Leads & Sales

Exclusive vs. Shared Leads

Also known as: exclusive leads, shared leads, purchased leads

• Home Services
• Solar

Definition

Exclusive leads are sold to one company only; shared leads are sold to several competing companies at the same time. Shared leads cost less per lead but force a race to respond and usually close at a lower rate, while exclusive leads cost more but give you the homeowner's full attention.

For home services

Lead marketplaces often sell the same homeowner request to several tree services, landscapers, or roofers at once. That makes each lead cheaper, but it turns the sale into a race: the first company to call usually wins, and the others paid for nothing. Exclusive leads, including those from your own website, Google Business Profile, and Local Services Ads, cost more per lead but are not being worked by competitors at the same moment.

The right comparison is not price per lead but cost per booked job. A cheap shared lead that rarely books can cost far more per job than an exclusive one.

For solar

Solar lead vendors commonly sell shared leads, sometimes to several installers. Combined with a long, considered purchase, that can produce low close rates and frustrated homeowners fielding multiple calls. Installers should compare vendors on cost per signed and installed system, and check how many times each lead is sold.

How to measure and improve it

1. Ask every vendor whether leads are exclusive and, if shared, how many companies receive each one.
2. Tag each lead by source in your CRM.
3. Track each source through to booked jobs and revenue.
4. Compare cost per booked job, not cost per lead.
5. If you buy shared leads, invest in speed to lead, because response time decides who wins them.

Frequently asked questions

Should a tree service or landscaping company buy exclusive or shared leads?

If you can respond within minutes and your margins are tight, shared leads can work; otherwise exclusive leads usually produce a lower cost per booked job. Most established companies get the best results by building exclusive lead sources they own, such as their website, Google Business Profile, and Local Services Ads, and using purchased leads only to fill gaps.

Why are shared leads cheaper?

Because the vendor sells the same homeowner request to several companies. Each buyer pays less, but every buyer is competing for the same job.

Are Local Services Ads leads exclusive?

A homeowner who contacts you through your Local Services Ad is contacting your business directly, so that inquiry is yours. The homeowner may also contact other companies separately.

Reviewed by Diamond Digital · Last reviewed November 5, 2026