Comparison
HomeAdvisor vs. Pay-Per-Call, Call-Tracked Leads
HomeAdvisor bills you whether or not you win the job. Pay-per-call ties cost directly to a real phone conversation.
HomeAdvisor (now under the same parent company as Angi) matches contractors with homeowner leads based on service area and job type, charging per lead regardless of whether that lead ever turns into a booked job. A pay-per-call model flips that: you only pay for a real, trackable phone call — with full attribution back to the campaign that generated it.
| Feature | HomeTradesMedia | HomeAdvisor |
|---|---|---|
| Billing trigger | A tracked, qualified phone call | Charged per lead, win or lose |
| Lead exclusivity | Exclusive to your business | Pros choose ZIP/service, leads not guaranteed exclusive |
| Attribution | Full source-level call tracking on every call | Limited visibility into lead source detail |
| Contract terms | Month-to-month | Commonly ~12-month commitments, per third-party reporting |
| Spend control | You set your budget directly with the ad platform | "Spend target" is described as a soft cap, not a hard limit |
The Bottom Line
HomeAdvisor's model puts the risk of an unqualified or unwon lead on the contractor. Pay-per-call pricing shifts that risk back where it belongs — you pay for a real conversation, and call tracking shows you exactly which campaign, ad, and keyword produced it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a billable call in a pay-per-call model?
Typically a call of a minimum duration from a unique caller within your service area — the exact qualifying criteria are set at the start of your campaign so there's no ambiguity.
Is pay-per-call more expensive than HomeAdvisor leads?
Cost per call varies by trade and market, but because every call is tracked and exclusive, contractors typically see a higher close rate per dollar spent compared to shared marketplace leads.
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