---
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.
---
[Startup Hiring Insights & Guides | funded.club](https://funded.club/blog)
# [Best recruiters for startup sales hires in 2026](https://funded.club/blog/best-recruiters-startup-sales-hires)
Written by [Ray Gibson](https://funded.club/blog/author/ray-gibson) | Sep 29, 2026, 5:55:12 PM
*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.
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.
- **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).
[View full post](https://funded.club/blog/best-recruiters-startup-sales-hires)
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