What do home-services leads actually cost?
If you run an HVAC, plumbing, or roofing business, you’ve been sold leads — and you’ve felt the sting of paying for one that also went to five competitors. This page lays out what a lead really costs across the trades, shared versus exclusive, so you can compare it honestly against the alternative: being the name an AI assistant or the Google map pack recommends, which costs nothing per lead.
The prices below are compiled from published 2025–2026 lead-vendor and industry sources. They’re directional ceilings, not a quote — most sources are vendors who quote high — so read them for the shape of the market, not a promise. Then look at the number that actually decides whether a lead is worth it: the cost per job you actually book.
Are you a contractor? How Cited works — and why it beats shared leads
Typical U.S. lead prices by trade (2026)
| Trade | Shared lead | Exclusive lead | Angi per-lead |
|---|---|---|---|
| RoofingHighest-ticket of the three — storm and full-replacement leads command the top of the range, and a single job is often five figures, so an exclusive lead pays for itself on the first close. | $25–$100closes 8–13% | $90–$200closes 30–50% | $50–$120 |
| HVACA residential HVAC customer is worth ~$15k over the install plus years of maintenance, so a $100–$150 exclusive lead is a rounding error if it closes; commercial leads run $100–$300. | $15–$59closes 10–20% | $75–$150closes 40–60% | $45–$100 |
| PlumbingShared plumbing leads convert worst of the three — 3–8 shops race to call the same burst pipe first; pay-per-call typically runs $50–$150 per qualified call. | $25–$50closes 2–5% | $75–$200closes 25–45% | $40–$85 |
Ranges are compiled from 2025–2026 lead-vendor and industry sources (Angi, HomeAdvisor, Networx, Modernize, and contractor surveys). Most of these sources are lead vendors, who are incentivised to quote high — treat the figures as directional ceilings, not a price you should assume. Metro and urban markets run roughly 20–25% higher than smaller ones. The only real number is a written quote from the vendor for your own market and trade.
The number that matters: cost per booked job
- Shared lead: $45 per lead × 8% close = ≈ $560 per booked job
- Exclusive lead: $90 per lead × 40% close = ≈ $225 per booked job
A cheap shared lead that closes at 8% quietly costs more per booked job than a pricier exclusive lead that closes at 40% — and the exclusive customer never got your competitors’ calls. Your own numbers will vary with follow-up speed and market, but the direction holds: cost per lead is the sticker price; cost per booked job is the real one.
Why exclusive — and a recommendation — beats shared leads
- Shared leads are cheap because they’re shared. A shared lead is sold to three to eight contractors at once, so you’re racing four competitors to the phone and the homeowner is fielding a pile of calls. That’s why shared close rates sit in the single digits to low double digits — the low per-lead price hides a high price per booked job.
- Exclusive leads cost more per lead, less per job. An exclusive lead is yours alone, so it closes several times more often. Even at double or triple the sticker price, the cost per customer you actually book is usually lower — and you’re not competing on price against four shops quoting the same roof.
- A recommendation is the ultimate exclusive lead. When ChatGPT, Perplexity, or the Google map pack names your business to a homeowner who asked, that’s an exclusive, high-intent lead with no per-lead fee and no lock-in. You own the customer and the relationship — there’s no marketplace between you.
- The fixes that earn it aren’t wasted. Being recommendable comes down to a complete Google Business Profile, steady recent reviews, clear service-area pages, and consistent listings — the same signals that win Google and the local map pack today, whatever you think of the AI angle. That’s why this pays off now, not just later.
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See whether AI assistants recommend your business — free, no account. We email one report.
The exact questions we’ll ask AI about you:
- “Who are the best HVAC companies in my city?”
- “Which plumber should I call when a pipe bursts?”
- “Recommend a trustworthy, well-reviewed roofing company near me.”
Frequently asked questions
How much do home-services leads actually cost?
It depends on the trade and whether the lead is shared or exclusive. Shared leads (sold to several contractors at once) run roughly $25–$100 for roofing, $15–$59 for HVAC, and $25–$50 for plumbing; exclusive leads (sold once) run about $90–$200, $75–$150, and $75–$200 respectively. Metro markets run ~20–25% higher. These are directional ceilings from lead vendors, who quote high — the only real number is a written quote for your market.
How much does an Angi lead cost?
Angi per-lead pricing lands around $40–$120 depending on trade and market — Roofing $50–$120, HVAC $45–$100, Plumbing $40–$85 — and metro markets are higher still. The catch isn't the sticker price: those leads are typically shared with several other contractors, so you pay for a lead that also went to your competitors.
Are exclusive leads worth more than shared leads?
Usually, yes — on cost per booked job, which is what matters. Shared leads are cheaper per lead but convert in the single digits to low double digits because three to eight shops race for the same homeowner; exclusive leads convert far better because they’re yours alone. A $45 shared lead closing at 8% costs ~$560 per job; a $90 exclusive lead closing at 40% costs ~$225 — less than half, for a customer nobody else is calling.
Why do shared leads convert so poorly?
Because they’re sold to several contractors at once. The homeowner gets a stack of calls, picks fast, and often the quickest dialer or lowest bid wins — so most of the contractors who paid for that lead get nothing. That’s the #1 complaint about Angi and HomeAdvisor, and it’s structural, not a fixable quirk.
How is being recommended by AI different from buying leads?
A recommendation is the ultimate exclusive lead: when ChatGPT, Perplexity, or the Google map pack names your business to a homeowner who asked, there’s no per-lead fee, no lock-in, and no marketplace reselling you to five competitors — you own the customer. The fixes that earn it (a complete Google Business Profile, recent reviews, clear service pages) are the same ones that win Google, so it pays off now. The free Cited audit shows whether AI names you today and what to fix.