A shared lead is one enquiry sold to several roofers at once; an exclusive lead comes only to you. Shared leads are cheaper and faster to buy, but you are racing other roofers on every job. Exclusive leads cost more per enquiry, or take time to build, but you only compete with the homeowner's indecision. Most roofing businesses do best with exclusive leads as the base and shared leads as a top-up.
This guide explains the difference in plain terms and shows how to work out which one is cheaper for your business, not just per lead but per job won.
What is a shared roofing lead?
A shared lead is a homeowner's job request that a platform passes to more than one business. The best known example in Australia is hipages. A comparison published by What's The Damage, a lead platform that competes with hipages and says so, describes hipages leads as going to "up to 3 businesses, plus a waitlist" (What's The Damage).
Airtasker works differently again. A homeowner posts a task and any number of Taskers can send an offer. Airtasker says there is "no limit to the number of offers you can receive on a task" (Airtasker support).
With shared leads, three things decide whether you win:
- Speed. The roofer who calls first often gets the inspection.
- Price. The homeowner has several quotes side by side.
- Reviews. Your platform profile is compared with others on the same screen.
What is an exclusive roofing lead?
An exclusive lead is an enquiry that comes only to you. It might come from:
- your Google Business Profile (a call, a website click, a direction request)
- your own website form
- your own Google or Facebook ads
- a referral from a past customer, builder or real estate agent
- a letterbox drop or ute signage
Some lead companies also sell "exclusive" leads, meaning they promise not to sell the same enquiry to another roofer. If you buy those, ask how they generate them and whether the homeowner knows a roofer will call.
The short verdict
Who else gets the enquiry
- Shared leads
- Other roofers (up to 3 on hipages, any number on Airtasker)
- Exclusive leads
- Nobody
Cost per lead
- Shared leads
- Lower
- Exclusive leads
- Higher if bought, or time and setup if built
Speed to start
- Shared leads
- Fast
- Exclusive leads
- Slower if you build them yourself
Price pressure
- Shared leads
- High, homeowner compares quotes
- Exclusive leads
- Lower
Who owns the customer
- Shared leads
- The platform's rules apply
- Exclusive leads
- You
Risk
- Shared leads
- Platform can change fees or close
- Exclusive leads
- Depends on your own marketing
| Question | Shared leads | Exclusive leads |
|---|---|---|
| Who else gets the enquiry | Other roofers (up to 3 on hipages, any number on Airtasker) | Nobody |
| Cost per lead | Lower | Higher if bought, or time and setup if built |
| Speed to start | Fast | Slower if you build them yourself |
| Price pressure | High, homeowner compares quotes | Lower |
| Who owns the customer | The platform's rules apply | You |
| Risk | Platform can change fees or close | Depends on your own marketing |
How do you compare the real cost?
Cost per lead is misleading. What matters is cost per job won. A cheap lead you rarely win can cost more than an expensive one you usually win.
The simple formula:
Cost per job won = (total spend in a month) ÷ (jobs won from that source in the month)
Example (illustrative numbers, not a benchmark):
Monthly spend
- Shared source
- $600
- Exclusive source
- $900
Leads received
- Shared source
- 15
- Exclusive source
- 9
Jobs won
- Shared source
- 2
- Exclusive source
- 3
Cost per lead
- Shared source
- $40
- Exclusive source
- $100
Cost per job won
- Shared source
- $300
- Exclusive source
- $300
| Measure | Shared source | Exclusive source |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly spend | $600 | $900 |
| Leads received | 15 | 9 |
| Jobs won | 2 | 3 |
| Cost per lead | $40 | $100 |
| Cost per job won | $300 | $300 |
In this example the "expensive" leads cost exactly the same per job, and you kept those three customers for life. Your own numbers will be different. Track them for three months before deciding.
As a reference point for shared leads, What's The Damage lists hipages plans as of 2026 at $139, $249, $449 and $649 a month plus GST, with each lead costing credits (What's The Damage). We go through the maths in hipages cost for roofers.
Who it suits / who it doesn't
Shared leads suit you if:
- You are starting out and need work this week.
- You can answer within minutes, even on the tools.
- Your prices are competitive and your platform reviews are strong.
- You mostly do smaller repair jobs.
Shared leads don't suit you if:
- You sell on quality, not price, and lose most three-way quote contests.
- You can't answer quickly during the day.
- You do large restorations or re-roofs where the homeowner takes weeks to decide.
Exclusive leads suit you if:
- You want a business that isn't dependent on one platform's pricing.
- You have good reviews and photos to show off.
- You can wait a few months for Google Maps and your website to build up.
How do you get more exclusive leads?
These are the levers that work for most roofing businesses, roughly in order of cost:
Exclusive lead checklist
0/7 done
Your ticks are saved in this browser only.
For the first and fifth steps, see our Google Business Profile guide and how to follow up roofing quotes.
Where LeadKites fits
LeadKites sells services in this space, so here is our angle stated plainly. We don't sell shared leads. We help roofers get more from exclusive leads: every call, text and form answered within 60 seconds, every quote followed up for 21 days, and the Google Maps and website work that brings in leads you own. See Search Dominance for the Google side.
We don't promise a number of leads or jobs. We promise speed and the work: replies in 60 seconds and live in 7 working days. Plans start with the $497 Sprint, refunded if it books zero inspections. Prices are in AUD and no GST is charged.
Frequently asked questions
Are exclusive roofing leads worth the higher price?
Often, yes, because you are not competing with other roofers on the same enquiry. But judge it by cost per job won, not cost per lead. Track spend, leads and jobs won from each source for at least three months.
How many roofers get a hipages lead?
A comparison by What's The Damage, a competing platform, describes hipages leads as going to up to three businesses plus a waitlist. Check the current terms in your hipages account, because platforms change their rules.
Can I use shared and exclusive leads together?
Yes, and most roofers do. Use shared leads to fill gaps while you build your own leads through Google Maps, your website, reviews and referrals. Over time, aim for your own leads to become the larger share.
What is the cheapest source of exclusive roofing leads?
Usually your Google Business Profile and past customers. Both cost mostly time: keeping the profile accurate, posting job photos, asking for reviews and staying in touch with old customers.
Why do I lose shared leads to other roofers?
The usual reasons are speed and price. Homeowners often book the first roofer who calls back, and they compare quotes side by side. Answering within minutes and following up your quotes helps more than lowering prices.
Sources and fact-check
Checked against these sources on 26 October 2026. Prices and rules change, so confirm with the provider before you buy.
Was this guide useful?