1 · The friction
Sound familiar?
What tradies tell us about lead sites.
“I'm paying for leads I never win”
Leads are shared, so you pay whether you win the job or not.
Source: iTWire; Tradie Scaler
“Half the leads aren't real jobs”
One tradie's review warns that many leads turn out to be a waste of time.
Source: ProductReview.com.au
“Three other tradies call the same customer”
hipages caps each lead at three businesses.
Source: iTWire
“Three of us quoted the same job”
Shared leads turn every enquiry into a price race.
Source: Pattern we see in lead-site spend
2 · The numbers
Lead sites, by the numbers
$25–80
Typical cost of one hipages lead
Independent estimates, via WhatsTheDamage
$200–600
Typical monthly subscription
Independent estimates, via WhatsTheDamage
3
Businesses that can buy the same lead
iTWire
$150–400
Estimated real cost per booked job
WhatsTheDamage, a rival lead site
The number that matters is cost per job you actually win. A cheap lead you rarely win is an expensive job.
3 · Straight answers
The questions tradies ask us
How do I work out if it's worth it?
Add your subscription and lead fees for a month, then divide by the jobs you actually won. Compare that with your average profit per job.
How many tradies get the same lead?
hipages caps each lead at three businesses, so speed of reply matters.
Is Google Local Services Ads better?
You pay per verified lead with no subscription. Where it's available, tradies report a lower cost per won job.
What about my own website?
No per-lead fee, and the customer searched for you specifically. It's slower to start, often one to three months.
Should I quit hipages?
Not on a hunch. Run it alongside one other channel for 90 days and compare cost per won job.
What kind of jobs suit lead sites?
Bigger installs and renovations usually justify the lead cost. Small call-outs rarely do.
Try it
What does a won job really cost you?
Enter last month's numbers from your lead site.
Total lead spend
$1,100
Cost per won job
$275
Compare this with your average profit per job.
4 · The decision
Lead site, Google, or your own site?
Keep a lead site if
Your jobs are big enough to absorb the lead cost.
You can reply within minutes.
You need volume now.
Build your own channel if
Most of your jobs are small call-outs.
You're paying for leads you rarely win.
You want customers who searched for you.
Watch for
Contracts that auto-renew for 12 months.
Paying for leads outside your service area.
Judging by cost per lead instead of per job.
5 · In practice
What cutting cost per job usually looks like
Challenge
Most work comes from paid leads, and nobody has worked out the cost per job actually won.
Action
Work out cost per won job, build the Google profile and a simple site, and start a review routine, keeping lead sites only for big jobs.
Result
90 days
Run both for 90 days and compare cost per won job.
6 · Quick answers
More questions
Is Oneflare still an option?
It was reported closed on 30 June 2026. Check current status before planning around it.
Can I pause hipages?
Check your contract terms. Some plans renew for 12 months.