THUMBTACK VS ANGI
Thumbtack vs Angi for Contractors: How Each Charges, Credits and Fits
Thumbtack vs Angi comes down to who sets the price and who pays for silence. Thumbtack charges per lead at a price you set, with no membership fee, and refunds a lead automatically if the customer replies to no pro within 72 hours. Angi sets lead prices by task, location and demand, and does not credit leads that go quiet.
Both cap a request at five pros. Both bill whether or not you win the job. This page compares them on their own help pages and terms, checked , then runs the same month of leads through each. For Thumbtack's full pricing detail, see how much Thumbtack charges for leads. For Angi on its own, see our Angi leads review.
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THUMBTACK ANGI
Thumbtack vs Angi at a glance
| Thumbtack | Angi | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Per lead, inside a weekly budget | Per lead, inside a monthly budget, or an annual subscription with leads billed monthly |
| Who sets the lead price | You do. Thumbtack says the price you set "is the exact amount you'll pay for each lead" | Angi does. "Lead fees change based on task, homeowner location, and demand for the work" |
| Join or membership fee | "No charge to join, no annual fees and no membership fees" | Angi's 10-K says it sells annual membership subscriptions to pros; no current price is published |
| Pros per request | No more than five from search results in the first four hours; more after that | "No more than five pros" per project request |
| Customer never replies | Automatic refund if the customer replies to no pro within 72 hours | Not eligible for credit |
| Refund or credit window | 45 days from the charge | Lead must be under 45 days old, and you should have called within 24 hours |
| Where the money goes | Thumbtack balance; card on request within 10 business days of approval | Credit applied to future lead charges; expires after six months |
| Subscription accounts | No subscription offered | Annual subscribers can report leads but get no credits |
| Contract | Thumbtack's pro page lists "No hidden fees or contracts" | Monthly budget accounts or annual agreements; cancel by calling Customer Care |
| Pausing | Change job preferences, budget or hide your business | Pause leads for up to two weeks |
The table is built from Thumbtack's pro page and help center, Angi's help center and Angi Inc.'s annual report. Each source is listed at the end.
THUMBTACK CHARGE
How does Thumbtack charge contractors?
Thumbtack charges per lead at prices you choose for each service, capped by a weekly budget. There is no fee to join and no subscription.
What Thumbtack's help center says, checked :
- Direct leads. "When a customer reaches out to you directly from search results and their job matches your job preferences, you auto-pay for the lead."
- Your price is the price. You move a slider to set lead prices per service, and that "is the exact amount you'll pay for each lead."
- What drives the price. Thumbtack says prices vary with "the type and size of the job, how many pros are available, and your market."
- Opportunities. These show the price upfront. You message first, and "you only pay the price shown if the customer responds to you."
- Budget. Thumbtack's spending guide says your budget "is roughly the amount you'll spend each week for leads across all your services," and some weeks you may spend more or less.
That is the short version. Lead price examples, the max lead price table and the 30-lead test are on our Thumbtack lead cost guide, so they are not repeated here.
ANGI CHARGE
How does Angi charge contractors?
Angi charges per lead at prices it sets, either inside a monthly budget you choose or through an annual subscription. It does not publish a price list.
What Angi's help center says, checked :
- When you are charged. "You are charged for a lead as soon as both you and the homeowner show interest in connecting with each other." Angi adds that you "are charged for leads whether or not you open or respond to them."
- Monthly budget. You set the dollar amount you want to spend each month on automatic leads. If you have a subscription, "your monthly budget is set annually per your contract."
- Going over budget. Angi's billing FAQ gives an example: with a $500 budget and $480 of leads received, you may get one more $40 lead, for $520 in the month.
- Opportunities. These are projects that match your services, or sit just outside your area. You see the task and the lead fee before you show interest. They are charged on top of your monthly budget, and for subscribers they do not include the subscription discount.
- Billing dates. Without an annual subscription, Angi bills weekly: Wednesday for bank accounts, Friday for cards. Annual subscribers are billed on the same day each month.
Angi Inc.'s annual report for 2025 lists the offerings pros used that year: "full-priced leads within a monthly budget, access to discounted leads in a subscription package, double opt-in leads on an a-la-carte basis and pre-priced offerings." The same report says that in the fourth quarter of 2025 Angi retired its advertising offering and moved those pros to a subscription based on consumer matches.
What Angi pros report paying
Angi does not publish lead prices, so the only numbers come from pros and from guides that collect what pros report. These are reports, not Angi's prices:
| Source | What it says | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Housecall Pro guide to Angi | $15 to $85 per lead; membership about $300 a year; figures are "contractor-reported" because Angi "does not publish official pricing" | Updated |
| Pro review on Angi's BBB profile | Lead charges "anywhere from $28 to $98 PER LEAD" | |
| Pro complaint on Angi's BBB profile | "I paid $455 for 25 leads," on a 12-month contract |
The FTC's 2023 HomeAdvisor case gives an older figure: service providers then "generally pay an annual membership fee of $287.99, in addition to a separate fee for each lead." Treat that as the fee at the time of the case, not today's price. Ask Angi for your trade's lead price in your ZIP codes, and the membership or subscription terms, in writing before you sign.
SEES LEAD
Who sees the lead on Thumbtack and Angi?
Both platforms cap a request at five pros, but they count differently.
- Thumbtack. Its Quality Commitment Terms (last updated ) say "customers can contact no more than five pros from search results per project within four hours of making their first contact. After four hours, customers can contact additional pros." Thumbtack says you can see the number of pros a customer contacted on the lead itself.
- Angi. "Each time a homeowner submits a project request, we will match them with no more than five pros." The number depends on the type of lead and the pros' service locations.
The practical difference is who chose whom. On Thumbtack, a direct lead is a customer who picked you from search results. On Angi, an automatic lead becomes yours when you and the homeowner have both shown interest. Angi also shows Opportunities from homeowners who have not picked you yet; you show interest, and you pay only if they show interest back.
Angi recommends calling each lead within 15 minutes. On either platform, an early call beats a late one, so the lead is worth more to a company with someone at a desk than to an owner on a roof.
REFUNDS CREDITS
Which refunds or credits does each give?
This is where the two differ most. Thumbtack refunds leads where the customer never replies to any pro. Angi treats that as part of its lead pricing.
| Situation | Thumbtack | Angi |
|---|---|---|
| Customer replies to no pro | Refunded automatically if no reply to any pro within 72 hours (Fair Shot Refunds) | Not eligible: "The homeowner does not answer your calls or return your messages" |
| Customer hires someone else | Not covered by the refund policy | Not eligible |
| Customer is collecting quotes | Not covered | Not eligible: the "shopping phase" |
| Disconnected or invalid phone number | Likely to qualify; request it | Eligible: number "disconnected, not in service, or does not belong to the homeowner" |
| Job outside your area or services | Likely to qualify if the job changed significantly | Eligible if outside your ZIP codes or services |
| Duplicate lead or double charge | Likely to qualify (same customer, identical job, within 45 days) | Eligible if charged twice for the same homeowner within 45 days |
| Charged while paused | Not listed | Eligible |
| Deadline | 45 days from the charge | Lead under 45 days old, and you attempted a call within 24 hours |
| Decision | Usually 24 to 48 hours, up to four days | Reviewed within 5 business days |
| Who decides | "All refunds are made at our sole discretion" | "After an investigation, Angi may offer a credit" |
| Form of refund | Thumbtack balance, or your card if you ask within 10 business days of approval | Credit toward future lead charges, expiring after six months |
Two Angi rules matter for budgeting. First, "if you have an annual subscription, you can report leads, but credits are not offered for those leads." Second, the 24-hour call requirement means a lead you call on day two may not qualify even if the number turns out to be dead.
One more point: Angi's older Lead Credit Guidelines page, still live on pro.homeadvisor.com under the Angi Leads Pro name, gives a 30-day window and allows partial credits for a wrong job type that is in your profile. Angi's help center article, dated , gives 45 days. Ask your Angi rep which document governs your account.
Our Thumbtack lead cost guide covers Thumbtack's refund policy line by line. Since that page was written, Thumbtack's Quality Commitment added the automatic 72-hour refund described above.
BETTER TRADE
Which is better for my trade?
Neither platform publishes win rates by trade, so fit comes from the mechanics: who sets the price, how fast you can call, and how big the job is next to the lead.
| Trade or job type | Thumbtack tends to fit when | Angi tends to fit when |
|---|---|---|
| Residential painting (rooms, cabinets, exteriors) | You want to price each service yourself and drop the small jobs | You have an office that can call within 15 minutes and want a steady monthly flow |
| Roofing repairs and replacements | You set a high lead price on replacements and a low one on repairs | A roof replacement covers Angi's price for your market even at a low win rate |
| Flooring, epoxy and coatings | Garage and patio coating jobs you can quote from photos | You want volume in a metro where flooring demand is high and you can staff the phones |
| General contracting and remodeling | Smaller remodel and repair jobs you can quote quickly | Larger remodels where one won job pays for months of leads |
| Small repairs and handyman work | You can set low prices and turn off jobs that do not pay | Rarely: a lead price set by demand can exceed the profit on a one-hour job |
| Commercial work (property managers, facilities teams) | Rarely | Rarely |
Commercial buyers do not usually post a repaint or a roof on a homeowner app. They keep vendor lists and call the contractors already on them. Our Thumbtack and Angi alternatives guide covers commercial channels.
THUMBTACK ANGI
Thumbtack vs Angi: a worked cost comparison
Cost per won job on either platform is net lead spend divided by jobs won. The month below uses the same made-up round inputs on both platforms so the only difference is the refund rules. These are examples; put in your own numbers from each dashboard.
| Input (example) | Thumbtack | Angi, monthly budget | Angi, annual subscription |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leads received | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Price per lead | $60 | $60 | $60 |
| Gross lead spend | $1,200 | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| Customers who never reply to any pro | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Refunded or credited for that | 4 × $60 = $240 (automatic) | $0 (not eligible) | $0 (not eligible) |
| Disconnected numbers | 1 | 1 (you called within 24 hours) | 1 |
| Refunded or credited for that | $60 | $60 store credit | $0 (no credits on subscriptions) |
| Net spend | $900 | $1,140 | $1,200 |
| Jobs won (example) | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Cost per won job | $300 | $380 | $400 |
On these inputs, Thumbtack's 72-hour refund saves $240 in the month. That only holds if your customers really do go silent on every pro. A customer who answers another contractor and ignores you is not refunded on either platform.
Now change the price. Angi sets its own lead fee, and pros report figures from $15 to $98. If your Angi price in this trade and ZIP code were $45 instead of $60:
| Input (example) | Angi at $45 a lead |
|---|---|
| 20 leads at $45 | $900 |
| 1 disconnected number credited | −$45 |
| Net spend | $855 |
| Jobs won | 3 |
| Cost per won job | $285 |
So the platform with the friendlier refund policy is not automatically cheaper. A lower lead price can outweigh it. Two things decide it: the actual price in your account, and how many of your leads go quiet.
Hold the result against gross profit, not job value. A $300 cost per job is 7.5% of the $4,000 gross profit on a roof replacement. It is 62.5% of the $480 gross profit on a $1,200 interior repaint at a 40% margin (both example figures).
How to run a fair test
- Pick one service and one service area you want more of.
- Set Thumbtack's lead price for that service, and ask Angi for its price on the same service and ZIP codes in writing.
- Run both for the same 60 days with budgets you can afford to lose.
- Log every lead: date, platform, price, minutes to first call, whether the customer ever replied, refund or credit requested, outcome, job value and gross profit.
- Request every eligible credit on Angi inside the 24-hour call and 45-day windows. Check that Thumbtack's automatic refunds appear in your balance.
- Compare net spend divided by jobs won, per platform, per service.
HOMEADVISOR FIT
Where does HomeAdvisor fit now?
HomeAdvisor and Angi are the same company. HomeAdvisor vs Angi is a choice between brands of one business, not between competitors.
What the companies and the FTC state:
- 2017. IAC's HomeAdvisor business and Angie's List, Inc. were combined, according to Angi Inc.'s 2025 annual report.
- 2021. Angie's List became Angi, and Angi's press release said "HomeAdvisor will become HomeAdvisor, powered by Angi." The parent company, ANGI Homeservices, became Angi Inc.
- Today. Angi Inc.'s annual report for 2025 says the company "continues to operate under multiple brands including Angi, Angie's List, HomeAdvisor, and Handy." It says a basic annual pro membership "includes a business profile page on HomeAdvisor.com and Angi.com."
- Angi Leads. The FTC describes HomeAdvisor, Inc. as doing business "as Angi Leads and HomeAdvisor Powered by Angi." HomeAdvisor's pro site still carries the "HomeAdvisor powered by Angi" name, and its lead credit page is titled "Angi Leads Pro."
- The FTC order. In April 2023 the FTC finalized a consent order requiring HomeAdvisor to pay up to $7.2 million for redress and barring false or misleading claims about its leads, including that they concern people "ready to hire" or who asked HomeAdvisor directly. The details are in our Angi leads review.
For a contractor, the practical point is that signing up through HomeAdvisor or through Angi puts you into one network with one help center and one credit policy. Do not budget for them as two separate lead sources.
CONTRACTOR USE
When should a contractor use neither?
Skip both when the math or the buyer does not fit:
- Your buyers are commercial. Property managers, facilities teams and general contractors rarely post on homeowner apps. Researched outreach to those buyers works on a different timeline. See contractor lead generation services. To compare outbound firms, see commercial contractor lead generation companies.
- Your jobs are small. If one lead can cost more than the profit on the job, no refund rule fixes it.
- Nobody can call within minutes. Angi recommends calling within 15 minutes, and both platforms send a request to up to five pros. If your crew lead returns calls at 6 pm, you are paying to be the fifth caller.
- You want leads nobody else gets. Inquiries from your own Google Business Profile and website are not shared or charged per lead. See our Thumbtack and Angi alternatives guide.
- You want exclusive leads from a marketplace. Networx sells an exclusive lead plan alongside shared leads. See our Networx leads review.
SOURCI FITS
Where Sourci fits
Sourci sells marketing services to contractors, so it is not neutral on this question. It is a marketing agency in Austin, Texas for painting, roofing, flooring and coatings and general contractors. Sourci does not sell leads: you pay a monthly fee for the work, not per lead, and no inquiry is shared with another contractor.
Inbound (website fixes, SEO and AI-search visibility; residential and commercial), detailed on our inbound lead generation page:
- Foundation: $1,950 a month + $1,000 onboarding. 4 page deliverables a month for one website and one primary service area, and 24 buyer questions checked monthly across ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity.
- Growth: $3,450 a month + $1,500 onboarding. 8 page deliverables a month across up to two service areas, and 48 buyer questions tracked.
Outbound (researched email outreach to property managers, facilities teams and commercial owners, with interested replies qualified and handed to your team; commercial accounts only), detailed on our outbound lead generation page:
- Foundation: $2,950 a month, up to 500 researched contacts a month.
- Growth: $4,450 a month, up to 1,000 researched contacts a month across two segments.
Plans are month-to-month with 30 days' written notice. Ads and paid directory placements are not part of either plan. A commercial painting contractor in Dallas grew revenue 234% in six months of Sourci's SEO and AI-search work: read the Dallas commercial painter case study.
Get a free AI-search check to see whether ChatGPT, Google AI and Perplexity send buyers in your area to you or to a lead marketplace.
SOURCES
Where these facts come from.
- Thumbtack, pro page "Find more customers for your business"
- Thumbtack Help, "How much do I pay for leads and opportunities?", checked
- Thumbtack Help, "Here's a guide to spending on Thumbtack", checked
- Thumbtack Help, "What is Thumbtack's Quality Commitment?", checked
- Thumbtack Help, "Thumbtack's Quality Commitment Terms" (last updated )
- Thumbtack Help, "Refund policy for pros", checked
- Angi Help Center, "Opportunities and Leads: Frequently Asked Questions"
- Angi Help Center, "Leads and Opportunities" ()
- Angi Help Center, "Billing: Frequently Asked Questions" ()
- Angi Help Center, "How to Request a Lead Credit" ()
- Angi Help Center, "How to Make the Most of Your Leads" ()
- Angi Help Center, "How to Cancel Your Angi Agreement" ()
- Angi Leads Pro, "Lead Credit Guidelines"
- HomeAdvisor powered by Angi, pro site
- Angi Inc., Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
- Angi Inc., "Angie's List is Now Angi" ()
- Federal Trade Commission, "FTC Order Requires HomeAdvisor to Pay Up To $7.2 Million" ()
- Federal Trade Commission, "FTC Approves Final Order against HomeAdvisor, Inc." ()
- Housecall Pro, "What Is Angi's List and How Does It Work for Contractors?" (updated )
- BBB, Angi customer reviews (checked )
- BBB, Angi complaints (checked )
Checked November 2026.
QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Is Thumbtack or Angi better for contractors?
Neither wins on every count. Thumbtack lets you set your own lead price and refunds leads automatically when the customer replies to no pro within 72 hours. Angi sets prices by task, location and demand and offers subscriptions. Run both on one service for 60 days and compare net spend per won job.
What is the difference between Angi and Thumbtack?
Angi vs Thumbtack differs mainly on price control and credits. On Thumbtack you set the lead price and pay no membership fee. On Angi, Angi sets the lead fee, sells annual subscriptions, and credits only bad numbers, wrong area or service, duplicates and paused-account charges. Both cap a request at five pros.
Is HomeAdvisor the same as Angi?
Yes. HomeAdvisor and Angie's List were combined in 2017, and Angi Inc. says it operates under the Angi, Angie's List, HomeAdvisor and Handy brands. The FTC describes HomeAdvisor as doing business as Angi Leads. A basic pro membership includes a profile on both HomeAdvisor.com and Angi.com, so HomeAdvisor vs Angi is one network.
Which charges less per lead, Thumbtack or Angi?
It depends on your trade and ZIP code. Thumbtack charges the exact price you set. Angi does not publish prices; pros report $15 to $85 a lead in one guide and up to $98 in a November 2026 BBB review. Ask Angi for your price in writing, then compare cost per won job.
Do Thumbtack and Angi refund leads that never answer?
Thumbtack does, automatically, when the customer replies to no pro within 72 hours, under its Quality Commitment Terms updated . Angi does not: a homeowner who does not answer calls or messages is listed as not eligible for a credit, because Angi says this is accounted for in its lead pricing.
Do I need a contract for Thumbtack or Angi?
Thumbtack's pro page lists no subscription, no membership fees and no contracts. Angi offers monthly budget accounts and annual subscriptions, and to cancel an agreement you call Angi Customer Care. Annual subscribers cannot get lead credits, so read the term and cancellation clauses before you sign one.
How many contractors get the same lead on Thumbtack and Angi?
Up to five on each. Angi matches each project request with no more than five pros. Thumbtack limits customers to five pros from search results in the first four hours, then lets them contact more. Thumbtack shows on each lead how many pros the customer contacted.
FREE CHECK
Which contractors get recommended
in your city?
When a customer asks ChatGPT or Google AI who to hire, it names a few contractors. Tell us your trade and city. We send you which contractors get named, and whether you are one of them.
What you get
- We ask ChatGPT, Google AI and Perplexity the buyer questions from our 24-question method, set to your trade and city.
- We record which companies each assistant recommends or cites, and whether yours appears.
- We reply with what we found and the first gaps worth fixing.
How the 24-question method works
Result: A Dallas commercial painter grew revenue 234% and website visitors 657% in six months of SEO and AI-search work with Sourci. The owner asked us to keep the company name private. Read the Dallas case study