SEO vs Angi vs Google LSA: cost per lead for contractors
Every contractor lead comes from somewhere, and the source decides what it costs, whether you share it with competitors, and whether the calls keep coming when you stop paying. Here is how SEO, Angi and HomeAdvisor, and Google Local Services actually compare on cost per lead, and when each one is worth it.
The short answer
The quick verdict
Angi and Google LSA turn on fast and produce calls immediately, but the leads are rented: shared with competitors, priced per lead, and gone the day you stop paying. SEO is slower to build, but the leads are exclusive and yours, and the cost per lead falls as your rankings compound.
- Angi and HomeAdvisor: a shared lead commonly costs $50 to $300 and is sold to several contractors at once.
- Google Local Services (LSA): pay per lead, often exclusive, but you compete on budget and it stops when you stop paying.
- SEO: an upfront cost to build the channel, then exclusive leads at a cost per lead that keeps dropping over time.
The three channels
How each one works, and what a lead costs
Angi and HomeAdvisor
You pay per lead, and the same lead is typically sold to three or four contractors. You are competing on price and speed-to-call before the homeowner has even heard of you, and the price per lead tends to rise over time. Fast to start, but you build nothing you keep.
Google Local Services
The Google Guaranteed ads at the very top of search. Leads are often exclusive, which is better than shared lists, and it can be a solid source. But you pay per lead, compete on budget with everyone else, and the flow stops the moment you pause spend.
SEO and the map pack
You rank your own website and Google Business Profile, so homeowners find you directly. There is an upfront cost to build the channel, but every lead is exclusive, and once you rank, the cost per lead keeps falling instead of rising. You own the asset.
Side by side
The comparison at a glance
Prefer the roofing-specific breakdown with the math? See roofing cost per lead, SEO vs Angi vs LSA.
The real math
Why cost per lead tells the whole story
Rented leads look cheaper on day one because there is no upfront cost. But a shared lead you win one time in four, at a rising price, competing on discount, is expensive per booked job. SEO costs more up front to build, then the same monthly retainer produces more exclusive leads every month as rankings climb, so the cost per lead falls and the cost per booked job falls with it.
The honest way to compare them is not the sticker price of a single lead. It is the cost per booked job over a year, and whether you still have a lead source the day you pause spend. On both, owned SEO wins for most contractors over time. For a full breakdown of what SEO itself costs, see how much SEO costs for a contractor.
The honest answer
When to use each channel
Use paid leads when
You need the phone ringing this week, you have gaps in the schedule now, or you are brand new with no rankings yet. Google LSA is the better of the paid options because the leads are usually exclusive.
Build SEO when
You want a lead source you own, a lower cost per job over time, and to stop competing on price for shared leads. Start it now so next season costs less than this one.
The smart sequence
Run paid or LSA now for immediate calls, build SEO in the background, then shift budget across as your rankings take over. You are never without leads, and you end up owning the channel.
Cost per lead FAQ
Common questions
Not on day one, but usually over time. Angi has no upfront cost, so it looks cheaper at first, but you pay per shared lead at a rising price and compete on discount. SEO costs more to start, then the cost per lead falls as rankings compound, so the cost per booked job over a year is typically lower.
They can fill gaps fast, but the same lead is sold to several contractors, so you win a fraction of what you pay for and margins suffer. They work as a short-term supplement when you need calls now, not as a foundation you build a business on.
Often, yes, as a paid channel. LSA leads are usually exclusive, which beats shared lists, and the Google Guaranteed badge builds trust. The catch is the same as any paid source: you pay per lead, compete on budget, and it stops when you pause. It pairs well with SEO built underneath it.
It depends on your trade and job value, but the number that matters is cost per booked job, not cost per raw lead. A cheap shared lead you rarely close can cost more per job than a pricier exclusive one. Owned SEO leads tend to have the lowest cost per booked job once rankings mature.
For most contractors, both, in sequence. Run paid or LSA now for immediate calls, build SEO in the background, and shift budget across as your rankings take over. You are never without leads, and you end up owning a channel instead of renting one forever.
Keep reading
More on cost and value
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