Are TrustATrader and Yell worth paying for?

What you are actually buying

These are paid listings where customers look you up, and they work in different ways.

• TrustATrader is a directory of vetted trades. You pay to be a member, it carries out checks, and customers leave reviews on your page there. The pitch is trust: customers who want a vetted trade.
• Yell has a free basic listing on Yell.com, and sells paid packages on top of it, such as a better position in its listings, advertising, and websites.

Prices vary by trade, by area and by package, and they change. Get a written quote every time.

What a listing can do for you

1. Bring you calls from people using the directory. This is the main thing you are paying for, and it varies hugely from town to town and trade to trade.
2. Show up in Google for searches like "electrician Leeds". Directory pages often appear in ordinary Google results below the map. A good page there gives you another way to be found.
3. Confirm your details. Every listing that matches your name, address and phone number exactly is another signal to Google that your business is real. See our citations and listings service.
4. Give you a badge for your website and van. Some customers do look for it.

The questions to ask before you pay

Ask the salesperson, and get the answers in writing:

• How many enquiries did trades like mine get in my area last year? If they cannot tell you, that tells you something.
• Are enquiries sent to me alone, or to several trades? A shared enquiry means a race on price from the first minute.
• What is the minimum term, and the notice period?
• What is the total cost over the whole term, with every extra included?
• What happens to my reviews and page if I leave?

How to tell if it pays for itself

Treat any paid listing as a test:

1. Know what a job is worth to you. Your average job value, less materials, gives you the profit from one new customer.
2. Track where every enquiry comes from. Ask each caller, or use a separate phone number on the listing.
3. After three months, compare. Divide what you paid by the jobs that came from it. If that cost per job is well under what a job earns you, keep it. If you cannot name the jobs it brought in, it has not earned its place.

Our honest view

• Take the free listings, including the free Yell one, and keep the details identical to your Google profile.
• Pay for a directory only when your own numbers say it works, or if a lot of your customers ask for vetted trades.
• Put your Google profile first. It is where most people search, the calls go to you alone, and you keep everything you build there whether you pay anyone or not. See alternatives to Checkatrade, MyBuilder and Rated People for the wider picture.

Want to see how much work in your area comes through Google Maps, and who is getting it? Get your free Maps audit.

Questions owners ask

Is a free Yell listing worth having?

Yes, for most businesses. It costs nothing, and having your name, address and phone number the same on well known directories helps Google and AI search trust your details. Make sure the details match your Google profile exactly.

Do directory listings help my Google Maps ranking?

They help a little, by confirming your details are consistent across the web. They do not replace a strong Google profile and reviews, which matter far more for the map.

How long are the contracts?

It depends on the company and the package, and terms change. Ask for the minimum term, the notice period and the total cost over that term in writing before you agree to anything.