hipages and similar platforms sell you leads, often shared with other tradies, and the leads stop when you stop paying. A website you own costs a one-off fee and keeps working. Many tradies use both: a platform for quick work now, a site and Google profile for work that compounds. Scalesites is $750 (5-page, most popular) or $500 (3-page).
The short version
A lead platform rents you customers. A website you own builds a customer source that stays. Neither is wrong. The question is what you do with the money and the time.
What a lead platform costs
hipages publishes its membership prices: as of October 2026, plans run from $139 + GST a month (Starter, 155 credits) to $649 + GST a month (Platinum). It does not publish how many credits a lead costs. Its own pages say that depends on the trade, the job's location and size, and supply and demand. Third-party guides fill the gap with estimates. One guide puts a hipages lead at roughly $21 to $60, and another at $25 to $80. Treat both as estimates, not hipages prices. Check your own account for the real figure in your trade and suburb.
hipages says each lead is capped at three businesses, and you spend credits when you accept a lead, whether or not you win the job. That is the part to work out for yourself: what you pay per lead, divided by how many you turn into jobs, is your real cost per job.
| hipages | ServiceSeeking | Oneflare | Your own site (Scalesites) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Monthly membership from $139 + GST, with credits to accept leads | Monthly membership from $129 inc GST for most members | Retired on 30 June 2026 | One-off $750 (5-page) · $500 (3-page) · $1,190 (10-page) |
| Leads shared? | Yes, with up to 3 businesses per lead | Check their terms | n/a | Enquiries come to you only |
| If you stop paying | Leads stop | Leads stop | n/a | Site stays live, you own it |
| Optional running cost | Membership | Membership | n/a | Hosting and management $99/month, cancel anytime |
Lead platforms and a Scalesites site compared. Platform prices are from hipages' and ServiceSeeking's own pricing pages, checked October 2026, and vary by trade and area.
Oneflare is gone as a choice. Its help centre says the platform retired on 30 June 2026, with its website and app redirecting to Airtasker. If you were relying on it, that is a reason to own a source of customers.
When a platform is worth keeping
- You are new, have no reviews and need work this month.
- Your quiet weeks are costing you more than the leads cost.
- You win a good share of the leads you accept, so your cost per job is low.
- You treat it as a top-up, not your only source.
Why your own site and Google profile compound
A platform lead is a one-off purchase. A site you own, linked to a verified Google Business Profile, keeps showing up when locals search, and the reviews and pages you build stay yours. The result is slower to start. We can't promise rankings or a number of enquiries, because it depends on your trade, suburbs and competition.
There is also a cost difference in how you pay. A lead platform is a recurring spend that never ends. A Scalesites site is a one-off fee, with optional hosting and management at $99/month that you can cancel anytime. For DIY, freelancer and agency figures side by side, see what a tradie website costs.
A simple way to decide
- Add up what you paid a platform last month and how many jobs it gave you.
- Divide the first number by the second. That is your cost per job.
- Compare it with a $750 one-off site that you own and that keeps working.
- If the platform still pays, keep it, and add a site so you are not renting all your customers.
Own a source of customers
A 5-page Scalesites site is $750 (most popular) or a 3-page is $500, live in 2 weeks, no lock-in. Get a free preview or see the pricing.
Summary
Lead platforms rent you customers, often shared, and the leads stop when you stop paying. A site you own is a one-off fee and keeps working. Keep a platform if its cost per job still pays, and add a site so you own a source of customers. Scalesites is $750 (5-page, most popular) or $500 (3-page).
Frequently asked questions
Is hipages worth it for tradies?
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It depends on your cost per job. Work out what you paid last month and how many jobs it gave you. If that number is low, keep it as a top-up. Either way, a website you own gives you a source of customers that doesn't stop when you stop paying.
How much does a hipages lead cost?
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hipages publishes its membership prices, from $139 + GST a month, but not how many credits a lead costs. Third-party guides estimate a lead typically costs roughly $21 to $80 in 2026. The real cost varies by trade, location and job size, so check your own account.
Can I use hipages and my own website together?
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Yes, and many tradies do. A platform can fill gaps now, while a site and Google Business Profile build work you own over time.
What happened to Oneflare?
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Oneflare's help centre says the platform retired on 30 June 2026, with its website and app redirecting to Airtasker.
How much is a Scalesites website?
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A flat $750 for the 5-page site (most popular), $500 for 3 pages or $1,190 for 10. Optional hosting and management is $99/month, cancel anytime. You own the site outright.
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