Short answer: Angi and Thumbtack both charge contractors for leads, but they sell them differently. On Thumbtack, customers choose you from its search results, and you pay the lead price you set, with no membership fee. Angi’s Pro Terms, as read on November 10, 2026, sell leads through a subscription, per lead or in a bundle, and a subscription can carry an Early Termination Fee.
Before you read: This guide summarizes Angi’s Pro Terms, version 1.5, in effect since October 6, 2026, and Thumbtack’s help center for pros. We read them on November 10, 2026. It is general information, not legal advice.
How leads reach you on Thumbtack
Customers describe their project on Thumbtack in their own words and answer a few quick questions. Thumbtack then shows them the pros who fit the project best, and why each one is a good match.
Before customers can see you in search results, you finish your profile, set your job preferences and add a payment method. Your job preferences tell Thumbtack the jobs you want, and where and when you work.
When a customer whose job matches your preferences reaches out to you from search results, you pay for that lead automatically.
You can also browse Opportunities, a section of your Jobs page. There you message the customer first, and you pay the price shown upfront only if the customer responds.
Thumbtack says the faster you respond, the better your chances of getting hired.
How leads reach you on Angi
Angi’s Pro Terms, as read on November 10, 2026, call the contractors in its network Approved Pros. They choose the service categories and locations where they want to be shown to homeowners.
Homeowners send service requests through the Angi app, angi.com, homeadvisor.com, phone calls, other websites or other means. Angi may send you a request with the homeowner’s contact details, or send the homeowner your details so they can decide whether to reach out to you. It may also put you and the homeowner in touch. The Pro Terms call any of these a Lead.
Angi’s Pro Terms say it doesn’t guarantee jobs. A lead is frequently sent to several other Approved Pros, including contractors on Angi Services, its pre-priced job platform.
To become Angi Approved, a business with at least one review keeps an average rating of 3 stars or higher. Its owner, principal or relevant manager passes a criminal background check, and the business keeps its state and local licenses.
The Pro Terms add that any guidance on how many leads you may get is an estimate, not a guarantee. Angi bases it on factors such as ratings, review count and response time.
What Angi and Thumbtack charge
On November 10, 2026, Thumbtack’s page for pros said there’s no charge to join, and no annual or membership fees. You pay for leads instead.
You set your lead prices, and each one is the exact amount you pay for a lead. Thumbtack says prices vary with the type and size of the job, how many pros are available and your market.
Your Thumbtack budget is roughly the amount you spend each week on leads across all your services. Some weeks you may spend more than your budget, and some weeks less.
Angi’s Pro Terms, as read on November 10, 2026, say you pay for leads through a subscription, per lead or as part of a bundle of leads. With a subscription, you prepay for leads over a fixed term that renews on its own, and you earn a discount on your leads.
The Pro Terms say that where they and your Contract differ, your Contract governs.
The Pro Terms let Angi raise the Subscription Fee by up to 10% over what you paid in the previous term. Your Contract sets the length of the term. They also let Angi update the agreement or any fee with prior notice.
Under the Pro Terms, pay-per-lead pros have a monthly budget that a lead or two may go over. In the example in Angi’s Pro Terms, read on November 10, 2026, a pro with a $500.00 monthly budget who has spent $480.00 can still receive a $40.00 lead.
The Pro Terms add that their automatic renewal rules also apply to any annual membership fee, where applicable.
In our view, ask Angi for the term, the price of each lead and any Early Termination Fee in writing before you sign.
How many pros get the same lead
Thumbtack’s Quality Commitment Terms say a customer can contact no more than 5 pros from search results per project within 4 hours of their first contact. After those 4 hours, the customer can contact more pros.
Angi’s Pro Terms, as read on November 10, 2026, set competition limits on service requests. They add that Angi may send a lead to multiple pros, based on the homeowner’s choice.
In our view, answer every lead as soon as it arrives, on either platform.
Leads you don’t win, and refunds
On Angi, you pay for the leads you receive, even if you don’t win the job, according to its Pro Terms as read on November 10, 2026. They add that if the agreement is terminated, you aren’t entitled to a refund of fees you paid, prepayments included.
Thumbtack’s Fair Shot Refunds are automatic. If a customer doesn’t reply to any pro they contacted within the first 72 hours, those pros get a refund for the lead. Thumbtack doesn’t refund a lead because the customer hired a different pro.
For other cases, you can ask for a refund within 45 days of the charge, and Thumbtack decides case by case. Examples include a job that changed a lot, an invalid phone number and a duplicate lead.
An approved refund goes to your Thumbtack balance. To get it back on your original form of payment instead, you contact Thumbtack within 10 business days of the approval. Courtesy credits, prepaid packages and promotional balances can’t go back to your payment method.
Thumbtack usually answers a refund request within 24 to 48 hours, and a case that needs more review can take up to 4 days.
In our view, review your refund requests every month, because they show which job preferences bring jobs you don’t want.
Pausing and cancelling
On Thumbtack, you can pause your job preferences to stop receiving leads for a service at any time. Thumbtack remembers your preferences, and for a short break it suggests hiding your business instead.
Angi’s Pro Terms, as read on November 10, 2026, say you cancel by contacting its Customer Care and, where it applies, paying the Early Termination Fee. They say your Contract discloses whether you have one and its terms.
The Pro Terms say that to stop a subscription from renewing, you notify Angi before the new term starts. They add that, in a billing period, turning off your leads may mean you don’t get all the leads available. With a subscription, you may also not reach your monthly value.
In our view, compare the jobs you win on each platform before you commit to a term.
Your own channels next to Angi and Thumbtack
Our guide to Google Local Services Ads covers Google’s local ads, which charge for each valid lead, such as a call, a message or a booking, and not for clicks.
Our guide to Google Ads for contractors shows how plumbers, roofers and AC companies get calls.
Our guide to verifying your Google Business Profile walks you through verification and what to do if it fails.
If customers also find you on Yelp, our Yelp for business guide covers claiming your page and handling reviews.
In our view, note on every job where the customer came from, so you can see which platform or channel pays for itself.
Before you choose Angi or Thumbtack
- You know whether Angi would bill you through a subscription, per lead or in a bundle.
- You’ve read the term and any Early Termination Fee in your Angi Contract.
- Your Thumbtack job preferences cover only the jobs, areas and hours you want.
- Your lead prices and weekly budget match the number of leads you want.
- You know how to ask Thumbtack for a refund within 45 days of a charge.
- You can tell which jobs came from Angi, from Thumbtack and from your own channels.
RememberThumbtack charges the lead price you set when a customer reaches out from its search results. On November 10, 2026, it charged nothing to join, and it refunds some leads on its own. Angi’s Pro Terms, as read on that date, sell leads through a subscription, per lead or in a bundle, and a subscription can carry an Early Termination Fee.
We focus on Google Ads and Meta Ads. Our Google Ads service builds and runs your Google Search campaigns in English and Spanish, and every week it reads the exact words people typed before they clicked.
Questions about Angi and Thumbtack
Is Angi or Thumbtack cheaper for contractors?
Thumbtack says its lead prices vary with the type and size of the job, how many pros are available and your market, and you set your own. On November 10, 2026, it charged nothing to join. Angi’s Pro Terms, as read on that date, sell leads through a subscription, per lead or in a bundle.
Do you pay for Angi leads you don’t win?
Yes. Angi’s Pro Terms, as read on November 10, 2026, say you pay for the leads you receive, even if you don’t win the job, and that leads aren’t guaranteed jobs. Thumbtack doesn’t refund a lead when the customer hires a different pro either. Its Fair Shot Refund is automatic when a customer doesn’t reply to any pro they contacted within the first 72 hours.
How many pros get the same lead on Thumbtack?
A customer can contact no more than 5 pros from search results per project within 4 hours of their first contact. After those 4 hours, the customer can contact more pros. Angi’s Pro Terms, as read on November 10, 2026, set competition limits on service requests but let Angi send a lead to multiple pros, based on the homeowner’s choice.
Can I cancel Angi at any time?
Angi’s Pro Terms, as read on November 10, 2026, say you cancel by contacting its Customer Care and, where it applies, paying the Early Termination Fee in your Contract. They add that a subscription renews on its own unless you give notice before the new term starts.
Can I pause Thumbtack leads?
Yes. You can pause your job preferences to stop receiving leads for a service at any time, and Thumbtack remembers them for when you turn them back on. For a short break, Thumbtack suggests hiding your business instead.
Sources
All read on November 10, 2026. Thumbtack’s page for pros: Pros - Thumbtack. Its help center: How Thumbtack works, How much do I pay for leads and opportunities? and Here’s a guide to spending on Thumbtack. Also Refund policy for pros, Thumbtack’s Quality Commitment Terms and How to turn your job preferences on or off. From Angi: Angi Pro Terms, in the Angi Legal Center, and How Angi Works.