Agora vs Housekeep: Fair SaaS vs 45% Agency Cuts
Discover why UK households and top-rated independent cleaners are moving from Housekeep to Agora. Cleaners keep 90% of their earnings, customers pay £0 in booking fees, and all payments are secured by Stripe Connect escrow.
Agora charges a fair 10% fee. Cleaners retain ~90% rather than forfeiting up to nearly half to an agency.
No monthly subscriptions or customer checkout surcharges. You pay only your cleaner's stated hourly rate.
Funds pre-authorized 24h before and released only after verified checkout + a 24h dispute window.
Encrypted, time-restricted PINs and room photo checklists replace vulnerable offline key handoffs.
Full Feature Matrix: Agora vs Housekeep
An honest, line-by-line comparison of technology, pricing models, customer protections, and cleaner earnings.
| Feature / Metric | Recommended Agora Fair SaaS · Escrow Protected | Competitor Housekeep Traditional Agency Model |
|---|---|---|
| Economics & Pricing | ||
Platform Take Rate Portion of the cleaning fee kept by the technology provider. | Flat ~10% Cleaners keep ~90% (0% launch promo tiers available). Save 30%+ | 35% – 45% Heavy agency cut subtracted from total customer spend. High Markup |
Customer Booking Fees Surcharges or hidden fees added to your bill at checkout. | £0 Customer Fee Pay only the cleaner's stated hourly rate. Transparent | Membership & Service Fees Platform surcharges applied on top of hourly cleaning fees. Extra Fees |
Cleaner Pay & Rate Autonomy Who sets the hourly rate and how much cleaners take home. | Cleaner Sets Own Rates Cleaners retain ~90% of what you pay; full business autonomy. Fair Pay | Platform-Fixed Pay Tiers Cleaners are locked into platform-dictated compensation brackets. Fixed Tiers |
| Payments & Escrow Security | ||
Payment Protection Model How and when your funds are authorized, held, and disbursed. | Stripe Connect Escrow Pre-auth 24h prior, released on verified completion + 24h dispute window. FCA Regulated | Upfront Direct Charging Cards are charged in advance without escrow dispute mediation hold. Billed Upfront |
Dispute Window & Resolution Customer protection before money leaves the platform. | 24-Hour Dispute Window Funds remain frozen in escrow if an issue or dispute is reported. Protected | Post-Charge Ticket Queue Issues handled retrospectively after payment has already settled. Delayed |
| Property Access & Quality Verification | ||
Access & Lockbox Security Safeguards for property keys and unattended cleaning entries. | Encrypted Time-Windowed PINs Smart lockbox codes are visible only during active booking hours. Zero Key Risk | Unregulated Offline Key Handover Physical key drop-offs without digital encryption or access logs. Unmonitored |
Clean Verification Proof Evidence of completed work and task compliance. | Itemized Room Checklist & Photos Cleaners upload timestamped photo proof for each itemized area. Verified Proof | Honor System & Star Rating No mandatory photographic evidence before booking completion. Unverified |
| Communication & Scheduling | ||
Cleaner Communication How you coordinate access, supplies, and special requests. | Direct In-App Chat & Photos Message your cleaner directly in real-time with zero gatekeepers. Instant Chat | Mediated Platform Messaging Communications are filtered or routed through support workflows. Mediated |
Contract & Flexibility Commitments, minimum terms, and cancellation policies. | Zero Contract Lock-in Free cancellation up to 24h beforehand; pause or reschedule anytime. Total Freedom | Recurring Plan Commitments Cancellation fee policies applied within 48h windows. Stricter Fees |
Why Cleaners & Customers Are Making the Switch
Understanding the architectural and philosophical differences between an agency middleman and an empowering software platform.
The Economics: Fair 10% vs 45% Agency Margins
Housekeep acts as an employer-style broker, taking a substantial cut of up to 45% between what homeowners pay and what cleaners receive. At Agora, we believe cleaners deserve to keep their hard-earned money. Agora charges a flat 10% software fee, meaning cleaners take home ~90% and customers don't subsidize bloated agency marketing overheads.
Stripe Connect Escrow Protection
Unlike platforms that capture payments immediately upon booking, Agora leverages Stripe Connect Escrow. Funds are pre-authorized 24 hours prior to the job and held safely in escrow. If there is ever an issue, customers have an active 24-hour dispute window before funds leave escrow, guaranteeing complete peace of mind.
Encrypted Lockboxes & Itemized Photos
Never leave physical keys under a flowerpot again. Agora connects with smart lockboxes, generating encrypted, time-windowed PINs valid only during the appointment. When finished, cleaners submit itemized photo proof of each cleaned room directly in the app, eliminating guesswork and disputes.
Agora vs Housekeep Questions
Clear answers to help you select the right platform for your home or cleaning business.