What Agencies Actually Charge
Recruitment agencies use several fee structures, all of which transfer significant cost to the employer.
Fee Structure | Typical Range | Example (€32.000,- salary) |
|---|---|---|
Permanent placement fee | 15% – 25% of annual salary | €4.800,- – €8.000,- |
Temp-to-perm conversion | 10% – 20% + hourly markup | €3.200,- – €6.400,- + markup |
Hourly markup (temp) | 30% – 50% on top of pay rate | €9,60 – €16,- extra per hour |
At the high end, a temp agency driver can cost €56.200,- per year, nearly 75% more than a directly employed driver earning €32.000,-. The convenience comes at a significant premium.
The Hidden Costs of Agency Hiring
The placement fee is only part of the cost. There are additional costs that rarely appear in agency contracts.
Extended vacancy cost. An empty truck seat costs a transport company between €500,- and €1.000,- per week in lost revenue. Over 12 weeks of agency search time, that totals €6.000,- to €12.000,- in losses.
Onboarding and integration. New drivers — regardless of source — require orientation, route familiarisation, and admin setup. This typically costs €500,- to €1.000,- per hire in management time and training hours.
Turnover risk. Agency-placed drivers have higher turnover rates. If a driver leaves within 3 months, you pay another placement fee. Some agencies offer a partial rebate, but the interruption cost remains.
Direct Hiring Cost Breakdown
Cost Item | Typical Range |
|---|---|
Job board posting (30 days) | €200,- – €500,- per post |
HR time (screening, interviews) | €500,- – €1.500,- per hire |
Background / license checks | €50,- – €150,- per candidate |
Onboarding and training | €500,- – €1.000,- per hire |
Total direct hire cost | €1.250,- – €3.500,- per hire |
Compare that to the €5.000,- to €10.000,- agency fee. Direct hiring can save 50% to 75% per placement.
The Case for Direct Hiring Platforms
Platforms like Fyndaro offer a third option: direct access to verified, CE-licensed drivers without agency markups. Transport companies post a hiring need, browse matched driver profiles filtered by license type, experience, availability, and location, and contact drivers directly.
The difference in cost per hire is significant. Every driver hired through an agency at €7.500,- could cost €399,- on Fyndaro. For a company replacing 8 drivers per year, that is over €56.000,- in annual savings.
When Agencies Still Make Sense
Agency hiring is not always wrong. There are situations where the premium is justified:
Emergency cover — a driver is sick tomorrow and you have a contracted route. Agencies can fill short-notice gaps faster than direct hiring.
Seasonal peaks — Christmas, harvest season, or short-term contracts where you need drivers for 4 to 12 weeks only.
Markets where you have no reach — if you need drivers in a country or region where you have no hiring network, agencies with local presence can accelerate access.
For ongoing or permanent hiring needs, the economics of direct hiring are difficult to argue against.
A Practical Cost Comparison
Consider a mid-sized transport company hiring 10 drivers per year through three different channels:
Hiring Method | Cost Per Hire | Annual Cost (10 drivers) |
|---|---|---|
Recruitment agency | €7.500,- | €75.000,- |
Job boards (direct) | €2.500,- | €25.000,- |
Fyndaro platform | €399,- | €3.990,- |
That is €71.010,- in annual savings compared to agency recruitment, and €21.010,- compared to traditional job boards.
