Thumbtack or exclusive leads: how the offers differ.

What does each company say in public?

Limited competition is Thumbtack’s phrase. It is not a statement that only one pro is contacted. One buyer per lead is Adsora’s phrase. It is not a promise that the homeowner has never contacted anyone else.

Does limited competition mean one buyer?

Thumbtack’s pro page says customers choose pros directly and that competition per lead is limited. Its pay-for-leads article says you pay when a customer reaches out to you directly and the job matches your preferences. Its Fair Shot policy refers to whether the customer replied to any pro, which means more than one pro can be in the conversation. That is a different distribution rule from delivering a purchased lead to one buyer.

One buyer per lead. A purchased lead is delivered to one buyer, and Adsora does not resell it to competing contractors. A homeowner may still request quotes from other companies. Adsora does not promise territory exclusivity. Exclusivity here is about Adsora’s sale of the record. It does not stop a homeowner from using Thumbtack, Angi, or a contractor’s own website on their own.

Who sets the price, and is there a contract?

Thumbtack says there is no charge to join, no annual fee, and no membership fee, and that there are no hidden fees or contracts. Pros set the lead price they will pay. Thumbtack says prices vary because a job’s value changes with the type and size of the job, how many pros are available, and the market. Opportunities show a price up front, and the pro pays that price only if the customer responds.

Exclusive leads typically cost $50–120 per lead, for bathroom, windows, roofing, siding, gutters, and flooring. Adsora uses a service agreement with no long-term contract and no required minimum purchase. You pay per lead, with no retainer, no setup fee, and no ad-spend markup unless an order form says otherwise. The buyer does not set a slider price on each inquiry. The published range is the range Adsora quotes for an exclusive lead.

When does a refund or a credit apply?

Thumbtack’s Fair Shot policy says a refund can be automatic when the pro’s first contact stays on Thumbtack, the pro responds within four business hours (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time), and the customer does not reply to any pro within 72 hours of the request. Sharing a personal phone number or email before the customer’s first reply makes that refund unavailable. Refunds are added to the Thumbtack balance for future leads. A separate help page says a pro can request a refund, and that a refund to the original payment method can be requested within 10 business days of approval if the balance qualifies.

A credit may be requested within 7 days of delivery for a duplicate, a disconnected or invalid phone number, a lead outside the agreed ZIP codes, or a plainly fraudulent or fabricated lead. A lead is not creditable only because the homeowner did not answer, book, decline a quote, or buy.

Which sales motion matches the offer?

Thumbtack fits a pro who wants customers to choose from profiles, who will price leads themselves, and who will keep the first conversation on Thumbtack if they want the Fair Shot refund. Adsora fits established companies with sales teams that want the inquiry delivered once, at a published range, without a minimum purchase.

Adsora generates 300K+ leads a year. Neither offer includes a promise that the homeowner will book or buy. Compare them on the jobs your team actually closes, using the cost-per-lead math on the pricing page.