How Much Does a Fractional Recruiter Cost in 2026?
Dover
February 2, 2026
•
4 mins
A fractional recruiter is an experienced hiring professional who works with your company part-time or project-based instead of full-time. You bring them in exactly when needed, without committing to a permanent hire.
These recruiters typically have 10-15 years of experience in talent acquisition and handle the full recruitment cycle: sourcing candidates, screening resumes, conducting interviews, and closing talent. The difference is you pay hourly or per project instead of a full-time salary with benefits.
For startups, fractional recruiters bridge the gap between expensive agencies (charging 20-30% of first-year salary) and full-time recruiters (costing $80,000+ annually). You get recruiting help during busy hiring periods without overhead when things slow down. Choosing the right recruiter is key to making this model work.
Fractional recruiters work on three main pricing structures, each suited for different hiring needs and budgets.
The hourly model gives you the most flexibility. You pay only for time spent, with no contracts or placement fees. For a deeper breakdown of fractional recruiter costs, check out our detailed guide. This works well if you need help sourcing candidates for a single role or want recruiting support that scales with your hiring pipeline.
Monthly retainers make sense when you have consistent hiring volume. You get a set number of hours each month at a predictable cost, though you're committed to paying during slower periods.
Contingency fees mirror traditional agency pricing. Most startups avoid this model since the whole point is escaping expensive percentage-based agency fees.
A fractional recruiter dedicating 20 hours per role at $100/hour costs around $2,000 per hire. For 2-3 positions quarterly, expect to spend $8,000-$12,000 total compared to a single agency placement at $25,000-$35,000.
For ongoing hiring needs, 10 hours weekly typically runs $3,000–$5,000 monthly depending on hourly rate, or $48,000-$60,000 annually. That's 60-70% less than a $150,000+ full-time recruiter with benefits.
Most Dover customers spend $2,000-$7,000 per hire. A startup filling five roles per quarter invests $15,000-$25,000 total instead of six figures through agencies.
Fractional Recruiters vs. Traditional Recruiting Agencies
Traditional recruiting agencies operate on contingency fees, charging 15-25% of first-year salary. For a $120,000 role, that's $18,000-$30,000 per placement.
Agencies work on volume, juggling dozens of searches and often submitting the same candidate to multiple companies. Their incentive is closing deals fast, not finding your best fit.
Fractional recruiters work differently. You get a dedicated recruiter who learns your company and culture, focusing exclusively on your open roles. They integrate into your hiring process like an internal team member, not a vendor pushing candidates.
The service model matters too. With fractional recruiters, you control the relationship and hours invested. With agencies, you're locked into their process and fee structure with minimal transparency into their work.
Fractional Recruiters vs. In-House Recruiters
An in-house recruiter may cost $60,000-$120,000 annually in salary, plus benefits (30-40% on top), software, and onboarding. The real cost reaches $85,000-$170,000 per year.
If you're making fewer than 8-10 hires monthly, a full-time recruiter is often underutilized. A fractional recruiter at $100/hour for 15-20 hours per role costs $1,500-$2,000 per hire. At five hires quarterly, that's $10,000 versus $42,500 for a quarter of an in-house recruiter's loaded cost.
In-house recruiters work best for consistent, high-volume hiring. Series B companies filling 10+ roles monthly benefit from dedicated headcount who understand your brand and build long-term pipelines.
For early-stage startups with sporadic hiring, fractional recruiters deliver senior-level expertise without overhead. Scale support up during growth spurts and down when hiring slows.
When Should Startups Hire a Fractional Recruiter?
Fractional recruiting makes sense when you're spending more than 20 hours weekly on hiring tasks. If your founder or team is stuck sourcing candidates, screening resumes, and coordinating interviews instead of building product or closing customers, outside help pays for itself.
Another clear signal: you need to fill 8-10 roles in the next few months. That's too much for founders to handle alone but not enough volume to support a $150,000+ full-time recruiter. A fractional recruiter gives you professional support scaled to your actual hiring load.
Watch for hiring bottlenecks slowing your business. Missing revenue targets because you can't close a sales hire fast enough? Product roadmap stalled waiting for engineers? These delays cost far more than a fractional recruiter's hourly rate.
Seed through Series B companies get the most value from fractional recruiting. Your hiring needs fluctuate as you close funding rounds, launch products, or enter new markets. You need recruiting firepower that ramps up and down with your growth curve.
Hidden Costs of Not Using a Fractional Recruiter
How Dover's Recruiter Marketplace Improves on Traditional Fractional Recruiting
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts on the Cost of Fractional Recruiters
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