3 Wee Pages vs Checkatrade
This one isn't really like-for-like — and that matters. Checkatrade is a lead-generation directory you pay to appear in. 3 Wee Pages is your own website. Most trades are best served by having both.
Checkatrade and similar directories (Rated People, MyBuilder) put you in front of people actively searching for a trade, with reviews built in. For some trades that's a steady source of work, and the leads can start arriving quickly. That's a real strength.
The trade-off is the model. Membership is a recurring monthly fee — widely reported at roughly £30 to £100+ a month depending on trade and area, and more for featured placement, sometimes with a charge per lead on top. Checkatrade doesn't publish a public price list, so it varies. And whatever you pay, you're renting visibility on someone else's platform, listed alongside your competitors. Stop paying and you disappear.
A 3 Wee Pages site is something you own: your name, your .co.uk, your photos, no competitors on the page. It won't generate leads the way a directory does on day one — but it's the place a customer lands when they Google your business name, and it's an asset that's still yours years from now.
Side by side
| 3 Wee Pages | Checkatrade & trade directories | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Your own three-page website | A paid listing in a directory |
| Cost model | £149 once, then £49/year — fixed | Monthly membership (often ~£30–£100+/mo), sometimes per-lead |
| What you own | Your site and your .co.uk domain | Nothing — you rent the listing |
| Competitors on the page | None — it's only you | You're listed alongside rivals |
| Leads on day one | Slower — it's your shopfront, not a lead engine | Faster — that's what directories are built for |
| If you stop paying | Your site and domain stay yours | Your listing disappears |
| Best for | Looking legit when people find your name | Buying leads while you build a reputation |
3 Wee Pages is the better fit when…
You want a professional home for your business that you own — somewhere to send customers, put on the van, and show up when people search your name — without paying monthly to stay visible.
Checkatrade is the better choice when…
your priority right now is a steady flow of new enquiries and you're happy to pay for them. Directories are genuinely good at generating leads quickly, especially when you're starting out and don't yet have word-of-mouth. They do a job a three-page website doesn't.
It's rarely either/or. A directory buys you leads; your own site builds an asset you keep. If you want a free directory profile to pair with your site, our sister product GotAPal lists UK trades at no cost.
Common questions
Should I cancel Checkatrade and get a website instead?
Not necessarily. They do different jobs. If Checkatrade brings you steady work, keep it — and add a site you own so customers who Google your name find you looking professional.
Is there a free directory option?
Yes — GotAPal, our sister product, gives UK trades a free profile. It pairs well with a 3 Wee Pages site: the profile helps people find you, the site closes the deal.
Ready when you are.
Three tidy pages and your own .co.uk, £149 to launch, drafted within 24 hours by a real person.