do not win the job.
Is Hard Hat Way a Bark alternative for trades?
Yes, for trades who want work without lead fees or a contract. Customers post jobs free, trades near them are told, and you quote with a starting price. Free covers three quotes a month on posted jobs; Pro at £12.99 a month makes it unlimited. You can use both at once if you like.
Other comparisons: Checkatrade · MyBuilder · TrustATrader · Rated People
Bark is operated by Bark.com Global Limited. Bark is a trademark of its owner. Hard Hat Way is not connected with, endorsed by or sponsored by Bark. Details are taken from the public pages linked above on 26 September 2026 and are given in good faith; they may have changed since.
Free to join. No lead fees.
Three quotes a month on the house. Upgrade when it pays for itself.