Flat-fee recruiting vs contingency
Flat-fee recruiting means one fixed price per hire, instead of a percentage of the hire's first-year salary. Here's how the two compare, and when each one costs less.
-
Contingency
15–25% of salary
Paid only when you hire, but it's a share of the first-year salary.
Rises with every raise in your offer -
Flat fee (ours)
$3,500 / $9,900
One price per hire, for Latin America or the US, set before the search starts.
Same at any salary -
Break-even salary
$49,500
For a US hire at a 20% agency rate ($14,000 in Latin America at 25%).
Above it, the flat fee costs less
Same hire, two fees
Move the salary and watch what happens. A percentage fee follows it up. A flat fee stays put.
/ year
The agency fee uses a typical 20% rate. Want a different rate, or several hires? Use the full fee calculator.
You'd save $10,100
per hire with the flat fee.
How recruiting is priced
The real question isn't the rate. It's whether the fee grows when the salary does.
| Model | What you pay | When salary rises |
|---|---|---|
| Contingency | 15–25% of first-year base salary, only when you hire | Fee rises |
| Retained executive search | 25–35% of first-year compensation, in three installments | Fee rises |
| Flat feeUs | One fixed amount per hire, known before the search starts | Stays the same |
| Staffing markup | 35–50% on top of the worker's pay rate, for every hour they work | Fee rises |
| Recruiting as a service (RaaS) | A subscription for a set period of recruiting work | Rises with time |
Rates: Leonar, updated September 21, 2026.
What is the break-even salary?
It's the salary where a flat fee and a percentage fee cost the same. Divide the flat fee by the agency's rate.
A US hire
A Latin America hire
The further the salary is above break-even, the bigger the gap.
Try your own rate in the calculatorWhen a flat fee fits, and when it doesn't
A flat fee fits
- Full-time roles up to Director level
- Salaries above the break-even
- Hires in Latin America or the US
- You want to employ the hire directly and set the salary
Look elsewhere for
- Roles paid below the break-even salary
- VP and C-suite searches
- Part-time and temporary roles
- Teams that don't want to employ or pay the hire themselves
Questions about flat-fee recruiting
Still deciding? These are the questions employers ask most.
Does a flat fee mean less search work?
No. Every candidate has had skills and work-sample review before you see them, and Latin America candidates also complete an English assessment, spoken and written.
How is a flat fee different from contingency?
A flat fee is fixed before the search starts, so you know the cost before any offer is made. A contingency fee is known only once the salary is agreed, and it rises with every increase in the offer.
How is it different from monthly staffing?
You pay a flat fee once and hire the person directly. A staffing provider adds a markup to the worker's pay rate for every hour they work.
When do you pay the flat fee?
On a Latin America hire you pay $0 up front. On a US hire, $500 of the fee is due when the search starts, non-refundable. The fee, or the rest of it, is invoiced on the hire's start date and due net 15.
What does the flat fee cover?
The flat fee covers any full-time role up to Director level. Each search includes first vetted candidates within 5 business days for Latin America roles or 10 business days for US roles, counted from the kickoff call where we define the role, and a 180-day replacement guarantee.
One price per hire. Whatever the salary.
$3,500 for Latin America, $9,900 for the US. Send a hiring request and you'll hear back within 1 business day.