MyBuilder is one of the most popular ways UK tradespeople find new work. You join for free, browse jobs customers have posted, pay to send a quote, and (if you win the job) keep everything you earn. No subscription. No monthly fee. Just a cost per quote.
So why would you also need a website?
Because the two things do very different jobs. MyBuilder rents you access to someone else’s customer base. Your own website builds your own. This guide compares both honestly: what each one costs, what it actually delivers, and when each approach makes sense.
Key Takeaways
- MyBuilder is a pay-per-lead platform: you pay to quote on jobs, typically £5–£25 per lead depending on trade and job size
- Your own website with a managed provider like Digital Tradies starts from £49/month with no setup fee
- On MyBuilder, you compete with up to three other tradespeople on every job, meaning you win roughly one in three quotes at best
- Your website is an asset you own permanently; MyBuilder spending is a pure cost that builds nothing
- According to BrightLocal’s 2024 Local Consumer Review Survey, 98% of UK consumers used the internet to find a local business in the past year, and most of that search happens on Google, not on trade platforms
- The smartest approach for most tradespeople combines both: use MyBuilder for quick wins while a website builds your Google presence over time
How MyBuilder Works
MyBuilder is a job board for homeowners and businesses. A customer posts a job: “need a boiler service in Leeds” or “looking for an electrician in Bristol”, and tradespeople pay to send their quote. The customer sees a shortlist of responses and picks who they want to speak to.
The model has a few features that separate it from subscription platforms like Checkatrade:
You control which jobs you quote on. Before spending anything, you can see the job details, the location, and the lead cost. That lets you skip jobs that don’t fit your trade or travel range.
You can see what you’re paying before you commit. Every job shows its lead cost upfront. Small repair jobs might cost £5–£8 to quote on; larger projects can run to £20–£30 per lead.
Each job is shared with up to three tradespeople. Once three people have sent quotes, the job closes. This is better than platforms where 10 tradespeople pile onto the same enquiry. But it still means you’re competing from the moment you send a quote.
There’s no monthly obligation. You buy credits when you want them and stop when you don’t. For tradespeople who want to fill gaps in their diary without a subscription commitment, that flexibility is genuinely useful.
The catch is that every lead is a gamble. You pay to play, and you only get paid if you win the job.
What Your Own Website Gives You
A website is a different tool entirely. It doesn’t give you immediate access to a job board. What it gives you is presence on Google, and that’s where most customers start their search.
When someone types “plumber Manchester” or “roofer near me” into Google, they’re not going to MyBuilder. They’re going to Google. A well-built, properly optimised website gives you a chance to appear in those results. Over time, it can generate enquiries that cost you nothing extra per lead.
What a website does for you:
- Shows up in Google Search and Google Maps for your trade and location
- Works around the clock: enquiries can come in at 2am without you doing anything
- Lets customers check your reviews, see your work, and contact you directly
- Gives you something to point referrals and word-of-mouth recommendations at
- Builds an asset you own (it doesn’t disappear when you stop paying a platform)
What a website doesn’t do (at first): drive traffic immediately. It takes time for Google to index your site, build trust, and start showing it in results. That’s why using MyBuilder alongside a website makes sense early on: the platform gives you short-term work while the website builds longer-term presence.
Cost Comparison
Here’s how the two options stack up financially over 12 months:
| Factor | MyBuilder | Your Own Website |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Variable (credits used) | From £49/month (Digital Tradies) |
| Cost per lead | £5–£25 per lead quoted | £0 per organic Google lead |
| Annual spend (moderate use) | £1,200–£3,600/year | £588/year (£49/mo) |
| Setup cost | Free | £0 upfront (with Digital Tradies) |
| Contract | None (pay as you go) | No contract |
| What you build | Nothing (pure spend) | An asset you own permanently |
| Leads after you stop paying | Zero | Continues generating enquiries |
The economics turn on how many quotes you’re buying and how many you’re winning. If you quote on 20 jobs a month at £10 average and win 7 of them, you’re spending £200/month to acquire those jobs. That’s £2,400/year.
A website at £49/month costs £588/year. As it builds authority and starts ranking on Google, organic leads cost you nothing per enquiry. The longer you have it, the better that ratio gets.
According to Tradesman Saver’s 2026 analysis of trade platforms, pay-per-lead costs across job boards have increased steadily as more tradespeople join the platforms, making each lead more expensive in competitive trades and areas.
Lead Quality and Competition
MyBuilder leads vary more than people expect. Some are high-intent: a customer who’s ready to book and wants a professional quote. Others are price-shoppers gathering numbers, or people who posted a job out of curiosity and aren’t in any rush.
What trade forums and community discussions (including Reddit’s r/DIYUK and r/tradespeople) consistently flag:
- Winning your first few jobs on MyBuilder takes time. New profiles without reviews struggle to beat established ones, even if the quote is competitive.
- Lead quality is better in some areas than others. Rural areas with fewer tradespeople on the platform tend to have less competition; major cities can be saturated.
- Smaller, domestic jobs (repairs, callouts) appear most frequently. Larger project work is less common and more competitive when it does show up.
- Customers on MyBuilder expect multiple quotes. Being the only option calling them back within an hour often wins jobs ahead of price.
Google enquiries through your own website behave differently. A customer who found your site on Google, saw your reviews, checked your photos, and then called you has already made a partial decision. They’re not comparing three quotes from a shortlist. They’re looking to confirm you’re the right choice. Conversion rates on inbound website leads are typically higher than on competitive platform quotes.
When MyBuilder Makes Sense
MyBuilder works well in specific circumstances:
When you need work fast. A new business or quiet period can be helped immediately by buying a few credits and quoting on relevant jobs. There’s no waiting for Google rankings.
When you want to test a new area or trade. If you’re thinking about taking on more kitchen fitting work or expanding into a new town, MyBuilder lets you gauge demand without a long-term commitment.
When you’re building your review count. Early jobs from MyBuilder can translate into Google reviews if you ask customers to leave one after. That review count then helps your own website rank better, which creates a compounding benefit if you use both together.
When you have gaps to fill. Even tradespeople with busy diaries have quiet weeks. Buying a few credits to fill a gap in the schedule is different from relying on the platform for all your work.
When Your Own Website Makes More Sense
A website wins on long-term economics. Here’s when that matters most:
When you want to stop paying for every lead. The per-lead cost on MyBuilder never goes away. A website, once ranking, generates enquiries for the same monthly fee regardless of how many calls come in.
When your trade is search-driven. Trades with high emergency call volume (plumbers, electricians, locksmiths) get searched on Google constantly. “Emergency plumber [city]” is typed thousands of times a day. That’s traffic a website can capture; MyBuilder can’t.
When you’re building a business rather than doing gig work. A website positions you as a professional business, not just another name on a platform. It’s where your brand lives.
When referrals and word-of-mouth are growing. As your reputation builds, people who hear about you from someone else will Google your name before calling. Without a website, that referral traffic evaporates.
For a fuller picture on what makes a trade website work, see what every tradesman’s website should include.
The Hybrid Approach
Most experienced tradespeople end up using both, and that’s usually the right answer.
The pattern that works: start with MyBuilder to generate immediate work and collect your first reviews. At the same time, get a website built and start building your Google presence. Over 6–12 months, your website starts generating organic enquiries. As that happens, you reduce MyBuilder spending gradually, keeping it only for slow periods or new work types.
You’re not choosing between platforms and websites. You’re using platforms to fill the gap while your website builds momentum.
If you’re at the stage of setting up or refreshing your own website, Digital Tradies builds professional sites for UK tradespeople from £49/month with no upfront cost. You get a mobile-ready site, hosting, and ongoing support, without the per-lead costs that add up on platforms like MyBuilder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MyBuilder free to use for tradespeople? Joining MyBuilder is free. You only pay when you choose to send a quote on a job. Lead costs typically range from £5 to £25 depending on the trade and job size, and MyBuilder shows you the cost before you commit to quoting.
How many tradespeople compete for each MyBuilder job? MyBuilder limits each job to a maximum of three tradesperson quotes. Once three quotes have been submitted, the job closes. This keeps competition more manageable than platforms where 10 or more tradespeople pile on, but it still means you’ll win roughly one in three jobs at best.
Does MyBuilder help with Google rankings? No. Activity on MyBuilder doesn’t improve your Google presence. Reviews you collect on the platform stay on the platform. Your own website, built with proper local SEO, is what gives you Google visibility, and those leads come directly to you without a middleman.
How long does it take for a website to generate leads? A new website typically takes 3–6 months to start appearing in Google results for local trade searches. That’s why using MyBuilder alongside a new website makes sense: the platform fills the gap while your site builds authority. Once a website starts ranking well, leads continue coming in for the same fixed cost regardless of volume.
Can I use MyBuilder and my own website at the same time? Yes, and for most tradespeople this is the best approach. Use MyBuilder to generate immediate work and build reviews. Use your website to build Google presence and capture search traffic long-term. Over time, your website takes on more of the load and your MyBuilder spend becomes optional rather than essential.
The choice isn’t really MyBuilder vs your own website. It’s short-term rented access vs long-term owned presence. Both have a role, but only one of them compounds in your favour the longer you use it.
For more on how to build a lead pipeline that doesn’t rely entirely on paid platforms, see our guide on how a website gets tradespeople more work.
