Short answer: Not always. Compare the total cost of one hire, not the upfront amount. An agency that charges nothing upfront is paid when the candidate joins, usually a percentage of annual salary: third-party guides put UAE agency fees at 15 to 25%. Our service charge is the first part of a one-month fee, about 8.33% of annual salary, so the total is usually lower.
| Monthly salary | Accounting Baba, total | Paid only on joining, 15% | Paid only on joining, 20% |
|---|---|---|---|
| AED 5,000 | AED 5,000 | AED 9,000 | AED 12,000 |
| AED 8,000 | AED 8,000 | AED 14,400 | AED 19,200 |
| AED 12,000 | AED 12,000 | AED 21,600 | AED 28,800 |
Our total includes the AED 1,000 paid upfront. The 15% and 20% columns are not any named agency’s price; they show what a fee paid only on joining costs at those rates. Sources and a 10% column are on our UAE fees page. All amounts exclude applicable taxes.
We charge one month’s CTC, 8.33% of annual CTC, with ₹5,000 paid upfront and adjusted against the fee. For a finance manager at ₹18 lakh CTC, that is ₹1.5 lakh in total. At 12 to 16.67%, the range Indian fee guides give for senior hires (VelivoHR, 2026), the same hire costs about ₹2.16 to 3 lakh. See India pricing.
It also means we work only on openings that will be filled, so the cost of searches that never close is not priced into your fee.
One month’s salary per hire, about 8.33%. 3 to 5 CA-reviewed profiles within 7 working days of the service charge, with a 90-day replacement guarantee.
WhatsApp, UAE and Gulf: +91 98567 55000Hiring in India? WhatsApp +91 90162 22107. Prefer a call? Book a call online.