Is MyBuilder Worth It for Tradespeople? (Honest 2026 Assessment)

You're looking at MyBuilder's sign-up page, trying to work out if the maths add up. The membership fee isn't huge, but the per-lead charges stack up quickly — especially when half the leads go nowhere. Your mate signed up six months ago and says it's been "alright," which isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. So is MyBuilder actually worth it for tradespeople in 2026, or is there a better way to fill your diary?

Here's the honest assessment — what MyBuilder costs, what you actually get, and whether the leads convert into paying work.

How MyBuilder works in 2026

MyBuilder is a marketplace where homeowners post jobs and tradespeople pay to be shortlisted. The model has changed over the years, but the current setup works like this.

You pay an annual membership fee — typically £348 per year (£29/month equivalent). On top of that, you pay per shortlist. When a homeowner posts a job, up to three tradespeople can express interest. If the homeowner shortlists you, you pay a fee based on the estimated job value — usually between £2 and £25+ per shortlist.

You only pay when you're shortlisted, not when you express interest. That's better than platforms where you pay for every lead regardless. But shortlisted doesn't mean hired — you still need to win the job against one or two other tradespeople, and the homeowner might not hire anyone at all.

The real cost of MyBuilder

The membership fee is straightforward: roughly £29 per month or £348 per year.

The per-shortlist fees are where it gets unpredictable. Smaller jobs (under £500) cost around £2–£8 per shortlist. Medium jobs (£500–£2,000) cost £8–£15. Larger jobs (£2,000+) can cost £15–£25 or more.

If you're shortlisted for 15 jobs per month at an average of £10 each, that's £150 in lead fees plus the £29 membership — £179 per month, or roughly £2,150 per year.

The conversion question is critical: how many of those 15 shortlists turn into paying work? Most tradespeople on MyBuilder report winning roughly one in three shortlisted jobs. So 15 shortlists becomes five paid jobs. If the average job value is £800, that's £4,000 revenue from £179 in fees — a reasonable return if the jobs are profitable.

But if your win rate drops to one in five (which happens in competitive areas or trades with lots of tradespeople registered), those same 15 shortlists produce three jobs for the same £179 in fees. The maths gets tighter quickly.

What MyBuilder does well

Lead quality is generally decent. Homeowners on MyBuilder have actively posted a job — they're not just browsing. They've described the work, set a rough budget, and are ready to hire. This is higher intent than many lead generation platforms.

The shortlist model is fairer than pay-per-lead. You only pay when a homeowner specifically chooses you from a list. On platforms like Rated People, you can pay for a lead that goes to five other tradespeople simultaneously — and the customer might not respond to any of you.

Reviews build over time. Your MyBuilder profile accumulates reviews from completed jobs, which helps win future shortlists. Tradespeople with 50+ positive reviews on MyBuilder report significantly higher win rates.

Good for new tradespeople. If you've recently started out and don't have a strong Google presence or word-of-mouth network, MyBuilder can fill the gap while you build your reputation. Several tradespeople on the Screwfix Community Forum describe MyBuilder as useful for getting established.

Where MyBuilder falls short

Your reviews are locked inside MyBuilder. This is the fundamental problem with every platform-based review system. The 47 glowing reviews you collect on MyBuilder don't appear on Google. They don't help your Google Maps ranking. They don't show up when a homeowner searches "plumber near me." They only help you on MyBuilder's own platform — which means you're building someone else's asset, not your own.

If you leave MyBuilder, your reviews stay behind. Compare that to Google reviews, which you own permanently — they appear in search results whether you're paying for any platform or not.

You're competing on price. MyBuilder's marketplace structure encourages homeowners to compare quotes, and many naturally gravitate toward the cheapest. Tradespeople consistently report that MyBuilder customers are more price-sensitive than customers who find them through Google or word of mouth. If your strength is quality work at fair prices, competing with tradespeople willing to undercut isn't where you want to be.

Lead quality varies by trade and area. Builders and multi-trade businesses tend to do better on MyBuilder — the platform skews toward bigger renovation jobs. If you're a specialist (PAT testing, EV charger installation, damp proofing), the volume of relevant leads may be too low to justify the membership.

No-shows and time-wasters. A persistent complaint on trade forums is that MyBuilder homeowners sometimes don't respond after shortlisting, disappear after a site visit, or turn out to have unrealistic budgets. You've paid the shortlist fee either way.

MyBuilder vs Google Reviews: the real comparison

Here's the question most tradespeople should be asking: instead of spending £2,000+ per year on MyBuilder, what if you invested a fraction of that in building your Google presence?

MyBuilder gives you leads — but you pay for each one, the reviews stay on MyBuilder's platform, and the leads stop the moment you stop paying.

Google Reviews give you a permanent, growing asset. Research shows 81% of homeowners check Google reviews before hiring a tradesperson. A strong Google presence means customers come to you directly — no shortlist fees, no competing on price, no platform dependency.

The maths are striking. MyBuilder costs roughly £2,000 per year. An automated Google review collection tool like TapReview costs £108 per year. The review link goes to every customer after every job, building a permanent online reputation that generates enquiries for free.

This doesn't mean MyBuilder is useless — but it means the smart strategy is to use MyBuilder (or any lead platform) as a bridge while you build your Google Reviews to the point where direct enquiries replace paid leads.

When MyBuilder is worth it

MyBuilder makes sense if you're a new tradesperson building your customer base and don't yet have enough Google reviews or word-of-mouth referrals to fill your diary. It also works if you're in a trade with high job values (builders, kitchen fitters, extension specialists) where one won job covers months of fees.

It's less worth it if you're an established sole trader already busy through recommendations, your trade has low average job values (under £300), or your area is saturated with tradespeople competing on the platform.

When it's not worth it

If you're paying £150+ per month on MyBuilder and most of your new customers still come from word of mouth and Google, the platform isn't earning its keep. Track your numbers for two months: how much you spend, how many jobs you win, and the revenue those jobs generate. If the return on investment is below 3:1, your money is better spent elsewhere.

And critically — if you're spending money on MyBuilder but haven't set up your Google Business Profile or started building Google reviews, you're doing it backwards. The free foundation should come first.

Frequently asked questions

How much does MyBuilder cost per month?

MyBuilder charges an annual membership of approximately £348 (around £29/month) plus per-shortlist fees ranging from £2 to £25+ depending on job value. Total monthly costs vary widely — expect £80 to £200+ per month depending on how many leads you pursue.

Do MyBuilder reviews show on Google?

No. Reviews collected through MyBuilder remain on the MyBuilder platform. They don't appear in Google search results or Google Maps. If you want reviews that help your Google ranking and appear when homeowners search for tradespeople locally, you need Google Reviews separately.

Is MyBuilder better than Checkatrade?

They're different models. Checkatrade charges a monthly membership for a directory listing (£90–£140+/month). MyBuilder charges per shortlist on a marketplace. We've compared both in detail — the best choice depends on your trade, area, and whether you prefer a directory listing or a job marketplace.

Can I use MyBuilder and Google Reviews at the same time?

Absolutely — and you should. Use MyBuilder to win jobs, but ask every MyBuilder customer to leave you a Google review after you've completed the work. Over time, your Google Reviews build to the point where you receive enough direct enquiries to reduce or cancel your MyBuilder membership.

How do I cancel MyBuilder?

MyBuilder memberships are typically annual. Contact their support team to cancel before your renewal date. Note that your profile and reviews will be retained but your listing will no longer appear in search results on the platform.

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Related reading

• Checkatrade Alternatives UK: The Complete Guide for Tradespeople
• Checkatrade Reviews vs Google Reviews: Which Actually Gets You More Work?
• How to Get Your Google Review Link and Send It to Customers
• How to Get Your First 10 Google Reviews as a New Tradesman

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