Conflict-of-interest disclosure — read this first
Get That Phone Ringing (GTPR) is one of the companies evaluated in this article. GTPR is operated by Gump Global LLC, the same company that publishes this site. We've included GTPR in this review alongside its competitors and applied the same evaluation criteria to it as to every other vendor. That said, you should weight our self-assessment accordingly. We've tried to be honest — we've noted where GTPR doesn't fit certain use cases and ranked it behind Google LSAs for contractors who can qualify and wait — but you are reading a review that was written by a company about itself. Use the framework in Section 5 to evaluate any vendor, including us, with your own eyes.
TL;DR — the actual answer
The top picks for most home-service contractors in 2026:
- #1 Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) — lowest cost per booked job for most trades if you can qualify. $25–$80/lead, pay-per-lead, Google Verified badge. The benchmark everything else is measured against.
- #2 Pay-per-call (Service Direct or GTPR) — exclusive inbound calls from real homeowners. Best for contractors who want fast volume without managing ad campaigns. $60–$150/call depending on trade.
- #3 Modernize — best shared-lead marketplace for high-ticket verticals (roofing, HVAC, windows, solar). Legitimate refund policy, account management available, B BBB rating.
Angi/HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack, Bark, and Porch consistently underperform vs. the options above and have serious documented quality and billing issues. See Section 4 for the full avoid list with evidence.
1. How we ranked these companies
This evaluation is based on seven criteria applied equally to every company. Here's what each one means in practice:
| Criterion | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Lead exclusivity | Exclusive leads close at 35-55%. Shared leads close at 8-15%. This one variable often doubles or triples your real cost per job. |
| Pricing transparency | Do they publish pricing publicly? Do they quote real per-lead costs before you give them a credit card? Opacity is a red flag. |
| Contract terms | Month-to-month vs annual lock-in. Early-termination fees. Who owns the ad account or lead data if you leave? |
| Refund / credit policy | What qualifies as an invalid lead? How easy is it actually to get a credit? Do you need to dispute with the BBB to get action? |
| Customer support | Do you get a real account manager or a ticket queue? How fast do they respond when there's a billing dispute? |
| BBB rating + complaints | Complaint volume and resolution rate matters more than the letter grade. The BBB grades on a curve — a high complaint count with low resolution rate is a warning sign regardless of the letter. |
| Legal / regulatory history | FTC actions, state AG settlements, class action history. Systemic billing fraud or misrepresentation at scale is a hard disqualifier. |
One thing this review explicitly does NOT use: Google's "Ad Strength" metric or any vendor-provided close rate claims without independent corroboration. We also don't rank based on ad spend or media coverage. A vendor's marketing budget has no bearing on whether their leads convert.
2. The top picks
These three options deliver the lowest verified cost per booked job for most home-service contractors. They're not perfect for every situation — see Section 3 for niche alternatives — but if you're a plumber, HVAC tech, electrician, roofer, or general remodeler in a mid-to-large market, start here.
Google Local Services Ads (LSAs)
google.com/ads/local-services-ads — operated by Google
How it works
LSAs are Google's native pay-per-lead product for local service businesses. Your business gets a "Google Verified" badge and appears above organic results and standard Google Ads. You pay only when a homeowner calls or messages you directly through the ad. Google handles the verification (background check, license check, insurance verification) — contractors who clear it get a badge that converts at a significantly higher rate than unverified listings.
Pricing
$25–$95 per lead depending on trade and market. HVAC: $45–$85. Plumbing: $40–$75. Electrical: $35–$70. Roofing: $50–$95. High-end estimates for water damage restoration can exceed $200. No monthly minimums, no contract. You set a weekly budget and only pay for leads. Google will credit disputed leads within ~14 days.
Who it works for
- Contractors with a clean BBB/license record who can clear Google's verification
- Operations with 30+ Google reviews (directly impacts ranking)
- Trades with high LSA coverage: plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing, locksmith, garage door
- Contractors willing to manage a dashboard and dispute bad leads
Who it doesn't work for
- Very new businesses with few Google reviews — you'll lose the auction
- Trades with low LSA availability in your market (check coverage before committing)
- Contractors who need volume immediately — setup and verification takes 1-4 weeks
- Businesses that can't pass Google's background/license check
The bottom line
LSAs average a 31% booking rate and 4x ROAS in third-party data from 2025. No other lead source we've reviewed consistently beats those numbers. The catch is that since July 2025, Google ranks LSAs entirely on your Google Business Profile reviews — if you don't have them, you won't rank. Get the reviews first, then turn on LSAs. Note: 67% of contractors surveyed in 2025 report LSA lead quality has declined over the past 18 months as Google has pushed "price comparison" behavior, so go in with eyes open.
Pay-Per-Call Networks — Service Direct & Get That Phone Ringing
servicedirect.com & getthatphoneringing.com
Conflict-of-interest reminder
Get That Phone Ringing is this site's operator. We've evaluated it alongside Service Direct below, but read this section knowing we're comparing ourselves to a competitor.
How pay-per-call works
A third-party network runs Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and/or SEO campaigns targeting homeowners in your trade and market. When a homeowner calls the tracked number and the call exceeds a minimum duration (typically 60–90 seconds), you're billed for that call. You never pay for clicks, form fills, or calls that drop before the threshold. You receive one exclusive inbound call from one real homeowner — no race against 8 other contractors.
Pricing
Service Direct: Average ~$40/call across home-service trades. Their model lets you set your own CPL and adjust it in real time — lower bids mean less volume, higher bids mean more. No term contracts. Free account setup.
Get That Phone Ringing (GTPR): $60–$150/call depending on trade and market. No contracts, refundable deposit, goes live within one business day. Plumbing, HVAC, roofing, electrical, pest, appliance repair.
Who it works for
- Contractors who need calls this week, not next month
- Operations that don't want to manage ad campaigns or dashboards
- Any trade — no Google review minimums, no license verification delay
- Contractors in markets where LSA coverage is thin
Who it doesn't work for
- Contractors with very low average job values — the per-call price may not pencil
- Businesses that want to own and retain the ad account and data long-term
- Very niche trades with thin search volume (the network can't generate call volume)
Service Direct vs. GTPR
Service Direct offers a self-serve bidding model with lower average prices (~$40/call) and very transparent real-time reporting via their mySD platform. They report a 53% booking rate on plumbing calls from verified customers. GTPR operates in a white-glove model — a human account manager, faster dispute resolution, and a focus on fewer trades with higher call quality. Service Direct is better if you want price control and volume flexibility. GTPR may be better if you want a managed relationship and are in one of our active trade verticals. Honestly, test both if you have budget to do it.
Modernize Home Services
modernize.com/pros — Austin, TX (a QuinStreet company)
How it works
Modernize runs consumer-facing sites (modernize.com and affiliates) targeting homeowners planning major home improvement projects. When a homeowner fills out a request for roofing, windows, HVAC, solar, or bathroom remodels, Modernize delivers that lead to you — either as a shared lead (3-5 contractors) or as an exclusive lead (you alone, at a higher price). Immediate delivery, CRM integration, dedicated account management on paid tiers.
Pricing
Modernize doesn't publish per-lead prices publicly — you'll negotiate based on trade, market, and exclusivity level. Shared leads in roofing typically run $35–$65/lead. Exclusive leads run $100–$200/lead. They offer Regional and Enterprise plans with account management and CRM integration included at higher tiers. No public pricing page.
Who it works for
- Roofers, HVAC companies, window installers, solar installers with high average job values
- Operations with a real sales process — fast response, professional follow-up
- Contractors buying exclusive leads, not shared (the math only works with exclusive)
Who it doesn't work for
- Trades with low average job values (handyman, locksmith) — the lead price won't pencil
- One-person operations without a follow-up system — shared leads die fast
- Contractors who want pricing transparency before signing up
Credibility note
Modernize is a QuinStreet company, which is a publicly-traded performance marketing firm (NASDAQ: QNST). They've been operating in the home improvement space since 2011. BBB complaints are moderate — primarily homeowner complaints about excessive follow-up calls, not contractor billing fraud. That's a meaningful distinction. Reviews are split: some contractors report excellent lead quality and strong ROI; others spent $500/week on shared leads and had poor connect rates. The exclusivity variable explains most of that variance.
3. Honorable mentions — niche fits
These options don't make the top-3 for most contractors, but they're legitimate for specific situations. Don't dismiss them — just go in understanding exactly what problem they solve.
Networx — Best for Low-Budget Entry
Networx is a shared-lead marketplace with no monthly minimums and no long-term contracts. Lead prices range from $10–$120+ depending on service type. They also offer exclusive leads at a price premium. A+ BBB rating with relatively low complaint volume compared to Angi. Best for: contractors just starting out who want to test paid leads with minimal commitment, or small operators in non-competitive local markets.
The catch: Lead quality complaints are common on independent platforms (PissedConsumer, Trustpilot). The low price per lead often reflects what you're getting — expect the same call-responsiveness problems as other shared-lead platforms. Treat it as a testing ground, not a long-term primary channel.
Footbridge Media — Best Agency for Small Contractors Who Want to Own Their Leads
Footbridge Media is a 20+ year old contractor-only marketing agency that builds and manages your website and local SEO for a flat $249/month with no contracts and a 90-day money-back guarantee. Unlike lead generation services, you own the website and the leads — you're not renting access to someone else's platform. Best for: owner-operators who want a long-term marketing asset, have 6+ months of patience for SEO to ramp, and are tired of paying per lead forever.
The catch: This is an SEO/website play, not an immediate lead source. Expect 3-6 months before meaningful organic traffic. If you need calls this month, Footbridge isn't the answer — it's a long game. But at $249/month with no contract, the risk-adjusted cost is very low compared to any pay-per-lead option.
Hook Agency / Blue Corona — Best Full-Service Digital Agencies for Established Contractors
Hook Agency (Minneapolis) and Blue Corona (acquired by Lumen5) are two of the most respected full-service digital marketing agencies specifically for home-service contractors. Both offer SEO, PPC, and website design as an integrated stack. Hook Agency's website pricing can run up to $50K for complex builds; their PPC management scales with spend. Blue Corona doesn't lock you into contracts and you own everything they build. Best for: 10+ truck operations spending $3,000+/month on ads who want a dedicated agency partner.
The catch: Not appropriate for small operations. The minimum engagement sizes mean you need volume to justify the retainer. And "best-in-class agency" still means you're managing a relationship rather than buying a result — you'll see variance in account managers and campaign quality over time.
Thumbtack — Niche Fit for Low-Competition Trades in Small Markets
Thumbtack operates differently from the others: homeowners post project requests and you pay to "match" (show your profile) or to directly contact an interested homeowner. Lead costs range from $15–$200+ depending on trade. The platform limits how many pros a customer can contact per project, which is better than Angi's open bidding model. BBB complaint volume is high (~1,000+ complaints), but Thumbtack has an A+ BBB rating. Best for: handymen, cleaning services, personal trainers, tutors — trades with smaller job values and lower competition where Thumbtack has real consumer traffic.
The catch: For higher-ticket trades (roofing, HVAC) in competitive markets, Thumbtack is expensive and low-converting. Most contractor complaints center on paying for leads where the homeowner was just browsing and never intended to hire. Use for low-ticket trades in small markets only.
4. The avoid list — with evidence
The following companies have documented, systemic problems that go beyond "some leads are bad." We're not saying every contractor had a bad experience — we're saying the regulatory record, BBB complaint volume, and structural business model create a predictable pattern of contractor losses. The evidence is cited.
Angi / HomeAdvisor — Avoid as Primary Channel
Angi (the merged entity of Angi's List and HomeAdvisor) is the largest contractor lead marketplace in the US. In theory: homeowners submit project requests, Angi sends you the lead, you close the job. In practice, the documented record is damaging:
- FTC settlement (January 2023): The FTC ordered HomeAdvisor (doing business as Angi Leads) to pay up to $7.2 million for "deceptive and misleading tactics" including misrepresenting lead quality — specifically, telling contractors the leads were more likely to convert than they actually were.
- Vermont AG settlement (October 2025): Vermont's Attorney General settled with Angi over deceptive "Certified Pro" marketing that implied Vermont-state certification of contractors — a credential Vermont doesn't issue. Angi paid $100,000 and agreed to stop using the label.
- Revenue down 13% YoY (2025): Angi's own public financials show full-year 2025 revenue declining approximately 13% year-over-year. Their "homeowner choice" model change in January 2025 resulted in 67% fewer Service Requests and 81% fewer Leads routed to contractors on their third-party network.
- Over 1,200 BBB complaints with consistent themes: billing beyond agreed budgets, locked-in annual contracts with $1,200+ cancellation fees, charging for leads contractors marked as invalid, and leads going to 4-12 contractors simultaneously without disclosure.
If you're already on Angi and it's working: keep it. But if you're evaluating where to start or want to replace a failing channel, the documented record is hard to ignore. Our full breakdown: Is Angi worth it for contractors in 2026? and Alternatives to Angi.
Bark.com — High Fraud Risk, Avoid
Bark operates a global marketplace where homeowners post project requests and contractors buy credits to respond. Lead prices typically run $10–$20 per contact. Complaints across Trustpilot, PissedConsumer, and Sitejabber are extensive and specific:
- A meaningful percentage of leads are fake or recycled — multiple contractors report "leads" that appear to be scraped contact data or job seekers repackaged as client inquiries.
- Starting November 2025, Bark credits expire 3 months after purchase — this effectively pressures contractors to buy every lead to avoid losing their credit balance, reducing quality filtering.
- BBB complaints include reports of contractors losing $1,500+ to fraudulent "clients" who sent fake checks after receiving proposals.
- Bark's Trustpilot rating is in the low 2-star range based on thousands of reviews (majority from service providers, not consumers).
The credit-expiration model is a structural problem — it creates financial pressure to purchase low-quality leads just to avoid losing pre-purchased credits. We have not found a comparable problem at any other platform on this list.
Porch.com — Poor Lead Quality, Billing Disputes
Porch.com sells contractor leads for $10–$60/lead. Common documented complaints: disconnected numbers, homeowners who never requested contractor contact, refusal to issue credits for clearly invalid leads, and a $50 cancellation fee not disclosed during onboarding. ConsumerAffairs reviews average in the 2-star range. The lead quality issues appear structural — Porch aggregates homeowner data from moving companies, home warranty purchases, and other sources, much of which isn't genuine "I want a quote right now" intent. Avoid unless you have specific evidence it works in your market and trade.
CraftJack — Out of Business / Shuttered
CraftJack (formerly a Chicago-based lead marketplace) appears to no longer be operating as of 2025-2026. Their BBB listing shows no current rating, indicating the company is out of business. If you encounter companies or articles still recommending CraftJack, the information is outdated. Do not attempt to set up an account.
5. How to evaluate any vendor yourself
Don't take anyone's word for it — including this article's. Here's a five-step process for evaluating any lead generation vendor before you commit money:
- 1
Run the real CPA math before your first dollar
Formula:
(avg job value) × (gross margin %) × (close rate for this lead type) = max viable CPL. Use realistic close rates: 35-50% for exclusive inbound calls, 10-15% for shared form fills. If the vendor's per-lead price exceeds your max viable CPL at their expected close rate, the math doesn't work. Walk away before you "test" your way into a $5,000 lesson. - 2
Look up their BBB record yourself — the complaints, not the grade
Go to bbb.org and search for the company. Ignore the letter grade — the BBB grades on a curve and gives A+ ratings to companies with hundreds of complaints. Instead, read the 10 most recent complaints and look at whether they were "resolved" by the company or simply "closed." Complaints where the vendor gave nothing are a pattern indicator. Compare complaint volume to company size: a 3-person lead service with 400 complaints is very different from a 500-person platform with 400 complaints.
- 3
Search "company name + complaints" on trade forums, not review sites
Google "[company name] + site:contractortalk.com" and "[company name] + site:reddit.com/r/Contractor". Contractor Talk and the r/Contractor subreddit have years of unfiltered real contractor experiences that review aggregators don't capture. Review sites are easily manipulated by vendor responses and selective reporting. Trade forums are where people vent and warn each other honestly.
- 4
Start with a small test, not an annual commitment
Any reputable vendor will let you test with a small deposit and no long-term contract. If a vendor requires a multi-month commitment or a large upfront payment before you've seen a single lead — that is a red flag. The business model that works for contractors is performance-based: you see results, you pay more. Upfront commitments transfer risk from the vendor to you.
- 5
Track your own data from day one
Use a simple spreadsheet: date, lead source, lead cost, whether you reached the homeowner, whether you booked the job, job value. After 20-30 leads you'll have your actual close rate and actual CPA for that specific vendor in your specific market. This is the only real data that matters — not the vendor's claimed close rate, not this article's averages. Your market, your trade, your operation. Track it yourself.
6. Red flags during the sales call
Most lead generation salespeople are commissioned. Their incentive is to get your credit card, not to make your business profitable. Here are the lines to listen for — and what they actually mean:
"We have a very high close rate for contractors like you."
Ask for the specific number, in writing, for your trade and your geographic market. National averages are meaningless. A roofing contractor in Phoenix competing against 200 other roofers has a completely different close rate than a roofer in a rural town. If they won't give you trade-and-market-specific data, the claim is unverifiable marketing.
"We only sell each lead to 3-4 contractors."
Ask whether that's a hard cap enforced by the platform or a rough average that can go higher. Most shared-lead companies don't actually cap lead distribution at a contractually enforced number. "Average 3-4" can mean some leads go to 12 when demand is high.
"You need to sign up for 12 months to get the best pricing."
This is risk transfer. The vendor is asking you to pre-commit to a year of payments before you have evidence of performance. Reputable performance-based vendors don't need annual commitments because the product speaks for itself. If the 12-month pricing is significantly better than month-to-month, insist on at least 30 days of month-to-month first — if it's working, you can always lock in.
"Any lead that doesn't convert is on your sales process, not our leads."
There's partial truth here — your response speed and sales skills matter. But a legitimate vendor also has a documented refund/credit policy for leads where the homeowner's number is disconnected, the homeowner didn't request a contractor, or the lead is outside your service area. If the vendor has no refund policy for any scenario, the incentives are misaligned: they get paid whether the lead is real or not.
"You won't get leads from our competitors once you're on our platform."
Some vendors have exclusivity provisions buried in their contracts. This is a problem: locking you out of other lead sources while you test theirs puts all the leverage on their side. Read the contract before signing, specifically for exclusivity clauses, non-compete language, and any provision limiting your use of other marketing channels.
FAQ
What is the most important factor when choosing a lead generation company for contractors? +
Exclusivity. Whether the lead is sent to you alone or to 4-12 other contractors simultaneously is the single biggest variable that determines your real cost per booked job. A $30 shared lead sent to 8 contractors costs you far more per customer won than a $90 exclusive call — because your close rate on the shared lead is 8-15% vs 35-55% on an inbound call you received exclusively. Always ask how many contractors receive each lead before signing anything.
Are Angi Leads worth it for contractors in 2026? +
For most contractors, no — not as a primary channel. Angi's revenue is down 13% year-over-year in 2025, reflecting a fundamental decline in lead quality as their 'homeowner choice' model sent far fewer leads to the contractor side. The company also paid a $7.2M FTC settlement in 2023 for misrepresenting lead quality and a $100K Vermont AG settlement in 2025 for deceptive 'Certified Pro' labeling. Angi can work for contractors who respond in under 2 minutes and have 100+ reviews, but at $40-80/lead with 8-12 recipients per lead, your real cost per booked job is often $400-800+.
How much should I pay per lead as a contractor? +
Back into it from your economics. Formula: (average job value) × (gross margin) × (close rate on this lead type) = maximum viable CPL. Example for a plumber: $800 average job × 55% margin × 35% close rate on exclusive inbound calls = $154 max viable CPL. If your pay-per-call provider charges $90/call, that's a healthy margin. If you're buying shared form-fills at $50 and closing 10%, your real CPA is $500 — that may or may not be viable depending on job value. The formula changes by trade and by lead type.
What is the difference between pay-per-call and shared-lead marketplaces? +
Pay-per-call: a homeowner actively dials a phone number, you pay only when that call connects and meets a minimum duration threshold (usually 60-90 seconds, signaling real intent). Exclusive, high-intent, higher per-call price. Shared-lead marketplace: a homeowner fills out a form online, that form fill is immediately sold to 4-12 contractors simultaneously, and whoever calls first has the best shot. Much more competition, lower close rates, and the homeowner often didn't realize their contact info would be sold.
What questions should I ask a lead generation vendor before paying anything? +
Five non-negotiables: (1) Are my leads exclusive or shared, and to exactly how many contractors? (2) What is your minimum contract term and the early-termination penalty? (3) How do you define a 'valid' lead and what is your refund or credit policy for leads that don't qualify? (4) Can you show me performance data — CPL and close rates — from contractors in my specific trade and market area? (5) Do I own the leads/data after I leave, and do I own the ad account if you're managing campaigns? A vendor who won't answer all five questions directly should not get your money.
About Get That Phone Ringing
Get That Phone Ringing is operated by Gump Global LLC, a US-based pay-per-call lead-generation company. We've spent millions of dollars buying and routing pay-per-call traffic for home-service contractors since 2024 — across plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing, pest control, and a dozen other home-service verticals. We write about contractor marketing because most "expert" advice in the space comes from agencies and SaaS companies that don't actually run the campaigns or pay the ad invoices.
Related guides
- Lead generation models for contractors — all 7 explained →
- What is pay-per-call? A contractor's plain-English guide →
- Pay-per-call vs Angi: the real math →
- Is Angi worth it in 2026? An honest answer →
- The best alternatives to Angi for contractors →
- The best alternatives to HomeAdvisor →
- The best alternatives to Thumbtack →
- How to cancel Angi without getting charged →
Want to try pay-per-call without a long-term commitment?
Get That Phone Ringing operates one of the platforms reviewed above. No contracts, refundable deposit, live within one business day. If it's not working after a fair test, we'll tell you and refund what's left. We'd rather lose a test than have a contractor paying for leads that don't pencil.
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