Contingency recruiters typically charge a percentage of the hire's first-year salary, commonly quoted between 15% and 25%. The better the person you hire, the more the introduction costs you.
Roven works the other way round: posting is free, every employer is verified, and one flat fee applies only when someone accepts your offer.
Side by side
| A CONTINGENCY RECRUITER | ROVEN | |
|---|---|---|
| TO POST | A Contingency Recruiter: paid, on their published terms | $0. Always free. |
| YOU PAY WHEN | Regardless of whether you hire | Only when your offer is accepted |
| APPLICANTS | Open to bulk-apply tools and bots | Verified humans with real work history |
| VISIBILITY | Influenced by ad spend | Surfaces on fit, never on budget |
| LISTING FRESHNESS | Stale listings can linger indefinitely | 30-day confirmation clock or it comes down |
| ACCOUNTABILITY | Response rates not published | Your response record is public - and unbuyable |
We describe A Contingency Recruiter's business model in general terms only and quote no prices for it, because their pricing changes and a wrong number on a page about honesty would be worth less than nothing. Check their current rates yourself, then compare. If anything here is out of date, tell us at hello@rovenhr.com and we'll correct it.
Why employers switch
Finding a $90,000 hire is not three times the work of finding a $30,000 hire, but the percentage says it is.
Paying more for a stronger candidate is a strange incentive to build a hiring budget around.
A recruiter fills the role in front of them. A marketplace keeps working for the next one, and the one after that.
What you get instead
Every business is checked before it can post. Candidates know your listing is real, which is why they take it seriously.
The moment your role goes live, matching candidates are emailed - before it reaches the general feed.
Give rough notes, get an editable description. It won't invent pay, benefits or requirements you didn't state.
Offer up to three times, they pick one, both sides get it in writing. No phone tag.
Your response rate and speed are computed from real activity and shown on every listing. It can't be edited or bought - only earned.
If a hire ends within 30 days, the fee is credited in full toward your next placement.
Founding employers - first 100, nationwide
Placement fees are waived entirely right now. The first 100 verified employers in the US lock founding terms: free for 12 months after pricing activates, then 50% off list pricing for life.
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Roven is free to post and charges one flat placement fee only when a candidate accepts your offer. There is no subscription, no per-application billing and no sponsored placement.
List pricing is $249 per contract, part-time or temporary hire and $499 per full-time W-2 hire, with launch pricing currently at $99 and $199. Placement fees are waived entirely while the marketplace grows, and the first 100 verified employers keep 50% off list pricing for life.
Posting, searching and messaging are free permanently. The only charge Roven ever makes is a placement fee at the moment a hire is confirmed, and that fee is currently waived.
If a hire ends within 30 days, the placement fee is credited in full toward your next placement.