Maid agency or direct hire: what you actually get for the fee
Most households in Delhi NCR find help through a neighbour, a society WhatsApp group or the guard at the gate. Here is what an agency adds, what it costs you, and when word of mouth is genuinely fine.
| Direct / word of mouth | Placement agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Verification | Whatever you do yourself | Done before you meet them |
| If they stop coming | Start the search again | Replacement, as per your terms |
| Cost | Salary only | Salary plus a service fee |
| Choice of candidates | Whoever is available locally | Matched to your hours and needs |
| Paperwork | None, unless you make it | A written booking and profile |
| Speed | Days to weeks | Usually matched the same day |
What you are really paying an agency for
Not the introduction — a neighbour can do that for free. You are paying for the three things word of mouth cannot give you: verification before the person is in your home, a replacement when the placement does not work out, and someone accountable in between.
Ask any agency what exactly those three mean for them before you pay anything. An agency that cannot describe its verification, or whose replacement promise has no terms, is a phone number with a fee attached.
When hiring directly is fine
If a neighbour you trust has employed someone for years and they are free, that is a strong reference — often stronger than any check. Register them with your local police station, agree the salary, hours and weekly off in writing, and you have most of what an agency provides.
Where direct hiring goes wrong is the stranger recommended third-hand, the “cousin” of someone who just left, or anyone for a role with unsupervised access — a driver for your parents, a nanny for a newborn. That is where verification earns its fee.
- A trusted neighbour’s help
Hire directly — and register them with the police.
How to register - A stranger, or unsupervised access
Use an agency that verifies first.
Hire through neato - Unsure what to pay
Check the published rates first.
See salaries
Still deciding?
The follow-up questions people ask once they have read the comparison.
Does neato charge a fee on top of the salary?
Yes. The staff member’s salary is published on the website and in the app; neato’s service fee is separate, depends on the engagement, and is explained before you confirm anything.
Is a maid agency worth it?
It is worth it when you do not already have a trusted reference — verification and a replacement are the parts that are hard to get any other way.
If I hire directly, what should I do?
Register the person with your local police station, agree the salary, hours, weekly off and leave in writing, and keep a copy of their ID. Our verification page lists what the police ask for.
Know what you need? Raise the request.
The request takes under a minute and asks exactly what the app asks. No account, no payment up front — our team calls you back with matched, verified profiles.