Tradehand vs Checkatrade · updated August 2026
Checkatrade rents you a listing. Tradehand gets you found and runs the office.
Checkatrade is a long-standing UK directory: members pass checks, build a profile, and pay a monthly membership for search placement and enquiries. Tradehand is a marketplace where homeowners find and book local trades, and an office that answers, quotes, books and collects payment under your own name. No monthly fee, 5% only when you are paid.
The short answer
Choose Checkatrade if you want a trusted directory badge and are happy to pay a fixed monthly membership for visibility on their site. Choose Tradehand if you want to be found on the marketplace and have the admin done under your brand, with no monthly fee and 5% only on money collected.
Are you renting a listing, or paying for work won?
Checkatrade bills a monthly membership on a fixed term, whether the month is quiet or not. Tradehand bills nothing until a customer pays you. Judge both on what you get for the money, not the headline alone.
UK office manager starter salary, before NI and pension. Paid whether or not the invoices land.
Source: Office manager salary, £25,000 starter (National Careers Service)
TradehandNo monthly fee, no setup fee. 5% of invoice payments Tradehand collects.
CheckatradeMonthly membership on a 12-month auto-renewing term, priced by trade and postcode. Leads cost extra, on a fixed plan or pay as you go.
Source: Checkatrade master service terms: 12-month auto-renewal, leads cost extraSalary: National Careers Service. Checkatrade quotes membership during sign-up, and its own terms say membership alone does not include leads. Tradehand earns 5% only on payments it collects.
Side by side
| Tradehand | Checkatrade | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | TradehandUK marketplace to find and book trades, plus an AI office | CheckatradeVetted trade directory with member profiles and reviews |
| How homeowners find youSource: Checkatrade Approved terms: basic tier shows on name searches only | TradehandSearch the Tradehand marketplace by trade and area | CheckatradeBasic membership shows you on name searches only; wider visibility costs extra |
| What happens to a homeowner enquirySource: Checkatrade, how do I get work: calls, quote requests and bookings | TradehandThey contact one trade; details stay with that trade | CheckatradeThey call, request a quote or book on your profile |
| Who answers and chases the job | Tradehand✓ Tradehand office under your name: answer, quote, book, chase pay | CheckatradeYou answer and follow up; member tools help manage jobs |
| How you are billedSource: Checkatrade master service terms: 12-month auto-renewal, leads cost extra | Tradehand£0 a month, 5% of collected invoice payments | CheckatradeMonthly membership, plus lead fees on a fixed plan or pay as you go |
| Minimum termSource: Checkatrade master service terms: 12-month auto-renewal, leads cost extra | TradehandNone, leave whenever you like | CheckatradeMembership runs 12 months and renews automatically |
| Vetting before you appearSource: Checkatrade vetting: up to 12 checks before a profile goes live | TradehandListings from public registers; claimed profiles verified by email | Checkatrade✓ Up to 12 background checks before a profile goes live |
“It has massively gone downhill and I would no longer recommend it.”
What happens when you miss the call
A homeowner finds your business on Tradehand while you are on a job. Tradehand's office answers every enquiry that follows without you stopping work.
They reach you any way.
Sarah M.
On Checkatrade the enquiry lands on your profile and you pick it up. On Tradehand the office answers, sends the quote and books the visit under your name.
An honest recommendation
Choose Checkatrade if…
- ·You want the Checkatrade tick and their member vetting before you appear
- ·You are happy to pay a monthly membership for directory visibility
- ·You already manage every enquiry and just need more leads from a known brand
Choose Tradehand if…
- ✓You want to be found on the marketplace and keep the customer under your name
- ✓You want missed calls answered, quotes sent and payment chased for you
- ✓You want no monthly fee and only pay when money lands in your account
Checkatrade beats us on brand recognition with homeowners who already know the name, and on upfront vetting before a profile goes live. Tradehand lists many businesses from public registers and does not repeat those checks itself. If the tick and their guarantee matter most to you, Checkatrade is the better fit.
You can run both while you decide
Keep your Checkatrade membership while you claim your Tradehand listing and turn the office on. Drop the directory when you are sure, not before.
- Day 1Find or claim your listing
Search the Tradehand marketplace for your business, or sign up at tradehand.com/for-trades if you are new.
- Day 1Set up your office
A person connects your number, rates and diary so Tradehand can answer under your name.
- Week 1Run both in parallel
Checkatrade keeps sending directory enquiries while Tradehand starts answering your line.
- When readyReview your spend
Use tradehand.com/tools/marketplace-roi to see what each won job really costs on Checkatrade, then cancel in your renewal window if Tradehand is filling the diary.
Questions sole traders ask
Sources & References
- [1]Checkatrade Approved terms: basic tier shows on name searches only
- [2]Checkatrade, how do I get work: calls, quote requests and bookings
- [3]Checkatrade master service terms: 12-month auto-renewal, leads cost extra
- [4]Checkatrade vetting: up to 12 checks before a profile goes live
- [5]Office manager salary, £25,000 starter (National Careers Service)
More comparisons
See the office answer your phone
Two minutes: watch Tradehand take an enquiry, send the quote and book the job under a trade's own name. Then compare that with what you pay for a directory listing.