Home App Reviews Bark.com Review: Are Bark Leads Real and Worth the Cost?
June 26, 2024
Editorial GuidelinesSuzanne is a freelance writer and web designer with 10 years of experience. She previously helped to rebuild a failed digital...
One of the most time-consuming aspects of being a service provider is lead generation. That’s why professionals in all sorts of industries flock to websites like Bark.com. The problem with this particular site, however, is the worrying rumors that Bark leads aren’t real.
In this Bark.com review, we’ll explain what the Bark lead generation site is all about, how much it costs to use, and whether or not it’s worth it in the end.
Bark.com is a lead generation service for working professionals and small businesses. They call themselves “the Amazon of services,” functioning as the middleman connecting customers with service providers in a range of industries.
Essentially how Bark.com works is customers sign up and tell Bark.com what type of services they need. Bark.com then shares customer requests by email and via the app with matching service providers. At that point, pros have the option to ignore the lead or spend credits to contact the lead in the hopes of converting them into a client.
Bark.com only shares the lead’s contact information once the pro has paid for the lead. It’s then the pro’s responsibility to reach out to a customer to pitch their services. Bark.com is merely a facilitator of these conversations.
Once a lead agrees to work with a service provider, the two of them need to hash out the price of the job, scope of work, and payment details on their own. None of this is managed by or within the Bark.com app.
Bark.com is used by service providers across a wide range of industries, spanning both digital online services and in-person work. The company boasts more than 800 services, though it’s difficult to find information on everything offered.
According to Bark.com, these are the most popular service categories:
You can use the search bar at the top of the Bark.com home page to see if your type of service is currently offered. You may need to try different keywords to find a match or sift through unrelated results to find the right one for you.
Bark.com doesn’t seem to do any sort of vetting for professionals. That said, there are certain eligibility requirements you’re expected to meet:
You’ll find more recommendations and expectations for professionals in Bark.com’s terms and conditions.
It’s free to create an account on Bark.com. However, you won’t be able to contact leads or make any money on Bark.com without spending money on credits. These credits are essentially the cost of getting leads on Bark.com.
At the time of writing, each Bark credit is worth $2.20. However, you can get Bark credits for cheaper by buying them in bulk. Bark.com will also give you a starter pack of credits at a lower rate when you first sign up, allowing you to save up to 20% or more.
Nevertheless, there’s a wide range in how much Bark leads can cost. This is because the number of credits you need to respond to a lead can vary depending on the type of service and scope of the job. The table below offers some examples of how much one lead can really cost you on Bark.com.
| Lead Cost | Value in Standard Credits |
|---|---|
| 1 credit | $2.20 |
| 2 credits | $4.40 |
| 3 credits | $6.60 |
| 4 credits | $8.80 |
| 5 credits | $11.00 |
| 10 credits | $22.00 |
| 15 credits | $33.00 |
| 20 credits | $44.00 |
| 30 credits | $66.00 |
Source: Bark.com.
While the cost of a Bark lead for a small, one-off job may be $2.20, longer-term projects and those with higher earning potential will cost you more. According to many Bark.com complaints, leads can get pretty costly.
What’s more, you’re spending Bark credits to contact a lead, so there’s not even a guarantee that you’ll get the job. On the plus side, there’s no commission fee, meaning you get to keep 100% of the money you earn through the site.
Bark.com offers credit pack subscriptions for serious users. When you enroll, they’ll take money directly from your linked account either weekly or monthly to pay for credits you spend so that you don’t have to keep topping up. Supposedly, this service gets you discounts on credits.
Bark.com also offers a Bark Verified upgrade you can buy to get get a “verified” badge added to your profile (similar to what social media sites like X and LinkedIn do).
You’ll need to undergo a verification process, which involves a background check, a fraudulent and active card check, and registered business confirmation. A blue badge will be added to your profile, theoretically lending you credibility, increasing your visibility, and helping you get more leads.
The fee for this service isn’t advertised online, and it may vary from one user to the next. One source told us it costs $29.95 per month.
Elite Pro is Bark.com’s premium membership option, which offers several proposed benefits:
Like the case with Bark Verified, there’s no listed fee for this subscription, but it appears to cost the same monthly fee. It’s hard to say whether Bark’s Elite Pro subscription is worth it. But if you want to give it a test try to find out, they currently offer a free 1-month trial for first-time users.
Bark.com is a legit company. That said, a huge percentage of Bark.com reviews point to the service being a scam.
The reasons for these accusations seem to be related to the company’s business model and insufficient screening processes. While Bark.com is a legitimate company, the platform appears to be vulnerable to scams, and you may find that it’s just not a feasible way to earn money.
Nevertheless, according to the Bark.com website, tens of thousands of leads come in every day and more than $1 million in business has been done through the platform. What’s more, the company offers certain protective measures for its professionals.
According to the website, every lead goes through a number of checks before the request is finalized and sent to a pro. According to a statement from a Bark.com representative, the vetting process is automated:
“We can assure you that all leads are screened by an automated system, and we have a Credit Return Policy which covers any contact details which are not working.”
This automated process includes asking the lead questions about the request and how serious they are about hiring someone. They also verify that the phone number is theirs.
Bark.com’s credit return policy allows professionals to report leads for fraudulent or inappropriate activity in the app. However, the process isn’t an easy one to navigate.
For starters, you can request a refund if the contact details you were given are invalid. You’ll need to provide a description of what happened and proof that the contact information is incorrect.
That said, if the phone number is working but the lead doesn’t answer when you or Bark.com calls, that doesn’t qualify as invalid. Also, if they have a verified badge (meaning they confirmed their phone number), you won’t be eligible for a refund.
The credit starter pack you see in your account when you first log in comes with something called a Get Hired Guarantee. This isn’t a money-back guarantee—instead it’s a promise that the money you spend on the starter pack won’t be wasted if you don’t end up securing a gig.
First, you purchase the starter pack. If you then use up all the credits in the pack but you’ve received no business 3 days after the last credit was spent, you can contact Bark.com and request a refund.
In theory, Bark.com will then add the same amount of credits back into your account. That said, numerous Bark.com reviews suggest that the company doesn’t always fulfil their end of this guarantee.
To get started on Bark.com, you’ll need to sign up and then create a profile. Here’s an overview of what to expect.
Follow these steps to sign up for Bark.com as a professional:
The app will take you to a list of potential leads. However, before you start claiming leads, you should finish setting up your profile.
Before you buy any credits and start pitching your services to leads, go to Settings and My Profile. Fill in the following details:
Bark.com’s algorithms prioritize professionals with a complete profile, so fill this in as much as you can.
Each customer request you see on the leads page in your account will include details about the job and specify whether they want you to work in person or remotely. You’ll also be able to see how many other professionals have responded to the gig.
To respond to a lead, click the “Contact” button and use your credits. You’ll be prompted to buy a credit starter pack the first time. If you want to ignore the gig, click “Not interested.”
The vast majority of Bark complaints relate to one question: “Are Bark leads real?” Here’s what you’ll learn if you talk to former customers and professionals who’ve used Bark.com.
There aren’t a ton of customers/buyers leaving reviews about Bark.com. However, when these reviews do show up, they seem to have very positive things to say about the service providers they’ve hired there.
These reviews make it clear that there are real people making requests and hiring professionals to work for them. However, based on the insurmountable feedback provided by pros, they seem to be far and few between.
User reviews:
“I followed up two professionals for garden work. One seems ideal, pleasant professional and quick to respond.” (Trustpilot, June 2024)
“Bark worked out very well. It was able to put me in touch with the people who could do what I needed done in an efficient and effective way — virtually in minutes.” (BBB, April 2023)
“I’ve used bark.com as a band manager looking for leads in the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA area for about a year. I’ve had success in getting enough leads and resulting gigs I wouldn’t have otherwise to easily cover the costs and add value to the business. Unlike many other advertising options, there is little and varied financial commitment, depending on how many credits you purchase and use, and they offer reasonable trial offers to let you test it out.” (BBB, March 2023)
When signing up for the initial credit starter pack, $2 a credit doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. That said, pros have no insight into how many credits their leads will cost until they’re signed up and in the app.
What’s more, there’s no data on what percentage of those leads will turn into paying jobs. The Get Hired Guarantee makes it seem as though at least 1 in 10 will be a viable opportunity. In reality, leads rarely respond to requests.
User reviews:
“I spent almost $1000 and didn’t get any clients.” (Reddit, June 2024)
“People who rarely respond back indicate they already have someone but were just checking prices. You end up with a balance of credits that aren’t enough to respond to a lead. Then you have to buy more, and the cycle starts all over again.” (Google Play, June 2024)
“The customer is not aware that contractors have to pay to get your contact info. So there is alot of tire kickers with no real intention to hire a contractor.” (Google Play, April 2024)
“I have spent over £2000 on there to get leads. Only ever had one response which did lead to a job, so not a total scam. But it took months of work to complete that nightmare job and get back about the same as i have put in.” (Reddit, March 2024)
This is the most worrisome of the Bark.com reviewer trends. Because the issue in many cases isn’t that leads are flaky or unresponsive. The real issue is that the leads aren’t legitimate.
In some cases, the client’s phone seems to be disconnected or out of service. In more troubling instances, when a pro calls or emails and the lead actually responds, they say they never requested the service in the first place—or that they had placed the request a long time ago and it has long since been fulfilled.
User reviews:
“After paying for the leads, I often received a response from customers that not only had they already chosen the worker, but the work had already been done. And the site continued to take payment for such leads several days later.” (Sitejabber, February 2024)
“I have never used or looked for this site then got signup confirmation and job request emails indicating a profile was created in my name/email as a cliet. I cannot tell if it made my profile perform requests for services, but I had no option to delete my profile.” (Reddit, December 2023)
“When you do phone a lead you’ve purchased, at least in my experience, over 75% who do answer state that they have no idea who you are trying to reach and that they personally did not inquire about the services as stated on their website.” (BBB, November 2023)
“This a TOTAL SCAM for vendors, they robbed me of hundreds of dollars with fake leads that didn’t have working phone numbers.” (BBB, June 2023)
“Many of the leads responded that we didn’t requested for this service on bark.com ever.” (Reddit, April 2023)
Bark.com claims that they only ever give leads to five professionals at a time. However, many clients complain about receiving dozens of unwanted calls from “Bark pros.”
Some users speculate that bad actors create a Bark.com pro account and then sell the contact details from their leads to users off the platform. As a result, clients often get a flood of calls they don’t want—far more than the maximum of five connections that Bark promises.
Whatever the cause of this issue, it can have several negative consequences for you:
If Bark.com is aware of this issue, they don’t appear to have taken any measures to resolve it. Instead, they’ve maintained a “hands-off” approach that’s allowed this issue to persist, negatively affecting clients and pros alike.
User reviews:
“I have noticed after speaking to clients that they say up to 10 contractors has contacted them or purcased the same lead, Bark pretends to only give 5 contractors the opportunity to quote but in the back end they are selling the same lead to 10 contractors.” (Google Play, June 2024)
“1 of the next 6 numbers worked and the one that worked said they were inundated with 10 calls from contractors, that they were annoyed and didn’t want to talk to anyone else.” (Sitejabber, February 2024)
“While they state that only 5 freelancers can get a lead, they have been made aware that clearly there are accounts on their platform that regularly hand out leads to dozens of users NOT ON THE PLATFORM. […] I have connected with some clients only to find they are literally shell-shocked from the avalanche of idiots trying to connect with them.” (BBB, January 2024)
“This service is horrible, and has led to me receiving millions of calls nonstop. When I first created an account, I posted a lead looking for a website designer. Immediately I started getting tons of phone calls and messages (despite intentionally not checking the box for phone calls). Then I immediately went back to my profile and clicked ‘close lead’. Well, apparently your number still circulates because I still have countless phone calls and texts that I do not wish to receive. I even called Bark.com customer service in London and deleted my account. The customer service rep said she could not provide an explanation for why I was still receiving tons of phone calls. This has gotten to the point where I may even have to change my phone number.” (BBB, January 2024)
“The apps shows nobody has contacted client, when in reality, they have been contacted over 100+ times. My number has been blocked by people Ive sent one email or call to.” (BBB, March 2023)
Even though Bark.com is a legit company, not all “clients” are legitimate. Some users report encountering fraudsters and scammers on the platform, so it’s crucial to be on the lookout to protect yourself financially.
In particular, know the warning signs of fake check scams. These seem to be among the more common scams on Bark.com.
User reviews:
“My son and I were victims of $1500 for a false lead. When you choose a prospect, the fake client tricks you into doing the work in conjunction with other providers like movers or contractors. They sent my son a fake check to deposit into his account and urge my son to pay the other contractors. […] Long story short, it was a fake check.” (Reddit, June 2024)
“BARK makes no effort to manage fraud. I encountered a lead who, with a cancer story, wanted to purchase 4 sessions for family members. We booked and I sent her my QuickBooks invoice. But when it came time to pay she said she wanted to write a check. I provided a business address. Then the check was ‘accidentally’ written with an extra zero and could I refund the difference? […] Two days later she reappears on BARK under a different name but with the very same description and manner of writing out her phone number in words rather than digits. I called BARK, They refunded the credits for the lead and blocked the name by which I encountered this grifter, but had no interest in flagging the description or taking any preventative action.” (BBB, February 2024)
If you go to Bark for lead generation, know that there are concerning issues with the platform. While there is evidence of customers using the app to hire service providers and actually being satisfied with the service, there are hardly any good Bark leads reviews from professionals.
The vast majority of Bark.com reviewers believe the business to be a scam. On its face, it appears to be a great resource to find new leads. That said, freelancers pay just to contact leads. Because most of those leads are unresponsive, not serious about hiring anyone, or never signed up for the service, it ends up being a whole lot of money wasted.
Bark.com might be worth signing up just to poke around inside the app and to get a feel for what sort of demand there is for your services. However, it seems like too big and expensive of a risk to actually rely on the app to find clients.
Based on the site’s features and Bark reviews from professionals, here are the key benefits and drawbacks you should consider before you sign up.
With the way Bark.com works, you and your lead determine what you make from each job and what payment method they’ll use. As long as you can find legitimate leads on there, what you earn is up to you.
Bark.com doesn’t take any commission as you sort out the details of the gig with the client off-site. So aside from paying taxes or processing fees to PayPal or your payment processor of choice, you’ll take home 100% of your earnings.
If you’re scared off by all the negative Bark reviews, don’t worry. There are several alternatives you can try instead:
Each lead generation platform and job app has its pros and cons, but some are certainly better than others. Carefully reading app reviews is the best way to protect your finances and give your business the best chance of success.
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