Skip to content
We compare models, not individual companies

Exclusive leads, shared leads or a listing fee?

Local businesses usually pay for new customers in one of four ways. Here they are side by side, model against model. Every platform words its terms differently, so check the current terms of any service you consider.

Claim your free profileHow exclusive leads work
  • 1:1 Dispatch

    Exclusive pay-per-lead

    VeryBookedAI

  • Shared leads

    One request sold to several businesses

  • Listing subscription

    A fixed fee to appear in a directory

  • Commission

    A share of each job’s value

Core differentiators of VeryBookedAI

How our model compares to legacy shared-lead directories and subscription listings.
100% Exclusive Leads

Never shared with 3–5 competitors

Every lead you accept is 100% exclusive to your business. We never resell the same homeowner request to 3–5 rival contractors, eliminating cutthroat price wars.

Immutable Deposit Ledger

Transparent wallet accounting

Your deposit ledger is clear, auditable, and immutable. Automatically credited back for invalid phone numbers, wrong trades, or duplicates within 14 days.

No Subscription Lock-In

Zero recurring directory fees

No monthly membership fees, no annual listing contracts, and no lock-in. Claim your free profile, top up your wallet when you need work, and pay only for leads you choose.

How the four models compare

How the four models compare
What matters
Exclusive pay-per-lead1:1
VeryBookedAI
Shared leads
One request sold to several businesses
Listing subscription
A fixed fee to appear in a directory
Commission
A share of each job’s value
Who gets the customer’s detailsOne business: the first to buy the leadSeveral businesses, often at the same momentCustomers choose whom to contact from the listingsUsually the business the platform matches or the customer books
What you pay forA set price per lead, shown before you buyEach lead, whether or not you win the jobVisibility, whether or not enquiries arriveA percentage of the job once it is booked or done
When you payOnly when you choose to buyWhen you unlock or respond to a requestEvery month or year, in advanceAfter the job is booked or invoiced
Competition for the jobOnce you buy it, no other business gets that customer from usYou quote against the others who bought it, often on priceCustomers compare you with every listing nearbyDepends on how the platform chooses who gets the job
CommitmentNone: no subscription for leadsVaries: often credit packs, sometimes plansOften a minimum termUsually none, but the fee applies to every job
Faulty enquiriesWallet credit for invalid details, wrong area, wrong trade or duplicates, within 14 daysDepends on each platform’s credit policyNot refundable: you pay for the listing, not for enquiriesRarely an issue: you pay only on booked work
Following upA CRM included with your accountVaries by platformVaries by platformOften handled inside the platform

Models vary between platforms and change over time. This table compares how each model works in general, not the terms of any named company.

Compare what each job really costs

The price of a lead matters less than the cost of each job you win. Try your own figures.
Exclusive lead price$75
Shared lead price$25
Jobs you win when you are the only business contacted25%
Businesses that receive the same shared lead4
Cost per job won, exclusive
$300
Cost per job won, shared
$400

On these figures, an exclusive lead costs $100 less per job won.

Your likely win rate on a shared lead: 6.3%

Modelling assumption: assuming an even chance against every business that bought a shared lead. In practice speed, price and reviews move it either way, so treat the result as a guide, not a forecast. Starting values are examples.

When each model makes sense

No single model suits every business. An honest guide to where each one fits.

  • Exclusive pay-per-lead

    1:1 Dispatch

    You want to quote without a bidding war, choose each job before paying, and follow up properly rather than first.

  • Shared leads

    Your team replies within minutes, you win on speed or price, and you want the lowest price per contact.

  • Listing subscription

    You already have strong reviews and steady demand in your area, and want to be visible all year round.

  • Commission

    Jobs are irregular or small, and you would rather pay only once the work is confirmed.

Questions about the comparison

Other directories' prices and terms change without notice and we have no reliable way to verify them in real time, so this page compares business models rather than quoting a rival's numbers. Every VeryBookedAI figure here comes straight from our own pricing and return rules.

Not always — it depends on your win rate and what shared leads cost in your trade and area. Use the calculator above with your own numbers instead of a rule of thumb.

No. Most businesses run VeryBookedAI alongside an existing listing for a month or two, compare the leads side by side, and decide what to keep from there.

No. Claim your free profile, top up a wallet, and pay only for the leads you accept — there is no monthly membership to cancel.

An invalid phone number, wrong trade or duplicate enquiry is credited back to your wallet automatically, generally within 14 days.

Try exclusive leads, with no subscription

Claim your free profile, set the trades and areas you cover and pay only for the leads you choose.

Claim your free profileSee lead prices