comparison
Flat-fee hiring vs Reed: what UK SMEs actually pay
Reed charges per listing and agencies take 15–25%. Here's how flat-fee platforms change the maths for a £35k hire.
UK SMEs posting on Reed often pay £100+ per listing, with featured placement costing extra. Add agency fees of 15–25% on salary and a single £35,000 hire can cost £6,000 or more before you've counted your time.
Flat-fee platforms like Recruitment Site charge a predictable monthly subscription — unlimited job posts on Growth, AI applicant scoring included, and no placement commission when you hire.
The break-even is simple: if you hire more than once a year, or post more than two roles simultaneously, flat fee wins. Reed and Indeed still make sense for one-off brand campaigns, but they're expensive as your default channel.
Salary transparency is another hidden cost saver. Listings with disclosed pay get 25–30% more applications on average, which means fewer paid boosts and less time chasing candidates.