SEEK vs Indeed for Hiring Tradies in Australia (2026)
Short answer: post on SEEK. Indeed is free and worth using as a secondary channel, but if you're hiring a licensed tradie in Australia and you want volume and quality from a single ad, SEEK is where the market is. Here's the full breakdown — costs, candidate quality, and how to write an ad that doesn't attract 40 duds.
SEEK vs Indeed — At a Glance
SEEK vs Indeed — Feature Comparison
| Feature | SEEK | Indeed |
|---|---|---|
| Post Cost (Standard) | $200–$350 per listing | Free |
| Sponsored / Premium Cost | $350–$500+ | Pay-per-click from ~$1–$5/click |
| AU Trade Candidate Pool | ✓ Dominant | ~ Thinner |
| Ad Quality / Filtering | ✓ Strong screening tools | ~ Basic |
| Résumé Database Access | ✓ Yes (Talent Search, paid) | ✓ Yes (Indeed Resume, paid) |
| Application Management | ✓ Built-in ATS dashboard | ~ Basic |
| Analytics | ✓ Views, applies, competition data | ~ Limited on free tier |
| Best For | Primary AU hiring channel | Secondary / international roles |
Prices indicative — SEEK pricing changes regularly. Verify current rates at seek.com.au before posting.
SEEK and Indeed for Trade Hiring — The Full Picture
SEEK is not just the biggest job board in Australia — for trade hiring, it's effectively the only board that matters as your primary channel. The overwhelming majority of Australian job seekers, including licensed tradies actively looking for work, check SEEK first. If your ad isn't on SEEK, you're not reaching the market.
A standard listing ($200–$350) runs for one month and gives your ad moderate visibility in search results. Sponsored listings ($350–$500+) deliver 3–5x more views by pushing your ad higher in search results and enabling it to appear as a "featured" listing. For hard-to-fill roles — a specialist electrician in a regional area, a licensed plumber with commercial experience — the sponsored bump is usually worth it. For a standard residential trade role in a capital city, standard is often enough.
SEEK's application management dashboard lets you review, filter, and communicate with applicants in one place. You can also set screening questions (licences held, years of experience, availability) that filter applicants before they land in your inbox. Use these — they cut the noise significantly. SEEK Talent Search gives you access to passive candidates who aren't actively applying but have live résumés on the platform.
Pros
- Dominant Australian trade candidate pool
- Strong applicant screening tools
- Sponsored ads deliver 3–5x more visibility
- Built-in ATS dashboard for managing applications
- Analytics show how your ad performs vs competitors
- Talent Search for reaching passive candidates
Cons
- $200–$500 per listing — real cost for small operators
- Pricing changes frequently — verify before posting
- Premium features (Talent Search) add to cost
Indeed is the world's largest job site by traffic, and it's free to post a standard listing. For a tight budget, that's obviously appealing. The problem for Australian trade hiring is that Indeed's AU candidate pool for trade roles is significantly thinner than SEEK's. You'll get applications, but fewer of them, and the ratio of unqualified or unlocated candidates tends to be higher.
Where Indeed genuinely adds value for trade businesses: roles that attract international applicants (backpackers for general labour, internationally qualified tradespeople willing to relocate), or roles where you want maximum exposure at zero cost. Post on Indeed for free and see what comes through — but don't rely on it as your primary channel for a licensed electrician or plumber in Brisbane or Sydney.
Indeed's sponsored listings work on a pay-per-click model rather than a flat fee. This can work out cheaper or more expensive than SEEK depending on the role and market — it's harder to predict. The application management tooling is more basic than SEEK at the free tier, though the paid employer tools are solid.
Pros
- Free to post a standard listing
- Global reach — good for roles targeting international candidates
- Pay-per-click sponsored model — potentially predictable cost
- Indeed Resume database for proactive candidate search
- No cost to test the platform for a new role
Cons
- Thinner AU trade candidate pool than SEEK
- Lower quality and quantity for Australian trade roles
- Application management basic on free tier
- Rarely the primary source for trade hires in Australia
- Free listing has lower visibility without sponsorship
How to Write a Trade Job Ad That Doesn't Attract 40 Duds
The platform matters less than the ad. A well-written job ad on SEEK will outperform a vague one every time. Here's how to write one that filters in the right people and filters out the time-wasters.
1. Be specific about the trade — don't just say "electrician"
Say "licensed electrician for residential solar installation and switchboard upgrades" or "commercial electrician for fit-out work, experience with fire and data cabling preferred." Vague job titles attract everyone; specific ones attract the right people. Include the licence required in the title or first paragraph — this alone reduces unqualified applications significantly.
2. Include the salary or hourly rate
Ads with salary information consistently receive significantly more applications than those without. "Salary: competitive" tells candidates nothing. "$45–$55/hour depending on experience" tells them exactly what to expect and pre-qualifies people for whom the rate is right. You don't need to lock yourself in — a range works. Just put a number in.
3. Specify location — and whether transport is provided
State the suburb or region where work is primarily based, not just the city. "Sydney" as a location means nothing to a tradie trying to figure out the commute. "Inner west Sydney, mainly Marrickville–Leichhardt corridor" is useful. If you provide a vehicle or there's a depot to meet at, say so — it removes a major objection for candidates without wheels.
4. List what you actually provide
Tradies compare job ads. If you provide a vehicle, a phone, tools, uniforms, PPE — say so explicitly. If there's genuine flexibility (start times, Fridays off, RDO schedule), say so. These are genuine selling points and most employers bury them in the last paragraph or leave them out entirely. Put them front and centre.
5. Be honest about the role
If it's residential maintenance (which can mean reactive call-outs, short jobs, lots of driving), say that. If it's new construction with long project runs, say that. Describe the team size and who they'd be working with. Tradies who've been burned by misleading ads will filter yours out if it sounds too good to be true — and the ones who join based on an inaccurate picture leave quickly. Honest ads attract better-fit candidates.
SEEK listing templates take 15 minutes. The wrong hire costs you 3 months of frustration.
Write the ad properly, set your screening questions, and let SEEK do the heavy lifting. For licensed trade roles in Australia, there's no better primary channel.
Post on SEEK →Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. SEEK is where the overwhelming majority of Australian job seekers — including tradies — look for work. A standard listing ($200–$500 depending on the role and urgency) reaches a large, relevant pool. Sponsored ads (3–5x more visibility) are worth the additional cost for hard-to-fill roles. Indeed is free but generates lower quality and quantity of trade candidates in Australia.
Standard SEEK listings start at approximately $200–$350 for a one-month listing. Sponsored (premium) listings are $350–$500+. The exact price depends on the role classification, location, and current pricing — SEEK's pricing changes regularly. For trade roles (electrical, plumbing, construction), standard listings usually generate adequate applications. Sponsor if you need to fill urgently.
You can get applicants from Indeed for free, but the quality and quantity for Australian trade roles is generally lower than SEEK. Indeed's candidate pool in Australia is thinner for trade roles, and the free listing has lower visibility. For a role where you need 20+ qualified applications to find one good hire, Indeed free may not deliver enough volume. Use SEEK as your primary platform and Indeed as a secondary option at no extra cost.
Be specific: state the trade exactly (don't just say "tradie"), specify the licence required, include the location and whether a vehicle is provided. Be honest about the role — residential vs commercial, the type of work, team size. Include the pay rate or range — ads with salary information get significantly more applications. State what you provide (vehicle, phone, tools, PPE). Vague ads attract vague candidates.