QA hiring and outsourcing prices, in public.
Permanent hires cost a 15-22% fee on first-year pay. Contract engineers cost their pay rate plus 22%. Flex testers cost the task rate plus 30%. Outsourced QA starts at $34 an hour and managed QA at $48. Every region and level is below.
Prices in US dollars for comparison. Contracts can be issued in USD, GBP or EUR at the rate in force on the contract date.
Prices by region and level.
Choose how you want to work with PassRidge, then a role. Ranges run from the lowest-cost to the highest-cost country in each region. The sample cities show what each region covers.
Permanent hire: salary range and one-time fee
Gross annual salary in US dollars, QA Automation Engineer. Small print: our fee at the level's rate, due after the start date.
| Region | Junior | Mid | Senior | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United StatesNew York, Austin, San Francisco | $93kfee $14k | $120kfee $22k | $150kfee $30k | $180kfee $40k |
| United KingdomLondon, Manchester, Edinburgh | $55kfee $9k | $71kfee $13k | $92kfee $19k | $109kfee $24k |
| Western EuropeBerlin, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona | $32–57kfee $5–9k | $41–73kfee $8–14k | $52–93kfee $11–19k | $62–109kfee $14–24k |
| Central & Eastern EuropeWarsaw, Krakow, Prague, Bucharest | $28–38kfee $5–6k | $36–48kfee $7–9k | $46–63kfee $10–13k | $55–75kfee $13–17k |
| Latin AmericaSao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Bogota | $38–45kfee $6–7k | $49–56kfee $9–11k | $62–73kfee $13–15k | $75–89kfee $17–20k |
| AsiaBengaluru, Pune, Manila, Kuala Lumpur | $15–22kfee $3–4k | $20–27kfee $4–5k | $25–36kfee $5–8k | $30–43kfee $7–10k |
Swipe the table sideways to see every level.
The fee, by level
- Junior
- 15% of first-year pay
- Mid
- 18% of first-year pay
- Senior
- 20% of first-year pay
- Lead
- 22% of first-year pay
Example: a mid-level QA Automation Engineer in the United States has a market median of $120,000. The fee is 18%, $21,600, due after the start date.
What you get
- Search of the PassRidge network by stack and evidence
- Technical assignment results for every shortlisted candidate
- Up to three profiles, interviews and offer coordination
- A replacement search at no extra fee if the hire leaves or is dismissed for performance within 90 days of starting
No retainer and no upfront payment. Hire a QA role or send a request.
Contract: hourly rate to you
US dollars per hour, QA Automation Engineer. Small print: the pay rate the engineer receives.
| Region | Junior | Mid | Senior | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United StatesNew York, Austin, San Francisco | $76pay $62 | $98pay $80 | $122pay $100 | $147pay $120 |
| United KingdomLondon, Manchester, Edinburgh | $45pay $37 | $58pay $48 | $75pay $61 | $89pay $73 |
| Western EuropeBerlin, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona | $26–46pay $22–38 | $33–60pay $27–49 | $42–76pay $35–62 | $51–89pay $42–73 |
| Central & Eastern EuropeWarsaw, Krakow, Prague, Bucharest | $23–31pay $19–25 | $29–39pay $24–32 | $38–51pay $31–42 | $45–61pay $37–50 |
| Latin AmericaSao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Bogota | $31–36pay $25–30 | $40–46pay $33–38 | $51–59pay $42–49 | $61–73pay $50–60 |
| AsiaBengaluru, Pune, Manila, Kuala Lumpur | $13–18pay $10–15 | $16–22pay $13–18 | $20–29pay $17–24 | $25–35pay $20–29 |
Swipe the table sideways to see every level.
How the rate is built
- Pay rate = market median pay ÷ 1,800 productive hours, plus a 20% contractor premium for no paid leave or benefits.
- Your rate = pay rate + 22% PassRidge fee, billed monthly on approved timesheets.
The engineer is never paid below the market median. No placement fee if you later convert; see contract-to-hire.
What you get
- Contract, payroll and right-to-work checks handled by PassRidge
- Monthly billing on approved timesheets
- Replacement cover during the contract
- No placement fee; a conversion route if you want to hire
Flex: testers on scoped tasks
Flex tasks are priced by task type, not by region. The tester receives the task rate; you pay it plus 30%.
| Task type | Window | Tester rate | You pay (+30%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test cycles & exploratory3-4 h/day | 1-3 weeks | $22–45/h | $29–59/h |
| Automation scripts3-4 h/day | 2-6 weeks | $40–80/h | $52–104/h |
| Localization QA3-4 h/day | 1-2 weeks | $18–36/h | $24–47/h |
| AI evaluation3-4 h/day | 2-8 weeks | $25–70/h | $33–91/h |
| Accessibility audits3-4 h/day | 1-3 weeks | $35–75/h | $46–98/h |
| Mobile & game playtests3-4 h/day | 1-2 weeks | $15–32/h | $20–42/h |
| Security tests3-4 h/day | 1-3 weeks | $55–110/h | $72–143/h |
Market reference by region: what a contractor in this role typically bills, in US dollars per hour (QA Automation Engineer). Flex bands are checked against it. Annual median ÷ 2,080 hours × 1.25.
| Region | Junior | Mid | Senior | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United StatesNew York, Austin, San Francisco | $56 | $73 | $91 | $109 |
| United KingdomLondon, Manchester, Edinburgh | $33 | $43 | $55 | $66 |
| Western EuropeBerlin, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona | $19–34 | $25–44 | $31–56 | $38–66 |
| Central & Eastern EuropeWarsaw, Krakow, Prague, Bucharest | $17–23 | $22–29 | $28–38 | $34–46 |
| Latin AmericaSao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Bogota | $23–27 | $30–34 | $38–44 | $46–54 |
| AsiaBengaluru, Pune, Manila, Kuala Lumpur | $9–13 | $12–17 | $15–22 | $18–26 |
Swipe the table sideways to see every level.
What you get
- Vetting, matching, contracts and payment in local currency
- Conflict check and NDA on every task
- Minimum order 20 hours, start within 48 hours of a signed order
- Weekly timesheets; pay only for approved hours
Example order
Four testers, 3.5 hours a day for three weeks is about 210 hours. At a $29–59 test-cycles client rate that is $6,090–12,390.
Managed QA: monthly price for a pod
US dollars per month. A pod is a QA Lead / Manager (full or half time, priced at senior level) plus QA Automation Engineers at mid-level, all at managed QA rates.
| Region | Starter pod0.5 lead + 2 engineers | Growth pod1 lead + 4 engineers | Scale pod1 lead + 8 engineers |
|---|---|---|---|
| United StatesNew York, Austin, San Francisco | $53k | $106k | $188k |
| United KingdomLondon, Manchester, Edinburgh | $31k | $61k | $108k |
| Western EuropeBerlin, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona | $20–35k | $39–69k | $69–122k |
| Central & Eastern EuropeWarsaw, Krakow, Prague, Bucharest | $20–21k | $39–42k | $68–75k |
| Latin AmericaSao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Bogota | $24–27k | $47–54k | $83–95k |
| AsiaBengaluru, Pune, Manila, Kuala Lumpur | $20k | $39k | $68k |
Managed QA hourly rate by region and level, QA Automation Engineer (US dollars per hour).
| Region | Junior | Mid | Senior | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United StatesNew York, Austin, San Francisco | $106 | $136 | $170 | $204 |
| United KingdomLondon, Manchester, Edinburgh | $60 | $78 | $100 | $119 |
| Western EuropeBerlin, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona | $41–69 | $49–88 | $63–112 | $75–131 |
| Central & Eastern EuropeWarsaw, Krakow, Prague, Bucharest | $41–43 | $48–54 | $63–71 | $75–85 |
| Latin AmericaSao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Bogota | $46–55 | $60–69 | $76–89 | $92–109 |
| AsiaBengaluru, Pune, Manila, Kuala Lumpur | $41 | $48 | $63 | $75 |
Swipe the table sideways to see every level.
What you get
- QA manager and strategy
- Tooling set-up and maintenance
- Test execution, automation and reporting
- SLA schedule with service credits
- Monthly service review
Service credits
When we miss an agreed SLA, 5% of the monthly fee is credited per missed band, capped at 15%. SLAs are set after a two-week quality baseline and written into the contract. Minimum term 6 months, then 90 days' notice.
What would your team cost?
Compare a permanent hire, a contractor and each outsourcing model for the same role. Change the inputs and the table updates. The maths is the same as the rate tables.
The calculator needs JavaScript. The tables above list the same rates by region and level.
Estimates for planning, not a quote. Permanent hire includes employer on-costs (15-32% by region, see below), the placement fee and $3,600 a year for equipment and software. Outsourcing models bill 150 hours a month on average (1,800 a year after leave and public holidays). Management time, severance and exchange-rate movements are not included.
Five outsourcing models, one rate card.
Starting rates are for a mid-level engineer. Junior roles have a lower floor; senior and lead roles a higher one. Every model page lists rates for all regions and levels.
QA staff augmentation
Add vetted QA engineers to your team, under your management.
Dedicated QA team
A stable QA squad that works only on your product.
Project-based testing
Fixed scope, fixed price: a release tested, an app audited.
Managed QA (QAaaS)
We run QA end to end and report against agreed SLAs.
Contract-to-hire
Work together first, convert to your payroll when it fits.
Need a fixed quote?
Send the scope. We reply with a team outline and a price range within one working day.
What a price covers, and what it does not.
Every line below is in the client agreement. Nothing is billed as an extra unless it is listed under "Not included".
Permanent
- Search of the PassRidge network by stack and evidence
- Technical assignment results for every shortlisted candidate
- Up to three profiles, interviews and offer coordination
- A replacement search at no extra fee if the hire leaves or is dismissed for performance within 90 days of starting
Contract
- Contract, payroll and right-to-work checks handled by PassRidge
- Monthly billing on approved timesheets
- Replacement cover during the contract
- No placement fee; a conversion route if you want to hire
Flex
- Vetting, matching, contracts and payment in local currency
- Conflict check and NDA on every task
- Minimum order 20 hours, start within 48 hours of a signed order
- Weekly timesheets; pay only for approved hours
Outsourcing and managed QA
- Payroll, benefits and local compliance
- Managed laptop and security controls
- QA-lead review, replacement cover and handover notes
- A PassRidge account manager and a regular review
Not included
- Test-management and automation licences. They are held in your name and billed by the vendor, not through us.
- Your own staff time for interviews, onboarding and direction.
- Taxes on service fees where they apply, and exchange-rate movements after the contract date.
If it is not a fit, the terms say what happens.
Permanent hires carry a 90-day replacement guarantee: a replacement search at no extra fee if the hire leaves or is dismissed for performance within 90 days of starting. Outsourced models are below. The clauses are in the client agreement; this table summarises them.
| Model | Trial or safeguard | Replacement | Minimum term | Move to your payroll |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QA staff augmentation | Two-week trial, billed on hours worked only | 10 working days | 3 months, then 30 days' notice | Conversion fee, zero after 12 months of service |
| Dedicated QA team | Backfill within 10 working days, written handover | 10 working days (backfill) | 6 months, then 60 days' notice | Conversion fee, zero after 12 months of service |
| Project-based testing | Fixed quote and test plan agreed before work starts | Not applicable: we deliver the scope | 2 weeks | Not applicable |
| Managed QA (QAaaS) | Service credits: 5% of the monthly fee per missed SLA band, capped at 15% | Our responsibility: staffing changes do not change the SLAs | 6 months, then 90 days' notice | Not applicable |
| Contract-to-hire | Two-week trial, billed on hours worked only | 10 working days | 3 months | Fee credited per month worked, zero at 12 months |
Market pay first, then our costs.
The pay in every rate is the median from the same model that drives our salary pages, so a rate is never below what the market pays that role.
- Pay is the median salary for the role, level and country, calibrated to posted pay ranges. Salary data.
- On-costs are the employer taxes, insurance and benefits for that region (table on the right).
- Margin: 32% service margin on staff augmentation, divided over 1,800 productive hours a year.
- Other models scale from that rate: dedicated teams slightly below, project work and managed QA above (1.26x for managed QA) for the lead, tooling and SLA reporting.
- Rounded up to the next whole dollar, and never below the model's published starting rate for the level.
| Region | Employer on-cost |
|---|---|
| United States | 22% |
| United Kingdom | 18% |
| Western Europe | 30% |
| Central & Eastern Europe | 21% |
| Latin America | 32% |
| Asia | 15% |
On-cost is a share of gross pay and varies by country within a region. Ranges show the countries we price. Compare with the salary pages.
Pricing questions.
Why do you publish prices?
Because most buyers need a number before they can open a budget conversation. The rates here come from the same market model that drives our salary pages, plus the fee structure written below. A quote for your scope can differ, and the difference is explained in writing.
How do you calculate hourly rates for outsourcing?
We take the median salary for the role, level and delivery country, add the employer on-costs for that region (15-32% depending on the region), add a 32% service margin and divide by 1,800 productive hours a year. The other models scale from that rate: dedicated teams slightly below it, project work and managed QA above it for the QA lead, tooling and SLA reporting. Each model has a minimum rate. We never price below the market median for the role.
Are there set-up fees, retainers or minimum spends?
No set-up fees and no retainers for permanent or contract hiring. Outsourcing models have a minimum term (from two weeks for project work to six months for dedicated and managed teams) and nothing else.
What does the Flex client price include?
The talent receives the task rate shown on the task. The client pays that rate plus a 30% platform fee, which covers vetting, matching, contracts, payment in local currency and conflict checks.
Are prices in USD?
Prices here are in US dollars for comparison. Contracts can be issued in USD, GBP or EUR at the exchange rate in force on the contract date, and stay fixed for the contract term.
What is the replacement guarantee?
Permanent: a replacement search at no extra fee if the hire leaves or is dismissed for performance within 90 days of starting. Augmentation and contract-to-hire: a two-week trial, then replacement within 10 working days. The clauses are in the client agreement.
Do prices change by industry?
Not by industry itself. Regulated work often needs a more senior profile or a region with residency rules, and that moves the price through level and region. The calculator shows both.