Virtustant vs Robert Half
Two ways to hire talent. One is a remote staffing agency with one all-in hourly rate for Latin American professionals. The other is a large US staffing firm that bills contract staff by the hour and charges a percentage of pay on permanent hires. Here is how they compare.
Starting at $7/hr all-in · First shortlist in 48 hours · Zero placement fees · Lifetime replacement guarantee
Which is better, Virtustant or Robert Half?
Short answer: A remote staffing agency that places vetted Latin American professionals on US hours (e.g., Virtustant) starts at $7/hr all-in, with a shortlist of 3 to 5 candidates in 48 hours, $0 placement fees and a lifetime replacement guarantee. A traditional US staffing firm (e.g., Robert Half) does not publish client prices: contract staff are billed at a fixed hourly rate for hours worked, permanent placements cost a percentage of the hire's annual pay, and its contract gross margin was 39.3% in Q3 2026. Choose Virtustant for remote roles at one predictable rate. Choose Robert Half for US-based, on-site or licensed professionals.
Virtustant vs Robert Half in one line: both place vetted talent and carry payroll for contract staff, but Virtustant is a remote staffing agency placing Latin American professionals at one all-in rate from $7/hr with a lifetime replacement guarantee, while Robert Half places contract and permanent staff at local market pay plus its margin.
How Robert Half prices
Robert Half does not publish a rate card or fee percentage (checked October 28, 2026). Its 2025 annual report (Form 10-K) and Q3 2026 results publish how the model works:
| Engagement | How the client pays, per Robert Half | Published figure |
|---|---|---|
| Contract talent | A fixed rate only for hours worked; the professional is a Robert Half employee, paid by Robert Half | Contract gross margin 39.3% of revenue in Q3 2026 (38.9% a year earlier); bill rates up 3.6% year on year |
| Permanent placement | A fee, generally a percentage of the new hire's annual compensation, paid by the employer | Percentage not published; permanent placement was 13.4% of talent solutions revenue in Q3 2026 |
| Contract-to-hire conversion | Typically a one-time conversion fee | Conversions were 3.4% of contract revenue in Q3 2026 |
What 39.3% means per $100. Of every $100 Robert Half billed for contract talent in Q3 2026, about $60.70 covered direct costs, mainly the professional's pay and the employment costs Robert Half carries, such as payroll taxes and workers' compensation, and $39.30 was gross margin. That is billing about 1.65 times direct cost, averaged across every role and country, not a quote for yours. For markup ranges across the industry, see what staffing agencies charge.
Virtustant's rate is all-in, from $7/hr. An executive assistant starts at $8.50/hr all-in, under 30% of the $36.82 median hourly wage for US executive assistants (BLS, May 2025), so you can save up to 70% versus a comparable US hire.
Related: How much staffing agencies charge · Virtustant vs FlexProfessionals · Virtustant vs Upwork
Same region, different way of hiring
Virtustant
Virtustant sources, vets, places, and manages remote professionals across Latin America and a global bench. You get one predictable hourly rate that covers the agent, payroll, and the paperwork on the professional's side.
- All-in hourly rate starting at $7/hr
- Zero placement fees
- Payroll, contracts, and paperwork handled for you
- Lifetime replacement guarantee with no time cap
Robert Half
Robert Half is a large US staffing and recruiting firm placing contract, temporary and permanent staff in finance, accounting, technology, legal, marketing and administrative roles. Based on its public filings, its contract professionals are its employees, billed to clients at a fixed rate for hours worked, and permanent placements are charged as a percentage of the hire's annual pay.
- No published rate card or fee percentage (checked October 28, 2026)
- Contract talent: fixed hourly rate for hours worked; contract gross margin 39.3% in Q3 2026
- Permanent placement: fee generally a percentage of the hire's annual compensation
- Contract-to-hire: typically a one-time conversion fee
The comparison, line by line
Comparison based on published provider information. Pricing, included services and replacement terms can change; confirm the current written quote and agreement for your role.
What one managed rate gets you
Hard Evidence
Virtustant hires the top 1% of applicants and shows the funnel: 22% clear the recruiter screen, 9% pass cognitive (IQ), skills and English testing, 3% reach a live interview, 1% are hired.
Fully Backed
A lifetime replacement guarantee with no time cap. If a placement is not working, Virtustant replaces the agent.
Due Diligence
Shortlist in 48 hours. Start in 72 hours. Both timelines run from your first call.
Quietly Handled
Payroll, contracts, and paperwork run in the background under one scoped hourly rate. You direct the work, Virtustant handles operations.
From discovery call to placed agent
Discovery call
Virtustant scopes the role, the workload, and the budget with you.
Shortlist in 48h
Virtustant delivers a vetted shortlist from the top 1% of applicants.
Interview
You meet the candidates you want and choose the fit.
Onboarding
Virtustant handles contracts, payroll setup, and the paperwork on the professional's side.
Ongoing support
Virtustant manages payroll and backs the placement for its lifetime.
Virtustant proves what other staffing firms only promise: vetted talent, a real guarantee, and one predictable rate.Trusted by 1,000+ US companies and 2,000+ placements
Frequently asked questions
How much does Robert Half charge?
Robert Half does not publish client prices (checked October 28, 2026). Its 2025 annual report says contract clients pay a fixed rate only for hours worked and permanent placement fees are generally a percentage of the new hire's annual pay. In Q3 2026 its contract gross margin was 39.3%: of every $100 billed for contract talent, about $60.70 covered direct costs and $39.30 was gross margin.
What markup does Robert Half charge on contract staff?
Robert Half does not publish a markup per role. Its company-wide contract gross margin of 39.3% in Q3 2026 equals billing about 1.65 times direct cost, an average across all roles and countries, not a quote. Markups across the staffing industry commonly run 30% to 75% over pay; see our guide to what staffing agencies charge.
Is Virtustant or Robert Half cheaper?
For roles that can be done remotely from Latin America, Virtustant is built to cost less: one all-in rate starting at $7/hr, and an executive assistant starting at $8.50/hr all-in, under 30% of the $36.82 median hourly wage for US executive assistants (BLS, May 2025), so you can save up to 70% versus a comparable US hire. In the US, Robert Half places professionals at US pay, with its margin on top.
What is the main difference between Virtustant and Robert Half?
Robert Half places contract and permanent staff, in the US and other countries, across finance, accounting, technology, legal, marketing and administration; its contract professionals are its employees. Virtustant places remote professionals from Latin America on US hours, with the contract, payroll and paperwork on the professional's side inside one hourly rate.
How fast can I hire with each?
Virtustant delivers a shortlist of 3 to 5 vetted candidates within 48 hours of your first call, and your hire can start in 72 hours. Robert Half does not publish a standard time to fill.
Who should choose Virtustant instead of Robert Half?
Teams hiring remote roles such as assistants, bookkeepers, SDRs or customer support who want one predictable rate and a lifetime replacement guarantee. Teams that need US-based, on-site or licensed professionals may prefer Robert Half.
Add talent without adding risk
Tell Virtustant the role. Virtustant delivers a vetted shortlist in 48 hours, handles the operations, and backs the placement for its lifetime. No placement fees.
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