The lead expires in minutes, the charge does not
A lockout is solved within the hour, by you or by the next name on the list. Unlike most trades there is no second chance later in the week: the problem simply stops existing, and the charge stays.
Thumbtack · locksmiths
Thumbtack auto responder for locksmiths
No category on Thumbtack has a shorter decision window. Someone locked out picks whoever responds while they are still standing there — and you were charged for that lead the moment they contacted you.
Built for ~20-second replies · Partner API, no scraping
What Thumbtack costs locksmiths
A vague reply reads as a warning sign here
Bait-and-switch pricing has made this trade's customers wary. On a platform where they are messaging several locksmiths at once, the first answer with a real range and a clear next step does more work than anywhere else.
A real request, and the reply that goes out
New leadreplied in 20s
Locked out of my house, keys are inside. I am in Southeast Portland near Division. Standard front door deadbolt, I have ID with the address on it.
Good that you have ID with the address on it — I need to see it before opening a door, so that saves a step. Is it the deadbolt only, or is there a knob lock as well? Are you somewhere you can wait safely? I will confirm how soon I can get to you near Division.
Your locksmith business · sent automatically
How leads behave in this trade
Demand patterns, seasonality and what wins a job are the same whichever platform the lead came from — we cover that on the page for locksmiths. This page is about what Thumbtack specifically adds to it.
What we charge
$2.99
$1.49
- Billed weekly. No monthly fee, no contract, no setup fee.
- A week with no leads costs nothing.
- Leads we filter out as spam are not billed.
One extra job pays for hundreds of leads. That is the whole argument.
Questions about Thumbtack from locksmiths
Can it get me on the phone fast enough?
When a lockout comes in with a number it can call you and connect you to the customer once you press a key. In this trade a voice inside two minutes closes what a message cannot.
Does it handle car and house lockouts differently?
Different questions, different ranges, different urgency — a car lockout at night is triaged above a house lockout at noon.
Will it name a price?
The range you set. In a trade with a trust problem, refusing to give any number is read as evasion rather than caution.
Thumbtack for other trades
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Answer first, every time
Every Thumbtack lead already cost you money. Make sure each one gets a reply.
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