You Verify the Business. Who Verifies the Person?
annual trade platform searches in the UK
platforms that verify who actually arrives
to verify with Certifyd
The reality of trade platforms in the UK.
Identity verification for trade platforms closes the gap between verifying a business and verifying the individual who shows up. Certifyd’s bi-directional authentication lets platform members cryptographically prove their identity to homeowners in real time. When a tradesperson arrives, the system verifies not just who they are, but that they hold an active membership with the trade company listed on the platform and are authorised for that job. This extends the platform’s trust layer from the business level to the individual level — the piece that’s currently missing.
Trade platforms have built successful businesses by aggregating reviews and verifying business credentials. Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People, and similar platforms verify that a business is registered, insured, and (in some cases) competent. This is valuable. But it addresses only half the trust problem — it tells the homeowner that the business is legitimate, not that the person at their door works for that business.
The structural limitation is this: platforms verify at the entity level (the company), but risk manifests at the individual level (the person). A five-star-rated electrical company may send a subcontractor the homeowner has never heard of. A trusted plumbing firm may dispatch a new employee who hasn’t completed their own checks. The platform has no mechanism to verify the individual because its relationship is with the business, not the worker.
Certifyd gives trade platforms a way to extend their trust layer to the individual level. Each tradesperson’s identity is cryptographically bound to their device and linked to their active membership in the trade company. When they arrive at a job sourced through the platform, both parties verify each other in real time. The platform gets richer data, the homeowner gets real assurance, and the tradesperson gets a verified reputation that travels with them.
This is broken.
Here's why.
Platforms verify the business but can’t verify who actually arrives at the homeowner’s door.
Subcontractors and replacement workers arrive without the homeowner knowing the change.
Reviews and ratings apply to the business, not the individual performing the work.
When incidents occur, the platform has no verifiable record of which individual was dispatched.
Simple verification.
Every time.
Trade platform integrates Certifyd — member businesses register as Organisations
Each tradesperson within a business registers their device, creating a device-bound identity
When a tradesperson arrives at a platform-sourced job, both parties verify through Certifyd
A tamper-proof record links the individual to the business, the platform, and the specific job
Ready to see it in action?
Book a demo or tell us about your needs.
“Platforms verify the business exists. They can’t verify who actually shows up at the door. That’s the gap.”— Sole trader, electrical contractor
Common questions.
Trade platforms can integrate Certifyd through API or as a value-added service for listed businesses. Each business on the platform registers as a Certifyd Organisation and adds their team members. When a job is booked through the platform, the dispatched tradesperson verifies their identity to the homeowner using Certifyd. The verification record can feed back into the platform, enriching the business’s profile with individual-level trust data.
No. Certifyd complements existing platform verification. Platforms already do valuable work verifying business credentials, insurance, and qualifications. Certifyd adds the individual identity layer that platforms currently cannot provide. It’s the difference between ‘this is a verified business’ and ‘this verified person from this verified business is at your door right now.’
Verified tradespeople build a cryptographic trust record over time. Every verified job creates an auditable record of attendance and professional conduct. This portable, tamper-proof reputation follows them across platforms and employers. For tradespeople competing on trust, Certifyd verification becomes a differentiator — proof that they stand behind their identity and their work.
Yes. Sole traders can register their own Organisation on Certifyd and verify directly with clients. They don’t need to be on a trade platform to benefit. However, the combination of platform membership plus Certifyd verification creates the strongest trust signal: the platform verifies the business, and Certifyd verifies the individual. Together, they close the complete trust gap.
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Book a demo to see how Certifyd works for your team, or tell us about your verification needs and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.
Read: Trade Platforms’ Blind Spot