Flat Fee Recruitment: A Smarter Way to Hire Without the High Costs
Fixed-fee hiring services explained, what they are, how they work, and what to look out for.
Hiring staff doesn’t have to mean paying 15–25% of salary to an agency.
Flat fee recruitment offers a simpler, more cost-effective alternative — and it’s becoming the go-to model for thousands of UK employers.
Whether you’re hiring admin staff, engineers, salespeople or support roles, flat fee models let you fill roles without unpredictable costs or long commitments.
What is Flat Fee Recruitment?
Flat fee recruitment (also known as fixed fee or low-cost recruitment) is a hiring service where you pay one fixed price per vacancy, no matter the salary or seniority of the role.
Unlike traditional recruitment agencies that charge a percentage of the candidate’s salary (often 15–25%), flat fee providers offer a set, transparent price, usually ranging from £500 to £1,500 per role.
Most flat fee services include:
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Job board advertising (Indeed, CV-Library, TotalJobs, Reed, etc.)
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Basic CV screening or filtering
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Email communication with candidates
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Shortlisting of top applicants
How Much Do Flat Fee Recruiters Charge?
Pricing varies depending on service level and provider. Here's a rough guide:
Some services also offer:
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No hire, no fee options
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Candidate sourcing via LinkedIn
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Bundle discounts for multiple roles
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Monthly subscription models for ongoing hiring
When Is Flat Fee Recruitment a Good Fit?
Flat fee hiring works well if:
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You’re hiring for junior to mid-level roles
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You want to reduce agency costs
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You need help attracting better applicants
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You want someone to manage the job boards for you
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You prefer a simple, capped price
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You’re a smaller business without a dedicated HR team
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Or you just want to avoid traditional agencies like the plague
It's ideal for SMEs, startups, and growing teams who don’t want to take the DIY route — but also don’t want to fork out £4–8k per hire to a traditional agency.
What to Watch Out For
Not all flat-fee recruiters are the same. Some give you real support; others just fire out an advert and leave you to do the heavy lifting. Before you sign up, ask:
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Job board coverage – Are they actually advertising on premium sites (Indeed, Totaljobs, LinkedIn, Reed etc), or just cheaper niche boards?
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Ad duration – Are there only short term options, or do they offer longer hiring support?
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Candidate handling – Do they screen CVs, follow up with applicants and send you shortlists, or do they just dump raw CVs into your inbox?
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Track record – Some flat-fee companies pop up, sell cheap adverts, then disappear. Look for firms with a proper background, reviews, and real people behind them.
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Support – Can you actually pick up the phone and speak to someone, or is it a faceless platform?
Flat-fee recruitment can save you thousands, but only if you choose a provider that actually does the work, not just the advertising.
What Roles Can Be Hired on a Flat Fee?
Flat fee recruitment works best for permanent, office-based or skilled trade roles, such as:
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Administrators
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Customer service advisors
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Sales executives
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Account managers
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Engineers & technicians
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Office support roles
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Finance assistants
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Construction & trade roles
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Legal Executives
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Hospitality Roles (Chefs, GMs/AGMs)
It’s not usually suitable for highly specialised or C-suite roles where specialised headhunting is required and the talentpool of people to approach is far smaller.
Why More UK Employers Are Choosing Flat Fee Models
Flat fee recruitment is becoming the go-to choice for employers who want more than the “same old” from recruitment.
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Better value for money – businesses are fed up with paying thousands in percentage fees that don’t reflect the actual work done.
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A modern way to hire – flexible, transparent, and built for how companies recruit today.
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No more agency games – no overpromising, no chasing rebates, no 20% surprises.
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Simple and predictable – one price, clear service, and the role gets filled.
Traditional agencies can feel outdated and overpriced. Flat fee recruitment offers a smarter, leaner approach, giving employers the support they need without the inflated costs.
Real World Examples
Let’s say you’re hiring a Sales Executive on £30,000 per year:
A traditional agency might charge 20% = £6,000
A flat-fee recruiter might charge £795–£1,295
Savings: Up to £5,200
Multiply that by a few hires and the difference becomes huge — without compromising quality.
Should You Use a Flat Fee Recruiter?
✅ Yes, if you…
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Want to hire quickly without draining your budget
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Prefer a modern, no-nonsense alternative to agencies
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Need help attracting and shortlisting candidates
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Don’t have a full internal HR team but still want quality hires
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Value clear, capped pricing (no scary 20% invoices)
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Would rather work with people than platforms
❌ Maybe not, if you…
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Need specialist headhunting or talent mapping
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Prefer the old-school agency model (and the agency price tag)
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Don’t have the budget to risk a campaign that doesn’t result in a hire, flat fee works best when you can invest confidently knowing the odds are stacked in your favour, but nothing is ever 100% guaranteed
How to Choose the Right Flat Fee Provider
Before signing up, ask the questions that really matter:
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What’s the actual process? – Do they have a clear plan to get your role filled, or are they just pushing out adverts and hoping for the best?
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Who’s behind it? – Is it one person with a laptop and a bit of software, or a proper team you can actually speak to?
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How much support do I get? – Will they screen and manage candidates, or just send you every CV that applies?
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Do they stay involved? – Are they active through the whole process, or do they disappear once the advert is live?
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What’s included (and what isn’t)? – Clarity matters more than flashy promises.
Flat fee recruitment should mean more than just advertising. The best providers act like an extension of your team — giving you real people, real communication, and a clear process from start to finish.
Kamro - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do you charge only one flat fee?
Yes, we charge only one upfront flat fee with no commissions or hidden fees. Our flat fee covers one hire, and any additional hires are charged at the same rate.
What does your flat fee include?
Our flat fee covers the entire recruitment cycle, including:
Understanding your role & writing the advert: Job brief consultation, professionally written advert, and targeted advertising across UK job boards.
Candidate sourcing & screening: Access to CV databases & talent pools, proactive sourcing, candidate screening, long-list interviews, and short-list creation.
Managing the process: Candidate updates, interview scheduling, candidate feedback, and offer negotiation support.
Extras (on request): LinkedIn premium postings, recruiter licence sourcing, compliance checks, and reference requests.
What services are not covered by your flat fee?
Our flat fee does not cover psychometric testing, pre-employment checks & vetting (unless requested), attending interviews on your behalf (in person or via Zoom), or HR admin and legal documentation.
What happens if you cannot find anyone for my role?
While we cannot guarantee every role will be filled, we do guarantee the process.
That means your campaign will include: targeted advertising, candidate sourcing, engagement, and full management from start to finish.
Even for hard-to-fill roles, you’ll still benefit from a robust process and a long list of engaged candidates.
What if my new hire leaves within 30 days?
If your new hire leaves within 30 days, and you have our Placement Protection, we’ll run a new campaign at no extra cost. Without Placement Protection, our campaigns don’t include free replacements once a role is filled.
Do you source candidates for all types of roles?
Yes, we source candidates for all types of roles. While we excel at entry to mid-level positions, we’ve also successfully filled senior and specialist roles.
Can I upgrade to a subscription later?
Yes. Many clients start with Flat Fee and later switch to Subscription when their hiring needs become more regular.