Collection agency fee calculator for unpaid invoices
Key takeaways
Published contingency rates we checked run from 10% to 30%. Bigger balances get the lower rates.
At 25%, a $5,000 invoice costs you $1,250 if the agency collects all of it.
Easy Small Claims: $99 to start, $299 through the hearing, court costs at cost.
Small claims limits: $20,000 in Texas, $15,000 in Georgia, $8,000 in Florida.
Loading the calculator. If it does not appear, the rate table below shows the same math.
How do collection agency fees work?
Most agencies that collect business debts work on contingency. You pay nothing up front, and the agency keeps a percentage of whatever it recovers. The rate usually falls as the balance rises, so a small invoice pays the highest percentage.
| Balance | Kaplan Collection Agency | DCS Collections |
|---|---|---|
| $200 to $1,999 | not listed | 25% |
| $2,000 to $6,999 | 25% from $3,000 | 20% |
| $7,000 to $9,999 | 25% | 18% |
| $10,000 to $30,000 | 20% | 15% |
| $50,000 to $499,999 | 15% | not listed |
Rates from each agency's published schedule, checked October 2026. Kaplan lists 30% for debtors outside the US. More detail is in our guide to commercial collection agency fees.
What does small claims cost instead?
A small claims case costs a filing fee and a fee to serve the papers. In Texas the justice court filing fee is $54 statewide, and Tarrant County constables charge $90 per defendant served. Cobb County, Georgia charges $60.50 to file and $50 for sheriff service. You can check your own numbers with the small claims cost calculator.
Easy Small Claims adds a flat fee on top: $99 to start, $299 through the hearing. We take no cut of what you recover, and collection steps after a judgment are quoted separately.
When is an agency the better fit?
An agency can make sense when the customer is in another state, when you have dozens of small accounts, or when you will not attend a hearing. Small claims fits when the amount is under your state limit, the customer is local, and you have the contract and invoices to show a judge. The side by side comparison in collection agency vs small claims vs lawyer runs one $8,000 invoice through all three.
Last updated October 2026. Easy Small Claims is not a law firm and this page is general information, not legal advice.
Questions, answered
How much do collection agencies charge?
Most commercial agencies charge a contingency fee, a percentage of what they collect. The published schedules we checked run from 10% on very large balances to 25% on smaller ones, with higher rates for debtors overseas. Ask for the rate in writing, and check whether it changes if the account goes to an attorney.
Is a collection agency worth it for a small invoice?
Sometimes. On a small balance the percentage can cost more than filing yourself. Small claims in Tarrant County, Texas, costs $54 to file plus $90 for constable service, and you keep control of the claim. An agency makes more sense when you cannot give the claim any time at all, or the customer is out of state.
Do I pay the agency if they collect nothing?
Under a pure contingency agreement, usually not, because the fee comes out of what they recover. Read the agreement for minimum fees, attorney-stage costs and what happens if you withdraw the account or the customer pays you directly. Those terms can cost you even when the agency recovers nothing.
How is Easy Small Claims priced differently?
We charge flat fees instead of a percentage: $99 to start and $299 through the hearing. Court costs are passed through at cost, and collection steps after a judgment are quoted separately. We take no cut of what you recover. Easy Small Claims is not a law firm, and a hearing needs someone from your business.
A small business owner himself, Nitin has been on the wrong end of an unpaid invoice and knows how easy it is to give up on one. He built Easy Small Claims so owners can get that money back. He is also a practicing barrister.