How a split placement works, step by step
From posting an anonymised candidate or vacancy through to the fee landing in your account: the four stages of a split, and who does what at each one.
Split fee recruitment works by letting two agencies team up on one placement: one brings the candidate, the other brings the vacancy, and they share the fee when the hire completes. On Split Fee, that whole process runs for you, from the first anonymised match through to the final payment. Here is what it looks like, step by step: what you post, how a match is found and accepted, when candidate details are revealed, and how the fee is invoiced and paid out once the placement completes.
Post anonymised candidates or vacancies
List what you have or what you need, without revealing candidate or client identities. Names stay hidden until both agencies sign the placement.
Smart matching finds opportunities
Our algorithm analyses skills, geographic location, salary expectations, and seniority to surface the strongest matches across all recruiters on the platform.
Accept matches and connect
Both agencies accept before anything moves. You then see which agency is on the other side and can message them. The candidate's name and the client follow once both agencies have signed the placement.
Place together, split the fee
When the candidate is placed, each recruiter receives 45% of the fee (46% on Pro), with Split Fee taking the remaining 8% to 10%. The platform handles invoicing and payment collection automatically.
A worked example
Say a London agency has a strong finance candidate on their books, and a Manchester agency has a vacancy that fits. Each holds one half of the placement. Working the split together on the Free plan, they share a £18,000 permanent placement fee like this:
Candidate-side agency
£8,100
45%
Vacancy-side agency
£8,100
45%
Split Fee platform fee
£1,800
10%
Both agencies bill £8,100 from a candidate and a vacancy that were each earning nothing. On the Pro plan an agency keeps 46% instead, £8,280 here, and with both sides on Pro the platform fee drops to 8%. The platform fee only applies once the placement completes, and the invoicing and payment split are handled for you. For the full picture on splits, agreements, and rebates, read the complete guide to split fee recruitment, or see what Split Fee offers agencies.
Ready to collaborate?
Split Fee is live for UK-registered recruitment agencies. Create your account and start matching today.
Create your accountFrequently Asked Questions
What is a split fee in recruitment?
A split fee arrangement is when two recruiters collaborate on a placement. One provides the candidate and the other provides the vacancy. When the candidate is placed, the recruitment fee is split between them. Split Fee automates this process, handling matching, agreements, invoicing, and payments so you can focus on recruiting.
How does recruiter collaboration work on Split Fee?
Recruiters post anonymised candidates or vacancies to the platform. Our matching algorithm identifies opportunities based on skills, location, salary, and seniority. When both sides accept a match, the two agencies are introduced and can message. Candidate and client names follow once both agencies have signed the placement. After a successful placement, Split Fee handles the fee split and invoicing automatically.
Is my candidate data safe?
Candidate names, contact details and employers stay hidden until both agencies have signed the placement, and every reveal is logged. Everything you add is encrypted, both where it's stored and on its way to us, and the platform is built for UK GDPR.
How does the matching algorithm work?
Our algorithm analyses multiple dimensions including skills, job titles, geographic location, salary expectations, and seniority level. It scores every candidate against every vacancy across all recruiters on the platform, surfacing the strongest matches first. Matches from the same company are automatically excluded.
Keep reading
- What is split fee recruitment? The complete guide to splits, fee structures, and agreements.
- Split Fee for recruitment agencies Why agencies join the network and how the economics stack up.
- How to find split fee partners Where recruiters find agencies to split with, and what to look for.
- Watch it instead Five short videos of these four stages running in a real account.