Thumbtack vs Angi: which is better for contractors?

Thumbtack suits contractors who want control over what they pay for each lead, because you set your own lead prices and a weekly budget. Angi suits contractors in trades where homeowners already go to Angi first, but you buy leads that are often sent to other pros too. Both charge you whether or not you win the job, and neither publishes a price list, so the only real way to compare them is your own cost per booked job. That is also the number to put next to a website of your own.

How does Thumbtack charge contractors?

On Thumbtack you are charged when a customer contacts you directly and the job matches the preferences you set. According to Thumbtack's own help center (as of October 2026), you set your lead price for each service and a weekly budget, and once you reach that budget you stop getting new leads until it resets on Monday. Thumbtack does not publish a price list: what a lead costs depends on the job, your market, and how many other pros are available.

How does Angi charge contractors?

Signing up as a pro on Angi is free, but you pay for the leads you receive, and Angi's lead terms say each lead shows its price and is generally non-refundable. Angi does not publish a price list either, and pros report a wide range by trade and city. Angi also runs separate products, like ads and jobs booked through Angi, which are priced differently, so ask exactly which program you are signing up for before you give a card.

Is Angi worth it for contractors?

It can be, if your close rate on Angi leads is high enough that the cost per booked job beats what a customer is worth to you. Track every lead for a month: what you paid, whether they answered, and whether you won the job. If you win one in five and the job pays well, it may work. If you are paying for leads that never pick up the phone, it will not. The leads you get are often shared with other pros, so speed of reply matters more than anything else.

Is Thumbtack worth it for contractors?

Thumbtack tends to work for smaller, quick-turnaround jobs, like handyman work, cleaning, and junk removal, where you can reply fast and book the same week. Because you set the price and the budget, it is easier to test for a month without a big commitment. The same rule applies: measure cost per booked job, not cost per lead.

Is it better to pay for leads or build your own website?

Leads from Thumbtack or Angi stop the day you stop paying, and the customer was also looking at your competitors. A website that ranks keeps bringing calls straight to you with no per-lead fee. For one of our clients, an auto body shop, the new site brought in 41 calls and WhatsApp messages in 27 days, all of them theirs. Our sites are a one-time $750 to $1,500 build plus hosting, so after the first few jobs every lead is free. See the numbers in our auto body shop SEO case study, and when you are ready for leads of your own, start with a free contractor website mockup.

Should I use Thumbtack and Angi at the same time as my own site?

Many contractors do, especially early on: the platforms fill the calendar while your own site and Google Business Profile start ranking. Treat them as a bridge, not the foundation, and cut back as your own leads grow. Whether to use lead sites at all is covered in are lead generation sites worth it.