Thumbtack vs Angi for contractors: which is better, and where do Google local service ads fit?
By Yath Regmi, Founder, Kodec
Verified on Updated Published
Short answer
In Thumbtack vs Angi for contractors, Thumbtack is the gentler start because you set a weekly budget. One vendor's figures put Google local service ads lowest per booked job, Thumbtack in the middle and Angi highest, but that vendor sells marketing, so treat them as a guide. Work out your own cost per booked dollar before you spend, and answer every call fast.
When this is the right call
Each one has a job. Thumbtack fits a new shop with small, fast jobs that wants a hard weekly cap and can reply within hours. Angi can fit an established shop with many reviews and high-ticket work, if you read the contract end date and cancel terms first. Google local service ads fit urgent calls when someone answers the phone live. If you do slow, planned, high-ticket work and reply slowly, none of them fit, and your own channel does more of the lifting.
Cost per booked job, side by side
Example
| Step | Thumbtack | Angi | Google LSA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead price | $40 | $60 | $55 |
| Share of leads that book | 25% | 15% | 25% |
| Cost per booked job | $160 | $400 | $220 |
| Cost per $1 on a $400 repair | $0.40 | $1.00 | $0.55 |
| Cost per $1 on a $9,000 job | $0.02 | $0.04 | $0.02 |
These inputs are invented, so put in your own. Angi's membership, reported at about $300 a year, is not included. A cost of $1.00 per $1 means you spend a dollar to book a dollar.
Side by side
Thumbtack
| Reported price per lead | $10 to $80+1 |
|---|---|
| How you pay | Free to join. You pay per lead and set a weekly budget.1 |
| Who else gets the lead | Several pros. Thumbtack publishes no cap.1 |
| Automatic refund or credit | Thumbtack's Fair Shot Refund page says that when you use Thumbtack numbers or chat in Messenger, "we automatically refund you if a customer doesn't reply to any pro they contacted within 72 hours."4 |
| Other refunds | Within 45 days, case by case.1 |
| One vendor's cost per booked job (unverified) | About $2508 |
Angi
| Reported price per lead | $15 to $85 in one guide, $25 to $120 in another2 |
|---|---|
| How you pay | Annual membership plus a fee per lead. The 2022 FTC complaint listed $287.99 a year.6 |
| Who else gets the lead | Up to 5 pros, per Angi's pro help pages as quoted by Housecall Pro. Other guides say 3 to 8.1 |
| Automatic refund or credit | Vendor guides say credits, not cash, for invalid leads. |
| Other refunds | Not published. |
| One vendor's cost per booked job (unverified) | About $5428 |
Google local service ads
| Reported price per lead | $30 to $100+1 |
|---|---|
| How you pay | You pay per valid lead (call, message or booking), not per click.5 |
| Who else gets the lead | Google's pages give no count of how many businesses show. |
| Automatic refund or credit | Credits go to your balance automatically, usually within 30 days. None for job type or area not serviced.5 |
| Other refunds | The original charge stays on the invoice.5 |
| One vendor's cost per booked job (unverified) | About $1688 |
| What it is | Thumbtack | Angi | Google local service ads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reported price per lead | $10 to $80+1 | $15 to $85 in one guide, $25 to $120 in another2 | $30 to $100+1 |
| How you pay | Free to join. You pay per lead and set a weekly budget.1 | Annual membership plus a fee per lead. The 2022 FTC complaint listed $287.99 a year.6 | You pay per valid lead (call, message or booking), not per click.5 |
| Who else gets the lead | Several pros. Thumbtack publishes no cap.1 | Up to 5 pros, per Angi's pro help pages as quoted by Housecall Pro. Other guides say 3 to 8.1 | Google's pages give no count of how many businesses show. |
| Automatic refund or credit | Thumbtack's Fair Shot Refund page says that when you use Thumbtack numbers or chat in Messenger, "we automatically refund you if a customer doesn't reply to any pro they contacted within 72 hours."4 | Vendor guides say credits, not cash, for invalid leads. | Credits go to your balance automatically, usually within 30 days. None for job type or area not serviced.5 |
| Other refunds | Within 45 days, case by case.1 | Not published. | The original charge stays on the invoice.5 |
| One vendor's cost per booked job (unverified) | About $2508 | About $5428 | About $1688 |
Vendor by vendor
Another option: a call that comes to your own number
On Thumbtack and Angi, a platform stands between you and the customer. On Google local service ads the caller reaches you directly. A Google profile and a site of your own work the same way, and you can add a simple log of each call and what it paid.
What we found
Verified terms
Refund rules, side by side
Thumbtack's Fair Shot Refund page says that when you use Thumbtack numbers or chat in Messenger, "we automatically refund you if a customer doesn't reply to any pro they contacted within 72 hours." Housecall Pro reports other Thumbtack refunds within 45 days, case by case. Google credits low-quality leads automatically, usually within 30 days, and the original charge stays on your invoice. Google gives no credit when the job type or area is not one you serve. Check each current policy before you rely on it.415
Original math
Thumbtack leads cost: the most you can pay for a lead on each platform
Gross profit on a job, times the share of leads that book, is the most a lead can cost. A $400 repair at 30% margin leaves $120. At a 25% booking rate that caps the lead at $30, and at 15% it caps at $18. Reported Thumbtack and Google prices often sit above that for small repairs. Run it for each job type.
Original math
The same cost per job looks different by job size
A $160 cost per booked job is 40 cents of every dollar on a $400 repair and about 2 cents on a $9,000 job. Lead price and close rate matter. Job size matters as much. Work out your cost per booked dollar for each type of job, not one average for the whole shop.
Verified terms
Angi alternatives for contractors start with Angi's current model
Questions to ask
- 01
How many pros get each lead in my trade and area?
A good answer: A number in writing. For Google local service ads, ask how many businesses show in your area.
Protects you from: Paying full price for a lead several pros share.
- 02
What gets refunded or credited, and how?
A good answer: Written terms for the 72-hour no-reply refund, the 45-day case-by-case refund or Google's 30-day credit.
Protects you from: Paying for leads that never could have booked.
- 03
What is the contract length and the cancel penalty?
A good answer: An end date and cancel terms in the agreement.
Protects you from: Staying locked in after your numbers show it does not pay.
How we checked
We read the sources on Nov 14, 2026. Prices come from Housecall Pro, Hatch and Olly Olly, which are vendor guides that sell or compare alternatives, so we call them reported. The Thumbtack Fair Shot Refund quote was read on the page itself in a browser on Nov 14, 2026. Angi's terms come from the FTC complaint and guides because its pro pages need a sign-in. The cost-per-job figures in the comparison are one vendor's and unverified. A competing page from Skill Mammoth lists prices with no sources, so we did not use it. The math table uses invented inputs.
Questions
Per lead it usually is, going by reported ranges of $10 to $80+ for Thumbtack and $15 to $120 for Angi. Per booked job it depends on your close rate and how many pros share the lead. Work out both numbers for your own calls.
Its Fair Shot Refund page says it automatically refunds you if a customer does not reply to any pro they contacted within 72 hours, when you use Thumbtack numbers or Messenger chat. Housecall Pro reports other refunds within 45 days, case by case. Check the current policy, since it can change.
A membership plus a fee per lead. The 2022 FTC complaint listed $287.99 a year for the membership. Today's figure is not published. Vendor guides report about $300 a year. Confirm the current terms and contract length with Angi in writing.
Google's pages give no count of how many businesses show, so we cannot say. Google credits low-quality leads automatically, usually within 30 days, and the original charge stays on the invoice. Ask your rep how many businesses show in your area.
One vendor's unverified figures put them lowest per booked job. Google credits low-quality leads automatically, and you pay per valid lead, not per click. At an $80 lead, a $50 weekly budget buys no leads. Test with your own close rate before you commit.
On Thumbtack and Angi, the platform sends you the lead and holds the first contact. On Google local service ads the caller reaches your business directly. Whatever you buy, record where each paying customer came from, so next month you know which one earned more of your money.
Sources
- 1.Housecall Pro: Angi competitors, updated Oct 6, 2026 (vendor guide) accessed Nov 14, 2026
- 2.Hatch: Is Angi worth it for contractors (vendor guide) accessed Nov 14, 2026
- 3.Olly Olly: Angi for contractors, updated Oct 9, 2025 (vendor guide) accessed Nov 14, 2026
- 4.Thumbtack Help: Fair Shot Refund policy accessed Nov 14, 2026
- 5.Google Local Services Ads Help: lead credits accessed Nov 14, 2026
- 6.FTC: HomeAdvisor complaint, Mar 2022 (PDF) accessed Nov 14, 2026
- 7.Angi Q4 2025 earnings release, SEC accessed Nov 14, 2026
- 8.Moflo: Are Angi leads worth it (vendor blog, unverified figures) accessed Nov 14, 2026
Where to go next
Want to see which of your own calls turned into paying customers? See how Leverage works.
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