Scalead vs in-house SDR: hire or delegate?
To book B2B meetings, two options: hire an in-house SDR (Sales Development Representative), or delegate prospecting to an agency like Scalead. Here is the honest comparison, backed by real costs.
Get qualified meetingsComparison at a glance
| In-house SDR | Scalead | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | €50,000 to €75,000 / year loaded (salary, taxes, tools) | Paid on results: only the meetings you validate |
| Time to results | 2 to 3 months (hiring then ramp-up) | Campaigns launched within a few weeks |
| Risk | Fixed: you pay even without results | Zero fixed cost: results guaranteed on your criteria |
| Management | On you (coaching, training, motivation) | None: Scalead team backed by AI |
| Tools & data | To buy and maintain (Sales Nav, sending, enrichment) | Included (infrastructure, data, tools) |
| Scalability | 1 SDR = limited capacity, must re-hire | Volume adjustable without hiring |
Hiring an SDR: the real cost
Beyond salary, you must add employer taxes, tools (Sales Navigator, sending platform, data), onboarding and 2 to 3 months of ramp-up before the first results, plus management time. The real cost is often €50,000 to €75,000 per year, whether the SDR performs or not.
Delegating to Scalead
Scalead runs the entire prospecting engine (infrastructure, targeting, copywriting, email and LinkedIn sequences, qualification), with no hiring or tooling on your side. You set your qualification criteria, validate every meeting, and only pay for those. Salary risk and hiring uncertainty disappear.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an SDR cost?
Between €50,000 and €75,000 per year all-in (salary, taxes, tools, management), once ramp-up is over. Base salary alone is often €30,000 to €45,000.
How long until an SDR is profitable?
Expect 2 to 3 months between hiring and steady results: sourcing, training, tool ramp-up and campaign warm-up.
In-house SDR or prospecting agency?
An in-house SDR makes sense if you have the volume, management and cash to absorb the fixed cost and delay. Otherwise, an agency brings method and tools immediately. Scalead's results-based model blends both: meetings with no fixed cost.
Does Scalead replace an SDR?
Scalead replaces the meeting-generation function of an SDR (targeting, prospecting, qualification), without the fixed cost or hiring risk. Your reps focus on closing.
Qualified B2B meetings, paid on results
Scalead generates your meetings, you validate every lead, you only pay for those.
Get qualified meetings
