SiteNestHiPages works. That's not the debate. The debate is whether paying $50+ per lead to compete against four other tradies is the best you can do.
Spoiler: it's not. There are cheaper options, free options, and options that actually let you own the customer relationship. Let's go through them.
We're not going to rank these from best to worst because it depends on your trade, your area, and your budget. Instead, here's an honest look at each one so you can decide what makes sense for you.
ServiceSeeking
ServiceSeeking is the biggest HiPages competitor in Australia. Same basic model: customers post jobs, tradies pay to quote on them.
How it works
Customers post a job. You buy credits to unlock their details and send a quote. Credits cost between $5 and $50 depending on the job category and value.
What it costs
Credits vary by trade. Small jobs like tap repairs might cost $5-10 to quote on. Bigger jobs like bathroom renovations can be $30-50+. There's also a monthly subscription option that gives you a set number of leads.
Per lead (varies by job)
Tradies competing per job
Jobs posted per year
Verdict
Generally cheaper per lead than HiPages. The quality can be inconsistent though. You'll get some tyre-kickers who post a job just to "see prices" with no intention of hiring anyone. Good as a supplement, not great as your only source.
Oneflare
Oneflare has been around since 2012. It covers most trades and has a decent presence in Sydney and Melbourne especially.
How it works
Similar to ServiceSeeking. Jobs get posted, you pay to quote. Oneflare also has a "direct call" feature where customers can call you straight from your profile, which is useful.
What it costs
Lead costs vary by category. Expect $10-40 per lead. They run credit packs and subscription plans. The subscription gives you a capped number of leads per month, which helps with budgeting.
Verdict
Solid middle ground. Not as big as HiPages but not as expensive either. The direct call feature is genuinely useful because the customer is calling you specifically, not blasting five tradies at once. Coverage outside capital cities is patchy.
The real cost of lead platforms
Airtasker
Airtasker is different from the others. It started as a general task marketplace (help me move house, clean my gutters), but it's grown into a legitimate source of trade work.
How it works
Customers post a task with a budget. Tradies make offers. The customer picks who they want. Airtasker takes a service fee from the tradies (typically 10-20% of the job value).
What it costs
No upfront lead fees. Instead, Airtasker takes a percentage of the final job price. Sounds good until you do the maths on a $2,000 job and realise you're handing over $200-400.
Verdict
Best for smaller jobs and odd tasks. The commission model hurts on bigger jobs. Customers on Airtasker tend to be more price-sensitive. It's handy for filling quiet weeks, but you probably don't want it as your primary lead source for serious trade work.
Every platform takes a cut. The only lead source where you keep 100% is one you own.
Google Business Profile (free)
This is the most underrated lead source for tradies. It costs nothing. It shows you at the top of Google when someone searches for your trade in your area. And most of your competition hasn't even claimed theirs.
How it works
You create a free Google Business Profile (used to be called Google My Business). When someone Googles "plumber near me" or "electrician Parramatta", Google shows a map with local businesses. You want to be in that map pack.
How to get the most from it
- Claim and verify your listing if you haven't already
- Add real photos of your work, your van, your team. Not stock images.
- Get reviews. Ask every happy customer. 20+ reviews with 4.5+ stars puts you ahead of most competitors.
- Post updates monthly. Google rewards active profiles.
- Fill in everything. Hours, services, service areas. The more complete, the higher you rank.
Cost per month
of Google searches are local
call or visit within 24 hours
Verdict
If you're doing nothing else, do this. It's free, it's powerful, and it puts you where customers are already looking. The catch is it takes time to build up reviews and authority, and you're competing with every other tradie who's also optimised theirs.
Quick win
Your own website
Here's where things get interesting. Every other option on this list is renting. You're paying someone else for access to customers, and the moment you stop paying, it stops working.
Your own website is different. It's an asset. It compounds over time. And the leads that come through it are yours, not shared with five other tradies.
How it works
You get a professional website built for your trade, optimised for searches like "electrician [your suburb]" or "emergency plumber [your city]". Over time, it climbs Google's results. People find you, see your work, read your reviews, and call you directly.
What it costs
12-month cost comparison
Verdict
The slow burn. You won't get leads on day one. But by month 3-6, you'll start seeing organic traffic. By month 9-12, it can replace a significant chunk of your platform spending. And the leads are exclusive to you.
Side by side: all your options
| Lead platforms | Own website | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per lead | $10-60+ | Drops to under $10 over time |
| Competition per lead | 3-6 tradies see the same lead | They found you specifically |
| Speed to first lead | Same day | 1-3 months |
| Leads when you stop paying | None | Site keeps ranking |
| Builds your brand | ||
| Customer quality | Price shoppers comparing quotes | Higher intent, chose you |
| Control | Platform sets the rules | You own everything |
The winning strategy: don't pick one
The tradies doing best in 2026 aren't relying on a single lead source. They're combining two or three that work together.
Here's what we recommend:
1. Set up Google Business Profile (free, do it today). This is non-negotiable. It's where most local searches start and it costs you nothing.
2. Get your own website (the long game). This is the asset that compounds. Every month it gets stronger, ranks higher, and costs less per lead.
3. Use one platform to fill gaps (optional). While your website is building momentum in the first few months, a platform like ServiceSeeking or Oneflare can keep leads coming in. As your organic traffic grows, dial down the platform spend.
The 12-month play
The goal isn't to quit everything else overnight. It's to build something that makes everything else optional.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. But make sure at least one basket is yours.
We build tradie websites from $199/month. No lead fees. No commissions. No contracts. Your site, your leads, your customers. Want to see what we'd build for your trade? We'll mock one up for free.
Note: Platform costs and lead volumes are based on publicly available information and typical industry ranges as of early 2026. Your actual costs will vary by trade, location, and market conditions. Google Business Profile statistics sourced from BrightLocal and Google's own reporting.