Whether you’ve had success with Thumbtack and are looking for similar platforms, or you’re searching for new sources for better-quality leads, there are many, many alternatives to choose from with different business models and focuses.
How Does Thumbtack Work?
If you haven’t tried Thumbtack, here’s how the site works. Potential customers describe the type of service they need and set parameters for how far the company can be from their home.
Thumbtack then emails information about the lead to service providers who offer that service within the selected area. It differs from sites like HomeAdvisor in that you only pay a fee (which varies by industry and goes up to $15) when you choose to send the potential customer a response.
Your Home Service Business All-in-one Solution
So who are we and why do we care about helping you find new leads?
Our mission at Housecall Pro is “to champion the pro.” We want to help you grow through our platform, resources like this and our ProTalks podcast. Through our software, we help owners manage and grow their businesses through features like automatic scheduling, mobile payments, post-job marketing features and more.
Thumbtack Alternatives
Note that by listing these platforms, we’re not endorsing any of them. We recommend you do your own homework to decide which platforms are worth investing your time and money in.
Most Similar to Thumbtack
If you’ve had success with Thumbtack, one of these platforms might be right for you, as well. You never know which of these platforms becomes the next big home service marketplace. Signing up early and scoring a couple of stellar reviews can give you a competitive advantage once the site really catches on.
1. Houzz
Houzz is best known to homeowners as being a Pinterest-like site specifically for home-related projects and design. They also have a separate side for contractors that includes a website builder, publishing tool and app for home improvement professionals to connect with homeowners.
Connecting your business website to the Houzz directory enables searchers to see previously completed projects, prices, reviews, and connect by email, phone or social media. You can pay for a premium profile or concierge service for Houzz staff to prescreen leads.
2. Porch
Homeowners using Porch post their projects, budgets, and timelines. Contractors choose which projects they want to pursue. You can buy leads individually or set filters and buy them automatically.
3. Gentask
Gentask works very similarly to Thumbtack. Customers log into the mobile app or website and explain what type of service they’re looking for. Then professionals can submit quotes and the customer chooses which professional they’d like to hire.
4. Bloomchase
This is another site designed to help professionals find and connect with local customers. It serves a large range of industries, including everything from home improvement specialists to pet care to life coaches.
5. Adopt A Contractor
A lesser-known website, Adopt-a-Contractor is a lead generation website designed specifically for people looking to hire contractors. There are no memberships or contracts involved. Adopt a Contractor claims that it only sends “fresh” and qualified leads.
6. 1800Remodel
Like its name, this platform focuses on remodeling projects. Contractors are pre-screened by the potential client and then bid for the job.
7. Contractors.com
Contractors.com captures and qualifies local consumers by searching Google, Bing, Facebook and other areas of the web for products and services. You set the daily amount that you want to spend on leads and Contractors.com does the rest. The online interface is available for both desktop and mobile.
8. HUX
A smaller, regionally-based home services app, HUX is an all-in-one app for cleaning, lawn care, handyman and delivery professionals in the Charlotte, NC, and Atlanta, GA metropolitan areas. Pros can market their services in an online directory to residential homes, apartments, and AirBnbs.
9. The Home Fixers
The Home Fixers is a subscription service that lists licensed service pros in a contractor directory, handling their marketing and advertising. This is a lesser known platform, and we couldn’t find much in the way of reviews. For smaller fish like Home Fixers, we recommend doing your own research before investing heavily in a platform.
10. ServiceWhale
Servicewhale’s listed differentiators are instant automatic quoting and free leads. You turn over your pricing model to ServiceWhale, and they send automatic bids to customers. Homeowners can then negotiate your price after you bid for a job.
11. Talk Local
Talk Local uses a “pay per conversation” model and gives you the opportunity to accept or reject an incoming call based on their desired appointment date, the description of the project, and their location. The site offers free and paid plans. Check it out as an alternative to Thumbtack.