To get reviews on Checkatrade, ask every customer in person once the job is finished, then send a review request through Checkatrade's trade app, which goes to the customer by text and email. Checkatrade checks reviews before they're published, so the customer may be asked to confirm who they are. Whether paid membership is worth it depends mostly on how many people in your area look for your trade on Checkatrade, and it makes sense to collect Google reviews as well either way.
How Checkatrade reviews work
Customers leave reviews on your Checkatrade profile, and they rate parts of the job such as the quality of the work and your reliability alongside a written comment. Those ratings make up the score shown on your profile.
There are a few ways a review request reaches a customer:
- For jobs that come to you through Checkatrade, Checkatrade sends the customer a request itself once the job is likely to be finished.
- For any job, including ones that didn't come through Checkatrade, you can send a request from the reviews section of the trade app by choosing the job or adding the customer's name and contact details.
- Each member also has their own feedback link, which you can send in a text or email or add to your email signature.
Checkatrade says it checks every review against its guidelines before publishing it, and reviewers can be asked to verify themselves by text or phone. It says reviews that pass are usually published within 24 hours, and ones that turn out to be fake or break its guidelines are removed.
When and how to ask
The best time is the same as for any review site, which is when the job is signed off, the mess is cleared up and the customer has had a good look at the finished work. Ask in person before you leave, and tell them a text or email is on its way from Checkatrade so they don't ignore it or mistake it for spam.
Something like this works: "Glad you're happy with it. Checkatrade will send you a text asking for a review, and if you've got a minute to fill it in, it really helps a small firm like ours." If nothing has come through after a day or two, one polite reminder is fine. Our review request text templates can be adapted for Checkatrade.
Ask every customer, not only the ones who seem most pleased. Picking and choosing gives a less honest picture of your work, and a calm reply to a mixed review usually reassures the people who read it later.
What Checkatrade doesn't allow
- Offering a discount, a gift or anything else in return for a review.
- Asking employees, friends or family to review you.
- Writing reviews for your own business or getting someone else to post fake ones.
Fake reviews and paying for reviews are also illegal in the UK under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, enforced by the Competition and Markets Authority. Our guide on review incentives explains where the line sits.
Is Checkatrade worth it?
It depends on your trade, your area and how you get work now. There's no single answer, so it's worth weighing up both sides for your own business.
Points in its favour:
- Plenty of homeowners use it to find tradespeople, and some prefer it because members go through checks before they're listed.
- Reviews are checked before they're published, which some customers find reassuring.
- It can bring in work from people who have never heard of you.
Points to weigh up:
- Membership is paid, and Checkatrade doesn't publish one fixed price. The cost depends on your trade, the area you cover and the plan you choose, so get a quote and read the contract terms, including the minimum length, before you sign.
- Your Checkatrade reviews live on Checkatrade. They don't show up next to your business on Google Maps.
- If most of your work already comes from word of mouth and repeat customers, the extra leads may not cover the cost.
A sensible test is to ask a few recent customers how they found you, and to search for your trade and town on Checkatrade to see how many competitors are listed and how many reviews they have.
Don't forget Google reviews
Many people searching for a tradesperson start on Google, and Google reviews are free for any eligible business. They also show next to your business in Search and Maps, which is often the first thing a customer sees. Our guide for tradespeople getting Google reviews covers this in detail.
A common approach is to ask for a Google review in person and let Checkatrade's own request handle the Checkatrade side, so the customer isn't asked twice in the same breath. A Google review card (£30) kept in the van lets the customer tap their phone on it before you leave, and it opens your Google review page straight away. It comes programmed with your own link and there's no monthly fee.
Common questions
How long do Checkatrade reviews take to appear?
Checkatrade says reviews that pass its checks are usually published within 24 hours. If one hasn't appeared after a few days, check with the customer that they finished all the steps.
Can I remove a bad review on Checkatrade?
You can't remove it yourself. You can reply to it, and if you think it breaks Checkatrade's guidelines you can raise it with Checkatrade, who decide whether it stays.
Can I send my own Checkatrade review link?
Yes. Each member has a feedback link that can be sent by text or email, and you can also send requests through the trade app.
Should I ask for a Checkatrade review and a Google review?
Asking for both at once is a lot for one customer. Ask in person for the one that matters most to you, and let the other come through a follow-up message or Checkatrade's automatic request.