The fee is one line. Read the rest.
A clear hiring budget starts by separating the service bill from the cost of employing someone.
Give every charge a home.
| Line item | What to ask | In our worksheet? |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly service fee | Per person or per company? Which tasks are included? | Yes, per person. |
| Setup | One time? Per hire? Refundable if the hire falls through? | Yes, per person. |
| Refundable deposit | When is it returned? What can be deducted? | Separately from fees. |
| Salary and employment charges | Which country-specific items apply to this hire? | No. |
| Currency and payment charges | Which rate, markup and transfer charges apply? | No. |
| Exit or change costs | What happens if headcount or the arrangement changes? | No. |
Make the billing basis match.
The worksheet treats each fee as a per-person amount. If a quote gives one setup fee for the whole team, divide that fee by the number of people before entering it. This allocates the charge for comparison; it does not change the provider’s billing terms. Rounding a per-person allocation can change the reconstructed total by a few cents. Reconcile it against the original quote.
All entries must use USD. Convert other currencies consistently before comparing, record the rate and date, and keep exchange-rate risk outside the fee result. Do not compare an annual promotional price with a competitor’s standard monthly price without matching the period and commitment.
Compare expenses and cash separately.
A refundable deposit is money unavailable to you for a time. It is not automatically an expense. Our worksheet shows the deposit separately and adds it to period fees as a simple cash-outlay illustration. It does not predict when invoices or refunds arrive, so that figure is not peak working capital.
Use the result for the right decision.
The calculation answers “Which entered service fees are lower over this period?” It cannot answer which provider is legally suitable, delivers better support, or has the lowest total employment cost. Ask for the omitted lines before approving a budget.
AGENT X editorial checklist · September 4, 2026. A planning aid, not legal or tax advice. Deel’s published service and pricing information informs the service examples; confirm your own terms in a written quote. We do not claim hands-on product testing.
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