Checkatrade vs your own website
Checkatrade and your own website both bring in work, but they do it in very different ways. One rents you a spot on someone else's platform. The other is an asset you own. Here's the honest comparison.
By Joseph Agass · Updated October 2026
| Checkatrade | Your own website | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A profile on a directory | Your own site on your own domain |
| Cost | Paid plans from around £30 + VAT a month (Oct 2026), usually on 12-month terms | £399 one-off, optional £30 a month |
| Who owns it | Checkatrade | You |
| Customers see competitors | Yes, on the same page | No |
| Your reviews | Stay on Checkatrade | Shown on your own site |
| If you stop paying | Your profile goes | You keep the site and domain |
| Shows up on Google for your name | Sometimes | Yes, once set up |
Checkatrade prices are based on their published plans as of October 2026. They change, so check their site for current pricing.
Where Checkatrade is good
Checkatrade is a well-known brand, and homeowners trust the vetting. If you're new and have no reviews yet, it can put you in front of people quickly. Plenty of good tradespeople use it.
Where it falls short
Every customer looking at your profile is one click from your competitors. The reviews you've earned stay on their platform. And the price can go up at renewal, with nothing to show for it if you leave.
Why your own website matters
When someone gets your name from a neighbour and searches it, they should find you, not a directory listing next to three competitors. Your own website shows your work, your reviews and the areas you cover, and it keeps working whether or not you're paying a directory that year.
Use both
It's not either or. ATR Kitchens and Bathrooms had 103 Checkatrade reviews. We put that proof on his own website, so it works for him in both places.
The short answer
Checkatrade rents you leads. A website is something you own. If you're on Checkatrade already, a website makes your reviews work harder. If you're thinking of leaving, a website means you don't start from zero.
Questions people ask
- Should I leave Checkatrade if I get a website?
- Not necessarily. If it brings you work at a price that makes sense, keep it. A website works alongside it.
- Can my Checkatrade reviews go on my website?
- Yes. We did it for ATR Kitchens and Bathrooms.
- How much is a website?
- £399 one-off, after you've seen a free draft. An optional £30 a month covers hosting and changes.
See your new website
before you pay a penny
We build a free draft of your website within 48 hours. If you like it, it's £399. If you don't, you owe nothing.