Checkatrade is the UK's most visible trades directory, with a near-cultural status as the sticker on the van. Tradespeople pay an annual membership; customers can read reviews and request quotes. Like every trades directory, the structure of who's listed, who's reviewed and who pays for what is the part worth reading carefully.
Checkatrade is a membership-based trades directory. Tradespeople apply, undergo Checkatrade's standard checks (which historically include identity, qualifications where relevant, public liability insurance, and references), pay an annual subscription, and become a listed member with a public profile. Customers can leave reviews, which are tied to the member's profile and usually to a specific job.
Reviews on Checkatrade are typically invited by the tradesperson after a completed job, using cards or links provided by Checkatrade. The platform moderates against its policies and removes reviews that appear to break the rules.
Membership tiers vary, but the basic offer is: a profile, the ability to receive customer enquiries, the right to display the Checkatrade logo on your van and website, and access to review collection tools. Higher tiers and ad spend buy better placement in local search results on Checkatrade.
Checkatrade is the platform that has done more for the British van than any other piece of branded vinyl in history. It is also the platform with the unusual distinction of selling a logo so familiar that customers will sometimes choose any tradesperson with one over any tradesperson without one — even when the without-one in question is the customer's own brother, who has been doing this for thirty years and simply hasn't gotten round to filling in the forms.
Checkatrade does more vetting than an open review site, and the membership model means there's a structural cost for misconduct: members who consistently fail to meet standards can be removed. For consumers, the right reading habit is to check the profile's review distribution (not the headline), the dates of the most recent reviews, and the length and detail of written feedback. For longer or higher-risk jobs, supplement Checkatrade with personal references and direct insurance checks.
No. It is a private membership directory. Membership is not a substitute for sector-specific regulation (e.g. Gas Safe Register for gas work).
Standard checks at application and renewal include identity, qualifications where relevant, insurance and references. Specific requirements depend on trade.
Yes. Persistent unresolved complaints or breaches of Checkatrade's code of conduct can lead to removal.
Most reviews are invited after a completed job using Checkatrade's review tools, which is a more rigorous verification model than open posting.
No badge does. It indicates current membership and reasonable standing on the platform.