Recruitment Fee Calculator: How Much Could You Save?
When you are scaling an engineering team, traditional recruitment agency fees can eat up your budget fast. Our free recruitment fee calculator shows exactly how much your business saves by switching from percentage placement fees to Bernoullis predictable, flat-rate monthly subscription.
Calculate Your Recruitment Fees and Savings
Adjust the settings to match your hiring plans. The recruitment fee calculator updates instantly, needs no sign-up and runs entirely in your browser.
Four Settings That Shape Your Recruitment Fees
You simply adjust four settings to match your current hiring plans. Use the salary bands and fee terms you actually work with today, so the comparison reflects the invoices you would really receive.
Average engineer salary
The annual salary for the roles you are hiring, for example £40,000. Percentage fees rise with salary, so senior hires cost the most.
Expected hires per month
How many engineers you plan to hire each month, up to five. Hiring volume is what makes a subscription so cost-effective.
Standard agency fee
The recruitment agency percentage you normally pay. Most UK agencies charge between 15% and 25% of first-year salary.
Subscription commitment
Choose a 3-month, 6-month or 12-month Bernoulli plan. Longer terms have a lower monthly price.
How the Recruitment Fee Calculator Works
Behind the scenes, the calculator compares traditional agency costs with your Bernoulli subscription in real time, in three steps.
Traditional agency fees
A 15% fee on a £40,000 salary costs £6,000 per hire. Hire two engineers a month for 12 months (24 hires) and a traditional agency bills £144,000.
Your subscription cost
On Bernoullis 12-month plan at £1,750 a month, the total for the year is £21,000, covering up to five hires every month with no extra success fees.
Your net savings
The calculator subtracts the subscription from the agency total. In this example you keep £123,000 and your effective cost per hire falls to £875.
A Worked Example: 24 Engineering Hires in a Year
A growing civil engineering consultancy plans to hire two engineers a month for a year, each on around £40,000. On a standard 15% fee, every placement costs £6,000, so 24 hires add up to £144,000 in agency invoices.
On Bernoullis 12-month subscription, the same hiring plan costs £1,750 a month, or £21,000 for the year. There are no success fees on top, and the plan covers up to five hires every month, leaving room to grow if a new contract lands.
The saving is £123,000, and the effective cost per hire drops from £6,000 to £875. At higher salaries or higher agency percentages the gap is even wider, which is why the calculator is worth running with your own figures before you agree terms with any agency.
Step 3 – what you see in real time
- Total agency spend for the same number of hires
- Your fixed Bernoulli subscription investment
- Total net savings kept in your business
- Effective cost per hire on each plan
How Recruitment Agency Fees Work in the UK
Most agencies charge contingency fees: you pay only when a candidate starts, and the fee is a recruitment agency percentage of the new hire’s first-year basic salary. For engineering roles the average recruitment fee usually sits between 15% and 20%, and senior or hard-to-fill roles can reach 25% or more. Some agencies also include bonuses or car allowances in the salary figure, which pushes the fee higher.
Retained search works differently. You pay part of the fee up front, part at shortlist and the rest on appointment. It suits senior and specialist searches but commits you to cost before you have hired anyone.
Both models link your recruitment spend to salary. The more you hire and the more senior the roles, the more you pay. That is exactly the problem a flat monthly subscription is designed to solve, and it is why an agency fee calculator is such a useful starting point for budgeting.
- Contingency: pay on start, typically 15–25% of salary
- Retained: staged fees for senior searches
- Fixed fee: a set price per placement
- Subscription: a flat monthly fee for ongoing hiring
What Is Cost Per Hire and How Do You Reduce It?
Cost per hire is the total you spend on recruitment divided by the number of people hired in the same period. It should include agency fees, job board and advertising spend, assessment tools, interview time and onboarding. For businesses that rely on contingency agencies, fees are usually the biggest part of the figure.
The quickest way to reduce cost per hire is to stop paying a percentage on every placement. With a flat subscription, each additional hire lowers the average cost, so growing teams benefit most. Other levers include a strong referral scheme, a clear careers page and a faster interview process, which reduces the time managers spend on each hire.
Track the figure every quarter. A falling cost per hire, alongside steady retention, is a good sign that your recruitment approach is working.
The Hidden Costs That Sit Behind Every Placement
The invoice from an agency is only part of what a hire really costs. Before a new engineer starts, managers spend hours reviewing CVs, preparing interview questions and meeting candidates. Senior engineers are often pulled into technical interviews, which takes them away from billable or project work. If the first choice declines an offer, much of that effort is repeated.
After the start date there is onboarding: equipment, software licences, site inductions, safety training and time spent by colleagues helping the new starter get up to speed. For a skilled engineer, it can take several months to reach full productivity. None of this appears in a simple fee comparison, but it all adds to the real cost of each hire.
This is why the quality of a shortlist matters as much as the price. A partner who screens technically and understands the role reduces wasted interviews and early leavers, which protects both your budget and your team’s time. Include these hidden costs when you compare options, and the case for a specialist, predictable model becomes even clearer.
- Manager and engineer time spent interviewing
- Repeated effort when offers are declined
- Onboarding, training and equipment
- Lost output while a new starter gets up to speed
Tips for Negotiating Recruitment Agency Fees
If you continue to use contingency agencies, there are ways to keep fees under control. Agree terms in writing before any CVs are sent, and make sure the fee is calculated on basic salary only. Ask for a sliding scale if you plan several hires, and check the rebate or replacement period in case a new starter leaves early.
Be wary of exclusivity without commitment. An exclusive arrangement can deliver better service, but only if the agency agrees clear timescales and shortlist quality in return. And always compare the total cost with alternatives such as fixed-fee recruitment or a subscription before you sign.
- Agree fees in writing before receiving CVs
- Calculate fees on basic salary only
- Ask for volume discounts on multiple hires
- Check rebate and replacement terms
- Compare with fixed-fee and subscription options
Which Recruitment Pricing Model Is Right for You?
The right model depends on how often you hire. If you make one or two hires a year, a fixed fee or a contingency agency may be simplest. If you hire steadily, or you are about to scale a team for a new contract, a subscription usually gives the best value because the cost stays the same however many engineers you bring on.
Bernoulli offers percentage, fixed-fee and subscription options, so we can recommend the model that genuinely suits your plans. See full details on our pricing page, or book a free consultation to talk it through.
Ways to Lower Your Recruitment Spend
Simple changes that reduce what you pay for every engineer you hire.
Forecast your hiring
A 12-month hiring plan lets you choose the most cost-effective pricing model rather than paying the highest fee by default.
Invest in referrals
Engineers know other good engineers. A simple referral bonus often costs far less than an agency placement.
Read the small print
Check whether fees are based on basic salary or total package, and what happens if a new starter leaves early.
Speed up decisions
A slow process loses candidates and restarts searches, which doubles cost and effort for the same hire.
Write sharper briefs
A precise brief reduces unsuitable CVs and wasted interviews, so managers spend less time on every hire.
Compare models yearly
Review your recruitment costs each year against fixed-fee and subscription options as your hiring volume changes.
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Recruitment Fee Calculator: Your Questions Answered
What is the average recruitment fee in the UK?
For permanent roles, the average recruitment fee is typically 15% to 20% of first-year basic salary, with senior and specialist roles reaching 25% or more.
What percentage do recruitment agencies charge?
Most contingency agencies charge a recruitment agency percentage of 15% to 25% of the new hire’s first-year salary, payable when the candidate starts.
How does the recruitment fee calculator work?
It multiplies your average salary by the agency fee percentage and your number of hires, then compares the total with the cost of a Bernoulli subscription over the same period.
How do I calculate cost per hire?
Add up all recruitment costs in a period – agency fees, advertising, tools, interview time and onboarding – and divide by the number of hires in that period.
How many hires does the subscription cover?
Each plan covers up to five hires a month with no additional success fees. See the pricing page for plan details.
Is the agency fee calculator free?
Yes. It is free, needs no sign-up and runs in your browser.
Do you offer fixed-fee recruitment too?
Yes. Alongside the subscription, we offer percentage and fixed-fee recruitment, so you can choose the model that fits your hiring volume.
Can you help us plan our hiring budget?
Yes. Book a free consultation and we will turn your calculator results into a practical hiring plan.
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