Phyxter vs HomeAdvisor vs Thumbtack vs Porch vs Houzz vs Angi vs Yelp vs Bark vs Homestars

Phyxter vs HomeAdvisor vs Thumbtack vs Porch vs Houzz vs Angi vs Yelp vs Bark vs Homestars

Home Improvement Introduction

About two years ago, my wife suggested we invest a little money in our home; a simple renovation of the entire main floor, including an updated bathroom, a few less walls, one or two extra support beams, new floors, and a brand-new kitchen, would increase the value of our forever-home and make us both much happier.

Since my personal toolbox included a hammer, a stud finder, a multi-bit screwdriver, and an old jam jar full of random screws and nails (maybe at some point I will invest in some real tools…), I was clearly in no position to complete any of these renovations on my own.

Luckily, we knew a contractor who had done some work for us many times before, so I gave him a call. Within a week or two, the “simple” renovation was underway.

This entire process got me thinking: What if I didn’t live in a small town where I knew a contractor? And if I’m being honest with myself, how could I even be sure that I was getting a fair deal from the contractor I knew?

I didn’t get multiple quotes like everyone says you should. In this Internet age, you would think that it must be easy to find a tradesman to do any task around the house, yet people often struggle with finding the right person for the job.

Phyxter vs. Homeadvisor vs. Thumbtack vs. Angie's List vs. Porch vs. Houzz

Which platform is the best to find a great contractor?

Enter these home improvement companies that are doing everything they can to connect the homeowner with the contractor. As with all things in life, some are better than others.

The pros and cons listed below will help guide you in finding a contractor to complete your renovations, whether they be “simple” like my dear wife’s or longer and more arduous.

When evaluating these companies, I’m looking at how the companies operate and how customers can benefit from using them. More than that, I’m also taking a look at whether the platforms treat contractors fairly or take advantage of them.

So who do I choose? HomeAdvisor vs Angie’s List?  Thumbtack vs Angie’s list? Keep reading and see which one best suits your needs.

A. Phyxter Home Services

Phyxter Home Services Logo

Phyxter is a fairly young company compared to others, though where it lacks in age; it makes up for thoughtfulness. This mobile app is incredibly user-friendly.

Also, in comparison to the other platforms, Phyxter offers two ways to hire contractors: you can either hire them immediately for emergency service calls or post projects and wait for quotes to be submitted from local contractors.

There are a few more positives that must be mentioned because I found these features to be very useful.

The first is that with every job you post, a chat group is created so the contractor can ask you questions about your project; this ensures a more accurate quote and gives the homeowner the option of posting photos and videos associated with the project.

Secondly, although contractors are not required to complete them, Phyxter offers both background and credential checks to contractors.

This means that, at the very least, you will know which contractors have completed the checks and which ones haven’t.

Contractors

When it comes to the contractor side of the platform, Phyxter doesn’t just connect contractors to customers.

First off – this is a big one – Phyxter doesn’t charge contractors to talk to customers like the other platforms do for lead generation; the service providers are only charged a fee after they get paid.

I spoke to a contractor who uses Phyxter and he told me that Phyxter provides leads and allows him to use its quoting and invoicing system for free.

Phyxter helps him keep everything organized with automated notifications when quotes get approved or when invoices are past due.

Another neat feature that he really appreciates is that he can chat with all of his local parts suppliers; this allows him to get competitive pricing that, at the end of the day, makes his business more competitive by enabling him to provide lower pricing.

For Me

In the end, Phyxter is definitely an app I’ll be using. When looking from both the homeowner’s and contractor’s perspectives, it’s the one I’d recommend if you want to get a fair price from contractors who get treated fairly.

Oh, and they have a very cool referral program that pays you every time someone you referred to the app uses it to hire a contractor; on top of that, a portion of the referral fee actually goes to charity.

So, what are the pros and cons?

Pros for Homeowners:

  • The mobile app is user-friendly.
  • You can hire contractors for emergency services or for home projects.
  • Chat groups allow you to communicate directly with your contractor to discuss the job.
  • You can post photos and videos associated with your project.
  • Phyxter has a great referral program that pays you every time someone you referred to the app uses it to hire a contractor.
  • A portion of the referral fee goes to charity.

Cons for Homeowners:

  • Contractors are not required to complete background or credential checks, but you can at least see which ones have or haven’t completed them.

Pros for Contractors:

  • The mobile app is user-friendly.
  • You only pay a fee to Phyxter after you get paid by the customer for a completed job.
  • Phyxter’s quoting and invoicing system is free to use!
  • You can choose which projects to bid on.
  • You can chat with local parts suppliers.
  • Because you don’t pay upfront, you can be an instant match with a new customer.
  • Great way to meet new customers and drum up new business. You can work on word of mouth after that.

Cons for Contractors:

  • One of the newer home improvement companies, so it has less of a following.
  • Customers know if you haven’t completed a background or credential check.

Update 12 Oct 2022: Phyxter Home Services App rollout is on hold and no longer available from the App Store.

B. HomeAdvisor

home advisor logo

HomeAdvisor, previously ServiceMaster, is owned by the conglomerate InterActivCorp (IAC) which also owns Angi formerly known as Angie’s List.

This second home improvement marketplace allows homeowners to sign up for free and to connect with contractors; in some cases, depending on the service, there is no need for the homeowner to make a phone call when setting up the first meeting. Appointments can be scheduled online.

Subsequently, there is no need for direct contact with the service provider which can be appealing for all those anti-social people out there.

Another plus is that all contractors are pre-screened for any criminal and financial infractions. This helps you to feel safe, and it takes away a lot of the legwork when it comes to checking the contractor’s referrals.

On the other hand, this might give you a false sense of security and you might not run your own background check.

Asking the question, Is HomeAdvisor worth it?

Home Advisor Issues

Unfortunately, another knock against Homeadvisor is that once a homeowner signs up, personal information is sold to a ton of other contractors.

Homeowners may feel harassed by all the unwanted calls and emails. Even though one can choose the “no calls” option in his or her profile, it appears that this is disregarded.

Some homeowners report receiving calls from 15 to 20 contractors, even after they’ve chosen someone to do the job.

Also, often, people report being matched up with contractors who are not local. This can become tiresome if the homeowner has to weed through the contractors who either cannot or will not make the trip to do the work.

Finally, potential customers should be vigilant when it comes to the reviews posted on Homeadvisor since these comments are vetted and must follow strict company guidelines before being accepted; homeowners looking for an unbiased opinion might not get it.

In the end, Homeadvisor seems to be quite popular because it takes a lot of work out of the homeowners’ hands.

On a side note, the opposite is true for contractors since, on top of their yearly membership fee, they must pay for each lead, meaning each person who reaches out to the contractor to get a job done.


This can be extremely expensive for contractors for lead generation, and from some of the reviews I’ve read, it can put them off of wanting to use HomeAdvisor. In my humble opinion, I think that contractors are getting frustrated; half of the time, they’re not sure if the leads they’re paying for are even real.

So, what are the pros and cons?

Pros for Homeowners:

  • Free to use!
  • Appointments can be scheduled online.
  • Contractors are pre-screened for any criminal and financial infractions.

Cons for Homeowners:

  • The pre-screening process can lead to a false sense of security. See News Report from KOAA 5
  • Once you sign up, your information is sold to a ton of other contractors which can result in unwanted phone calls and emails.
  • You can be matched up with contractors who are not local, so you might waste time talking to contractors who cannot or will not take on your project.
  • The reviews are vetted by Homeadvisor, so you might not get an honest opinion.
  • Update 20 Mar 2022Homeadvisor under investigation by the FTC for misrepresenting the quality, source of leads, and likelihood they would result in actual jobs

Pros for Contractors:

  • You could potentially get a lot of leads since Homeadvisor is well-known in the home improvement space. This can help get you started if you’re a new business.
  • A good way to meet new customers. You can work on word of mouth after that.

Cons for Contractors:

  • There is a yearly membership fee, on top of the fee you pay for each lead.
  • You may pay a hefty price for leads that don’t bring about work.
  • Leads are sold to an unlimited number of contractors/ business owners which means a lot of competition.

C. Thumbtack

thumbtack logo

Thumbtack works similarly to Phyxter in that homeowners post their projects and the contractors can choose which home improvement jobs interest them. The contractor then reaches out to the homeowner and the process begins. 

Unfortunately for the contractor, though, whether the homeowner responds or not or whether the homeowner hires the contractor, the contractor is still charged a fee. In many cases, homeowners are not aware of this and may cost the contractors money by sending them a message.

The kicker is that the contractor does not know how much they will be charged; the fee is based on the job’s value. It seems to me that Thumbtack is making more money selling the lead than the customer is actually paying for the home improvement job. In my opinion, contractors beware!

Is Thumbtack for easy leads or is it a waste of money?

The good news for the homeowner, however, is that the app is free to use.

Secondly, this is one aspect that differentiates Thumbtack and Phyxter from Homeadvisor – both Thumbtack and Phyxter can connect homeowners with tradesmen like electricians and plumbers, and general contractors.

Still, they can also connect people to house cleaning services, architects, and property management companies.  Thumbtack and Phyxter are definitely not lacking when it comes to the variety of services offered.

Thumbtack Issues

The main issue with Thumbtack, from the homeowner’s perspective, is that there are no background checks. Sadly, there have been reports of unlicensed contractors and felons being part of the program. If, however, Thumbtack is made aware of convicted felons using its platform, they will be removed.

Finally, homeowners have been connected on occasion with professionals who do not actually offer the service advertised on Thumbtack. Obviously, this can be an annoying waste of time for the homeowner.

In conclusion, Thumbtack is unique in that it makes money by charging contractors to communicate with potential customers, whether they are hired or not. In general, homeowners are happy with Thumbtack, but my guess is that most would have an issue with causing a contractor to pay a fee just for communicating with potential customers. I know I would.

So, what are the pros and cons?

Pros for Homeowners:

  • The app is free to use.
  • You can find tradespeople as well as other home services.

Cons for Homeowners:

  • You may inadvertently cost a contractor/ business owner money just by reaching out to him.
  • No background checks.

Pros for Contractors:

  • You can connect with potential customers.
  • You can pay for a leads subscription at a 20% discount.

Cons for Contractors:

  • • You pay a fee whether the homeowner you’ve connected with hires you or not.
  • • Fees are based on the job’s value, so you don’t always know what you’ll be charged for a lead.

Top 52 Thumbtack Reviews (consumeraffairs.com)

D. Porch

porch logo

The fourth home improvement marketplace, Porch, allows the homeowner to sign up for free and to post projects, budgets, and timelines. As with Phyxter, the contractor can then decide which projects to bid on. 

Although contractors must pay a subscription fee based on their service and the service area, they only pay for the leads they contact, which is advantageous. Also, in some cases, contractors have received refunds for bad leads; this, of course, is not guaranteed.

A final note on leads: As opposed to Homeadvisor, a lead generation company that will sell leads to an unlimited number of contractors, Porch limits this to four. From the homeowner’s standpoint, this can prove beneficial since the four potential contractors ready to take on the project will most likely quote their best price, seeing as they compete at the outset.

A cell phone with the Porch home services app on it

Porch can also help homeowners plan and design their projects with photos of home improvement ideas.

This Pinterest-esque feature can help homeowners who are uncertain of how to go about their desired renovations or who aren’t sure how to communicate their ideas clearly to the contractor.

Porch Partnerships

Another interesting aspect worth mentioning is Porch’s partnership with Lowes and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Firstly, through their local Lowes store, homeowners can find featured contractors; it’s important to note that contractors must pay a premium for this option.

Secondly, through its connection with the BBB, a private, non-profit organization whose mission includes improving marketplace trust, Porch presents the appearance of being proven and trustworthy.

Porch Guarantee

Although Porch does indeed run background checks, it only does so for contractors in certain areas. Also, Porch offers its own version of a background check – the “Porch Guarantee” – but contractors must have a strong online presence to qualify for this option.

This can prove quite difficult for businesses that are just getting off the ground or have traditionally found customers offline. Also, let’s not forget that contractors would be promoting the Porch brand instead of their own.

Conclusion

Porch has proven to be a useful tool in connecting contractors and homeowners, whether the jobs are big or small. Sadly, many reviews online show that homeowners often report being overcharged for or unsatisfied with the work provided, which doesn’t bode well for the “Porch Guarantee” or the Porch background checks.

To add, many contractors have expressed dissatisfaction with Porch’s customer service, more specifically regarding canceling subscriptions and stopping payments. In the end, Porch might be right for the homeowner, but it doesn’t seem to do the job for the contractor.

So, what are the pros and cons?

Pros for Homeowners:

  • Free to use!ff83c5fb 8de9 49aa bac1 6c10ab888141
  • You can post projects, budgets, and timelines.
  • Since leads are sold to no more than four contractors, those who compete for your business will most likely offer their best price.
  • Porch can help you design your project.
  • A partnership with Lowes stores can help you to find featured contractors.

Cons for Homeowners:

  • No background checks. Porch offers its own version – the “Porch Guarantee” which could give you a false sense of security.
  • Not all areas have access to the “Porch Guarantee”.
  • Some homeowners report being overcharged for services.

Pros for Contractors:

  • You can choose which projects to bid on.
  • You only pay for the leads that you contact.
  • Leads are sold to a maximum of four contractors, which means less competition for each job.

Cons for Contractors:

  • There is a subscription fee based on your service and service area.
  • You must pay a premium to be a featured contractor through the partnership with Lowes.
  • You can only take advantage of the “Porch Guarantee” if you already have a strong online presence.
  • Poor customer service.
  • It’s very tough to cancel subscriptions or to stop payments. Not good for a small business owner.

Top 63 Porch Reviews (consumeraffairs.com)

E. Houzz

houzz logo

Next, we have Houzz, which is quite different from the others mentioned above. Contractors create profiles which they can fill with pictures and information about their business in order to sell themselves to potential customers.

Homeowners can also create profiles and use Houzz’s large database of pictures and products in order to piece together their renovation projects. More than this, contractors and homeowners can come together online by trading pictures and notes to work on idea boards which can be used for these projects.

This is nice for homeowners who might be uncertain about how to proceed with their renovations.

An image of a home with a Houzz logo

When it comes to fees, Houzz is free for both homeowners and contractors. Sound too good to be true? There’s a catch for contractors. Actually, there are several catches.

Catch No.1

They can pay to advertise which will push their profile to the top of their local area list. This can be advantageous for the contractor who’s got money to burn.

On the other hand, let’s say a contractor is trying to save a little money, so he creates and builds a free profile and works extremely hard filling it with pictures, reviews, and information about his company. All this challenging work may be for nothing if other contractors pay to have their profiles bump this one down the list.

Catch No.2

Advertising contracts come with excessive cancellation fees when a contractor chooses to end the service. On top of that, Houzz automatically renews year-long contracts, so if the contractor happens to forget to cancel or doesn’t recall his renewal date, he might get caught paying for an entire year of unwanted advertising.

Catch No.3

Advertising with Houzz can be costly. Contractors must pay for each region they want to be in and for each category. For example, a contractor who wants to appear in two separate categories, as “design/build” and “architect,” must pay for each.

Plus, if this contractor wants to advertise in the east and west ends of the city, he must pay twice again. Some contractors report paying up to $2000 per month for advertising.

On a side note, through this COVID 19 pandemic, many out-of-work contractors have been locked into their contracts with no opportunity to get out. Houzz keeps raking in the advertising dollars, even though these contractors have no money coming in.

Final Catch

Finally, the last catch for advertising with Houzz is that they own everything in the contractor’s profile, including all pictures posted. Houzz is fully within their right to use these pictures for their own benefit later. I would think that contractors may take exception to that.

Advertising Fees can be a Lucrative Business.

At this point, I’m sure you’ve guessed how Houzz makes money: advertising fees. The other way Houzz has built itself into a $4 billion company is by selling products. This feature can make things a lot easier for the homeowner who doesn’t have to run around town or scour the Internet looking for all the pieces to make their renovation dreams come true. Houzz provides one-stop shopping for the homeowner.

Unfortunately, though, this is where Houzz might be getting a little greedy. Many contractors report that Houzz’s prices are excessively high; in some instances, we’re talking about a 1500% mark-up compared to other companies that sell the same products.

Houzz is clearly hoping to take advantage of the homeowner who doesn’t know any better. What’s worse is that it can be challenging to return or exchange items bought through Houzz. In other words, after homeowners have paid excessively for something, they’re stuck with it!

As for reviews, much like with Homeadvisor, Houzz has strict guidelines that must be met for a review to be posted. Understandably, Houzz wants positive reviews, but this doesn’t help the homeowner looking for honesty.

Ghost Reviews

Unfortunately, the same problem can be found for contractors. Many have reported receiving negative reviews from non-existent customers. To come back to the advertising dollars mentioned earlier, if a contractor is paying big bucks every month for advertising, he probably doesn’t want negative reviews from Internet ghosts.

To conclude, my research has shown a lot of negative feedback when it comes to Houzz. The bulk of it relates to homeowners’ frustrations about returning products. Customer service is lacking with Houzz, making it nearly impossible for the homeowner to get a refund or exchange. When it comes to contractors, they get what they pay for.

Since contractors aren’t paying for leads as they would with some of the other companies mentioned in this article, it is possible to find many customers at a relatively low cost. However, if the business starts to slow down, contractors are locked into advertising contracts, potentially leading to big losses.

So, what are the pros and cons?

Pros for Homeowners:

  • Free to use!
  • You can use Houzz’s database of pictures when planning your project.
  • You can connect with contractors online.
  • You can purchase products through Houzz

Cons for Homeowners:

  • Products are priced excessively high.
  • It’s exceedingly difficult to return or to exchange items purchased through Houzz.
  • Lousy customer service.
  • Reviews are biased, so you might not get an honest opinion.

Pros for Contractors:

  • Houzz is free to use.
  • You can build a profile and promote your business with pictures and information.
  • You can pay to advertise which will push your profile to the top of the list.

Cons for Contractors:

  • Your profile can be bumped down the list if another contractor pays for advertising.
  • Excessive cancellation fees for advertising contracts.
  • Houzz automatically renews year-long contracts, so you might get caught if you’re not paying attention.
  • Advertising can be costly.
  • Houzz owns all the content in your profile.
  • Contractors report getting negative views for jobs they never did.

Houzz Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of www.houzz.com | 2 of 460 (trustpilot.com)

F. Angi

angies list logo

Now called Angi after a national rebrand in March 2021.

Like Homeadvisor and most of the other home improvement companies, Angie’s List is free for the homeowner, but you must provide personal information if you want to read reviews and get in touch with contractors.

Furthermore, if you need any customer service regarding a hired contractor, your free membership will not do.

The homeowner must have a Silver Membership to access customer service via email or a Gold Membership to access customer service via email or telephone. Another positive aspect of Angie’s List is that background checks are performed on the contractors.

Moreover, since Angie’s List is the oldest of the home improvement companies, many contractors have been using this service for over 10 years, which means they have a long history of reviews.

As a homeowner, this can put your mind at ease. If the contractor you’re looking to hire has over a decade of positive reviews, chances are he has earned that reputation.

An image of a building with a Angie's List logo

Common Angie’s List Complaints

Having said that, a common complaint from homeowners is that they receive calls from contractors even though they did not sign up for anything. As strange as this may seem, a quick history lesson will explain:

As mentioned earlier in this article, Angie’s List is owned by IAC, who acquired this home improvement company in October of 2017.

At the time of this purchase, Angie’s List Senior Solutions Consultant Jessica Blalack stated that although HomeAdvisor and Angie’s List were both owned by IAC, they were still “two separate companies that operate independently.” Unfortunately, this isn’t completely accurate.

Homeowners who visit Angie’s List website but who choose not to sign up will still be sent through a service request funnel. All their information is forwarded to HomeAdvisor, who, in turn, advertises these homeowners as leads.

Subsequently, contractors who use HomeAdvisor pay for these leads, which, more often than not, represent homeowners who didn’t ask to be contacted. You can imagine that this ends up being an expensive waste of time for the contractor, who – as mentioned in the HomeAdvisor section of this article – pays for each lead.

What’s even worse is that a contractor who is paying for both services (Angie’s List and HomeAdvisor) might end up paying for the same non-existent lead twice.

To continue, contractors must pay to have their profiles show up on the first page. Also, contractors pay to advertise, not acquire leads, so there is no guarantee of getting jobs using Angie’s List.

Excessive Competition

Finally, there is a lot of competition for jobs since potential projects are sent out to multiple contractors. Subsequently, contractors might miss out on a job if they aren’t ready to call right away, as soon as the job is posted.

Angie’s List isn’t all bad, though. From time to time, contractors will get a good lead. Also, as previously mentioned, since this company is established, contractors can count on better visibility.

In the end, Angie’s List is like HomeAdvisor but less popular with homeowners who end up having to pay to have access to customer service. From the contractor’s perspective, they typically pay a lot of money for nothing.

So, what are the pros and cons?

Pros for Homeowners:

  • Free to use.
  • Background checks are performed on contractors.
  • Many contractors have over a decade of reviews with Angie’s List, so you can get a feel for which ones have a good reputation.

Cons for Homeowners:

  • You must provide personal information if you want to read reviews and get in touch with contractors.
  • Customer service is lacking unless you buy a membership.
  • You may receive calls for contractors even though you didn’t sign up for anything.
  • Information supplied to Angie’s List also goes to Homeadvisor, so this could lead to many unwanted calls or emails.

Pros for Contractors:

  • Angie’s List is the oldest company in the home improvement space, so they have a large following.
  • You can pay for more visibility.

Cons for Contractors:

  • You may receive leads from people who don’t want to be contacted.
  • You pay for advertising, not leads, so there’s no guarantee of getting jobs.
  • You must pay to have your profile show up on the first page.
  • There is a lot of competition since potential projects are sent out to multiple contractors.

AngiesList.com 114 Reviews and Complaints – Read Before You Buy (consumeraffairs.com)

G. Yelp

yelp logo

With over 145 million visitors every month, Yelp is one of the most popular service shopping platforms on the Internet. A homeowner can sign up, create a profile, and browse Yelp’s pictures and reviews for free.

Plus, any homeowner looking to cut out the middleman can connect directly with contractors, which means fewer opportunities for miscommunication.

A major downside to Yelp, however, is that background checks are not conducted. This glaring fact may scare some people, with good reason. Even though contractor reviews are available and help the homeowner to weed out any potential problems, Yelp controls its reviews and often gives priority to paying businesses, thus skewing reviews in their favour.

Finally, the last knock on Yelp from a homeowner’s perspective is that if you have a complaint or need help dealing with a contractor, you’re on your own! Yelp does not offer a customer service department to turn to for assistance.

An image of an office with a Yelp logo

When it comes to contractors, Yelp is free to use; they can create a profile, post pictures, and gather reviews without paying a dime. Also, as previously mentioned, Yelp receives a lot of traffic in a month, which lends itself well to contractors who want to get their name out there.

If, however, a contractor does not pay for advertising, other contractors – paying ones – can appear on his profile.

Advertising with Yelp

When it comes to paying for advertising with Yelp, its self-service advertising platform works on a pay-per-click (PPC) format; in reality, Yelp charges for each view but still use the term “cost per click” in its pricing.

Let’s say a contractor wants to advertise with Yelp and wishes to stick to a budget of $300 per month or roughly $10 per day. He might start with a $7 per click fee, which would mean roughly 40 views (and potential leads) per month. Not bad! Hold on, though.

Because Yelp’s self-service advertising platform is controlled by an algorithm, the cost per click can change at any time based on any number of factors without the contractor being notified.

Subsequently, if the contractor isn’t paying attention and constantly checking his profile, those same 40 views that cost him $7 each could, from one month to the next, go up to $20 each. Obviously, there’s quite a difference between spending $300 and $800 per month on advertising.

No Guarantees of Lead Generation

On top of this, remember that there are no guarantees that these clicks or views will lead to actual jobs. Therefore, a contractor should use Yelp’s self-service advertising platform with caution. It’s not a “set it and forget it” type of service. A contractor needs to be diligent and check his profile regularly to avoid any expensive surprises.

Having said all this, it might be easier for a contractor to use Yelp’s free service; less hassle and no need to watch his profile like a hawk. Unfortunately, this option comes with issues of its own. Many contractors report that the Yelp salespeople are relentless in pursuing them to purchase advertising.

Therefore, although a contractor can choose to use Yelp for free, it doesn’t seem worth it if the Yelp advertising pit bulls constantly hound him.

Finally, many contractors using Yelp’s free service report not seeing certain reviews posted that they know have been submitted; Yelp is infamous for having a stringent filtering process. Moreover, contractors report seeing their rating go down once they canceled their paid advertising.

If contractors are looking to save some money by using this free service or opt-out to pay for advertising because it’s not bringing enough value to their business, they shouldn’t be penalized for it. This doesn’t seem right.

In the end, Yelp is an adequate home improvement company for homeowners who are looking for local services. Since background checks are not performed, the onus is on homeowners to do their own due diligence when looking to hire someone.

For contractors who invest a little time in creating a profile that includes some enticing pictures, they could – without paying to use the advertising platform – end up with some quality leads based on the number of people looking for Yelp services.

So, what are the pros and cons?

Pros for Homeowners:

  • Free to use!
  • You can connect directly with contractors/ small business owners.
  • There are a lot of pictures and reviews to browse.

Cons for Homeowners:

  • Background checks are not conducted.
  • Reviews can be skewed since paying businesses are given priority.
  • There is no customer service department to turn to for help.

Pros for Contractors:

  • This service is free to use.
  • You can create a profile, post pictures, and gather reviews for free.
  • Yelp receives a lot of traffic which is good for your company’s visibility.

Cons for Contractors:

  • If you do not pay for advertising, other contractors who do pay can appear on your profile.
  • Reviews are filtered, so not all positive reviews end up being seen.
  • The cost per click in the self-service advertising feature can change at any time which can result in high costs.
  • There is no guarantee that your advertising dollars will lead to jobs.
  • Yelp salespeople are relentless in trying to sell advertising.

Yelp Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of www.yelp.com (trustpilot.com)

H. Bark

bark logo

Launched in 2014, Bark originally started as a marketplace for web services. Since its inception, however, it has spread to include home improvement companies. Bark works a little differently than the other companies mentioned in this article.

Homeowners will list jobs for free on Bark, and contractors can then go after the jobs that interest them. To contact a homeowner, a contractor must use credits to send a message.

They will then receive the customer’s phone number or email address, and the contractor can go from there.

Currently, one Bark credit costs $1.65, and the average customer contact cost is roughly 20 credits. It’s important to note that the number of credits it takes to contact a customer is based on the job’s estimated value.

Another plus is that this app is easy to use, and it offers homeowners a wide range of services. Unfortunately, you don’t get to pick which contractors contact you, and Bark does not run background checks.

For the contractor, Bark is great because you don’t have to create a profile, and you can choose what jobs you pursue. They also offer a money-back guarantee if you don’t get any jobs after spending all your credits. Be aware, though, that this is a one-time offer. 

Sadly, Bark isn’t all positive for contractors. There are reports of many bad leads. Contractors will spend credit to contact potential customers only to find out that these people are not serious about their projects or that they are trying to sell their own services. This can be a huge waste of money and time for the contractor.

In the end, Bark is convenient for homeowners who are looking for a handyman to do small jobs, but it isn’t the best place to find a contractor for bigger jobs. As for contractors, there are far better places to look for work, unless you’re looking for small jobs to do on the side.

So, what are the pros and cons?

Pros for Homeowners:

  • Free to use!3624ee94 97f5 42a3 b714 9c2cb37e861e
  • Many services available through Bark; not just home improvement services.
  • Bark has a large pool of professionals.
  • The app is user-friendly.

Cons for Homeowners:

  • No background checks.
  • You don’t pick which contractors contact you.
  • Not ideal for larger jobs.

Pros for Contractors:

  • You don’t have to create a profile.
  • You choose the jobs to pursue.
  • One-time, money-back guarantee if you spend all your credits but don’t get any jobs.

Cons for Contractors:

  • Many bad leads.
  • Awful customer service.
  • Depending on the size of the job, leads can be very pricey.
  • A lot of competition for leads.

Bark Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of bark.com (trustpilot.com)

I. Homestars

homestars logo

HomeStars was founded in 2006 and acquired by ANGI Homeservices – which is owned in large part by InterActivCorp (IAC) – in 2017. Unfortunately, this home improvement company is only available to homeowners and contractors in Canada.

To start, creating an account is free and easy for homeowners and having access to this immense digital marketplace allows you to connect to an abundance of service providers.

On top of that, homeowners can connect easily with contractors through the HomeStars app and its internal messaging system.

Homeowners can also view images on the HomeStars website, bookmark their favourite companies, write reviews, keep track of their messages, and potentially win monthly prizes.

Contractors can also create an account for free, but this only gets them a basic listing which does not allow them to post photos of their jobs or their company logo. Of course, contractors can always ask satisfied clients to post pictures and their logo on their reviews, but this puts contractors at the mercy of their clients which might not be appealing.

Another knock against the basic listing is that HomeStars has a “you may also consider” type of advertising model. In other words, as a contractor, if you don’t pay to upgrade, other contractors can advertise on your page.

Basic Listing

Also, the basic listing only lets contractors list their business in one service area and one category. This means that if you’re a contractor who offers many services and wants to work in many areas, you’ll be paying excessively with HomeStars.

Having said all that, contractors interested in upgrading can pay between $200 and $250 per month which brings about certain perks.

Contractors can earn the “Best of Awards” label which rewards those who provide exceptional service and who go above and beyond for their customers. The added bonus for the homeowner is that you can search for that “Best of Awards” badge when looking for a contractor.


The downside is that HomeStars decides the criteria for rewarding a contractor with this award. In other words, homeowners should still do their own research before hiring someone. You can never be too careful!

Another incentive for contractors is that HomeStars gives them an opportunity to earn a “Star Score”; this rating system is based on rating, recency of the last posted review, reputation, and responsiveness. It also gives homeowners the chance to get an in-depth look at the companies they are potentially hiring.

Another thing that HomeStars does to put homeowners’ minds at ease offers a Verification Badge. This screening process includes a criminal and credit check and gives homeowners peace of mind when hiring a contractor.

According to HomeStars, “you’re one step closer to having a positive and safe experience during your next home improvement project” by hiring a HomeStars Verified contractor. 

Negative Reviews

Unfortunately, many customers report that HomeStars often does not post certain negative reviews, especially when these reviews relate to paying contractors. As mentioned earlier, although HomeStars offers its “Best of Awards” label and its Verification Badge, neither means much to the homeowner if certain negative, yet informative, reviews are left off their site. Again, homeowners beware! You should do your own homework before hiring anyone.

In the end, contractors won’t see a great benefit from upgrading unless they work hard to get reviews to HomeStars. If you’ve got your heart set on upgrading, though, set up a complete profile and respond to all reviews that come your way, not just the positive ones.

As for homeowners, since HomeStars is associated with IAC – the same conglomerate that owns HomeAdvisor and Angie’s List – they have access to many contractors. According to many reviews, however, their customer service department leaves much to be desired, so tread carefully.

So, what are the pros and cons?

Pros for Homeowners:

  • It’s free to sign up.
  • The mobile app is user-friendly.
  • You have access to many contractors.
  • Criminal and credit checks are done on contractors.

Cons for Homeowners:

  • Reviews aren’t always honest.
  • Bad customer service.
  • Only available in Canada.

Pros for Contractors:

  • The mobile app is user-friendly.
  • HomeStars gives you access to a large marketplace through its ties to IAC.
  • Easily found through ad placements.
  • You can respond to quotes and requests through any device.

Cons for Contractors:

  • To upgrade, you must pay.
  • To appear in many categories, you have to pay for each listing.
  • • The initial term of your HomeStars membership is a minimum of 12 consecutive months.
  • • HomeStars can downgrade or terminate your membership at any time and for any reason; plus, any membership fees paid in full in advance are non-refundable.

HomeStars.ca Reviews – 132 Reviews of Homestars.ca | Sitejabber

Article Summary

To wrap things up, I really hope you enjoyed reading this article. Truthfully, each of the home improvement companies presented above offers you an effortless way of connecting with contractors. When it comes to renovations, everyone is looking for quality work at the best price.

Homeowners can certainly find the right contractor by using any of the services listed in this article. Though, Phyxter is the only one concerned with both the homeowner and the contractor, and that must count for something. So, the next time you are thinking Homeadvisor vs Angie’s List? Angie’s List vs Thumbtack? Think Phyxter!

This article is based on Alex Bain’s opinion as a consumer and is meant to be as accurate as can be from the information found on the internet as well as from his experience testing each platform, whether that testing was performed by Alex himself or by his trusted network of friends, family, and colleagues.

About our blog

Phyxter (pronounced Fix-ter) is a national home services brand specializing in Residential HVAC, Electrical and Plumbing solutions.

Phyxter is laser-focused on writing the best articles and guides to empower homeowners to get the best out of their homes.

We hope you enjoy it!

Looking for something?

Join our Newsletter!