What Checkatrade is really charging UK trade businesses
The monthly membership fee is the visible cost. The invisible cost is every customer lead that belongs to Checkatrade, not you. When you leave, you leave empty-handed. You cannot contact them, cannot rebook them, cannot build a relationship that drives word-of-mouth.
Worse: Checkatrade incentivises a race to the lowest quote. The platform rewards volume, not value. And every 5-star review you earn lives on their platform, not yours.
Customers you cannot keep
Every lead belongs to them, not you
When you stop paying Checkatrade, you lose access to every customer you earned through the platform. You cannot remarket, rebook, or follow up.
Race to the cheapest quote
Competing on price, not quality
Directory platforms pit tradespeople against each other on cost. Customers trained to compare quotes will never pay premium rates.
Every job is a cold start
Repeat bookings go back to the directory
Without owning the customer relationship, you cannot build a subscription, service plan, or loyal base of returning clients.
Your reputation on their platform
5-star reviews that leave with you
Every review you earn belongs to Checkatrade. If you leave or get delisted, your reputation disappears with your subscription.
How OptiTech Automation gives you full customer ownership
- Every customer who books through your platform is YOUR customer — stored in YOUR account, not a third-party directory
- Repeat bookings, reminders, and follow-ups go directly to customers you already own
- Workers you recruit stay in your system — they cannot be poached by the platform or a competitor
- Your reviews and reputation build on your own optitechautomation.co.uk-powered site
- Set your own prices, your own service areas, your own terms — no race to the bottom
- When you grow, the customer base grows with you — transferable, exportable, yours
Can customers still find me through search engines?
Yes. OptiTech Automation generates a per-business website under your own brand that is indexed by Google. You get SEO presence without depending on a directory to rank for you.
What happens to my Checkatrade reviews?
We cannot import them directly, but your OptiTech Automation customer portal collects new reviews from every completed job — building your independent reputation from day one.
Is OptiTech Automation only for established trade businesses?
No. OptiTech Automation is designed for businesses at every stage, from a sole trader taking their first bookings to a multi-worker team running dozens of jobs a week.
How long does it take to get my own platform live?
Most trade businesses are fully set up within 24 hours of joining. Your branded booking page, worker logins, and payment processing are ready to go from day one.