Losing leads on Thumbtack and HomeAdvisor? See how NextPhone answers paid leads instantly.
The $45 Lead You Paid For (And Lost in 12 Minutes)
Your phone buzzes. Thumbtack notification: "New lead - Kitchen Remodel in [your area]." The job is worth $8,000. You paid $45 for this lead.
But you're on a ladder. Hands full of caulk. Radio blasting. By the time you climb down, wash up, and check your phone, it's been 20 minutes. You call the homeowner back. They say, "Oh, I already talked to someone. They're coming Thursday for an estimate."
That $45 is gone. The $8,000 job is gone. And you didn't even know you were in a race.
This happens constantly across every lead aggregator platform. Thumbtack, Angi, HomeAdvisor, Bark, Porch - they all operate on the same basic model: a homeowner submits a request, and multiple contractors get the same lead simultaneously. The one who calls first almost always wins.
This post breaks down exactly how each platform works, what your paid lead response time costs you in real dollars, and how to make sure you're always the first call - even when you're knee-deep in a project.
How Lead Aggregators Actually Work (And Why Speed Is Everything)
The Shared Lead Model
Here's what most contractors don't fully grasp when they sign up for Thumbtack or HomeAdvisor: you're not buying an exclusive lead. You're buying a ticket to compete.
When a homeowner requests a quote through any of these platforms, that request gets sent to 3-5 contractors in the area. Sometimes more. Every one of those contractors paid for that same lead. The platform makes money regardless of who wins the job.
This means your lead cost isn't really $30 or $50. Your actual cost per won job depends entirely on your close rate - which is directly tied to how fast you respond.
What the Numbers Actually Look Like
According to HomeAdvisor's own data, contractors on their platform close approximately 13-18% of shared leads. That means for every 10 leads you pay for, you're winning maybe 1-2 jobs.
At $30-50 per lead, that's $300-500 in lead costs for every job you land. But here's the thing: contractors who respond within 5 minutes close at 2-3x the rate of those who take 30+ minutes. Your response time is literally the difference between paying $150 per acquired customer and paying $500.
The Platforms Don't Tell You This
Lead aggregators benefit from your slow response. When you miss a lead, another contractor wins it. The platform still got paid - by both of you. There's no refund for "I was busy when the lead came in." The clock starts the second that notification hits your phone, and every minute you wait, your odds of winning that job drop dramatically.
Why Paid Lead Response Time Determines Who Gets the Job
The 78% First-Responder Advantage
Research from the Lead Response Management Study shows that 78% of customers buy from whichever company responds first. Not the cheapest. Not the one with the most reviews. The first one to pick up the phone.
On lead aggregator platforms, this effect is magnified. The homeowner just submitted a request. They're actively thinking about this project right now. They're probably still on their phone. The first contractor who calls gets a warm, engaged prospect. The third contractor who calls 45 minutes later gets, "I'm already talking to someone, thanks."
The 5-Minute Window
The same study found that conversion rates are 8x greater when you respond within 5 minutes compared to waiting longer. After 5 minutes, your odds of even reaching the prospect start falling off a cliff.
Here's the decay curve for paid leads:
- Under 5 minutes: You reach the homeowner 90%+ of the time. They're still engaged. You're likely the first call.
- 5-15 minutes: Contact rate drops to 60-70%. You might be second or third to call.
- 30 minutes: Contact rate drops to 20-30%. The homeowner may have already committed to someone.
- 1+ hours: You're basically cold-calling. The lead has moved on.
85% Won't Call You Back
According to industry research, 85% of callers who don't reach someone won't call back. Applied to lead aggregators: if a homeowner calls you back after your follow-up attempt and you miss that call, it's over. They won't try again. They'll hire the contractor who answered.
Platform-by-Platform Breakdown: What You're Actually Paying For
Thumbtack
Lead costs: $10-$150+ depending on service category and location. Plumbing leads average around $20. Kitchen remodels can hit $100+. Many contractors report costs rising from $4 per lead just a few years ago to $50-55 today.
How it works: Thumbtack uses an auction-like system. Multiple pros can bid on the same lead. Prices update weekly based on supply and demand.
Response time matters because: Thumbtack's algorithm factors your response time into search rankings. Respond under 4 hours consistently and you qualify for "Top Pro" designation, which boosts your visibility. But the real impact is simpler: respond in 5 minutes and you're talking to a homeowner who's still actively looking. Respond in 4 hours and they've already hired someone from the other three quotes they received.
The hidden cost: The same lead goes to multiple pros. At $50/lead with a 15% close rate, your actual customer acquisition cost is $333. Cut your response time to under 5 minutes and that close rate can double - bringing acquisition cost down to $166.
Angi (Formerly Angie's List)
Lead costs: Creating a profile is free, but paid advertising puts you at the top of search results. The platform's homeowner base skews toward higher income brackets, meaning larger project values but more competition for those leads.
How it works: Homeowners browse profiles and request quotes from multiple pros. Your position in search results depends on your advertising spend, reviews, and responsiveness.
Response time matters because: Angi's homeowners tend to contact 2-4 pros for each project. The first to respond sets the tone. If you call within 5 minutes with a professional greeting and clear next steps, you've anchored yourself as the "serious" option before competitors even know the lead exists.
HomeAdvisor
Lead costs: $15-$110 per lead, depending on trade and market. Roofing leads in competitive metros run $75-$110 each. Shared leads (the default) cost $20-$75. Exclusive leads cost $100-$300 - and even those don't guarantee a response advantage.
How it works: HomeAdvisor explicitly sends each lead to 3-5 contractors. You're paying $85 for the privilege of competing against four other roofers who also just paid $85. The platform processes over 30 million service requests annually.
Response time matters because: HomeAdvisor contractors who respond within 5 minutes convert at 2-3x the rate of those taking 30+ minutes. At $85/lead, that's the difference between a $283 customer acquisition cost and an $850 one.
Other Platforms Worth Noting
- Houzz Pro: Popular for contractors and interior designers. Higher-value projects, design-focused homeowners. Response expectations are slightly longer (same day), but first responders still dominate.
- Bark: UK-originated but growing in the US. Sends leads to up to 5 pros. Credits-based system where you pay per response.
- Porch: Home services focused, often bundled with Lowe's partnerships. Leads are shared.
- Yelp Request a Quote: High-intent leads from users already reading reviews. Extremely speed-sensitive since users are actively browsing.
- Google Local Service Ads: Pay-per-lead model where response time directly affects your ranking. Miss calls and Google drops your placement for the next 90 days.
The Math: What Slow Response Actually Costs You
Let's get specific. Here's what slow paid lead response time costs a typical contractor using 2-3 platforms:
The Weekly Lead Breakdown
| Metric | 5-Min Response | 30-Min Response | 2-Hour Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leads received per week | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Avg lead cost | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| Weekly lead spend | $350 | $350 | $350 |
| Contact rate | 90% | 30% | 10% |
| Close rate (of contacted) | 35% | 20% | 10% |
| Jobs won per week | 3.15 | 0.6 | 0.1 |
| Cost per won job | $111 | $583 | $3,500 |
The Annual Impact
At a 5-minute response time, those 10 leads per week turn into roughly 3 jobs. At a 30-minute response, you're getting less than 1.
The difference in annual revenue (assuming $3,500 average job value):
- 5-minute response: 3.15 jobs/week × $3,500 × 52 weeks = $573,300/year
- 30-minute response: 0.6 jobs/week × $3,500 × 52 weeks = $109,200/year
That's a $464,100 gap - all from the same lead spend. Same platforms. Same leads. Different response time.
The Compound Cost
It gets worse. Every lead you miss isn't just wasted money. It's a job your competitor won. That homeowner tells their neighbor about the contractor who called back immediately. You lose the referral too. Over a year, the ripple effect of slow response costs far more than the lead spend alone.
Why You Can't Respond Fast Enough (And It's Not Your Fault)
Look, this isn't a discipline problem. You're not slow because you're lazy. You're slow because you're doing actual work.
You're on a Job Site
Roofers are on roofs. Plumbers are under houses. Electricians are in crawl spaces. HVAC techs are on ladders. You can't pull out your phone mid-installation to call a prospect back. Your hands are literally full.
In our analysis of thousands of calls from home services contractors over 7 months, 74.1% of calls went completely unanswered. Not because these contractors don't care about their business - because they're busy doing the work they've already been hired to do.
Leads Come in After Hours
73% of calls to home services businesses happen outside standard 9-5 hours. That Thumbtack lead that comes in at 8 PM? You're at dinner with your family. The HomeAdvisor notification at 6 AM Saturday? You're sleeping. But the first contractor who responds still wins.
Multiple Platforms = Chaos
If you're on Thumbtack, Angi, HomeAdvisor, and Google LSA simultaneously, you're getting notifications from 4+ platforms throughout the day. Each one has a different app, different notification sound, different interface. Managing all of them while actually running your business is practically impossible.
How AI Instant Callback Solves the Paid Lead Problem
Here's the fix: stop trying to be faster. Let AI be fast for you.
Instant Response on Every Lead
An AI receptionist like NextPhone answers every incoming call in under 5 seconds. Not 5 minutes. Not 5 rings. Under 5 seconds.
When a lead from Thumbtack, Angi, or HomeAdvisor comes in as a phone call, the AI picks up immediately. It greets the caller professionally, collects their information (what they need, their address, their timeline), and either books an appointment on your calendar or sends you the details instantly.
You get the lead information texted and emailed to you while you're still on the ladder. The homeowner thinks they just talked to your office. They're not calling the next contractor because they already had a conversation.
24/7 Coverage (Because Leads Don't Sleep)
Remember that 73% of calls coming in outside business hours? AI doesn't have hours. It answers at 6 AM, 10 PM, Christmas Day, Super Bowl Sunday. Every paid lead gets answered, regardless of when it arrives.
At $199/month, that's a fraction of what you're wasting on missed leads. If AI helps you win just one extra $3,500 job per month, it pays for itself 17x over.
Consistent Across All Platforms
Whether the lead came from Thumbtack, HomeAdvisor, a Google LSA, or a direct call from your yard sign, the AI handles it the same way: instant, professional, and thorough. No more juggling apps. No more missed notifications. One system captures everything.
Try NextPhone AI answering service
AI receptionist that answers, qualifies, and books — 24/7.
Setting Up Your Lead Response System
Step 1: Centralize Your Lead Flow
Forward all your platform phone numbers to one system. Thumbtack calls, Angi calls, HomeAdvisor calls, your main business line - everything goes to one place that always answers.
Step 2: Set Up Instant Response
Configure your AI to greet callers based on context, collect the right information for each service type, and deliver lead details to you via text and email in real time. The homeowner gets immediate engagement. You get the lead data when you're ready to review it.
Step 3: Track Platform ROI
With all leads flowing through one system, you can finally see which platforms actually deliver. Compare cost per lead, response time, and close rate across Thumbtack, Angi, HomeAdvisor, and your other sources. Cut what doesn't work. Double down on what does.
Use callback tracking to measure how quickly leads are followed up and which ones convert.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast should I respond to Thumbtack leads?
As fast as possible - ideally within 5 minutes. Thumbtack recommends responding within 4 hours to maintain Top Pro status, but the real conversion advantage comes from responding in the first few minutes. The homeowner sent their request to multiple pros simultaneously. First to respond wins 78% of the time.
How many contractors get the same HomeAdvisor lead?
HomeAdvisor typically sends each lead to 3-5 contractors. You're paying for the opportunity to compete, not for an exclusive prospect. This is why response speed matters so much - you're racing against 2-4 other contractors who got the same notification at the same time.
Is it worth paying for leads on Angi?
It depends on your response system. If you can respond within 5 minutes consistently, Angi leads (especially in higher-income markets) can deliver strong ROI. If you're regularly responding 30+ minutes later, you're paying for leads your competitors will win. Fix your response time first, then evaluate platform ROI.
Can AI really handle paid lead callbacks?
Modern AI receptionists handle routine lead intake calls with 70-85% resolution rates. They answer in under 5 seconds, collect caller information (name, address, service needed, timeline), and deliver that info to you immediately. For straightforward lead capture, AI performs as well or better than a human receptionist - with the advantage of 24/7 availability and zero missed calls.
What's the best lead aggregator for contractors?
There's no single best platform - it depends on your trade, location, and capacity. HomeAdvisor works well for high-volume trades in metro areas. Thumbtack is strong for specialized services. Angi tends to attract higher-budget homeowners. The best strategy is diversifying across 2-3 platforms and making sure you can actually respond to all of them fast enough to win.
Win the Lead or Lose the Money
Every lead aggregator platform operates on the same principle: multiple contractors, one homeowner, first responder wins. Your paid lead response time isn't just a nice metric to improve - it's the single biggest factor determining whether your lead spend generates revenue or gets flushed.
The contractors winning on Thumbtack, Angi, and HomeAdvisor aren't necessarily the best at their trade. They're the ones who answer first. With AI handling your incoming lead calls 24/7, you become that contractor - without chaining yourself to your phone.
Your lead platforms are generating opportunities right now. The only question is whether you or your competitor picks up first.
Try NextPhone AI answering service
AI receptionist that answers, qualifies, and books — 24/7.