Checkatrade Reviews vs Google Reviews: Which Actually Gets You More Work?

Originally published February 2026. Updated March 2026 with the latest BrightLocal 2026 consumer survey data, Gemini AI local search features, and Trustpilot pricing comparison.

If you're a tradesperson paying for Checkatrade right now, you've probably had this thought at least once: "Is this actually worth it?"

You're not alone. On every UK trade forum — Screwfix, ToolTalk, Tradesman Saver — the Checkatrade debate is one of the most heated conversations going. Some tradespeople swear by it. Others have very different feelings. One carpenter on Tradesman Saver put it bluntly: "They've just hiked my subscription by 50% to £1,500 p.a. After taxes, it basically means I have to earn in the region of £2,500 just to pay the fee."

Meanwhile, Google Reviews are free. You own them. And consumers are increasingly checking Google first — not Checkatrade — before hiring a tradesperson.

So which one actually gets you more work? Let's break it down honestly. No agenda, just the numbers and the tradeoffs.

What Checkatrade actually costs in 2026

Checkatrade's pricing has changed significantly over the past few years, and it's caught a lot of tradespeople off guard.

The basic subscription now runs £90–£400+ per month depending on your trade, location, and package. Many tradespeople on forums report paying between £800 and £2,000 per year — a figure that's risen sharply. One electrician shared on ToolTalk: "Joined Checkatrade in January 2025... over four months, I earned only £80 from the leads provided, despite paying nearly £500 for the membership fees."

Another on ToolTalk: "They've just told me it's nearly £2,000 to renew (used to pay about £800 not long ago)."

On top of the subscription, many tradespeople report additional costs for priority listing positions, enhanced profiles, and add-on features. And there's the cancellation issue: Checkatrade's annual contract with a narrow 14-day cancellation window has generated countless complaints. One tradesperson described it: "You only have a 14 day window to cancel otherwise you're trapped for another year."

For a sole trader doing domestic work, Checkatrade can easily be the single biggest marketing expense of the year.

What Google Reviews cost

Nothing. Google Business Profiles are free to set up and free to maintain. There's no subscription, no annual contract, no per-lead fee.

The only "cost" is the time it takes to ask customers for reviews — which, as we cover in our guide to asking without being pushy, amounts to sending a WhatsApp message after each job. If you want to automate that process, tools like TapReview cost £9/month — roughly £108 per year versus £800–£2,000 for Checkatrade.

The maths isn't subtle. Even comparing Checkatrade at its cheapest (around £800/year) to TapReview at £108/year, you're saving £692 — which for many sole traders is a week's earnings.

The trust shift: where consumers actually check now

Here's where things get really interesting. Consumer behaviour is changing, and it's not in Checkatrade's favour.

BrightLocal's 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 71% of consumers use Google to check reviews for local businesses. That number has been growing steadily year on year. Meanwhile, 41% of consumers now say they "always" read reviews before choosing a business — up from 29% in 2025. Google is the default.

When a homeowner needs a plumber, they type "plumber near me" into Google, look at the Map Pack results, and check the star ratings and reviews right there.

Checkatrade reviews live inside Checkatrade's own ecosystem. They don't appear on Google. They don't help you rank in Google Maps. They don't show up when someone searches your name. They're visible only to people who specifically go to Checkatrade to find a tradesperson — and that audience is shrinking as Google search becomes the dominant discovery channel.

Consumer sentiment on Mumsnet tells the story clearly. One homeowner said: "I have started just doing a Google search to find trades now — I pick the ones with a simple website and if there's a couple of good Google reviews, so much the better."

Another raised the trust issue directly: "Checkatrade do not allow bad reviews, so basically it's a fan-site. The trader pays to be on there, and customers submit reviews — only the good ones go on the website."

And perhaps most damning: "Cross checked a Checkatrade with other reviews, 100+ 100% Checkatrade reviews, 2 stars on Google." Consumers are actively comparing platforms — and when the scores don't match, they trust Google more because anyone can leave a review, good or bad.

The AI factor: why Checkatrade reviews are becoming invisible

This is the biggest shift since this article was first published, and it's one most tradespeople haven't heard about yet.

Google's AI assistant, Gemini, is now generating rich, detailed profiles of local businesses when people search for tradespeople. These profiles include descriptions, highlights pulled directly from reviews, star ratings, and even "specialised services" sections — all sourced from your Google Business Profile data.

According to BrightLocal's 2026 research, the proportion of consumers using AI tools for local business recommendations has surged from 6% to 45% in just one year. That's nearly half of all consumers now asking AI to help them find tradespeople.

Here's the critical point: Checkatrade reviews are invisible to AI. Google's Gemini pulls from Google Business Profile data. ChatGPT and other AI tools pull from publicly available web data — but they can't see inside Checkatrade's walled garden. If your reputation is built entirely on Checkatrade, you're invisible to the fastest-growing channel for finding tradespeople.

Meanwhile, local SEO experts have spotted Gemini generating entirely new sections about businesses — things like "People talk most about" followed by specific services mentioned in Google reviews. Your reviews are literally training the AI that recommends tradespeople. Checkatrade reviews contribute nothing to this.

For the full picture on how AI is reshaping local search, see our guide: Why Google Reviews Are the Best Place for UK Tradespeople to Build a Reputation.

What Checkatrade does well (being fair)

Checkatrade isn't all bad. Credit where it's due:

• It generates leads. For tradespeople who are new, moving to a new area, or in a quiet period, Checkatrade puts you in front of homeowners who are actively looking for work done. You don't have to wait for Google rankings to build.
• The vetting badge carries weight. Being "Checkatrade approved" still means something to a portion of consumers, particularly older homeowners who've seen the TV adverts.
• It handles some marketing for you. You don't need to understand SEO or Google Business Profiles — Checkatrade does the visibility work, at a price.

For some tradespeople — especially those starting out with no reputation at all — Checkatrade can kickstart the initial flow of work. The issue is whether it remains good value once you've built a reputation of your own.

Where Google Reviews win

You own them. Checkatrade reviews are locked inside Checkatrade's platform. If you cancel your membership, those reviews disappear. Google Reviews stay on your profile forever, regardless of what tools or platforms you use.

They help you rank. Google has confirmed that reviews are a factor in local search rankings. More genuine reviews = better visibility in Google Maps = more calls from customers who found you organically. Checkatrade reviews don't help your Google ranking at all.

Consumers trust them more. Because anyone can leave a Google review — happy or unhappy — consumers perceive them as more honest than reviews on a platform where the tradesperson pays to be listed. BrightLocal's research consistently shows Google is the most trusted review platform across all industries, with 66% of consumers naming it their most trusted source. The Mumsnet discussions make this clear: homeowners are becoming skeptical of platform reviews and gravitating toward Google's perceived neutrality.

They're visible everywhere. Google Reviews appear in search results, Google Maps, AI Overviews, and Gemini recommendations. When someone asks their phone "find a good plumber near me," Google pulls from Google Business Profile data — not Checkatrade. With 68% of consumers now requiring a 4-star rating or above before they'll consider a business, your Google rating is increasingly the gatekeeper.

The numbers are compelling. Research from Womply shows businesses with more than 25 Google reviews earn 108% more revenue than average. Harvard Business School found a one-star increase translates to 5-9% more revenue. These gains come from Google visibility, not platform listings.

Can you use both?

Yes — and many tradespeople do, at least for a while.

A sensible transition strategy looks like this:

1. Keep Checkatrade while you build your Google Reviews profile (if you're currently reliant on it for leads)
2. Set up your Google Business Profile if you haven't already — our complete setup guide walks you through it
3. Start collecting Google Reviews after every job using the templates in our complete Google Reviews guide
4. Track where your work comes from. Ask every new customer: "How did you find me?" When Google starts generating consistent enquiries, you can make an informed decision about whether Checkatrade is still earning its keep.
5. Drop Checkatrade if the maths don't add up. If you're paying £1,500/year and getting £500 worth of work from it, that's a bad deal — especially when Google Reviews generate calls for free.

The tradespeople who are happiest long-term are the ones who own their own reputation through Google Reviews rather than renting it through a platform. But there's no rush — build the Google presence first, then decide.

The real comparison: cost per job

Let's make the maths concrete.

Checkatrade scenario: You pay £1,200/year. You get 20 leads from Checkatrade. You convert 8 of them into jobs. Cost per job from Checkatrade: £150.

Google Reviews scenario: You pay £108/year for TapReview (or £0 if you send review requests manually). Over the year, you build from 5 to 40 Google reviews. You get organic calls from Google Maps — let's say 15 jobs that came specifically from Google search. Cost per job from Google: £7.20 (with TapReview) or £0 (manual).

Even being generous with Checkatrade's conversion rates, Google Reviews win on pure economics. And the Google Reviews you collect this year keep working for you next year, compounding over time. Checkatrade leads stop the day you cancel.

The bottom line

Checkatrade is a lead generation service that costs £800–£2,000/year. Google Reviews are a free, permanent reputation asset that helps you rank higher, builds genuine consumer trust, generates work without ongoing platform fees, and now feeds directly into Google's AI recommendations.

For established tradespeople with a steady customer base, the shift from Checkatrade reliance to Google Reviews is a no-brainer financially. For new tradespeople who need immediate leads, Checkatrade can bridge the gap while you build your Google presence — but it shouldn't be a forever strategy.

Whether you collect reviews manually or use a tool like TapReview to automate it, investing in your Google Reviews is investing in something you own. Checkatrade is renting someone else's platform. In the long run, ownership wins.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Checkatrade a waste of money?

Not necessarily — it depends on your situation. Checkatrade generates genuine leads, and for new tradespeople or those moving to a new area, it can kickstart work. The issue is value for money: if you're paying £1,500/year and only getting a handful of jobs from it, the maths don't work. Many established tradespeople find that Google Reviews generate more work at a fraction of the cost.

Do Checkatrade reviews show up on Google?

No. Checkatrade reviews exist only within Checkatrade's own platform. They don't appear in Google search results, Google Maps, or anywhere else outside Checkatrade. They're also invisible to Google's Gemini AI and AI Overviews, which pull exclusively from Google Business Profile data. This means Checkatrade reviews don't help your Google ranking, visibility, or AI discoverability — only Google Reviews do that.

Can I transfer my Checkatrade reviews to Google?

No — reviews can't be transferred between platforms. Each platform's reviews stay on that platform. This is one of the key risks of building your reputation entirely on Checkatrade: if you cancel, those reviews are gone. Google Reviews stay on your profile permanently, regardless of what tools or services you use.

Should I cancel Checkatrade?

That depends on how much work it's actually generating for you. Before cancelling, set up your Google Business Profile, start collecting Google Reviews consistently, and track where your enquiries come from. When Google is generating enough work to replace what Checkatrade brings in, you can cancel with confidence. Don't cancel before you have an alternative source of leads.

Do Checkatrade reviews help with AI search?

No. Google's Gemini AI, AI Overviews, and ChatGPT all pull from publicly available data — primarily Google Business Profile reviews. Checkatrade reviews sit inside a walled garden that AI tools can't access. With 45% of consumers now using AI for local business recommendations (up from 6% a year ago), this is an increasingly significant gap.

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Related reading

• Why Google Reviews Are the Best Place for UK Tradespeople to Build a Reputation
• How to Get More Google Reviews as a Tradesperson (2026 UK Guide)
• How Google's AI Search is Changing How Homeowners Find Tradespeople
• How to Ask Customers for Reviews Without Being Pushy

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