How BluWave Pricing Works

A common question we hear often: how much does it cost to use BluWave? The answer is straightforward. BluWave is typically free to use. No retainers. No subscriptions. No up-front fees except for senior advisor and board member placements. You will typically contract directly with the service provider and only pay BluWave directly for certain types of projects.

See the full pricing table ↓

How does BluWave structure pricing by project type?

The pricing information below about each project category summarizes who pays whom and whether any up-front fee applies. We’re also happy to walk through any questions you have when you reach out about a project.

Offering Category	Who You Pay	Payment Structure	Upfront Fee
Service Providers	Service Provider	You don't pay BluWave. You contract and pay service provider directly.	No
Interim Executives & Independent Consultants	BluWave	You pay BluWave. BluWave pays the individual.	No
Senior Advisor Placement	BluWave	You pay an up-front connection fee to BluWave. For interim advisory work, you pay BluWave and BluWave pays the individual. The upfront fee rolls into a placement fee if needed.	Yes
Board Member Placement	BluWave	You pay BluWave an upfront fee which rolls into the placement fee.	Yes

Service Providers

We scope and assess your need with no up-front charge to you. When you select the right service provider, you contract with them directly at a competitive market rate. The service provider pays BluWave a connection fee when you begin working with them.

You do not pay BluWave. (And, neither do they, unless we deliver the right fit and you move forward.)

For every project, BluWave's AI matching engine surfaces options from the BluWave Vetted™ network, followed by expert human review to confirm fit before any introduction is made. This creates real competition among providers, which keeps their pricing competitive for you.

Interim Executives & Independent Consultants

We scope and assess your need at no cost to you. When you select an interim executive or independent consultant, you contract with them at a mutually agreed-upon competitive rate. BluWave handles all billing and pays the individual directly, removing back-office complexity so they can stay focused on your project.

If you or your affiliates decide to convert them to a full-time employee or board member, BluWave charges a success-based placement fee at that time.

You do not pay BluWave unless we deliver the right fit and you choose to move forward.

Senior Advisor Placement

Senior advisor placements involve a highly customized search, evaluation, and placement process comparable to retained executive recruiting. An initial connection fee applies to begin the engagement.

When you successfully engage a senior advisor, they often require fees for ongoing interim work. BluWave bills you and pays the advisor directly for that work. If you or your affiliates decide to bring them on as a full-time employee or board member, a success-based placement fee applies.

The one-time up-front connection fee rolls into and offsets any final placement fee. No further fees are charged after placement unless otherwise agreed.

Board Member Placement

Board member placements involve a highly customized search, evaluation, and placement process comparable to retained executive recruiting. An initial connection fee applies to begin the engagement.

When you successfully place a board member, BluWave charges a success-based placement fee. The one-time up-front connection fee rolls into and offsets the final placement fee. No further fees are charged after placement unless otherwise agreed.

BluWave's placement fees are consistently below market rate.

Integrity

How does BluWave ensure the right fit?

BluWave's pricing model is built on a simple principle: we only get paid when we deliver. No pay-to-play. No priority placements. No ads. Every resource in the BluWave Vetted™ network is invite-only, rigorously vetted, and re-evaluated for each specific engagement. That commitment is formalized in the BluWave Integrity Guarantee.

No Pay-to-Play

We don't charge providers a fee to be part of our exclusive network and there's no option for priority placements or ads. It's no cost to the providers until you pick them. No playing favorites and no pay-to-play. For every project, we provide options that create competition, so you always receive top choices at a competitive market price.

No Risk

We don't get paid unless we deliver the right
solution to you that you choose to go forward with. The only time there's an initial up-front fee is for board member or senior advisor placements.

Exclusive Network

Our invite-only ecosystem is rigorously vetted with in-depth interviews, validation, and reference checks. Options are re-vetted for each project, ensuring the best possible fit for your specific needs. This system incentivizes us to only focus on providing you with the very highest quality and to create a curated ecosystem with only the very best providers. It's our Integrity Guarantee.

Private Equity's Secret Weapon

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BluWave connects PE firms and portfolio companies with exact-fit service providers, interim executives, and senior advisors within 24-hours, at no cost for most engagements.

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