TradeKind vs Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People and TrustATrader Compared

For a tradesperson working in Sussex, TradeKind is the strongest place to start.

It gives approved local businesses a complete public profile, direct homeowner requests, access to Sussex job opportunities, a website link, work photographs, services, reviews, FAQs and detailed coverage areas without a setup fee, subscription, commission or ordinary lead charge.

Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People and TrustATrader can provide additional ways to promote a trade business or pursue work, but each uses a different model and may involve memberships, shortlist fees or paid lead access.

The sensible approach for most Sussex tradespeople is therefore:

1. Create and complete a free TradeKind profile.
2. Use it as the main Sussex-focused home for the business.
3. Add other platforms where their particular features justify the cost.
4. Track which channels produce suitable and profitable work.

This guide compares what TradeKind, Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People and TrustATrader offer painters, plumbers, electricians, builders, roofers and other local trades across East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove.

TradeKind, Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People and TrustATrader compared

Comparison	TradeKind	Checkatrade	MyBuilder	Rated People	TrustATrader
Main purpose	Help Sussex homeowners find, compare and request local trades	National trade profiles, reviews, membership and customer enquiries	Connect trades with individual jobs posted by homeowners	Provide paid access to homeowner job opportunities	Paid directory membership, reviews and enquiries
Geographic focus	East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove	UK-wide	UK-wide	UK-wide	UK-wide
Cost to create a basic presence	Currently free	Free profile available	Free signup and professional profile	A paid plan is generally needed to access leads	Paid membership
How work can arrive	Direct requests to the business and Sussex job posts	Calls, quote requests, bookings and enquiries depending on the plan	Trades express interest and pay when customer details are shared	Trades access relevant leads through the selected plan	Homeowners find and contact members through directory profiles
Payment model	No setup fee, subscription, commission or ordinary lead fee currently	Free, Approved and Growth options	Shortlist fee when contact details are shared	Subscription, credit and Unlimited options	Membership fee with no commission on leads
Public trade profile	Detailed Sussex-focused profile	Business profile with features depending on plan	Professional trade profile	Rated People profile	Directory profile
Website link	Included on approved profiles	Features can depend on the plan	Platform contact is managed through MyBuilder	Profile features depend on the account	Company details are displayed within the directory
Reviews	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Best role for a Sussex business	The main free local profile and request route	Additional national visibility and brand recognition	Optional access to selected posted jobs	Optional paid access to a wider job marketplace	Additional paid review-led directory presence
Main cost consideration	No ordinary trade charge currently	Paid plans and agreement terms need checking	A shortlist fee is payable even if the job is not won	Access costs do not guarantee completed work	The membership must generate enough value to justify its price

Prices, plans and features can change. Check the latest terms directly before purchasing any paid platform or membership.

Why TradeKind should be the first choice for Sussex tradespeople

TradeKind is built specifically around local trades and homeowners in Sussex.

It is not a national directory with one general Sussex category hidden among thousands of UK locations. Its profiles, trade pages, town pages and homeowner requests are organised around East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove.

An approved TradeKind profile can show:

• Business name and description
• Logo and cover image
• Photographs of completed work
• Individual services
• Sussex towns and areas covered
• Customer reviews
• Frequently asked questions
• Business website link
• Team members
• Independent Partner trades
• A private Request This Trade button
• A public profile link that can be shared elsewhere

This gives homeowners more than a name and telephone number.

Someone searching for a roofer in Worthing can see the roofing services offered, examples of previous work, the areas covered and answers to common questions before making contact.

A homeowner looking for a painter and decorator in Brighton can compare interior decorating, exterior painting, wallpapering and rental-property services rather than relying on a vague description such as “all work undertaken”.

A customer who needs an electrician in Eastbourne can check whether the business offers fault finding, rewiring, consumer-unit work, lighting, alarms or landlord services.

Clear information helps homeowners find a more suitable business and helps the trade receive better-informed requests.

TradeKind can help whether you need work now or want to grow over time

TradeKind should not be described as a platform only for businesses that are already busy.

It gives Sussex tradespeople several routes towards new work:

• Homeowners can find the business through trade and town searches.
• A homeowner can request that specific business directly.
• Homeowners can post jobs for relevant Sussex trades.
• The profile can be shared through Facebook recommendations.
• The profile can be linked from the company website.
• It can be sent through WhatsApp, email or quotations.
• It can be added to leaflets, QR codes and printed advertising.
• Search engines and AI platforms can understand the structured services and locations shown on the profile.

A complete TradeKind profile is therefore useful when the business wants more enquiries, wants to strengthen its local reputation or wants to become easier to find across Sussex.

What does TradeKind currently cost?

TradeKind is currently free for approved Sussex trades.

There is currently:

• No setup fee
• No monthly subscription
• No annual membership fee
• No commission
• No ordinary homeowner request fee
• No payment required to unlock the core profile features

The business can add its services, photographs, FAQs, reviews, coverage areas and website link without moving onto a paid tier.

This makes TradeKind a particularly strong starting point for sole traders, family businesses and growing trade companies that want additional local visibility without increasing their fixed monthly costs.

A plumber in Shoreham, builder in Crawley, decorator in Lancing or landscaper in Horsham can create the profile now and begin using it immediately across other marketing channels.

Create your free Sussex trade profile.

Checkatrade: an established national trade platform

Checkatrade is a well-known UK trade platform offering business profiles, reviews, customer enquiries and paid membership features.

Its national advertising and recognised name can make it a useful additional platform for businesses that want exposure beyond a Sussex-specific network.

Checkatrade currently offers three main levels.

Checkatrade Free

The free option allows a business to create a profile that can be shared with customers and used to collect and display reviews.

This can provide another online mention of the business without immediately committing to a paid membership.

The free profile should not be confused with checked membership or a lead-focused Growth plan.

Checkatrade Approved

The Approved plan is currently advertised at £30 per month.

It includes the Checkatrade tick after the relevant checks, directory presence, review-request tools and features intended to help businesses manage quotations, customer communication and payments.

This may suit a business that values the Checkatrade name and wants to display its membership as part of its wider marketing.

Checkatrade Growth

Growth plans currently begin from £59 per month.

They are more directly focused on generating enquiries and can include different workload levels, booking options, search visibility features and profile-performance information.

The final package may depend on the trade, services, working area and number of enquiries requested.

Before joining a paid Checkatrade plan, confirm:

• The complete monthly price including VAT
• The length of the agreement
• The Sussex postcode areas included
• The number and type of enquiries expected
• Which membership features are included
• Whether additional services carry separate charges
• How cancellation or renewal works

Checkatrade can provide useful additional national exposure. For a Sussex trade business, it works best alongside a complete TradeKind profile rather than replacing the local presence that TradeKind provides.

Read TradeKind vs Checkatrade: Which Is Better for Sussex Tradespeople?.

MyBuilder: choose which homeowner jobs interest you

MyBuilder is built around jobs posted by homeowners.

Tradespeople can sign up for free, create a professional profile and receive opportunities matching their trade and working area.

The process normally works like this:

1. A homeowner posts a job.
2. MyBuilder sends the opportunity to relevant tradespeople.
3. Interested trades decide whether to respond.
4. The homeowner reviews profiles and chooses who to shortlist.
5. The trade pays a shortlist fee when the customer’s contact details are shared.
6. The trade contacts the homeowner and attempts to agree the work.

The shortlist fee is displayed before the contact details are released.

It remains payable because the customer’s details have been shared, even if the trade does not ultimately win the job.

When can MyBuilder be useful?

MyBuilder can be used as an additional source of selected job opportunities.

For example:

• A bathroom fitter in Worthing can express interest in relevant bathroom projects.
• A roofer in Hastings can choose nearby repair or replacement jobs.
• A carpenter in Lewes can respond to suitable joinery work.
• A handyman in Haywards Heath can focus on smaller jobs within a sensible travel distance.
• A builder in Eastbourne can pursue clearly described renovation or extension projects.

The trade controls which jobs it expresses interest in, but the financial value still needs to be measured carefully.

The shortlist fee, quotation time, travel and likelihood of winning the job should all be considered.

A business can keep TradeKind as its free Sussex profile and use MyBuilder selectively when a particular job looks worthwhile.

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

Rated People: paid access to posted job opportunities

Rated People connects tradespeople with homeowners who have described work they need completing.

Relevant job opportunities are shown to trades operating in the appropriate category and location. A trade can then decide whether to access the lead and contact the customer.

Rated People limits the number of tradespeople who can purchase the same lead, helping to prevent an unlimited number of businesses competing for one opportunity.

Its current commercial options include credit-based plans and Unlimited packages.

Rated People credit plans

A monthly plan may include credit that can be used to access individual leads.

The cost of a lead can vary according to factors such as:

• The type of work
• The likely job value
• The location
• Demand for the trade
• Information supplied by the homeowner

The price is shown before the trade decides whether to access it.

Rated People Unlimited

Unlimited packages use a fixed monthly fee and include qualifying job leads within the selected primary trade and working area.

Included jobs generally have a homeowner budget of up to £4,000. Opportunities outside the plan’s criteria may still be available through a separate payment.

Eligibility and pricing vary according to the trade and coverage area.

How Rated People can fit alongside TradeKind

Rated People can provide an additional paid route towards posted jobs, while TradeKind remains the business’s free Sussex-focused profile and direct request route.

A plumber covering Brighton and Hove might use TradeKind to present all of their services and receive direct local requests, while also considering selected Rated People opportunities.

A landscaping company around Horsham could use its TradeKind gallery and service information as part of its permanent local presence, then assess whether a Rated People plan adds enough profitable work to justify the cost.

The question is not simply how many leads appear.

The business should measure how many become:

• Relevant conversations
• Site visits
• Quotations
• Completed jobs
• Profitable work
• Repeat customers
• Recommendations

Read TradeKind vs Rated People: Which Is Better for Sussex Trades?.

TrustATrader: paid directory membership and reviews

TrustATrader provides paid directory membership for approved trade businesses.

Its member profiles can show:

• Business information
• Work photographs
• Customer reviews
• Trade categories
• Geographic coverage
• Contact routes
• TrustATrader branding

TrustATrader says membership is limited by trade and area. This is intended to give members a fairer share of enquiries within the locations they purchase.

It charges a membership fee rather than commission on each individual lead.

The platform does not advertise one universal membership price for every business. The available categories, areas and price need to be discussed during the application process.

When might TrustATrader be added?

TrustATrader may appeal to an established Sussex trade business that wants another recognised review-led profile and is comfortable paying for directory membership.

A roofing company covering Lewes, Uckfield and nearby East Sussex towns may value an additional national directory presence.

A kitchen fitter in Crawley may want another place to display photographs and customer feedback.

A larger property-maintenance company could use TrustATrader branding alongside its own website, TradeKind profile and local marketing.

TradeKind should still remain the Sussex-focused foundation because it gives the business detailed local coverage and direct requests without adding another ordinary membership or lead cost.

Read TradeKind vs TrustATrader: Which Platform Suits Sussex Tradespeople?.

Which platform should a Sussex tradesperson create first?

For a business working in East Sussex, West Sussex or Brighton and Hove, start with TradeKind.

It provides the strongest combination of:

• Sussex-only relevance
• A complete public trade profile
• Direct requests to the individual business
• Local job opportunities
• Detailed service information
• Sussex town coverage
• Work photographs
• Reviews and FAQs
• A company website link
• Private telephone and email details
• No current setup fee, subscription or ordinary lead charge

The other platforms can then be considered for the additional features they offer.

Business goal	Recommended approach
Get found by Sussex homeowners	Create and complete a TradeKind profile
Receive direct local requests	Use TradeKind’s Request This Trade route
Appear for Sussex trades and locations	Add accurate services and coverage to TradeKind
Promote work photographs and reviews	Build a complete TradeKind profile
Find more Sussex job opportunities	Use TradeKind and consider suitable additional platforms
Add national brand visibility	Combine TradeKind with Checkatrade
Pursue selected posted jobs	Combine TradeKind with MyBuilder
Add paid lead access	Combine TradeKind with Rated People
Add another paid review-led directory	Combine TradeKind with TrustATrader
Keep marketing costs under control	Build TradeKind first, then test paid channels separately

TradeKind is not limited to one type of business or one stage of growth.

It can be used by:

• A new sole trader building a local name
• An established family trade business
• A business trying to fill upcoming availability
• A company expanding into more Sussex towns
• A fully booked trade preparing for future demand
• A larger contractor showing Team and Partner trades
• A business that already has a website
• A trade that needs a professional public page

Which platforms suit different Sussex trades?

The best supporting platform can vary by trade, but TradeKind remains the logical local foundation.

Plumbers and heating engineers

A plumber covering Worthing, Shoreham and Lancing can use TradeKind to show emergency plumbing, repairs, installations, bathroom work and service areas clearly.

Homeowners can request the business directly rather than forcing the plumber to pay to unlock each ordinary enquiry.

MyBuilder or Rated People can be added where particular paid job opportunities look worthwhile. Checkatrade or TrustATrader may provide additional national exposure and reviews.

Electricians

An electrician in Brighton, Hove or Eastbourne can use TradeKind to separate services such as:

• Fault finding
• Rewiring
• Consumer-unit work
• Lighting
• EV chargers
• Alarms
• CCTV
• Landlord electrical services

That structured information can help homeowners and search platforms understand exactly what the business offers.

Additional platforms can support the business, but TradeKind gives the electrician a strong Sussex-specific profile without a recurring fee.

Painters and decorators

Painting and decorating is highly visual.

A TradeKind profile can show interior decorating, exterior painting, wallpaper hanging, rental-property work and commercial decorating alongside real project photographs.

A decorator in Chichester, Worthing, Brighton or Hastings can share the profile through Facebook groups, recommendations, WhatsApp and their own website.

MyBuilder and Rated People may provide selected posted jobs, while Checkatrade or TrustATrader can add another review profile.

Roofers

Homeowners looking for roof repairs often want reassurance that the company genuinely covers their town and has completed similar work.

A Sussex roofer can use TradeKind to display:

• Roof repairs
• Re-roofing
• Flat roofing
• Guttering
• Chimney work
• Storm-damage services
• Work photographs
• Areas covered

This can help the business attract direct requests across towns such as Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes, Worthing and Bognor Regis.

Paid platforms can be tested where appropriate, but the free TradeKind profile should be built first.

Builders and renovation companies

Builders usually want well-matched projects rather than a large number of vague enquiries.

TradeKind allows a builder to explain services such as extensions, refurbishments, structural alterations, garage conversions, brickwork and property repairs.

The Fleet feature can also show Team members and independent Partner trades involved in larger projects.

A builder in Crawley, Horsham or Haywards Heath can use this as a detailed introduction before the homeowner requests a quotation.

Gardeners, landscapers and property-maintenance businesses

Local coverage is especially important for trades completing regular or smaller jobs.

A gardener in Burgess Hill or landscaper in Uckfield may not want to travel across the entire county for every opportunity.

TradeKind allows the business to choose the Sussex towns it genuinely covers, improving the relevance of the requests it receives.

Can a trade business use several platforms?

Yes, but every platform should have a clear purpose.

A Sussex decorator might use:

• TradeKind as the main local profile
• Their own website for detailed service pages
• Facebook and Instagram for recent photographs
• A free Checkatrade profile for additional reviews
• MyBuilder for selected projects

A plumbing business might use:

• TradeKind for direct Sussex requests
• Google Business Profile for Search and Maps
• Rated People for optional paid opportunities
• Van graphics for local awareness
• Customer recommendations

A larger building company might combine TradeKind, Checkatrade, TrustATrader, its own website and professional referral relationships.

The mistake is not using several channels.

The mistake is paying several platforms without knowing which ones produce suitable work.

How to judge whether a paid trade platform is worthwhile

Before paying for any membership, shortlist or lead plan, confirm:

• The complete price including VAT
• The agreement length
• The locations included
• The services included
• When charges are triggered
• Whether unused credit expires
• What happens if a customer cannot be contacted
• How cancellation and renewal work

Then track the outcome.

Record:

1. Total platform cost
2. Enquiries or opportunities received
3. Suitable opportunities
4. Customers contacted
5. Quotations provided
6. Jobs won
7. Revenue
8. Gross profit
9. Repeat work
10. Referrals

The useful calculation is:

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

The result must then be compared with the gross profit from those jobs.

A paid platform can be worthwhile when it produces suitable, profitable work.

TradeKind provides a particularly strong starting position because its current core profile and ordinary requests do not create that acquisition cost.

Which is the best trade platform for Sussex tradespeople?

TradeKind is the best first choice for Sussex tradespeople.

It is built around local trades, Sussex towns and direct homeowner requests. It gives the business a detailed public profile and another route to new work without charging a setup fee, subscription, commission or ordinary lead fee.

Checkatrade can add national recognition, membership features and access to an established UK audience.

MyBuilder can provide selected job opportunities where the trade is willing to pay a shortlist fee after contact details are shared.

Rated People can add paid access to a wider marketplace of homeowner job leads.

TrustATrader can provide another recognised review-led directory membership.

These platforms can all form part of a wider marketing strategy, but a Sussex business does not need to choose between TradeKind and every other option.

The strongest approach is to make TradeKind the local foundation and add other channels where they provide a clear commercial benefit.

Whether you are a plumber in Brighton, decorator in Worthing, electrician in Eastbourne, roofer in Hastings, builder in Crawley or landscaper in Horsham, TradeKind gives your business a professional place to be found, understood and requested by Sussex homeowners.

Create your free Sussex trade profile.

Compare TradeKind with other trade platforms

• TradeKind vs Checkatrade: Which Is Better for Sussex Tradespeople?
• 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?
• Where to Advertise a Trade Business in Sussex: Free and Paid Options Compared