Most recruiters charge a percentage of the new hire's first-year salary, usually 20 to 25%. A flat-fee recruiter charges a fixed amount per hire instead, agreed before the search starts.
For startups hiring after a funding round, that difference adds up quickly.
| Salary | Contingency at 20-25% | Funded.club fixed fee |
|---|---|---|
| $65,000 | $13,000 to $16,250 | $4,900 |
| $100,000 | $20,000 to $25,000 | $7,500 |
| $140,000 | $28,000 to $35,000 | $11,500 |
| $200,000 | $40,000 to $50,000 | $15,900 to $21,900 |
These are Funded.club's 2026 salary bands: up to $70,000, up to $110,000, up to $150,000, and above. See full pricing.
You agree the fee upfront. Part of it is paid as an advance when the search starts, and the balance when your candidate accepts an offer. At Funded.club, first-time customers can ask to defer the advance until they see their first candidates, and if we don't deliver a shortlist of at least 3 qualified candidates within 30 days, you can claim the advance back in full.
A flat fee works best when you're hiring several people, when salaries are mid to senior level, and when you want the recruiting budget fixed before the search starts.
A percentage model can still make sense for a single niche search where you only want to pay on success and cost isn't the main concern.
Ask who actually runs the search, how quickly you'll see candidates, what the replacement guarantee covers, and whether the fee changes if the role changes.
Funded.club is a fixed-fee recruiting partner for funded startups and fast-growing teams across North America, Europe and APAC. We've helped 500+ startups from Seed to Series D, with first screened candidates in 7 days.
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