How Much Does a Fractional Recruiter Cost?
Dover
April 18, 2025
•
3 min
A fractional recruiter is an experienced recruiting pro who provides part-time or project-based hiring support to startups. Unlike traditional agency recruiters who juggle dozens of clients simultaneously, fractional recruiters typically focus deeply on fewer clients, offering the personalized attention of an in-house recruiter with contractor flexibility.
Fractional recruiters tackle your hiring needs, from sourcing and screening candidates to scheduling interviews, but without full-time employee overhead. Many are experts in specific fields, making it easier to fill in-demand roles like Software Engineers, Product Managers, or Marketers.
Now let’s break down the pricing models you can expect while hiring one
Fractional recruiters usually price their services in three primary ways:
Hourly Rates
Hourly pricing is straightforward and ranges significantly based on experience:
$75–$150/hr for entry-level recruiters
$150–$250/hr for highly specialized or senior recruiters (think experienced tech recruiters in major hubs)
Pros: Flexible (pay only for hours needed)
Cons: Costs can spike if your hiring ramps unexpectedly
Monthly Retainers
Many fractional recruiters charge a fixed monthly fee, typically around $10,000–$20,000 per month for 15–20 hours per week. This structure ensures steady recruiting efforts and predictable costs.
Pros: Budget-friendly (consistent recruiting focus)
Cons: Requires upfront commitment (potential for unused hours)
Contingency (Per-Hire) Fees
Some fractional recruiters use contingency or hybrid models, charging 15%–25% of the hired candidate’s first-year salary. If hiring an engineer at $120K/year, expect fees around $18K–$30K per hire.
Pros: No upfront cost; pay only when successful
Cons: Highest total cost per hire; recruiters may prioritize easier-to-fill roles
Typical Costs and Real-World Examples
Let’s put this into perspective:
Model | Example Cost (20 hrs/week) | Total Cost Over 3 Months |
|---|---|---|
Hourly ($150/hr) | ~$12,000/month | $36,000 |
Monthly Retainer | $15,000/month | $45,000 |
Contingency (20%) | $24,000 per hire (120K role) | $24,000–$72,000 (for 1–3 hires) |
Strategically choosing a fractional recruiter often saves money compared to contingency agencies, especially if you’re hiring multiple roles. Five hires at 20% agency rates (on $120K each) would cost you $120K total.
Fractional recruiting could get those same hires done for under half that amount.
Check out our real time cost per hire data!
Here's how fractional recruiters stack up against other common hiring methods:
Recruiting Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
Fractional | Cost-effective, flexible, focused | Limited bandwidth; potential continuity issues |
Traditional Agency | No upfront cost; results-driven | High fees (20%+) and less personalized attention |
In-House Recruiter | Constant availability, deep culture alignment | Fixed salary (~$100K+), less flexibility |
For early-stage startups, fractional recruiters are the sweet spot.
They’re fast, flexible, and cost less.
Traditional agencies charge hefty retainers and in-house hires raise your burn rate over time. Fractional recruiters fulfill your fluctuating hiring needs without locking you into long-term costs.
You get a strategic partner who understands the urgency of startup hiring. They help you fill critical roles fast, jump in when hiring ramps up, or step back when things slow down.
When Should Startups Choose Fractional Recruiting?
Fractional recruiters work best when you’re:
Hiring regularly but not enough to justify a full-time recruiter
In Seed to Series B stages, needing 5–15 hires per year
Needing fast, experienced help with specialized roles (like software engineers or product managers)
For rapid hiring spurts (like after funding rounds), fractional recruiting is ideal. It lets founders and key staff focus on product growth instead of candidate outreach.
How Dover's Marketplace Changes the Game
Traditional fractional recruiting sounds simple. But it often feels like guesswork for first-time founders.
You're left juggling profiles, and time-consuming vetting and still don’t end up finding the right fractional recruiter. All you really need is someone who gets your hiring needs and can hit the ground running.
Dover takes it to the next level with a marketplace model. Rather than relying on one fractional recruiter, Dover connects you to a network of skilled recruiters and sourcing experts, all powered by our free ATS.
With Dover, you get:
Scalability: Need to ramp quickly? Dover assigns multiple recruiters to your role at once, helping you find the right candidate faster.
Efficiency: Automation handles sourcing grunt work, letting recruiters spend more time on quality candidate interactions.
Continuity: Even if a recruiter changes, Dover's platform maintains all candidate relationships and recruiting data.
Transparent Pricing: Dover uses hourly billing models, typically resulting in lower overall costs than contingency agencies.
Dover essentially offers fractional recruiting-as-a-service, providing the personalized focus of fractional recruiting with dedicated recruiting partners.
Dover also provides technology and integrations that accelerate sourcing, streamline scheduling, and offer real-time visibility into your hiring process.
Conclusion: Making the Right Choice
Fractional recruiters can solve many startup hiring headaches by offering experienced recruiting support without draining your budget. Depending on your hiring pace, roles, and budget, hourly or retainer fractional recruiters can be highly cost-effective compared to traditional recruiting agencies.
Yet, fractional recruiting is not one-size-fits-all.
Startups facing rapid hiring growth or needing deep expertise across several roles simultaneously will benefit from Dover’s enhanced marketplace approach. In the end, the key is to align your recruiting strategy with your startup’s unique needs and growth stage.
Ready to see if fractional recruiting is right for your startup? Consider evaluating your hiring plan and comparing it with fractional recruiting models. Platforms like Dover offer a modern, flexible way to scale your team without breaking your budget.
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