PrimeCarers

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Alternatives to PrimeCarers

PrimeCarers introduces families to self-employed carers and is not a care agency. If you want a provider to employ the carer and arrange cover, a managed agency is the different choice. If you want an introductory service that checks more than we do, or has more reviews, there are good options too. We wrote this page, so we have said plainly where we are weaker.

By PrimeCarers, the service that wrote this comparison  ·  Updated November 2026  ·  6 min read

What it is

What PrimeCarers is, in its own words

PrimeCarers is an introductory platform. Families search self-employed carers near them, see each carer's own rate and reviews, message the ones they like and choose who to hire. The carer works for the family, who direct the care. PrimeCarers is not a care agency and is not registered with the CQC. Hourly visits cost £18 to £25 an hour and live-in care £1,050 to £1,400 a week, with our fee of 20% on hourly visits and 12.5% on live-in already inside the price.

Where we are weaker: every carer has an ID check, a right to work check, an enhanced DBS issued within the last 2 years and an online interview, but we do not verify references, qualifications or training, which Elder, Curam, TrustonTap and Match with Care say they check. We help you look for cover when a carer cannot come but cannot guarantee it, which a managed agency arranges for you. On Trustpilot we had 3.6 from 47 reviews on 19 October 2026, far fewer than Curam or Elder; our home page shows 4.8 from 92 Google reviews.

The alternatives

10 alternatives to PrimeCarers

Listed in no particular order. Each is labelled by how it works, with one line from its own website and a price only where it publishes one. Checked on 19 October 2026, 4 November 2026 and 5 November 2026.

  • Elder

    Alternatives to ElderIntroductory

    Describes itself as an introductory agency connecting families across Great Britain with vetted, self-employed carers, and says it does not provide regulated care. It offers live-in care, respite stays and, in some cities, visiting care.

    Published price: Live-in from £1,195 a week and respite from £1,595 a week, with its booking fee inside the price.

    Source: Elder, introductory agency, Elder pricing, checked 5 November 2026

  • Curam

    Alternatives to CuramBoth

    Describes itself as a home care platform that connects families directly with self-employed carers. It also runs Curam Managed Care, which it says is CQC registered.

    Published price: Average hourly rate £20.50 and £1,200 a week for live-in (Curam's figures for August 2025), with a 12% client fee added to invoices.

    Source: curamcare.com, Curam Managed Care, Curam client information, checked 19 October 2026

  • Match with Care

    Alternatives to Match with CareIntroductory

    Says the CQC classes it as an introductory agency, not a care provider. Its carers are self-employed and set their own rates, it does not supervise day-to-day care, and it says every carer is interviewed, right-to-work verified, DBS checked and reference checked.

    Published price: Live-in usually around £1,050 to £1,400 a week, according to its cost guide. You pay the carer's rate plus a platform fee shown on your invoice; it does not publish the fee.

    Source: Match with Care FAQ, Match with Care live-in cost, checked 4 November 2026

  • TrustonTap

    Alternatives to TrustonTapIntroductory

    Says the CQC defines it as an introductory agency that is not required to register, that all its carers are self-employed and set their own rates, and that it checks identity, right to work and training certificates and takes two references on each carer.

    Published price: £23 to £34 an hour (average £26), live-in from £1,200 a week, plus a client administration fee of 5% plus VAT.

    Source: TrustonTap FAQs, TrustonTap pricing, checked 4 November 2026

  • Country Cousins

    Alternatives to Country CousinsIntroductory

    Says it has introduced live-in carers since 1959 and calls itself the UK's longest-serving introductory live-in care provider. Its carers are self-employed and contracted by you, and it is not CQC registered. Managed care comes from its sister company, Trinity Homecare.

    Published price: Live-in from £1,155 a week (its figure for October 2026), plus a one-off registration fee, an agency fee and the carer's travel.

    Source: country-cousins.co.uk, Country Cousins, introductory vs managed, Country Cousins live-in cost, checked 4 November 2026

  • Consultus Care & Nursing

    Alternatives to Consultus Care & NursingBoth

    Founded in 1962 and family-owned. It offers an introductory service, where a self-employed carer works for you and you pay them directly, and a fully managed live-in service that it says is regulated by the CQC in England. It also offers live-in nursing.

    Published price: Introductory live-in from £1,092 a week including its weekly agency fee, plus a £250 registration fee; managed live-in from £1,603 a week, subject to assessment.

    Source: consultuscare.com, Consultus live-in costs, checked 4 November 2026

  • Hometouch

    Alternatives to HometouchBoth

    Runs an introductory model, which it says has operated since 2015 and is not regulated by the CQC, and a separate managed care service that is CQC regulated.

    Published price: Introductory care from £1,400 a week, regulated care from £1,500 a week.

    Source: myhometouch.com, Hometouch pricing, checked 19 October 2026

  • Gladys

    Alternatives to GladysIntroductory

    Says it operates what the CQC calls an introductory agency, introducing self-employed carers you agree the care with directly. It covers Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Dorset, Hampshire, Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

    Published price: From £32 an hour for visiting care and £200 a day for live-in, set by each carer.

    Source: Gladys, introductory agency, Gladys client questions, checked 4 November 2026

  • Helping Hands

    Alternatives to Helping HandsCQC-registered managed agency

    Says it directly employs and trains all its carers and is regulated by the CQC and Care Inspectorate Wales. It offers visiting care and live-in care, with local care managers and a team of specialist nurses.

    Published price: Live-in from £1,675 a week for one person and £2,125 for a couple (page reviewed 17 April 2026).

    Source: Helping Hands live-in care, Helping Hands live-in cost, checked 19 October 2026

  • Home Instead

    Alternatives to Home InsteadCQC-registered managed agency

    A network of over 255 locally owned offices in the UK since 2005, regulated by the CQC and the regulators in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Every visit lasts at least an hour, and it offers live-in care too.

    Source: homeinstead.co.uk, checked 19 October 2026

Which kind suits you

Introductory or managed: which kind suits you

If you want the same model with more checks or more reviews, look at the other introductory services. If you want somebody else to employ the carer and arrange cover, a managed agency is the different choice.

Who employs the carer

Introductory service
Nobody. The carer is self-employed and works for you
CQC-registered managed agency
The agency

Who chooses the carer

Introductory service
You, from profiles
CQC-registered managed agency
The agency, usually with your input

Who directs the care day to day

Introductory service
You and the carer
CQC-registered managed agency
The agency, through a care plan

If the carer cannot come

Introductory service
You find cover, with whatever help the service offers
CQC-registered managed agency
The agency arranges cover

Registered with the CQC in England

Introductory service
No, because it does not provide the care
CQC-registered managed agency
Yes, and its inspection reports are public

Price

Introductory service
Usually lower. On PrimeCarers, live-in is typically £1,120 a week
CQC-registered managed agency
Usually higher. A typical managed live-in week is £1,120 to £1,750

Some providers run both models, so ask which one you are being offered. The managed range is a typical figure, not any named agency's price.

An introductory service tends to suit a family that wants to choose the carer, can be the person the carer answers to, and wants more of the price to reach the carer. A managed agency tends to suit care that is complex or clinical, a family that cannot be on hand to direct it, or anyone who wants the provider to be responsible for cover. Either way, ask which checks were done on the carer you would get, not on the company in general.

Questions

Questions about alternatives to PrimeCarers

Other introductory services, where you hire a self-employed carer: Elder, Curam, Match with Care, TrustonTap, Country Cousins and Gladys, plus the introductory services of Consultus and Hometouch. Managed agencies, which employ the carer and arrange cover: Helping Hands, Home Instead, and the managed services of Consultus and Hometouch.

Often, but not always. Our live-in care starts at £1,050 a week with the fee included. Curam's guide starts lower before its 12% client fee, and Match with Care publishes a similar range. Managed agencies usually cost more, from about £1,200 to £1,694 a week on their own pages.

No. We check ID, right to work, an enhanced DBS (or PVG or Access NI) issued within the last 2 years, and interview each carer online. We do not verify references, qualifications or training. Elder, Curam, TrustonTap and Match with Care say they check references.

No. It is an introductory service: the carer is self-employed and works for your family. That is why it is not registered with the CQC. If you want a regulated provider that employs the carer, choose a managed agency.

Sources

Sources checked on 19 October 2026, 4 November 2026 and 5 November 2026

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