hipages vs Oneflare: Which Is Better for Australian Tradies in 2026?
Both platforms promise leads. Both charge you for them. And both have tradies who swear by them and tradies who've written them off completely. The truth, as usual, is more nuanced — here's the honest breakdown so you can make a decision based on your trade type, location, and what ROI actually looks like for you.
By Benjy @ Tradie Scaler
Who Should Use Each Platform
- ✓ You want maximum lead volume
- ✓ You're in a major metro area
- ✓ You're in a popular trade category
- ✓ You want the platform with most consumer recognition
- ✓ You have capacity to respond to higher lead volumes
- ✓ hipages is oversaturated in your category
- ✓ You want to test a second lead source
- ✓ You're in a niche or specialised trade
- ✓ You want lower competition per lead
- ✓ Your service area is regional or suburban
hipages vs Oneflare — Full Comparison
| Factor | hipages | Oneflare | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Traffic (AU) | Market leader | Second place | hipages |
| Lead Volume | Higher volume | Lower volume | hipages |
| Competition Per Lead | Higher (more tradies) | Lower in many categories | Oneflare |
| Pricing Transparency | Complex — sub + per-lead | Complex — similar model | Tie |
| Review System | Strong, consumer-facing | Good | hipages |
| Categories Covered | 200+ categories | 150+ categories | hipages |
| Lead Quality | Variable — depends on category | Variable — depends on category | Tie |
| Profile Visibility | High Google ranking | Good Google ranking | hipages |
What Actually Matters
hipages has more consumers. More consumers means more jobs posted. More jobs posted means more leads for tradies. But it also means more tradies competing for those leads — on popular categories like electrical, plumbing, or painting in Sydney or Melbourne, you can be one of 5–8 tradies responding to the same job. The response speed game gets exhausting.
Oneflare has lower consumer volume but also, in many categories, fewer tradies competing. A lead you're one of 2–3 respondents to is worth more in conversion terms than one where you're number 6. Some tradies run both simultaneously and find that Oneflare's lower-competition leads convert better even with lower overall volume.
The only way to know which is better for your specific trade in your specific area is to test both. Both have free sign-up — the cost is per lead you choose to accept.
Both platforms use a combination model: a monthly subscription for your profile listing plus per-lead charges when you accept a job. hipages monthly subscriptions vary by trade category and location but typically run $200–$600/month. Per-lead fees are $30–$80+ depending on job type. Oneflare is structured similarly.
The frustrating thing about both platforms: you're paying for the lead (the contact), not the job. A homeowner who posted a job, got 5 quotes, and then decided to do it themselves? You still paid for that lead. The industry-wide "win rate" for accepted leads typically runs 25–40% for active, responsive tradies. Factor that conversion rate into your cost-per-job calculation, not just the cost-per-lead.
Maths example: 10 leads at $50 each = $500. You win 3 jobs averaging $800 each = $2,400 revenue. Cost of acquisition = $167 per job. For most trade work, that's acceptable. For small-ticket jobs under $300, it usually isn't.
One thing worth considering: for some tradies, the better comparison isn't hipages vs Oneflare — it's either of those vs Google Local Services Ads. Google LSA delivers leads directly from Google Search and you pay per verified lead (not per contact). If you're in a high-search-volume trade category, Google LSA can deliver better quality leads at comparable cost with no monthly subscription.
That's a separate decision — covered in our full lead generation guide — but don't limit your thinking to the two incumbent platforms if you're evaluating your lead generation strategy from scratch.
Which One Should You Choose?
For most tradies starting out: hipages first. The higher consumer volume means you can test your response speed, quote quality, and conversion rate faster. If the cost-per-job makes sense for your trade, stick with it. If hipages is oversaturated in your category, add Oneflare as a second source.
For established tradies reviewing their spend: run both for 90 days with the same response process and compare cost-per-acquired-job, not cost-per-lead. The winner won't always be the one with the bigger brand.
Not getting enough leads? There's a better long-term play.
Platforms like hipages and Oneflare are rented land. Your Google Business Profile and a website that ranks is real estate you own. See our full lead generation guide for the complete strategy.
Read the Full Lead Gen Guide →Frequently Asked Questions
hipages has higher consumer traffic and generally delivers more lead volume. Oneflare has less competition in some categories, which can mean higher conversion rates. For most tradies, hipages delivers more total jobs — but if your category is oversaturated on hipages, Oneflare is worth trialling. Many active tradies run both.
hipages charges a monthly subscription (typically $200–$600/month depending on trade category and location) plus per-lead fees of $30–$80+ per lead you choose to accept. Contact hipages directly for current pricing in your category — rates change and vary significantly by location and trade type.
Yes, and many tradies do. Running both simultaneously doubles your lead source coverage. The key is tracking which platform each job came from so you can accurately compare cost-per-acquired-job over 90 days. Most tradies who test both find one performs significantly better for their specific trade and location — then drop the weaker one.
Yes. Google Local Services Ads pays per verified lead from Google Search — no monthly subscription and no competing for a quote against 5 other tradies. ServiceSeeking and Airtasker cover different market segments. And a Google Business Profile with strong reviews can generate organic leads at zero per-lead cost. See our hipages alternatives article for a full breakdown.