Faraz Ather, 8 September 2026, 3 min read
This is the rule we apply on the calibration call, with typical market ranges beside our published prices.
Contingency: one role, pay when they start
Fits a single defined role with a salary above $40,000, where you can interview three to five people within two weeks. You owe nothing until the hire starts, so the risk sits with us.
Market: a typical US contingency fee is 20% of first-year salary, with a 15 to 30% spread (Leonar). UK agencies charge 20 to 25% for mid-level roles (Workers Direct). In the Gulf the median is 12.5% on CIPD 2025 data, though agency quotes run 15 to 25% (Quantalent).
AtherTalent: 10% of first-year base, minimum $2,500. Specialist and senior roles 12%, minimum $4,000. Three or more hires in a quarter drops the standard rate to 8%. Offshore remote hires with a salary under $40,000 are a $1,500 flat fee. Every placement carries a 90-day free replacement, which is also the most common window in the market: 44.9% of US agencies offer 90 days (Glozo).
Wrong for: confidential searches, roles where nobody can yet write the spec, or five roles open at once.
Retained: senior, confidential, exclusive
Fits director level and above, a confidential replacement, or a role where the market has to be mapped before the brief is final. You pay something upfront and get an exclusive, reported search in return.
Market: retained fees run 25 to 33% of first-year cash, with minimums of $80,000 to $100,000 at large firms (KI Talent, JRG Partners).
AtherTalent: a $1,500 engagement fee per seat, credited against a 15% success fee. Exclusive mandate, weekly report, shortlist in 15 to 25 business days, offer negotiation, 6-month replacement.
Seat: ongoing hiring, or a team
Fits three or more open roles, a hiring plan that runs a quarter or longer, or an offshore team you want built and run. You pay one monthly number and the recruiter works only for you.
Market: an embedded or RPO recruiter costs $8,000 to $15,000 a month onshore, and $800 to $2,500 a month offshore (EOR HQ).
AtherTalent: a dedicated recruiter seat is $1,500 a month, full time, on your hours, in your ATS and Slack, with unlimited roles within capacity. 3-month minimum, 30-day notice, free swap within 30 days. If you need the playbook more than a full-time sourcer, the fractional Head of Talent is $1,500 a month for up to 10 hours a week and up to three open roles.
The arithmetic: three months of a recruiter seat is $4,500, the same as a 10% fee on one $45,000 hire. If you expect two or more hires a quarter, the seat is cheaper.
Side by side
| Model | Fits when | Typical market | AtherTalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contingency | One role, salary over $40k | 20% US, 20 to 25% UK | 10%, minimum $2,500. Specialist 12%. 90-day replacement. |
| Remote flat fee | Offshore hire under $40k | $1,999 to $3,500 flat | $1,500 flat. 90-day replacement. |
| Retained | Director and above, confidential | 25 to 33% of first-year cash | $1,500 engagement fee credited against 15%. 6-month replacement. |
| Recruiter seat | 3+ roles, or a quarter of hiring | $8,000 to $15,000 a month onshore | $1,500 a month. Free replacement during the term. |
Flat-fee market figures are from Pavago ($1,999) and HireLATAM ($3,500).
Not sure? The Day 0 call is 15 minutes and ends with a recommendation, even if it is that we are not the right fit. Every price is on the pricing page; the steps are on the process page.