Free listings won't fill your diary on their own, but they are the cheapest way to show up when someone searches your trade and town. They also back each other up: when your business name, phone and website match everywhere, search engines trust the details more. Here is where to start.
Start with these three
- Google Business Profile. The most important free listing for most tradies, because it's what shows in Google Maps and the local results. If you work at customers' homes, you can set it up as a service-area business: add the suburbs you cover and leave your address hidden. Add real job photos and ask happy customers for reviews.
- Bing Places for Business. Feeds Bing, and through it some other search tools. It has a "hide address" option for businesses that travel to customers. You can import your Google profile to save time.
- Apple Business Connect. Controls how your business appears in Apple Maps and Siri on iPhones. Only add a location if you're happy for it to show.
Free directories worth adding
Most of these have a free basic listing with paid upgrades. You don't need the upgrades. Address settings change, so check what will be shown before you submit. Find My Tradie isn't affiliated with any of these sites.
| Directory | Free listing? | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Pages / White Pages | Free basic online listing; expect an upsell call | Ask for a mobile or service-area listing that doesn't show your street address |
| True Local | Free basic listing | Check at sign-up whether it can be hidden |
| Hotfrog | Free listing | Check at sign-up |
| StartLocal | Free basic listing | Check at sign-up |
| Localsearch | Free listing; paid packages offered | Ask for a service-area listing |
| Yelp Australia | Free | Has an option for businesses that serve customers at their location |
| Cylex Australia | Free | Has a hide-address setting and service areas |
| Aussieweb, Local Business Guide, Zipleaf, dLook, Brownbook | Free basic listings | Check each form. Skip any that would show your home address |
| Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn | Free business pages | Leave the address blank and set a service area |
Some sites that used to be free now charge for new listings, and Oneflare has closed (Oneflare alternatives). If a "free" listing asks for a card, read what you're agreeing to first.
Working from home? Keep your address private
- Use the service-area or "hide address" option wherever it exists, and set the suburbs you actually cover.
- If a directory insists on showing a street address and you work from home, skip it. One missing listing costs you far less than a public home address.
- Some verification steps post a card or code to your address. That's fine as long as the address isn't then published.
Keep your details identical everywhere
Use exactly the same business name, phone number, website and email on every listing. Write it once in a note on your phone and copy and paste it each time. Mismatched details (an old mobile number, "Pty Ltd" on one and not another) make it harder for search engines to tell the listings belong to the same business.
A low-cost listing next to the free ones
- Find My Tradie isn't free: it's $19 a month including GST, with no lead fees, no commission and no lock-in.
- Homeowners search by trade and suburb and contact you directly. Your home address isn't shown.
- Treat it as an extra place to be found, not a guaranteed source of work.
More ideas: 9 free ways to get tradie leads.
List your business for $19 a month
One flat price, inc GST. Your own profile page, shown to people searching for your trade in the suburbs you cover.
- $19/month inc GST, billed monthly by direct debit
- No lock-in, no setup fee, cancel any time by email
- No lead fees, no commission, no paying per quote
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free business listing for tradies?
For most tradies it's a Google Business Profile, because it controls how you appear in Google Maps and local results. Bing Places and Apple Business Connect are the next two.
Can I list my business on Google without showing my home address?
Yes. If you visit customers rather than having them come to you, Google lets you set up a service-area business, list the areas you cover and hide your address.
Are Yellow Pages and True Local free for tradies?
Both offer a free basic online listing, with paid advertising packages on top. You don't need the paid packages to be listed.
Is Find My Tradie free?
Searching is free for homeowners. For tradies, a listing costs $19 a month including GST, with no lead fees, no commission and no lock-in.
General information only, not legal, financial or marketing advice. Prices and terms of other services are as published on their own websites on the date shown and can change, so check them directly.