Where to Buy HVAC Leads
(And What Each Costs)
"Buy HVAC leads" covers four genuinely different products at genuinely different prices. Here's what you're actually paying for in each one, and the one alternative to buying leads at all.
The Four Ways
Contractors Buy Leads
"Buy HVAC leads" almost always means one of four things, and the price difference between them is the whole story:
| Channel | Typical cost per lead | Exclusive? | Time to first lead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces (Angi, Thumbtack, HomeAdvisor) | $25–75 | No, shared 3–5 ways | Same day |
| Exclusive-lead agencies (99 Calls, ConxPros, etc.) | $60–150 | Usually yes | 1–2 weeks setup |
| Self-run PPC (Google Ads / LSAs) | $40–120 all-in | Yes, by default | Days, but volatile |
| Replacement-demand data (this site) | Flat monthly, not per-lead | 5 contractors max per market | Immediate access, you do the outreach |
The first three all sell you an inquiry — a homeowner who has already decided to start shopping and filled out a form or called a number. The fourth sells you data — which homes are likely to need a replacement soon, before any of them have started shopping at all. That's a different product, not just a cheaper one, and it only makes sense for contractors willing to do outbound instead of waiting for an inbound inquiry.
Marketplaces:
Cheapest, Most Competed
Angi, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor sell the same inquiry to three to five contractors at once. It's the cheapest way to buy a lead per-unit, and also the lowest close rate — you're racing other trucks to the same driveway, and price often decides who wins, not who called back fastest.
Good fit if you have slack capacity and want cheap volume to fill a schedule gap. Bad fit if you're trying to build a book of higher-margin replacement work, since the homeowners on these platforms have explicitly signaled they're comparing quotes.
Exclusive Agencies:
Higher Price, Real Reason
Vendors like 99 Calls, ConxPros, ResultCalls, and 33 Mile Radius sell the same kind of inbound inquiry, but to one contractor only. The premium is real and usually worth it — removing the shared-lead ceiling on close rate tends to pay for itself. Full math on that trade-off is in our exclusive leads breakdown.
The catch that surprises people: "exclusive" only means you're the only contractor who got that specific inquiry from that vendor. It says nothing about whether the homeowner is also getting quotes from someone they found on Google or a neighbor's recommendation.
Self-Run PPC:
Full Control, Full Risk
Running your own Google Ads or Local Services Ads means every lead is exclusively yours by default, and you control the targeting, copy, and budget. The trade-off is variance and time: cost per lead swings by season and by how good your account management is, and a bad month costs real money before you see it in the numbers.
This is the closest of the three inbound channels to what replacement-demand data does, since you're not sharing the inquiry — but you're still waiting for someone to search and click before you know they exist.
The Alternative:
Skip Buying Leads Entirely
All three channels above have the same limit: you only find out a homeowner needs a replacement after they've already started looking for a contractor — which means you're already competing for their attention.
HVAC Lead Intelligence ranks every residential zip code in your market by replacement demand — system age, home data, ownership patterns — so you know which homes are likely to need work before any of them have searched for anything. You're not buying an inquiry per job; you get the full ranked list for a flat monthly rate, capped at five contractors per market, and you run your own outreach.
It's not a fit for every shop — it works best for contractors who already have a sales process and want to go find the work instead of waiting for the phone. If that's not you yet, the three channels above are still the right place to start, and our full guide to getting HVAC leads covers all of them plus referrals, SEO, and other options in more depth.
Common Questions
Where can I buy HVAC leads?
Four main channels: shared-lead marketplaces like Angi and Thumbtack, exclusive-lead agencies like 99 Calls or ConxPros, running your own Google Ads / PPC campaigns, and replacement-demand data that targets homeowners before they've started shopping instead of selling you an inquiry after they have.
How much does it cost to buy HVAC leads?
Shared marketplace leads typically run $25–75 each. Exclusive leads from a dedicated agency run $60–150 each. Self-run PPC often lands $40–120 per lead once you include ad spend and management time, with high variance by market.
Is it better to buy leads or generate your own?
Buying leads is faster to start but caps your margin per job, since you're paying for every single inquiry indefinitely. Generating your own — through SEO, referrals, or targeting replacement demand directly — costs more upfront in time but the cost per job drops the longer you do it.
Stop Buying Inquiries.
Start Targeting Demand.
See which zip codes in your market are aging into their replacement window — before any of those homeowners have searched for a contractor.
Request Access →