How much does Somewhere cost?

Somewhere charges a one-time Direct Hire fee based on the hire's first-year salary (the percentage is not published), or a monthly Talent On-Demand price set per role. It asks for a $500 refundable deposit that is credited to the final invoice.

How much does A Team Overseas cost?

$500/month membership, plus your assistant's pay, paid directly: $1,200–2,000/month for full-time engagements, by experience tier, agreed before placement. Optional add-ons, not included in the membership-plus-assistant-pay total: Managed Payments ($150/month) and security covering VPN and MDM tools ($100/month). Membership includes up to 3 placements a year and 1 free replacement. The paid trial month starts on the assistant's first day. The first invoice is issued that day and is due within 7 days. No early-exit fee applies if you leave at the end of the trial month. An annual membership commitment starts in month two. Early exit after the trial requires 30 days' written notice, with fees owed through the notice period, plus an early-exit fee equal to the lesser of 3 months' membership fees or the remaining year's membership fees (a maximum of $1,500 at $500/month).

What is the difference between direct hire and A Team Overseas?

With direct hire, the recruiter's job ends at the placement. With A Team Overseas, the assistant is also on your payroll, but the membership keeps us involved: check-ins weekly in month one, then every two weeks or monthly through day 90, plus a free replacement and up to 3 placements a year.

Somewhere alternatives: how A Team Overseas compares

Written by A Team Overseas. Facts about Somewhere come from its own published pages, checked October 22, 2026. Sources are listed at the end. Prices and terms change, so confirm them with Somewhere directly.

Quick answer

Somewhere (formerly Support Shepherd) offers two routes. Direct Hire charges a one-time recruiting fee based on the first-year salary, then you run payroll yourself. Talent On-Demand is priced monthly per role, and Somewhere handles payroll. A Team Overseas sits between them. The assistant is on your payroll, and our $500/month membership keeps us coaching you both through the first 90 days, with up to 3 placements and 1 free replacement a year.

Key differences

Topic	Somewhere	A Team Overseas
Model	Two routes. Direct Hire: a one-time fee, and you employ the person. Talent On-Demand: Somewhere handles payroll and compliance for a monthly price.	Membership. We find and place the assistant, who works on your payroll while you direct the work. We stay involved through the first 90 days.
What you pay	Direct Hire: a "one-time recruiting fee based on your new hire's first-year salary" (the percentage is not published). Talent On-Demand: "monthly pricing tailored to the role". A "$500 refundable deposit" is credited to the final invoice.	$500/month membership, plus your assistant's pay, paid directly: $1,200–2,000/month for full-time engagements, by experience tier, agreed before placement. Optional add-ons, not included in the membership-plus-assistant-pay total: Managed Payments ($150/month) and security covering VPN and MDM tools ($100/month).
Where assistants are based	Several countries, including the Philippines.	Philippines. Executive, operations and marketing assistants.
Terms	Direct Hire is a one-time fee. Talent On-Demand contract terms are not published.	The paid trial month starts on the assistant's first day. The first invoice is issued that day and is due within 7 days. No early-exit fee applies if you leave at the end of the trial month. An annual membership commitment starts in month two. Early exit after the trial requires 30 days' written notice, with fees owed through the notice period, plus an early-exit fee equal to the lesser of 3 months' membership fees or the remaining year's membership fees (a maximum of $1,500 at $500/month).
If it isn't a fit	Direct Hire: a "6 month perfect-hire guarantee" with one replacement. Talent On-Demand: "unlimited free replacements" during the contract.	1 free replacement a year, and up to 3 placements a year.
Support after matching	Direct Hire: after placement, payroll and management are yours. Talent On-Demand: Somewhere handles compliance and payroll.	Check-ins weekly in month one, then every two weeks or monthly through day 90, then as needed. We do not provide screen monitoring. Assistants send an end-of-day report. Any more detailed time tracking must be agreed between you and your assistant.
Working hours	Not published.	We match working hours to any timezone, including US, Australia, UK and Asia hours. Candidates are told the required hours before meeting you, and we only propose people available for those hours.

Choose Somewhere if

You want a one-time recruiting fee and to manage the hire yourself from day one (Direct Hire).
You want the provider to handle payroll and compliance, with unlimited replacements during the contract (Talent On-Demand).
You are hiring in countries other than the Philippines.

Choose A Team Overseas if

You want the assistant on your own payroll, paid directly at a rate you agree before placement.
You want a more senior assistant. We specialize in more senior talent: mid-level assistants who are resourceful, proactive, reliable and AI-enabled.
You have a repeatable set of work today and want the same person to grow into owning more of an operational lane, with you setting direction.
You want someone to own AI and systems inside that lane: rolling out tools, automating recurring steps and helping your team use them.
You'd like help making the relationship work: what to hand over, how to communicate and how to start. That's common for a first remote hire, or after a past hire or agency didn't work out.
You'll direct the assistant and give feedback, and you want us coaching both of you through the first 90 days.

A Team Overseas is not a fit if you want

A part-time "right hand" expected to own strategy across marketing, operations and personal tasks all at once
A director or manager for a function you haven't defined yet
Finished deliverables from us without directing anyone (a done-for-you service)
Agency-provided screen monitoring of an assistant
A budget below the membership plus the assistant’s pay

FAQ

How much does Somewhere cost?: Somewhere charges a one-time Direct Hire fee based on the hire's first-year salary (the percentage is not published), or a monthly Talent On-Demand price set per role. It asks for a $500 refundable deposit that is credited to the final invoice.
How much does A Team Overseas cost?: $500/month membership, plus your assistant's pay, paid directly: $1,200–2,000/month for full-time engagements, by experience tier, agreed before placement. Optional add-ons, not included in the membership-plus-assistant-pay total: Managed Payments ($150/month) and security covering VPN and MDM tools ($100/month). Membership includes up to 3 placements a year and 1 free replacement. The paid trial month starts on the assistant's first day. The first invoice is issued that day and is due within 7 days. No early-exit fee applies if you leave at the end of the trial month. An annual membership commitment starts in month two. Early exit after the trial requires 30 days' written notice, with fees owed through the notice period, plus an early-exit fee equal to the lesser of 3 months' membership fees or the remaining year's membership fees (a maximum of $1,500 at $500/month).
What is the difference between direct hire and A Team Overseas?: With direct hire, the recruiter's job ends at the placement. With A Team Overseas, the assistant is also on your payroll, but the membership keeps us involved: check-ins weekly in month one, then every two weeks or monthly through day 90, plus a free replacement and up to 3 placements a year.