Job site comparison
Indeed vs ZipRecruiter for Hiring HVAC Techs and Plumbers
Pick Indeed if you want a free post and to pay only for clicks or started applications on a sponsored job, with sponsorship you can cancel at any time; pick ZipRecruiter if you want a subscription it says includes unlimited clicks and applies, with one post sent to 100+ job sites (self-reported). If you only hire HVAC and plumbing roles, a trade-only board such as HVAC Hires is a third option.
Disclosure
HVAC Hires wrote this page and is one of the options compared. Every fact about another company was checked on that company's own website on the date shown in the sources list, and HVAC Hires facts come from our fact sheet.
Indeed vs ZipRecruiter, with HVAC Hires as a third option
| Attribute | Indeed | ZipRecruiter | HVAC Hires |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A general job site where many jobs can be posted free and Sponsored Jobs are paid | A general job posting site that distributes one post to 100+ job sites (self-reported) | A job board built only for HVAC and plumbing jobs |
| Billing model | Sponsored Jobs billed on clicks or started applications | Monthly subscription plans with job slots and pay-per-day options | One-time payment per 30-day listing, or a monthly slot subscription |
| Click and application charges | Yes, on Sponsored Jobs: the invoice reflects spend on clicks or started applications | None, per ZipRecruiter: unlimited clicks and applies are included in the standard rate | None: a listing is a one-time payment |
| Published price | Not published: the Standard price is set by Indeed's recommendation system, and the minimum varies | Not published | $199 Standard or $399 Featured per listing at launch pricing; subscriptions $899 or $1,749 a month |
| Free option | Many jobs can be posted free, subject to Indeed's terms, quality standards and usage limits | Free trial for new employers; you pay only if you keep the post active after it ends | None: every self-serve post is a paid listing |
| New-account offer | $75 Sponsored Job credit for new U.S. accounts that post a job, expiring one year after account creation | The free trial | Not published |
| When you are billed | First day of the month, or when account spend reaches $500, whichever comes first | Not published; after the trial, plans are monthly subscriptions or pay-per-day options | At checkout (single listing) or monthly (subscription) |
| Cancellation | Sponsored Jobs can be cancelled at any time; budget changed from the employer dashboard | Not published | Single listings have no contract; subscriptions cancel anytime |
| Where a listing appears | Not published | 100+ job sites, per ZipRecruiter (self-reported) | The matching role and city pages on hvachires.com, plus Google Jobs |
As of October 2026, checked on each company's own website.
How do Indeed and ZipRecruiter bill an HVAC contractor?
The two sites charge for opposite things.
Indeed's Sponsored Jobs are billed on job seeker interactions: Indeed says your invoice reflects the amount spent on clicks or started applications.
You manage the budget from the employer dashboard.
ZipRecruiter sells subscriptions instead.
After its free trial it sells monthly subscription plans with customizable job slots and pay-per-day options, and it says unlimited clicks and applies are included in its standard rate, with no click- or application-based charges.
For an HVAC or plumbing shop the question is which risk you would rather carry.
On Indeed, spend follows clicks and started applications; on ZipRecruiter, the subscription is not charged by click or application, per ZipRecruiter, so you pay the plan whether interest is high or low.
Which costs less to post an HVAC or plumbing job?
Neither site publishes a fixed price, so this page can't put a number on either.
Indeed says the Standard Sponsored Jobs price is generated by its recommendation system from market factors such as job competitiveness, your hiring timeline and the supply of job seekers, and the minimum price is shown on the sponsorship page and varies.
ZipRecruiter's plan prices could not be read on its own site when we checked in October 2026.
What is published is how each bills.
Indeed bills Sponsored Jobs on the first day of the month or when account spend reaches $500, whichever comes first.
Once the trial ends, ZipRecruiter sells monthly subscription plans and pay-per-day options, with add-ons such as Resume Database access and job boosting.
The practical way to compare cost is to get both quotes for the same role in your market: Indeed's recommended and minimum price on the sponsorship page, and ZipRecruiter's plan price during the trial.
What can you get free on Indeed or ZipRecruiter?
Indeed says many jobs can be posted for free, subject to Indeed's terms, conditions, quality standards and usage limits.
Its HVAC-technician hiring page also offers new U.S. accounts that post a job a $75 Sponsored Job credit, which expires one year after account creation.
ZipRecruiter offers new employers a free trial, and you only pay if you keep the job post active after the trial ends.
The two free options differ in kind.
Indeed's is a free post within its terms and usage limits; ZipRecruiter's is a trial, and you pay if you keep the post active after it ends.
Which reaches more HVAC techs and plumbers?
ZipRecruiter's pitch is distribution: it says it sends one job post to 100+ job sites and actively invites qualified candidates to apply.
That is a self-reported claim, and the pages we checked did not say how many of those sites HVAC or plumbing techs use.
The Indeed pages we checked did not publish a distribution list like ZipRecruiter's.
Neither is a board built only for HVAC and plumbing, so screening applicants for trade experience, an EPA 608 card or any licence your state requires stays with you.
Is there a third option built for HVAC and plumbing?
HVAC Hires is a job board built only for HVAC and plumbing jobs, covering 29 role categories.
It works differently from both: a Standard listing is $199 and a Featured listing is $399 at launch pricing, each a one-time payment for a 30-day listing with no recurring charge, no auto-renewal and no contract.
Shops that are always hiring can subscribe at $899 a month for 10 live listings or $1,749 a month for 25, arranged by contacting HVAC Hires.
Prices are on the pricing page.
It has no free posting tier, and it publishes no candidate or reach numbers, so on published reach claims ZipRecruiter has more to show.
It does not guarantee that a listing will result in a hire.
Read the HVAC Hires fact sheet, or see the head-to-head pages: HVAC Hires vs Indeed and HVAC Hires vs ZipRecruiter.
Which one should you choose?
Choose Indeed if…
- You want to start with a free post: Indeed says many jobs can be posted free, subject to its terms, quality standards and usage limits.
- You'd rather pay only when job seekers interact, on clicks or started applications, than pay a monthly rate during a slow month.
- You want to change your budget from the dashboard and be able to cancel Sponsored Jobs at any time.
- You're a new U.S. account: Indeed's HVAC-technician hiring page offers a $75 Sponsored Job credit.
Choose ZipRecruiter if…
- You want a rate that doesn't rise with interest: ZipRecruiter says unlimited clicks and applies are included, with no click- or application-based charges.
- You want one post sent to a self-reported 100+ job sites, with ZipRecruiter inviting qualified candidates to apply.
- You want to try it first: new employers get a free trial and only pay if they keep the post active after it ends.
- You're filling several roles at once and want job slots on one monthly plan.
Choose HVAC Hires if…
- You only hire HVAC and plumbing roles and want a board built only for those two trades.
- You want a published price before you sign up: $199 or $399 per 30-day listing at launch pricing.
- You want a one-time payment per listing, with no recurring charge, no auto-renewal and no contract.
Frequently asked questions
Is Indeed or ZipRecruiter better for hiring HVAC techs?
It depends on how you want to pay.
Indeed lets many jobs be posted free and bills Sponsored Jobs on clicks or started applications, with a budget you can change or cancel at any time.
ZipRecruiter sells monthly subscriptions that it says include unlimited clicks and applies, and says it sends one post to 100+ job sites (self-reported).
Neither is built only for HVAC and plumbing, so trade screening stays with you.
How much does Indeed cost for HVAC contractors?
Indeed publishes no fixed price.
Its Standard Sponsored Jobs price comes from Indeed's recommendation system, based on factors such as job competitiveness, your hiring timeline and job seeker supply, and the minimum price is shown on the sponsorship page.
You are billed for clicks or started applications on the first day of the month or when spend reaches $500, whichever comes first.
How much does ZipRecruiter cost for plumbers and HVAC companies?
ZipRecruiter offers new employers a free trial, and you only pay if you keep the job post active after it ends.
After that it sells monthly subscription plans with customizable job slots and pay-per-day options, plus add-ons such as Resume Database access and job boosting.
Its plan prices could not be read on ZipRecruiter's own site when we checked in October 2026.
Does ZipRecruiter charge per click like Indeed?
No. ZipRecruiter says unlimited clicks and applies are included in its standard rate, with no click- or application-based charges.
Indeed's Sponsored Jobs work the other way: the invoice reflects the amount spent on job seeker interactions such as clicks or started applications.
Can I post an HVAC job for free on Indeed or ZipRecruiter?
On Indeed, many jobs can be posted free, subject to Indeed's terms, conditions, quality standards and usage limits.
ZipRecruiter offers new employers a free trial instead; you pay only if you keep the post active after it ends.
HVAC Hires has no free employer tier: every self-serve post is a paid listing.
What does Indeed's $75 credit for HVAC hiring cover?
Indeed's HVAC-technician hiring page offers a $75 Sponsored Job credit to new accounts in the U.S. that post a job.
The offer expires one year after account creation, so it applies to sponsoring a job on a new account, not to existing Indeed accounts.
Where these facts come from
- Indeed: indeed.com/hire/pricing (checked October 4, 2026)
- Indeed: indeed.com/hire/how-to-hire/hvac-technician (checked October 4, 2026)
- ZipRecruiter: ziprecruiter.com/freetrial (checked October 3, 2026)
- ZipRecruiter: ziprecruiter.com/post-a-job (checked October 3, 2026)
- ZipRecruiter: ziprecruiter.com/plans (checked October 3, 2026)