Is Angi Legit for Pros and Consumers? [Full Review]

LawnStarter may receive compensation from companies mentioned in this article.

Angi (formerly Angie’s List) is the largest home services online marketplace in the world, but is it the best? Our review of Angi found that it has hundreds of thousands of service providers on its platform, but Angi’s aggressive sales tactics result in a barrage of calls, emails, and texts.

In this review, we analyzed Angi’s offerings, how it vets its contractors, the ease of use, user reviews and its history of resolving complaints to bring you a review that objectively assesses how effective and reliable this service is.

In Summary

What We Liked

• Lots of contractors: Angi has an enormous stable of contractors. You can find a professional to do virtually any kind of home maintenance or home improvement project on Angi.
  
• Easy to Use: Like most of these online third-party services, Angi is very easy to use. Its website and mobile app are both straightforward, easy to understand and require few steps to connect with a professional.
  
• Quick Responses from Pros: Our test of the service yielded a number of rapid responses from professionals interested in handling our job.

What We Didn’t Like

• Pushy Sales Tactics: Angi’s sales tactics are extremely aggressive. After searching for a contractor during our testing of the site, we were bombarded by calls and emails reminding us to finish booking our job and asking us to sign up for one of Angi’s optional services.
  
• Inconsistent Contractor Vetting: Angi doesn’t check out all its professionals very thoroughly. It runs criminal background checks on the owners of the companies, but otherwise encourages consumers to do their own legwork to make sure the professionals they hire meet all professional and regulatory requirements.
  
• Service Dispute? Good Luck: Angi won’t help you resolve problems with your contractor unless you buy a Gold membership.
  
• Not Accredited by BBB: A few years back, Angi was sued by the State of California, which said the company falsely claimed to be doing background checks on contractors. Angi paid damages to settle the suit. As a result, the Better Business Bureau revoked Angi’s accreditation in February, 2022.

Note that LawnStarter does send some leads to Angi, but when it comes to lawn mowing, landscaping, and other outdoor services, we believe LawnStarter’s vetted lawn care pros are your best option.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• What is Angi?
• What Services Are Available Angi?
• How Does Angi Work?
• Does Angi Assure Quality?
• Angi User Reviews
  • Overall Rating
• Pros and Cons of Angi
• Alternatives to Angi
• FAQ About Angi
• Our Verdict

What is Angi?

If you had to choose between Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor and Al Borland to complete your next home improvement project, the choice is a no-brainer. Fortunately, with Angi, they do much of the vetting for you, so your next project will likely go off without catastrophe. 

You can research, hire, and review local, vetted service providers while Angi’s library of online resources turns even the most casual homeowner into a DIY king or queen. For contractors, Angi helps increase online visibility and generate leads. Customers can find a pro at the Angi website or via a mobile app. 

Important to know is that using Angi to find a service professional is free. Yes, there is the Angi Key annual membership option, but finding a pro won’t cost you a dime.

Angi Inc. is the largest home services platform in the world, but how did it get so big?

What is now Angi began as ServiceMagic in 1996.

In 2004, digital media brand owner IAC acquired ServiceMagic for an undisclosed price.

In 2008, ServiceMagic rebranded as HomeAdvisor.

In 2017, HomeAdvisor acquired Angie’s List to become Angi Homeservices Inc, and now a public company known as Angi Inc. and trading under the stock symbol ANGI. Angi’s website says it has nearly 250,000 service providers and that it has helped more than 150 million homeowners since 1995.

In 2021, Angi rolled out an annual membership called Angi Key ($29.99 per year for 20% off services and membership perks).

In 2022, the FTC filed a complaint against HomeAdvisor and Angi alleging that the home services platform misrepresents and defrauds service providers.

What Services Are Available Through Angi?

If your new project has anything to do with your home, yard, or property, chances are good that Angi has a provider to make your home improvement dreams a reality. The company offers an exhaustive list of interior and exterior services. 

The following list is not comprehensive. Angi provides a full list on its website.

How Does Angi Work?

Angi makes it easy for you to connect with local contractors and businesses in your area. 

Step 1: From the home page or mobile app, enter a search term for your project and click “Search.”

Step 2: Complete the pop-up boxes by entering your ZIP code and answering job-specific prompts regarding service frequency, estimated room or yard size, completion time, and more.

Step 3: Provide details about your project to help Angi match you with the best local pros and click “Next.”

Step 4: Enter your home address, name, and contact information to view matching pros.

Step 5: If you prefer not to shop around and wait for local companies to contact you with a quote, you can save time and book with Angi. Simply click “View your price” to sign up for a free account and check out. Otherwise, click “Get Quotes” and local pros will contact you.

Angi does not release your payment until after your scheduled service to allow you an opportunity to address issues or concerns that may arise.

While walking through the booking process, a couple of things stood out to us:

1. Angi approves businesses to varying degrees. Keep these badges in mind when selecting a contractor:
   
   Angi Certified: These companies carry the highest ranking and pay to advertise their services through the platform, maintaining strict standards with Angi for customer service. Angi-certified business owners must pass a criminal background check. However, Angi does not perform background checks on business owners with other designations or their individual contractors.
   
   Happiness Guarantee: Angi backs these businesses guaranteeing your satisfaction. Angi covers your project up to the full purchase price plus limited damage protection up to $2,500 for pre-priced services and $50,000 for other qualifying services.
   
   Angi Approved: Angi’s lowest level of approval.

2. Within a few hours, I started receiving phone calls from contractors and Angi.
   
   Contractors: They left pleasant messages and were never pushy. 
   
   Angi: The home services marketplace called us within 20 minutes of being on its website and kept calling, never leaving a voicemail. Angi also bombarded us with 15 emails in under 24 hours, pushing their “Book Now” service. We had to turn off my notifications. Angi’s sales tactics are extremely aggressive. Other reviewers have reported this same experience.

Does Angi Assure Quality?

One of the reasons you use a third-party site to find a contractor is because you don’t want to end up with any old Joe Schmo from the phone book, only to find the contractor does poor work or isn’t reputable or reliable. Angi has some built-in safeguards to protect the consumer, although we wish they went further than they do. 

• Licensing and Insurance: Angi does not confirm that its professionals have appropriate licensing and insurance. Instead, businesses self-report licenses, registrations, and insurance coverages. Angi offers a License Check link on its website to help you identify your local regulatory agency to verify proper licensing.
  
• Customer Service: Angi offers customer support via phone seven days a week and access to a live chat feature on its website and app.

Angi User Reviews

Affordable: “The cleaners I found through Angi do a great job. They are thorough, polite, and efficient. The service is of great value, and my house looks so good.” – Randal S., Trustpilot

Alleviates stress: “Trying to pick a plumber is very stressful. There are so many choices and things to think about. Angi helped lay out my options and ease the stress of choosing the right local service for me.” – Michael, Consumer Affairs

Aggressive sales tactics: “Angi pros are a joke. We booked a job through Angi, and when the handyman came, he didn’t have a ladder. Angi still charged us for the service, and customer service will not issue a refund. They want me to reschedule with a different handyman. I do not recommend Angi or their aggressive sales tactics.” – Hannah D.,  SiteJabber

Overall Rating 3.6

Pros and Cons of Angi

Angi bridges the gap between consumers and local home service providers. Customers love the large array of services, DIY resources, and aggregated reviews. They could do without aggressive sales tactics and spam.

Alternatives to Angi

On-demand service providers are becoming as popular as ordering takeout from DoorDash. Here are some noteworthy competitors operating in the space:

• Porch is a home services platform taking on Angi and Home Advisor. It connects you with home improvement, repair, and maintenance services.

• LawnStarter connects you with vetted local pros to provide lawn care, pest control, landscaping, and other outdoor services. LawnStarter operates in more than 120 metro areas across the U.S.

• Thumbtack customers can find local pros, compare prices, and book a wide variety of home services with a straightforward process.

FAQ About Angi

Our Verdict

Angi offers a convenient avenue for homeowners and local businesses to come together to complete home improvement projects and repairs. The service acts as a review site for consumers and a handy lead-generation tool for businesses large and small.

The massive list of services and reviews helps customers navigate their home projects and eliminate scams. While the service was easy-to-use, we found Angi’s own sales tactics highly aggressive, and their lack of infrastructure to verify proper licensing has us questioning the authenticity of some providers. 

Main Image Credit: LightField Studios / Canva Pro

Kimberly Magerl

Kimberly Magerl is a writer and data analyst specializing in landscaping, gardening, lawn care, and pest control. She enjoys growing orchids, tending to fruits and vegetables in her garden, and getting outdoors. A resident of Texas, when she isn't gardening, Kimberly enjoys trying new recipes and cooking with her home-grown herbs.

Posts by Kimberly Magerl