How Lead Marketplaces Work
Services such as Thumbtack and Angi let homeowners request cleaning quotes. You pay for leads or for the chance to respond to them. Each platform's rules, pricing and features change over time, so check the current terms in your area before signing up. The key points to understand:
- How you pay: per lead, per contact or by subscription.
- Whether leads are shared: the same request may go to several cleaners.
- Refund rules: what happens with fake, out-of-area or unreachable leads.
- Who owns the relationship: reviews and messages often live on the platform.
When They Make Sense
- You're new, with no reviews or website yet, and need first jobs quickly.
- You have gaps in your schedule to fill this week.
- You can reply within minutes, every time.
- You're testing demand in a new town or service.
When They Don't
- You can't respond quickly. On shared leads, the fastest reply often wins.
- Your prices are above average. Shared leads tend to favour the lowest quote.
- You want recurring clients. Marketplace customers may be shopping for one-off jobs.
Marketplaces vs Your Own Ads
Many companies use a marketplace briefly at the start and move budget to their own ads and Google profile as they grow. See 9 lead generation channels compared.
If You Use Them, Do It Well
- Respond in minutes with a personal message and a clear price or next step. See the 5-minute rule.
- Move the conversation to text or phone quickly, where you can follow up.
- Ask for a Google review after the job, not only a platform review, so you build your own reputation. See getting more Google reviews.
- Offer the recurring plan after the first clean.
- Track cost per booked job and compare it with your other channels each month.
Pay Per Lead for Commercial Cleaning
Pay-per-lead services for commercial cleaning work differently from residential ones. A commercial lead is a request for a walkthrough or bid, not a booked job, and contracts can take weeks to decide. Before you pay per lead for commercial cleaning, ask:
- What counts as a lead? A facility manager requesting a walkthrough is worth far more than a form fill with no square footage or contact name.
- How many other companies get it? Commercial bids often go to three or more cleaners anyway. A lead shared further is worth much less.
- Is the building a fit? Ask for building type, size and frequency up front, so you don't pay for jobs too small or too far away.
- Can you dispute bad leads? Other cleaning companies looking for subcontract work sometimes appear as leads.
Measure it per signed contract, not per lead. If 10 commercial leads produce one contract, the real cost is ten times the lead price. Compare that with running your own commercial cleaning Google Ads, where leads are exclusive and you choose the buildings you target.
A Note on "Pay-Per-Lead" Agencies
Some agencies also sell cleaning leads at a fixed price each. Ask whether leads are exclusive, how a lead is defined, where the leads come from and whether you can dispute junk. The questions in choosing a Google Ads agency apply here too.
Want to compare what you pay a marketplace with what your own ads might cost? Book a free strategy call below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thumbtack worth it for cleaning businesses?
It can be for new companies that need jobs quickly and can reply within minutes. Leads may be shared, so track cost per booked job and compare it with Google Ads and your Google Business Profile.
Are Angi leads shared with other cleaners?
Depending on the product and plan, leads may be sent to more than one company. Check the current terms for your area before signing up.
Should I buy leads or run my own ads?
Bought leads are quick but often shared, and you build less of your own brand. Your own Google Ads give exclusive leads and full control. Many cleaners use marketplaces briefly, then shift budget to their own ads.
