Faraz Ather, 10 September 2026, 4 min read
Agency pricing looks opaque because most agencies want it to be. Underneath, there are only four models, and each has a going rate you can check. Here they are for the US, UK and Gulf, next to what we publish.
Contingency: the percentage most people mean by "agency fee"
You pay a percentage of first-year salary when the hire starts, and nothing before. In the US the typical fee is 20%, with a spread of 15 to 30% depending on seniority and sector (Leonar). UK agencies run 20 to 25% for mid-level roles, more for niche skills (Workers Direct). In the Gulf, CIPD 2025 data puts the median near 12.5%, while everyday agency quotes land between 15 and 25% (Quantalent).
On a $90,000 role, that spread is real money: $13,500 at 15%, $18,000 at 20%, $22,500 at 25%.
Our published rate: 10% standard, 12% specialist and senior, minimums $2,500 and $4,000, invoiced on start date. Three or more hires in a quarter drops the standard rate to 8%. The same $90,000 role costs $9,000.
Retained: paying for exclusivity and mapping
A third upfront, a third at shortlist, a third at hire is the classic structure, at 25 to 33% of first-year cash. Large executive-search firms carry minimum fees of $80,000 to $100,000 (KI Talent, JRG Partners). That buys market mapping, weekly reporting and exclusivity, and for genuinely senior or confidential seats it is often worth it.
Our published rate: a $1,500 engagement fee per seat, credited against a 15% success fee, with a 6-month replacement. The structure is the same; the cost base behind it is not.
RPO and embedded: recruiting capacity by the month
Recruitment process outsourcing prices by recruiter-month or by hire. Embedded-recruiting firms in the US and UK charge roughly $8,000 to $15,000 per recruiter per month, positioned as cheaper than agency fees at volume. It usually is, above four or five hires a quarter.
Our published rate: a dedicated recruiter seat is $1,500 a month, working your hours inside your ATS. The arithmetic against an $8,000 embedded month is not subtle, and the reason is the cost base, not the craft: the recruiter is senior, the office is offshore.
Offshore staffing seats: the whole person, one price
For roles that can be done remotely (billing, support, back office, engineering), offshore providers price a full-time person as a monthly seat. Market rates for managed offshore staff run from roughly $1,200 to $2,500 a month depending on role and country.
Our published rates: business staff $950, healthcare staff $1,200, recruiters and technology staff $1,500. Recruiting, HR administration and replacement are inside the price, and kickoff is priced per seat. Run your own numbers on the cost calculator.
The four questions that expose a fee
Percentages alone do not tell you what you are buying. These do:
1. What is the replacement guarantee, in writing? 90 days free replacement is the most common market standard; about 45% of US agencies offer it (Glozo). Anything under 60 days on a full-price fee is thin.
2. When is the fee invoiced? On start date means the agency carries the risk. Deposits and "commitment fees" on contingency work mean you do.
3. What was screened before you see a CV? A keyword match is not a screen. Ask whether candidates passed a written rubric and a live skills conversation, and who ran it.
4. Are there fees beyond the fee? Job-ad budgets, tool charges, "admin" lines. A per-seat price should be the whole price.
Why our fees sit where they do
A Western agency's 20 to 25% pays for its offices, account managers and brand before it pays for a single hour of search work. We run the same rubric-first process from an offshore base, where a senior recruiting hour costs a fraction of a London or New York one, and publish every price so the comparison stays honest. The full table, guarantees included, is on the pricing page.
Figures checked 10 September 2026 against the linked sources. Market ranges move; our published prices change only on the pricing page.