Linillo vs a recruitment agency
Both fill roles. They price risk, evidence and ownership completely differently — here is the honest side-by-side, with the numbers on your own hiring plan.
What the same hires cost
- Agency at 15–25%
- £36,000–£60,000
- Linillo hire rewards at the recommended 3%
- £7,200
- Difference
- £28,800–£52,800
Hire rewards only. Your Linillo total also includes the plan subscription and a fixed fee for each referral you receive — the full calculator works those in, and pricing lists every fee.
Where the two models actually differ.
Price is the obvious difference. Evidence and ownership are the ones that change how hiring feels.
Pricing model
Agency: 15–25% of first-year salary, per placement
Linillo: Pilot or Platform + fee per referral (identified free) + a hire reward you set (3% recommended)
Cost as salaries rise
Agency: Rises with every pay-rise cycle
Linillo: Broadly flat; the fixed components do not move with salary
Who sources the candidate
Agency: A consultant working several clients at once
Linillo: Someone who has personally worked with the candidate
Evidence behind the candidate
Agency: A CV and a consultant's summary
Linillo: A named introducer, the working relationship, and a verified trail
Candidate ownership
Agency: Typically 6–12 months from introduction
Linillo: You own the relationship from the first introduction
Cost of a role you do not fill
Agency: Nothing on contingency, but no coverage either
Linillo: No hire reward is due; you only pay for referrals received
Speed to first candidate
Agency: Days, once a brief and terms are agreed
Linillo: Days, from the moment a campaign is live to the network
Frequently asked questions
- Is Linillo a recruitment agency?
- No. Linillo is a referral network. Candidates are introduced by people who have actually worked with them, and you deal with the candidate directly. There is no agency consultant in between and no percentage-of-salary placement fee.
- How much cheaper is Linillo than a recruitment agency?
- A contingency agency typically charges 15–25 per cent of first-year salary, so £9,000–£15,000 on a £60,000 hire. On Linillo the hire reward is set by you on the role — 3 per cent, roughly £1,800, is our recommendation — alongside a Pilot or Platform subscription and a fee per referral received, with identified profiles free.
- What happens if the hire does not work out?
- Agency cover depends on your rebate clause, which is often a replacement rather than a refund. On Linillo the hire reward is only triggered when a hire completes, and the per-referral fees you have already paid are for referrals you received and reviewed.
- Do I still need an agency for hard roles?
- Some teams keep an agency on a rate card for genuinely scarce skills. The point of a referral network is coverage: it extends warm introductions beyond your own employees, so fewer roles reach the point where a percentage fee is the only option.
- Who makes the introductions?
- Peer introducers — professionals introducing people they personally know and have worked with. Every referral carries evidence of that relationship, and the introducer is paid only when the hire completes.
A hiring channel priced on evidence, not percentages.
Post a role and see what warm, verified referrals cost against your current agency invoice.