TradeKind vs MyBuilder: Which Is Better for Finding Work in Sussex?

A Sussex tradesperson should not have to pay before a homeowner can understand the business, view its work or send an ordinary request.

TradeKind gives approved businesses across East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove a complete local profile, direct homeowner requests, Sussex job opportunities and regular leaflet promotion. It is 100% free to use.

MyBuilder works differently. Homeowners post jobs, tradespeople express interest, and a shortlist fee becomes payable when the customer’s contact details are shared.

For most Sussex trade businesses, the sensible order is:

1. Create and complete the free TradeKind profile.
2. Use it as the main local home for the business.
3. Begin receiving direct requests and relevant Sussex job opportunities.
4. Consider selected MyBuilder jobs as an additional advertising channel.
5. Pay a shortlist fee only when the particular opportunity appears commercially worthwhile.

TradeKind remains useful whether a business wants more work now, is building its reputation or is expanding into more Sussex towns.

TradeKind vs MyBuilder at a glance

Question	TradeKind	MyBuilder
What is it?	A free Sussex trade network with detailed profiles, direct requests and local job opportunities	A UK marketplace connecting tradespeople with jobs posted by homeowners
Geographic focus	East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove	UK-wide
Cost to join	Completely free	Free signup and professional profile
When does the trade pay?	It does not	When the customer’s contact details are shared
Is payment linked to winning the job?	No payment is required	No. The shortlist fee remains payable if the work is not won
How can work arrive?	Direct homeowner requests and Sussex job posts	The trade expresses interest in individual posted jobs
What can a profile show?	Services, Sussex coverage, photographs, reviews, FAQs, website, Team and Partner trades	Business information, photographs, work history and customer feedback
Are private contact details public?	No. Homeowners can send a private request	Contact is managed through the MyBuilder connection process
Offline promotion	Completely free regular leaflet campaigns across changing Sussex locations	Not a central feature
Best role for a Sussex trade	Main local profile and completely free route towards work	Optional additional marketplace for selected posted jobs

MyBuilder’s fees and features can change. Tradespeople should check the price shown for each opportunity before taking an action that may share the customer’s contact details.

Follow one Sussex job from start to finish

The clearest way to understand TradeKind vs MyBuilder is to follow the same type of project through both platforms.

Imagine a homeowner in Worthing wants to replace an old bathroom.

They need somebody who can manage the fitting, plumbing, tiling and finishing work, but they have not chosen a business.

Before contact on TradeKind

The homeowner can search TradeKind for bathroom fitters covering Worthing.

They may find a local profile showing:

• Complete bathroom fitting
• Plumbing alterations
• Tiling
• Shower installation
• Vanity units and sanitaryware
• Work photographs
• Customer reviews
• Frequently asked questions
• Worthing, Lancing and Shoreham as covered areas
• Team members and independent Partner trades
• A link to the business website

The homeowner can understand the business before making contact.

They can then send a private request directly to that bathroom fitter, describing the existing room, the planned work and the likely timescale.

Alternatively, the homeowner can post the bathroom job for relevant Sussex trades to consider.

The trade does not pay to unlock the ordinary request or inspect the opportunity.

Before contact on MyBuilder

On MyBuilder, the homeowner begins by posting the bathroom job.

Matching tradespeople are alerted and can express interest.

The homeowner can examine interested businesses by looking at their profiles, work history, photographs and reviews. Depending on how the connection proceeds, the customer’s details may be shared immediately or after the homeowner confirms the connection.

Once the details are shared, the tradesperson is charged the displayed shortlist fee.

The fee creates an opportunity to contact the homeowner. It does not guarantee that the business will be invited to quote or chosen for the project.

Both platforms can introduce a bathroom fitter to a homeowner.

The important difference is that TradeKind gives the Sussex business a complete local profile, direct request route and access to Sussex job opportunities without charging anything.

When does MyBuilder charge tradespeople?

This is one of the main questions tradespeople ask when comparing TradeKind and MyBuilder.

Creating a MyBuilder trade profile and receiving matching opportunities is free.

A charge is triggered when a customer’s contact details are shared with the tradesperson following their interest in a job.

MyBuilder calls this a shortlist fee.

The fee is shown before the trade takes the action that may result in the details being shared. It is calculated using factors such as:

• The likely size of the job
• Estimated value
• Location
• Type of work required

The displayed shortlist fee excludes VAT.

Depending on the opportunity, contact details may be shared:

• Immediately after the trade takes the relevant action
• After the homeowner confirms the connection
• When the trade accepts an invitation that creates contact

The key point is the same in each case:

The shortlist fee becomes payable when the customer’s contact details are shared.

The fee is still payable if:

• The homeowner does not reply
• The project changes
• The customer postpones the work
• The tradesperson does not provide a quotation
• Another business wins the job
• The homeowner decides not to continue

The shortlist fee buys the opportunity to contact the homeowner—not the completed job.

TradeKind does not charge for ordinary requests or leads

TradeKind uses a completely free model for Sussex tradespeople.

There are:

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

Tradespeople do not pay to:

• Create a business profile
• Add individual services
• Select Sussex coverage areas
• Upload photographs
• Display reviews
• Add frequently asked questions
• Link to the company website
• Show Team members
• Add independent Partner trades
• Receive ordinary homeowner requests
• Access Sussex job opportunities
• Use TradeKind’s profile features

That changes how a business can assess an enquiry.

A small repair, uncertain project or customer who is still gathering information has not already created an acquisition cost for the trade.

The business can first consider whether the job is suitable.

What happens after the first conversation?

Whether contact begins through TradeKind, MyBuilder, Facebook, Google or a recommendation, the first conversation is only the beginning.

The business may still need to:

• Ask for photographs
• Clarify the work
• Visit the property
• Prepare a quotation
• Discuss materials
• Agree timing
• Check access
• Decide whether the job fits its workload

The customer may also:

• Change the project
• Reduce or expand the work
• Speak to several tradespeople
• Delay the job
• Decide not to proceed

That is normal.

The financial difference is that an ordinary TradeKind request did not begin with a paid shortlist or lead fee.

A MyBuilder connection needs to produce enough profitable work to justify not only the fee, but also the time spent contacting customers, travelling and preparing quotations.

What a TradeKind profile gives Sussex tradespeople

A homeowner does not choose a tradesperson based only on a contact button.

They need enough information to decide whether the business appears suitable.

TradeKind gives each approved Sussex trade a complete profile that can continue supporting the business before, during and after an enquiry.

Separate services instead of vague descriptions

A broad category such as “builder” tells the homeowner very little.

A TradeKind builder can show individual services such as:

• Extensions
• Garage conversions
• Renovations
• Structural alterations
• Brickwork
• Property repairs
• Refurbishments

A painter and decorator can separate:

• Interior decorating
• Exterior painting
• Wallpaper hanging
• Woodwork preparation
• Rental-property decorating
• Commercial decorating

A roofer can show:

• Roof repairs
• Flat roofing
• Chimney work
• Guttering
• Storm-damage repairs
• Complete re-roofing

This helps homeowners find a business that genuinely matches the work.

Accurate Sussex coverage

A business can show the towns and areas it realistically covers.

For example:

• A plumber covering Worthing, Shoreham, Lancing and Steyning
• A roofer working across Eastbourne, Hailsham, Polegate and Seaford
• An electrician serving Hastings, Bexhill and nearby East Sussex towns
• A builder covering Crawley, Horsham and Haywards Heath
• A decorator working across Brighton, Hove and Portslade
• A landscaper serving Burgess Hill, Uckfield and surrounding areas

Clear coverage helps reduce unsuitable enquiries and excessive travel.

It also strengthens the local relevance of the profile for homeowners searching for tradespeople in Sussex.

Work photographs and reviews

Real photographs allow the homeowner to see the type of projects the business completes.

They are particularly valuable for visual trades including:

• Painting and decorating
• Roofing
• Landscaping
• Carpentry
• Tiling
• Kitchen fitting
• Bathroom fitting
• Building work
• Driveways
• Property renovation

Reviews add customer experience alongside the work examples.

On TradeKind, those reviews sit within the wider local profile containing services, coverage, photographs, FAQs and the business website.

Frequently asked questions

A useful FAQ section within the trade profile can answer practical questions before the first conversation.

A business might explain:

• How quotations are arranged
• Whether smaller jobs are accepted
• Which materials are supplied
• What preparation is required
• Which areas are covered
• How far ahead the business normally books
• Whether Team members may complete the work
• Which independent Partner trades may be involved

This can make the homeowner’s request more informed and relevant.

Direct requests without publishing private details

Homeowners can send a private request through TradeKind.

The business does not need to display its private telephone number or email address publicly.

This gives the homeowner a clear way to describe the job while giving the trade more control over its contact information.

TradeKind is 100% free

TradeKind is completely free for tradespeople operating across Sussex.

It is not a limited trial, a basic profile designed to push users towards an upgrade or a free entry that later charges to unlock ordinary enquiries.

The complete profile and work-generation features are free.

A new sole trader can create a professional Sussex presence without adding another monthly marketing expense.

An established business can use TradeKind alongside its own website, Google Business Profile, recommendations and social media.

A larger trade company can show Team members and Partner trades involved in wider projects.

The profile remains useful whether the business wants more work now, is building future demand or is expanding into new Sussex locations.

Create your free Sussex trade profile.

Completely free leaflet campaigns 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 campaigns are completely free for tradespeople.

Members do not pay anything towards:

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

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

The leaflets help homeowners discover TradeKind.

The profiles then help those homeowners understand and request suitable Sussex businesses.

How the MyBuilder shortlist process works

MyBuilder’s marketplace follows a clear sequence.

1. A homeowner posts a job

The customer describes the work and supplies information such as:

• Trade required
• Location
• Job details
• Photographs
• Timing
• Approximate scope

The better the job description, the easier it is for a tradesperson to judge whether the opportunity is relevant.

2. Matching tradespeople are alerted

MyBuilder sends the opportunity to tradespeople whose skills and working area appear suitable.

Trades can receive a stream of matching local job leads through their account.

3. Tradespeople express interest

The tradesperson decides whether the job is worth pursuing.

They can examine the available description, location and displayed shortlist fee before taking an action that may create the connection.

4. The homeowner reviews interested businesses

The customer can consider:

• Profile information
• Photographs
• Previous work
• Reviews
• Responsiveness
• Initial messages or estimates

They then decide which tradespeople they want to connect with.

5. Contact details are shared

When the relevant connection is created, the customer’s contact details are shared and the shortlist fee becomes payable.

6. The trade tries to win the work

The tradesperson can contact the homeowner, ask questions, arrange a visit and provide a quotation.

MyBuilder does not guarantee that every paid connection will become a completed job.

What does a MyBuilder shortlist fee buy?

A shortlist fee buys access to the customer’s contact details and the opportunity to discuss the work.

That opportunity may be commercially worthwhile.

For example:

A £25 shortlist fee that becomes a profitable £2,000 bathroom project could represent excellent value.

But the fee needs to be considered across all connections—not only the successful one.

For example:

Three £25 shortlist fees create £75 of advertising cost before VAT. If none produces a completed job, the business has spent money and quotation time without generating revenue.

This does not mean MyBuilder cannot work.

It means every shortlist should be treated as a paid advertising decision.

Before expressing interest, consider:

• Is the job clearly described?
• Is it within the desired working area?
• Does it match the services the business wants?
• Is the likely value high enough?
• Can the business respond promptly?
• Is there time to visit and quote?
• Does the fee make sense for the possible profit?

TradeKind provides the free local foundation first. MyBuilder can then be used selectively where a particular job appears worthwhile.

Profiles, photographs and customer feedback

Both platforms help homeowners examine tradespeople before deciding what to do next.

A MyBuilder trade profile can show information such as:

• Business details
• Work history
• Photographs
• Customer reviews
• Trade categories
• Previous activity on the platform

MyBuilder also requires applicants to provide information and complete checks during registration, including identity verification and trade evaluations.

TradeKind presents the business within a Sussex-focused local profile.

Alongside reviews and photographs, it can show:

• Separate services
• Sussex towns covered
• Frequently asked questions
• Business website
• Team members
• Independent Partner trades
• Private homeowner request route

The goal is to give Sussex homeowners a clear picture of the business before contact begins.

A Worthing bathroom fitter

A bathroom fitter based in Worthing creates a TradeKind profile showing:

• Complete bathroom installations
• Shower replacements
• Plumbing alterations
• Wall and floor tiling
• Vanity-unit fitting
• Worthing, Lancing and Shoreham coverage
• Work photographs
• Reviews
• Partner plumbers or electricians where relevant

Homeowners can find and request the business directly.

The fitter can also consider bathroom jobs posted through TradeKind without paying a shortlist fee.

If a particularly suitable MyBuilder job appears, the business may choose to express interest after checking the location, project details and displayed fee.

TradeKind remains the full local profile and free request route.

An Eastbourne roofer

A roofer covering Eastbourne and Hailsham uses TradeKind to show:

• Roof repairs
• Leak investigations
• Flat roofing
• Guttering
• Chimney work
• Storm-damage repairs
• Relevant East Sussex coverage
• Real work photographs

A homeowner can understand the business and send a private request.

The roofer may also review selected MyBuilder jobs, but each shortlist is judged against the likely job value, travel and quotation time.

The business does not need to choose between having a TradeKind profile and testing another marketplace.

The free TradeKind presence remains central.

A Crawley builder

A builder covering Crawley and Horsham may be looking for fewer, better-matched projects.

The TradeKind profile can explain:

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

That information helps homeowners understand the company before requesting a quotation for a larger project.

The builder can then assess MyBuilder opportunities individually.

A clearly described local renovation may justify its shortlist fee. A vague job requiring long-distance travel may not.

The decision is commercial rather than automatic.

How to use MyBuilder alongside TradeKind

A Sussex tradesperson can use both platforms, but each should have a clear role.

A sensible order is:

1. Create the free TradeKind profile.
2. Add each important service.
3. Select accurate Sussex coverage areas.
4. Upload genuine work photographs.
5. Add reviews and useful FAQs.
6. Link the company website.
7. Begin receiving direct requests and Sussex job opportunities.
8. Review selected MyBuilder jobs if another source is wanted.
9. Check the shortlist fee before creating the connection.
10. Continue only where paid shortlists produce worthwhile completed work.

This avoids paying for opportunities before the business has built the free local presence available through TradeKind.

It also makes the TradeKind profile useful across other channels, including:

• Facebook recommendations
• WhatsApp
• Email
• Google searches
• Customer referrals
• Printed leaflets
• QR codes
• Quotations
• Business directories

What to check before paying a MyBuilder shortlist fee

Before taking an action that may share the customer’s details, check:

• The fee excluding VAT
• The full fee including VAT
• The exact location
• The service required
• The information supplied by the homeowner
• The likely job size
• Travel time
• Quotation time
• Whether the work fits the business
• MyBuilder’s current refund and account-credit rules

MyBuilder’s published terms describe shortlist fees as generally non-refundable, subject to its policies.

Where MyBuilder approves a refund, it is normally provided as account credit rather than cash.

That credit can be used against future shortlist fees but cannot normally be withdrawn or transferred.

How to measure whether MyBuilder is worthwhile

Do not judge MyBuilder only by how many leads appear in the account.

Track:

• Total shortlist fees including VAT
• Suitable connections
• Homeowners who responded
• Quotations completed
• Jobs won
• Revenue
• Gross profit

The simplest useful calculation is:

Total MyBuilder shortlist fees including VAT ÷ completed jobs = direct acquisition cost per completed job

Then consider the other costs:

• Time spent reviewing leads
• Telephone calls
• Messages
• Site visits
• Travel
• Quotation preparation
• Jobs that changed or did not proceed

A paid marketplace is commercially useful when the resulting completed work justifies the full cost.

TradeKind does not create an equivalent profile, subscription, shortlist or ordinary lead cost because it is completely free.

TradeKind vs MyBuilder: which should Sussex trades 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
• Searches by trade and location
• Individual service information
• Accurate coverage areas
• Work photographs
• Reviews
• Frequently asked questions
• Website links
• Team and Partner-trade information
• Completely free regular leaflet campaigns

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

MyBuilder provides an additional UK marketplace where tradespeople can express interest in individual homeowner jobs.

Signing up and building a MyBuilder profile is free, but a shortlist fee becomes payable when the customer’s contact details are shared. That fee applies whether or not the trade wins the job.

For a Sussex business, the strongest approach is to make TradeKind the main local foundation and treat MyBuilder as an optional additional source of selected posted opportunities.

Whether you are a bathroom fitter in Worthing, roofer in Eastbourne, decorator in Brighton, electrician in Hastings, builder in Crawley or landscaper in Horsham, begin with the platform that gives your business a complete local presence and routes towards new work without charging you anything.

Create your free Sussex trade profile.

Compare TradeKind with other trade platforms

• TradeKind vs Checkatrade: Which Is Better for Sussex Tradespeople?
• 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