TradeKind vs Rated People for Sussex Tradespeople: Current Availability and Alternatives

TradeKind and Rated People now need to be compared differently from the way they were in earlier versions of this guide.

TradeKind currently gives approved tradespeople across East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove a public Sussex-focused profile and direct homeowner request route without a setup fee, subscription or ordinary lead charge.

Rated People’s own tradesperson help page now says that new memberships have closed and that new homeowner leads are sent to Checkatrade. That means the older Rated People model described in this article — new credit plans, lead purchases and Unlimited packages for trades joining the platform — is no longer an accurate description for a new Sussex tradesperson.

TradeKind vs Rated People now

Question	TradeKind	Rated People
Can a Sussex trade create a current profile?	Yes, subject to TradeKind’s profile review	Rated People says new memberships have closed
Current focus for new trade acquisition	Sussex-focused public profiles and homeowner requests	Rated People directs new leads to Checkatrade
Ordinary TradeKind request charge	No current ordinary lead charge	The previous standalone lead model should not be treated as a current joining option
Geographic focus	East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove	UK brand, with new lead activity now connected to Checkatrade
What should a trade check?	Current TradeKind profile terms and service coverage	Rated People’s current help pages and Checkatrade’s current offer

Current platform arrangements can change, so check the providers’ own current pages before making a paid marketing decision.

What changed at Rated People?

Rated People’s current tradesperson FAQ states that it has closed new memberships and that new leads are sent to Checkatrade.

That is materially different from the previous standalone model, where this article described tradespeople joining Rated People, buying or using lead credit and choosing Unlimited packages. Those details have been removed here because they are no longer a reliable description of the route available to a new trade business.

If you already have a historical Rated People account, your account position may differ from that of a new applicant. Check the current account information and terms shown to you rather than relying on old pricing or package descriptions.

What TradeKind currently offers

TradeKind is launching Sussex-first across East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove.

An approved public trade profile can show relevant business information such as services, service areas, work photographs, reviews, FAQs and a website link. Homeowners can browse profiles, request a specific business or post a job.

Creating a TradeKind trade profile is currently free, and TradeKind does not currently charge an ordinary lead fee for homeowner requests.

That is TradeKind’s current proposition; it is not a guarantee of enquiries, jobs, rankings or commercial results.

Create your free Sussex trade profile.

If you were considering Rated People for new leads

Do not make a buying decision using old Rated People package prices, credit allowances or Unlimited-plan descriptions.

Instead:

1. Check Rated People’s current tradesperson help page.
2. If it directs new trade acquisition to Checkatrade, review Checkatrade’s current products and terms directly.
3. Compare any quoted paid product with the channels you already use.
4. Measure the real cost against suitable enquiries, quotations and completed profitable work.

A paid platform can be worthwhile for one business and poor value for another. The useful comparison is the current written offer, not the historic brand model.

Can you use TradeKind alongside other platforms?

Yes.

A Sussex trade business may use a mix of:

• TradeKind
• Google Business Profile
• Its own website
• Customer recommendations
• Social media
• Local advertising
• Other directories or lead platforms whose current terms suit the business

Keep business details consistent and accurate across the channels you maintain. Remove or update old profiles when they no longer represent the business correctly.

How to measure any paid platform

For any paid directory, membership or lead service, record:

• Total spend including VAT
• Suitable enquiries
• Quotations
• Jobs won
• Revenue
• Gross profit
• Time spent following up
• Travel and other acquisition costs

A simple starting calculation is:

Total platform cost ÷ completed jobs = direct platform cost per completed job

That does not capture every branding or review benefit, but it prevents a high volume of notifications from being mistaken for profitable work.

TradeKind vs Rated People: the current position

For a new Sussex trade business, these are no longer two equivalent signup options.

TradeKind currently offers a free Sussex-focused profile and direct request route. Rated People states that new memberships have closed and that new leads are sent to Checkatrade.

If you are comparing paid alternatives, use the current Checkatrade offer or another live platform’s current terms rather than historic Rated People pricing.

This page was materially refreshed in September 2026 to reflect Rated People’s current published position.

Compare TradeKind with other trade platforms

• TradeKind vs Checkatrade for Sussex Tradespeople: Costs, Profiles and Enquiries
• TradeKind vs MyBuilder for Sussex Tradespeople: Profiles, Job Leads and Fees
• 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?
• Where to Advertise a Trade Business in Sussex: Free and Paid Options Compared