Best app to find subcontractor work in the UK, according to Reddit? The trades subreddits are blunt: the big lead platforms are the most complained-about way to find work in the industry. Checkatrade gets called out for expensive shared leads on annual contracts, MyBuilder for shortlist fees with no guarantee of the job, Bark for selling dead leads with no refunds. What actually wins in the threads is word of mouth, Facebook groups and repeat relationships. Our position, as a platform: the fix is not another lead-selling app - it is scoped jobs sent to you by people who already want the work done, with no lead fees. That is what Plan@Job does, free.
What Reddit threads actually say
- Checkatrade wanting £150 a month for 4 leads (r/ukelectricians) - an electrician quotes the sales pitch: £150 a month on a 12-month contract for around 4 leads, each also sent to 3 other trades. He works it out at roughly £120 per lead he can actually win. Others in the thread report volumes falling to 2-3 leads a month despite top ratings, and calling leads that were already taken.
- Checkatrade, MyBuilder etc. (r/ukelectricians) - the sentiment is unprintable-blunt about both platforms. Complaints: upselling the priciest membership tier, review scores that trades do not trust, and competing for jobs against unvetted operators.
- Does anyone use mybuilder to find tradesmen? (r/DIYUK) - useful because it is the homeowner side. The shortlist fee around £25 plus VAT is charged per shortlisted trade, so one job can generate several fees while only one trade gets paid work. Trades in the thread describe paying a lot without any guarantee.
- Avoid checkatrade (r/DIYUK) - accusations that the review model itself is broken: implausibly clustered high scores and claims that negative feedback disappears. Whatever the truth, the trust is visibly gone in the comments.
- BEWARE: BARK.COM WON'T REFUND YOU! (r/Contractor) - mostly US posters, same model as the UK: credits bought up front, leads sold to multiple pros, refunds refused on junk leads. One poster reports 140 dollars gone on a single invalid lead.
- What website/apps is everyone using to get jobs? (r/ukelectricians) - the actual answer from working trades: word of mouth, Facebook groups, Nextdoor, wholesaler counter chat. Paid lead platforms are broadly advised against.
The real cost comparison
| Route | What you pay | Who else gets the lead | Documented gripe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checkatrade | Reported £150/month tiers on 12-month contracts (entry tiers advertised lower) | Same lead shared with ~3 other trades | ~£120 per winnable lead, falling volumes |
| MyBuilder | ~£25+VAT per shortlisting | Up to several shortlisted trades per job | Pay to quote, no guarantee of work |
| Bark | Credits up front, tens of pounds per lead | Sold to up to 5 pros | Dead leads, no refunds |
| Word of mouth / Facebook | Nothing | Nobody | Slow to build, hard to scale |
| Plan@Job | Nothing - no lead fees | Scoped jobs, not auction leads | Newer platform; job volume depends on your trade and area |
That last row is us, so read it with that in mind - and note we listed the honest catch. A new platform cannot promise every trade in every postcode a full diary on day one. What we can structurally promise: you will never pay to quote, and the jobs come scoped from property managers and contractors who need the work done, not from a homeowner browsing prices.
The objections nobody addresses
"If the leads were good, they wouldn't need to sell them." The threads' core logic, and it holds. A platform that makes money selling the same lead five times profits from your competition, not your success. Look at the revenue model before the star ratings.
"Every platform is great until the renewal." Multiple trades report entry pricing that doubles at renewal once you depend on the pipeline. Whatever you sign, diary the renewal date and renegotiate as a new customer would.
"Free platform - so how does it survive?" Ask us too. Plan@Job is building the UK's maintenance job marketplace; our economics depend on volume of completed, signed-off jobs across the network, not on charging trades per lead. If that changes, the trades will tell Reddit before we finish the announcement - which is exactly the accountability this page is built on.
FAQ
What is the best app for finding trade work in the UK? Per the threads: none of the lead platforms - word of mouth and local networks still win. Among platforms, judge by fee model: pay-per-lead and shared leads are the two red flags trades complain about most.
How much does Checkatrade actually cost? Advertised entry pricing starts low, but trades on Reddit report quotes like £150 a month on 12-month terms, with leads shared between roughly four trades. Get the lead-sharing policy and renewal price in writing.
Is MyBuilder worth it for tradespeople? The shortlist-fee model (~£25+VAT to be shortlisted) means you pay for the chance to quote. Some trades make it work in dense areas; the threads' consensus is that established trades with referral flow do not need it.
How is Plan@Job different from Checkatrade or MyBuilder? Different mechanism: no consumer leads for sale. Property managers raise scoped maintenance jobs, vetted subcontractors quote with line items, deliver, get photo-evidenced sign-off and invoice. Free to join, no lead fees. Create your free profile.
What should I check before paying any lead platform? Four questions: How many trades get each lead? What is the renewal price? Can you pause without penalty? What percentage of leads convert for trades in your postcode? A sales rep who dodges those has answered them.
This page summarises public Reddit discussions and our own operating experience. We are not affiliated with Reddit.