How much does Thumbtack charge for leads?
Thumbtack charges a pro for each lead and has no fee to join. It publishes no price list. Thumbtack says the cost of a lead depends on the type and size of the job, how many pros are available and the market. Pros on its own forum report paying from $9.50 to $102 for one lead.
Book your spot See what pros report paying
By Imad Haq, founder. Last updated 6 November 2026. Written for pros, not for people looking to hire one.
We sell an alternative to bought leads, so read this as a competitor's page and check the sources at the bottom. Who we are.
Is Thumbtack free for pros?
Free to join, yes. Thumbtack says there is no charge to join, no annual fees and no membership fees. So when people ask "does Thumbtack charge a fee", the answer is that it charges for leads and nothing else.
Thumbtack's help center describes two kinds of lead, and they are paid for differently.
- Direct leads. A customer finds you in search results and reaches out. If the job matches your preferences, you pay automatically.
- Opportunities. You see the price first and contact the customer. You pay that price only if the customer responds.
Either way, the Thumbtack cost for a pro is the sum of the leads, including the ones that never booked.
Thumbtack pricing: what sets the cost per lead
Thumbtack says its goal is to make the cost of a lead match how valuable the job is. It names three things that move the price:
- the type and size of the job;
- how many pros are available;
- your market.
You set your own lead prices for each service, and Thumbtack calls that "the exact amount you'll pay for each lead". Thumbtack describes this as choosing how competitive you want to be.
So there is no single answer to "how much is Thumbtack". The Thumbtack cost per lead for a panel upgrade in one city tells you little about a fence repair in another.
Thumbtack lead cost: what pros report paying
The first row is Thumbtack's own statement. Every other row is one pro's report from the forum Thumbtack runs for its pros. Most are for small jobs, so read them as examples of Thumbtack fees, not as an average.
| Cost | Reported figure | Who reported it |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription or membership | None. No charge to join, no annual fees and no membership fees | Thumbtack, on its page for pros |
| One lead, for a $75 job | $102 | An electrician on the forum, May 2023 |
| One direct lead, electrical | $68 | A pro on the forum, December 2024 |
| One lead, for a $60 service | $9.50 at first, later $30 or more | A pro on the forum, September 2021 |
| 11 leads over 45 days | About $800, with no bookings | A photographer on the forum, April 2025 |
People start a forum thread when something has gone wrong, so these lean high. They still answer the question "how much does Thumbtack cost" better than a price list that does not exist.
The full posts are in Thumbtack pro reviews.
The Thumbtack refund policy for pros
Thumbtack says all refunds are made at its sole discretion. Some happen automatically, for example when its Trust and Safety team flags a lead. For the rest you ask, within 45 days of the charge.
What Thumbtack says will most likely qualify
- The job changed significantly from the original lead.
- On an Opportunity, the customer's first message was a clear no.
- The lead broke Thumbtack's Terms of Use.
- The job had a fixed date that you had blocked off in your calendar.
- The customer's phone number was invalid or disconnected.
What does not qualify
- The customer hired a different pro.
- You asked more than 45 days after the charge.
- Thumbtack found too little evidence, or found your settings were not set for the jobs you wanted.
Where a Thumbtack refund goes
To your Thumbtack balance, by default, to spend on more leads. To get it back on your card you have to contact Thumbtack within 10 business days of the approval.
Thumbtack says it usually answers a request within 24 to 48 hours, and within four days if it needs review.
What a Thumbtack lead really costs you
The lead price is not the number that matters. Add up every lead you paid for in a month, including the ones that never replied, and divide by the jobs you won.
That is your cost per booked job, and it is the Thumbtack Pro cost worth knowing. The lead cost calculator works it out.
If the number is fine, keep buying. Thumbtack suits smaller jobs and pros who can reply within minutes.
The leads with no fee on them
Nobody charges you when a past customer calls back, or when a builder who trusts your crew hands you a job. Those are the only free leads that last.
A referral partner is a local business that already has your customer and does not do your trade. Contractor Referral Partners builds that network for established contractors, as a lead generation service that sells no leads. See how it works.
Comparing platforms? See Angi vs Thumbtack for pros and Angi Leads reviews. For the whole field, see the lead generation companies we compared.
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 pricing
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How much does Thumbtack charge for leads?
Thumbtack does not publish a price list. It says the cost of a lead depends on the type and size of the job, how many pros are available and the market. Pros posting on Thumbtack's own forum have reported $9.50, $30 or more, $68 and $102 for a single lead between 2021 and 2024. A pro sets their own lead prices.
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How much does Thumbtack cost per lead?
Thumbtack's cost per lead changes with the job rather than following a price list. Thumbtack says the price depends on the type and size of the job, how many pros are available and the market. Pros on its community forum reported paying between $9.50 and $102 for a single lead from 2021 to 2024. Joining Thumbtack costs nothing.
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How does Thumbtack charge pros?
Thumbtack charges pros for each lead, with no membership or annual fee. A pro is charged when a customer whose job matches their preferences reaches out, and the charge stands whether or not that customer hires them. Pros set their own lead prices, and can ask for a refund within 45 days, which Thumbtack grants at its discretion.
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Does Thumbtack charge for leads, or is Thumbtack free?
Thumbtack is free to join and charges for leads. It says on its page for professionals that there is no charge to join, no annual fees and no membership fees. A pro pays when a customer whose job matches their preferences reaches out, and the charge stands whether or not that customer goes on to hire them.
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What is the Thumbtack refund policy for pros?
Thumbtack says all refunds are made at its sole discretion. Some are automatic, such as a lead flagged by its Trust and Safety team. For the rest, a pro can request a refund within 45 days of the charge, and Thumbtack decides case by case. It does not refund a lead because the customer hired a different pro.
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Does a Thumbtack refund go back to my card?
Not by default. Thumbtack's refund policy says an approved refund goes to the pro's Thumbtack balance, to be spent on more leads. A pro who wants it returned to the original payment method has to contact Thumbtack within 10 business days of the approval. Prepaid credit packages are not refundable to a card.
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How to get free leads on Thumbtack?
Thumbtack publishes no standing way to get free leads. Joining costs nothing, and its refund policy mentions leads a pro was not charged for, but the normal lead is paid for. The work that carries no lead fee comes from outside the platform: past customers who call back, and referral partners who pass on their own customers.
Sources
- Thumbtack Help, "How much do I pay for leads and opportunities?", read 10 October 2026.
- Thumbtack Help, "Refund policy for pros", read 10 October 2026.
- Thumbtack, page for professionals, read 8 October 2026.
- Thumbtack Community, "Why does the lead cost more than the job?!" (May 2023), read 8 October 2026.
- Thumbtack Community, "Electrical direct leads Price after instant booking removed" (December 2024), read 8 October 2026.
- Thumbtack Community, "Lead Prices" (September 2021), read 8 October 2026.
- Thumbtack Community, "Anyone Else Struggling with Expensive Leads but No Bookings?" (April 2025), read 8 October 2026.
- Thumbtack Community, "Lead Prices have gone sky high!" (January 2024), read 8 October 2026.
Thumbtack is a trademark of its owner. Contractor Referral Partners is not affiliated with Thumbtack. Forum posts are the opinions of the people who wrote them.
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