Looking for a Checkatrade alternative?
How Checkatrade works for trades, and how we work
A 12-month membership, with leads bought on top through a lead plan or pay as you go. Here is how that works, taken from Checkatrade'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 Checkatrade works for trades
- There is a free listing and paid memberships. Checkatrade shows its current prices on its own pricing page. Checkatrade pricing page
- Its basic paid plan does not include leads. Its terms say you will not receive leads unless you buy a Pay As You Go or Fixed Plan. Checkatrade master service terms
- Lead plans are priced on your trade, the postcode areas you pick and how many leads you want. Checkatrade pricing page
- Pay As You Go charges a fee for each lead, which varies with the job. The range is shown once you are a member. Checkatrade Pay As You Go terms
- A newer Opportunities Board lets trades pay to unlock single leads, and each lead can be unlocked by up to three trades. Checkatrade 'what's new' page
- Memberships run for 12 months and renew automatically. To cancel you phone, 0 to 35 days before your renewal date. Checkatrade master service terms
- The lead numbers in a Fixed Plan are an estimate, not a promise. Checkatrade Fixed Plan terms
Checked on 26 September 2026. Terms change, so check Checkatrade'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 If anything here is out of date, email support@hardhatway.com and we will correct it.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
Checkatrade vs Hard Hat Way
| Feature | Hard Hat Way | Checkatrade |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Free, or Pro £12.99 a month (£99.99 a year), VAT included | Paid membership; lead plans on top |
| Per-lead fee | None. You never pay to see or reply to a job | Yes, on Pay As You Go and the Opportunities Board |
| Refunds | If a customer never opens your quote, the quote slot comes back | No lead refund policy published |
| Contract | None. Monthly or yearly, cancel any time | 12 months, renews automatically |
| Who rates you | Other trades rate your posted work; customers rate finished jobs | Customer reviews |
Where Checkatrade is strong
Checkatrade is the best-known name with customers and checks members before they join. If most of your work comes from people who search Checkatrade first, that name is worth something.
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 Checkatrade charge tradespeople?
Through a 12-month membership, with leads bought on top through a lead plan or pay as you go. Checkatrade publishes its current membership prices on its own pricing page, and lead plans are priced on your trade, area and lead volume. Hard Hat Way has no lead fees and no contract.
Is Checkatrade worth it?
It depends on your trade and area. Work it out on your own numbers: what you would pay over the 12 months, including any lead plan, against the jobs you would actually win from it. Then compare that with a flat monthly price and no lead fees.
Does Checkatrade charge per lead?
On its Pay As You Go plan and its Opportunities Board, yes. Hard Hat Way never charges per lead.
Can I leave Checkatrade before the 12 months?
Its terms say memberships run for 12 months and renew automatically, and you cancel by phone 0 to 35 days before the renewal date. Check your own agreement for the details. Hard Hat Way Pro is monthly or yearly and you cancel whenever you like.
Is Hard Hat Way a Checkatrade 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: MyBuilder · Bark · TrustATrader · Rated People
Checkatrade is a trading name of Vetted Limited. Checkatrade is a trademark of its owner. Hard Hat Way is not connected with, endorsed by or sponsored by Checkatrade. 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.