Review of Thumbtack: Thumbtack Generates FAKE Accounts to Send FALSE Leads; Will Not Refund
Thumbnail of user km435
New Jersey
4 reviews
24 helpful votes
  • Send Message
July 14th, 2023

Thumbtack generates numerous accounts to send false leads (potential customers) to the "pros." With each generated account, they send one "lead" to five pros. Each pro is charged $30 or more for each "lead," which I have experienced and observed, multiple times, every day I was a member of the platform. Shameful, deceptive and unethical practices. Customer service is poor, nearly non-existent. And, don't expect any refunds...you won't get any.

Service
Value
Quality

Date of experience: July 14, 2023

Share Review on:

  • Bookmark

    Thumbtack

Thumbtack

Write a Review

Overview

Thumbtack has a rating of 1.6 stars from 1,566 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Thumbtack most frequently mention customer service, credit card, and phone number problems. Thumbtack ranks 99th among Local Reviews sites.

  • Service
    293
  • Value
    285
  • Shipping
    118
  • Returns
    163
  • Quality
    255

This company does not typically respond to reviews

Positive reviews (last 12 months): 2.4%
Positive
1
Neutral
1
Negative
39
View ratings trends
How would you rate Thumbtack?
Top Positive Review

“Totally cleaned up my Yard~.”

Cynthia H.
3/13/24

Cut the grass, pulled weeds, finished with mulch all in 30 min! Did a fantastic job! Thank you Roberto Lopez from Lopez Landscaping and tree Services. *******226

Date of experience: 3/13/24
See positive reviews
Top Critical Review

“100% scam”

Barry G.
12/1/24

Don't bother working with them! They are useless and using bots and not qualified leads that request a job and want to pay 50 bucks while some projects are minimum $500-750. No customer service total bs and you will lose loads of money on "leads" as they call them but it's just fake accounts that show some sort of activity.

Date of experience: 12/1/24
See critical reviews

Reviews (1,566)

Rating

Timeframe

Other

Reviews that mention popular keywords

customer service (157) phone number (58) credit card (53) business model (30) home advisor (23)
Thumbnail of user travisc33
Ohio
1 review
3 helpful votes
  • Send Message
August 18th, 2017

I am contractor and I used thumbtack for extra work for the last 2 years. I had a good experience at first but then I my account was frozen for a month because they needed to run a background check. I couldn't bid or get into my account to retrieve my customers information. I called customer service numerous times to find out why they froze my account only to never get an answer and to be hung up on several times with no call back. After they finally reactivated my account, they then deacctivated it again 6 months later to do the same thing. I have tried to get a manager on the phone several times but I all I get when I ask is chuckles like their is something funny about asking for a manager. Im starting to think thumbtack is run by a couple kids out of their basement. Contractors, don't put to many eggs in the thumbtack basket cause they don't care about you or your business. Which is odd because they are always asking me to refer contractors for free bids?

Date of experience: August 18, 2017

Thumbnail of user denam14
New York
1 review
3 helpful votes
  • Send Message
April 1st, 2019

I have been with thumbtack for 4 years. When I first started it was great. I got charged $3 to $8 if I emailed a potenical client and they reached back out to me and we made a connection. I had no problem doing that. I got to pick what parties I wanted to bid on and it didn't put a hole in my pocket.
Now they completely rip you off! They want me to pay $75.00 to them, just so they can tell me someone is interested in my catering business and if the client doesn't get back to me then I am out the $75. WTF! Not sure why or how they feel they have earned $75.00 for telling me I have an interested client?
Then I was supposed to get a call from my profile manager or promotion person to answer the questions I had on why charging so much, let's just say that phone call never happened.
It is a royal pin in the $#*! to contact them, there is no phone number to call. This company has really gone to $#*!!

Date of experience: April 1, 2019

Thumbnail of user diogob
Florida
2 reviews
7 helpful votes
  • Send Message
June 16th, 2017

I spent lots of money sending quotes to customers and got nothing back. Lots of people use this platform to get quotes only. Thumbtack should only charge you if you get hired, otherwise is a waste of money, not effective at all. Also their messaging app is bad, i had issues trying to communicate with a someone i tried to hire. App keeps shutting down and new messages only shows when app rebooted. Its a great concept but its to pricey and it has lots of flaws. I will stay as a cutomer but took my business somewhere else.

Date of experience: June 16, 2017

Thumbnail of user timh42
Executive S. – Thumbtack Rep

Hey Diogo! Are you referring to an experience you had with Thumbtack? We're happy to help with any problems with our products!

-Mike

Thumbnail of user lancec17
Maryland
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
December 7th, 2016

Kahn from Master Plumbing did an excellent job on replacing my main pressure water valve. I called him around 8:30am he was at my house at 9:00am. I really appreciated his professionalism and honesty. The quote given online did not change and that made a big difference in the service. I will keep his phone number in my contact and recommend him to anybody who would need plumbing services in the future. Job well done!.

Date of experience: December 6, 2016

Thumbnail of user jamesa1679
New Hampshire
1 review
2 helpful votes
  • Send Message
March 17th, 2021

If you are a professional never ever put your company on this platform.
They will charge you for " perfect match" that are not a perfect match and never give your money back.
They will give you back a "credit " towards more fake leads.
Shame on them, total scam just like home advisor.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: March 17, 2021

Thumbnail of user tias11
District of Columbia
1 review
3 helpful votes
  • Send Message
August 21st, 2016

Wade the handyman is one of a kind I needed carpet installed on a Sunday and to my surprise he was available. Great customer service and professionalism. Give him a call if you need a handyman *******218 Wade the Handyman

Date of experience: August 21, 2016

Thumbnail of user lamontp5
California
1 review
4 helpful votes
  • Send Message
June 10th, 2017

Imagine using a site that says it will give you soft leads on quotes for people who you only have a first name and last name initial. You have no phone number email address no concrete proof that the quotes are from real people and not computer generated.

What is for certain is that you will be charged for a bulk of credits. Sometimes the quote will cost 2 credits other times 11 credits. You will find yourself spending up your credits on no time with "zero" results.

Now you're probably thinking, what if someone is getting the gig? Well I am a DJ who has a big name in radio. Whoever I apply for gigs outside of thumbstack I have a 75% success rate. Not to mention I've even lowered my fee on thumbstack below industry standard and still no response.

Did I mention my work region is withing a very small area, which makes this even more suspect.

In conclusion, you should just find another means to find work. Thumbstack is a rip off

Date of experience: June 10, 2017

Thumbnail of user colleenm131
Pennsylvania
1 review
6 helpful votes
  • Send Message
January 20th, 2019

Thumbtack has tripled their prices and do not listen the pros that pay them. They don't require a phone number form the client to assure that they are a real person and not competition trying to push other pros out.

Date of experience: January 20, 2019

Thumbnail of user cj291
Georgia
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
February 16th, 2021

They will charge few pros at the same time for the same customer lead, encouraging the customer to click on 3 to 4 professional pro so they will get pay x 4 times.
Most of the customers are from other country any ways where they pay them to call.

Date of experience: February 16, 2021

Thumbnail of user mauraw1
Florida
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
April 11th, 2016

As a follow up on my review of interstate electric I was contacted by sitejabber (?) To discuss my horrible experience. After calling their number and being left on hold for 45 minutes both times I left a mesaage as well as replied to tbe e mail they sent me. No follow through by any customer rep. Thumbtack is as bad as the people they advertise on their site. I will never use tbumbtack or anyone they recommend.

Date of experience: April 11, 2016

Thumbnail of user victorc151
North Carolina
1 review
8 helpful votes
  • Send Message
September 10th, 2018

As a Thumbtack Pro for over a year, we understood the quote prices. Small DJ gigs (1-3 hours; small crowd) = small quote prices. Now they've tripled and quadrupled quote prices. So the same job that was $10 to quote a few months ago is now $40+. They finally furnished a way for us Pros to see the cost before the quote. However, seeing the robber's face before he robs you doesn't negate the fact: YOU GOT ROBBED!

Date of experience: September 10, 2018

Thumbnail of user ek170
Texas
2 reviews
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
October 18th, 2021

I had work with thumbtack as a service provider and I am very upset and dissatisfied because I got charged for leads that were out of my coaching area, I didn't even contact the client and got charged for it. I asked thumbtack for the refund on this leads that were charged to me incorrectly and thumbtack didn't want to refund me after years working as a service provider on the site. Watch out professionals, it's a ripped of.

Tip for consumers:
Other professionals, personal trainers, designers, etc.

Products used:
Providing leads for business.

Service
Value
Quality

Date of experience: October 18, 2021

Thumbnail of user thumbtackt
Thumbtack-Support -. – Thumbtack Rep

Thank you for letting us know about your experience. We're sorry to hear this, it sounds like we might need to look further into your settings and preferences, as well as your previous refund requests for the leads you mentioned. Please reach out to our team through social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) so that we can locate your account and better assist you. We hope to hear from you soon.

Thumbnail of user garyw55
Tennessee
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
October 15th, 2015

Courtney Masonry of Lancaster built me a brick chimney and hearth to my specifications.It turned out beautiful! Mr. Courtney gave a free detailed estimate and was a true proessional in every sense of the word. I would recommend him to any and all.

Date of experience: October 14, 2015

Thumbnail of user sallyb51
Kentucky
1 review
1 helpful vote
  • Send Message
April 27th, 2016

My contractor, Zackory Butts of Home Improvement Pros, has exceeded all expectations. I have used Zack for several projects - carpentry; masonry; landscape; to name a few. I will continue to call on Zack. Rates are fair; timely work; polite; and you can count on Zack to do exactly what he tells you he will do. Zack's contact number is *******789.

Respectfully,

Sarah Bryan
Frankfort, KY

Date of experience: April 27, 2016

Thumbnail of user rone20
Florida
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
October 2nd, 2015

We needed the entire exterior of our house painted. Travis came out immediately to give us a quote. He was very knowledgeable, and professional and gave us a very thorough scope of work, which was completed exactly as he said it would be. Brad and Brandon did the painting in a 2 day period. They were fantastic, professional, hard working young men. Their work was amazing and our house looks BEAUTIFUL! We couldn't be happier. We highly recommend Premier Painting, and will definitely use them in the future.
Ron and Cinde

Date of experience: October 1, 2015

Thumbnail of user aydalinar
Pennsylvania
1 review
2 helpful votes
  • Send Message
July 19th, 2019

They said that if you get leads and the customer get another cleaner they give you a refund no they don't give you a refund they just take money from you and they said that the average of a lead is between 1 to $20 no is not some leads are 45 dollars it doesn't make sense they have bad customer service

Date of experience: July 19, 2019

Thumbnail of user arthurc167
Illinois
1 review
0 helpful votes
  • Send Message
May 19th, 2020

I found Jeff on Thumbtack and could not be happier with the result.
He told me that I would not have to take a day off of work and that he would come on the weekend.
He tiled a shower area and around a tub with great results.
I will be calling him back to do my Back splashes in two of my bathrooms.

Date of experience: May 19, 2020

Thumbnail of user jodiw20
Delaware
2 reviews
5 helpful votes
  • Send Message
July 16th, 2018

I hired a private investigator via Thumbtack. He charged me $1875 and did not do the work. Thumbtack refused to refund the money, despite the fact that the man even emailed that he was not going to complete the work. I am lucky my credit card company helped me. Do NOT do business with Thumbtack.

Date of experience: July 16, 2018

Thumbnail of user alexb1485
Florida
1 review
5 helpful votes
  • Send Message
August 8th, 2022

Not a fair site at all. I have tried to leave a feedback for excellent work done by one of contractors listed on their app just to find out that this app not even showing best contractors but only those who pay massive amounts of money for their useless services.
It should be fair and customer oriented to help customers choose best and not to allow greedy thumbtack managers force bad contractors on you.
Since private interests get on nthe way I do not recomend this app to anyone, neither customers nor contractors. Its not fair at all.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: August 8, 2022

Thumbnail of user thumbtackt
Thumbtack-Support -. – Thumbtack Rep

It sounds like there may be a misunderstanding of the platform, and how pros show up in Search Results. You can learn about how pros rank and improve their ranking by reviewing these pro resources in our Help Center: https://help.thumbtack.com/article/my-rank-in-search-results. Ways that pros can improve their ranking include responding to their customers quicker, receiving more reviews, adding pricing, and improving their profile. If you're still wanting to review the pro you hired, these instructions should help: https://help.thumbtack.com/article/review-a-pro.

Thumbnail of user larryw64
Delaware
1 review
4 helpful votes
  • Send Message
September 17th, 2016

My review and personal opinion of Thumbtack is that it is in fact a fraudulant website. Maybe for some this works, maybe, but all i do is pay for leads but not one lead in 3 years has responded back to me for they,'re own request. I think thumbtack.com hires people to make up request to take customers money. It reminds me of getting a "local" cold calls but the caller is outta state. They buy the phone numbers to seem like they're local to get me to answer, anyway, same thing. Thumktack is fraudulant. I get "local" request for work however no response from these so called request.

Date of experience: September 17, 2016

Thumbnail of user jupiterc1
Virginia
1 review
3 helpful votes
  • Send Message
September 16th, 2017

They didn't believe my real name was my real name and denied my request. I hired the performer I was looking for through Gigmasters.com and had also found a great selection on Gigsalad.com. I don't understand why this website even exists. It's definitely useful at all.

Date of experience: September 16, 2017

Thumbnail of user kb131
California
1 review
1 helpful vote
  • Send Message
March 2nd, 2017

Wow was Tyler ever a godsend, got his company Temecula Drain Surgeon off of Thumbtack. Needed him to clear out a couple of outside drains before the recent big rains. He gave me a very fair fixed price and even though the job ended up being a lot more labor intensive then I thought and took more then one visit, he just kept coming back till he got it right. Once he was here from 4:30pm until almost midnight the night before our 1st big rain and even there was more to do, he got me through that one. He was courteous, professional and above all he knew what he was doing with over 20 years experience and he had the right equipment to do it with and a get it done whatever it takes, attitude. Even though by the time he was finished, he did not ever even bring up addl. Charges and I was more then happy to pay him more and probably not enough. Anything you need for plumbing, give Tyler a call, you won't regret it and I can't give him a higher recommendation!

Date of experience: March 2, 2017

Thumbnail of user jenniferp105
Texas
1 review
1 helpful vote
  • Send Message
June 9th, 2016

I waited a whole month, never got a phone call or text. I text, no response, i call no response... dats later i get a text... basically saying she will get back with me. Oh did i mention im still waiting. I called 4 months in advance, now party is 6 weeks away and im doing most of it now by myself. If u can't fill someone's commitment. Just say so!

Date of experience: June 9, 2016

Thumbnail of user goodr1
Utah
1 review
5 helpful votes
  • Send Message
July 19th, 2017

So here is how it works. You put on your bio and what service you offer. People in the local area can put in what services they need. Then it links you up. If they message you, it charges you. From this, I have had a big potential scam (good thing I didn't buy into it), 4 people asking for services that I do not offer nor did I list, 1 person from almost a different state wanting a massage (thats what I offer) and another person just messaged me to say I had a nice bio. I could go on but you get the hint. This would be a cool idea if it worked. I wonder how ethical the company is. If you think about it, the company gets paid if people message you. Hmmm are the employees setting up fake profiles and messaging vendors? I don't know. But it wouldn't surprise me. Hope this helps.

Date of experience: July 19, 2017

Thumbnail of user matthewh91
Maryland
1 review
1 helpful vote
  • Send Message
November 14th, 2016

From Mike to his installation team, Radon Mitigation Services by GMD Construction, Inc out of Lisbon, MD are the best in the business. They are passionate, diligent, professional, and true subject matter experts around the dangers of Radon Gas. I strongly recommend this team... and please have your home tested for Radon Gas... 21,000 people die a year from Radon Gas... shocking.

Tip for consumers:
Radon Gas Mitigation Services

Service
Value
Quality

Date of experience: November 12, 2016

Sitejabber for Business

Gain trust and grow your business with customer reviews.

From the business

Thumbtack is a technology leader building the modern home management platform. Through the Thumbtack app, people can effortlessly care for their homes — confidently knowing what to do, when to do it, and who to hire. Bringing the $500 billion home services industry online, Thumbtack empowers millions of people to fix, maintain, and improve their most valuable asset. The company’s investors include Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global Management, Javelin Venture Partners, Baillie Gifford, and Capital G, among others.

Company Representative

Thumbnail of user thumbtackt
Thumbtack-Support -.
Typically does not respond to reviews

How do I know I can trust these reviews about Thumbtack?

  • Sitejabber’s mission is to increase online transparency for buyers and businesses
  • Sitejabber has helped over 200M buyers make better purchasing decisions online
  • Suspicious reviews are flagged by our algorithms, moderators, and community members
Have a question about Thumbtack?