Services marketplaces in India make money 5 ways: per-job commissions (15-30%), lead-selling fees (₹50-300 per lead), premium listing subscriptions (₹15K-70K/year), advertising revenue, and platform/booking fees charged to customers. The model determines whether you (as a worker) pay nothing, pay per lead, or lose 30% of every job. Here's the complete breakdown.
The 5 revenue models — explained with real numbers
1. Per-job commission model (15-30% of every job)
Used by: Managed marketplaces. The platform sets the price, takes the customer payment, deducts a 15-30% commission, and pays the worker. A worker doing ₹50,000/month of jobs takes home ₹35,000-42,500. Commission rates by service: home cleaning 25-30%, salon-at-home 30%, plumber/electrician 20-25%, AC technician 18-25%. Plus penalty deductions: refunds, late-arrival fines, low-rating cuts can deduct another 5-10%.
2. Lead-selling model (₹50-300 per customer enquiry)
Used by: Lead classifieds. Customer fills a form, the platform sells the lead to 4-5 workers in the area at ₹50-300 per lead. Workers compete to call first. Same lead is sold multiple times. A worker spending ₹3,000-8,000/month on leads typically gets 2-4 jobs (10-20% conversion rate from raw leads).
3. Premium listing model (₹15,000-70,000/year)
Used by: Lead classifieds, B2B catalogues. Worker pays ₹15K-30K/year (basic premium) up to ₹40K-70K/year (gold tier) for top placement. Free listings sit at the bottom and get almost no calls. Effectively a "pay or be invisible" model.
4. Customer-side fee model (₹11-99 per contact unlock)
Used by: Solve24 and similar no-commission directories. Customer pays a small subscription (₹11 trial → ₹99 monthly) to unlock worker phone numbers. Worker pays nothing. Platform earns from customer-side, never from worker earnings. This works because customer search demand massively exceeds worker supply — it's easier to charge the abundant side.
5. Advertising and visibility upgrades
Used by: Most platforms as a secondary revenue stream. Workers can pay for "boost", "featured", or "verified" tags (₹500-3,000/month). Effectiveness varies — verified badges help, "boost" rarely does in saturated markets.
How much do workers actually pay across platform types?
| Platform type | Annual cost (worker doing ₹50K/mo) | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Free no-commission directory | ₹0 | ₹6,00,000 |
| Customer-fee directory (Solve24) | ₹0 | ₹6,00,000 |
| Lead classified (premium) | ₹25,000-50,000 | ₹5,50,000-5,75,000 |
| B2B catalogue (gold) | ₹40,000-70,000 | ₹5,30,000-5,60,000 |
| Managed marketplace (20%) | ₹1,20,000 | ₹4,80,000 |
| Managed marketplace (25% + fees) | ₹1,80,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
A worker on a managed marketplace at 25% commission loses ₹1.8 lakh/year compared to a free directory. Over a 10-year career, that's ₹18 lakhs paid to platforms instead of staying with the worker.
Why managed marketplaces charge 25-30% commission
The 25-30% commission funds: customer acquisition (Google/Facebook ads ₹100-300 per booking), customer service (chat, refund handling), training programs (KYC, brand uniforms, QC), insurance and damage liability, technology and app development, and profit margin. From the platform's view, this is genuine cost; from the worker's view, it's a tax on every rupee earned. Both views are correct — the question is whether the worker gets enough incremental jobs to justify the cost (often they don't after Year 1, when their own customer base could carry them).
How does Solve24 make money without charging workers?
Solve24 charges a small fee on the customer side: when a customer wants to unlock a worker's phone number, they pay ₹11 (3-day trial), ₹49 (15 days), or ₹99 (30 days). This funds platform operations. Workers pay nothing — not at registration, not per lead, not per job, not via penalty deductions. The model is sustainable because customer search demand for plumbers/electricians is much larger than the supply of skilled workers in any given area, and customers are willing to pay a small fee for a verified, ad-free directory experience.
Which platform type is best for which kind of worker?
| Worker type | Best platform | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Just starting out (0-1 yr) | Free directory + WhatsApp | ₹0 cost while learning |
| 1-3 years independent | Free directory + customer base | Build durable income |
| 3+ years, fully booked | Free directory + 1 paid channel | Add lead classified for fill-in |
| Specialist (modular kitchen, AC) | Free directory + B2B catalogue | B2B for commercial leads |
| Wants employment, not entrepreneurship | Managed marketplace | Predictable jobs, less work to find |
| Very high volume, multiple teams | Mix of all (incl. managed) | Diversified lead sources |
Red flags when evaluating any platform
- Commission percentage hidden until you sign up
- Penalty deductions for refunds, late arrivals, low ratings — can compound to 10-20% of earnings
- Mandatory branded uniforms, training fees, KYC charges (often ₹2,000-5,000)
- "Free" tier that buries you below paid listings — effectively "pay or be invisible"
- Same customer lead sold to 4-5 workers (lead-bidding model)
- Platform owns the customer relationship — you can't contact past customers without going through the app
- Aggressive sales calls upselling premium plans 1-2 weeks after registration
Honest verdict
For most independent plumbers, electricians, carpenters and similar trades, the right strategy in 2026 is: free no-commission directory (Solve24) as your primary channel + WhatsApp/word-of-mouth + hardware shop partnerships. After Year 1, when you're fully booked, add 1 paid channel for incremental work. Avoid managed marketplaces as your primary income source — they extract 20-30% in perpetuity and own your customer base. The 25% commission is a tax that compounds: ₹18 lakhs over 10 years is the difference between staying solo and hiring 1-2 helpers to scale your business.
Get started with the free option
Register on Solve24 free in 2 minutes. 0% commission, no joining fee, no lead-selling, no penalty deductions. You build YOUR customer base, not the platform's. Solve24.in/become-a-worker.