The short answer
Angi and Thumbtack sell you access to homeowners who are looking for help. You pay for leads, and the same homeowner often contacts several pros.[3]
Your own website and Google profile work differently. The leads they bring are yours alone, and what decides whether you win them is how fast you answer.
Side by side
| Angi Leads | Thumbtack | Own website + Ringo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Per lead, plus a membership fee commonly reported at around $300 a year.[1] Angi doesn't publish official pricing.[2] | Per lead, when a customer contacts you. No charge to join, no annual or membership fees.[4] | $297 a month, flat. No per-lead fees. |
| Reported lead prices | Typically $15–$85 per lead; high-value trades like roofing can go over $100.[1] | Varies by job, category and location; you control your budget.[4] | No lead prices. Leads from your site and Google profile cost nothing extra. |
| Who else gets the lead | Often several competing pros.[3] | Often several competing pros.[3] | Nobody. The homeowner contacted you. |
| Paying for dead leads | You pay for every lead, even if they don't answer or hire someone else.[1] | Credits are available for some issues, like invalid contact details or leads outside your area.[5] | Not applicable. |
| What you build | A profile on their platform | A profile on their platform | Your own Google profile and reviews, plus a website built for your business |
Prices are reported ranges from the sources below, not quotes. They move with trade, market and season.
How Angi Leads works
Angi Leads (the model formerly known as HomeAdvisor) sends you homeowner requests that match your services and area. You pay per lead, and you pay for each one whether or not the homeowner answers or hires you.[1]
How Thumbtack works
Thumbtack says there's no charge to join, no annual fees and no membership fees.[4] You pay when a customer contacts you, and the price depends on the job and your market.[3] You can request credits for some lead problems.[5]
Your own website and follow-up
When a homeowner finds you on Google or on your own site and fills in your form, nobody else gets that lead. The only way to lose it is to answer too slowly. That's the part Ringo handles: an instant text reply, a text after every missed call, reminders and review requests.
The math that matters
The number that decides whether a lead source is worth it isn't the price per lead. It's the cost per booked job:
Example with made-up numbers: if leads cost $50 and you win 1 in 5, each booked job cost you $250 in leads.
Track this for every source you use. Speed matters most on shared leads: when several pros get the same request, the first good answer usually wins.
When a marketplace still makes sense
- You're new and don't have many Google reviews yet.
- You need to fill gaps in the calendar this month, not next quarter.
- You've tracked your cost per booked job and it works for your trade and market.
Many contractors use both. The difference is that your own site and Google profile keep working and keep building value, while marketplace leads stop the day you stop paying.
Sources
- 1. Housecall Pro: What is Angi and how does it work? — reported lead costs and annual membership
- 2. Housecall Pro: Angi pricing for contractors — notes that Angi doesn't publish official pricing
- 3. Superdupr: Is Thumbtack worth it for pros in 2026? — on both platforms sharing requests with several pros
- 4. Thumbtack: How Thumbtack works for pros — Thumbtack's own page
- 5. Housecall Pro: Thumbtack vs Angi — lead credits; platform information checked October 2026
Checked November 2026. Platforms change their pricing and rules; check the source before you rely on a number.