Refery wrote this guide and is one of the networks listed. Every statement about another network comes from its own website, checked on September 19, 2026. Where a network does not publish what it pays recruiters, the entry says so.
Three ways a network pays you
| Type | Who brings the client | How you are paid | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split-placement network | Another recruiter | A negotiated share of that recruiter's fee, minus any network brokerage | TE Network, NPAworldwide |
| Recruiter marketplace | The platform | A share of the platform's success fee, or an hourly rate you set | Paraform, Dover, BountyJobs, Reflik |
| Referral network | The platform | A fixed share of the collected placement fee on hires you originate | Refery |
The first question for any network is who owns the client relationship, because that decides who sets the fee, who negotiates the offer, and whether you can bring the candidate back for the next role.
Split-placement networks
Top Echelon TE Network
TE Network describes itself as "a split placement network and sourcing marketplace built for recruiters and placement agencies based in the United States and Canada." Its site states the costs: "a one-time $350 start-up fee and a monthly membership fee of $150, plus TE's 6% brokerage fee on placements made through the Network."
- Fits when you have candidates but need job orders, or the reverse, and you work US or Canadian roles across industries.
NPAworldwide
NPAworldwide states it has been "connecting independent global recruiting firms to facilitate split placements" for 70 years. It is a membership organisation; membership dues are not stated on the home page.
- Fits when your desk is international and you want a long-standing, member-owned network rather than a startup-focused one.
Recruiter marketplaces
Paraform
Paraform's recruiter page says it provides "best-in-class clients, AI tools, and back-office support" and that its "AI agents match you" to roles. It shows an earning-potential slider on the page rather than a published split; the company fee is not published either. Its Connectors programme, for non-recruiters, states "$10,000 per hire" and "free to join."
- Fits when you want many open roles at once and are comfortable competing with other recruiters on the same search.
Dover recruiting partners
Dover's pricing page states that marketplace "recruiters set their rates," and the model is hourly work embedded with the client team rather than a placement fee.
- Fits when you prefer paid time over contingency risk and can commit hours per week to one client.
BountyJobs
BountyJobs is a marketplace where employers post searches to agencies. Its site states "fees are under your control" and that it handles "invoicing, distribution of funds to the recruiter." It also offers CoSource, described as "post a search to our split network and get help sourcing."
- Fits when you run an agency and want enterprise job orders, rather than a solo desk chasing Seed-stage roles.
Reflik
Reflik states recruiters "earn placement fees for each successful hire." The split is not published on the home page.
Referral networks
Refery
Refery is a startup recruiting network for VC-backed Seed to Series B companies hiring Engineering, AI, and GTM talent. Independent recruiters work searches alongside referrals from founders, operators, and investors, and Refery screens and coordinates with the client.
- Published terms: independent recruiters, operator scouts, and TA partners earn 70% of the collected placement fee on eligible hires they originate; no fee to join. Client fees are 15% to 25% of first-year base salary.
- Illustration: $200,000 base, 15% client fee, 70% share, $21,000. Payment follows client-fee collection and the partner agreement; an introduction alone does not earn a placement fee.
- Fits when you specialise in early-stage engineering, AI, or GTM and want one search at a time with feedback from the founder rather than a queue of roles. How to choose a recruiting marketplace as an independent recruiter has the worksheet, and how much independent tech recruiters make models the collected fees.
Read these six lines before you sign
- Fee basis and share. A percentage of what, and whether "collected" means after the client pays.
- Payment timing. After the client pays, after a guarantee period, or on offer.
- Candidate ownership. How long a candidate you introduced stays attributed to you, and across which roles.
- Exclusivity. Per search, per client, or none.
- Brokerage and membership. Any fixed costs, like TE Network's start-up and monthly fees.
- Who talks to the candidate. Whether you keep the relationship or hand it to the platform.
Sources
Checked on September 19, 2026.
- Top Echelon: topechelon.com/recruiting-network
- NPAworldwide: npaworldwide.com
- Paraform: paraform.com/recruiters, paraform.com/connectors
- Dover: dover.com/pricing
- BountyJobs: bountyjobs.com
- Reflik: reflik.com
- Refery: refery.io/partnerrecruiter, refery.io/terms
Public pages and terms change. The applicable signed agreement governs each engagement.
Frequently asked questions
Which recruiting networks offer fee splits to independent recruiters?
Classic split-placement networks such as Top Echelon's TE Network and NPAworldwide connect recruiters who share a fee when one supplies the job and the other the candidate; TE Network publishes a $350 start-up fee, $150 per month membership, and a 6% brokerage fee on placements. Recruiter marketplaces such as Paraform and Dover pay recruiters from the company's fee or hourly. Refery pays independent recruiters 70% of the collected placement fee on eligible hires they originate, with no fee to join.
What does an independent recruiter earn per placement on Refery?
70% of the placement fee Refery collects from the client on an eligible hire the recruiter originated. On a $200,000 base at a 15% client fee that is $21,000. Payment follows client-fee collection and the partner agreement; an introduction alone does not earn a fee. These are illustrations, not promised earnings.
Do I have to leave my own clients to join a network?
Not on the networks listed here. Split networks and marketplaces are additive channels. Read each agreement for exclusivity on a given search, candidate ownership windows, and what happens when a candidate you submit is already in the company's pipeline.