Airtasker model
The OG task marketplace. Poster connection fees in a published AU band of ~$9.95–$59.95. Taskers on tiers around 12.5%–20% + GST. Optional ~$89/year membership if you’d rather subscribe your way out of connection fees.
alt. vs Airtasker
Same “get local help” energy. Different product story. First hire free, flat 5% for Taskers, Book again at half the connection fee, Top offer when you’re choosing who to hire, trust badges on every card — plus tips untouched, modern payments, and chat that feels like 2026.
First task on us
First completed hire and first completed Tasker job: zero platform fees. Try before the meter starts.
Flat 5%. Done.
Taskers pay 5% (min $2.50). No tier ladder. No “earn your way down.”
Book again. Half price.
Loved your Tasker? Rebook them in one tap. Connection fee drops to $1.25 — 50% off — when you hire someone you’ve already worked with.
Top offer, not guesswork
When multiple Taskers bid, alt. highlights a Top offer from rating, completed jobs, and reliability — price is the tie-breaker, not the whole story.
Trust badges that hire
Rising, Reliable, Hire again, Local, Streak, Rebooked — proof on profiles and offer cards, not arcade XP.
iPad ready
A real tablet layout for browsing, offers, and hiring — not a stretched phone screen. Works great on iPad.
Smart AI assist
Stuck posting or writing an offer? Suggestions and offer assist help you ship something that still sounds like you — faster than staring at a blank screen.
Pay like it’s 2026
Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Afterpay, Zip, Alipay, WeChat Pay, and Klarna. Held until you’re happy.
Chat like it’s 2026
Typing indicators, read receipts, online presence, photos — messaging that doesn’t feel stuck in 2014.
Looking for Oneflare? Airtasker bought it in 2022 and retired the platform on 30 June 2026. That head-to-head is this page — alt. vs Airtasker.
Why switch
You’re not imagining it: marketplace fees add up — and the old apps stop at “list → hire.” alt. is the Australian one-stop alternative: clearer maths, kinder take rate, and hiring tools that actually help you decide and come back.
Airtasker model
The OG task marketplace. Poster connection fees in a published AU band of ~$9.95–$59.95. Taskers on tiers around 12.5%–20% + GST. Optional ~$89/year membership if you’d rather subscribe your way out of connection fees.
alt. model
The one-stop alternative marketplace. First completed hire / task: free. Then $2.50 to hire (or $1.25 when you Book again), flat 5% for Taskers (min $2.50), $0 on tips. Top offer ranking + trust badges. Money held until you’re happy. Chat that feels like 2026.
Simulated jobs
Four everyday scenarios. Identical offer amounts. Watch the fees do the talking.
$80 offer
alt.
Airtasker
Connection fee is illustrative within Airtasker’s published AU range. Exact fee shows before you assign.
$150 offer
alt.
Airtasker
Climb to Platinum and you might hit ~12.5%. Still not flat 5%.
$300 offer
alt.
Airtasker
Bigger job, bigger connection fee. On alt. it’s still $2.50.
$100 offer · $20 tip
alt.
Tip commission: $0.00
Airtasker
alt.: first hire free. Tip: untouched. That’s the whole plot.
Fees at a glance
| Detail | alt. | Airtasker |
|---|---|---|
| List a job | Free. Always. | Free too |
| When you hire | $2.50 flat — or $0 on your first completed hire | Connection fee ~$9.95–$59.95 (size dependent) |
| Book again / reconnect | Book again — reconnect fee $1.25 (50% off) | Full connection fee again — no loyalty cut |
| What Taskers pay | 5% flat (min $2.50) — or $0 on your first completed task | Tiered ~12.5%–20% + GST |
| Tips | Tips: $0 commission. Keep the lot. | Not exactly a tip-first culture |
| Membership to dodge fees? | Nah. Flat fee is the fee. | ~$89/year if you want connection fees waived |
Product
| Detail | alt. | Airtasker |
|---|---|---|
| The flow | List → offers → Top offer → hire → pay when happy → Book again | List → offers → hire → pay when happy |
| Choosing who to hire | Top offer ranked by trust (rating, jobs, reliability) — not just price | Scroll the list — you’re on your own |
| Trust signals | Trust badges on profiles & offers: Rising, Reliable, Hire again, Local, Streak, Rebooked | Ratings + limited status — not hire-ready chips |
| Fees before you confirm | Shown upfront. No jump scares. | Shown in product before assign |
| Chat | Typing indicators, read receipts, online presence, photos | Private messages — solid, not 2026-polished |
| The vibe | Modern. Flat. One-stop. iPad-ready. Security-first. | Established. Tiered. Familiar. |
Airtasker figures are illustrative from publicly described AU connection fees (~$9.95–$59.95) and a ~20% Bronze-style Tasker fee (ex GST). Their live fees can change — check their product. alt. figures are current launch pricing. Oneflare was acquired by Airtasker (2022) and retired on 30 June 2026; Oneflare.com now directs users to Airtasker.
Pay & protect
Pay how you already pay. Lock the app. Verify who’s who. Release cash only when the job’s actually done.
Accepted in the alt. app
Someone grabs your phone? Cool story. They still need your PIN.
Unlock fast. Skip typing passwords on the tram. Still locked down.
Real people, verified. Less mystery meat in your marketplace.
We hold payment until you approve the work. Then the Tasker gets paid. Simple.
Trust & checkout vs Airtasker
| Detail | alt. | Airtasker |
|---|---|---|
| Payment methods | Apple Pay, Google Pay, cards, Afterpay, Zip, Klarna, Alipay, WeChat Pay | In-platform checkout (mix varies) |
| Payment held until you’re happy | Yes | Yes — in-platform |
| App PIN | Yep | Not exactly a flex |
| Face ID / biometrics | Yep | Maybe device login. Not the brand story. |
| Identity checks | Built in | Varies |
| Chat | Typing, read receipts, online, photos — 2026 messaging | Basic thread / email-era messaging |
| Tips | Tips: $0 commission. Keep the lot. | Rarely structured — and rarely fee-free |
Chat like it’s 2026
Typing indicators. Read receipts. Online presence. Photos in-thread. Coordinate a hire like a normal chat app — not a lead inbox from 2014.
See “is typing…” live. No more refreshing to wonder if they got your message.
Know when it’s been seen. Coordinate like a normal chat app — not a ticket queue.
Green-dot energy. Spot when someone’s around before you wait half a day for a reply.
Snap the mess, the driveway, the finished job. Camera or library — right in the thread.
The full scoreboard
Fees, payments, security, chat, product — the gaps are the point. We’re not here to nudge the category. We’re here to shake it.
| Feature | alt. | Airtasker | hipages | ServiceSeeking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fees | ||||
| First completed hire / task fee-free | Yes | No | No | No |
| Flat $2.50 hire fee (not a climbing connection fee) | Yes | No | n/a (free to post) | n/a (free to post) |
| Flat 5% Tasker commission (no tiers) | Yes | no — 12.5–20% tiers | n/a — membership model | n/a — membership model |
| Tips with $0 commission | Yes | No | No | No |
| No membership to hire or offer | Yes | optional poster membership | no — tradie membership required | no — membership for leads |
| Book again / reconnect fee ($1.25 — 50% off) | Yes | no structured reconnect discount | n/a — lead model | n/a — membership model |
| Never pay for leads you don’t win | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Payments | ||||
| Apple Pay | Yes | Partial | Partial | No |
| Google Pay | Yes | Partial | Partial | No |
| Afterpay | Yes | No | No | No |
| Zip | Yes | No | No | No |
| Klarna | Yes | No | No | No |
| Alipay | Yes | No | No | No |
| WeChat Pay | Yes | No | No | No |
| Visa, Mastercard, Amex | Yes | Yes | Partial | usually off-platform |
| Widest in-app payment lineup | yes — 10 methods | narrower checkout | optional / limited | mostly pay direct |
| Payment held until you approve | Yes | Yes | Partial | usually no |
| Security | ||||
| App PIN lock | Yes | No | No | No |
| Face ID / biometrics | Yes | Partial | Partial | Partial |
| Identity checks | Yes | Partial | Partial | Partial |
| Chat | ||||
| Typing indicators (“is typing…”) | Yes | not a headline feature | No | No |
| Read receipts | Yes | not a headline feature | No | No |
| Online presence in chat | Yes | No | No | No |
| In-app chat + photos | Yes | Yes | Partial | Partial |
| Messaging that feels like 2026 | yes — real-time polish | basic private messages | lead / quote messaging | quote-era messaging |
| Product | ||||
| Open offer marketplace (not lead credits) | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Top offer ranking (trust-first, not cheapest-first) | Yes | no — typically time / price ordered | n/a — quotes / leads | n/a — quotes / leads |
| Trust badges on profiles & offer cards | yes — Rising, Reliable, Hire again, Local, Streak, Rebooked | partial — limited status signals | business reviews / directory | directory / quotes |
| Book again / rebook the same Tasker | yes — invite + one-tap rebook | partial — manual rehire, no reconnect discount | no structured rebook flow | no structured rebook flow |
| Saved Taskers for quick rebooks | Yes | partial / favourites vary | No | No |
| iPad / tablet-ready app | yes — designed for iPad | phone-first | phone-first / web | phone-first / web |
| Smart AI help to post & write offers | yes — posting suggestions + offer assist | limited / not a headline feature | No | No |
| Full fee breakdown before you confirm | Yes | Yes | membership-side | membership-side |
| Modern Australian app, built as the one-stop alternative | Yes | legacy marketplace | lead platform | quote platform |
| Taskers | ||||
| Free to browse and offer | Yes | Yes | No | limited without membership |
| See commission & payout before offering | Yes | Partial | no — credits first | no — membership first |
Competitor capabilities are based on publicly described products and typical flows — they change. “Partial” means available in some cases, via device OS, or not a headline feature. Always verify on their sites. alt. reflects current launch product.
The smart play
First completed hire: $0 connection fee. First completed Tasker job: $0 commission. Taste the product before the platform tax.
After that, Taskers pay a flat 5% (min $2.50). No bronze-to-platinum quest just to keep more of your own money.
Loved your Tasker? Rebook them. Connection fee drops to $1.25 when you hire someone you’ve already released — loyalty that shows up on the bill, not just in a review tag.
Multiple offers? alt. ranks a Top pick from rating, completed jobs, and reliability — so you’re not hiring blind on price alone.
Rising, Reliable, Hire again, Local, Streak, Rebooked — trust chips on profiles and offer cards, not a fee ladder in disguise.
Tip on release. We take $0. The Tasker keeps every dollar of thanks. That’s how tips should work.
A flat $2.50 is the whole story — not a connection fee that climbs toward $59.95, and not an annual sub to make the maths less painful.
Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Afterpay, Zip, Alipay, WeChat Pay, and Klarna. Held until you say the job’s done.
Typing indicators. Read receipts. Online presence. Photos in-thread. Coordinate like a normal app — not a ticket queue from the lead-gen era.
PIN. Face ID. Identity checks. Held payments. The alternative marketplace should feel safer — not just cheaper.
Common questions
Also compare