Thumbtack vs Angi for pros: how each charges, and who each suits
Thumbtack and Angi both charge a pro for each lead, whether or not it becomes a job. Thumbtack has no subscription and lets a pro set a maximum lead price. Angi Leads sends each request to matching contractors, and reviewers report charges on cancelling. Both suit smaller, faster jobs more than large projects.
By Imad Haq, founder. Last updated 6 November 2026. This page compares the two for contractors, not for homeowners choosing where to hire.
We sell an alternative to both, so check the sources at the bottom. Who we are.
Angi vs Thumbtack, side by side
Neither company publishes a price list, so the cost rows are what pros and an agency have reported. Where a row says a company "says" something, it is that company's own statement.
| Point of comparison | Thumbtack | Angi Leads |
|---|---|---|
| How you are charged | Per lead. Thumbtack says there is no subscription, annual fee or membership fee | Per lead. Reviewers on the BBB also describe term commitments and charges on cancelling |
| What a lead costs | No price list. Pros on its forum report $30 to $102 for small jobs | No price list. Hook Agency reports $15 to $85, near $100 in some markets |
| Who picks the pro | Thumbtack says the customer chooses pros directly | Angi sends the request to contractors in the matching trade and area |
| How many pros per customer | Pros on its forum report three to five | Hook Agency says at least three others; one BBB reviewer reported five or more |
| Your control over price | You set a maximum price per lead | Not described in the sources we read. Ask before you sign |
| Leaving | Thumbtack says there are no hidden fees or contracts | Read your agreement first. BBB reviewers report charges after cancelling |
| The common complaint | A lead fee out of proportion to a small job | Charged leads who never answer |
The detail behind each column is on its own page: Thumbtack reviews from pros and Angi Leads reviews from contractors. Thumbtack's pricing has its own page: how much Thumbtack charges for leads. The wider field is in the lead generation companies we compared.
Which one suits which contractor
Thumbtack is the cheaper one to test
There is no fee to join and you can cap what you pay for a lead. If you want to find out whether bought leads work for your trade and area, you can try a category, watch the numbers for a month and turn it off.
Angi takes more care going in
Several of the complaints on the BBB are about getting out, not only about the leads. Read the agreement before you sign, ask how many pros receive each lead in your category, and ask in writing what it costs to cancel.
Both reward the fastest reply
On either one, the pro who answers in minutes has the edge. That favors a business with someone at a desk, and it works against an owner who is on site all day.
What neither one gives you
Whichever you pick, you are paying for one customer at a time, and the customer has other pros to choose from. When you stop paying, the work stops. Nothing you bought carries over to next month.
That trade is fine for small jobs. It gets harder to justify as the jobs get larger, because a customer planning a big project takes longer, compares more, and each pro has already paid to be compared.
The other route is a referral partner: a local business that already has the customer and gives out your name. Here is what that means, and here is how we build that network for a contractor.
Whatever you use, run the same test on it. Work out your cost per booked job.
What to ask any pay per lead platform before you sign
Get the answers in writing. The sales call is friendlier than the agreement.
- Is this a shared lead or an exclusive lead, and how many contractors are bidding on it?
- Is there a membership fee on top of the lead fee?
- What is the contract term, and what does cancellation cost?
- What is the refund policy for a bad lead: money back, or a lead credit?
- Can you opt out of job types and areas you do not want?
Then divide a month of spend by the jobs you won. The calculator gives you cost per booked job.
Questions pros ask about Thumbtack and Angi
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Is Thumbtack or Angi better for contractors?
Neither Thumbtack nor Angi is better for every contractor. Thumbtack has no subscription and lets a pro cap the price of a lead, so it is cheaper to test. Angi Leads sends a request to matching contractors, and reviewers on the Better Business Bureau describe charges on cancelling. Both charge for each lead whether or not it becomes a job, and both suit smaller, faster jobs.
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Which costs more for pros, Angi or Thumbtack?
Neither Angi nor Thumbtack publishes a price list, so the two cannot be compared exactly. Hook Agency reports $15 to $85 per Angi lead. Pros on Thumbtack's community forum have reported $30 to $102 for leads on small jobs. On both, the useful number is cost per booked job: total spend divided by jobs won.
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HomeAdvisor vs Thumbtack: is there a difference?
HomeAdvisor is now part of Angi, and its contractor lead product is sold as Angi Leads. A contractor weighing Thumbtack vs HomeAdvisor is comparing Thumbtack with Angi Leads. Both charge per lead. Thumbtack says it has no subscription, while reviewers of Angi on the Better Business Bureau describe term commitments and charges on cancelling.
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Thumbtack vs Yelp: which is better for contractors?
This page compares Thumbtack with Angi and makes no claim about what Yelp charges contractors. A contractor weighing Thumbtack vs Yelp can run the same test on both: add up everything spent in a month, including the leads that went nowhere, and divide by the jobs won. The lower cost per booked job is the better one for that business.
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Why do customers on Angi and Thumbtack choose on price?
Customers on Angi and Thumbtack often choose on price because several pros answer the same request. Hook Agency says an Angi lead is pitched alongside at least three other contractors, and pros on Thumbtack's forum report the same customer contacting three to five pros. With quotes side by side from strangers, price is the easiest way to compare.
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What do contractors use instead of Angi and Thumbtack?
Contractors who stop buying leads from Angi and Thumbtack can move to sources they control: Google Local Services Ads, their own website, past customers, and referral partners. A referral partner is a local business, such as a builder, designer or property manager, that sends a contractor its customers with no charge per lead.
Sources
- Thumbtack, page for professionals, read 8 October 2026.
- Thumbtack Community, the forum Thumbtack runs for its pros, read 8 October 2026.
- Hook Agency, "Angi Leads Reviews From Contractors", read 8 October 2026. Hook Agency is a marketing agency for contractors, so it also sells an alternative to Angi.
- Better Business Bureau, Angi customer reviews, read 8 October 2026.
Thumbtack, Angi, Angi Leads and HomeAdvisor are trademarks of their owners. Contractor Referral Partners is not affiliated with either company.
Find out if a place is open for your trade
Each referral partner is assigned to one contractor, so places in an area are limited. Check your trade and metro, and the next step is a call.