OnHires vs a Traditional Recruitment Agency: Pay-per-Hire, Subscription and RPO Compared
Most companies know the traditional agency model: you share a job, several agencies send CVs, and you pay a percentage of salary for the person you hire. It works for some roles and not for others.
This page compares that model with how OnHires works, so you can decide which fits your hiring plan.
Recruiting
November 11, 2026
Maiia
The short answer
A traditional contingency agency is a good fit for an occasional single hire. OnHires is built for tech companies that hire several roles across engineering, product and go-to-market, and gives you three models: pay-per-hire for one-off roles, a monthly subscription with a dedicated recruiter and sourcer for several roles at once, and RPO for a whole hiring programme.
Side-by-side comparison
| Traditional contingency agency | OnHires | |
|---|---|---|
| Hiring models | Fee per hire only | Pay-per-hire, monthly subscription or RPO |
| Who works on your roles | Recruiters split across many clients | A dedicated recruiter and sourcer on subscription and RPO |
| First candidates | Varies widely | First vetted candidates in 7-10 days |
| Average time to fill | Often 6-10 weeks | About three weeks on average |
| Guarantee | Often 30-90 days | 3-month free replacement on every placement |
| Reporting | CVs by email | Weekly pipeline reports |
| Coverage | Often one country or one function | Engineering, product and GTM in the US and Europe |
When a traditional agency is enough
- You hire one or two people a year.
- The role is common and local, with a large talent pool.
- You have time to review CVs from several agencies.
When OnHires is the better fit
- You need several roles filled at once, often after a funding round.
- You hire across engineering, product and sales and want one partner.
- You hire in the US and Europe, or in a market where you have no network.
- You hire specialist roles in FinTech and crypto (including compliance), Web3, AI/ML or sales.
- You want to see the pipeline every week, not just CVs.
How to choose
Count your open roles for the next six months. For one or two roles, pay-per-hire keeps it simple. For three or more roles at once, a recruitment subscription usually costs less than separate fees. For a full hiring programme with high volume, RPO takes over the whole process. You can see real results in our case studies.
FAQ
Is OnHires a recruitment agency?
Yes. OnHires is a global tech recruitment agency founded in 2020, with a team of 25+ recruiters and sourcers, hiring for tech and e-commerce companies, from startups to established businesses.
Can I start with pay-per-hire and move to a subscription later?
Yes. Many clients start with one role and switch to a subscription when their hiring plan grows.
Does OnHires work only with startups?
No. OnHires works with tech and e-commerce companies at every stage, from venture-backed startups and scale-ups to established businesses that need specialist or parallel hiring.
What happens if a hire leaves early?
Every OnHires placement includes a 3-month free replacement.