NI Trades vs Rated People for NI tradespeople
Side-by-side comparison
| NI Trades | Rated People | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat monthly fee | Monthly subscription + pay-per-credit on top |
| Annual cost (typical) | £360 (Listed) or £660 (Featured) | Roughly £400/yr entry subscription + credit spend; reports up to £1,800+/yr |
| Per-lead charges | None, ever | Credits on top of subscription; several pounds to ~£20 per contact |
| Geographic focus | Northern Ireland only | UK-wide (Houzz Group) |
| Trades per job | Capped at 3 | Up to ~5 trades respond per job |
| Contract / lock-in | No tie-in, cancel any time | Monthly subscription with auto-renewal; credits non-refundable |
| Cancellation | Self-serve, any time | Turn off auto-renew; request closure in writing for full removal |
| Reviews source | Verified reviews from real NI customers | Rated People-collected reviews |
| Vetting at application | ID, public liability insurance, statutory credentials, references | ID, insurance and credential checks at signup |
| Best for | Established NI trades who want predictable cost and local reach | UK trades in higher-value categories with capacity to chase volume |
Figures above reflect publicly-reported Rated People pricing in 2026 and the current NI Trades plans. Both can change. For the detail behind every row, see the full review.
When Rated People still makes sense
If you work in a higher-value category and you have a long-standing Rated People account that still produces work, there is no urgent reason to leave. The Houzz Group integration adds optional cross-sell into a contractor management tool that some trades find useful.
When NI Trades is the better fit
The combination of a paid subscription plus per-credit lead spend is the issue, particularly when the lead volume itself has fallen. A trade paying £35 a month plus credits and seeing one or two leads a week is paying real money for diminishing return. NI Trades is a flat fee with no per-credit spend, the cap of three trades per job keeps competition tight, and the NI-only audience means search demand and supply are aligned. Customer support is human, not an AI chat bot.
The bottom line for NI tradespeople
Rated People may still earn its fee for trades in busy higher-value categories on legacy accounts. For an established NI sole trader or small firm starting from scratch in 2026, NI Trades is the cheaper, more predictable, locally-focused option, with no surprise tier jumps.
Frequently asked questions
Pricing and terms on third-party platforms named here change frequently and vary by trade and region. Figures quoted were validated against publicly-reported sources in May 2026. Always confirm current pricing directly with each provider before you commit.
Aoife covers the trade-side platform, registration and admin content for NI Trades. She writes the platform reviews (Checkatrade, Bark, MyBuilder, Rated People) and the credential and insurance guides aimed at working tradespeople in Northern Ireland. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Business Management from Queen’s University Belfast.