Angi vs Thumbtack vs HomeAdvisor: Stop Paying for Shared Leads
Angi, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor all run the same shared-lead model: you pay per lead for a homeowner request that several competing contractors also buy, and you never own the contact. HomeAdvisor and Angi Leads are even the same company. An owned funnel captures exclusive leads that are yours alone, with no per-lead fees.
One shared-lead model, three brands, and a better option.
Shared Leads vsExclusive Leads
Shared leads, sold by marketplaces like Angi, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor, are sent to multiple competing contractors at once, so you compete on price before the first call. Exclusive leads are inquiries captured on your own website funnel that only you receive.
| Feature | The lead marketplaces | High Roads Conversion Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Lead exclusivity | Shared with multiple competing contractors | Exclusive to you |
| Who owns the lead | The marketplace | You |
| Where the lead is captured | On the marketplace's platform | On your own branded website funnel |
| Cost model | Pay per lead or per contact | Flat monthly fee per funnel, no per-lead charges |
| Refunds and credits | Some offer discretionary lead credits within a limited window | No per-lead billing to dispute in the first place |
| Time to first lead | Can start quickly once you pay | Funnel built in 7 to 14 days, then you drive traffic to it |
| Getting started | No website traffic of your own required | You bring traffic from Google, ads, referrals, or social |
Are Angi, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor the same thing?
They are not one company, but they run the same shared-lead, pay-per-lead model, and two of them are literally the same business. HomeAdvisor and Angi Leads operate under Angi Inc., so a lead from one is a lead from the other.
Angi was formerly Angie's List and rebranded in March 2021, and IAC completed the spin-off of Angi into an independent public company on March 31, 2025. Thumbtack is a separate company, but it charges contractors the same way: you pay for a homeowner request that other pros can buy too.
So comparing them is less about which brand is better and more about the model they all share. In every case you pay for a lead you do not own, on a platform you do not control.
What do Angi and Thumbtack charge for leads?
Both charge per lead, not per booked job, and neither publishes a fixed price list. With Angi, you pay for the lead whether or not it becomes a job. Industry sources report roughly $15 to $100 or more per lead, an estimate that varies by trade and market, as of 2026. Ending an Angi Leads term early can also trigger a Termination Charge equal to all fees due over the balance of the current term, under Angi's own agreement.
Thumbtack uses dynamic pricing by job type, market, and pro supply, and charges when a customer makes contact or the pro responds, not when a job books. Leads are shared, so several competing pros can each pay the full fee for the same customer. Third-party estimates put most home-service leads at roughly $25 to $75, up to $150 or more, as of 2026.
Thumbtack does offer a 45-day lead-refund window, but it is discretionary and refunds default to account credit, and a customer simply not responding does not qualify. Its Instant Match feature auto-matches you to requests based on your targeting and a weekly budget you set.
What do you own after you pay for a lead?
On every one of these marketplaces, you are buying access to a request, not owning the relationship. The homeowner came through their platform, the profile lives on their site, and when you stop paying, that channel stops sending you work. That is the honest trade for getting volume without traffic of your own.
Lead quality also varies by trade, market, and how fast your team follows up. Because several contractors can buy the same request, a slow response often means competing on price against whoever called first. Treat marketplace leads as a numbers game you pay for access to, not as a pipeline you keep.
An owned funnel flips that: the page, the quote, and the review live on your domain, and every lead the funnel produces is exclusive to you. That is why the model comparison matters more than which marketplace brand is cheapest this month.
So how do you get exclusive leads, and which should you choose?
Exclusive leads come from traffic you already drive, converted on a funnel you own. You are likely getting visitors from Google, Local Services Ads, referrals, and social. A conversion funnel on your own website turns more of those visitors into scoped, qualified leads that only you receive. This is what High Roads Conversion Studio does: we build, brand, and host a visual project funnel with an interactive 3D estimator on your site, so a homeowner can scope a real project and submit an exclusive, ready-to-quote lead. High Roads is a funnel tool. We do not sell, supply, or resell leads.
Choose High Roads if you already drive some traffic and want exclusive leads you own, with no per-lead fees and no competing contractors on the same request. Choose Angi, Thumbtack, or HomeAdvisor if you have little traffic of your own and want lead volume quickly, and you are willing to pay per shared lead to get it.
Most established contractors already have enough traffic to make an owned funnel pay off, and many run a marketplace alongside it during the switch. The goal is to shift spend away from paying for shared leads and toward capturing exclusive ones you keep.
Paying for shared leads vs owning a funnel
The real question is not the per-lead price, it is what you own at the end. With Angi, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor you pay for each shared lead and never own the contact. With High Roads you own the funnel and keep every lead it produces.
Paying Angi, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor for shared leads
- All three charge per lead or per contact, and the same request can be sold to multiple competing contractors.
- For Angi, industry sources report roughly $15 to $100 or more per lead, an estimate that varies by trade and market, as of 2026.
- For Thumbtack, third-party estimates put most home-service leads at roughly $25 to $75, up to $150 or more, as of 2026, charged when a customer makes contact, not when a job books.
- Ending an Angi Leads term early can trigger a Termination Charge equal to all fees due over the balance of the current term, under Angi's own agreement.
- On every marketplace, the lead, the profile, and the review stay on their platform, not on your brand.
Owning a funnel with High Roads Conversion Studio
- $2,000 first-funnel build (was $3,500), $3,500 expanded, one time. Each additional funnel $3,500
- $499/mo first funnel for 12 months, then $750/mo, $350/mo each additional
Unlimited leads, no per-lead fees. Monthly billing starts when your funnel goes live.
See full pricingOwn your funnel, own your leads
High Roads Conversion Studio builds, brands, and hosts a visual project funnel on your own website, then delivers scoped, exclusive leads to your team. Sign up to get started, or book a free funnel audit if you want to talk first.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. High Roads builds and hosts a branded conversion funnel with an interactive 3D estimator on your own website. You drive traffic to it, and every lead it produces is exclusive to you. We are a funnel tool, not a lead marketplace.
HomeAdvisor and Angi Leads are the same company under Angi Inc., so their leads come from the same source. Thumbtack is a separate company, but it runs the same shared-lead, pay-per-lead model, where a homeowner request can be sold to several competing contractors.
There is no published fixed price for any of them, and estimates vary by trade and market. Industry sources report roughly $15 to $100 or more per Angi lead, and third-party estimates put most Thumbtack leads at roughly $25 to $75, up to $150 or more, both as of 2026. On every one, the lead is shared and you never own it, so the lowest sticker price is not the same as the best value.
High Roads builds, brands, and hosts your funnel in about 7 to 14 days after a 30-minute intake form. You keep driving your existing traffic to it while it goes live.
Yes. High Roads is the conversion layer, not a traffic source. You bring the visitors from Google, Local Services Ads, referrals, or social, and the funnel turns more of them into scoped, exclusive leads that are yours alone.