Before you hire, it helps to see the full picture. Here's an honest comparison of hiring through MX Staffing versus hiring a U.S. employee, using Upwork or Fiverr, or going through another staffing agency.
The Cost Comparison
| Feature | MX Staffing | U.S. Employee | Upwork/Fiverr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $800–1,750 | $5,000–6,500 | $1,500–4,000 |
| Annual cost (1 hire) | $9,600–21,000 | $60,000–78,000 | $18,000–48,000 |
| Bilingual guaranteed | Yes (always) | Rarely | Sometimes |
| Full-time dedicated | Yes (160 hrs/mo) | Yes | No (variable) |
| Pre-vetted | 5-step process | You interview | Portfolio only |
| Replacement Policy | 90 days free | No | No |
| Time to hire | 48 hours | 2–8 weeks | 1–3 days (no vetting) |
| Payroll handled | Yes | No (you handle) | N/A |
| Contract | 90-day minimum | At-will | Per-project |
The Math: Annual Savings
Average annual savings per hire vs. U.S. employee: $42,000–$61,200.
MX Staffing: $10,800/yr (4 months of cost at $2,700/month average).
U.S. employee total cost: $60,000–72,000/yr (salary + taxes + benefits + recruiting).
MX Staffing: $10,800/yr (4 months of cost at $2,700/month average).
U.S. employee total cost: $60,000–72,000/yr (salary + taxes + benefits + recruiting).
Why Not Just Use Upwork?
Upwork is great for one-off projects. But for ongoing, full-time roles — customer support, appointment setting, admin — it has real drawbacks:
- You search, you vet, you hope for the best. No guarantee of quality or availability.
- Freelancers work for multiple clients simultaneously. If they ghost, you start over.
- Per-hour billing adds up fast. $15/hr × 160 hrs = $2,400/mo with zero vetting.
MX Staffing gives you a dedicated, full-time person — vetted, guaranteed, flat-rate, same person every day.
When to Hire Locally Instead
Remote bilingual staff is ideal for: reception, customer support, appointment setting, admin, bookkeeping, social media, data entry, lead gen, and dispatching. You should hire locally when the role requires physical presence — field work, in-person meetings, or hands-on tasks.