Travel nurse agency vs job marketplace
A travel job marketplace is a website that lists contracts from many staffing agencies in one place. When you take a job, you are hired and paid by the agency behind that listing, so that agency sets your final pay, benefits and support. An agency employs you directly. Marketplaces are good for seeing many jobs at once; the employer is what decides your paycheck.
Reviewed October 22, 2026
Side by side
| Compared | Travel agency | Job marketplace | Bypass |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A staffing company that employs you and places you on contracts | A site listing jobs from many agencies; some also place travelers themselves | A staffing company (Magnet Medical) with a self-serve job board |
| Who employs you | The agency | The agency behind the job you take; it varies by listing | Magnet Medical |
| Pay shown before you apply | Often after a recruiter call | Usually a weekly figure per listing; the placing agency sets the final offer | Exact weekly take-home on every listing, next to the standard agency package |
| How many jobs you see | That agency's contracts | Many agencies' contracts in one place | Magnet's open contracts |
| Who you deal with | Your recruiter | The site first, then the placing agency's recruiter | The Bypass team, from application to payroll |
| Credentialing and payroll | The agency | The placing agency, usually on its own forms | Bypass: upload once, weekly W-2 payroll |
How marketplaces work
A marketplace gathers listings from many agencies so you can search them together. Some charge agencies for applicants or placements; some also act as an agency for part of their jobs. Either way, someone employs you, and that employer pays your wages, runs payroll, and carries your insurance.
The weekly figure on a marketplace listing is usually an estimate supplied by the agency. Your offer can differ once hours, shift and stipend eligibility are confirmed.
Questions to ask before you apply on any site
- Which company will be my W-2 employer?
- Is the weekly number take-home or gross, and how much is taxable wage versus stipend?
- How many hours are guaranteed, and what happens if the facility cancels shifts?
- What is the cancellation policy for the contract?
- When do health insurance and other benefits start?
- Who do I call during the assignment if something goes wrong?
Where Bypass fits
Bypass is an agency with a marketplace's openness: you browse every open contract yourself and see the exact weekly take-home before applying, and Magnet Medical is your employer for every job on it. You give up the breadth of a marketplace that lists many agencies, and you skip the second step of being handed to a recruiter.
Quick answers
Is a travel nurse job marketplace an agency?
Not always. Most marketplaces list jobs from many agencies, and the agency behind the job you take becomes your employer. Some marketplaces also place travelers themselves. Ask which company will employ you before you accept an offer.
Who pays me if I find a job on a marketplace?
The staffing agency that places you on the contract. It runs your payroll, withholds taxes, and provides your benefits and insurance.
Is the pay on a marketplace listing what I will get?
It is usually the agency's estimate. Confirm the weekly take-home, guaranteed hours and the split between taxable wage and stipends in your written offer.