Thumbtack vs TaskRabbit - What's Best For Generating Leads?

Thumbtack and TaskRabbit both help service professionals and everyday side hustlers find new leads and make extra cash on the side.

And, for consumers, both platforms help you find talented companies or individuals to help you with tasks around your home.

But, which gig app is superior if you're looking to start a new side hustle? And, what platform should consumers use to find qualified local professionals?

In this Thumbtack vs TaskRabbit breakdown, I'm covering all of the features, pros and cons, and how to choose the right platform if you're a service professional or homeowner.

Quick Summary

Both Thumbtack and TaskRabbit help you make extra money by completing odd jobs for people
TaskRabbit is best for gig economy workers who want to make quick money while Thumbtack is better for service professionals looking for leads
You pay for leads you generate through Thumbtack while you don't pay fees as a Tasker on TaskRabbit
Thumbtack requires more experience since the jobs are more serious, while pretty much anyone can sign up for TaskRabbit

About Thumbtack

Thumbtack is a home management platform that began in 2008. It's a popular platform for service professionals who want to find more business.

This on-demand services marketplace lets homeowners find qualified local professionals to help with projects like:

Appliance repair
Cleaning
Handyman work
Home renovation and remodeling help
Lawn mowing or landscaping work
Local moving help
Painting
Roofing

And, for local handymen or service companies, Thumbtack offers a simple, affordable way to generate leads and extra business, helping individuals and businesses make more money.

Thumbtack is currently available in all 50 U.S. states, and it's a market-leader in the on-demand service marketplace space.

About TaskRabbit

Like Thumbtack, TaskRabbit was founded in 2008, and has since emerged as another incredibly popular on-demand services marketplace for gig workers.

However, the main difference between Thumbtack vs TaskRabbit is that TaskRabbit doesn't target service professionals and companies.

Rather, TaskRabbit lets anyone over 18 apply to become a Tasker.

From there, they can get hired by people in their community to help with tasks like:

Assembling furniture
Cleaning
Gardening and landscaping
Handyman work
Office and home deliveries
Plumbing help
Running errands
TV mounting

Overall, TaskRabbit caters to side hustlers more than service professionals and companies, but it's still a viable marketplace for both types of users.

Currently, TaskRabbit is available in all 50 U.S. states as well as Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

Thumbtack vs TaskRabbit – What's Best For Getting Leads?

If you want to get more leads for your service-based business, Thumbtack and TaskRabbit are both viable options.

But, choosing a winner between TaskRabbit vs Thumbtack largely depends on the types of service you offer, your budget, and if you're an actual professional or not.

Available Services

Thumbtack and TaskRabbit are both popular on-demand service marketplaces, and you'd be surprised at just how many services you can offer on each platform.

Thumbtack Services

Thumbtack is most popular for services like handyman work, home renovations, cleaning, and moving help.

But don't let this fool you: you can make money offering dozens of different services as a Thumbtack Pro, including:

Appliance repair and maintenance
Bartending
Dog training
DJ
Electrical and wiring repair
Fence and gate installation
Furniture assembly
Massage therapy
Party bus rental
Personal chef
Personal training
Pest control
TV mounting
Wedding and event makeup
Wedding and event photographer

That's right: you can make money on Thumbtack offering services ranging from event DJing to being someone's personal chef.

Again, the most popular services relate to homeownership tasks like furniture assembly, repairs, cleaning, and maintenance.

But, there's no denying that Thumbtack is still an incredibly versatile services marketplace.

TaskRabbit Services

TaskRabbit certainly gives Thumbtack a run for its money in the services department, and you can make money offering dozens of services on the platform.

The main service categories on TaskRabbit include:

Baby prep
Cleaning
Contactless tasks
Furniture Assembly
Handyman work
Mounting and installation
Moving services
Office services
Parties and events
Shopping and delivery
Yard work and removal
Virtual and online work

Overall, Thumbtack and TaskRabbit have fairly similar categories, and handyman work, cleaning, furniture assembly, and helping out around the home are definitely the most popular tasks.

TaskRabbit has a few more creative categories, like baby prep and online jobs.

TaskRabbit also has more delivery and errand running jobs, so if you like jobs like Instacart or delivering food for DoorDash, this category of gigs is a plus.

Verdict: Both platforms are similar but TaskRabbit has slightly more creative services.

Leads

The main purpose of using websites like TaskRabbit and Thumbtack is to find more business and make more money.

So, one important factor to consider when comparing Thumbtack vs TaskRabbit is how easy each platform makes it to acquire new customers.

Thumbtack Leads

Thumbtack definitely has a more traditional lead generation model than TaskRabbit, but if you're a full-time service professional, this is a good thing.

Here's how acquiring leads on Thumbtack works:

Build Your Profile: Join as a Thumbtack Pro and build your profile where you share previous projects, testimonials, prices, and services you offer.
Create Job Pipeline: Tell Thumbtack what sort of jobs you want to complete so customers can reach out to request quotes or to hire you.
Get Jobs: Thumbtack states that all its jobs “come with the customer’s phone number, and we ensure limited competition from other pros,” so you're getting higher-quality leads.

This system is great for service professionals because you can list very specific types of jobs you offer.

So, if you offer something like backyard renovation and design or corporate DJing, you can list your services and only get contacted by real customers who want a quote or to hire you on the spot.

According to Thumbtack, there's over 30,000 leads on the platform per day, so it's also a very active marketplace.

TaskRabbit Leads

Unlike Thumbtack, TaskRabbit doesn't use a lead generation pipeline to get you more business.

Rather, you create a TaskRabbit Tasker profile, set your rates, and people in your city can contact you to hire you.

It's basically the same system, just less formal, and the pricing structure is different (which I'll cover right after this.)

But, in a nutshell, here's how finding work on TaskRabbit works:

Create a free Tasker account
Build your profile and list the services you offer
Verify your identity and submit business verifications (for certain types of work, like electrical work or more technical jobs)
Pay a registration fee of $25 in certain cities
Set your availability
Start getting jobs

TaskRabbit states it connects you with clients in your area to help you grow your business, but again, this isn't a real lead generation pipeline.

Rather, people search TaskRabbit for local services, and they might stumble across your listing.

TaskRabbit suggests changing your availability and lowering your rates if you don't get work, but that's really the only tip you get.

Verdict: Thumbtack has a more efficient lead generation system and probably delivers higher-quality leads.

Cost

Both Thumbtack and TaskRabbit help you get leads and new customers, but which platform is most cost effective?

Let's dive in!

Thumbtack Cost For Professionals

So, how much do leads cost on Thumbtack?

On Thumbtack, you pay for every lead, which means a customer has to contact you for you to get charged.

How much you pay per lead depends on several factors, and Thumbtack states lead costs match how valuable the job is.

Other factors that influence how much leads cost include:

Project size
How many other pros are available
Your market

You can set weekly spending limits for lead generation, and again, Thumbtack tries to limit competition between professionals so everyone gets leads.

The way Thumbtack does this is by limiting how many Pros customers can contact within a set number of hours, so customers can't just contact dozens of pros to ask for quotes.

Typically, you might pay around $3.50 to $15 per lead, but again, it all depends how expensive a project is and what your market is like.

But, if a lead generates thousands of dollars in extra business for you, it's obviously worth the price.

TaskRabbit Cost For Professionals

TaskRabbit lets customers contact you for free, so you don't pay per lead like you do with Thumbtack.

And, while TaskRabbit used to charge Taskers a service fee, it looks like the company has switched up how it makes money.

Currently, TaskRabbit charges a 15% service fee for customers. So, when customers see your listing, the price they see is actually your hourly rate plus the service fee.

This means you can try TaskRabbit without any real risk, although the downside is you're probably going to get fewer leads than paying for them on Thumbtack.

Plus, Thumbtack is a bit more professional overall, so I'd imagine the clients you get are slightly more serious, especially for large, expensive projects.

But in terms of pricing, TaskRabbit is certainly cheaper for professionals than Thumbtack.

Verdict: TaskRabbit is better if you're on a budget but Thumbtack has higher quality leads.

Requirements

Another important consideration in choosing between Thumbtack or TaskRabbit are the sign up requirements.

Both platforms are quite lenient, but there are some differences worth highlighting.

Thumbtack Pro Requirements

Thumbtack doesn't have specific requirements to become a Pro, but you definitely need to have experience, photos of past projects, and your business license and information all in order.

This is because Thumbtack takes safety very seriously, and really, the only way to find work on the platform or join in the first place is to be a legitimate service professional.

As a Thumbtack Pro, you can add things to your profile to encourage customers to hire you, including:

A background check verification badge
A license badge (this verifies your license number you provide Thumbtack)
A Thumbtack Top Pro badge, which means you're highly rated by numerous Thumbtack customers

The license badge and adding as many photos and testimonials are two very important steps to getting more customers on Thumbtack.

Ultimately, Thumbtack is best for experienced service professionals and side hustlers who already have work experience and photos from previous jobs, as well as licensing and proper credentials.

TaskRabbit Tasker Requirements

TaskRabbit is much simpler in terms of what it takes to become a Tasker, and requirements include:

Be 18 or older
Have a social security number (for U.S. Taskers, otherwise you have to be eligible to work in the country you're signing up in)
Consent to and pass a background check
Have a checking account and valid credit card
Pay a non-refundable $25 registration fee in some markets

As mentioned, you have to verify your identity, and, in some cases, your business if you offer more serious work on TaskRabbit.

TaskRabbit states you don't even need previous experience to sign up and offer certain types of jobs, like completing deliveries or running errands.

Ultimately, this makes TaskRabbit more beginner friendly than Thumbtack.

Verdict: Thumbtack suits professionals while TaskRabbit is best for occasional side hustlers with less experience.

Cancellation & Refund Policies

As a service professional, you want as much protection as possible from difficult customers and problems with projects.

You also want to understand a platform's cancellation policy so you don't run into trouble with clients.

Thumbtack Cancellations & Refunds

For starters, you can pause or cancel projects on Thumbtack, and it's very easy to do so.

To cancel a project, you just go into your projects tab within the Thumbtack app, tap on cancel project, and submit a reason for cancelling.

Now, as for refunds, Thumbtack is also great for service professionals.

There are actually two types of refunds on Thumbtack:

Automatic Refunds: These are refunds for things like paying for the same lead twice or if a customer books but then cancels.
Case-By-Case Refunds: You can submit a refund request for events like a job changing significantly in scope, the job is unreasonable, or if customers provide invalid phone numbers.

The bottom line is that you shouldn't pay for low-quality leads or be on the hook for very difficult customers, which protects pros and saves money.

TaskRabbit Cancellations & Refunds

TaskRabbit also has a pretty lenient cancellation policy, but only for customers.

If customers cancel a task with more than 24 hours of notice, that's typically fine. However, if they cancel with fewer than 24 hours of notice, they get charged a one-hour cancellation fee.

Now, as a Tasker, it's very bad to cancel tasks.

TaskRabbit gets you to agree to complete tasks you accept within the timeframe you agree to, so cancellations can eventually get you deactivated.

If you do have to cancel a task, give as much notice as possible and definitely contact your customer.

TaskRabbit doesn't really have a refund policy for Taskers like Thumbtack since you don't pay for leads.

Verdict: Thumbtack has more protection for service professionals for refunds and cancellations.

Market Coverage

Both Thumbtack and TaskRabbit are popular in the United States, but TaskRabbit certainly has more international market coverage than Thumbtack.

Thumbtack Coverage

Thumbtack is only available in the United States currently and is available in every U.S. state.

You can enter your city on Thumbtack's website to see estimates for how much money you can make for your particular service.

TaskRabbit Coverage

Like Thumbtack, TaskRabbit is also available in every U.S. state.

However, TaskRabbit is also available in:

Canada
France
Italy
Germany
Portugal
Spain
The UK

Tasker requirements vary depending on the country. Overall, both services are popular in the United States.

Verdict: TaskRabbit has better market coverage than Thumbtack.

Thumbtack vs TaskRabbit For Customers

If you're a service professional who wants boost your monthly income, the information above should help you decide between Thumbtack or TaskRabbit.

However, if you're a customer who needs help with a specific task, you should also consider which platform is the right choice for the job at hand.

Thumbtack For Customers

Finding service professionals on Thumbtack as a customer is very simple and streamlined.

All you have to do is search for a service and enter your Zip code. From there, Thumbtack shows you a list of service professionals you can reach out to for free.

Listings include information like:

Hourly rate
Reviews from other Thumbtack customers
Pictures of previous projects
The company the work for or own, and how many employees there are
A bio
Specialities and work focus
Payment methods they accept (includes things like cash, check, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle)

You can also apply filters when searching for pros, like when you need the work done by.

Once you find a service pro you might hire, you can request a call or send them a message.

Just note: you can only contact five professionals every four hours since Thumbtack tries to limit how much shopping around you can do.

TaskRabbit For Customers

TaskRabbit uses a similar system to Thumbtack to find Taskers, although I find the process is a bit more sluggish.

You start out by entering the type of work you need help with, and TaskRabbit shows you some rough hourly estimates you should expect (which is nice.)

Afterwards, you enter your address, how long the project will likely take, and a written blurb about the type of work you need help with.

Only then does TaskRabbit show you a list of eligible Taskers in your area.

Listings are similar to Thumbtack and include:

Hourly rate
Previous reviews
Skills and experience
The type of vehicle the Tasker owns
Photos of previous projects

You can apply some basic filters as well, like time of day you need the work done and your price range.

Verdict: The listing quality and depth of information is much better on Thumbtack than TaskRabbit.

Personally, if I need to hire help for my home, I'd use Thumbtack over TaskRabbit.

The process is faster, you get way more listings, and service professionals include a lot more information in their listing so you can hire with confidence.

A lot of Taskers I found didn't even upload images of previous jobs they've done, so I wouldn't use TaskRabbit for major projects.

However, TaskRabbit seems a little more affordable, so I'd turn to TaskRabbit instead of Thumbtack for small projects like furniture assembly or cleaning.

Extra Reading – The Best Odd Job Apps & Websites.

Pros & Cons

Now that you know how each platform works for both service professionals and homeowners, let's cover the pros and cons of each company.

Thumbtack Pros:

Effective pay-per-lead system
Refund and cancellation policy protects service professionals
Ideal for full-time workers, business owners, and experienced service professionals
Hourly rates are high for many gigs
You can upload a lot of information about your business to help consumers feel confident when hiring you
Pros can get paid in multiple payment options, including cash

Thumbtack Cons:

You have to pay for leads, so you can't really benefit from Thumbtack without investing
You need previous experience, and Thumbtack is really for full-on service pros, not really weekend side hustlers
Only available in the United States

TaskRabbit Pros:

The platform is free for Taskers to use, and you don't pay for leads
Available in multiple countries
Slightly more creative service options than Thumbtack
You don't need previous work experience for certain tasks

TaskRabbit Cons:

You probably earn less per hour than with Thumbtack
Some markets seem less active than Thumbtack
There isn't a very lenient cancellation policy for Taskers

Extra Reading – 20+ Jobs That Pay $5,000 Per Month.

The Verdict – Is Thumbtack Or TaskRabbit Better?

So, how do you decide between the TaskRabbit vs Thumbtack debate if you're trying to get more clients for your service based business?

Well, here are some final tips you can use to pick the right platform!

Choose Thumbtack If…

In my opinion, Thumbtack is better than TaskRabbit if:

You're a full-time service professional or own your own service-based company
You have previous work experience and photos of your projects
You have money to spend on leads
You want a cancellation and refund policy that protects you

And, for major projects, I'd probably choose Thumbtack over TaskRabbit as a homeowner as well since the service quality seems higher overall.

Get started with Thumbtack!

Choose TaskRabbit If…

In my opinion, TaskRabbit is better than Thumbtack for making extra money if:

You want a side hustle and aren't a full-time pro
You don't have much previous work experience
You don't want to pay for leads

For homeowners, I'd only consider using TaskRabbit over Thumbtack for less critical tasks, like errand running, grocery delivery, or cleaning.

TaskRabbit is slightly more affordable, but again, I think the service quality is better on Thumbtack just from browsing the listings.

Get started with TaskRabbit!

Choose Both Platforms If…

While I think there are some major differences between Thumbtack and Taskrabbit, there's no harm in using both platforms as both a contractor and homeowner.

For example, TaskRabbit is free for Taskers, so there's no harm in signing up just to see if you get an extra business.

It's also quite affordable for some jobs, so you can use Thumbtack for important projects and TaskRabbit for less urgent work as a homeowner.

Extra Reading – The Best Ways To Make $5,000 Fast.

Final Thoughts

I hope our Thumbtack versus TaskRabbit breakdown helps you pick the right platform to grow your service-based business!

I think both platforms can help service professionals make more money. And, for homeowners, both companies have a nice variety of services and plenty of listings.

If you have experience using either TaskRabbit or Thumbtack to make money, I'd also love to know about your experiences in the comments!

Good luck side hustling!

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