An honest comparison
Is a College Recruiting Service Worth It? An Honest Look at Your Options
There's no one right answer for every family. Here's a straightforward breakdown of the main options, what each is good at, and the questions that tell you whether paid help makes sense for your athlete.
Money-back guarantee. $3,000 of it only when your athlete gets a roster spot.
Prefer to talk now? Call 760-710-1183 or Text Our Team.
- Former D1 player
- 6 years as a college recruiting coordinator
- San Diego-based
Option 1: Doing it yourself
Plenty of athletes get recruited without paying anyone. The family researches schools, the athlete makes their own video and emails coaches, and a high school or club coach makes some calls. If you have time, organization and a coach willing to advocate for your athlete, this can absolutely work, and it costs the least.
Where it gets hard: knowing your athlete's true level, knowing which programs need their position in their class, and getting a busy coach to open one more email from an athlete they've never heard of. Families going it alone often spend more on events than they would have on guidance, and lose time aiming at the wrong level.
Option 2: Profile and exposure platforms
Large recruiting platforms, such as NCSA and similar services, typically center on an online athlete profile that college coaches can search, along with recruiting education, tools for contacting coaches and, at higher tiers, access to advisors. Many offer a free basic profile, which can be a useful starting point.
What to check: some platforms don't list package prices publicly and share them on a sales call, and some paid plans are multi-year agreements. Neither is necessarily a problem, but before you sign anything, get the total price, the contract length, the cancellation terms and the name and background of the person who will actually work with your athlete, in writing.
Option 3: Personal, full-service recruiting advisors
A personal advisor works closely with a smaller number of families. The value isn't a profile page; it's a person: an honest evaluation, a strategy built around your athlete and their sport, and introductions to coaches through relationships. Quality varies widely, so the advisor's background matters most. Have they worked inside a college program? Do coaches actually know them?
This is the category we're in, so take our perspective with that in mind. We'd still say the same thing to any family: choose whoever has real experience, real relationships and is willing to be accountable for results.
Find out where your athlete fits. It's a free 30-minute call with Chase.
A quick side-by-side
| Do it yourself | Profile platforms | The Athlete Market | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Your time plus events | Varies; free tiers available, paid tiers often quoted on a call | $6,000 total, published |
| Paid only on results? | n/a | Typically not | $3,000 due only when your athlete signs or earns a roster spot |
| Money-back guarantee | n/a | Check the terms | If no roster spot, or after a career-ending injury |
| Who you work with | Your family and your athlete's coaches | Varies by plan | Chase Grant, former D1 player and 6-year college recruiting coordinator |
| Sports | Any | Varies by platform | Baseball, softball, football, soccer, lacrosse, basketball (men's and women's) |
| Best for | Families with time and a strong coach advocate | Families who want a searchable profile and tools | Families who want hands-on guidance and shared risk |
Platform details vary by company and plan and change over time. Always confirm current terms with any provider directly.
So when is a recruiting service worth it?
In our experience, paid help is most worth it when one or more of these is true:
- You're not sure what level your athlete can realistically play at.
- Your athlete has been emailing coaches and hearing little or nothing back.
- You're spending heavily on events, club fees and travel without a clear plan.
- Time is running short: your athlete is a junior, senior or transfer.
- Nobody in your athlete's corner has worked inside a college program.
If none of those apply and things are going well, you may not need us, and we'll tell you that.
What we offer, and what it costs
Chase Grant is a former Division I player who spent six years as the recruiting coordinator at Palomar College, a long-time San Diego-area coach and a college professor with a network of current and former college coaches and mentors. Our service is $6,000 total in every sport: $3,000 upfront and $3,000 only when your athlete signs with a school or earns a college roster spot. If your athlete doesn't get a roster spot, you get your money back. If your athlete suffers a career-ending injury, you get your money back.
What families say
“We did not really know the landscape of how to play at the next level, and we finally found the blueprint of someone who cares and gave us that info in a genuine way.”
“This was super beneficial for my son as he really developed over the course of his high school career and received a d2 scholarship. I do not know where he would be without the guidance and expertise of a real college coach and former pro player.”
“Chase single handedly helped my son get into college. He wasn't the biggest or fastest kid, but with his guidance and network it made a huge difference and opened up an opportunity that might not have been there.”
Frequently asked questions
Is a college recruiting service worth the money?
It depends on your situation. It's most valuable when you need an honest evaluation, aren't getting responses from coaches, are short on time, or don't have anyone with college coaching experience advocating for your athlete.
How does The Athlete Market compare to NCSA?
Large platforms like NCSA generally center on a searchable athlete profile plus education, tools and advisor access depending on the plan. We're a personal, full-service advisor led by a former college recruiting coordinator, with a published price, half the fee deferred until signing, and money-back guarantees.
How much do recruiting services cost?
Prices vary widely by provider and package, and some providers share pricing only on a call. Ours is $6,000 total, with $3,000 due upfront and $3,000 only when your athlete signs or earns a college roster spot.
Can my athlete get recruited without a service?
Yes, many athletes do. It takes time, organization, an honest sense of your athlete's level and ideally a coach who'll advocate for them. If you have those, you may not need paid help.
What should I ask before hiring a recruiting service?
Ask for the total price and contract length in writing, whether any of the fee depends on results, what happens if your athlete doesn't make a roster or gets hurt, and who exactly will do the work.
Is a free athlete profile worth creating?
A free profile can be a reasonable starting point. Just know that a profile alone rarely gets an athlete recruited; film, outreach and relationships do the heavy lifting.
Pick a time for your free 30-minute call
Choose a time that works for your family. You'll get an honest read on where your athlete fits and what to do next, with no obligation.
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Don't let the recruiting window close on your athlete's dream.
Book a free 30-minute recruiting call. You'll get an honest read on where your son or daughter fits and what to do next, whether or not you work with us.