Honest breakdown · 2026
Is Angi worth it for contractors?
Short answer: it can work if you have strong margins and answer leads instantly — but the shared-lead model means you're racing 3–5 other contractors for the same homeowner, and you pay per lead whether you close or not. Here's the honest math, and a different way to get leads.
When Angi IS worth it
- • You answer every lead within minutes (speed wins shared leads)
- • High close rate + healthy margins that absorb per-lead cost
- • You're in a high-ticket trade where one job covers many lead fees
When it ISN'T
- • You're a 1–5 person shop that can't sit on the phone all day
- • Your trade's per-lead cost is high and close rates are average
- • You're tired of price-competing with everyone else who bought the same lead
The alternative: exclusive leads, flat price
BellAveGo pulls homeowner leads from public code-enforcement and permit records — people the city has flagged to do work — and gives each lead to ONE contractor per zip. No sharing, no per-lead fees, no bidding war. Flat $29/week for 10 leads a week, 3 days free, cancel anytime.
Then 3 days free, $29/week flat. Cancel anytime. One contractor per zip.
Or compare side by side: Angi vs BellAveGo
What Angi leads cost by trade
Contractor-reported ranges per SHARED lead (sold to 3–5 pros). You pay whether or not you close.
| Trade | Angi (shared, per lead) | BellAveGo (exclusive) |
|---|---|---|
| Roofing | $30–$100 | ~$2.90 · flat, never shared |
| HVAC | $25–$85 | ~$2.90 · flat, never shared |
| Plumbing | $20–$60 | ~$2.90 · flat, never shared |
| Electrical | $20–$60 | ~$2.90 · flat, never shared |
| Landscaping | $15–$45 | ~$2.90 · flat, never shared |
| Windows / Remodeling | $50–$150+ | ~$2.90 · flat, never shared |
BellAveGo is a flat $29/week for 10 exclusive leads (~$2.90 each), no per-lead fees. Angi prices are set by demand and vary by market.
Angi vs BellAveGo, head to head
| Angi / HomeAdvisor | BellAveGo | |
|---|---|---|
| Lead exclusivity | Shared with 3–5 pros | One contractor per zip |
| Pricing | Pay per lead ($15–$150+) | Flat $29/week, no per-lead fees |
| Lead source | Ad form-fills (price-shoppers) | Public code-violation + permit records |
| Verifiable? | No | Yes — city case / permit number |
| Homeowner intent | Comparing quotes | Legally ordered to fix something |
| Contract | Membership + commitments common | Cancel anytime, 3 days free |
Based on BellAveGo's own analysis of ~18,000 public code-enforcement and permit records across major US metros (last 120 days). See the data: code violations by city.
Frequently asked questions
Is Angi worth it for painters in 2026?
For most residential painters, Angi is expensive per booked job. Angi sells painting leads per shared contact, commonly cited at $30–$80+ each, and the same homeowner typically goes to several painters at once. The alternative is a public-record lead: county deed and parcel sales show who just bought a home and needs it repainted, and city code-enforcement files show exteriors cited for peeling paint with a comply deadline. BellAveGo delivers those as exclusive painting leads — one painting company per zip, 3 days free, then 29/week for 10 leads. See bellavego.com/painting-leads.
Is Angi worth it for contractors in 2026?
It depends on your margins and how fast you answer. Angi (formerly Angie's List / HomeAdvisor) sells the same homeowner lead to multiple contractors and charges per lead ($15–$100+ depending on trade) whether or not you close. It can work if you have high close rates and answer instantly — but many contractors report the shared-lead competition and per-lead costs eat the margin. If you want leads that aren't a race against 3–5 other shops, an exclusive-lead service like BellAveGo (one contractor per zip, flat $29/week) is usually the better math.
Why do contractors say Angi isn’t worth it?
The three most common complaints: (1) leads are shared with several competitors, so you compete on price and speed; (2) you pay per lead even when the homeowner never answers or was just price-shopping; (3) credit disputes for bad leads are slow. None of that means Angi never works — it means the model favors high-volume shops that can absorb the cost.
What is a better alternative to Angi for contractors?
BellAveGo delivers exclusive leads (one contractor per zip, never resold) sourced from public code-enforcement and permit records — homeowners who are legally required to hire, not price-shopping form-fills. Flat $29/week for 40 leads (~$2.90 each), no per-lead fees, 3 days free.
How much does Angi cost vs BellAveGo?
Angi is pay-per-lead: commonly $15–$100+ per SHARED lead, often plus a membership fee. BellAveGo is a flat $29/week for 10 EXCLUSIVE leads a week (~$2.90/lead), no per-lead charges, 3-day free trial, cancel anytime.
How much are Angi leads per trade?
Angi lead prices vary by trade and are set by demand. Contractors commonly report roughly: roofing $30–$100, HVAC $25–$85, plumbing $20–$60, electrical $20–$60, landscaping $15–$45, and windows/remodeling $50–$150+ — per SHARED lead, sold to several contractors. Because you pay whether or not you close, the real cost per booked job is a multiple of the sticker price. BellAveGo's exclusive leads work out to ~$2.90 each at a flat $29/week.
Does Angi refund or guarantee bad leads?
Angi does offer lead credits/refunds for clearly invalid leads (wrong number, out of area, spam), but contractors frequently report the dispute process is slow and many "bad" leads (no answer, just price-shopping) don't qualify. An exclusive-lead model sidesteps most of this: with one contractor per zip you're not fighting over a shared contact, and every BellAveGo lead is a verifiable public record.
Angi vs HomeAdvisor vs Thumbtack — what is the difference?
Angi and HomeAdvisor are the same company (Angi Inc.) and share the same shared-lead, pay-per-lead model. Thumbtack is similar but contractors send quotes and pay when they reach out. All three are shared marketplaces — the homeowner is contacted by multiple pros. BellAveGo is different in kind: exclusive leads from public records, one contractor per zip, flat weekly price. See the full comparison at /lead-sources-compared.
How do I get exclusive leads instead of shared ones?
Use a service that sources leads from data instead of reselling ad form-fills. BellAveGo monitors public code-enforcement and permit records nightly, matches each homeowner to the right trade, skip-traces the phone, and delivers it to a single contractor per zip. 3 days free, no card — see real (masked) leads in your area at /scan.