For example, if you are looking for a Massage Therapist, you can select the type of massage you want, the length of the massage session, and if you prefer a male or a female masseuse. The better provider depends on which approach you're most comfortable with. This mistake was obvious and I clearly wanted to keep using their service. You answer a few questions, and a pro will get back to you with a quote. Never again. When I dug deeper, I found out that most leads dont cost anywhere near $50 or $60. So if you hire a tile installer who doesn't finish your backsplash, or the tiles fall off the next day, we can pay you back up to $1000. It was a little expensive to send 10 quotes and maybe land 2-3 jobs. While you cant edit or delete it, you can update a review to add new details or clarify your experience. He left a 1-star review after he lied about hiring me, He said he hired me, and he never did, I never got paid I never even knew his name I just told him I wasnt doing the type of work he required. Add information about other jobs youve done that are similar to theirs and youre much more likely to be chosen over a pro who sends generic responses to every lead they get. This Thumbtack alternative app allows you to contract and bid on projects with pre-qualification approval. Lets find someone else. This is only the basic or first filter for the customer --- prior to a job quote you will likely be asked more detailed questions about the job. Uber Boost vs Surge vs Uber Eats Boost: Which Driver Bonus Promotion Pays More? Its really a terrible business practice and I really hate Thumbtack. This is just another way you can expand your pool of leads and get more jobs. I think the biggest benefit of Thumbtack to customers is the user experience. Its so unfair. Those higher-priced leads in the complaints are most likely for large contracting jobs like kitchen remodels and home additions, where honestly, $50 for a lead is reasonable. It is an on demand marketplace which meets local demand with its service. Many of the complaints about getting bad leads are technically the pros fault since they didnt optimize their preferences. Thanks again! You guys ever thought that the fake clients are actually thumbtack associates with one job and that job is to create these fake leads and respond to bids to rip us off? The least charge I saw was $16. Hello Dan- Great info. You can see the price of leads before you decide to receive them and fine-tune which leads you receive. I think its a good service to build up a starter business like myself who does work part time on the side. (and thumbtack was able to read out correspondence and confirmed to me he was not the type of job I was filtering with for my leads!). By the way, I am enjoying the pricing course so far. Youll find these in the Direct leads section of your Leads tab. A lead for a cleaning job may be in the $5-$15 range, but a for a total kitchen remodel it may be in the $25-$75 range. Whichever type of service you offer, whether you are a dog walker, photographer, plumber, or lawyer, there is a good chance that you will be able to find your service listed on Thumbtack. Thumbtack earns money by charging a fee for each lead received by contractors. A goal since the earliest parts of the company's near decade long history has been payment a system for customers to pay pros as well as resulting infrastructure and associated features. Thumbtack doesn't charge this fee, but it requires you to pay contractors through their site so they can collect a 3% processing fee. When I explained that some of us dont want to give our services away at ridiculously low prices and I wanted them to ask potential clients if price, reputation, length of time in business, or something else was most important to them. There are two ways you can land new clients on Thumbtack. Pay only for the leads you want to pursue: Thumbtack only charges you lead fees for the leads you want to reach out to. A small job for window cleaning was going to cost about $26, wether you got hired or not. But they allowed a person I paid 30$ (a fake person) to rate me over a service I never gave!? It's also free to sign up, create a profile, and look for leads. See cost estimates and detailed business information, and even chat with pros right in the app. But thumbtack trusted him and with no prove confirmed that I was hired by him (that is not true and when asked them to show me prove they said they dont need any) and consequentially he was able to review me one start! How does Thumbtack work? Only enter ZIP Code and service name to search: Unlike other platforms like Angies List or HomeAdvisor, where a customer has to give their personal details and fill in a lengthy questionnaire to be matched with a professional, Thumbtack shows you the list of professionals in your town or city by just entering the name of the service and a ZIP code. Be courteous when you communicate with a customer and get all the details that you need to know before you can get started. . Not only they made me automatically pay for his lead because he lied about the type of job and made me spent 30$! Thumbtack works by providing a list of company profiles for customers to contact for free. Our goal is to make the cost of a lead match how valuable the job is. Thats a very nice feature. Mint vs Tiller vs Quicken vs YNAB: Which Budgeting App to Pick? Additional search parameters can be entered on the left side of the screen, and Thumbtack will offer industry-specific questions based on the type of work you have indicated to help you narrow it down. Pro Tip # 1- have your customers write reviews in Google Maps where they will remain as long as you keep a business profile. And things inevitably change (like the increase in lead prices, for example). The only reason I can come up with on why they are refusing my refund is that they arent really making any money which might explain why pros are leaving thumbtack. Select the service from the suggested keywords that best describe your job request to proceed. How To Get Free Credits On Thumbtack? The platform will not pay taxes on your behalf. What you pay for are credits that you spend to obtain new leads through the website. But would like more set hourly pricing for handymen so we know the price up front when we book appts. Thumbtack knew this because I stated in my profile that I did not do taxes. I think in general paying for leads for larger jobs isnt a good idea. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Helpful Resources to get you started: Understanding your tax bracket IRS provides tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2021, IRS Website 2021 Tax Brackets Breakdown, The Tax Foundation 2021 Federal Tax Bracket Explained, NerdWallet Contribution Limits (the max amount you can contribute to each account) IRA Contribution Limits, IRS Website 401k Contribution Limits, IRS Website Continue reading Episode 2: 401k and Roth IRA Continued. Customers browse through the business profiles and choose who to reach out to. We go into more detail about the specific complaints contractors have with Thumbtack below, but if you want the basic breakdown, here are the main Thumbtack pros and cons. Trust thumbtacks do send me free instant match without paying! Open the Thumbtack app. Thumbtack is a legitimate company, providing you with real leads and ensuring a safe payment system. 12 months ago a roof replacement quite was $13.36. Thumbtack Senior Analyst in the United States makes about $112,414 per year. Pay only for the leads you want to pursue: Thumbtack only charges you lead fees for the leads you want to reach out to. Thumbtack has approximately 500 types of services in categories such as home services, wellness, events, and even lessons. We do HVAC repair and maintenance only. The customer never pays for any aspect of seeking out a company. 7 Green Business Ideas For Aspiring Entrepreneurs, 10 Red Flags in Moving Companies You Need to Be Aware Of, 8 Tips to Teach Kids About Financial Planning, A Wedding Cost Checklist with Tips to Save Money, Things to Consider When Buying Toddler Clothes, Top 5 Online Learning Trends To Watch Out For In 2023, Seven Things To Know About Cerebral Palsy. Some report being happy with the service, and some continue to use those services in conjunction with the exclusive organic leads we provide. ive lost almost 2000.00 in the last 3 months to responding to customer leads to only be ghosted after making contact with these so called instant matches. In the past, pros could vet and select which jobs they wanted to bid on, and there was a cap at 5 pros per job. Tons of great salary information on Indeed.com As to the question of Is Thumbtack safe? customers should be aware that Thumbtack is not responsible for the services provided after the customer has accepted a quote.22 2021. Test it, see how well it works in your area, and if it works, great. Still, we get leads for insulation and duct work. And they dont care one bit that people are struggling trying to make a living! No spam. Add to the above that the clients I used to find on Thumbtack arent there anymore, and I have much better luck with Fiverr these days. Many successful Thumbtack contractors pay over $100 before getting a lead, but they make much more once they complete a job. Enter the type of service you provide and your location. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Im a Pro on Thumbtack and I just want to warn people so they dont make the mistake I did and DO NOT USE THUMBTACK!!! Great article Dan, I like it it lets me see where they live and lets me choose the work I want to do based off distance. They come from customers who searched for a pro, saw your profile, and reached out to you. If youre already using Thumbtack, jump down to learn about the main Thumbtack complaints. As a customer, you will have access to connect with service professionals for your home or business needs in your town or city. Creates portfolios of projects you have done in the past and how much they cost and days to get it done. Note that you must submit your cancellation request no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the business day prior to your renewal date in order to avoid the charge. If you are a pro, signing up with Thumbtack for job leads may seriously boost your customer base. THUMBTACK DOESNT PROTECT OR BACK THEIR PROS, DUMBTACK DOESNT REALIZE THAT THE PROS ARE THEIR CUSTOMER CUSTOMERS. In several months on the site I never got one job. As a contractor, it is free to list your services on Thumbtack. From a service professionals point of view, they get online visibility and a lead generation tool which is free to sign up for, and they only have to pay for ads and connecting with potential clients. You can test the waters with minimal investment. Consider the contractors overall rating, time on Thumbtack, and user reviews when making your final decision. By simply having a professional headshot on your profile, youll get 10x as many jobs which means youll pay less to get customers. Heres Why, Maximizing Your Credit Score: A Comprehensive Guide to Improving Your Creditworthiness, Build Your Credit the Right Way: A Guide for First-Time Business Owners, Everything You Need to Know About Your Credit Score, Increasing Cash Back Through Rotating Bonus Categories, 6 Benefits of Adding Tradelines to Your Credit Report, Build Your Credit the Right Way: A Guide for First-Time Business Owners, 4 Credit Card Payment Methods to Help You Pay Off Debt, 5 Perfect Careers for Disney Fans (and the Skills Youll Need for Each), Six Effective Ways That Can Help You Build a Career in Sports Businesses, Critical Thinking Skills: The Gist and Value in the Corporate World, Best 7 Jobs for Introverts That Pay Well for Antisocial People. That is the ultimate question Ill answer in this article. It may force you to drop your prices to compete, especially when demand is lowest and lead prices are highest. I dont get it. You could use credits and bid on jobs, max of 5 pros. The company calls this compensation for each quoted framework. A service provider such as a plumber can sign up with Thumbtack for free, but will pay for each lead. Offers remote services. If there are very few, then the cost of leads will go down. Not the best fit for working with homeowners who want someone they can work with and have a feeling of trust. And I have to say, their platform is brilliant. You pay for exact matches automatically. Thumbtack used to be a good company but without a true technical support team I wouldn't waste your money. Thumbtack does that hard work for you. Thumbtack tries to eliminate such listings, but they slip through occasionally. Customers want to see who they are hiring. Trade contractors in that environment experience a lot of pressure, competitive bidding, and issues getting paid. There have been cases of users falling victim to fraud by purported contractors. How does Thumbtack make money? The worst part.are you ready for this? After reading this and the comments, no wonder that pro isnt a fit, probably sick of stupid Thumbtack too! Thumbtack is price-gouging its pros. Thumbtack wanted $45 . Search. Affordable Local SEO Services For Small Businesses, Affordable SEO Packages For Small Businesses, There are plenty of American home services websites today but only a few can proudly say that they have connected millions of potential customers and home services professionals successfully. Previous post: Double Your Income Every Year How to Unlock Growth and Break Through Glass Ceilings. It is too bad that they have jacked their lead pricing as much as they have. However, some contractors have found drawbacks to the service, claiming that it isnt worth what they pay, or that the website itself is a scam. Its a great start up site to get the rest of your marketing going and its also good for quick fill ins. The Thumbtack app makes it easy to use on the go, making sure you never miss out on leads. Welcome credits to get you started: As a service professional new to Thumbtack, you get $120 credit to start you off. I believe that if you pay for a lead you should get a telephone number which used to happen about 25% of the time but 0% now. If you see any jobs that interest you, you can reach out to the customer through the app. Clients pay the TaskRabbit service fee (15%) on top of the cost of the job, which doesn't come out of the Tasker's payment. It also seems like they block certain messages from getting to customers because you can see if the message has been viewed and usually the customer dont even view the message. Check the leads to be sure the area code matches the business location (use online directories). You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Most handymen just put their logo or a picture of a recent job for their profile pic. Enter your ZIP Code to limit your searches to your immediate area. The company makes its money is by having professionals pay to contact customers through Thumbtack credits, which are used by professionals to send quotes to customers. Here are some that have hundreds of reviews on Thumbtack from both users and contractors. When the leads reach out to you, you are giving them the quote according to their project needs. I used to use them for my wedding photography. Listing yourself on Thumbtack is free, though there are things you will likely have to pay for if you want to receive a high volume of leads, and leads that are of good quality. Continue following prompts until you complete the sign-up process. What each of these services has in common is that they are built to serve the consumer, not the contractor. Otherwise, youll end up paying for a bunch of leads you dont want. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. When Thumbtack started back in 2008, it wanted to position itself as an all-inclusive platform for any service that you might be in the market for. If you are an eligible W-2 employee, you can only deduct work expenses on your taxes if you decide to itemize your deductions. Thumb tack raised the price per lead to $80.00 for most skilled home improvements Press Esc to cancel. How Profitable Is The Horse Racing Industry? They fill out their project requirements. subfloor condition? Tap Projects from the main menu (at the bottom). The estimated hourly pay at Thumbtack ranges from approximately $7.25 per hour for Cook to $49.44 per hour for Agent.. this is what my company does. Mark, Like everything, there are two sides to every coin. Now a roof replacement quote is $75. What do you think? Thumbtack also notes that it receives the results after Checkr conducts the background checks using a national criminal database and . Theres no way for us to know whether or not the person inquiring is looking for the lowest price, or the highest quality. Browse profiles and read verified reviews from people in your area. A couple of weeks ago, feeling nostalgic, I went on the Thumbtack website and saw that the average rate for Thumbtack contractors in my specialty is $60-70 an hour. And the price you'll charge per project will highly depend on the following factors: The category of your service The difficulty of the project How much work you'll have to do I live in Maryland and they sent me a direct lead of someone who lives in California, How is this a direct lead? Unfortunately, once your account is deactivated, it can be difficult to get it back up and running, which could cause problems if you rely on them for business. Here's a step-by-step guide: Visit the pro sign up page. Thumbtack Promotepushes your profile up higher in the list of results a user sees after answering the minimum number of questions about their project. Potential customers start by going to thumbtack.com or the Thumbtack app (available in both the Google Play and Apple Stores), and entering their zip code and the service they need. This includes both finance and labour industries. This happened first in 2017. This isnt much different than having a job. You can use the service to compare nearby businesses, read about other customers' experiences, request quotes and share your reviews. Home Inspector Secrets is an online resource for owners, buyers, and sellers to understand all aspects of home maintenance. They are all right at your fingertips. Just a heads-up that some of the services were reviewing here have affiliate partnerships with us, so we may earn a commission if you visit one of them and buy something. . Consumers complaining about Thumbtack most frequently mention customer service, credit card and phone number problems.Thumbtack ranks 70th among Local Reviews sites. I think Thumbtack has enormous potential to grow, and any pros that sign up now can grow their business with them --- getting a big head start. To show up in the search results, you must have at least one review. Forex or Crypto Market: Which is the Right Investment for You? They overcharge for leads and dont care to change it for our better. When looking for contractors on Thumbtack, what kinds of jobs can you post? Do not use thumbtack! In this article, I decided to take Thumbtack apart, look under the hood, and figure out exactly how it works. After carefully looking into the charges, we confirmed they were legitimate. If you want to lose money, use Thumbtack. My number one complaint is that they are virtually impossible to contact. Heres how it works. Your article lacks accurate data. Thumbtack, which handles marketing and job listings for professionals like yoga instructors and electricians, has raised $125 million and is now valued at about $1.3 billion. Once you land a client follow up with them. Enter the type of service you provide and your location. Once you start getting work, your clients will review you. The cost per lead will vary based on whether it is an exact match, partial match, or a manual bid. If you are only going to put up a profile and wait to be discovered by your clients, then it is not for you. If a change happens, it occurs on Mondays. it used to be that if a client didnt respond within 48 hours, you would get a refund on the fee you paid for that lead. So essentially you're paying to contact customers. Competition, or the number of similar available professionals for the job. Care.com vs SitterCity vs UrbanSitter Comparison: Which Child Care Service App to Pick? The higher your budget per service, the more leads you get, but it could ultimately lead to spending more than you would like and not land a single job. Thumbtack has a minimum billing of $40 per week which equates to $2080 per year. They found every excuse not to provide a refund. Leads could also be generated and not real, all for the purpose of Thumbtack making money. Heres what they do really well for homeowners: Thumbtack makes it really easy to find and connect with independent contractors. Clients like hearing the word affordable even though youll be expensive. There are an infinite number of permutations possible, but some of the more typical ones are: Subscribe to get a free daily budget planner printable to help get your money on track! There are two ways you can land new clients on Thumbtack. They dont have a good reason to. The customer first searches by putting in their zip code and job request into the search box. There are a number of things Thumbtack users have noted about using the service. How Does Thumbtack Work? Paying for leads is expensive. This is such a simple thing to do. Always reply your instant match within 10 to 20 mins you got a match, that will always make you be ahead of other competitor in the search results. I was never given the lead I paid for the lead as well as three other pros were also charged for that lead. Since they were founded in 2009, millions of projects have been completed through Thumbtack --- and that number is only going to grow. After noticing the names were very odd, I decided not to use it anymore. Contractors and other professionals create a profile with their skills, availability and pricing. Each trade targets you put cost you a money for leads, for instance, if you are targeting, Painting, Carpentry, Remodel, Tile works, Kitchen renovation, All these big projects cost alot and Thumbtack will only send you competitive leads that you have to fight with 3 or 4 other pros to get it. The benefit of opportunities is that you can see the cost of the lead before reaching out, and you only pay if the customer responds to you. Thanks for sharing your experience George. Set your profile properly. What problems have users experienced with contractors on Thumbtack? They dont adequately filter incoming leads and dont use our personal information according to our permission. Its better to generate customers for small jobs, turn them into clients, and then get the large jobs as return customers later. But its still risky to place the well-being of your company in the hands of another business. If no other contractor is available to fill the needs of a lead but you are, you receive the lead for free. Thumbtack has no same-day delivery option, but it does have an app where you can browse contractors in your area and request quotes for work. Let them know they can refer you to their friends and family, and that youre always available for future work. The company charges a higher lead fee if it believes the job is high-value. Property Damage Guarantee. Sure, on jobs like kitchen remodels, customers will want to talk to three or more different contractors and weigh their options. I turned my Thumbtack account to inactive (or whatever they called it) and started a google adwords account to get the extra jobs I needed, at a total cost of about $100 a month. Specify the job and book the date and time. They only pay to quote, and Thumbtack does not charge commission on jobs they complete or future jobs that they book with the same customer and their referrals. Image Source: Thumbtack To answer the question, "What is the Thumbtack website about?" we only have to take a look at the home page to see the 4 main categories of professional services.. Events: DJs, wedding services, catering, event planning and photography, bartending, face painting and makeup, magicians, and photo booth rentals; Home: Cleaning, yard work and landscaping, interior . No you get charged for every quote you send! Another reviewer mentioned that leads that used to cost $3-$15 now cost $55. Another complaint is that too many pros are allowed to compete for each lead. Horrible company! You may also want to consider requiring a small deposit before you start the work. not to mention. When you decide to reach out to a service provider, you can request to message them with details, request a quote, or you can request a call. I am a licensed home inspector in Virginia and have inspected thousands of homes. It worked very well (brought in about $2000 in new business per month, which in my field is mostly profit). It is insane! Got charged $15 for a normal yard grass quote . Listing yourself on Thumbtack is free, though there are things you will likely have to pay for if you want to receive a high volume of leads, and leads that are of good quality. Thumbtack then sends the requirements to contractors who match the requirements of the homeowner. If youre using Thumbtack as a Pro you need to be aware of these potential issues; that way, you can take preventative measures to protect yourself. If you are in any kind of services industry, then there is nothing more difficult than generating more leads to grow your business. If they bill you for something that you need a refund, you are just credited to the cost of that refund. Yes, they have. My mistake I paid out more than I made being with thumbtack!!! Dont be like many people Ive seen that are so scared of being scammed that they wont try anything and end up leaving money on the table as a result. In fact, many handyman jobs cost less than $10 per lead. Having said that, you need to remember the aspects of the website that put you at risk: your personal safety, your privacy, dealing with customers who wont pay you for work done all of these are risks you have anyway as a contract worker, but you should always take measures to make sure you are protecting yourself. A buddy of mine told me about Thumbtack, and I naturally read our review. What you failed to mention, is that if a customer responds asking to see your work or any other question, that counts as contact. Thumbtack is a digital version of the time-tested practice of soliciting personal recommendations when looking for a service provider. That way, you only pay for leads for the exact services you offer in the exact areas that you offer them. That is up to the individual. If there are many pros in one area competing for the same jobs, the price of leads will go up. You pay for exact matches automatically. Low-quality leads are a complaint that you see with all lead generation services, and thumbtack is no different. Be sure to notify us within 45 days. Relying on services like this leaves your business exposed in a way that can crush profits if anything changes. You pay TaskRabbit a service fee on top of the task price. Thumbtack does not generate fake requests. But leads are still a bargain, especially when compared to Home Advisor. The biggest complaint that comes from contractors is that Thumbtack puts out fake leads, making them appear as though they are coming from real people. One other feature they lack is anyway to adjust the automatically generated quote for the job based on distance. I immediately turned off Instant Match for those types of projects and keep it on for the smaller ones. It offers services in sectors like wellness, education, housekeeping, photography etc with a professional touch. The customer can then narrow down their search by using the filters tab. One thing to mention is Thumbtack gets tricky and dishonest. The platform works for both clients and skilled contractors. Enter your ZIP Code to limit your searches to your immediate area. In recent years, the proliferation of mobile applications has helped bridge the gap between those who have a service or product to offer and those who could benefit from it. The bottom line: is Thumbtack worth it for contractors? Thank you for your response. Or, this can force you to lower your prices to stay competitive as the competition grows. Thumbtack is an American home services website. Thank you for the review. You can change your budget at any time and set it as low as you want. If not, stop using it. Whats the Best Way to Advertise for a Handyman Business? What is Thumbtack and how does it work? Thumbtack will issue refunds for certain types of bad leads in certain situations, but not always. I am being charge to be hired and then they turn around and cancel or just simply dont show to appointment they booked.. Try to go with my own website/ old school word of mouth. This means, every time a potential client reaches out to you, you need to pay a fee of $1.50 to the platform. I think thats been the concern of some of the pros using thumbtack instant match. Thumbtack has been raising huge amounts of capital over the years, and is currently valued at a over a billion dollars. Make sure the payment terms are clearly defined in the quote you give your future client. As a customer, this is a great place to look for local professionals in your city or town for any kind of service that you might be in the market for.