Is Thumbtack Legit or a Scam? (Full Review + Rating)

Thumbtack is a platform that claims to help you find jobs in your area so you can earn extra cash. The question is, is Thumbtack legit or a scam?

Many platforms offer this kind of opportunity, so I understand if you want to ensure it is legit before signing up. This Thumbtack review will verify the legitimacy of the platform and more.

It will tell you everything you need to know about it so you will know exactly what to expect from it before you even register. Then, you can properly figure out if this is the right opportunity for you to earn extra cash or not.

What is Thumbtack, and what does it offer?

Thumbtack, at its core, is a gig economy platform that will help you find jobs to earn extra cash. It is a legit site because you can earn money from the jobs it offers.

Now the question is, is this the right fit for you?

Well, the only way to find out is to examine the earning opportunities it offers so you will have a clear idea of what you need to do to earn and how much time you need to invest. So here’s how to earn from Thumbtack.

Option 1 – Jobs

The primary way to earn from Thumbtack is to take on jobs in your local area. There are two types of jobs available – claimable jobs and bookings. Once you become a member of Thumbtack, you will be able to list the services you are willing to provide to customers.

Booking jobs are when the customer reaches out to you. This happens because a customer is looking for a pro (the term Thumbtack calls people who do the jobs) to do a job for them. When this happens, it will be your opportunity to land the job.

During this phase, you can negotiate the pay as well as get the full details of the job. Once an agreement is made, all that’s left is to show up at the agreed time and perform the job requested of you.

Claimable jobs, on the other hand, are pre-scheduled but unassigned jobs. They will match your preferences, and the customer will have already chosen a date and time. If you are willing to do this job, all you have to do is claim it.

However, this type of job will only be offered to pros that offer specific services and meet certain criteria like having more than 3 reviews from Thumbtack customers, at least a 4.5 rating for every job done, passed a background check, and having the targeting preferences feature of Thumbtack enabled.

Think of this type of job as a more proactive way of earning. Obviously, you can’t work on this type of job when starting, but it’s a nice goal to set your sights on.

After you’ve completed a job, you can request payment from the customer. Later, I will discuss how the payment system of Thumbtack works.

There are various jobs you can offer on Thumbtack, and most of them will involve manual labor. You can offer house cleaning, painting, remodeling, gutter cleaning and repair, furniture moving, and more.

But there are also jobs for professionals like accountants, lawyers, architects, and more, so Thumbtack is a pretty unique and versatile gig-economy platform, in my opinion, because you can land jobs that require specific skills, and not just delivering items or food like most gig-economy platforms offer.

Option 2 – Referral Program

Another way you can earn from Thumbtack is through its referral program. The idea behind this opportunity is to invite pros to join.

All you have to do is share your invite link with people interested in becoming a Thumbtack pro. When they click your link and sign up as a pro, they will become your referral.

But for you to earn from your referral, they have to complete a job first. Once they’ve done so, both you and your referral will receive a certain amount depending on the services your referral offers. In the photo above, if you managed to refer roofers, pest control specialists, etc, both parties will receive $100 as a reward for when your referral completes their first job.

For other services, the reward will only be $50. You can only refer up to 10 pros per year, though, so there’s a limit to how much you can earn from this opportunity.

The pay is quite substantial, but referring a pro is no easy task, in my opinion. You have to know people who have certain skills that would fit well with Thumbtack.

Recommended: Check Out the Best Gig Jobs

How do you get paid?

As mentioned earlier, when you complete a job, you can initiate a payment from a customer directly through Thumbtack. Go to the Messages section of the platform and click Request Payment. Enter the payment amount (description is optional) and press Request Payment. Your request will be sent to the customer.

Once your customer pays the invoice, your earnings will show up in your Thumbtack account balance. You have the option to withdraw your earnings via standard payout or instant deposit.

For standard payouts, your earnings will be deposited to your bank account within 3 to 5 business days. For instant deposits, it will be deposited within 30 minutes. But to qualify for instant deposits, you have to complete a background check (which will cost a certain amount, which the site doesn’t mention), have at least 1 verified customer review, and have received 3 successful payments.

Keep in mind that instant deposits will also incur a 1% service fee, so don’t expect to receive the full amount. The good thing about Thumbtack is that you don’t have to reach a threshold to cash out.

Overall, Thumbtack's payment method is relatively simple. I like the fact that it offers a convenient payment method like direct bank transfer. If you are looking for more sites that offer a convenient payment method, I recommend you also check out the top sites that pay via direct bank transfer.

How much money can you make?

The amount you can earn from Thumbtack will depend on where you are located. This is the general truth of gig economy platforms.

You see, the availability of jobs will depend on the city you live in. If you live in a big city, then chances are there will be plenty of jobs available.

But if you live in a small town, then there will be significantly fewer jobs available. Sometimes, there won’t even be any jobs offered. As for the amount you can earn per job, that will also vary. As explained earlier, you can negotiate with the customer on how much you are willing to get paid to do a job.

This means you can dictate the amount you can earn. That being said, you also have to know the going rate of the services you offer. This will require balancing; if your offer is too low, you’re not getting paid enough. If your offer is too high, then customers won’t hire you because they find your services expensive.

That’s why a little market research will do you good if you want to maximize your earnings from Thumbtack. But overall, I would say the earning potential of this platform is quite decent if you live in a big city. But if you live in a small town, I would suggest you find another way to earn extra cash, because you will have a hard time finding opportunities to earn.

The thing you need to remember with Thumbtack is that you have to be patient. Don’t expect to earn immediately after you sign up because, as explained earlier, if you are new to the platform, you have to wait for a customer to contact you before you can hope to earn. It can take weeks or even months for this to happen.

Can you use it on mobile?

Thumbtack has a mobile app that you can use to accept or find jobs. It is available for download on both Android and iOS devices.

The app is user-friendly, so you will get used to it quickly. Using the app is a must, in my opinion. It will allow you to accept bookings or find jobs even when you are not in front of your computer.

This can be a big difference in the world of gig economy, so if you are intent on joining Thumbtack, I highly suggest you install the app once you are done signing up.

Who can join Thumbtack?

Thumbtack is only available in the US, so if you live somewhere else, this is not for you. To sign up, you can just go to the website and click the “Join as a pro” button.

Then, you’ll be asked to choose the type of service you want to offer. Your location will be automatically determined by the site. After you’ve selected the service you want to offer, just click the “Sign Up for Free” button.

After you’ve done this, you’ll be asked to pick additional services you are willing to offer. Make sure to choose only the services you know you can do. Then, you can indicate how you want to log in to the platform. You have the option to create your own login details, or you can use your Google or Facebook account.

Once you’ve completed this step, you’ll be asked to provide your mobile number. This is a step you must take because Thumbtack will send you a verification code. If you don’t like giving out your number, then unfortunately, this platform is not for you.

When you receive the code, just input it to complete your registration. You can now log in to the member dashboard and complete your profile. I suggest you add your banking details so you can withdraw your earnings once you complete a job.

Can you get support?

If you have any questions about the platform or your account, you can check out the Help page. It discusses most of the important topics you need to know about Thumbtack. If you can’t find the answers you are looking for, you can just get in touch with the support team.

To do so, just click the “Contact Us” button at the bottom of the Help page. Then fill out the necessary fields and submit your inquiry. Overall, I would say Thumbtack does provide decent support for its members since it offers a convenient way for you to request assistance.

Final Verdict

Thumbtack is a legit gig economy platform that will let you earn by working on jobs in your city. It has a few good features, but it also has some limitations you need to consider.

Let me complete this review by summarizing its pros and cons so you can get an overview of what it has to offer. Then you can decide if Thumbtack is the right fit for you or not.

Thumbtack, in my opinion, is a decent gig economy platform. That being said, this is not for everyone. The services you can offer require certain skills and not the usual services you can offer on most gig economy sites.

Plus, you can’t expect to earn immediately after you sign up. That’s why if you decide to join this platform, you have to be patient. It does offer a convenient payment method and doesn’t have a payout threshold so you can withdraw your earnings easily. It also has a user-friendly app you can use to book jobs conveniently from your mobile device.

But if you prefer a site where you can earn immediately, I recommend you check out the top survey and GPT sites in your country instead. The sites on this list all have good earning potential, so you will be able to earn a decent amount in no time. Plus, you will definitely find a site you can join regardless of where you live.

If you have any comments, questions, or experience with Thumbtack, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.