Angi vs Thumbtack vs Google Local Services Ads
Three places a contractor can buy leads, three different billing tricks. Angi shares the lead; Thumbtack charges when the homeowner replies, even with “no thanks”; LSA charges per real call but needs a licence and reviews first. Here’s cost per booked job for each in 2026, what each one punishes, and which to turn on first.
Angi, Thumbtack or LSA: which should a contractor use?
Google Local Services Ads first, if you qualify: $25–$100 per real call or message, the lead isn’t shared, junk is disputable, and the caller chose you, so cost per booked job lands around $100–$300. Angi second, for volume, only with a five-minute response system, because each lead goes to three to five contractors and closes at 10–20% ($250–$500 a booked job, about $167 with instant response). Thumbtack third, with a hard weekly budget, because you pay $35–$60 when a homeowner replies, including to decline, and refund requests are often denied. All three work better and cost less once your own missed calls are answered.
| Angi / HomeAdvisor | Thumbtack | Google Local Services Ads | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billing | Per lead, sent to 3–5 contractors | Per lead, dynamic pricing; charged when the homeowner replies, even to decline | Per real call or message; one contractor per contact |
| 2026 cost per lead | $15–$100+ (HVAC $25–$75, plumbing $25–$60, roofing $75–$100+) | $10–$200+; most report $35–$60; $150+ when you’re the only pro picked | $25–$100 by trade and metro |
| Minimums and fees | Setup $350–$500 (often waived); lead deposits $300–$1,500; annual auto-renew contracts | No monthly fee; suggested weekly budget $49–$150 to stay visible | No setup; licence, insurance, background check required |
| Typical close rate | 10–20%; 25%+ with 5-minute response | 15–30% (you only pay on replies, but some replies are declines) | 30–50% (the caller dialed you) |
| Cost per booked job | $250–$500; ~$167 with instant response | $150–$400 | $100–$300 |
| Disputes / refunds | Dispute window of days; do it daily | Often denied by automated review, per contractor reports | Dispute invalid leads in the dashboard; generally honoured for wrong area, wrong service, spam |
| What it punishes | Slow response | Vague profiles, slow replies, wide service lists | Missed calls and slow message replies (both lower rank) |
| Best for | Volume while you build reviews, with a response system on | Trades with high ticket where $40 a reply is cheap: remodel, fencing, decks | Licensed trades with reviews on file: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, pest, garage doors; roofing with insurance |
When does Angi make sense?
When you need volume now and can text and call every lead inside five minutes, automatically, and dispute junk every day. Without both, the r/hvacadvice thread title is the experience: “$3,400 on HomeAdvisor leads,” 60 leads, 7 jobs. With both, owners report 25%+ close and about $167 a booked job. Watch the contract: annual auto-renew with 30–60 days’ notice, and lead prices rising 8–12% a year. Full detail on the Angi page.
When does Thumbtack make sense?
When your ticket is big enough that paying $40–$60 for a conversation is fine even if a third of those conversations are “no thanks.” Fencing, decks, remodels, landscaping projects fit; a $90 drain call doesn’t. Two rules: set the weekly budget cap and never raise it in a surge week, and narrow the service list so you’re not charged for replies about work you don’t do. Thumbtack’s dynamic pricing means a lead where you’re the only pro selected can cost $150+; that’s a good lead, but check the budget cap still holds. Contractors consistently report that refund requests are handled by automated systems and often denied, so treat every charge as final.
When does LSA make sense?
As soon as you can pass verification: trade licence (TDLR for HVAC and electrical, TSBPE for plumbing in Texas), insurance, background check, and a handful of reviews. Two to four weeks. After that it’s the cheapest booked job among the three because the caller searched your service, saw the Google Guaranteed badge and dialed; and because invalid leads (wrong area, wrong service, spam) are disputable. The catch is that LSA punishes exactly what most shops do: it charges for the call that rang out, and it ranks on responsiveness. Answer live (AI when you can’t) and reply to messages in five minutes or it costs you twice. Detail on the LSA page.
What does $2,000 a month buy on each?
A 3-truck plumbing company, $950 average ticket, instant-response system running.
| Channel | Leads for $2,000 | Close rate | Booked jobs | Cost per booked job | Revenue at $950 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angi (at $45 a lead) | 44 | 25% (instant response) | 11 | $182 | $10,450 |
| Thumbtack (at $45 a reply, 30% of replies are declines) | 44 replies, ~31 real | 25% of real | 8 | $250 | $7,600 |
| LSA (at $50 a call) | 40 | 40% | 16 | $125 | $15,200 |
Same money, double the jobs on LSA, and that’s before counting that LSA callers arrive with the Google Guaranteed badge already trusting you. The order for most shops: fix missed calls, verify for LSA, add Angi for volume, test Thumbtack only for high-ticket work.
Texas notes
LSA verification in Texas needs the licence on file; roofing has no state licence, so roofing LSA runs on insurance and background check. DFW and Houston are among the most expensive Angi and Thumbtack markets in the country because of contractor density, which makes the response-speed rule worth more here than elsewhere. Every automated first text to a lead who contacted you through any of the three is a reply, not a solicitation, under SB 140; send it 9 a.m.–9 p.m. and queue overnight leads for 9:00. The Texas hub has the metro pages.
Questions owners ask
Does Thumbtack share leads like Angi?
Homeowners can contact several pros; you’re charged when one replies to you. Being the only pro selected costs more per lead but isn’t shared.
Why does Thumbtack charge for a decline?
Its model bills on the homeowner’s reply, not the job. Contractors report charges on “no thanks” replies; budget for it.
Is LSA really unshared?
Yes; each call or message goes to one business. That’s the main reason its cost per booked job is lowest.
Can I dispute on all three?
Angi within a short window; LSA in the dashboard for invalid leads; Thumbtack through an automated process that contractors say often denies refunds.
Which should a brand-new company start with?
Fix missed calls, start LSA verification the same week, run Angi with instant response until LSA goes live.
What’s a fair cost per booked job?
Under your gross margin on the job: under $200 for a $950 plumbing ticket, under $800 for a $10,000 roof.
Does Google LSA work for roofers without a licence?
In Texas, yes, on insurance and background check, since there’s no state roofing licence.
Should I run all three?
Only with a response system that texts and calls every lead in five minutes and a tag per source so you can read cost per booked job monthly.
What about Yelp and Bark?
Yelp is pay-per-click ($2–$20 a click, $150 a month minimum) and crowded in Texas metros; Bark is credit-based ($5–$36 a lead). Both come after the three above.
How do I know which is working?
Tag every lead by source in the CRM; divide monthly spend by jobs booked from that tag; review monthly.
Next pages
Sources
- Adapt Digital Solutions, “HomeAdvisor vs Angi vs Thumbtack: Contractor’s 2026 Guide,” updated June 2026 (Thumbtack, Yelp and Bark pricing): adaptdigitalsolutions.com
- Home Showoff, “Best Lead Generation for Contractors: Real Lead Costs in 2026,” updated 19 Sep 2026 (Angi costs, sharing, fees): homeshowoff.com
- Owner thread: r/hvacadvice
Want your lead sources priced per booked job?
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