A practical, fixed-fee alternative for UK SMEs. Lower costs, no percentage fees, full hiring control.
Traditional recruitment agencies typically charge 15–25% of the candidate's first year salary. For a £40,000 hire, that's £8,000. For a £60,000 hire, it's £12,000.
If you're hiring two or three people a year, those fees add up fast. And while agencies often deliver excellent results, the cost can feel disproportionate — especially for roles that aren't particularly hard to fill.
You start wondering: "Do I really need to pay this much?"
£6,000
Agency fee for £30k hire
Based on 20% placement fee
£8,000
Agency fee for £40k hire
Based on 20% placement fee
£10,000
Agency fee for £50k hire
Based on 20% placement fee
£30,000+
Total if you hire 3 people/year
Significant budget impact for SMEs
The frustration isn't with agencies themselves — it's with paying agency prices for roles you could probably fill yourself if you just had the time and support.
Let's be clear: recruitment agencies are excellent at what they do. They're worth the investment for certain situations.
If your role sits in that second column, you might not need the full agency service — just the support to handle the admin and workload.
Ari isn't trying to replace recruitment agencies. We're a lighter, fixed-fee alternative for SMEs who need hiring support but don't need (or can't afford) full agency fees.
Think of it like this: agencies do the full job — market insight, candidate search, negotiation, the works. Ari takes a different approach. We handle the time-consuming bits (adverts, sourcing, screening, shortlisting), but you stay in control of the process and make the final hiring decisions.
It's practical hiring support, not full-service recruitment.
You pay a flat fee (from £695) for 30 days of recruitment support. No percentage fees, no commission on placement.
Job adverts, candidate sourcing, CV screening, initial interviews, and shortlist creation — all handled for you.
We present shortlists and coordinate interviews, but you make all hiring decisions. No pressure, no pushy sales tactics.
Each campaign is 30 days. Use Ari when you're hiring, not before or after. No retainers, no ongoing commitments.
Important: Ari works well alongside existing agency relationships. Use us for everyday hires, and use agencies for specialist or senior roles.
Here's an honest look at what each approach offers.
| Feature | Recruitment Agency | DIY Hiring | Ari |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per hire | £6k–£12k (15–25%) | £200–£500 | £695–£1,295 |
| Your time investment | Minimal | 20+ hours | Minimal |
| Full service headhunting |
Sourcing included |
||
| Active candidate sourcing | |||
| CV screening & shortlisting |
You do it |
||
| You control hiring decision |
Limited input |
||
| Best for | Senior & specialist roles | When budget is tight | Fillable SME roles |
Know exactly what you'll spend before you start. No surprises, no percentage calculations based on salary.
Save £5,000–£11,000 per hire compared to agency fees while still getting professional support.
You decide who to interview and hire. We support your process, not replace it.
We handle the admin — adverts, sourcing, screening — saving you 20+ hours per hire.
30-day campaigns only. Use Ari when you're hiring, not as an ongoing retainer.
Use Ari for everyday roles, agencies for specialist hires. You don't have to choose one or the other.
Here are some real-world scenarios where fixed-fee recruitment support works better than traditional agencies.
Challenge: Needs to hire 3–4 site managers per year. Agency fees of £8,000 each time are eating into margins.
Solution: Use Ari for £1,295 per hire. Save £7,000+ per placement while still getting CV screening, sourcing, and shortlists.
Challenge: Regular turnover means constant hiring. DIY takes too long, agencies cost too much.
Solution: Use Ari for repeat roles. Fixed costs make budgeting easier, and the 30-day model fits their hiring cycle.
Challenge: Know exactly what they're looking for but don't have time to screen 50+ applications.
Solution: Use Ari to handle sourcing and screening, present shortlists, then make the final decision themselves. Saves time and money.
Challenge: Technical roles need careful screening, but agency fees are £10k+ per hire.
Solution: Use Ari for initial screening and shortlisting, keeping specialist agencies for senior engineer roles only.
Let's have a short intro call about your hiring needs. No hard sell, no lengthy pitch — just an honest conversation about whether Ari makes sense for your business.
Flat fees from £695. No percentage charges. No long-term contracts.