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Hiring great marketers shouldn’t come with a five-figure surprise. Yet for many UK businesses, the true cost of using a recruitment agency isn’t clear until the invoice lands.
On paper, the agency model seems simple: you brief the role, they find the candidate, you pay a fee. In practice, that fee is often far higher than expected – and it rarely tells the full story.
Let’s break down what marketing recruitment agencies actually charge, where the hidden costs appear, and why more teams are moving towards transparent, pay-for-results alternatives.
For a deeper look at why so many agencies are struggling to deliver value in the first place, read 5 reasons marketing recruitment agencies are failing UK hiring managers.
1. The headline cost: 20–30% of annual salary
Most recruitment agencies work on a percentage-based fee model. For marketing roles, the commission usually sits between 20% and 30% of the candidate’s first-year salary.
So if you hire a Marketing Manager on £60,000, expect to pay between £12,000 and £18,000 in fees, before VAT.
That might sound acceptable for one key hire, but it quickly scales up. Make several hires a year, or replace a few that don’t work out, and you’re suddenly spending tens of thousands in commission alone.
Imagine what else that budget could fund: a higher salary to secure a top-tier marketer, an extra team member to accelerate delivery, or a stronger bonus pool to retain your best people.
With a more modern and affordable hiring platform like Howard, those funds stay in your business, not your agency’s invoice.
It’s no wonder many marketing leaders now see agency costs as a drain on team growth rather than an investment in it.
2. The hidden fees nobody talks about
Agency pricing rarely ends with the headline percentage. Behind the quote, there’s usually a fine-print ecosystem of extras that add up fast.
Here are a few of the most common ones:
Retainers – some agencies ask for upfront payment before they even start sourcing candidates.
Replacement guarantees – these sound reassuring but often come with time limits and strict conditions.
Exclusivity clauses – agreements that tie you to one agency, even if they’re underperforming.
Admin and advertising costs – added quietly to cover job board posts, assessments or background checks.
Individually, each fee can seem small. Together, they blur the line between “agency partner” and “expense line item”.
Most hiring managers don’t mind paying for quality – but it’s hard to measure value when the pricing model might be unclear from the off. Be sure to read all contracts and SOWs carefully before committing to an agency.
3. The opportunity cost: time, speed and lost talent
The financial cost is only half the story. Every week a marketing role sits unfilled, the business loses output, momentum and potential revenue.
Traditional agencies can take weeks to produce a shortlist, relying on manual outreach and slow communication cycles. Meanwhile, the best candidates are accepting offers elsewhere.
That’s the hidden cost that rarely appears on the invoice: the lost time, productivity and performance caused by a hiring process that moves too slowly.
Modern teams can’t afford to wait a month for candidates when their campaigns and growth goals can’t pause.
If you’re weighing up whether agencies or platforms make more sense for your business, check out Marketing recruitment agencies vs platforms: what actually works in 2025.
4. What you actually get for your money
To be fair, recruitment agencies do offer value – it’s just not always the kind marketing teams need most.
You’re paying for access to their networks, their time screening candidates and their negotiation support. But those benefits depend heavily on the consultant’s individual experience and bandwidth.
For many marketing leaders, that lack of consistency is the problem. One consultant might understand digital strategy; another might not know the difference between brand and growth.
That’s why more companies are rethinking what “value” means in hiring. It’s not about who sends the CVs – it’s about how quickly you can find the right marketer, with full visibility on what you’re paying for.
5. A transparent alternative: pay for results, not percentages
Modern hiring platforms are changing how marketing teams hire. Instead of commissions, they use fixed or pay-for-results pricing – giving employers full control and cost certainty.
You see the process, the candidates and the cost upfront. There are no retainers, no exclusivity agreements, and no invoices for hires that don’t work out.
Platforms like Howard take that transparency a step further. Built specifically for marketing, Howard connects you directly with verified marketers – from performance specialists to brand leads – without the legacy agency overheads.
It’s hiring built for today’s world: faster, fairer and designed around outcomes, not percentages.
A better return on your hiring budget
The real question isn’t “how much does a recruitment agency cost?”
It’s “what are you getting in return?”
Traditional agencies made sense when hiring was slower and talent was harder to reach. But for modern marketing teams, where speed and specialisation matter most, the model no longer adds up.
Platforms like Howard are redefining what value looks like: transparent pricing, shorter time-to-hire and candidates who actually fit.
If you’re done with unpredictable fees and slow processes, it’s time to try a smarter way to hire marketers. Post your first job on Howard for free today.
FAQs
How much do marketing recruitment agencies charge in the UK?
Most charge between 20% and 30% of a candidate’s first-year salary, depending on seniority and specialisation.
Are recruitment agency fees negotiable?
Sometimes, but most operate on fixed percentage structures. Transparent, pay-for-results platforms eliminate the need for negotiation altogether.
Do agencies refund fees if a hire doesn’t work out?
Not usually. Some offer short-term replacement guarantees or a percentage of the original fee, but conditions often limit how useful they are in practice.
What’s the best alternative to using a marketing recruitment agency?
Platforms like Howard give hiring managers direct access to verified marketing talent. You stay in control of the process, and the budget.
