TradeKind vs Checkatrade: Which Is Better for Sussex Tradespeople?

Comparing TradeKind with Checkatrade is no longer as simple as comparing two trade directories.

Checkatrade now offers three different products for tradespeople:

• A free profile for collecting and displaying reviews
• A paid Approved membership
• Growth plans aimed more directly at enquiries, bookings and visibility

Each one needs to be compared with TradeKind separately.

For a business working across East Sussex, West Sussex or Brighton and Hove, TradeKind should be created first.

TradeKind gives Sussex tradespeople a complete local business profile, direct homeowner requests, Sussex job opportunities and regular leaflet promotion. It is 100% free to use, with no setup fees, subscriptions, commissions, lead charges, upgrade fees or hidden costs.

Checkatrade can then be added where one of its particular products provides enough additional value for the business.

TradeKind and the three Checkatrade options

Option	Advertised cost	Main role
TradeKind	Completely free	Complete Sussex trade profile, direct requests, local job opportunities and free leaflet promotion
Checkatrade Free	£0 per month	Shareable profile for collecting and displaying customer reviews
Checkatrade Approved	£30 per month	Vetted membership, Checkatrade tick, profile tools and business-management features
Checkatrade Growth	From £59 per month	Paid plans focused more directly on enquiries, bookings and increased visibility

These are advertised starting prices at the time of writing. Checkatrade promotions, VAT, agreement terms and final Growth pricing may vary.

Why TradeKind should be created first

TradeKind is built specifically for trades and homeowners in Sussex.

A national platform may include Sussex among hundreds of UK locations. TradeKind organises its searches, profiles and job opportunities around East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove.

That local focus matters.

A plumber based in Lancing may want requests from Worthing, Shoreham and Steyning rather than enquiries from locations that are impractical to reach.

A decorator in Brighton might cover Hove, Portslade and nearby parts of East and West Sussex.

A roofer in Eastbourne may work across Hailsham, Polegate, Seaford and Bexhill-on-Sea.

TradeKind gives each business space to explain exactly what it does and where it works.

An approved profile can include:

• Individual services
• Sussex towns and areas covered
• Photographs of completed work
• Customer reviews
• Frequently asked questions
• Business information
• A company website link
• Team members
• Independent Partner trades
• A private homeowner request button
• A shareable public profile link

Homeowners can find a business through local trade and town searches, request that particular company or post a job for relevant Sussex trades.

The business does not need to pay to receive or inspect an ordinary request.

TradeKind is completely free

There are no costs for Sussex tradespeople to use TradeKind.

There are:

• No setup fees
• No monthly subscriptions
• No annual membership charges
• No commission
• No lead fees
• No profile-upgrade charges
• No hidden costs

Tradespeople do not pay to:

• Create or maintain a profile
• Add services
• Choose Sussex coverage areas
• Upload photographs
• Display reviews
• Add frequently asked questions
• Link to their own website
• Show Team members
• Add independent Partner trades
• Receive ordinary homeowner requests
• Access Sussex job opportunities
• Use TradeKind’s profile features

This makes TradeKind a strong first choice for new sole traders, established family businesses and growing trade companies across Sussex.

A business can create the profile properly without first deciding whether another monthly advertising payment is affordable.

Create your free Sussex trade profile.

Completely free leaflet promotion across Sussex

TradeKind also runs regular leaflet campaigns across Sussex.

Each campaign targets a varied selection of towns and areas, with the locations changing between campaigns.

This helps introduce TradeKind and its approved trades to homeowners across different parts of:

• East Sussex
• West Sussex
• Brighton and Hove

The leaflet promotion is completely free.

Tradespeople do not pay towards:

• Design
• Printing
• Distribution
• Delivery
• Campaign planning
• Enquiries generated through the campaign

A painter in Worthing, electrician in Lewes, roofer in Eastbourne or builder in Crawley can benefit from wider local promotion without contributing towards the cost.

The leaflets help Sussex homeowners discover TradeKind. The profiles then help them find, understand and request suitable local businesses.

TradeKind vs Checkatrade Free

Checkatrade Free is the closest direct price comparison because both options cost £0.

However, the two free offers are not equivalent.

What TradeKind provides for free

TradeKind provides the complete Sussex trade presence.

A business can show its services, work, reviews, coverage, FAQs, website and wider trade network. Homeowners can send a private request or post a relevant job.

The profile is designed to help the business get found and contacted by people looking for trades across Sussex.

What Checkatrade Free provides

Checkatrade describes its free option as a business profile for collecting and displaying reviews.

This can provide another useful online mention of the company and a separate place where previous customers can leave feedback.

However, Checkatrade distinguishes free profiles from checked member profiles.

A free profile does not receive the same full contact options as a paid checked membership. Homeowners may be able to read and leave reviews, but they cannot necessarily telephone or message the business through the Checkatrade profile.

The page is also labelled to show that the business is not a Checkatrade member.

Which free profile gives a Sussex trade more?

TradeKind provides the broader free offer for a Sussex business.

It includes:

• Full local business information
• Separate services
• Sussex working areas
• Work photographs
• Reviews and FAQs
• Website access
• Direct homeowner requests
• Sussex job opportunities
• Team and Partner-trade information
• Regular local leaflet promotion

Checkatrade Free can still be claimed as an additional review profile.

There is no reason a Sussex tradesperson cannot create TradeKind first and maintain a free Checkatrade profile as another place for customer feedback.

TradeKind vs Checkatrade Approved

Checkatrade Approved is a paid membership currently advertised at £30 per month.

It includes the free profile features plus the Checkatrade tick, a vetting process, review-request tools and business-management features.

Checkatrade currently promotes Approved as a package for tradespeople who want to strengthen their reputation and manage work more easily.

Features may include:

• A professional Checkatrade business profile
• The Checkatrade tick
• One-click review requests
• Quotation tools
• Booking tools
• Centralised customer communications
• Payment reminders
• Partner discounts and savings
• Job-management features

At the advertised price, twelve months of Checkatrade Approved would cost £360 before VAT.

TradeKind would cost £0 over the same period.

That does not automatically mean the paid option is poor value. It means the business should identify exactly what it is paying for.

The Checkatrade tick

The Checkatrade tick is a recognised national membership mark.

For some businesses, displaying it on a van, website or marketing material may provide useful reassurance to homeowners who already know the Checkatrade name.

TradeKind offers a different type of value.

Its strength is providing a complete free Sussex profile, direct requests, local job opportunities and ongoing local promotion without requiring a paid membership.

A Sussex business can keep TradeKind as its main local profile and separately decide whether the Checkatrade tick is worth £30 per month plus VAT.

Does Checkatrade Approved include customer enquiries?

This needs careful checking before subscribing.

Checkatrade’s public pricing page says Approved includes appearing in its trade directory.

However, a separate Checkatrade support page states that Approved members do not appear in standard trade or location search results and should not expect ordinary leads through those searches.

That wording is not completely clear.

Before joining, ask Checkatrade:

• Where will the Approved profile appear?
• Can customers find it through normal trade and postcode searches?
• Can homeowners call or message the business?
• Are quote requests included?
• Are any enquiry-generating features separate?
• Is a Growth or Fixed Plan required for wider search exposure?

A tradesperson should know whether they are paying mainly for vetting, reputation and business tools or for customer discovery as well.

TradeKind vs Checkatrade Growth

Checkatrade Growth is the more enquiry-focused paid option.

Prices currently begin from £59 per month, with the final package shaped around factors such as:

• The business’s trade
• Services wanted
• Selected postcode areas
• Desired workload
• Number of enquiries requested
• Additional visibility features

Growth includes the Approved features and can also offer:

• A planned flow of customer enquiries
• Direct booking options
• Search-position credits
• Profile-performance information
• Checkatrade payment features
• Greater visibility within the platform

At the advertised starting rate, twelve months would cost at least £708 before VAT.

The actual amount may be higher depending on the agreed plan, coverage and enquiry level.

Where does Growth fit beside TradeKind?

TradeKind already provides:

• Direct homeowner requests
• Sussex job opportunities
• Trade and town searches
• A complete local profile
• Online and offline promotion

It provides all of that completely free.

Checkatrade Growth is therefore an optional additional national advertising package rather than something that replaces TradeKind.

A business might investigate Growth because it wants:

• More exposure through the Checkatrade brand
• A larger national platform alongside its Sussex presence
• Additional enquiry capacity
• Direct booking tools
• Paid search-position features
• A package based around specific postcode areas

The correct question is not whether Growth has more features than a free profile.

It is:

Will those additional paid features produce enough useful commercial value to justify the monthly cost?

The TradeKind profile should remain active regardless of the answer.

What does “approved” mean on TradeKind?

Every TradeKind business profile is reviewed before it can appear publicly.

TradeKind checks the submitted profile and decides whether it is suitable for publication within the Sussex trade network.

The review helps prevent businesses from appearing automatically without any oversight.

TradeKind approval means the profile has been reviewed and accepted for public display.

It does not mean TradeKind has independently guaranteed every claim, qualification, insurance policy or future piece of workmanship.

Homeowners can use the profile to examine:

• Services offered
• Sussex areas covered
• Business description
• Work photographs
• Reviews
• Frequently asked questions
• Website information
• Team and Partner-trade details

This gives them a useful starting point before making a request.

What does Checkatrade Approved mean?

Checkatrade’s paid approval process is a separate product with its own checks and membership requirements.

Checkatrade says its process may include up to 12 checks, covering areas such as:

• Identity
• Trading address
• Company history
• Qualifications where relevant
• Financial and CCJ checks
• Business and director information
• Customer experience
• Public information
• Duplicate records
• Insurance information

Approved members also agree to follow the Checkatrade Standard.

The words “approved” on TradeKind and “Approved” on Checkatrade should not be treated as identical claims.

TradeKind’s approval confirms that a profile was manually reviewed and accepted for publication.

Checkatrade Approved is a paid checked-membership product with its own stated vetting process and membership benefits.

A tradesperson should describe each status accurately rather than suggesting that one approval automatically includes the checks offered by the other.

Reviews on TradeKind and Checkatrade

Reviews help homeowners understand how previous customers experienced a business.

TradeKind profiles can display genuine customer reviews alongside:

• Services
• Work photographs
• Sussex coverage
• FAQs
• Website link
• Team information
• Partner trades
• Direct request route

This places the feedback within the wider context of the business.

Checkatrade Free allows tradespeople to collect and display reviews without paying for membership.

Approved and Growth members can also use Checkatrade’s review-request tools and checked-member profile features.

A Sussex trade business can reasonably collect reviews in more than one place.

The important points are that the feedback is genuine, reflects real customer experiences and remains consistent with the work the business actually provides.

The Checkatrade Guarantee

Eligible work arranged through Checkatrade may qualify for its discretionary guarantee of up to £1,000, subject to conditions and exclusions.

Checkatrade’s published information says the guarantee can contribute towards the cost of correcting substandard work where the qualifying conditions are met.

For newer eligible jobs, the homeowner may need to have contacted the trade through Checkatrade and paid through Checkatrade Pay.

The guarantee can provide additional reassurance, but it is not an automatic promise that every dispute or problem will be covered.

Homeowners should still:

• Agree the work clearly
• Obtain a written quotation
• Check relevant qualifications
• Ask about insurance
• Confirm payment stages
• Keep records of changes and messages

TradeKind does not charge tradespeople for a membership guarantee product.

Its value is providing the complete Sussex profile, direct requests, local job opportunities and promotion completely free.

What twelve months could cost

The advertised starting figures make the commercial difference easier to understand.

Platform option	Illustrative 12-month price before VAT
TradeKind	£0
Checkatrade Free	£0
Checkatrade Approved	£360
Checkatrade Growth	From £708

These figures do not include VAT, temporary offers, payment charges, optional extras or Growth pricing above the advertised starting point.

The purpose of the table is not to suggest that every paid service is a waste of money.

A paid membership can be worthwhile when its additional benefits produce enough value.

That value might include:

• Profitable enquiries
• Time saved on administration
• A recognised membership badge
• Customer bookings
• Useful partner discounts
• Easier payment collection
• A stronger presence on the paid platform

The business should identify which benefits it expects and then measure whether they materialise.

TradeKind’s advantage is straightforward: the complete Sussex offer costs nothing to use.

A better marketing stack for Sussex tradespeople

TradeKind and Checkatrade do not need to be treated as an all-or-nothing choice.

A sensible marketing stack can be built in layers.

The local foundation

Start with:

• TradeKind
• Google Business Profile
• The company website
• Genuine customer reviews

TradeKind becomes the complete Sussex profile and request route.

Google Business Profile can support visibility across Search and Maps.

The company website remains the main online asset the business controls.

Additional free profiles

The business can then claim useful free listings, including Checkatrade Free.

These can provide extra online mentions and places for customers to leave reviews.

The information should remain accurate and consistent.

Optional paid products

Paid products can be added where their specific benefits justify the cost.

That could include:

• Checkatrade Approved for its checked-membership badge and business tools
• Checkatrade Growth for an additional enquiry and booking package
• Google advertising
• Local magazine advertising
• Other carefully selected lead platforms

TradeKind remains at the centre because it provides the full Sussex profile and local work routes without creating another monthly expense.

Example: a Worthing painter and decorator

A painter and decorator covering Worthing, Lancing, Shoreham and Steyning creates a TradeKind profile first.

The profile shows:

• Interior decorating
• Exterior painting
• Wallpaper hanging
• Rental-property decorating
• Project photographs
• Reviews
• Sussex coverage
• Website link
• Private request button

Homeowners can find and request the business directly.

The decorator may also claim a Checkatrade Free profile as another place to collect reviews.

If the business later values the Checkatrade tick or its management tools, it can assess Approved separately.

TradeKind remains the complete local presence throughout.

Example: a Crawley building company

A growing building company serves Crawley, Horsham, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill.

Its TradeKind profile explains:

• Extensions
• Renovations
• Garage conversions
• Structural alterations
• Refurbishments
• Team members
• Independent Partner trades

This helps homeowners understand the wider business before requesting a quotation.

The company may then investigate Checkatrade Growth if it wants an additional national enquiry package.

The decision should depend on the exact price, postcode coverage, expected work and available capacity—not simply the size of the Checkatrade name.

Example: an Eastbourne plumber

An Eastbourne plumber creates a complete TradeKind profile covering Hailsham, Polegate, Seaford and nearby areas.

The profile separates:

• Leaks and repairs
• Bathroom plumbing
• Tap and toilet repairs
• Radiator work
• Pipework
• Emergency services

The business can receive direct requests and relevant Sussex opportunities without paying for them.

It may consider Checkatrade Approved because it values the tick, review tools and administration features.

That is a separate decision from whether TradeKind is worthwhile.

TradeKind remains free and useful regardless of whether the plumber buys another membership.

What should you ask before paying Checkatrade?

Before choosing Approved, Growth or another Checkatrade product, ask:

• Which exact plan is being offered?
• What is the full monthly price including VAT?
• Is there a minimum agreement term?
• Which trades and services are included?
• Which postcodes are included?
• Where will the profile appear?
• Can customers call, message or request quotations?
• How many enquiries are included or expected?
• Which features cost extra?
• What happens at renewal?
• How does cancellation work?
• Does any introductory offer change the contract term?

Do not choose a plan based only on the lowest advertised monthly number.

The full agreement should match the business’s services, location, capacity and marketing budget.

How to measure a paid Checkatrade plan

Record:

• Total membership cost including VAT
• Additional campaign or booking costs
• Enquiries received
• Suitable enquiries
• Quotations
• Jobs won
• Revenue
• Gross profit
• Repeat work
• Referrals

The simplest calculation is:

Total Checkatrade spend ÷ completed jobs = direct acquisition cost per completed job

That figure does not measure every possible benefit. A membership badge, payment tool or useful discount may also have value.

However, the business should still understand whether the commercial result justifies the recurring cost.

TradeKind does not create an equivalent membership or ordinary lead cost because it is completely free.

TradeKind vs Checkatrade: which should Sussex tradespeople choose?

TradeKind is the best first choice for tradespeople across East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove.

It provides:

• A complete Sussex trade profile
• Direct homeowner requests
• Sussex job opportunities
• Search by trade and location
• Individual services
• Accurate coverage areas
• Work photographs
• Reviews
• Frequently asked questions
• Company website links
• Team and Partner-trade information
• Completely free regular leaflet campaigns

There are no setup fees, subscriptions, commissions, lead charges, upgrade fees or hidden costs.

Checkatrade Free can provide another place to collect and display customer reviews.

Checkatrade Approved can add its paid checked-membership status, tick and business-management tools.

Checkatrade Growth can provide an additional paid package focused on enquiries, bookings and visibility.

These options can be used alongside TradeKind, but they do not replace the value of a complete Sussex profile that costs nothing.

Whether you are a plumber in Worthing, decorator in Brighton, electrician in Hastings, roofer in Eastbourne, builder in Crawley or landscaper in Horsham, establish TradeKind first.

Then add a Checkatrade product only when its particular additional features provide enough value for your business.

Create your free Sussex trade profile.

Compare TradeKind with other trade platforms

• TradeKind vs MyBuilder: Which Is Better for Finding Work in Sussex?
• TradeKind vs Rated People: Which Is Better for Sussex Trades?
• TradeKind vs TrustATrader: Which Platform Suits Sussex Tradespeople?
• TradeKind vs Friday-Ad: Where Should Sussex Tradespeople Advertise?
• TradeKind vs Local Facebook Groups: Which Works Better for Sussex Tradespeople?
• TradeKind vs Sussex Business Directories: What Does a Trade Listing Actually Give You?
• TradeKind vs Local Print Advertising: Online Profile or Door-to-Door Reach?
• TradeKind vs Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People and TrustATrader Compared
• Where to Advertise a Trade Business in Sussex: Free and Paid Options Compared