DNA BD Commission Benchmark 2026
The BD role has changed. Commission hasn't.
Five years ago, only 12 people on the BD100 had 'Growth' in their title. This year it was a third of the list, and the remit now covers partnerships, brand, content and hiring. What hasn't moved anywhere near as fast is how agencies pay for it.
We asked top business developers across the industry what their commission looks like, and what they'd change about it. Where the money is, where it isn't, and what the best agencies are already doing differently.
Download the full report to see what it means for your next scheme.
76% of BD and growth professionals now have some form of commission, but people on a discretionary bonus are 21% less satisfied with their pay than people with no commission at all.
Discretionary bonus scores 2.67 out of 5 for pay satisfaction, versus 3.40 for base salary alone. Formal, documented commission sits in between at 3.24.
The worst place to be isn't having no variable pay, it's being promised some. If it isn't guaranteed, don't call it commission.
A £250k–£1m threshold scored the worst pay satisfaction in the entire survey, 23% lower than having no threshold at all.
It looks like the sensible middle ground, but it performed worse than a much tougher £1m+ target.
If you're going to set a bar, make it a real one or drop it.
34% of BD and growth professionals are paid on new-logo wins, and nothing else.
Nothing for organic growth, nothing for renewals, nothing for the accounts they're quietly growing alongside a win. Those earners are happy enough, but the cost shows up in how willing they are to help with a deal that isn't theirs.
Extending commission to organic growth, even at a lower rate, keeps your best people helping each other instead of guarding their own deals.
Get the full report
See the full data on how agencies pay their BD and growth teams, plus six practical steps for building a commission scheme that attracts and retains the best people.
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