Thumbtack

Is Thumbtack worth it for local service professionals?

Thumbtack says you pay only when a customer reaches out, not for profile views, and that your lead prices and budget control how many leads you get.

How much Thumbtack charges pros

Thumbtack says there is no charge to join. You set lead prices per service, and your weekly budget is the estimated weekly spend across all services. A review site, SkillMammoth, says Thumbtack doesn't publish lead prices and that observed prices vary by trade.

Thumbtack's help page says a customer simply not replying is not enough for a refund. The Fair Shot Refund covers some no-reply cases but pays back to your Thumbtack balance for future leads, not to your bank. Thumbtack's terms add that promotional credits are not redeemable for cash unless the law requires it.

How and when Thumbtack pays you

Thumbtack says it may facilitate payments between customers and pros through a third-party processor such as Stripe and that it is not a party to those payments. Thumbtack doesn't publish when those payments reach your bank or what an instant payout costs.

Setup comes first. Thumbtack says your profile, job preferences and payment method must be finished before you can reach out to Opportunities.

Thumbtack requirements and how long approval takes

Thumbtack's terms require you to be at least 18 and able to form a binding contract. The account owner must pass a criminal background check at account creation, and unclear results can affect eligibility. Thumbtack also says it does not background check every individual pro, and a background-checked badge may cover only one representative of a business.

Under the terms, licensing is your responsibility. Thumbtack verifies only government-issued licenses that appear in a state public database. The license types it lists, such as electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, general contracting, pest control and moving, depend on your state. It disclaims responsibility for unlicensed work and says rules vary by state. The terms also say you warrant that you are licensed, bonded and insured as required for your jurisdiction and the job. Businesses based outside the U.S. are prohibited.

How much you can make on Thumbtack

Thumbtack's pro page shows a platform-wide lead count and one selected pro's story. Its calculator disclaims any earnings outcome and says results depend on demand, competition and platform fees. Neither figure shows what a typical pro keeps.

The price ranges are Thumbtack's own cost-guide figures for what customers pay, not what you keep. Thumbtack describes their basis only as estimates pros give customers plus its own research, with no sample size, period or method on the page. For job-specific context, see snow removal, house cleaning, handyman services and pet sitting.

Can Thumbtack deactivate your account?

The terms let Thumbtack suspend or deactivate an account at its sole discretion, with or without cause or prior notice. It may also tell other users the account was terminated and why. On termination you get no refund of fees and lose any prepaid packages or credits.

Holds are narrower. A hold removes you from search and blocks contact with new customers until resolved. Content and past-due balance holds lift about 15 minutes after you fix the problem. Thumbtack warns that a bank chargeback of its charges can cause a temporary hold or permanent closure, and tells pros to request a refund through Thumbtack instead.

The Thumbtack Guarantee applies only to customers. Under the Marketplace Payments terms, Thumbtack may reverse payments to you when a guarantee payout is warranted.

Is Thumbtack legit?

Thumbtack is run by Thumbtack, Inc., which lists a San Francisco address. CB Insights says it was founded in 2008, and SiliconANGLE reported a $275M raise at a $3.2B valuation in June 2021. The terms are governed by Delaware law and include arbitration with a class action waiver. A 60-day informal notice step comes first, and you can opt out within 30 days by emailing opt-out@thumbtack.com.

Scams that use Thumbtack's name

Thumbtack's own pages give two warnings:

More patterns are in how to spot side-hustle scams.

Taxes on Thumbtack income

The IRS says independent contractors generally owe self-employment tax once net earnings reach $400. Thumbtack's terms say pros are not employees and provide their own equipment. To receive Marketplace Payments through Stripe you need an SSN or EIN.

Thumbtack vs other local service marketplaces

Thumbtack charges you per lead. On Angi Services for Pros, Angi sets what each job pays, and Taskrabbit lets Taskers set an hourly rate while clients pay the fees. See also Nextdoor and Care.com.