Thumbtack alternative — no lead fees for pros
Thumbtack charges pros $25–$300 every time they see a customer's request. That cost is built into their quote. On Job On The Block, pros post their business once and reply when they want the work — no per-lead billing.
Side-by-side comparison
| Job On The Block | Thumbtack | |
|---|---|---|
| Pro pays per lead | No. | Yes — $25–$300 per customer request the pro sees. |
| Quote structure | Direct from the pro. No platform surcharge baked in. | Lead cost typically priced into the pro's quote. |
| How you reach the pro | In-app chat directly with the pro. | Bidding flow that surfaces multiple pros at once. |
| Pricing model for the customer | Free posting. Optional flat unlock/boost fees. | Free posting. Pros absorb lead cost then price it in. |
| Language coverage | Bilingual English + Spanish end-to-end. | English-first. |
Pro pays per lead
- Job On The Block
- No.
- Thumbtack
- Yes — $25–$300 per customer request the pro sees.
Quote structure
- Job On The Block
- Direct from the pro. No platform surcharge baked in.
- Thumbtack
- Lead cost typically priced into the pro's quote.
How you reach the pro
- Job On The Block
- In-app chat directly with the pro.
- Thumbtack
- Bidding flow that surfaces multiple pros at once.
Pricing model for the customer
- Job On The Block
- Free posting. Optional flat unlock/boost fees.
- Thumbtack
- Free posting. Pros absorb lead cost then price it in.
Language coverage
- Job On The Block
- Bilingual English + Spanish end-to-end.
- Thumbtack
- English-first.
What Job On The Block does differently
- Zero lead fees for pros. Quotes reflect the work, not the platform's take.
- Direct in-app chat with the pro — no dispatcher, no bidding scrum.
- Pros opt in via a simple 'I offer services' toggle and control their address visibility — no paid tier required to appear.
- Any platform costs (boosts, unlocks) are flat and disclosed up front — never a per-lead surcharge baked into the pro's quote.
Where Thumbtack is stronger
- Deeper national pro network in some categories.
- Instant-match flow that surfaces multiple bids fast.
Who should pick which
- Stick with ThumbtackYou want the fastest possible burst of competing quotes and don't mind that platform costs are baked into them.
- Try Job On The BlockYou'd rather message one or two vetted local pros directly and see their real pricing without a lead-fee markup.