The verdict in three sentences
For a recruitment firm with 8 consultants in London, a freelancer at around EUR 550 a day delivers a decent site for EUR 4,500 to 6,500, as long as the scope stays a brochure site with a few jobs entered by hand. Once the site must sync jobs from your ATS, publish clean JSON-LD JobPosting markup and capture applications continuously, a fixed-price agency (EUR 10,000 to 15,000) becomes the safer bet. The real criterion is not the entry price but the risk of depending on a single person for a tool that feeds your candidate pipeline.
What each option really costs in 2026
An experienced freelance web developer in London charges about EUR 500 to 650 (GBP 430 to 560) a day in 2026. A recruitment firm website usually takes 8 to 11 days of work. An agency quotes a fixed price including project management, design, QA and warranty.
| Item | Freelancer (EUR 550/day) | Fixed-price agency |
|---|---|---|
| Design and mockups | 2 days, EUR 1,100 | EUR 2,200 to 3,000 |
| Brochure build (12 to 15 pages) | 4 days, EUR 2,200 | EUR 3,000 to 4,500 |
| ATS integration (job feed) | 1 to 3 days, EUR 550 to 1,650 | EUR 1,800 to 3,000 |
| JobPosting markup and technical SEO | 1 day, EUR 550 | EUR 1,000 to 1,500 |
| QA, UK GDPR, go-live | 0.5 to 1 day, EUR 275 to 550 | EUR 900 to 1,600 |
| Project management | often not billed | EUR 900 to 1,400 |
| Indicative total | EUR 4,500 to 6,500 | EUR 10,000 to 15,000 |
These are 2026 order-of-magnitude figures for the London market, excluding VAT, the ATS subscription and hosting (EUR 20 to 50 a month).
The features that make the difference for a recruitment firm
A recruitment firm website serves two audiences: client companies looking for a reliable partner, and candidates looking for jobs. The second audience matters a lot: Google for Jobs shows correctly marked-up JobPosting listings directly in search, which can account for 25 to 40% of inbound applications for a regional firm.
| Feature | Freelancer | Agency | Business impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs synced with the ATS (Bullhorn, Vincere, Teamtailor) | Possible, depends on experience | Standard, tested | Saves 2 to 3 h of double entry per week |
| Valid JSON-LD JobPosting (salary, location, expiry date) | Variable | Checked in Search Console | Google for Jobs visibility |
| Application form with CV upload and GDPR consent | Yes | Yes, with retention period | ICO compliance |
| Sector pages (industry, IT, finance) | Yes | Yes, with SEO copywriting | Qualified client leads |
| Delivery time | 6 to 8 weeks | 8 to 10 weeks | Launch outside hiring peaks |
| Cover if someone is away | No | Yes, team | Continuity of candidate flow |
A realistic timeline is 6 to 10 weeks. A freelancer often starts sooner, but a personal setback (illness, a priority client) can stall the project for weeks.
The dependency risk, often underestimated
A solo freelancer frequently holds the hosting, domain and code credentials. If they change careers or become unavailable, a simple change (a new sector page, switching ATS) can cost EUR 2,000 to 3,500 for another provider to take over. Three precautions limit this risk whichever option you pick:
- require the domain and hosting to be registered to the firm;
- ask for the code in a Git repository you own;
- include deployment documentation and a handover clause in the contract.
An agency brings a team, a maintenance contract (EUR 100 to 300 a month) and written response times. That is what the price gap pays for.
Mini case study
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James, founder of an 8-consultant recruitment firm in London, places about 60 candidates a year at an average fee of EUR 11,000. He is weighing a freelancer at EUR 5,200 against an agency at EUR 12,000 with Bullhorn integration and JobPosting markup.
- Investment gap: 12,000 - 5,200 = EUR 6,800.
- ATS sync saves 2.5 h of double entry per week, about 115 h a year. At an internal cost of EUR 55 an hour: EUR 6,325 saved per year.
- If Google for Jobs brings just one extra placement a year, that is EUR 11,000 in fees.
The gap is recovered in under 8 months. For a 2-consultant firm posting 5 jobs a month, the freelancer would remain the better choice.
FAQ
Can a freelancer integrate our ATS?
Yes, if the ATS offers an API or XML feed, as Bullhorn, Vincere and Teamtailor do. Budget 1 to 3 days of work, EUR 550 to 1,650, and ask for a reference integration they have already delivered.
Is JobPosting markup really useful?
Yes, it is the condition for appearing in Google for Jobs. Incomplete markup (no expiry date or location) gets roughly 1 listing in 3 rejected in Search Console.
How long can we keep CVs received through the site?
UK and EU regulators expect a defined retention period, commonly 2 years after last contact with the candidate. The form must state it and collect explicit consent.
What yearly budget should we plan after launch?
Plan EUR 20 to 50 a month for hosting and EUR 100 to 300 a month for maintenance, so EUR 1,500 to 4,200 a year depending on the service level.
Can we start with a freelancer and move to an agency later?
Yes, provided you own the code and credentials. Taking over a clean, documented site costs 1 to 2 days of audit, around EUR 1,000 to 1,500.
Let's scope your project. Send us your ATS, the number of jobs you post each month and your sectors: we quote recruitment firm websites from EUR 10,000 to 15,000, delivered in 8 to 10 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
