TrustATrader
TrustATrader.com is a UK-based online directory founded in 2005 that connects homeowners with vetted, reviewed tradespeople across categories like plumbing, electrical, and roofing, monetizing via annual trader membership subscriptions and ancillary insurance services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersStevenage, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What TrustATrader does
TrustATrader.com is a UK-based online directory platform founded in 2005 that operates a two-sided marketplace connecting homeowners and property owners with vetted, reviewed tradespeople across categories including plumbing, electrical, roofing, building, locksmith, cleaning, and design services. The platform provides a web-based directory (trustatrader.com) plus native iOS and Android applications, with location-based search, trader profile pages, review aggregation (4.95/5.0 average), and a free TrustATrader Guarantee covering jobs up to £1,000 in value. All listed traders must provide proof of qualifications, trade association membership, and Public Liability Insurance, with listings revocable for substandard performance.
The business operates on a subscription-based model where tradespeople pay annual membership fees for exclusive placement within their geographic area. Critically, the platform does not charge commission on jobs or leads generated, which differentiates it from transactional lead-generation competitors. Consumer-side access is free; revenue is driven entirely by trader-side membership subscriptions and ancillary insurance products. Consumer demand is generated through top-of-funnel national television advertising (sponsorship of ITV2, ITV3, ITV Movies, and ITV4) and radio advertising across 60+ stations, supplemented by organic social media presence on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Reported platform engagement includes 358,402 consumer searches in the trailing 30 days, indicating sustained demand flow to listed traders.
The company has expanded its ecosystem through related services TrustAGarage (an automotive/garage directory) and TrustATrader Insurance (insurance quote aggregation), creating adjacent verticals within its trust-based directory model. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment or parent company, operates from Stevenage with 11-50 employees, and is led by CEO Gary McEwen. Key partnerships include NICEIC for electrical contractor verification and Allianz and Covea for Public Liability Insurance verification displayed on trader profiles.
TrustATrader firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TrustATrader
- Legal name
- TrustATrader.com
- Website
- https://trustatrader.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- TrustATrader.com is a UK-based online directory founded in 2005 that connects homeowners with vetted, reviewed tradespeople across categories like plumbing, electrical, and roofing, monetizing via annual trader membership subscriptions and ancillary insurance services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TrustATrader industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tradesperson Directory Marketplace
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private/Closed Membership Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Marketplace & E-commerce Trust & Safety (Listings, Sellers, Reviews) (BPAAALAB), Personal Trust & Fiduciary Administration (FSAEAKAA)
Keywords
Where TrustATrader is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stevenage
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
TrustATrader business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Trader Membership Fees: Tradespeople pay for exclusive membership subscriptions to be listed on the directory. Memberships are limited per geographic area to ensure fair share of leads for members. No commission is charged on leads or jobs generated through the platform.
- Lead Generation: The platform generates qualified leads from consumers actively searching for tradespeople. Traders receive these leads as part of their membership with no per-lead commission.
- Insurance Services: Related services including TrustATrader Insurance (www.trustatraderinsurance.com) and TrustAGarage (www.trustagarage.com) provide additional revenue streams.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Trader Membership (exact tiers not disclosed) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
TrustATrader product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TrustATrader is an online directory and two-sided marketplace that connects UK homeowners with vetted, reviewed tradespeople (plumbers, electricians, roofers, builders, locksmiths, etc.). Tradespeople pay annual exclusive membership subscriptions to be listed, while consumers search the platform free of charge and can register for a free TrustATrader Guarantee covering jobs up to £1,000. The company drives consumer demand via national TV and radio advertising and offers native iOS and Android mobile apps.
Product overview
TrustATrader operates as a unified platform consisting of the core TrustATrader.com directory, a mobile app for iOS and Android, and the TrustATrader Guarantee add-on. The platform connects homeowners with vetted tradespeople across various trades including electrical, plumbing, roofing, and locksmith services. Related services include TrustATrader Insurance and TrustAGarage. The company also advertises nationally on TV and radio to drive leads to its registered traders.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- TrustATrader.com Directory Platform Online directory platform connecting UK homeowners with vetted, reviewed tradespeople. Users search by trade and location, view reviews and ratings, and access platform features; tradespeople subscribe to exclusive geographic memberships to receive leads.
- TrustATrader Mobile App Native mobile application for iOS and Android that allows homeowners to search for trusted tradespeople, read reviews, and access the platform's features on the go.
- TrustATrader Guarantee Free guarantee that covers jobs registered through the platform up to £1,000 in value in case of issues with work quality. Customers must register the job before work begins and leave a review within 30 days of completion.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4.95 out of 5.0 average trader rating across the platform
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use TrustATrader
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
TrustATrader technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
TrustATrader partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NICEICcoreNICEIC is a leading electrical trade association whose logo appears on TrustATrader profiles for verified electrical contractors. NICEIC's Domestic Installer Scheme registers installers for domestic electrical work. TrustATrader displays NICEIC association badges on qualifying trader profiles as part of their verification standards.
- Allianz InsuranceminorAllianz Insurance provides Public Liability Insurance verification for traders listed on TrustATrader. Insurance providers are referenced on trader profiles to assure consumers of coverage.
- Covea InsuranceminorCovea Insurance provides Public Liability Insurance verification for traders listed on TrustATrader. Insurance providers are referenced on trader profiles to assure consumers of coverage.
- Victory DigitalminorDigital marketing agency providing SEO and digital marketing services for the TrustATrader.com website. Founded in partnership with Getme Limited.
- TrustAGarageminorSister company providing a similar trusted trader directory service for automotive/garage services, mentioned as an additional service on TrustATrader's platform.
- TrustATrader InsuranceminorRelated insurance service offering quotes for insurance needs, accessible via trustatraderinsurance.com link on the main platform.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
TrustATrader competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Checkatrade: UK-based vetted tradesperson directory, the category leader and most direct competitor. Operates a similar two-sided marketplace model with TV advertising and subscription/lead fees, but charges traders per-lead commission unlike TrustATrader's commission-free subscription.
- Rated People: UK marketplace connecting homeowners with tradespeople, posting jobs and receiving bids. Overlaps directly with TrustATrader on customer base, tradesperson supply, and lead-generation model, differing in its job-posting/bidding UX.
- MyBuilder: UK tradesperson marketplace using a bidding/reverse-auction format. Direct competitor to TrustATrader, serving the same homeowners and tradespeople with a similar lead-generation business model.
- Bark: Global professional services marketplace extending beyond trades into tutors, coaches, and event services. Comparable to TrustATrader as a lead-generation marketplace for services, but broader in vertical scope.
- HomeAdvisor: US home services marketplace owned by Angi Inc, connecting homeowners with prescreened local service professionals. Comparable business model and target customer (homeowner seeking vetted trades), but operates in North America.
- Thumbtack: US-based local services marketplace allowing consumers to find and price-compare professionals across many home and personal service categories. Closely comparable marketplace mechanics to TrustATrader but with broader vertical coverage and US geography.
Broad incumbents
- Angi (Angie's List): US incumbent home services platform combining marketplace leads with consumer reviews and direct service categories (HVAC, plumbing). Broader portfolio and larger scale than TrustATrader but overlapping core marketplace proposition.
- Houzz: Home design and renovation platform with marketplace for connecting homeowners to trade professionals. Overlaps with TrustATrader on the trade-discovery use case but combines it with design content, e-commerce, and a much broader category scope.
- Yell: UK's leading printed and digital business directory with paid listings across many categories including trades. Established incumbent in the same local-discovery use case as TrustATrader but without the vetting and review specialisation.
Others
- Trustpilot: Open consumer review platform widely used by UK tradespeople and service businesses. Adjacent rather than competing directly — provides review infrastructure that some TrustATrader traders also use for reputation, but does not operate as a directory or lead-generation marketplace.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TrustATrader social profiles
Digital presenceTrustATrader financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TrustATrader leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
TrustATrader subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
TrustATrader funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TrustATrader M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about TrustATrader
What does TrustATrader do?
TrustATrader is an online directory and two-sided marketplace that connects UK homeowners with vetted, reviewed tradespeople (plumbers, electricians, roofers, builders, locksmiths, etc.). Tradespeople pay annual exclusive membership subscriptions to be listed, while consumers search the platform free of charge and can register for a free TrustATrader Guarantee covering jobs up to £1,000. The company drives consumer demand via national TV and radio advertising and offers native iOS and Android mobile apps.
Is TrustATrader a public or private company?
TrustATrader is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was TrustATrader founded?
TrustATrader was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is TrustATrader based?
TrustATrader is headquartered in Stevenage, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does TrustATrader make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Trader Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are lead Generation and insurance Services.
Who are TrustATrader's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Checkatrade, Rated People, MyBuilder, Bark, HomeAdvisor and Thumbtack. Broad incumbents are Angi (Angie's List), Houzz and Yell. Trustpilot is listed as an others.
Does TrustATrader have an API?
No public API is recorded for TrustATrader.
What industry is TrustATrader in?
TrustATrader's product category is Tradesperson Directory Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAAAG, Private/Closed Membership Generalist Marketplaces, with a secondary code of BPAAALAB, Marketplace & E-commerce Trust & Safety (Listings, Sellers, Reviews).