How does Tandem pricing work?

Tandem charges a 35% service fee on top of the hourly rate you set for substitutes. For example, if you set a sub hourly rate of $15.00/hr, the Tandem service fee is $5.25/hr, making your total cost $20.25/hr. You only pay for completed shifts.

What does the service fee cover?

The service fee covers background checks and compliance screening, matching and scheduling technology, payroll processing and tax filing, workers' compensation insurance, and dedicated support for your center.

Are there any upfront costs or contracts?

No. There are no sign-up fees, no subscriptions, no deposits, and no contracts. You can use Tandem when you need it and pause when you don't, with no minimum commitment or lock-in period.

Can I hire a substitute permanently?

Yes. After 120 hours, you can move a substitute to your payroll at no additional cost. There are no buy-out fees, placement fees, or penalties.

Pricing

Clear pricing for every substitute you book.

No sign-up fees. No contracts. No commitments. Just pay for the shifts you book — and only after they're completed.

No Upfront Costs

No sign-up fees, no subscriptions, no deposits. Create your account and start posting shifts for free.

No Contracts

Use Tandem when you need it, pause when you don't. There's no minimum commitment or lock-in period.

Pay As You Go

You're only billed for shifts that are completed. If a shift is cancelled, you don't pay a thing.

Teal five-point star outline with uneven, rounded edges on a white background.

How our pricing works:

You set the hourly rate your substitutes earn. Tandem adds a 35% service fee on top of that rate — that's it. No hidden charges, no surprise invoices.

Example

Sub hourly rate (you set this)

$15.00/hr

Tandem service fee (35%)

$5.25/hr

Your total cost

$20.25/hr

What the service fee covers:

Substitute vetting & credential verification

Background checks & compliance screening

Matching & scheduling technology

Payroll processing & tax filing

Workers' compensation insurance

Dedicated support for your center

Cost Calculator

Enter the hourly rate you'd pay a substitute to see your total cost per hour, per shift, and per week.

Substitute hourly rate ($)

Per Hour

Per 8-Hour Shift

1 full day

Per 5-Day Week

40 hours total

Try Before You Hire

See how a substitute performs in your classroom over real shifts before making a permanent offer.

No Buy-Out Fees

After 120 hours, move them to your payroll at no additional cost. No placement fees, no penalties.

Try Before You Hire

Every substitute on Tandem has been credentialed, background-checked, and reviewed — so your new hire is ready from day one.

120-hour policy

Love a sub? Hire them - fee-free.

Once a substitute has worked 120 hours at your center through Tandem, you're free to bring them onto your permanent payroll — with zero buy-out or placement fees.

Think of it as a built-in trial period. You get to evaluate a teacher in your actual classroom, with your actual children, before committing to a full-time hire. It's the lowest-risk way to grow your team.

Clear pricing for every substitute you book.

How our pricing works:

What the service fee covers:

Cost Calculator

Love a sub? Hire them - fee-free.

Ready to staff your center with qualified substitutes?

Stay connected