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. Checkatrade publishes its prices: a free profile, £30 a month for Approved, and from £59 a month for Growth, on twelve-month minimum terms (checked August 2026). That can be money well spent. But 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 | Free tier, £30/mo Approved, from £59/mo Growth — 12-month terms |
| What you own | Your site and your .co.uk domain | The listing is theirs; your reviews stay on their platform |
| 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.