Best hipages alternatives for tradies in 2026

The best hipages alternatives for tradies in 2026 are Airtasker (pay a fee per job you win, no subscription), a free Google Business Profile, Google search ads, and Facebook and Instagram ads that send enquiries only to you. Oneflare is no longer an option: it closed on 30 June 2026 and now redirects to Airtasker.

Which one suits you depends on how much you want to spend, how fast you need work, and whether you are happy sharing every lead with other tradies. This guide covers what each option costs right now, who it suits, and how to move off hipages without leaving a gap in your diary.

Why tradies are looking for hipages alternatives

hipages still sends plenty of tradies steady work. But three things keep coming up when tradies weigh it up in 2026.

The monthly fee went up

hipages raised its subscription prices in July 2026. The standard plans now sit at $139, $249, $449 and $649 a month + GST, up from $129, $229, $429 and $599. Each plan comes with a set number of credits, and you spend those credits to accept jobs.

Leads are shared

Most hipages jobs go to more than one business. That means you are often racing other tradies to call first, and competing on price once you get there.

Contracts and renewals

Subscription plans run on fixed terms. Back in 2023 the ACCC said hipages had likely not made its automatic renewal and early termination terms clear enough to subscribers, and hipages gave the ACCC a court-enforceable undertaking to fix that. The terms are clearer now, but it is still worth reading your renewal date before you plan a switch.

If you want the full numbers on whether it still pays off, we broke it down in Is hipages still worth it in 2026?

Hipages alternatives compared (October 2026)

Here is how the main options stack up. Prices are as published by each platform and current to October 2026.

Option	How you pay	Is the lead shared?	Lock-in
hipages	$139 to $649 a month + GST, plus credits per lead	Yes, usually with other businesses	Fixed-term plans
Airtasker	Service fee of 12.5% to 20% of the task price, depending on your tier	Yes, anyone can make an offer	None
Oneflare	Closed 30 June 2026	n/a	n/a
Bark	Buy credits to contact customers	Yes, with several pros	None, but credits are prepaid
Google Business Profile	Free	No, the customer contacts you	None
Google search ads	Pay per click, budget you set	No	None if you run it yourself
Facebook and Instagram ads	Ad spend you set, plus management if you hire help	No	Depends on who runs it
Referrals and past customers	Your time	No	None

1. Airtasker

Airtasker is the closest like-for-like swap, and it now picks up the customers who used to go to Oneflare.

There is no monthly subscription. Customers post a task, you make an offer, and if you get the job Airtasker keeps a service fee. Its help centre says that fee ranges from 12.5% to 20% of the task price depending on your tier, with tax added on top of the fee.

Good for: handyman work, small jobs, filling quiet days, and tradies just starting out.

Watch out for: price shopping. Anyone can make an offer on a task, so bigger jobs often turn into a bidding war. On a $5000 job, a 15% fee is $750, which can be more than a lead would cost you elsewhere.

2. Google Business Profile

This is the one every tradie should have, whatever else they do. It is free, it puts you in Google Maps, and the customer calls or messages you directly. Nobody else gets the lead.

To make it work:

• Pick the right primary category for your trade.
• List every suburb you service.
• Add real photos of your jobs, vans and team every month.
• Ask every happy customer for a review, and reply to all of them.

Good for: long-term, free enquiries. Watch out for: it takes months to build reviews, so it will not replace hipages overnight.

3. Google search ads

Google search ads put you at the top when someone types "emergency plumber near me" or "deck builder Geelong". These people already want the job done, which makes the leads strong.

You pay per click, and you set the budget. The catch is that clicks in competitive trades can be expensive, and a bad setup can burn money on searches like "plumber salary" or "how to fix a tap".

Good for: urgent trades like plumbing, electrical, locksmiths and pest control. Watch out for: you need a decent landing page and a tight list of negative keywords.

4. Facebook and Instagram ads

This is where a lot of tradies who leave hipages end up. You pay Meta for ad spend, the ad shows to homeowners in your area, and every enquiry comes straight to you. No sharing, no credits, no commission on the job.

Meta ads work best for planned jobs people do not search for until something prompts them: bathrooms, kitchens, decks, solar, landscaping, roofing, painting and cleaning. A good video of a finished job does a lot of the selling for you.

The results can be strong when the setup is right. One local business we worked with got 112 leads from $1500 in ad spend. That is not a promise for every trade, but it shows what is possible when the offer, video and form all line up.

If you want the step-by-step, start with Facebook ads for tradies: how to get more quote requests. And if you have tried it before and nothing came through, this list of 9 reasons Facebook ads get no leads covers the usual fixes.

Good for: tradies who want exclusive leads and are happy to test for a few weeks. Watch out for: you need to answer leads fast, and you need decent photos or video.

5. Bark and other pay-per-contact sites

Bark works on credits. You buy a pack, then spend credits to contact customers who have posted a job. Several businesses can contact the same customer.

It is a lower commitment than a hipages subscription, but the leads are shared in the same way. Credits are prepaid, so check the rules on refunds and expiry before you buy a big pack.

Good for: testing demand in a new suburb or service. Watch out for: paying for contact details that ten other tradies also have.

6. Referrals and past customers

It is not glamorous, but your old customers are the cheapest leads you will ever get. Most tradies never ask.

• Text past customers once or twice a year with a seasonal reminder (gutter clean, aircon service, deck oiling).
• Give a small thank-you for referrals, like a gift card.
• Leave a fridge magnet or sticker on every job.
• Partner with trades who finish before or after you, such as builders and painters, or plumbers and tilers.

How to choose the right hipages alternative

Work out what a booked job really costs you from each source, not what a lead costs. It is the first question we ask in a free ad audit, and most tradies have never worked it out.

A simple way to do it:

1. Add up what you spent on the platform last month, including subscription, credits or fees.
2. Count how many jobs you actually won from it.
3. Divide spend by jobs won. That is your cost per job.
4. Compare that to your average profit per job.

A $40 lead that you win half the time is better value than a $15 lead you win one time in ten. Shared leads usually have lower win rates, so they need to be much cheaper to compete.

Match the option to your situation

• Need work this week: Airtasker or Google search ads.
• Want exclusive leads for bigger jobs: Facebook and Instagram ads.
• Want free leads long term: Google Business Profile and referrals.
• Want to test a new area cheaply: a small Bark pack or a small ad budget.

How to switch off hipages without a quiet patch

The mistake is cancelling first and building second. Do it in this order:

1. Check your hipages contract end date and renewal terms.
2. Set up or clean up your Google Business Profile today.
3. Start your new lead source four to eight weeks before your hipages term ends.
4. Track cost per job won from both for a month.
5. Only then decide whether to renew, downgrade or cancel.

Whatever you switch to, speed matters more than the platform. A lead you call back in five minutes is worth far more than one you call tomorrow. Have someone ready to answer the phone and reply to form leads the same hour.

Quick answers

What is the best alternative to hipages for tradies?

For exclusive leads, Facebook and Instagram ads or Google search ads. For a pay-per-job marketplace with no subscription, Airtasker. Every tradie should also have a free Google Business Profile.

Is Oneflare still running in 2026?

No. Oneflare closed on 30 June 2026, and its website and app now redirect to Airtasker.

How much does hipages cost per month in 2026?

Since July 2026 the standard plans are $139, $249, $449 and $649 a month + GST, plus the credits you spend on each lead.

What fee does Airtasker charge tradies?

Airtasker says its service fee ranges from 12.5% to 20% of the task price depending on your tier, with tax added on top of the fee.

Are Facebook ads better than hipages?

They can be, because the leads are yours alone and there is no lock-in when you run them yourself. They take some testing to get right and need good photos or video, so plan a few weeks to dial them in.

Want exclusive leads without the lock-in?

If you would rather have leads that come only to you, our Meta Only plan is $800/mo + GST, suits ad spend up to $5000 a month, has no lock-in contract, and comes with a qualified leads in 30 days guarantee. Book a free call and we will tell you honestly whether it suits your trade.