A customer just told you to get on ISNetworld®, and the first question is a fair one: what’s this going to cost? The honest answer is that ISNetworld no longer publishes its pricing. You get your number during registration, and it’s based on the size of your workforce. What you can know ahead of time is how that price is calculated, and what else it costs to reach a passing grade. For most small contractors, that second part is the bigger expense.
This guide covers both.
How much does ISNetworld cost?
ISNetworld® charges contractors and suppliers two fees: a one-time account setup fee and an annual subscription fee. Both are set by the number of people in your workforce and the country you operate in. A small company pays far less than a large one, and a company operating in both the U.S. and Canada pays for each country separately.
ISNetworld doesn’t post its current rates publicly. You’ll see your exact fees when you register or when you ask ISN for a quote. You may find pricing tables from other sites online. Treat those with caution: they’re often several years old, and ISN adjusts its pricing over time.
How does ISNetworld calculate your price?
ISNetworld bases your fee on your average employee count over the last three years, not just today’s headcount. If you grew quickly or ran a large seasonal crew in one of those years, your tier may be higher than you expect. If you downsized, it may be lower. Pull your real three-year numbers before you register so the quote doesn’t surprise you.
Your fees are also per country. Each country you work in carries its own setup fee and annual subscription.
Owners often ask whether they can register divisions or regions separately to land in a lower tier. That’s a decision to make with ISNetworld directly. They set the rules on how a company is structured in the system, and getting it wrong can create problems with your hiring clients later.
Does ISNetworld charge more for each hiring client?
No. ISNetworld describes its subscription as all-inclusive: you pay the same annual fee whether you’re connected to one hiring client or twenty. This is where the cost starts to pay off. Once your account is set up and graded, new customers who use ISNetworld can connect to you without raising your subscription.
The catch is that each hiring client sets its own requirements. A new connection doesn’t cost more in fees, but it can mean new questionnaires, additional written programs, or different insurance limits before you show as compliant for that client.
What else does ISNetworld compliance cost?
The subscription gets you into the system. Getting a passing grade means meeting each hiring client’s requirements, and that’s where most of the real cost is. Plan for these:
Written safety programs (RAVS®). ISNetworld reviews your written safety programs against the requirements your hiring clients select. Many small contractors don’t have programs that pass as written. You’ll either write and revise them yourself, which can mean multiple rounds of review, or have them written to pass. See how to build safety programs that pass ISNetworld’s RAVS® review.
Insurance. Hiring clients set minimum coverage limits and specific certificate wording. If your current policy doesn’t meet a client’s limits, raising them is a real cost. Your agent will also need to issue a compliant certificate of insurance.
Training and documentation. Some hiring clients require proof of specific employee training, and ISNetworld tracks it. If your crew’s training isn’t documented, or the required training was never done, expect both time and cost to close the gap.
Drug and alcohol testing. Some hiring clients require a compliant drug and alcohol program, and some require it to be monitored by a third party such as NCMS. That’s a separate service with its own fees. Our ISNetworld® and NCMS compliance guide explains how the two connect.
Your time. This is the cost owners underestimate most. Questionnaires, OSHA log uploads, EMR letters, insurance certificates, and program revisions all land on whoever handles compliance, and at a small company that’s often the owner. Every week the account sits at a failing grade is a week you can’t mobilize for that customer.
What does it cost to hire an ISNetworld consultant?
It depends on how much of the work you hand off. Consultant fees usually fall into three levels:
- One-time setup and cleanup. Getting the account built, questionnaires completed, and programs submitted, then handing it back to you.
- Ongoing account management. Someone monitors the account year-round, handles annual updates and new hiring-client requirements, and fixes deficiencies before they turn into a failing grade.
- Hourly help. Paying for specific problems as they come up.
At Cascade QMS, most contractors choose our ISNetworld® Management Plan, where we manage the account on your behalf rather than coaching you through it. Pricing depends on your number of hiring clients, the state of your current safety programs, and how much documentation needs to be built from scratch, so we quote it after a short call about your situation.
Is ISNetworld worth the cost for a small contractor?
If a customer you want to keep or win requires it, yes. For most contractors, ISNetworld isn’t really optional. It’s the price of being on that customer’s approved vendor list. The better question is how to keep the total cost down, and that comes down to getting the account right the first time.
Contractors who underestimate ISNetworld usually pay in delays, not fees. Programs get rejected, deficiencies pile up, the grade stays at failing, and the job starts without them. One missed mobilization can easily cost more than a year of subscription.
The upside is real too. Once you’re set up and passing, you’re visible to the other hiring clients on ISNetworld (the platform lists about 900) without paying more in subscription fees.
How can you keep your ISNetworld costs down?
Get your employee count right. Pull your actual three-year average before you register, and ask ISNetworld directly how to structure divisions or locations.
Start with programs written to pass. RAVS® rejections are a common cause of delay. Written programs built for ISNetworld’s review save repeated resubmissions. Cascade’s Written Safety Programs are written to be accepted, and the same documentation supports Avetta®, Veriforce® and other platforms if another customer asks.
Check insurance requirements before renewal. Matching your policy limits to your hiring clients’ requirements at renewal is cheaper than a mid-term endorsement.
Don’t let it lapse. Annual updates, expiring insurance certificates and new hiring-client requirements are what pull a passing account back to failing. For tips on raising a low grade, see 6 ways to improve your ISNetworld® score.
Sole proprietor? The process and costs look different for one-person companies. See our guide to ISNetworld® certification for sole proprietors.
Let Cascade handle ISNetworld for you
A lot of contractors come to us the same way: a customer required ISNetworld, nobody in the office had time to figure it out, and they couldn’t even find a straight answer on price. In our experience, the subscription is the easy part. The hours spent on questionnaires, program rejections and chasing deficiencies are what hurt.
With an ISNetworld® Management Plan, a dedicated Cascade consultant sets up your account, writes or upgrades your safety programs, works through each hiring client’s requirements, and keeps the account current year-round. You’ll know what our service costs before you commit.
Get a quote for an ISNetworld® Management Plan →
ISNetworld cost FAQs
Does ISNetworld publish its pricing?
No. ISNetworld doesn’t post current contractor rates publicly. You receive your fees during registration or by requesting a quote from ISN. Pricing tables found elsewhere online may be out of date.
Is there a one-time fee to join ISNetworld?
Yes. ISNetworld charges a one-time account setup fee in addition to the annual subscription. Both are based on your workforce size and the country you operate in.
Is ISNetworld pricing per employee?
Not exactly. ISNetworld prices by workforce size using your three-year average employee count, so your tier, not a per-head charge, sets the fee.
Do I pay more if more hiring clients connect with me?
No. ISNetworld’s subscription is all-inclusive, regardless of how many hiring clients you’re connected to. Each new client may add requirements, though.
Does Cascade QMS charge ISNetworld’s fees?
No. ISNetworld bills its subscription and setup fees directly. Cascade’s Management Plan fees are separate and cover the work of setting up and managing your account.
How long does it take to get ISNetworld approved?
It depends on your hiring clients’ requirements and how much documentation you already have. Accounts with solid written programs and insurance in place move fastest. Cascade has completed some expedited cleanups in about a business day, but timelines vary by account.