Disclosure: OptiMAX sells referrals. Judge us by the same definition and the same rubric below. We should be able to prove who receives each enquiry, what was checked and why it was billed.
What is the difference between a referral and a lead?
£15–40 buys a shared lead in the UK; an exclusive, intent-confirmed referral runs £45–120. The gap is the mechanism: a lead sells contact details as an opportunity, a referral puts one name forward after the customer has confirmed intent.
A lead is contact information sold as an opportunity. That contact may be sold to several buyers. A referral is a different product category: the customer knows who is being recommended, and the introduction has a single destination.
This distinction is separate from whether a lead is shared or exclusive. Our guide to shared leads vs exclusive leads explains that split. Exclusivity controls distribution. Referral status requires intent and a recommendation.
Exclusive is a property of delivery. Warm is a property of the customer.
Lead vs referral
| What matters | Lead | Referral |
|---|---|---|
| What is sold | Contact details | A named recommendation |
| Customer intent | May be unconfirmed | Confirmed before delivery |
| Distribution | Often several buyers | One buyer only |
| Delivery proof | Platform terms vary | Five published checks |
| Billing | Paid as supplied | A failed check is not sent or billed |
Why do referrals close more than leads?
SolarReviews’ own published page states a 3–7% close rate on its leads. The mechanism sits on the same page: each lead is sold to 2.3 companies on average, so buyers race each other for the same customer.
The same page lists an 80–85% contact rate, no returns, and says plainly that 93–97%of leads will not close. Those are SolarReviews’ figures about SolarReviews’ product, not OptiMAX estimates.
Affly’s illustrative example makes the mechanism clearer. It compares shared leads at 30–50% contact and 5–15% close with exclusive leads at 70–90% contact and 25–40%close. These are Affly’s example calculations, not measured market results.
A warm referral removes part of the chase before delivery. The person is reachable, has described the need, has stated a timeline and has agreed to the introduction.
What does a lead actually cost vs a referral?
£15–40 is the UK shared-lead anchor. The mechanism behind the lower ticket is that the same enquiry can be sold to several businesses.
Rated People charges £15–40 per lead plus a £30–60 monthly subscription, with a lead shared with a maximum of 3. MyBuilder typically charges £5–35 for a shared lead and £50+ for larger jobs, shared with 3–5 trades.
Checkatrade can share one enquiry with 10–20+ trades. Its model is a £30–500+ monthly subscription with no per-lead fee. None of the five biggest UK platforms publishes a full price list.
Every one of those figures sits in a dated, per-platform table in our guide to lead prices in the UK and US, with a last-verified date on every row.
An exclusive, intent-confirmed referral sits at £45–120. It costs more because one buyer receives it and the intent checks happen before delivery. A cheap ticket to a crowded race can cost more per job than a dearer introduction with nobody else in it.
For a different buying model, compare pay per lead vs pay per call.
What turns an enquiry into a referral?
Five checks turn an enquiry into a billable referral. The mechanism is simple: fail one check, and it is not sent or billed.
The person must be real and reachable. The need must be recorded in their own words. Their timeline must be stated. The job must still be open, not already done or signed elsewhere. The referral must go to one buyer only.
These are not descriptive labels added after delivery. They are the acceptance test. Read the complete referral standard and hold us to it.
When is a lead still the right buy?
£15–40 can be a sensible entry price for a business built to work shared leads. The mechanism is volume: accept lower intent and more competition in exchange for a cheaper contact.
Leads can fit a team with spare sales capacity, disciplined follow-up and a process designed for competition. They can also help when broad market coverage matters more than territorial exclusivity.
Referrals fit a different preference. Pay more for confirmed intent, one-buyer delivery and a published acceptance test. There is no retainer or lock-in on OptiMAX referral supply. You pay only for referrals that pass the checks.
Straight answers
What is a lead?
A lead is a set of contact details sold as a sales opportunity. It may be shared with several businesses, and the customer may not know which businesses will contact them.
What is a referral?
A referral is a named recommendation to one business after the customer has confirmed their intent. At OptiMAX, it must also pass five published checks before it is sent or billed.
What makes a referral warm?
A warm referral has confirmed intent before the introduction. The customer has explained the need in their own words, stated a timeline, and the job is still open rather than already done or signed elsewhere.
How much does a shared lead cost compared with a referral?
The UK shared-lead anchor is £15–40. An exclusive, intent-confirmed referral is £45–120. The useful comparison is cost per resulting job, not ticket price alone.
Are referrals exclusive?
A referral should go to one buyer only. OptiMAX works with one partner per area in trade and local-service markets, and delivers exclusive calls with one buyer per call in US legal, where bar rules govern how firms take referrals. A referral that fails any published check is not sent.
When should I buy leads instead of referrals?
Leads can suit a business with spare sales capacity, fast follow-up and a process built to compete for shared enquiries. Referrals suit businesses that would rather pay more for confirmed intent and one-buyer delivery.
Where should you go from here?
Start with the five-check referral standard. Then compare the distribution models in shared leads vs exclusive leads and the billing models in pay per lead vs pay per call.
Trade businesses can also see how we handle exclusive trade leads, one company per area. If the model fits, check current area coverage.
Published 12 August 2026. UK pricing and sharing claims use the UK Trade Lead Cost Tracker and published platform terms dated 22 July 2026. Solar figures are attributed to SolarReviews’ own published page. Affly figures are its illustrative example, not measured data.