$500 to get started, which covers your first year. No monthly fee, and after setup you only pay when a referral turns into an actual order.
Home improvement businesses typically pay somewhere between $30 and $200 for a single lead, depending on the channel. Once you account for the leads that never turn into anything, the real cost of a booked job usually lands far higher — and you pay for every click either way.
| Source | Typical cost per lead | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook / Instagram | $30 – $65 | A click, not yet a buyer |
| Google Search Ads | $90 – $200+ | Higher intent, higher cost |
| Google Local Services | $60 – $150+ | Pay per lead, not per sale |
| Real cost per booked job | $480 – $600 | Accounting for leads that never close |
These are general home improvement and contractor benchmarks — roofing, HVAC, remodeling — and not figures for any one trade. Your own numbers will vary by industry, market, and channel.
Every cost is shown up front. Two things happen when a referral closes: the gift cards themselves, which you fund directly at whatever amount you set, and our fee, which is 30% of that reward. Nothing is marked up and nothing is passed through us.
| One-time setupYour branding, onboarding, and setup — your first year is included | $500 |
| Annual feeStarts 12 months after you activate, charged once a year to the card on file. We email you before each renewal. | $100/yr |
| Monthly platform feeNo monthly fee | $0 |
| Platform fee per closed referral30% of the reward you pay out, charged only when a referral turns into an actual order | 30% |
| Gift cards per closed referralYou set the amount — $50 to your customer and $50 to their friend on a standard program | $100 |
| Total cost per closed referral$100 in gift cards plus a $30 fee | $130 |
Run a bigger reward and the fee scales with it — nothing else changes. A $100 each way program means $200 in gift cards and a $60 fee.
That’s around 75% less than what a booked job typically costs through paid leads.
And unlike an ad budget, beyond setup and the yearly fee it only costs you something after a referral has actually turned into an order.
Tell me a little about your business and I’ll walk you through what 50. would look like in your own colors, on your own site. No pressure and no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call or text 717-304-5741, or email joseph@referwith50.com.