--- title: Hunt Club vs Funded.club for startup hiring description: Hunt Club is referral and network-led, often used for leadership. Funded.club gives you one dedicated recruiter per search for a fixed fee. See which fits. image: https://funded.club/hubfs/blog-featured-images/fc-hunt-club-vs-funded-club.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 # Hunt Club vs Funded.club for startup hiring ![hunt-club-vs-funded.club-for-startup-hiring](https://funded.club/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-featured-images/fc-hunt-club-vs-funded-club.png?width=1200&height=628&name=fc-hunt-club-vs-funded-club.png) [Ray Gibson](https://funded.club/blog/author/ray-gibson) Sep 30, 2026, 1:54:53 AM *Updated September 2026* Hunt Club and Funded.club find candidates in different ways. Hunt Club is a network and referral-led recruiting firm, often used for leadership hires, so candidates tend to arrive through people who know them. Funded.club is a fixed-fee recruiting partner where one dedicated recruiter searches for and approaches candidates directly, with a fee agreed before the search starts. The useful way to compare them is to ask where your best candidate is likely to be found. Some people are easiest to reach through a trusted introduction. Others are strong candidates whom nobody in your circle knows yet, and they only appear when someone searches for them. The answer can differ from one role to the next, even within the same hiring plan. ## The two models side by side This table compares the models, not the quality of either company. Check Hunt Club's own website for its current pricing and how it works. | | Network and referral-led (Hunt Club) | Dedicated fixed-fee recruiter (Funded.club) | | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | A network and referral-led recruiting firm, often used for leadership hires | A fixed-fee recruiting partner, with one dedicated recruiter per search | | How candidates are found | Through a network and referrals | Through direct search and headhunting by the recruiter | | Roles | Often leadership hires | Engineering, product, sales, marketing, operations, customer success and leadership | | Tends to suit | Hires where a trusted introduction carries weight | Hiring plans with several roles, and searches where you want one accountable recruiter and a known fee | | Pricing | See Hunt Club's website | Fixed fee agreed upfront, $4,900 to $21,900 per hire | ## Two ways candidates reach you A referral carries information you can't easily get any other way. When someone who has worked with a candidate recommends them, you learn how that person behaves under pressure and whether others want to work with them again. For senior leaders, where one wrong hire affects everyone below them, that context is valuable. ![Diagram of two recruiting models: in the referral and network-led route candidates reach you through warm introductions from people who know them, while in the dedicated recruiter route a recruiter searches, approaches and screens candidates before sending a shortlist](https://funded.club/hs-fs/hubfs/(01)%20Thumbnails/n21-two-routes.png?width=1200&name=n21-two-routes.png) Direct search has a different strength. A recruiter who maps the market and approaches people one by one reaches candidates outside anyone's network, including people who are not looking and would never have been referred. For roles where good people are spread across many companies, such as senior engineers or account executives, that reach is often what fills the role. ## A worked example: one quarter, four hires Here is an illustrative Series A plan, so swap in your own roles and salaries. In the next quarter the company wants a VP Engineering, two senior engineers and an account executive. The VP Engineering search is the one where a trusted introduction could matter most. The founders might use a referral-led firm, rely on their investors' networks, or brief a dedicated recruiter. All three are reasonable, and the right choice depends on how well connected the founders already are with engineering leaders. The other three roles are a better fit for direct search. Strong senior engineers and account executives are spread widely, and the company wants them hired in the same quarter. With fixed fees, the founders can put the whole plan into the budget before any search begins. ![Bar chart of Funded.club fixed fees for an illustrative quarter's hiring plan: $11,500 for each of two senior engineers, $7,500 for an account executive and $15,900 to $21,900 for a VP Engineering, a plan total of $46,400 to $52,400 known before any search starts](https://funded.club/hs-fs/hubfs/(01)%20Thumbnails/n21-plan-fees.png?width=1200&name=n21-plan-fees.png) If the founders run the VP search through another route, the fixed fees for the other three roles still come to $30,500. For what the leadership search would cost through Hunt Club, check its website. ## Questions to ask either provider - **Where will candidates for this role come from?** Ask for a description of how the first candidates will be found. - **Who is accountable for the search?** Know whether one person owns it end to end or several people contribute. - **What will it cost, and when do I pay?** Get the total and the payment timing in writing before you start. - **How will you keep me updated?** Agree how often you'll hear about progress and in what form. ## Where Funded.club fits We are a fixed-fee recruiting partner for funded startups and fast-growing teams across North America, Europe and APAC, and we've helped 500+ startups from Seed to Series D, including leadership hires. One dedicated recruiter runs each search end to end, from sourcing and headhunting to screening and support through offer. You'll see first screened candidates within 7 days, and the average time from kick-off to hire is 33 days. Fees are agreed upfront, average 6 to 9% of salary and run from $4,900 to $21,900 per hire (see [pricing](https://funded.club/pricing)). If we don't deliver a shortlist of at least 3 qualified candidates within 30 days, you can claim the advance back in full. For leadership roles, our guide on [how to hire a CTO for a startup](https://funded.club/blog/hire-cto-startup) covers the process in more detail. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the difference between Hunt Club and Funded.club? Hunt Club is a network and referral-led recruiting firm, often used for leadership hires. Funded.club is a fixed-fee recruiting partner where one dedicated recruiter searches for candidates directly, with fees from $4,900 to $21,900 per hire. ### Are referral-based hires better than direct search? Each has strengths. Referrals bring trusted context about a candidate, while direct search reaches strong people outside anyone's network. Many startups use referrals for some roles and direct search for others. ### Can I use Funded.club for leadership hires? Yes. Funded.club recruits for leadership roles as well as engineering, product, sales, marketing, operations and customer success, with fees above $150,000 salary running from $15,900 to $21,900. ### How do I compare recruiting costs across providers? Price your whole hiring plan under each option and check when payments fall due. Use each provider's own website or a direct quote for current pricing. 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" : "Hunt Club vs Funded.club for startup hiring", "image" : [ "https://7828179.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/7828179/blog-featured-images/fc-hunt-club-vs-funded-club.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/blog/hunt-club-vs-funded-club", "@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. 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