Summary
- TradeMore is a free job management platform by Checkatrade that includes an AI receptionist feature for call capture and job details.
- It's useful for Checkatrade members who want basic missed-call coverage at zero cost.
- It doesn't offer WhatsApp automation, multi-channel inbox management, review sequences, or premium voice quality — and it ties your front office to Checkatrade's ecosystem.
- Ava Call AI is a dedicated AI concierge service for London trades and clinics, running on a private sub-account with 24/7 voice, WhatsApp, web chat, calendar booking, and Google review automation bundled into one flat monthly fee.
- For any trades business treating missed calls as a revenue problem rather than a minor inconvenience, Ava is the stronger fit.
What Is TradeMore — And Why Users Hit Its Limits
TradeMore is Checkatrade's free AI-powered job management platform, launched in 2025. It bundles basic call answering, a smart inbox, quotes, invoices, and scheduling into one tool aimed at tradespeople. The AI receptionist component answers calls when you're on-site, captures job details, and sends summaries to your phone instead of leaving voicemail.
For a free product attached to a job board, it's a solid baseline. The problem isn't what it does — it's what it doesn't do and who it's actually built for.
TradeMore is designed around Checkatrade membership. Its broader ecosystem, review profile, and lead flow all point back to that platform. If you're not a Checkatrade member, or you're trying to build a professional business that doesn't depend on a marketplace, the product's logic starts to break down.
The AI receptionist feature handles inbound call capture. It doesn't qualify the caller, handle multi-part enquiries naturally, book from a live calendar, follow up by WhatsApp, or trigger a Google review sequence after the job is done. For a trades business doing 10-20 jobs a week, those gaps add up fast.
The Problem With TradeMore for London Trades Businesses
TradeMore solves one specific problem: the phone rings while you're under a boiler, and the call goes unanswered. That's real, and the product addresses it.
But the trades businesses losing the most revenue aren't just missing calls. They're losing jobs at five points: the unanswered call, the slow callback, the no-follow-up quote, the missing review, and the customer who picked the next tradesperson on the list while they waited. TradeMore only covers the first of those five.
The other issues are structural. TradeMore doesn't have:
- WhatsApp automation (most trades customers in London message first, call second)
- A live calendar booking flow that confirms the slot inside the same conversation
- Outbound follow-up sequences for quotes sent but not accepted
- Automated Google review requests after job completion
- A web chat widget for your own website
- A dedicated business phone number that routes through your AI concierge independently of any job board
There's also a positioning problem for premium trades businesses. TradeMore's design language and ecosystem signals a budget tool for Checkatrade members. If you're running a £3k-per-job emergency plumbing or electrical business in Central London, your front office should sound like one.
Ava Call AI vs TradeMore: Side-by-Side
| Feature | TradeMore | Ava Call AI |
|---|---|---|
| AI call answering (24/7) | Yes — basic call capture | Yes — full AI voice concierge with live calendar booking |
| WhatsApp automation | No | Yes — two-way WhatsApp included from Growth tier |
| Web chat widget | No | Yes — website chat agent included |
| Calendar booking inside the call | No — captures details only | Yes — books the slot in real time |
| Google review automation | No | Yes — post-job review sequences |
| Outbound quote follow-up | No | Yes — AI Sales Agent sequences |
| Dedicated business number | Via Checkatrade ecosystem | Yes — private GHL sub-account, your number |
| Pricing | Free (Checkatrade members) | £399–£1,499/mo flat tier |
| Platform dependency | Tied to Checkatrade membership | Fully independent — works on any website or number |
| Voice quality | Standard AI capture | Human-grade AI voice via Vapi on Premium tier |
Why Ava Call AI Works Better for London Trades
London's premium trades market is different from the national average. Emergency plumbers and electricians in Zone 1-3 are dealing with customers who expect fast, professional responses. A missed call to a Mayfair property manager doesn't wait for a callback — it moves on.
Ava handles the entire inbound workflow from first contact to booked job. When a customer calls at 11pm about a burst pipe, Ava answers on the first ring, qualifies the job, confirms availability, and books the slot — without anyone touching a phone. The job details, caller's name, and confirmed time land in your GHL dashboard before you've even woken up.
The channel coverage is the real difference. Most London customers over 35 will call first. Most under 35 will WhatsApp first. Some will message through your website at midnight. Ava covers all three channels from a single dashboard. TradeMore covers one.
For dental clinics and MedSpas — two of our other core verticals — the same logic applies. A missed call from a prospective Invisalign patient is a £3,000 missed booking. Ava doesn't miss calls.
The Growth tier (£899/mo) is where most trades clients land. It includes phone, WhatsApp, web chat, and automated review sequences. For a trades business booking 8-12 jobs a week at average job values of £400-£800, recovering two missed jobs per month covers the fee entirely.
When TradeMore Might Still Make Sense
If you're a sole trader doing low-volume residential work and you're already on Checkatrade, TradeMore's free tier is a practical starting point. You get basic missed-call coverage at no cost, integrated with the job management tools you're already using.
It also makes sense if your primary source of leads is Checkatrade itself and you're not yet at the revenue level where WhatsApp automation or multi-channel follow-up would move the needle. There's no point paying for infrastructure you're not going to use.
TradeMore is a capable free tool for its target user. If that's you, use it. The decision to move to Ava is usually triggered by one of two things: you start losing jobs that TradeMore couldn't prevent, or you want a front office that doesn't depend on a job board's continued goodwill.
The Verdict
TradeMore answers the phone when you're on-site. Ava answers the phone, books the job, follows up the quote, and asks for the review — across call, WhatsApp, and web chat, 24 hours a day.
They're not really competing for the same customer. TradeMore is built for Checkatrade members who want basic coverage for free. Ava is built for trades businesses and clinics that treat every missed contact as a direct revenue loss and want a professional AI front office that runs independently of any marketplace.
If you're billing £30k-£100k+ per month and even one missed job per week represents £1,500-£4,000 in lost revenue, the maths on Ava's Growth tier (£899/mo) is straightforward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ava Call AI better than TradeMore for tradespeople?
For sole traders on Checkatrade, TradeMore's free call capture is a reasonable baseline. For trades businesses generating serious monthly revenue, Ava covers more of the workflow that loses jobs — including WhatsApp, calendar booking inside the call, and post-job review sequences. The right answer depends on your volume and how seriously you treat missed contacts as a revenue problem.
Does TradeMore work for non-Checkatrade members?
TradeMore is designed around the Checkatrade ecosystem. While some features may be available without membership, the platform's core logic, lead flow, and review integration all tie back to Checkatrade. If you're not a member or don't want a front office tied to a job board, it's not the right fit.
Can an AI receptionist actually book jobs, not just capture details?
Yes — but this depends on which system you're using. TradeMore captures call details and sends them to you. Ava Call AI books directly from a live calendar inside the call, so the slot is confirmed before the call ends. That difference matters for emergency enquiries where the customer is making multiple calls at once.
How much does an AI receptionist cost for a trades business in London?
TradeMore's AI receptionist is free for Checkatrade members. Ava Call AI starts at £399/month for the Starter tier (AI phone agent, 500 minutes, basic automations) and £899/month for Growth, which adds WhatsApp, web chat, and review automation. The cost is typically recovered by preventing one or two missed jobs per month.
Does Ava Call AI work for dental clinics and MedSpas, not just trades?
Yes. Ava is deployed across private dental clinics, MedSpas, and emergency trades in London. The AI concierge handles appointment booking, new patient enquiries, and post-visit review sequences in the same way it handles job booking for trades. The Growth and Premium tiers include channel coverage suited to both verticals.
What happens when a caller asks something unusual — like requesting an emergency callout in an hour?
Ava handles non-standard requests by qualifying the job type, checking availability, and either confirming the booking or escalating to the business owner via SMS or WhatsApp. The system is configured for your specific trade, so it knows the difference between a routine job and an emergency. TradeMore captures the details and leaves the decision to you.
Can I use Ava Call AI without switching away from GoHighLevel or my current setup?
Ava runs on GoHighLevel infrastructure and gives you a private sub-account. It integrates with existing calendars, CRMs, and phone systems. If you're already using GHL, onboarding is straightforward. If you're not, the sub-account is set up as part of the onboarding process.
