EverQuote vs MediaAlpha: leads, pricing and terms compared
EverQuote fits auto and home agents who want real-time leads and live transfers with no minimum spend, plus optional follow-up calling and managed paid search. MediaAlpha fits auto, home and life agents who want to set their own bid or buy at a fixed price, starting from a $250 deposit that becomes lead credit. Neither requires a long-term contract.
Side by side
| EverQuote | MediaAlpha | |
|---|---|---|
| Lines Differs | Auto and home | Auto, home and life |
| Lead types Differs | Real-time leads and live transfers | Real-time leads |
| Shared or exclusive Differs | Shared: real-time leads (all lines) Exclusive: real-time leads (auto) and live transfers (all lines) | Shared: real-time leads (all lines) Exclusive: real-time leads (all lines) |
| Price Differs | Not published. Cost shifts with the product, the shopper's risk and any carrier subsidy | Set by your bid or a fixed price shown in your account. Prices are not published for independent agents |
| To start Differs | Prepaid balance, no minimum | $250 deposit |
| Contract | None. Cancel any time | No contract or minimum spend |
| Unused balance at exit | Refunded | Refunded |
| Returns Differs | Up to 20% of a month's leads, within 30 days | Credit for invalid leads, requested within seven days |
| Coverage | Nationwide | All 50 states |
| Sample leads published Differs | None | Auto |
| Named integrations Differs | None named | 5: Ricochet360, AgencyZoom, Allstate Lead Manager, APEX and ECRM |
| Headquarters Differs | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Los Angeles, California |
Which one fits you
Choose EverQuote if
- You want exclusive auto leads or live transfers
- You want help working leads through follow-up calling or managed paid search
- You want a longer window to return bad leads
Choose MediaAlpha if
- You write life as well as auto and home
- You want to control your price by bid or fixed price
- You want to change the mix of shoppers you buy at any time
Products and getting started
EverQuote
- Sign up for EverQuote Pro. Captive agents can buy for one carrier and independent agents for one agency.
- Choose your lead types, ZIP codes, days and hours and a daily cap.
- Fund a prepaid balance by card. For data leads your card is charged the amount you chose once the balance falls to $25. For live transfers the threshold is $100.
- Leads arrive in EverQuote Pro and by email, or post into your lead system. Calls ring the number you choose.
- Try to reach each lead within three hours, which the terms ask of every agent.
MediaAlpha
- As an independent agent, open an account and deposit at least $250. The deposit becomes lead credit.
- Set up your profile with state, ZIP codes and radius, shopper types, vehicle counts, coverage and driving history, a delivery schedule, a daily cap and your bid.
- Leads arrive in your account and by email, with optional text alerts or a post to your lead management system.
- Turn on auto-refill so your account tops up when the balance falls below the account minimum.
Price and cost to start
Neither EverQuote nor MediaAlpha publishes a general price list. EverQuote prices float with the type of lead, how risky the shopper is and any carrier subsidy, while MediaAlpha lets you bid in an auction or buy leads at a fixed price. To start, EverQuote takes a deposit in an amount you pick, and MediaAlpha wants $250 that turns into lead credit.
Full pricing: EverQuote and MediaAlpha.
Shared or exclusive
A shared EverQuote lead reaches three agents at most, while MediaAlpha can sell the same shopper to as many as four buyers. Both stop at one agent per carrier. Exclusive buying is narrower at EverQuote, which sells exclusive data leads only in auto, at extra cost and only to agents who also buy shared, while MediaAlpha marks some leads exclusive in auto, home and life.
Every offer: EverQuote and MediaAlpha.
Lead returns
EverQuote gives you 30 days to send a lead back and credits it automatically, while MediaAlpha allows 7 days and reviews each request itself, so you have to vet MediaAlpha leads quickly. Both limit returns to 20% of a month's leads and pay back in account credit, not cash. MediaAlpha also turns down a lead whose only fault is a bad phone or a bad email.
Full return terms: EverQuote and MediaAlpha.
Contract and cancellation
Neither company ties you to a term or a minimum spend, and both send back an unused balance when you close the account. EverQuote holds back only an opening deposit it paired with a match credit. MediaAlpha deducts anything you owe first, and a paused MediaAlpha account keeps paying its inactivity fee once 90 days pass without a purchase.
Full contract terms: EverQuote and MediaAlpha.
Delivery and integrations
EverQuote leads show up in EverQuote Pro within seconds of the quote request, by email or posted to your lead management system, and calls ring whatever number you choose. MediaAlpha drops leads into your agent account and can alert you by email or text or post them to your CRM. MediaAlpha also asks you to try every lead within 48 hours.
Delivery details: EverQuote and MediaAlpha.
Lead quality checks
EverQuote draws shoppers from its own sites and a partner network and sells only real-time leads, never recycled ones. MediaAlpha mixes its own shopping sites with embedded forms, third-party partners and call centers, and it doesn't verify shoppers or promise the consent holds up under the TCPA. Both collect consent that covers numbers on Do Not Call lists, and MediaAlpha documents it with Jornaya and TrustedForm.
Lead sources and consent: EverQuote and MediaAlpha.
Alternatives to EverQuote and MediaAlpha
- QuoteWizard sells real-time web leads in auto, home, renters, health, Medicare and life, shared or exclusive. Its WizardCalls live transfers cover home and auto.
- SmartFinancial sells live transfers and web leads, shared and exclusive. Three agents is the most a shared lead goes to.
- Hometown Quotes sells real-time leads for auto, home, life, health and renters, shared or exclusive, and live transfers for auto, home and life.
Frequently asked questions
Which one sells life leads?
MediaAlpha sells life leads to independent agents. EverQuote sells auto and home.
Which one has the longer return window?
EverQuote gives you 30 days to return a lead. MediaAlpha gives you 7 days to request credit for an invalid lead.
Do EverQuote or MediaAlpha require a contract?
No. Neither requires a long-term contract.
How we researched this. We based this comparison on each company's published pricing where available, terms and product pages, reviewed in October 2026, together with our team's experience working with insurance agents and agency owners since 2008.