How transparent are recruiting firms?
Most employers shopping for a recruiting firm hit the same wall: you can’t compare prices, because almost nobody publishes one.
In November 2026, 123RFP checked the public websites of 2,228 U.S. direct-hire recruiting firms. Fewer than 1 in 25 publishes its fee. (See the full study.)
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| What firms publish on their own website | Share of firms |
|---|---|
| How they charge (contingency, retained, both or hourly) | 32.2% |
| A placement guarantee | 15.0% |
| A fee | 3.8% |
More than eight times as many firms tell you how they charge as tell you how much. You can usually learn the model online. The price and the guarantee usually take a sales call.
Why it’s hard to compare firms
When terms aren’t published, every firm’s offer arrives in a different shape: a percentage of base, a percentage of total compensation, a flat fee, a retainer split into thirds, a guarantee that’s “standard” but undefined. Putting two proposals side by side becomes its own project, and the firm that explains itself best on the call often wins over the firm with the better terms.
Six questions to ask any recruiting firm
Ask for the answers in writing, before the first call if you can.
- 01 What is your fee, as a percentage of first-year base salary or a flat amount?
- 02 Is anything due before a hire? How much, and is it refundable?
- 03 How long is the guarantee, and what happens if the hire leaves: a replacement, a refund or a credit?
- 04 What conditions apply to the guarantee (payment deadlines, notice periods, reasons for leaving)?
- 05 Can I read your client agreement before we start?
- 06 How do you align your incentives (at firm and contributor levels) with your client goals?
A firm that answers all six quickly, in writing, is telling you something about how it will run your search.
We’d rather you compare us than wonder about us, so our terms are on our website: 9.9% for a 60-day exclusive search or 15.9% non-exclusive, with an 18-month replacement guarantee. Our full client agreement is public, so you can read every word before we talk. And question six is easy for us: our recruiters aren’t paid on commission, so nobody here earns more by pushing a candidate you’re unsure about.
Data: 123RFP Recruiting Firm Transparency, Fees and Guarantees Study, Q4 2026. 123RFP is operated by beep! Directed, the company behind #twiceasnice Recruiting.
Related: What do recruiting firms charge? → How long do recruiting guarantees last? →