On-demand services are not a new concept. Everything is easily available with a single tap. From booking a salon to getting a house deep cleaning to fixing a plumbing issue, handymen are the new-gen solution to issues.

This increasing requirement for everything develops a huge demand for home services. As per Statista, the US market size of home service is forecasted to grow at $156.29 billion by 2030. It will grow at a CAGR of 7.1%. By looking at these stats, various entrepreneurs like you want to develop apps like Thumbtack that can boost business visibility.

So, if you are planning to invest in Thumbtack app development, then you must read this blog till the end. It will cover all the aspects like features, costs, development steps etc that can help you build an amazing handyman app.

So, let’s begin!

What is a Thumbtack App?

Thumbtack is an on-demand home service platform that allows users to connect with local service providers. It is vital to know that the Thumbtack’s experts were merely focused on home improvements.

However, these on-demand mobile apps have dilated their services to photography, painting, pet grooming, event planning etc. It was created as an alternative to old ways of searching local experts.

For example, directory listings or word-of-mouth referrals. So, if you are planning to develop apps like Thumbtack, you should take assistance from a service marketplace development company.

Future Predictions and Projections of Home Service Industry

Source: Statista

• The US market size of home service is forecasted to grow at $156.29 billion by 2030. It will grow at a CAGR of 7.1%.
• The global home cleaners market is anticipated to make a profit of $39.79 billion in 2025.
• The best home service application is Taskrabbit as per statista.
• You can expect to experience an annual growth rate of 3.17%.
• Globally, the US leads in thumbtack like websites with a profit of $7,895m in 2025.
• When you determine the population, the per person sales in 2024 is $5.14.

How Does Thumbtack App Work?

Knowing the working mechanism of Thumbtack home service application helps in better understanding of app workflow. So, let’s have a look at the functioning of the Thumbtack app explained by our household services app development expert.

1. Request a Service

Firstly, users begin by signing up for the app or Thumbtack similar websites. They fill out the information about the service they need to request.

2. Browse and Compare

Now the app like handy or Thumbtack shows the service providers list who matches the user’s requirements. They can then search multiple profiles and compare all of them with rating, reviews and price.

3. Receive Quotes

After that, the interested service providers will accept the user’s job request. They may send quotes or cost/time work estimation.

4. Communicate with Service Providers

Now users may directly chat with service providers via the thumbtack similar apps. They can ask questions, discuss details, or negotiate terms.

5. Choose a Service Provider

Based on the above parameters, users may choose the best one that fits in well within their budget and meet all their requirements.

6. Complete the Transaction

Lastly, users and service providers agree on the final conclusion and users can make the payment. They can also give feedback.

Success Story: Thumbtack

• Grew rapidly by offering a streamlined experience for hiring plumbers, cleaners, and other local pros, filling a critical market need.
• Raised $1.2 million seed round led by angel investors including Scott Banister and Jason Calacanis, fueling early platform development.
• Secured $4.5 million Series A funding led by Javelin Venture Partners, boosting team expansion and technology infrastructure.
• By 2013, Thumbtack had served millions of users, showing strong traction in the local services marketplace across the U.S.
• Continued scaling across the U.S., serving millions of professionals and customers, while expanding its product and mobile experience.

Steps To Develop Apps Like Thumbtack

If you are planning to build a handyman app like Thumbtack, you should have a proper understanding and knowledge of mobile app development. So, here is the home service app development process we follow:

1. Know Thumbtack Business Model

To start, you need to grasp how an app like Thumbtack works. If you want to create similar apps like thumbtack​, ask yourself if it’s a good idea. Why would people want to download it? What unique features will your handyman app development solution offer? These are essential questions to consider right from the start.

To find the answers to these questions, you need to conduct thorough research and analysis of your app idea. This includes market research, user surveys, and creating user personas. This process will help you understand the potential of your app idea and its chances of success in the market.

2. Determine Competitor Apps

The online home service market is very promising, leading many business owners to offer similar services. It’s clear that you’ll encounter strong competition in this field if you want to succeed. For example, if you want to build a home service app, you need to do SWOT analysis of apps like urbanClap or other.

Keep an eye on your thumbtack competitors: see what services they offer and where they fall short. You can learn from their strategies and add your own unique touch.

3. Hire Mobile App Developers

Once you have covered the basics, it’s time to hire mobile app developers to develop apps like Thumbtack. To make your marketplace app a reality, you need a talented Thumbtackapp development company.

They should grasp your app concept and suggest the best ways to develop an app that leads to success. To find a great home service app development company, you should do some research. Look into the company’s history and review their portfolio to see how they develop mobile apps.

4. Develop an MVP

You should develop an MVP app as the final step. An MVP helps you understand how your target users feel about your marketplace app. It includes all the key features of your app.

Testing your MVP allows you to learn more about your audience and their responses to your app. By building and testing your MVP, you can confirm the value of your marketplace app, leading to a more effective and successful final product.

5. Test and Deploy

Your application is now ready for deployment. However, it’s important to test your home service app using various testing methods. Testers will carefully check it to find and resolve any bugs or issues.

Beta testing helps you collect user feedback and enhance your app. Once you are sure it is functioning well and is stable, you can launch your Thumbtack like apps in app stores like Google Play Store or iOS App Store.

Lastly, you should not forget to update your app. So, it is best to avail the mobile app maintenance services from the reputed firm for smooth app functioning.

Key Features to Include in Apps Like Thumbtack

Features can make your home service application successful. So, when you develop home service apps like Thumbtack, you should add the below features in your app with the help of an on demand app development company.

1. User Panel Features to Include in Apps Like Thumbtack

● Easy Browsing

The browsing process must be easy and simple for the users. So, you should offer them with different navigational filters.

● Booking & Scheduling

Hire dedicated developers who can add a booking and scheduling feature in your app. You must allow users to easily book services, boost appointments and manage bookings. It helps users to easily book the service and schedule accordingly.

● Push Notifications

Push notification is very common in every home cleaning app. You need to ensure that the user receives a notification until the service professional accepts the service.

● Tracking Service

The GPS tracking app development feature enables users to easily track home services from starting. For instance, if a user has booked a kitchen cleaning service, they may look at the real-time location and receive the estimated time.

● Review & Ratings

Your users can check the rating and reviews of the service providers. This feature is important as it offers the best reviews and helps others to see the highest rated service professional.

● Multiple Payment Options

You must carefully provide the multiple payment gateway options that are hassle-free for users. You can offer simple options like COD features.

2. Service Provider Panel Features to Include in Apps Like Thumbtack

● Easy Registration

When a service provider registers in the app, just make sure it is simple and does not take enough time. You can make it simple and quick so that service providers can immediately begin the work.

● Request Management

You should provide a proper system for requesting admin to their service providers. With this feature, they can easily get real-time requests. Also they may easily operate them to the time-limit they have.

● Easy Payment Management

The service providers can facilitate the particular payment gateway like bank account or other information. You can also allow service providers to add extra charges like transportation just in case the users live far away.

● Feedback Management

You should provide a feedback management option so that service providers can check their own ratings and reviews users have given. Additionally, service providers can also do the same like giving ratings to their users.

● Real-time Chat

Real-time communication is the must-have feature for home service apps like taskrabbit or other apps like thumbtack. It allows service providers to communicate with their users on a real-time basis. So, you must provide a built-in communication system for service professionals.

3. Admin Panel Features to Include in Apps Like Thumbtack

● Analytics

With this feature, you can check the information about the service providers and customers. You can also check all the details that can assist you in making your business better just as an app like Jobber does.

● Promotion Management

You can provide multiple discounts and promotions just to market your professional home services application. Also, you can simply track your progress with a rewarding system. It helps you in getting the most beneficial details that may enable in delivering more marketing deals.

● Review Management

Through this feature, you can simply check both negative and positive feedback from customers and service providers. It will help you in managing your business image just by checking the customer feedback.

Top 5 Home Service Apps Like Thumbtack

To develop a home service app similar to Thumbtack, you need to know about the competitors. So, we have listed the best home service applications so that you can easily review them.  

Cost To Build a Home Service App Like Thumbtack

The cost of home services app development solutions like Thumbtack can range between $10000 – $25000. A simple home service app akin to Thumbtack with minimal features and for a single platform can cost you less. But if you want to integrate advanced features with multiple platform compatibility, the cost can go beyond $25000.

So, basically, the cost to build a home service app like Thumbtack depends on the complexity of your project requirement. On the basis of complexity, let’s look at the below table of cost to develop apps like Thumbtack.

Besides, you can calculate the cost to develop an app like Thumbtack with the below formula:

Total Thumbtack Clone App Development Cost = Developers Hourly Rate * Development Time

Now that you know about the Thumbtack app development cost, it is time to consult with an on demand home service app development company. They will provide the exact cost to develop a home service apps like Thumbtack estimation.

How To Monetize Your Application Similar to Thumbtack?

To earn money from your home service apps or sites like Thumbtack, you should know its business model. So, below are the revenue streams that Thumbtack follows for better ROI.

● Lead Fees

The main revenue source of Thumbtack is lead fees they get from professionals through the application or website. You can also use the same monetization model to earn a good profit. You need to check “how much does thumbtack cost per lead”?.

Additionally, you can match the appropriate service providers when a user submits the requests. They can then pay the fee to your home service app development solutions that contacts a user and service they want. It can help you earn a good amount of revenue without charging users.

● Subscription Fees

You can provide a premium service that’s pricing starts from $51 – $69 per year, or accordingly you can charge the price. Websites like Thumbtack offer proprietors with advantages like project planning support or other essential benefits.

This type of model assures you a steep revenue stream. It assists service professionals to operate expenditures efficiently.

● In-app Advertisement

One of the most famous monetization models is in-app advertisement that many top Handyman apps use.

It facilitates different ads opportunities for experts to market and promote their services on the app. It boosts your businesses online visibility and raises the chances of your service being used multiple times.

● Listing Fees

The listing fee is a nominal fee that you need to pay for your service to list them. You can charge service providers a nominal fee for new listings publications.

This way you can help service professionals to make new listings that can raise your businesses visibility. But if your fees are too costly, it can be challenging for professionals to have a good ROI.

Conclusion

Developing a home service app like Thumbtack can be profitable that connects users with reliable service providers. With the appropriate features, a bespoke design and a clear roadmap, you can easily develop apps like Thumbtack pro.

To make sure your home service provider application is successful, you should consult with an experienced mobile application development services provider like Dev Technosys. We are one of the best home cleaning app development service providers who can create any type of application that meets your business needs.

So, what are you waiting for? Share your project requirements with us and get an amazing Thumbtack clone app development solution.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How Much Does It Cost To Develop An App Like Thumbtack?

The cost to create an app like Thumbtack can significantly fluctuate. It relies on different factors like application intricacy, features, tech stack and so on. Generally, it can cost you around $10000 – $25000.  

2. How To Build an Application Like Thumbtack?

To make an app like Thumbtack, you must follow the below steps:

• Validate app idea
• Do competitor research
• Create a feature list
• Develop the backend
• Test and launch

3. How Long Does It Take To Create A Thumbtack Clone App?

The time of Thumbtack app development can be between 2-8 months or more. There are differences that can affect the time to make a home service app like Thumbtack.

4. What Are the Benefits of Home Service App Development?

Here are the benefits to develop a home service app:

• Attract more customers
• More customer become digitalised
• Increased customer reach
• Increase brand visibility

5. How Can You Earn Money From a Thumbtack Clone App?

You can earn money from the below monetization strategies:

• Lead fees
• Listing fees
• Subscription model
• In-app advertisement

6. How Much Does It Cost To Maintain A Home Service Application?

The cost to maintain a mobile app can be 15 – 20% of total home service app development cost. Generally, it can cost you around $1000 – $5000 annually but various factors affect the  cost like feature enhancement, security, bug-fixes and so on.