Hiring an SDR Team? Here’s What to Know About In-House vs Outsourced
If you’ve ever built a sales pipeline from scratch, you know where the pressure starts — at the top. More leads. More meetings. More volume.
That’s where SDRs come in. But building the right team isn’t always simple. You’ll hit one big question early:
Do we hire SDRs in-house? Or do we outsource the role?
There’s no perfect answer. But depending on where your company is right now — budget, bandwidth, speed, and sales targets — one model usually fits better than the other.
Here’s a breakdown based on what actually happens in the field.
The In-House Route: Control, Culture, and… Time
Hiring SDRs yourself has one big advantage: control.
You can shape the culture, train the team to fit your brand voice, and groom SDRs to become AEs. If you’ve got a long runway and a clear sales playbook, this works well.
But here’s the reality of in-house hiring most teams don’t talk about:
- It takes 4–6 weeks just to hire one rep
- Ramp-up takes another 4–8 weeks
- Many SDRs leave within 12–18 months
- Managers spend 20–30% of their week coaching or reviewing activities
Even if your reps perform well, this model takes time, patience, and strong leadership.
The Outsourced Option: Speed, Simplicity, and Flexibility
Outsourcing SDRs isn’t new — but the way it’s done today looks very different.
Now, many companies work with external teams who already know how to prospect in US and UK markets, who speak the language fluently, and who can plug directly into your tools.
What you get:
- Reps trained and ready in under 2 weeks
- No hiring, onboarding, or HR costs
- Built-in reporting and management
- Monthly cost that’s easy to predict
- Easier to scale up — or pause — if things shift
This model works best for companies that need to move fast, want to keep their internal team lean, or are experimenting with new markets or segments.
How the Numbers Compare
Let’s say you’re comparing cost per year.
In-House SDR:
- $60K base salary
- ~$15K in taxes and benefits
- $5K for tools, training, and overhead
- $10K+ lost during ramp and turnover
True cost: ~$90K–$100K/year
Outsourced SDR:
- $3,500–$5,000/month, fully loaded
- No extra tool, ramp, or churn costs
True cost: ~$45K–$60K/year
If each rep books the same number of qualified meetings, outsourcing usually gives you more ROI, faster.
But What About Quality?
That’s the catch. If you choose the wrong outsourcing partner, you might get templated messages, poor targeting, or reps who don’t understand your market.
But when the setup is right — clear ICP, access to your CRM, regular feedback — outsourced SDRs can perform just as well as internal hires. Sometimes better, because they’re 100% focused on booking meetings.
What Most Teams Are Doing Now
More companies are mixing both.
- Keep a small in-house team to handle strategy, messaging, and hand-offs
- Use outsourced SDRs for high-volume outreach
- Adjust the balance based on performance and budget
This keeps your funnel steady without burning out your core team or bloating headcount.
Final Thought
Hiring SDRs in-house gives you control — but it costs more, and it takes time. Outsourcing gives you speed and flexibility — but only works if you treat it like a partnership, not a shortcut.
Either model works. The best one is the one that helps your sales team spend more time selling — and less time chasing leads.
