Honest comparison · updated 25 October 2026
Shared leads or your own website: which is the better buy for an insurance agent?
If you need quote requests this month and already close shared leads well, a lead marketplace is the faster choice. If you want enquiries that go to you alone and a website you keep, a site with pay per approved lead is the better long-term fit. It takes weeks, not days, to start working.
$490
one-time setup for a five-page site, live within 21 days of your content or refunded
RankMeHi partner terms, 25 October 2026
$99 a month
for hosting, a call-tracking number and your lead ledger
RankMeHi partner terms, 25 October 2026
3 free
approved leads before you pay for any
RankMeHi partner terms, 25 October 2026
When a marketplace wins
A marketplace is better when speed and volume matter more than owning anything.
In one lineBuy shared leads when you need volume now and can win a race to the phone; build your own site when you want enquiries that are yours alone.
SmartFinancial, QuoteWizard, EverQuote and PolicyMatcher are shared or aggregated lead sources. They collect quote requests from shoppers and pass them to the agents who buy them.
You need volume this month. A new site cannot give you that, because rankings take weeks to build.
You already have a closing process. Shared leads reward the agent who calls first and follows up hardest. If you have that system, you can work them.
You accept shared leads. The same shopper may hear from several agents; if that does not bother you, it is not a problem.
You do not want a website. If you have no interest in owning a site or approving leads each week, a marketplace is simpler.
When your own website wins
Your own site is better when you want an asset that stays with you.
- 01
The enquiry is yours alone
People who call or fill in the form on your site reach you, not a list of agents.
- 02
You keep the site
After 12 months the site is yours.
- 03
Reject bad leads with one tap
You have 7 days, and you pay only for the leads you approve.
- 04
One partner per specialty per city
Once we work with you in your city, we do not build the same offer for another agent in your specialty there.
The honest catch: it takes weeks. Search rankings build slowly. If you cannot wait, use a marketplace while the site grows.
How the two compare, row by row.
| Aspect | Lead marketplace | Your website + pay per approved lead |
|---|---|---|
| Who gets the enquiry | Shared or aggregated: other agents may receive the same shopper. | You alone. People who call or fill in the form on your site reach you, not a list of agents. |
| What you pay before the first lead | Set by each provider; check its current terms. | $490 founding-partner setup. Site live within 21 days of receiving your content, or the setup is refunded. |
| What you pay monthly | Set by each provider; check its current terms. | $99 for hosting, a call-tracking number and your lead ledger, plus $30 for each approved lead after the first three, which are free. |
| What you own when you stop | No website. | The site is yours after 12 months. |
| How fast | Built for volume now. | Site live within 21 days of your content; search rankings take weeks to build. |
| How bad leads are handled | Each provider’s own return or credit policy. | Reject any lead with one tap within 7 days; rejected leads are not billed. |
The $30 per approved lead is written into your agreement before you sign. Marketplace terms are set by each provider, so check theirs.
Questions
Questions about insurance leads.
Ready to pay only for the leads you approve?
First three approved leads free · One partner per trade per city · You own your domain and content from day one
Start with clarity
Is your trade still open in your city?
- 1Share your name, email and website.
- 2We review your current website and SEO foundation.
- 3We reply with the clearest next steps for your business.
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Check if your city is open
Name, email and your trade. We reply within one business day with availability and the per-lead price for your trade.