MediaAlpha review: leads, pricing and terms
MediaAlpha runs a marketplace where insurance agents buy real-time leads for auto, home and life from shoppers who requested quotes on MediaAlpha's own sites, forms embedded on partner sites and vetted partners. Leads are shared by default, with each shared lead going to no more than four buyers, and some leads are sold as exclusive.
Independent agents set a bid or pick leads at a fixed price inside their account, with no minimum spend and no contract. State Farm and Farmers agents have their own programs.
- Best for
- Agents who want auto, home and life leads, shared by default, on their own price terms, with no contract and a small starting deposit
- Format
- Real-time leads
- Lines
- Auto, home and life
- Shared or exclusive
- Shared by default, up to four buyers per lead and one agent per carrier, with some leads sold as exclusive
- Price
- Set by your bid or a fixed price shown in your account. Prices are not published for independent agents
- To start
- Independent agents start with a $250 deposit that becomes lead credit
- Contract
- No contract or minimum spend
- Returns
- Credit for invalid leads, requested within seven days
- States
- All 50, by state, ZIP or radius
Our take
MediaAlpha fits agents who sell auto, home or life and want to control what they pay per lead. You bid at or above a minimum, or browse leads at a fixed price, and you can change the mix of shoppers you buy at any time.
Most agents should start with the $250 deposit, buy auto leads in a few ZIP codes and compare what each shopper type costs per sale before raising bids or widening the area.
Set a daily cap that matches how many leads your team can call the same day.
Pros
- No contract, no minimum spend and pause anytime
- Choose between bidding and browsing at a fixed price
- Filters for shopper type, area, vehicle count, coverage history and driving history
- Approved returns are credited within five business days of review
- Unused balance is refunded when you close the account
Cons
- Prices for independent agents appear only inside the account
- Most leads are shared with up to four buyers, and only leads identified as exclusive are not shared
- Returns are credits, capped at 20% of monthly leads
- An inactivity fee applies after 90 days without a lead purchase, even while the account is paused
Product details
| Product | Lines | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time web leads | Auto, home and life | Shared by default, up to 4 agents, no more than one affiliated with the same carrier |
| Exclusive real-time web leads | Auto, home and life | Leads identified as exclusive, not shared |
| State Farm agent web leads | Auto and home | Shared. Branded leads are a separate type |
MediaAlpha sells through three programs. Independent agents buy auto, home and life leads.
State Farm agents buy auto and home leads in their own program. Farmers agents can buy auto, home and commercial leads and warm transfers in theirs, paid through Farmers Folio with a required monthly budget or by prepaid card when eligible.
Real-time web leads for independent agents
Shoppers who requested auto, home or life quotes arrive in your account within minutes of submitting the form. You buy by bid, setting a price for each shopper type, or browse available leads at a fixed price.
Shopper types run from premium to non-standard, and you can create your own. These leads are shared by default.
Exclusive real-time web leads
MediaAlpha sells some leads as exclusive. A lead identified as exclusive is not shared with other buyers.
State Farm agent web leads
State Farm agents buy auto and home leads through a separate program with its own shopper tiers and published starting prices, shown below. Leads are delivered to State Farm's ECRM lead system.
Getting started
- 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.
Pricing
Independent agents don't see list prices. You set a bid at or above the minimum shown in your account, or pick leads at a fixed price.
State Farm agents see published starting prices before State Farm's subsidy, listed below as of October 2026.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| State Farm Auto Premium Plus | from $16 per lead, pre-subsidy minimum, age 25+, insured 6 months or more, homeowner with 2 or more cars, no accidents, fewer than 2 tickets, licensed, no DUI and no SR-22 |
| State Farm Auto Premium | from $13 per lead, pre-subsidy minimum, age 25+, insured 6 months or more, homeowner, no accidents, fewer than 2 tickets, licensed, no DUI and no SR-22 |
| State Farm Auto Preferred | from $12 per lead, pre-subsidy minimum, age 22 or more, currently insured, home ownership not required, no accidents, fewer than 2 tickets, licensed, no DUI and no SR-22 |
| State Farm Home Premier | from $16 per lead, pre-subsidy minimum, single-family, multi-family, duplex, townhome or condo, no claims in 3 years, any build year |
| State Farm Home Choice | from $14 per lead, pre-subsidy minimum, single-family, multi-family, duplex, townhome or condo, no more than 1 claim in 3 years, any build year |
| Opening deposit | $250 minimum lead credit, not a fee |
| Inactivity | Greater of 10% of the available balance or $10 each month after 90 days without a lead purchase |
| Sales tax | May be added |
Prices as of October 2026.
Cost per sale
Sales to break even each month
Cost per sale is the price divided by your close rate. Break-even is the number of sales whose commission covers a month of spend.
Sample leads and filters
A lead includes what the shopper submitted, which can include name, address, phone and email. The auto sample below is MediaAlpha's own example.
Auto leads
The auto lead shows homeowner status, current insurer, time with the insurer, continuous coverage and coverage type, then each driver's gender, date of birth, marital status, credit, license status and state, SR-22 status and incidents with their dates and fault. Each vehicle lists ownership, year, make, model, use, annual mileage and deductibles.
Filters
You set state, ZIP and radius, shopper types (premium, preferred, standard, non-standard or your own), minimum and maximum vehicles, coverage history, driving history and whether the shopper is currently insured. You can also set a delivery schedule, a daily cap and a cost-per-policy target.
Lead quality checks
Leads come from MediaAlpha's own insurance shopping sites, forms embedded on other sites and vetted partners. Jornaya and TrustedForm document the shopper's consent.
The consumer terms authorize phone, text, email and postal contact, including automated calls and recorded messages, even for numbers on Do Not Call lists. A shopper who wants an advertiser to stop contacting them has to contact that advertiser directly.
MediaAlpha doesn't screen or verify shoppers. It makes no warranty that the consent meets TCPA requirements or that every lead can be called, so check each number before you call.
Delivery and integrations
Leads are delivered when they reach your account, with an email that gives the shopper's first name and the first letter of the last name. You can add text alerts or have leads sent into your lead management system. Try to contact each lead within 48 hours.
Named integrations include Ricochet360, AgencyZoom, Allstate Lead Manager, APEX and ECRM.
Lead returns
Open the lead and click Return within seven days of delivery. MediaAlpha reviews each request and credits approved returns to your account within five business days. You delete the lead once it is returned.
MediaAlpha credits leads when the phone is disconnected and the email bounces because the mailbox doesn't exist, the lead doesn't match your filters, the same lead was delivered to you within 30 days or the person is already your customer with an active policy for the same request. Each month you can send back up to 20% of your leads.
| Usually credited | Usually refused |
|---|---|
|
|
Contract and cancellation details
There is no contract or minimum spend. You can pause anytime in your account, though leads you already won stay billable and the inactivity fee continues while paused. To close the account, email MediaAlpha agent support or call 1-855-959-4165.
When you close, MediaAlpha refunds the unused balance by check, ACH or another method it chooses, after any amounts owed. MediaAlpha may close an account without notice.
Other services
Carrier programs for State Farm and Farmers agents are separate storefronts. Farmers agents can also choose a managed-bidding service.
MediaAlpha alternatives
These lead companies sell similar lines and lead types.
Often compared with
See every option in insurance lead companies.
Frequently asked questions
How much do MediaAlpha leads cost?
Independent agents set a bid or see a fixed price inside their account. State Farm agents see starting prices from $12 for auto and $14 for home, before State Farm's subsidy and as of October 2026.
Are MediaAlpha leads exclusive?
Most are not. MediaAlpha sells shared leads unless a lead is marked exclusive. Every shared lead goes to no more than four buyers, and no lead goes to two agents who are affiliated with the same carrier.
What does it cost to start with MediaAlpha?
The minimum deposit is $250. It becomes lead credit, and there is no minimum spend or contract.
Can I return MediaAlpha leads?
Yes, within seven days, up to 20% of your monthly leads. MediaAlpha reviews each request and credits approved returns to your account.
How we researched this review. We based this review on the pricing, terms and product pages published by MediaAlpha, reviewed in October 2026, together with our team's experience working with insurance agents and agency owners since 2008.
Corrections
Vendors change their pricing all the time and they don't email us when they do. So if you see a price on here that's gone up, a plan MediaAlpha quit selling or a contract term that reads different now, let us know and send the link to the page where MediaAlpha has it. Somebody here pulls up that page and checks it before we change anything on ours.