--- title: Best recruiters for startup sales hires in 2026 description: The best recruiters for startup sales hires in 2026, from AEs to VP Sales, and why you should ask whether fees are charged on base salary or on OTE. image: https://funded.club/hubfs/blog-featured-images/fc-best-recruiters-startup-sales-hires.png --- [![Primary\_logo](https://funded.club/hubfs/Primary_logo.svg)](https://funded.club/) [Book a call](https://funded.club/contact-us) - [Hire](https://funded.club) - [Pricing](https://funded.club/pricing) - [Find a job](https://funded.club/startupjobs) - [Case Studies](https://funded.club/case-studies) - [Locally](https://funded.club/case-studies/locally) - [Supernova](https://funded.club/case-studies/supernova) - [Isolocity](https://funded.club/case-studies/isolocity) - [WeTravel](https://funded.club/case-studies/wetravel) - [Digital Science](https://funded.club/case-studies/digital-science) - [Blog](https://funded.club/blog-results) - [Resources](https://funded.club/resources) - [Predict success](https://signup.predict.ventures/) - [Growth Planner](https://funded.club/growth-planner) - [Glossary](https://funded.club/glossary) - [FAQ](https://funded.club/faq) - [Contact us](https://funded.club/contact-us) [Book a call](https://funded.club/contact-us) - Engagement options: - [Hiring solutions](https://funded.club) - [Pay-as-you-go](https://funded.club/pricing) - Membership plan # Best recruiters for startup sales hires in 2026 ![best-recruiters-for-startup-sales-hires-in-2026](https://funded.club/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-featured-images/fc-best-recruiters-startup-sales-hires.png?width=1200&height=628&name=fc-best-recruiters-startup-sales-hires.png) [Ray Gibson](https://funded.club/blog/author/ray-gibson) Sep 30, 2026, 1:55:12 AM *Updated September 2026* The best recruiters for startup sales hires in 2026 include Funded.club for fixed-fee searches from SDR to VP Sales, Betts Recruiting for sales, marketing and go-to-market roles, Hunt Club for network-led leadership hires, and Daversa Partners for executive searches. Before you sign with any of them, ask whether a percentage fee is charged on base salary or on on-target earnings, because on a sales hire that one detail can move the fee by tens of thousands of dollars. Sales roles are paid differently from most startup roles. A large part of the package is commission, so the gap between base salary and on-target earnings (OTE) is wide. That makes sales hiring the place where the fee model matters most. ## Recruiters worth considering for sales hires Funded.club is listed first, the rest by model. Check each provider's own site for current pricing, terms and services. | Provider | Model | Often suits | | --- | --- | --- | | Funded.club | Fixed-fee recruiting partner, one dedicated recruiter per search, $4,900 to $21,900 per hire | SDRs, AEs, sales managers and VP Sales, especially several hires in one plan | | Betts Recruiting | A recruiting firm focused on sales, marketing and go-to-market roles | Teams that want a go-to-market specialist | | Hunt Club | A network and referral-led recruiting firm, often used for leadership hires | Heads of Sales where warm introductions help | | Daversa Partners | An executive search firm working with venture-backed and growth-stage companies | VP Sales and Chief Revenue Officer searches | | Paraform | A recruiter marketplace where many independent recruiters can work a role | Common sales profiles where breadth helps | | Dover | An applicant tracking system combined with access to on-demand recruiters | Founder-led hiring with some recruiting support | | Wellfound | A startup jobs marketplace where founders post roles and screen applicants | Junior sales roles with strong inbound interest | ## Check whether the fee is charged on base or OTE Many percentage-based recruiters calculate their fee on first-year compensation, and the definition of compensation varies. Some use base salary. Others include commission or use OTE. On an engineering hire the difference is small. On a sales hire with a 50/50 split, it can double the fee. Take an illustrative account executive on a $100,000 base and $200,000 OTE, and a VP Sales on a $180,000 base and $300,000 OTE. These are example packages, so swap in your own. ![Bar chart of recruiting fees for two illustrative sales hires: an account executive costs $20,000 to $25,000 at 20 to 25% of base or $40,000 to $50,000 on OTE, against a $7,500 fixed fee; a VP Sales costs $36,000 to $45,000 on base or $60,000 to $75,000 on OTE, against $15,900 to $21,900](https://funded.club/hs-fs/hubfs/(01)%20Thumbnails/n26-fees.png?width=1200&name=n26-fees.png) At 20 to 25% of OTE, the AE costs $40,000 to $50,000 in fees and the VP Sales $60,000 to $75,000. With a fixed fee agreed upfront, the number is set before the search starts and does not move if you improve the commission plan to close a strong candidate. For Funded.club, a role in the band up to $110,000 is $7,500, and roles above $150,000 are $15,900 to $21,900. Confirm your band on our [pricing page](https://funded.club/pricing) or in your first call. ## Match the search to the stage of your sales team Most startups build sales in a similar order, and each step needs a different kind of search. The first AEs are usually the hardest, because they must sell without a proven playbook and without much brand behind them. ![Diagram of a common order for building a startup sales team: founder-led sales, first account executives, SDRs and sales support, then a Head of Sales or VP Sales, with the middle steps as repeatable searches and the last as a leadership search](https://funded.club/hs-fs/hubfs/(01)%20Thumbnails/n26-team-order.png?width=1200&name=n26-team-order.png) - **First account executives.** Look for people who have sold at a similar stage, not only in a similar market. A recruiter should screen for comfort with an unfinished product. - **SDRs and sales support.** These often come in groups, so a predictable fee per hire makes budgeting simple. - **Head of Sales or VP Sales.** Hire once the first AEs have shown what works. Our guide on [how to hire a VP Sales](https://funded.club/blog/hire-vp-sales-startup) covers the timing. ## Five questions to ask any sales recruiter - **Is the fee calculated on base, OTE or a fixed amount?** Get it in writing before the search starts. - **How do you test that a candidate can sell at our stage?** Past quota numbers from a large company say little about selling a new product. - **Who runs the search day to day?** Find out whether one person owns it or several people share it. - **When does each part of the fee fall due?** Some bill on start date, others split payment across the search. - **What happens if the shortlist is thin after a month?** A clear answer tells you how the recruiter handles risk. ## Where Funded.club fits Funded.club is a fixed-fee recruiting partner for funded startups and fast-growing teams across North America, Europe and APAC. Since 2019 we've helped 500+ startups from Seed to Series D, hiring for sales alongside engineering, product, marketing, operations, customer success and leadership. We agree a low fixed fee upfront, averaging 6 to 9% of salary. One dedicated recruiter runs your search from sourcing and headhunting to screening and offer support, with first screened candidates within 7 days and 33 days on average from kick-off to hire. If we don't deliver a shortlist of at least 3 qualified candidates within 30 days, you can claim the advance back in full. ## Frequently asked questions ### How much does a recruiter charge for a startup sales hire? Contingency recruiters typically charge 20 to 25% of first-year compensation, and for sales roles that may include commission. Funded.club charges a fixed fee agreed upfront, from $4,900 to $21,900 per hire. ### Which recruiter is best for a startup's first account executive? Choose one that screens for experience selling at an early stage. Go-to-market specialists such as Betts Recruiting and fixed-fee recruiters such as Funded.club both run these searches. ### When should a startup hire a VP Sales? Usually after the first account executives have shown the sales motion works without the founders. Hiring a VP before that often means they have to build the playbook and the team at once. Worth a brief chat about your next hire? [Book a free call](https://funded.club/contact-us). ## Hiring after a funding round? First candidates in 7 days. Fixed-fee, no commission. [See pricing](https://funded.club/pricing) [Book a free call](https://funded.club/contact-us) [Try the Growth Planner](https://funded.club/growth-planner) [![Primary\_logo](https://funded.club/hubfs/funded-images2022/Primary_logo.svg)](https://funded.club) © 2019-2026 Funded.club B.V. All Rights Reserved. Chamber of Commerce: 63083809    VAT (BTW): NL855084844B01 ## Contact Us - [Hiring service](https://funded.club) - [Pricing - Recruiting projects](https://funded.club/pricing) - [Find a job](https://funded.club/startupjobs) - [Our team](https://funded.club/fundedteam) - [Blog](https://funded.club/blog) - [Case studies](https://funded.club/case-studies) - [Startup resources](https://funded.club/resources) - [FAQ](https://funded.club/faq) - [Contact Us](https://funded.club/contact-us) ## Follow Us © 2019-2026 All rights reserved. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/56133290) - [Cookie policies](https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/56133290/cookie-policy) - [Terms of Use](https://funded.club/terms) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/#ray-gibson" }, "dateModified" : "2026-09-29", "datePublished" : "2026-09-29", "headline" : "Best recruiters for startup sales hires in 2026", "image" : [ "https://7828179.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/7828179/blog-featured-images/fc-best-recruiters-startup-sales-hires.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/blog/best-recruiters-startup-sales-hires", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/#organization" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://funded.club/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "areaServed" : [ "North America", "Europe", "Asia-Pacific" ], "description" : "Fixed-fee recruiting partner for funded startups and fast-growing teams across North America, Europe and APAC. 500+ startups helped since 2019. Fixed fees from $4,900 to $21,900 per hire, averaging 6-9% of salary. First candidates in 7 days.", "foundingDate" : "2019", "knowsAbout" : [ "Startup recruiting", "Fixed-fee recruitment", "Technical recruiting", "Executive search" ], "legalName" : "Funded.club B.V.", "logo" : "https://funded.club/hubfs/Primary%20logo.jpg", "name" : "Funded.club", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/funded-club/", "https://clutch.co/profile/fundedclub", "https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/funded-club", "https://www.facebook.com/Funded.club/", "https://x.com/club_funded" ], "url" : "https://funded.club/" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "WebSite", "description" : "Fixed-fee startup recruiting for startups and scale-ups. Hire smarter, scale faster with Funded.club.", "name" : "Funded.club", "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/#organization" }, "url" : "https://funded.club/" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://funded.club/#ray-gibson", "@type" : "Person", "alumniOf" : { "@type" : "EducationalOrganization", "name" : "University of Humberside" }, "description" : "Ray Gibson is the founder and CEO of Funded.club, a fixed-fee recruiting partner for funded startups and fast-growing teams across North America, Europe and APAC. He has more than 25 years of experience in recruitment, HR and startup leadership, and has helped 500+ startups from Seed to Series D hire engineering, product, sales and leadership talent.", "image" : "https://funded.club/hs-fs/hubfs/img-prof_2%20(1).webp", "jobTitle" : "Founder and CEO, Funded.club", "knowsAbout" : [ "Startup recruitment", "Fixed-fee recruiting", "Technical recruiting", "Executive search for startups", "Hiring after a funding round", "Recruiter fees and hiring costs", "Remote and international hiring", "Talent acquisition strategy" ], "name" : "Ray Gibson", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/raygibson99/", "https://www.crunchbase.com/person/ray-gibson", "https://theorg.com/org/funded-club/org-chart/ray-gibson", "https://x.com/SuperRayGibson" ], "url" : "https://funded.club/fundedteam", "worksFor" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/#organization" } } ```