Quick answer
Thumbtack and Angi both let pros send an automatic reply to new leads, and Yelp now offers its own AI reply for quote requests. These built-in replies are a good first step, but each works on one platform and sends every customer a similar message. Pros on several platforms add Casey for one login, one training session, and replies that sound like their business.
If you buy leads on Thumbtack, Angi or Yelp, each platform gives you a way to answer new leads automatically. That is a good thing. A fast first reply tells the customer someone is there, and on most platforms it helps how you are measured.
Most of our customers started exactly there. They switched on the built-in reply on each platform they used. Here is what those replies do, how to set them up, and why many pros eventually add Casey on top.
What Each Platform's Built-In Reply Does
| Platform | Where you set it up | What it sends |
|---|---|---|
| Thumbtack | Settings in the Thumbtack Pro app | One pre-written message to every customer. Thumbtack has also been rolling out an AI Instant Reply |
| Angi | Messages, then Automations, in the Angi for Pros app or site | One of three pre-written templates, or one custom message you write, within 5 minutes of a new lead |
| Yelp | In Yelp for Business | Yelp has introduced its own AI reply for Request a Quote leads |
A few details are worth knowing.
Angi's automated message is off by default. You switch it on after saving a template, and Angi only sends it on new leads where the homeowner has not already messaged you. Angi allows one custom template at a time. (Angi's setup guide)
Thumbtack's auto-response confirms you received the lead. It counts as a response, which matters on Thumbtack, but it is the same message for every customer, so it cannot answer a specific question, qualify the job, or book it.
Yelp measures what your reply says, not just how fast it is. Yelp tracks response time and response rate, and it also grades response quality with AI: a reply that gives a quote or availability scores better than a generic "call us."
How to Set Up Auto-Replies on Thumbtack and Angi
Thumbtack:
- Open the Thumbtack Pro app.
- Go to Settings and find the auto-response setting.
- Write the message every new customer will receive, and switch it on.
Angi:
- Open the Angi for Pros app, or the Messages tab on the Angi for Pros site.
- Open the Automations tab.
- Choose one of the three templates, or select "Write your own."
- Save the template, then switch on the toggle at the bottom of the screen.
What Happens When Every Pro Uses the Same Reply
Customers on lead platforms usually contact several pros for the same job. When each of those pros has the built-in reply switched on, the customer gets a handful of fast, similar messages within minutes of each other.
At that point speed is no longer what separates you. Everyone was fast. What decides who gets the job is what happens next: who answers the actual question, who gives a real price range or a time slot, and who sounds like a business the customer wants in their home.
That is the gap our customers were trying to close.
What Our Customers Tell Us
When we ask pros why they added Casey on top of their platform replies, three answers come up again and again.
1. One login for every lead
This is the one we hear most. Before Casey, a pro on Thumbtack, Angi, Yelp and Google LSA had four apps to check, four inboxes, and four places to reply. With Casey, every lead from every platform lands in one inbox behind one login.
You still use each platform's own account for things like budgets, billing and reviews. But the daily work of answering, following up and booking happens in one place.
2. One training session, every platform
Each built-in reply is set up separately, and each one has to be updated separately when something changes. Casey is trained once on your services, prices, service area and booking rules, and it uses that same knowledge on every platform you connect. When a price changes, you change it once.
3. Replies that sound like your business
A template sends the same words to every customer. Casey writes each reply from what it knows about your business, so it can answer "how much for a water heater replacement?" with your actual range, ask the questions you would ask, and offer a time on your real calendar. It holds the conversation until the job is booked or handed to your team.
Built-In Replies and Casey Work Together
This is not a choice between the platform and Casey. Our customers keep buying leads on Thumbtack, Angi and Yelp, because that is where the customers are. The built-in reply gets a first message out. Casey picks up the conversation from there, on every platform at once.
See how Casey works with each platform: Thumbtack, Angi, Yelp, and Google LSA. For a broader look at managing several lead sources, see AI tools for Angi, Google LSA and Thumbtack leads.
The Bottom Line
Switch on the built-in reply on every platform you use. It is free or close to it, and a fast first reply is better than none. But once every pro on the platform has done the same, the first reply stops setting you apart. One login, one training session, and replies that sound like your business are what our customers say made the difference.