An honest comparison
Directories list. Lead sites sell. We hold the money until you’re happy.
Every claim below is a documented, verifiable fact about how each model works — checked on 19 July 2026. Judge us on the machinery.
| Directories e.g. Checkatrade, TrustATrader | Lead marketplaces e.g. MyBuilder | London Heroes® | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who holds your money | You pay the trade directly | You pay the trade directly | Held by the platform, released only when YOU confirm the work |
| Protection if it goes wrong | Guarantees typically capped at £1,000 with claims criteria | None built in | The full job price is protected — dispute freezes release automatically |
| When vetting happens | At sign-up | Light or none | Before going live AND daily afterwards — expiry monitored, lapses shown publicly |
| What clients pay the platform | Nothing (trades pay to be listed) | Nothing (trades pay for your enquiry, hired or not) | Nothing — ever. Our 10% comes from the professional, shown on every record |
| Reviews | Written by customers; authenticity checking varies | Post-job feedback | Only the client of a completed, PAID job can review — provable by design |
| Price changes mid-job | Between you and the trade | Between you and the trade | A quote changes only through a variation you approve in-app first |
| Live job visibility | None | None | A shareable live tracking link from booking to completion |
Sources: Checkatrade “12 checks” and £1,000 homeowner guarantee documentation; TrustATrader guarantee terms (£1,000); MyBuilder fee documentation (shortlist fees paid by trades). Descriptions reflect each model as publicly documented on 19 July 2026 and are general characterisations of those platform types, not statements about any individual tradesperson on them.
Straight answers
Is London Heroes a directory like Checkatrade or TrustATrader?
No. Directories list vetted tradespeople and you deal with them directly, including payment; their guarantees are typically capped at £1,000. London Heroes is a managed marketplace: payment is held by the platform and released only when the client confirms the work, protecting the full job price, and vetting continues daily after listing rather than happening once at sign-up.
Is London Heroes a lead-selling site like MyBuilder?
No. Lead marketplaces charge tradespeople for access to your enquiry whether or not they are hired, and offer no payment protection. London Heroes never sells enquiries: professionals quote for real jobs, clients pay nothing extra, and the platform's only revenue is a transparent 10% of completed jobs, paid by the professional.
What does London Heroes cost the client?
Nothing beyond the professional's quoted price. No booking fees, no call-out charges to receive quotes, no emergency premiums added by the platform. The quote is the price, and it can only change through a variation the client approves in-app before extra work happens.