Somewhere vs Silkstaff: two direct-hire agencies side by side
Both agencies charge once and let you hire the person directly. Here are the fees, deposits, replacement terms, regions and hours, with Somewhere's terms linked to its own pricing page.
This is our service. Silkstaff is one of the options on this page, so this comparison is not independent. Competitor prices and terms are taken from each company's own public pages, as of October 2026 (checked 30 Oct 2026), and each one links to its source. No company paid to be included. Found an error? Email hello@silkstaff.com and we will correct it within 5 business days. How we compare.
Somewhere and Silkstaff use the same basic model: the agency finds and screens candidates, you hire one person directly, and you pay the agency once. The differences are in the fee, the deposit, the regions and the hours.
| Somewhere | Silkstaff (our service) | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | One-time fee (direct hire), or monthly Talent On-Demand | One-time placement fee (direct hire) |
| One-time fee | A one-time fee set as a percentage of the first-year salary (the percentage is not shown on the pricing page); the percentage falls as you hire more | $2,500 for assistant and support roles, $3,000 for e-commerce operations |
| Deposit | A one-time deposit to start the search, credited toward the fee; Somewhere describes it as fully refundable (amount not shown) | None |
| When you pay | Deposit at the start; the rest of the fee when you hire | Only on the person's first working day |
| Replacement | 6-month perfect-hire guarantee with one free replacement (direct hire); unlimited replacements within the contract period (Talent On-Demand) | Free replacement within 180 days (terms) |
| Where candidates are | Latin America, South Africa and the Philippines | Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia and Kazakhstan |
| Hours vs US Eastern time | Latin American time zones are close to US time: Bogotá is on UTC−5 and Buenos Aires on UTC−3. | About 4 to 7 hours of overlap, depending on the country (roughly 6 am to 2 pm New York time from Tbilisi or Yerevan); a full UK or European day |
| Roles | Many role categories, from executive and virtual assistants and customer support to engineering and AI | Executive and operations assistants; customer support and e-commerce operations |
| Example assistant pay | $1,200–2,200 a month (example assistant salaries on the pricing page) | $800–1,100 a month |
| Monthly option | Talent On-Demand: monthly pricing on quote | Optional support plan, $250 a month |
| Source | somewhere.com/pricing, as of Oct 2026 | silkstaff.com |
12 and 24 months
With both agencies your cost is the agency fee plus the pay you agree with the person. Somewhere does not show its percentage on its pricing page, so we cannot compute its fee; the assistant salaries it shows as examples ($1,200–2,200 a month) mean $14,400–$26,400 in pay alone in the first year, before the fee.
| Option | 12 months | 24 months | How it adds up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silkstaff (our service) | $13,900 | $25,300 | $2,500 once + $950 a month paid to the person (our range $800–1,100: $12,100–$15,700 for 12 months, $21,700–$28,900 for 24). Add Deel at $49 a month ($588 a year) if you use it |
| Somewhere | fee + 12 × pay | fee + 24 × pay | fee: a percentage of the first-year salary (not published on the pricing page); pay: example assistant salaries of $1,200–2,200 a month |
When Somewhere is the better choice
- You want candidates in Latin America, South Africa or the Philippines. Latin American candidates overlap more of the US working day than ours can.
- You need a role we do not place. We place only assistants and customer support or e-commerce staff; Somewhere covers many more role categories.
- You want a monthly option with replacements during the contract (Talent On-Demand).
- You want an agency with a track record. We are new and have no client reviews yet.
When Silkstaff is the better choice
- You want a flat fee you know before you start ($2,500), no deposit, and nothing to pay until the first working day.
- You work on UK or European hours, or need the US East Coast morning and early afternoon.
- You want a lower monthly pay level: our assistants ask $800–1,100 a month; the example assistant salaries on Somewhere's pricing page are $1,200–2,200 a month.
- You want candidates from Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia or Kazakhstan.
Replacement periods are similar: Somewhere's 6 months with one free replacement is about as long as our 180 days.
About Silkstaff in this comparison
- Silkstaff is a hiring agency; our team is in Paris. We are new and have no client reviews yet, so compare us on terms and process, not on a track record.
- We place full-time executive and operations assistants and customer support and e-commerce staff who live in Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia and Kazakhstan. Every profile passes a written task, a voice answer, a video and a live call with our team (how we vet).
- You hire the person directly as a contractor and pay them $800–1,100 a month (assistants) or $700–1,000 (support) through Deel, Wise or Payoneer, with no markup. Our only charge is a one-time fee of $2,500 ($3,000 for e-commerce operations) on their first working day; an optional support plan is $250 a month.
- Hours: a full UK or European working day, or about 4 to 7 hours of overlap with US Eastern time depending on the country (from Tbilisi or Yerevan, roughly 6 am to 2 pm New York time). We do not promise West Coast or full US-day cover.
- Free replacement within 180 days: if the person leaves or is let go within that time, we introduce new candidates at no cost until a replacement you accept starts (one replacement per hire, provided our fee was paid on time and the role, hours and pay were not changed without the person's agreement); we replace the person, we do not refund the fee.
How Silkstaff works
- 3 vetted profiles with intro videos in 7 days after a 15-minute brief.
- Every candidate passed a role-specific written test in English, an English voice and video check, a live video interview and a setup check. References for finalists are available on request.
- One-time fee: $2,500 for assistant and support roles, $3,000 for e-commerce operations, paid on the person's first working day. No deposit, no exclusivity.
- Direct hire: you sign a contractor agreement with the person and pay them directly (Deel, Wise or Payoneer). No monthly markup on their pay.
FAQ
How much does Somewhere charge?
As of October 2026 Somewhere's pricing page describes a one-time fee set as a percentage of the hire's first-year salary, without showing the percentage, plus a deposit at the start that is credited toward the fee. Ask Somewhere for the exact percentage for your role.
Do Somewhere and Silkstaff both let me hire the person directly?
Yes. With both you hire the person and pay them yourself; the agency charges once. Somewhere also offers a monthly Talent On-Demand option; we offer an optional support plan.
What happens if the hire leaves?
Free replacement within 180 days: if the person leaves or is let go within that time, we introduce new candidates at no cost until a replacement you accept starts (one replacement per hire, provided our fee was paid on time and the role, hours and pay were not changed without the person's agreement); we replace the person, we do not refund the fee.
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Sources
- Somewhere: pricing page (checked 30 Oct 2026): https://somewhere.com/pricing
- timeanddate.com: time zone of Bogotá: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/colombia/bogota
- timeanddate.com: time zone of Buenos Aires: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/argentina/buenos-aires
- Deel pricing: https://www.deel.com/pricing/