Why are recruiting agencies so expensive?

Agencies typically charge 15-25% of the hired candidate first-year salary — $15,000 to $25,000 for an average SDR. These fees pay for manual sourcing and screening work that AI platforms like Shortlist now automate.

How do recruiting agency alternatives work?

Platforms like Shortlist use AI to source candidates from professional networks and pre-screen them for skills and experience — delivering the same result as a recruiter at a fraction of the cost.

Do recruiting alternatives offer replacement guarantees?

Yes — Shortlist offers a 90-day replacement guarantee, matching or exceeding the guarantees most agencies offer.

Best Alternatives to Recruiting Agencies

You don't need to pay 20% of salary to hire great SDRs. Here are better options.

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Alternative	Typical Cost	Best For
Shortlist	Free pilot / from $49/mo	Best agency alternative — AI sourcing + pre-screening at 90% less than agency fees
LinkedIn Recruiter	$825+/mo	Large candidate database but requires in-house recruiter time to screen and outreach
Indeed/ZipRecruiter	Pay-per-click	High inbound volume but most applicants are not qualified for SDR/sales roles
Fetcher.ai	From $149/mo	Automated outreach but you still manage screening and interviewing
Traditional Agency	15–25% of salary	Hands-off but expensive ($15K-$25K per hire) with no talent pipeline you own

Alternative

Typical Cost

Best For

Shortlist

Free pilot / from $49/mo

Best agency alternative — AI sourcing + pre-screening at 90% less than agency fees

LinkedIn Recruiter

$825+/mo

Large candidate database but requires in-house recruiter time to screen and outreach

Indeed/ZipRecruiter

Pay-per-click

High inbound volume but most applicants are not qualified for SDR/sales roles

Fetcher.ai

From $149/mo

Automated outreach but you still manage screening and interviewing

Traditional Agency

15–25% of salary

Hands-off but expensive ($15K-$25K per hire) with no talent pipeline you own

Our Verdict Shortlist is the most cost-effective recruiting agency alternative for SDR and BDR hiring — you get agency-quality candidates at SaaS pricing, plus a 90-day replacement guarantee.

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Best Alternatives to Recruiting Agencies

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