What an offshore per-seat price should include, and the hidden costs to check
2 min read · Updated October 2, 2026
Two proposals with the same monthly price per seat can cost very different amounts by the end of the year. The difference is in what each one includes. Use this list to make sure you're comparing like with like.
What a complete per-seat price covers
For a dedicated team, one monthly fee per person should normally cover all of these.
- Salary, benefits and statutory contributions
- Recruitment, including replacements when someone leaves
- Day-to-day supervision, quality checks and coaching
- Workspace, equipment, internet and IT support
- Payroll, employment law and compliance
- Account management and regular reporting
Costs that are often left out
Ask directly about each of these, and get the answer in writing.
- One-off setup or recruitment fees
- Charges for replacing people who leave
- Night-shift or weekend premiums
- Software licences, phone lines or dialer seats
- Team leads or QA staff billed as extra seats
- Training time before the team goes live
- Annual price increases
- Notice periods and exit or transfer fees
How to compare proposals fairly
Put each proposal into the same table: monthly cost per seat, everything listed above, minimum term and notice. Then work out the total cost for your first year at your expected team size, including setup. That number, not the headline rate, is the one to compare.
Finally, weigh what you can't see in a price: who manages the team, how quality is measured, and how quickly problems are fixed. A slightly higher price with real management usually costs less than a cheap seat you have to manage yourself.