How does GotAPal make money if it's free?

"Free to list, free to be contacted, no lead fees" can sound too good to be true, so it is fair to ask how GotAPal keeps the lights on. The short answer: the core is free for everyone, and we make money from a small number of optional upgrades that trades can choose to buy, or ignore completely.

The free core

Everything most trades need is free and stays free: your listing, your reviews, replying to messages, and receiving enquiries from customers. There are no lead fees, no commission on the jobs you win, and no charge for a customer to get in touch. That is the part that never costs you anything.

Where the money comes from

We fund GotAPal through a few optional upgrades. You only pay if one of them is genuinely worth it for your business:

• Top Pal is £15 a month for featured placement, so you stand out to customers in your area.
• Trusted Pal is £29 a year for the verified badge and priority in your category.
• ServicePay is a separate, optional product for taking card payments from your customers.

None of these are required. A strong, free listing works perfectly well on its own.

How this differs from pay-per-lead directories

Many trade platforms make their money in one of two ways. Membership directories charge you a fee just to appear. Pay-per-lead sites sell your details, or the customer's, as leads, so you pay for the chance to quote whether or not you win the job. On some platforms you can pay for several leads that all go cold before you land a single booking.

Why the model is fairer

Charging to appear or per lead pushes costs onto trades before they have earned a penny, and it can push customers towards whoever paid the most rather than whoever is best. Keeping the core free means customers see real trades and real reviews, and you only spend money if you choose to.

List for free today

See exactly what is free and what the optional upgrades cost on our pricing page, then claim your free listing and start receiving enquiries with no lead fees.