---
title: How ServiceScout Makes Money | ServiceScout
url: https://servicescoutlocal.com/how-we-make-money/
updated: 2026-10-29
---

[Service **Scout**](https://servicescoutlocal.com/)

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1. [Home](https://servicescoutlocal.com/)
2. How we make money

# How ServiceScout Makes Money

Updated October 29, 2026

In short

ServiceScout is free for homeowners. Businesses pay for quote requests, premium profiles and clearly labelled Sponsored spots. None of these change the order of search results.

## Where our money comes from

- **Quote request fees:** businesses pay when they receive a request you chose to send them.
- **Premium profiles:** a bigger gallery, a quote form and lead tracking on the business's own profile.
- **Sponsored placements:** one labelled spot above the results for a city and service.

## Sponsored placements

A Sponsored spot always has a “Sponsored” label, a dashed border and a link to this page. It is shown outside the numbered results and never changes their order.

## What we never do

- Let payment change the order of results.
- Sell or rent your personal details.
- Let businesses buy, edit or hide ratings.
- Charge homeowners for anything.

## Questions about money

### Is ServiceScout free for homeowners?

Yes. Searching, comparing and sending quote requests cost nothing. Businesses pay for requests they receive, premium profiles and labelled Sponsored spots.

### Does a Sponsored spot change the results?

No. It sits above the numbered results with a Sponsored label and a dashed border, and the order below it is unchanged.

### Can a business pay to be marked Verified?

No. Verified depends only on what the public records show about its license and registration on the check date.

- [About ServiceScout](https://servicescoutlocal.com/about/)
- [How results are ordered](https://servicescoutlocal.com/how-results-are-ordered/)
- [How we make money](https://servicescoutlocal.com/how-we-make-money/)
- [Report a listing error](https://servicescoutlocal.com/corrections/)
- [Claim your business](https://servicescoutlocal.com/claim/)
- [Request a quote](https://servicescoutlocal.com/quote/)
- [Contact](https://servicescoutlocal.com/contact/)
- [Privacy](https://servicescoutlocal.com/privacy/)
- [Terms](https://servicescoutlocal.com/terms/)

ServiceScout is free to use. We earn money from optional business upgrades, clearly labelled sponsored placements and, when you request a quote, from the businesses that receive it. None of these change how results are ordered.

Ratings and review counts come from public sources and are rechecked regularly. © 2026 ServiceScout