SaaS Agency · Comparison
Saiyō vs Burns Sheehan: Good agency vs fundamentally better model.
The short answer
Burns Sheehan is a respected UK SaaS and tech recruitment agency with a strong reputation in our ICP. Saiyō isn't a better agency, it's a fundamentally different model: embedded headhunting on a flat subscription instead of per-hire agency fees.
At a glance
| Dimension | Saiyō | Burns Sheehan |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Embedded headhunting subscription | UK SaaS/tech recruitment agency |
| Sourcing approach | Proactive outbound to passive candidates | Specialist outbound in UK SaaS |
| Commercials | Flat monthly fee, predictable, unlimited hires | % of salary per placement |
| Speed to first shortlist | Typically 5–10 working days | Per-role turnaround |
| Best fit for | SaaS scale-ups hiring 5–50 roles per year | UK SaaS companies hiring ad-hoc roles |
| Cost per hire (typical) | Up to 65% lower than agency fees | Variable, often a % of salary or large retained fee |
How Burns Sheehan works
Burns Sheehan is a well-regarded UK recruitment agency specialising in SaaS, tech and product hiring. They operate a traditional retained / contingent agency model.
How Saiyō works differently
Saiyō is an embedded talent acquisition partner powered by proactive headhunting. We work as part of your team on a flat monthly subscription, sourcing passive candidates your competitors can't reach, without per-hire fees.
When Burns Sheehan is the right choice
- You want a high-quality UK agency on a per-hire basis
- You only need occasional placements
- You're not ready to commit to an embedded partner
When Saiyō is the better fit
- You're hiring continuously and want one embedded SaaS partner
- You want predictable monthly cost over agency fees
- You want senior headhunters owning your full pipeline, not one role
Considering Burns Sheehan?
See how Saiyō compares in a 30-minute call.
We'll walk you through how our embedded headhunting subscription stacks up against Burns Sheehan for your specific roles, no hard sell.