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Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses

10+ Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses (2025)

The best ATS for small businesses, updated by our in-house HR tech experts and researchers for 2025.

Alison Hunter
Written by
Alison Hunter
Editor and HR expert for SelectSoftware Reviews
Contributing Experts
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Last Updated: Jun 05, 2025
TOP
Best small business applicant tracking software for flexibility
Workable
4.1
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best small business applicant tracking software for flexibility
Workable
4.1
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
High-end option for multi-national SMBs
Greenhouse
4.5
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
High-end option for multi-national SMBs
Greenhouse
4.5
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Well-designed applicant tracking system for mid-market orgs
AvaHR
4.2
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Well-designed applicant tracking system for mid-market orgs
AvaHR
4.2
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Comprehensive HR software starting at $5 per employee monthly
GoCo
4.1
Popularity Score
4.7
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Comprehensive HR software starting at $5 per employee monthly
GoCo
4.1
Popularity Score
4.7
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Enterprise-grade project management tool with powerful automation
Wrike
4.7
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Enterprise-grade project management tool with powerful automation
Wrike
4.7
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Best for distributed teams
Deel
4.4
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best for distributed teams
Deel
4.4
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
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Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses

Recruit CRMTop choice for small and midsize staffing agencies
PinpointIdeal for in-house recruiting at fast-growing SMBs
JazzHRAffordable applicant tracking tool for teams under 500 employees
TeamtailorATS with top-notch employer branding functionality
RecruiteeFor SMBs seeking a collaborative and user-friendly ATS
Trakstar HireGreat ATS for midsize teams with over 100 to fill each year
BambooHRFull-stack ATS and HRIS for growing small-to-midsize companies
ManatalReasonably-priced ATS, works for in-house TA teams and agencies

Zoho Recruit

: Free applicant tracking platform with Google integration

Recooty

: Multi-lingual ATS for small teams prioritizing simplicity

TOP
Best small business applicant tracking software for flexibility
Workable
4.1
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best small business applicant tracking software for flexibility
Workable
4.1
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
High-end option for multi-national SMBs
Greenhouse
4.5
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
High-end option for multi-national SMBs
Greenhouse
4.5
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Well-designed applicant tracking system for mid-market orgs
AvaHR
4.2
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Well-designed applicant tracking system for mid-market orgs
AvaHR
4.2
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
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Introduction to Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses

A small business ATS is software designed for teams with limited HR resources to digitize and enhance their applicant tracking process. For such companies, there’s a fine line between bootstrapping your budget and shooting yourself in the foot, and our experience tells us that the ROI on the proper ATS software catering to SMB growth will make you wonder why you spent so long making do with Excel.

In this guide, our HR tech experts will introduce you to a few relatively affordable applicant tracking systems for small businesses that will pay off dividends if you’re looking to streamline your hiring process with automation, improve your recruitment efficiency, or better your employer brand and candidate experience.

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Our Criteria: Here's How We Chose The Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses

We have assessed over 50 applicant tracking systems specifically through the lens of small business needs, combining hands-on product testing, live vendor demos, and expert and user feedback. Based on our research and experience, the best ATS platforms for small businesses tend to excel in resume parsing, job posting, pipeline management/user experience, and integration capacity.

  • Resume Parsing: The ability to reliably parse resumes and provide meaningful analytics is a core feature of any ATS, but for small businesses, it’s especially critical due to their often modest human resources. A small business can’t afford a bad hire, but you also don’t want to spend countless precious hours going through hundreds of resumes. Hence, resume parsing should filter the best candidates, saving you time. To gauge each ATS’s resume parsing capability, we ran simulations where we sent sample resumes through the system’s application pipeline and assessed how well it extracted and organized key data.
  • Job Posting: Whether a small business is expanding across borders or focusing on niche roles, tight budgets are a universal challenge. That’s why we prioritized ATS tools that maximize job posting efficiency by offering access to a good mix of job boards (both general and niche) and provide tools like job description crafting, salary estimators, and language support to help teams tailor postings effectively. To ensure job ads meet relevant legal requirements, we also verified that each platform complies with GDPR and EEOC standards and maintains a clear audit trail of job posting activity.
  • Pipeline Management and User Experience: Pipeline management supports automation and efficiency, the foundation of candidate experience. A well-designed small business ATS is crucial because it reflects your company's image. We ran candidate simulations through each pipeline to test for intuitiveness, accessibility, and cohesive visual design. Then, we assessed the performance from both the candidate's and recruiter's perspectives.
  • ATS Integration: Compatibility with other software is essential because even at small businesses, the candidate pipeline tends to and should weave through multiple internal data points and systems, such as calendars for scheduling, candidate sourcing tools, and background check services. To ensure each ATS would work with most HR ecosystems, our researchers checked for compatibility with dozens of the top HR tools used by small businesses.

You can read our HR tech assessment process for more details.

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Compare the Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses

Popularity Score
Best for
Key Differentiator
Pricing
Free Trial
Customers
Users Score
Product Score
4.1
Companies of all sizes, best for SMBs
Highly flexible and scales easily
Starts at $299/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
30,000+ companies
4.5
4.5
4.5
Global companies
Resume parsing in 26 languages
Starts at $89/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
1,000+ companies
4.4
4.6
4.2
U.S.-based mid-sized companies
Numerous customizable hiring automation
Starts at $89/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
1,000+ companies
4.6
4.1
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast

Need Help? Get Custom Recommendations for Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses

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Detailed Reviews of the Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses

Workable

Visit Website
Workable
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.5 / 5

Why we picked Workable

We found Workable an excellent ATS for small businesses because it combines ease of use, broad job posting reach, and scalable features that help lean teams run structured, professional hiring processes without needing extra tools or technical support.

PROS

  • Allows SMBs to explore the platform’s offerings via a 15-day free trial.
  • Supports one-click job posting to over 200 sites and lets you access its talent pool with over 400 million profiles.
  • You can conduct cognitive and personality assessments within Wordable, without needing third-party tools.
  • The anonymized screening feature can help reduce unconscious hiring bias.
  • You can post jobs with one click to over 200 sites. You also get access to access to Workable’s talent pool with over 400 million profiles.
  • Workable has built-in cognitive and personality candidate assessment. The platform also has features for offer management, which means you can create offer letters and collect e-signatures without needing to use third-party tools
  • You can reduce unconscious hiring bias with Workable’s anonymized screening feature. It helps you hide identifying candidate information from the sourced and applied stages of the hiring process.

CONS

  • No automated reference checking and onboarding features.
  • Features like candidate texting, video interviews, and assessments are not included in plans but must be bought separately.
  • Workable could do better with duplicate candidate merging since one person will have numerous candidate records on the ATS if they apply for multiple positions.
  • The reporting feature needs to be more detailed and customizable.
  • The candidate search function could have more filters.
  • Workable doesn’t provide automated reference checking and onboarding features. 
  • Useful features such as candidate texting, video interviews, and assessments are not offered in any of Workable’’s plans and instead, sold separately.
  • Several users complained about the reporting feature not being detailed or customizable enough, and that the candidate search function could use more filters.

Workable Review

Through our testing, demos, and user feedback, we found that Workable ATS provides small businesses with an ideal blend of ease, flexibility, and a future-ready design. While many ATS platforms either oversimplify for small teams or overwhelm them with enterprise-level complexity, Workable strikes a rare balance: it’s intuitive enough for small hiring teams to adopt quickly, yet robust enough to scale as the business grows.

First, let’s mention this ATS’s plug-and-play setup: small businesses often don’t have the IT resources to configure complex systems, and Workable’s straightforward onboarding, 15-day free trial, and clean interface make it easy to get started. The platform also provides broad job posting reach, giving lean teams access to over 200 job boards and 400 million candidate profiles, which helps maximize recruiting impact without adding extra headcount or budget.

Importantly, Workable includes built-in tools that small businesses often lack, such as anonymized screening, cognitive and personality assessments, and structured interview kits. These are the features that can help your small business run a fair, efficient, and consistent hiring process without relying on additional tools or external vendors.

We also appreciate that Workable’s pricing is transparent and its platform is scalable, meaning small teams can adopt the system with confidence that it won’t become obsolete as they expand. However, be mindful that some features, like video interviewing and texting, actually cost extra as they are paid add-ons. Additionally, while the platform offers reporting tools, as highlighted in the user review from Angela Lowry right below, these are quite basic and often require teams to export data into spreadsheets for meaningful analysis.

Workable Customers

Workable has been used by over 20,000 organizations, including Sephora, Forbes, Bevi, Moodle, and Navarro.

Workable Pricing

Workable provides different pricing options to accommodate various business needs. However, their Starter plan was removed in mid 2025. That leaves only the Standard and Premier plans, which cost $299 and $599 per month respectively. For organizations looking for integrated solutions, bundled options that include HR and recruiting functionalities start at $349 per month.

Best For

Workable’s ATS is a good bet for small businesses aiming to scale, as you can start small and know the platform has the capacity to handle more complex needs as you grow.

Workable in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

We leverage Workable's platform to broadcast job opportunities across a wide range of prominent channels, such as Indeed, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, and Glassdoor, ensuring maximum visibility for our job postings.

Upon receiving applications, Workable enables me to assign specific roles to the relevant hiring manager within our organization, streamlining the recruitment process.

Each hiring manager uses Workable's intuitive interface to assess candidate profiles, review CVs, and track application progress from a centralized dashboard.

This collaborative approach fosters transparency and accountability, engaging all stakeholders in the hiring process.

What do you like about this tool?

Workable acts as a comprehensive solution, providing a centralized hub for optimizing recruitment and onboarding processes. It consolidates various functionalities necessary for efficient talent acquisition and the seamless integration of new hires.

From posting job openings to managing applications and scheduling interviews, Workable streamlines every step of the recruitment lifecycle. A standout feature is its ability to foster collaboration between HR teams and hiring managers, ensuring strategic and cohesive hiring decisions.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We were in search of a comprehensive solution to enhance our recruitment and streamline our onboarding processes. Workable emerged as the ideal platform to effectively meet these needs. It offers a suite of powerful recruitment tools, including job posting management, candidate sourcing, and applicant tracking. These features enable us to attract top talent, manage applications efficiently, and streamline the entire hiring process.

Workable allows us to tailor our recruitment workflows to our specific needs and organizational structure, enhancing efficiency and consistency across all hiring activities. It also facilitates collaboration among hiring teams with features like candidate feedback, interview scheduling, and communication tools, ensuring informed hiring decisions.

What do you dislike about this tool?

While Workable's interface is user-friendly, it can become overly complex or cluttered, particularly when navigating through multiple features or conducting advanced searches. A more streamlined and intuitive interface would improve usability.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Workable excels in providing an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it accessible to users of all technical proficiencies. Its well-designed layout and straightforward navigation enhance usability, enabling users to efficiently perform recruitment tasks without the complications of complex interfaces.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

When considering an ATS tool, evaluate its features and functionality. Ensure it includes essential capabilities such as job posting management, applicant tracking, CV review, candidate communication, interview scheduling, and reporting/analytics. Also, consider whether it offers advanced features like AI-driven candidate matching, automated workflows, and customizable dashboards to streamline the recruitment process.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Workable continually enhances its feature set, providing users with more robust tools for recruitment and hiring. Improvements to applicant tracking, job posting management, candidate communication, interview scheduling, and reporting/analytics have been made. New features such as AI-driven candidate matching, automated workflows, and customizable dashboards have been introduced to further streamline the recruitment process.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Workable is an excellent solution for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises. Its versatility and scalability make it suitable for organizations at different stages of growth.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Workable may not be the best fit for very large enterprises with complex organizational structures and extensive hiring requirements, which may need more advanced features and customization options. Additionally, highly regulated industries such as healthcare, finance, or government may require specialized ATS solutions tailored to their specific regulations and security standards.

Greenhouse

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Greenhouse
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.5 / 5
User Score
4.4 / 5
Product Score
4.6 / 5

Why we picked Greenhouse

We've long found Greenhouse to be a formidable player in the ATS market, particularly in supporting the growth of SMBs with global operations and/or value-driven, unbiased hiring. Its job boards support 19 languages, while its resume anonymization auto-masks candidates' personal details. Remarkably, it's one of the rare few platforms we've encountered that can parse resumes in 26 languages.

PROS

  • Offers access to more than 1,000 job boards.
  • Built-in internal mobility, referral programs, and onboarding capabilities.
  • Interview kits for structured assessment of candidate skills, traits, and qualifications.
  • Resume parsing in 26 languages, job boards in 19 languages, and interviews in 6 languages.
  • Resume anonymization removes personal details like photos, names, and gender from resumes.
  • Send branded, automated email and text notifications from your company’s domain.
  • Over 500 pre-built integrations and an open API for seamless connectivity.
  • Greenhouse's onboarding feature is built and executed well. New hires transition smoothly from candidate to employee.
  • iOS and Android apps work well for recruiters on the go. Users can review applications, schedule interviews, view candidates' profiles, and more.
  • 450+ third-party integrations.

CONS

  • While they are suitable for the SMB market, they tend to do better with headcounts of 75+.
  • Undisclosed pricing. No free trial is available.
  • No monthly subscription option. Higher priced than some competitors.
  • Bulk reject and email features are available in the Candidates tab, but not during the application review stage.
  • The new UI, released in 2024, has garnered negative feedback from some users, who have found it more challenging to navigate than the previous version.
  • Greenhouse’s pricing is undisclosed, and they do not offer a trial version.
  • Some users note that reporting customization is quite limited and difficult to navigate.
  • In-person/live support could be improved.

Greenhouse Review

Greenhouse is often seen as an enterprise-grade ATS, but based on our testing and experience, it offers several standout advantages that can also benefit small businesses ready to invest in a structured, high-performing hiring system.

For small teams, Greenhouse’s exceptional sourcing reach, with access to over 1,000 job boards, strong internal mobility features, and built-in referral programs. This means that, as an employer, you can utilize the platform’s integrations for external candidate sourcing while making the most of your talent database.

The level of thoroughness and consistency of interview kits we saw in Greenhouse was better than most we’ve tested. They’re structured in a way that helps hiring teams assess not just skills, but candidate traits and qualifications.

Additionally, if you’re hiring people across the globe, like us, you’ll appreciate this vendor's language inclusion. It handles resume parsing in 26 languages and job postings in 19 languages, with the ability to conduct interviews in 6 languages. That’s far beyond what we’ve seen from most other ATS platforms.

Greenhouse ATS can be a great fit for small businesses

We also thought the resume anonymization feature was very useful. It removed applicants' personal details such as photos, names, and gender so we could focus on the qualifications that matter most.

Integration-wise, Greenhouse offers over 500 pre-built options, plus an open API, so it’s quite reassuring that the ATS can fit smoothly into almost any existing HR tool.

However, Greenhouse's pricing is a bit of a mystery and, from what we've seen, not as budget-friendly as other options like Loxo or Manatal. There is no free trial, and no monthly billing option. For a small team of 10, it could cost over $6,000.

The platform has also recently updated its user interface. Sadly, it didn’t get very positive feedback from users, and we can see why. Compared to the previous design, this version somehow requires more clicks to perform certain actions, such as sending an interview self-schedule. Thankfully, Greenhouse does offer the option for users to go back to the old UI under their account settings (which was just what we did).

Another inconvenience we’ve noticed is the absence of bulk rejection and email features during the application review stage. While these features are available in the Candidates tab, we trust having them in the initial review process would streamline things a bit more.

Greenhouse Customers

6,500+ companies, including Evernote, Nerdwallet, and Coursera.

Greenhouse Pricing

Undisclosed.

Best For

Regarding their SMB offering, Greenhouse is best paired with growth-focused organizations. Those burgeoning companies hiring at volume and operating internationally, while small, stand to make the most out of this ATS.

Greenhouse in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

The onboarding tool within Greenhouse is very helpful for managing the process from beginning to end. I have found that it supports efficiency for both recruiters and hiring managers. The automated workflows and integration with other HR tools simplify the process of screening candidates and scheduling interviews.

The analytical feedback we receive from the system enables us to make fair, data-driven decisions when hiring. Greenhouse also allows us to improve the process and track hiring trends across the organization.

What do you like about this tool?
  • Greenhouse is effective at addressing and mitigating bias in the hiring process.
  • We are able to save time with automated features such as interview scheduling and feedback collection.
  • The reporting and analytics tools support our data-driven approach and strengthen the overall recruitment process.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We were experiencing problems with bias in recruitment and hiring processes and needed a system that would help streamline our workflow and improve efficiency. We began searching for software capable of addressing different areas of the hiring process, such as role management, hiring team collaboration, and reducing bias.

We compared the features of Greenhouse with those of similar systems. Greenhouse was the best solution, providing a centralized platform to manage all our hiring tasks. The tool made it easier to manage job postings, track applicants, and conduct structured interviews. I have personally used Greenhouse for over a year, and it has proven to be an effective and reliable tool.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • When I first started using Greenhouse, I felt overwhelmed by the number of features.
  • There are times when we have unique hiring processes, and the system could offer more customization options for these workflows.
  • Integrating third-party tools into Greenhouse has not always been seamless and sometimes requires additional setup.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

Greenhouse stands out compared to similar tools through its user-friendly portal. It offers a wide range of integrations that enhance the recruitment experience for recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates.

For example, I can easily connect to Google Sheets to run customized reports and access transparent, trend-based data to inform equitable decisions.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Some of the questions we asked when deciding to buy this type of tool included:

  • Is it user-friendly or does the training support the learning curve for new users?
  • Does the system have the capability to customize reports and workflows to meet our organization's needs?
  • Do the automation and integration features support our core requirements for scheduling, feedback collection, and data management?
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Since I began using Greenhouse for recruiting and onboarding, more integration tools have been added to support various HR functions. For example, it now offers integrations for background checks, scheduling, job boards, onboarding systems, video interviewing, and recruitment analytics.

The introduction of the Diversity Dashboard is a valuable feature, providing a visual overview of workforce demographics and tracking DEI progress in the hiring process.

This feature has added significant value to the platform.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Mid-sized to larger organizations are well-suited for using Greenhouse. These types of organizations typically have structured hiring practices, work with large volumes of data, and need tools to help reduce bias in recruitment.

Greenhouse supports collaboration between recruitment teams and hiring managers, helping to standardize and streamline processes across departments.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Small businesses and startups with simple hiring needs may not benefit from using Greenhouse. Organizations that do not require automation, analytics, or collaboration features may find the system more complex than necessary.

The pricing may also be a barrier for smaller organizations with limited recruiting needs.

AvaHR

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AvaHR
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked AvaHR

AvaHR has done a nice job with its customized hiring automation frameworks. We enjoyed the ability to post to 50+ job boards for free while showcasing our company culture with videos, photos, and text. Additionally, the Pipeline Triggers, which automate routine tasks based on the candidate's progress, are a standout feature that we've found to be quite rare among SMB-focused ATS solutions.

PROS

  • Culture Profiles let you add videos, photos, and text to showcase your company's work environment.
  • Pipeline Triggers automate repetitive actions based on a candidate's stage, such as sending thank-you emails or requesting hiring team feedback.
  • Custom questionnaire builder for candidate pre-assessments.
  • Data migration service is available at no additional cost.
  • Transparent pricing, free trial available.
  • Culture Profiles let you add videos, photos, and text to showcase your company's work environment.
  • Pipeline Triggers automate repetitive actions based on a candidate's stage, such as sending thank-you emails or requesting hiring team feedback.
  • Custom questionnaire builder for candidate pre-assessments.
  • Data migration service is available at no additional cost.
  • Transparent pricing, free trial available.

CONS

  • No free plan, a free trial requires a credit card.
  • Pricier than competitors like Loxo and Zoho Recruit.
  • Additional charges for features like eSignatures and employee referrals.
  • Interview scheduling feature is unavailable (still in development).
  • No free plan, a free trial requires a credit card.
  • Pricier than competitors like Loxo and Zoho Recruit.
  • Additional charges for features like eSignatures and employee referrals.
  • Interview scheduling feature is unavailable (still in development).

AvaHR Review

AvaHR stood out in our tests as a well-designed and functional ATS with solid automation and reporting features.

One apparent plus of this vendor is its transparent pricing and free trial offerings across its subscription plans. We signed up for the free trial of the Standard plan using a Gmail account. The only downside was having to provide credit card information to activate the trial, but other than that, the process was a breeze. Within minutes, we were all set to explore the tool.

Our first impression of AvaHR’s UI was that it was so well thought out. There was nearly nothing to be confused about. And it’s easy on the eye, too. Take the example of their AI job description creator. During our testing, it impressed us with the solid draft it produced with just a few sentences of role requirements provided. We also found it easy to get our application form ready. All we needed to do was define which fields were required and which were optional in the form settings.

The Candidates section gave us a bird’s-eye view of all applicants, including their application dates, stages in the hiring process, and contact details. There was also a convenient Filters button in the top right corner that let us filter candidates based on their tag, stage, job title, department, and a few others. The system didn’t take more than a few seconds to provide results in our tests, but we couldn’t help but be disappointed to discover there was no Boolean or custom filter to be found.

AvaHR’s reporting met our expectations for an SMB-focused ATS. The tool has done a great job of providing key data, from total impressions to page views, clicks, and applications for each job posting. We particularly appreciated the clear visualizations offered by the overview bar and line chart. It made it easier to watch how our jobs were performing.

Analytics dashboard of AvaHR small business ATS

For businesses migrating from another ATS, you’re in luck! AvaHR’s team offers to handle data import at no extra fee.

However, we did notice that this ATS is slightly pricier than some competitors like Zoho Recruit. Additionally, features like eSignatures and employee referrals are not included in the lowest subscription plans and must be purchased separately if you want to use them.

AvaHR Customers

1,000+ companies, including BuzzRX, Redirect Health, State Farm, and Margaritaville.

AvaHR Pricing

AvaHR offers three plans: Starter ($89/month), Grow ($179/month), and Pro ($279/month).

Best For

AvaHR is best suited for U.S.-based small to medium-sized businesses with 100 or more employees.

AvaHR in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

I use AvaHR daily to manage job postings, screen candidates, and coordinate hiring efforts across multiple dental offices. One of our most important workflows involves customizing hiring pipelines for each client, tailoring the process to meet their specific needs while keeping everything organized.

I rely heavily on AvaHR’s automated email tools to keep candidates engaged and informed, eliminating the need for manual follow-ups at every stage. The ability to easily share candidate profiles and notes with hiring managers has made collaboration much smoother.

AvaHR helps us stay efficient, professional, and responsive—qualities that are critical when supporting busy dental practices that can't afford hiring delays.

What do you like about this tool?
  • AvaHR makes it incredibly easy to customize hiring pipelines for each dental office we support, offering flexibility without added complexity.
  • The automated communication tools save us considerable time and ensure every candidate receives timely, professional responses.
  • The interface is clean and intuitive, enabling both our team and clients to start using it with minimal training.
  • Customer support is responsive and genuinely helpful whenever we have questions or need assistance.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

At Desert Dental Staffing, we were looking for a solution that could streamline our internal hiring and support the many dental practices we partner with. Before using AvaHR, we managed too many manual processes and spent hours following up with candidates and clients.

We needed a tool that was user-friendly, scalable across multiple locations, and professional enough to reflect the high standards of the dental offices we serve. AvaHR met all those requirements. It allows us to centralize hiring, automate candidate communication, and deliver a seamless, branded experience for each client.

I’ve personally used AvaHR for over three years, and it has become a key part of how we help dental businesses fill roles more quickly, efficiently, and with less hassle.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • The mobile experience could be more streamlined to make managing tasks on the go quicker and more efficient.
  • The platform does not currently include features for verifying dental-specific certifications or licenses, which would be a valuable addition during candidate screening.
  • Some of our dental clients would prefer built-in scheduling tools that better align with typical dental office hours and appointment flows to simplify interview coordination.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

Compared to JazzHR, which I’ve used before, AvaHR feels more modern and user-friendly, with a cleaner interface that simplifies the hiring process. While JazzHR has solid features, AvaHR’s automation tools—particularly those for candidate communication and pipeline customization—are more intuitive and flexible.

We also appreciate AvaHR’s ability to scale across multiple locations without becoming overly complex. Overall, we prefer AvaHR because it strikes a better balance between functionality and ease of use, enabling us to hire efficiently without requiring extensive training.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

When selecting a hiring tool like AvaHR, prioritize ease of use so your team can adapt quickly. Look for automation features that reduce repetitive tasks, especially those involving candidate communication.

Ensure the platform allows for process customization to fit your organization’s specific needs. Integration with your current software and the quality of customer support are also critical factors. Testing the platform with your team before committing can help confirm whether it's a good fit.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

AvaHR has evolved significantly to meet the changing needs of its users, especially small to mid-sized businesses seeking efficient hiring solutions. Notable enhancements include:

  • Enhanced Automation with Pipeline Triggers: Customizable triggers automate tasks based on a candidate's stage in the pipeline.
  • Advanced Candidate Engagement Tools: Culture Profiles allow businesses to showcase their work environments through videos, photos, and text, attracting culturally aligned candidates.
  • Seamless Integrations: AvaHR has integrated with tools like Gmail and Google Sheets via Zapier, improving communication and data workflows.
  • User-Friendly Interface and Onboarding: The platform delivers an intuitive interface and quick onboarding experience, allowing teams to start hiring efficiently with minimal setup.
What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

AvaHR is ideal for small to mid-sized businesses looking to streamline their hiring process. It is particularly well-suited for medical and dental practices. Any business facing organizational challenges in recruiting or looking to save time and money will benefit from using this tool.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

AvaHR may not be the best fit for large enterprises that require a comprehensive, full-scale HR management system.

Zoho Recruit

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Zoho Recruit
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.4 / 5
Product Score
4.4 / 5

Why we picked Zoho Recruit

Like most Zoho products, Zoho Recruit is affordable and feature-rich. The ATS is a strong choice for small businesses, offering a free plan that provides small teams with access to core tools, including job posting, candidate management, and interview scheduling, without upfront costs.

PROS

  • Combines ATS + candidate CRM in one system, giving small teams an all-in-one tool to track applicants and manage relationships.
  • Free plan and scalable paid tiers with a 15-day free trial and a 45-day money-back guarantee.
  • 24/5 support available.
  • ATS + CRM in one platform 
  • Backed by a company like Zoho, notable for reliability and good customer service. 
  • 24/5 support 
  • Priced quite modestly after the free version 
  • Certain features like video interviews are available as optional add-ons.

CONS

  • The free plan is limited to just one active job and 256MB of storage.
  • Features like the client portal, mass email, workflow alerts, and API are paid features.
  • Integrations, at times, don’t work properly, requiring disconnecting and reconnecting.
  • The career site is not fully customizable until past a certain paid plan.
  • The free plan only allows 256MB of storage.
  • Additional features, such as the client portal, mass email, workflow alerts, and API calls cost extra.
  • Some users have complained about the quality of some of the integrations. 
  • The career site is not fully customizable until past a certain paid plan.

Zoho Recruit Review

In our testing, Zoho Recruit proved to be a strong ATS option for small businesses that want more than just the basics. While its free plan gives small teams a taste of core functionalities, the paid plans and add-ons ensure the platform scales alongside them as they grow.

Let’s first dive into Zoho’s free plan. It covers the essentials for managing candidates, emails, and interview scheduling. While the customization options are somewhat limited, we were glad to see the ability to post jobs on both free and paid job boards, including the niche ones. Integrating with Google applications and support for 26 languages are definite pluses, making connecting with applicants from different backgrounds easier. Another time-saving feature is the availability of five customizable email templates, which can be a real help. However, the biggest con of the free plan is that you only get one active job at a time. The storage limit is also on the smaller side, set at 256 MB.

On the bright side, creating a career page with customizable templates is straightforward, though it might not be the most visually stunning option out there. Another cool feature we came across is Zia, the AI-based chatbot. It automatically responds to applicants’ FAQs and keeps them updated on job availability and application statuses. Plus, there's a handy automated candidate matching feature: you create a new job and specify the desired skills, and Zoho Recruit will rank the candidates based on how well their resumes meet set requirements.

However, teams need to plan carefully: while the base plans are affordable, important tools like the client portal, workflow alerts, video interviewing, and some integrations come as paid add-ons. We also encountered some occasional integration issues, where we needed to manually reconnect third-party tools to keep workflows running smoothly. Additionally, the career site customization options feel somewhat limited on lower-tier plans, which may frustrate small businesses trying to present a polished employer brand.

Zoho Recruit Customers

Bosch, Deloitte, Saint-Gobain, PWC, Allianz.

Zoho Recruit Pricing

Zoho Recruit provides a range of paid plans alongside the free version:

  • Standard plan is priced at $30/user/month, offering features such as a document library, analytics, and customizations.
  • Professional plan priced at $60/user/month, which includes assessments and social recruiting capabilities.
  • Enterprise plan priced at $90/user/month, providing a comprehensive set of features (doesn’t include add-ons).
  • Add-ons available include the client portal and video interview modules. Zoho Recruit also offers a 15-day free trial for users to explore the platform's capabilities.

Best For

Zoho Recruit is best for small businesses and small agencies that want a cost-effective ATS and candidate CRM solution with the flexibility to scale.

Zoho Recruit in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

Zoho Recruit is used on a nearly daily basis in our organization. We use numerous workflows to reduce wasted time in the recruiting cycle. We have workflows set up to cue each person in the process when it’s their turn to take action. This eliminated having to monitor systems constantly, freeing up personnel to accomplish other tasks or work on other applicants.

What do you like about this tool?
  • It has helped us find many high quality applicants.
  • The filters it’s got help us work through applicants.
  • We can customize many workflows through it.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

My organization needed to be able to sort through and source very specific types of applicants. With other software we used such as Indeed, Monster or LinkedIn, filtering through the loads of applications was a struggle. And even when we had a big number of applicants to sort through we struggled to find those perfect fits. Zoho solved these issues and made it easier to sort through and find multiple perfect fits.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • Sometimes we get flooded with candidates and if you're not careful when sorting, it can get overwhelming. For example, the last job I posted had an application feeding right to Zoho and I received over 1300 applications in one day.
  • Sometimes we don’t find someone to meet all needs. Although this is rare, I would say maybe one out of 20 jobs we may come up empty. We can lower our standards with some of the jobs but then that's when we get overwhelmed with applications.
  • There is a bit of a learning curve when bringing on new users.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

I feel like zoho stacks up very well and the cost can be significantly better than their main competitor Linkedin Recruiting.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

What type of people they are looking for. Do they need advance searches for specific qualifications

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?
What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

I believe Zoho Recruit can meet the needs of most organizations no matter how big or small. If they have higher than entry level positions, then this tool can bring a lot of value.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Entry level searches or companies that do not do a lot of hiring

Recooty

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Recooty
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.8 / 5
Product Score
4.3 / 5

Why we picked Recooty

Recooty offers a free-forever plan that allows users to post jobs on multiple platforms. The platform’s paid plans pack a handful of recruitment essentials at conservative prices, making it a great ATS option for SMBs.

PROS

  • Features a user-friendly and simple interface for easy navigation.
  • Offers competitive pricing, ensuring accessibility for small businesses.
  • Users can test the software before subscribing through a free trial.
  • Provides full set of ATS basics, including job posting, candidate tracking, interview scheduling, candidate assessment, offer management, and onboarding.
  • Enables efficient job posting to multiple platforms with a "one-click" solution.
  • Supports eight languages: German, English, French, Hindi, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, and Vietnamese.
  • One user liked the usability of the software, stating that it is 'easy and self-explanatory.'
  • The ability to post a job on multiple platforms makes it efficient, as per one user who labels Recooty a 'one-click job posting solution.'
  • The company offers a cheap subscription, making it affordable for small businesses.

CONS

  • Lacks mobile applications.
  • No Chrome extension for importing candidates (e.g., from LinkedIn).
  • Limited integrations (Slack and LinkedIn only).
  • Suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.
  • Not ideal for large enterprises with extensive hiring needs across multiple locations.
  • The company does not have a mobile application.
  • Recruitment features can be quite basic compared to some competitors.
  • Integrations are somewhat limited.
  • Not suitable for large enterprises with more job postings and locations.

Recooty Review

Recooty is great for SMBs looking for an easy-to-use, affordable, and efficient applicant tracking system. However, if you're looking for a more robust solution with more features, you may want to consider a different ATS.

Our in-house assessment showed that Recooty is a plug-and-play tool. It is easy to set up and easy to navigate. Users can post jobs to multiple boards, track applicants, and set up automated email notifications with just a few clicks. It’s not an exaggeration to say Recooty is a self-explanatory ATS.

Another thing we like about Recooty is its affordability. The software is priced competitively, and you can even start with the free plan. Though it’s limited to one active job at a time, it offers some good features like branded career pages, multiple job boards, and unlimited applications.

Recooty supports not only English but also seven additional languages. However, Recooty lacks a mobile app, despite pressure from users over the years. Recooty isn’t a good call for recruitment teams that need a Chrome extension to support their candidate search on websites like LinkedIn.

The level of customization is lacking compared to higher-priced ATSs in the space, and resume parsing is accessible for only the two highest-priced plans. Integration options also leave something to be desired, as you can only connect the ATS with your LinkedIn and Slack.

Recooty Customers

Sendlane, Airtable, Uber, Rack Bank, American Hospital, Trello.

Recooty Pricing

Recooty offers a 15-day free trial. Their three paid subscription options start at $79 monthly (billed annually).

Best For

Recooty is an affordable ATS option ideal for small to mid-sized businesses needing minimal setup and multilingual hiring capabilities.

Recooty in action
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Recruit CRM

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Recruit CRM
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.7 / 5
Product Score
4.4 / 5

Why we picked Recruit CRM

Recruit CRM is popular among employment agencies and SMBs because it combines ATS and CRM features in one platform, offers a generous free trial, and has transparent pricing.

PROS

  • Combines ATS and recruiting CRM in one platform.
  • Affordable and transparent pricing. Free trial available.
  • Resume parser provides unlimited resume parsing and supports 28 languages.
  • Support available for all users includes live chat, training sessions, and dedicated CMS.
  • Regular product feature updates.
  • No extra fees required for basic data migration that includes importing Excel/CSV files with candidates & clients. During the implementation process of this software, the customer service personnel will help transfer your data for free.
  • Great customer service. Their average response time is under two minutes.
  • Powerful Linkedin Integration & Executive/Recruitment Report PDF Generator to save time
  • Tons of resources made available to users including blogs and articles that give you all the information you need to know about how the software works, job description templates to help you get acquainted with all the possible job openings you will be looking to close, and a glossary that gives you the A-Z of recruitment practices.

CONS

  • Limited to two candidate matches and 1 email sequence in the Pro plan.
  • Can’t search logged text under Call Notes.
  • Not the best fit for corporate recruitment.
  • Lacks employee referral and onboarding features.
  • Limited native integrations. Recruit CRM only integrates natively with LinkedIn, Zapier, Logic Melon, some email apps, and Google and Outlook calendars. If you want to run background checks, for example, using Checkr or other background verification platforms, you won’t be able to do that unless you use Zapier’s API extension.
Recruit CRM ATS dashboard screenshot

Recruit CRM Review

In our testing, Recruit CRM impressed us with its ability to meet the needs of small businesses, particularly recruiting agencies that require handling both client and candidate pipelines.

Small teams who spend hours daily on data entry will appreciate the AI resume parser that Recruit CRM offers. It can parse up to 100 files at a time and works with resumes from multiple sources in 28 different languages.

Recruit CRM is easier to use than many other ATSs we’ve tried. In addition to the mobile apps (which we tested and loved), the Kanban view offers a visual way to manage candidate pipelines. Automation enthusiasts will love the drag-and-drop functionality and automated email triggers at various stages. As a bonus, the in-app instructions are clear-cut and make navigation easier.

Small or medium-sized agencies could hardly go wrong with this vendor’s CRM tools. You can manage client relationships, schedule meetings and emails, and track interactions, all from within the platform. Plus, you get unlimited access to training materials, the live chat takes two minutes on average to reply, and there’s a roadmap page where you can request new features.

Unfortunately, Recruit CRM’s Pro plan limits candidate matches to two and email sequences to one—a letdown, particularly for those with multiple placements to fill at a time but can’t afford higher-tier plans. Also, remember that the search function can only search for keywords in candidate resumes and profile data fields, but not in the user’s logged call notes.

Lastly, Recruit CRM is not intended to serve corporate users, so it lacks certain features that in-house TA teams usually prioritize in their ATS, such as referral and onboarding.

Recruit CRM Customers

1,200+ companies, including Randstad, Michael Page, ManpowerGroup, Kelly Services, and PageGroup.

Recruit CRM Pricing

Recruit CRM offers three pricing tiers:

  • Pro Plan: $85 per user/month when billed annually, $100 per user/month when billed monthly.
  • Business Plan: $125 per user/month when billed annually, $150 per user/month when billed monthly.
  • Enterprise Plan: $165 per user/month, billed annually only.

Best For

Recruit CRM is best suited for small to midsize recruiting, staffing, executive search, and headhunting agencies that prioritize automation and ease of use.

Recruit CRM in action
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Pinpoint

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Pinpoint
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Popularity Score
4.6 / 5
User Score
4.4 / 5
Product Score
4.5 / 5

Why we picked Pinpoint

While often seen as a tool for mid-sized and growing companies, we found Pinpoint to be a strong fit for small businesses with ambitious growth plans. It combines an intuitive ATS with a built-in talent CRM, robust automation workflows, and customizable career sites.

PROS

  • Pinpoint’s ATS is highly customizable and values collaborative hiring.
  • Pinpoint offers unlimited active jobs, team members, external recruiters, training, and support for all users regardless of their plans.
  • The customer support team is helpful and responsive to customers’ requests.
  • The pricing is transparent. Startups with under 50 people can benefit from its discounted pricing.
  • It’s got a robust career site builder you can easily customize without the help of IT.
  • It provides over 100 third-party integrations. Also offers custom integrations (but only for Enterprise plan).
  • Pinpoint is an agile ATS that is highly customizable and values collaborative hiring.
  • It’s got a simple and transparent pricing structure.
  • Pinpoint offers unlimited jobs and team members in all of its plans.
  • Their customer service team is highly praised by users.
  • The career site builder is very robust, allowing teams to attract and convert the right talent.
  • There are over 100 HR software integrations to choose from, and Pinpoint’s team is adding 3-5 every month.

CONS

  • Pinpoint offers its employee onboarding module with additional fees.
  • It can be expensive for budget-minded teams.
  • Doesn’t offer a free trial or free version.
  • Multilingual support is only available for the Enterprise plan.
  • The employee onboarding module does cost extra.
  • It isn’t the best fit if you’re looking for the cheapest ATS.
  • There isn’t a free trial or free version at this time.

Pinpoint Review

Pinpoint's applicant tracking system is highly regarded by users for its intuitive interface, neat automation workflows, and robust career site builder, which we found perfect for small businesses to create a polished, professional hiring process.

Pinpoint ATS platform for small businesses

We love how easy it is for candidates to apply through the career site. Here’s an example of what going the extra mile looks like: if your candidates are not ready to apply, they can opt into a talent community to stay in touch with your company. After testing a few dozen vendors, we can confirm this is something you can’t find in most other ATSs.

We were also impressed by Pinpoint’s customer service. Regardless of the plan you opt for, you will get a dedicated success manager, concierge onboarding, and unlimited support via phone, email, and live chat. There really isn’t anything we dislike about it.

Just a few things to keep in mind, though. There’s no free trial or free plan to try before buying. And when compared with other solutions, Pinpoint tends to be more expensive than some small-business-focused competitors, with the cheapest plan costing $345 per month. If you’d like to use its onboarding module, you need to purchase it separately.

We should also warn you that although Pinpoint has a considerable number of native integration options, its bespoke integrations are only available to Enterprise plan subscribers with a minimum of 150 employees.

Pinpoint Customers

300+ companies, including CoinShares, Pathways Global, Grant Thornton, Icario, and Pivot Energy.

Pinpoint Pricing

Pinpoint offers a Growth plan starting at $345 per month and an Enterprise plan starting at $1,200 per month, both with annual billing. Startups with under 50 employees may be eligible for Pinpoint's startup program.

Best For

Pinpoint is a good choice for small in-house recruiting teams that value a polished, candidate-friendly ATS with exceptional customer support.

Pinpoint in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

Job board, moving candidates through the hiring process and accepting applicants.

What do you like about this tool?

Excellent customer service and ease of use. We went from email organization and spreadsheets to Pinpoint and it's great for our small team. Other platforms did too much and this one just does exactly what we need.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We were looking for our first ATS and as a small startup, price and ease of use were key factors to consider. I chose Pinpoint and have been the primary user for the past 3 years.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Truly don't have any complaints. We're not power users and don't do a ton of hiring but it works for what we need it to do.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

First tool we've been a customer of, but as stated lots of other tools in our research did more than we needed. They're price was also perfect for a startup.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Who is going to be using the platform and will they be comfortable with the different functions and tools.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Incredibly responsive to feedback. When we first started with Pinpoint they were pretty new as well. We've learned and worked together to make things better. Loved how they've continued to tailor services to US clients.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Excellent for small teams.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Can only speak from my own experience and everything has been positive.

JazzHR

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JazzHR
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Popularity Score
4.5 / 5
User Score
4.3 / 5
Product Score
4.5 / 5

Why we picked JazzHR

Purposely built for teams with less than 500 employees, JazzHR provides almost every key feature of an ATS, like career pages, employer branding, candidate sourcing, and talent CRM, at a transparent and affordable price. Free trials are also available.

PROS

  • JazzHR is quite affordable and doesn’t place any limits on the number of users added. It also offers a free, 21-day trial that anyone can sign up for.
  • It’s got built-in features for offer management. You can choose from existing offer letter templates or create your own and share them with successful candidates.
  • You can automate triggers for candidates to be automatically notified via email when their application has moved a stage further in the hiring process. Several other email responses can be automated.
  • JazzHR is quite affordable and doesn’t place any limits on the number of users added. It also offers free, 21-day trials that anyone can sign up for. 
  • JazzHR has built-in features for offer management. You can choose from existing offer letter templates or create your own and share them with successful candidates
  • You can automate triggers for candidates to be automatically notified via email when their application has moved a stage further in the hiring process. Several other email responses can be automated.

CONS

  • Some users reported a learning curve with JazzHR's UI and that it took them some time to get used to it.
  • Although a product geared towards SMBs, it lacks a free plan. We mention this as a con since other SMB-geared recruiting products often do offer free-forever versions, which puts JazzHR slightly behind the competition.
  • Several users have mentioned that the reporting feature is difficult to use, with very little room for report customizations.
  • JazzHR currently lacks a mobile app, and the browser version isn’t well-optimized for mobile use.
  • Some users reported a learning curve with JazzHR's UI and that it took them some time to get used to it
  • For a product geared towards SMBs, it lacks a free plan. We mention this as a con since other SMB-geared recruiting products do offer free-forever versions, which puts JazzHR slightly behind the competition.
  • Several users have mentioned that the reporting feature is difficult to use with very little room for report customizations. 
  • JazzHR currently lacks a mobile app, and the browser version isn’t well-optimized for mobile use.
Screenshot of JazzHR ATS Showing Candidates on Their ATS dashboard

JazzHR Review

JazzHR delivers a solid mix of affordability, core ATS functionality, and scalable features that we believe are perfect for meeting the evolving needs of growing SMBs.

One of its biggest advantages is that it places no limits on the number of users, a huge plus for small businesses that want to loop in hiring managers, interviewers, or stakeholders without worrying about stacking up per-user fees. We also liked how job postings across multiple boards are simple and efficient, helping small teams maximize reach without extra software.

You can start with the lowest-priced plan (Hero) that includes essential features like posting up to three job openings and then upgrade to higher plans as your company grows, ensuring you don’t pay for features you don't need. The other two plans (Plus and Pro) have more advanced features for automating, customizing, and analyzing the hiring process.

Unlike some competing SMB-focused ATS platforms, however, JazzHR doesn’t offer a free-forever plan, which we see as a significant downside, particularly for very small teams looking to start lean. Several users we spoke with also noted the UI can feel clunky at first, with a steeper learning curve than some more modern, plug-and-play systems.

JazzHR Customers

JazzHR has been used by over 10,000 businesses to date, including TED, Fox Dealer, Clearly, Massaro, and Heath Ceramics.

JazzHR Pricing

JazzHR has three plans. When billed annually, these plans cost as follows:

  • Hero: $75 per month for unlimited users and 3 open jobs.
  • Plus: $269 per month for unlimited users, unlimited open jobs, ATS, interviews, and assessments.
  • Pro: Custom pricing for everything from Plus, along with offers and e-signatures, reporting, and all-access support.

Best For

JazzHR is specifically built for teams at organizations with 5 to 500 employees, regardless of industry or recruiting maturity.

JazzHR in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

I use JazzHR to manage multiple job openings within our organization. The platform provides a clear view of the roles we are actively hiring for, the number of applicants received, and, most importantly, the ability to communicate with candidates directly within the interface. This feature is particularly beneficial as it eliminates the need to monitor a separate email inbox, which I had to do in the past.

JazzHR also facilitates collaboration with hiring managers, especially during the resume and application review stages of the hiring process.

What do you like about this tool?
  • I appreciate that JazzHR streamlines communication throughout the recruitment process across multiple roles.
  • The ability to consolidate candidate sources in one place, rather than logging into multiple job boards, is highly convenient.
  • JazzHR is a relatively cost-effective solution, especially for an organization of our size.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

Our organization purchased JazzHR after receiving significant additional funding that required us to scale our hiring efforts rapidly. We needed a platform that could consolidate our recruitment process by connecting job postings to our website and distributing them across multiple job boards.

Before JazzHR, we had to post job openings on each board manually, which was time-consuming and inefficient. JazzHR streamlined this process, allowing us to manage applications more effectively. I have personally used JazzHR for the past three years.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • JazzHR could offer more automation and workflow management tools.
  • It would be beneficial if JazzHR integrated with our HRIS system (currently Paylocity).
  • A seamless integration with Paylocity or another HRIS would improve the transition from recruitment to onboarding.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

JazzHR, as a standalone solution, is more robust than ATS modules or add-ons within payroll platforms. Those have been the primary ATS options I have used outside of JazzHR.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

One of the most important factors to consider is which job boards the system integrates with and how seamlessly these integrations function. Additionally, organizations should evaluate the number of job postings allowed and ensure they are not being overcharged based on their hiring volume.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

JazzHR has remained relatively unchanged since I started using it.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

JazzHR is ideal for an HR department of one or a small HR team without a dedicated recruiter, as it helps centralize and streamline the recruitment process. A key benefit is that it also enables collaboration in hiring.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

JazzHR may not be the best fit for a dedicated recruiter or a large recruitment team, as it does not offer the advanced metrics and reporting features that those professionals typically require.

Teamtailor

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Teamtailor
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.3 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Teamtailor

Teamtailor’s biggest selling feature is its career page, which is well-built and so easy to navigate. The SMB-focused ATS platform also features elements that promote diversity, equality, and inclusion throughout the hiring process. Plus, free trials are available, and they don’t require your credit card details.

PROS

  • Teamtailor is a straightforward ATS that is mobile-friendly.
  • Drag-and-drop career site builders.
  • Built-in tools to support diversity, equality, and inclusion DEI initiatives.
  • Customer support and the help center are notably good.
  • Offers one simple plan with unlimited job postings, candidates, and users.
  • Free trials are available; no credit card is required.
  • Teamtailor’s ATS comes with a robust career site builder that’s also easy to use. It works with drag and drop - no coding knowledge necessary.
  • Teamtailor backs several features that support diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI), including anonymous hiring, equal employment opportunity (EEO) surveys, etc..
  • Teamtailor is highly rated for their ease-of-use. It’s quite simple to post and promote jobs through their platform.
  • There is really in-depth and intuitive help documentation for this solution

CONS

  • Their analytics module isn’t very easy to adjust.
  • No offerings for other core HR tools
  • Features for customization and video interview could be improved.
  • Lacks pricing transparency.
  • Teamtailor’s analytics are good, but enterprise clients need to use BI Connectors to build the reporting they need.  Right now, you can’t sport data from the system.  This is particularly important for companies with 500+ employees, or those who have many different locations or franchises.
  • Analytics doesn’t allow recruiters to see their cost per hire, which is a really impactful metric
  • While they offer integrations with HRIS, onboarding, etc - they have focused on just being a really good ATS now.
  • There are predefined user access levels, but you cannot define your own user access levels which is important, especially for the largest companies.
Screenshot of Teamtailor Applicant Tracking System Showing My Jobs, To Do List and Other Updates.

Teamtailor Review

Teamtailor’s ATS has a unique approach to talent acquisition, which pays a lot of attention to how your company presents itself to candidates.

In our assessments, we found that the platform’s drag-and-drop career site builder is one of the best in class for SMBs: it allows small teams to create sleek, attractive, and mobile-friendly career pages without needing design or coding skills. This kind of polished first impression is a huge advantage for small businesses trying to stand out in a competitive talent market.

Another way TeamTailor differentiates itself from the pack is how the platform structures its pricing. It’s a single plan with all features included, and thus, this plan's pricing adapts to your company's size. We are also huge fans of the vendor’s all-inclusive plan, which offers unlimited jobs, candidates, and users, making it easier for small companies to scale without worrying about per-seat costs or feature upgrades.

Unfortunately, the analytics feature is where Teamtailor falls short. Our test results show that it’s not particularly flexible or customizable. We noticed the onboarding tool was recently added, but other HR modules, such as performance management, are still missing. And while we appreciate that Teamtailor offers free trials with no credit card required, the absence of upfront pricing transparency can make it more challenging for small businesses to compare costs during the vendor selection process.

Teamtailor Customers

Kry, Goodbye Kansas, Vitamin Well, Ponsse, Daniel Wellington.

Teamtailor Pricing

Teamtailor’s pricing will vary depending on your company size. To give you an idea, $3,300 is a usual starting price for organizations with fewer than 25 employees.

Best For

Teamtailor is an excellent choice for startups and small and medium-sized businesses looking for a straightforward ATS with outstanding features for employer branding.

Teamtailor in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

We used TeamTailor for all our hiring needs. The platform streamlined our entire hiring process and saved recruiters significant time. TeamTailor enabled us to post job openings across various job boards and sites efficiently. One of the most helpful features was its automated workflows, which were not available before implementing the platform.

These improvements encompassed everything from tracking applicants to streamlining internal workflows and communications with hiring managers.

What do you like about this tool?
  • It seamlessly integrated into our recruiting process, from job boards to our HRIS.
  • It improved the candidate selection process, saving recruiters time searching through job boards.
  • The platform significantly streamlined our hiring and recruitment processes.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We needed an improved ATS to streamline the hiring process. Before implementing TeamTailor, we struggled with tracking candidates and maintaining clear communication with hiring managers. TeamTailor provided a centralized, user-friendly platform that simplified hiring and improved communication with both candidates and hiring managers.

The tool reduced our time-to-hire and improved candidate engagement. The company has been using TeamTailor for over five years now, and it continues to deliver value.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • There were initial challenges in setting up user and admin rights, which led to some dissatisfaction among hiring managers.
  • Customer support lacked a single point of contact, and resolving issues sometimes required going through several representatives.
  • There were occasional issues with candidate rating functionality, although this might have been an internal process issue.
How is this tool different than their competitors?
  • TeamTailor stands out as an "all-in-one" ATS platform compared to others with more limited capabilities.
  • It is more user-friendly than other systems I’ve used and has a visually appealing design.
What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
  • People considering TeamTailor should first check if it integrates with their HRIS or other onboarding systems.
  • It’s important to determine whether all its features will be utilized to ensure value for money.
  • Securing buy-in from internal stakeholders and preparing them with proper training during implementation is critical for success.
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

It has been several years since I actively used TeamTailor, but I understand it has evolved with AI technology and now integrates with more HRMs than before.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

I recommend TeamTailor for mid-sized to large organizations with active and continuous hiring needs that require streamlined processes.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

TeamTailor may not be ideal for small businesses or organizations without a dedicated HR department.

Recruitee

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Recruitee
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.4 / 5
Product Score
4.5 / 5

Why we picked Recruitee

Recruitee is highly recommended for SMBs due to its user-friendliness and robust collaboration features. Companies also find the ATS’ permission adjustment functionality helpful in reducing biased hiring. What’s more? There’s a free trial that won’t require your payment info.

PROS

  • Recruitee now offers users an AI-powered tool working as a job description builder.
  • Recruitee’s permission adjustment features enable businesses to reduce hiring bias.
  • Recruitee pricing is transparent. You can also opt for Recruitee’s free trial to explore the tool.
  • Recruitee puts no limits on the number of users for all of its plans.
  • Recruitee has a mobile app where users can receive notifications of candidate interactions and perform several tasks on their Android/iOS devices.
  • Pro: Recruitee is highly rated by customers for its ease of use. The majority of them are able to implement and get on with the software without much hassle. 
  • Pro: Recruitee features a customizable, kanban-like recruiting pipeline. Companies can add as many stages as needed to the pipeline and move candidates easily as they progress through the stages. 
  • Pro: Recruitee incorporates some measures to reduce hiring bias. For example, you can adjust the permission level for your interviewers and prevent them from seeing the scores each of them are assigning to the same candidate. This way, they won’t be influenced by each other's evaluations.

CONS

  • The platform lacks built-in functions for skill assessments, onboarding, video interviewing, and e-signatures, requiring users to use third-party integrations to be able to use such features.
  • The reporting feature, at times, doesn't retrieve data accurately.
  • Recruitee has increased its pricing (although it corresponds to an addition of features in each plan).
  • Con: Several functions that are advertised on Recruitee’s feature list, including skill assessments, onboarding, video interviewing, and e-signatures are not actually built into Recruitee and are only possible through integration with third-party tools, which can be misleading to potential users, especially if it’s their first ATS. 
  • Con: Several users noted that the Recruitee’s reporting function is limited and at times, doesn’t retrieve data accurately. 
  • Con: Several users have complained about Recruitee’s support team being slow in responding, and at times, not able to solve issues. 
  • Con: For a product that’s geared towards SMBs, it lacks a free plan that businesses who are just getting started with ATSs can use for as long as they need, without any time constraints. We list this as a con as several solutions in this space do offer free-forever plans and similar feature sets as Recruitee, which puts it slightly behind the competition to users.
Screenshot of Recruitee ATS Software Showing Active Talent Pool

Recruitee Review

Recruitee is a great pick for SMBs looking for a collaborative and user-friendly ATS. We had a great experience navigating the platform: it has a nice UI and a Kanban-like recruiting pipeline where we can customize every stage of the process and move candidates by dragging and dropping the cards. The people behind Recruitee also did a great job in developing the overdue candidate reminder tool: when a candidate sits for too long in your pipeline without getting any updates, it will send a friendly reminder to you.

Another thing we like about Recruitee is its collaboration capability. The platform says: you can have as many users as you need in Recruitee, no matter which plans you have opted for, and it doesn’t cost you an extra penny, and it means it. This, combined with the permission adjustment feature, makes it easier to deliver collaborative and unbiased hiring.

That said, some trade-offs were also spotted. First was the absence of built-in tools for skill assessments, onboarding, video interviewing, and e-signatures. While small teams can rely on integrations to fill these gaps, this approach may increase operational complexity. We also noticed that the reporting feature sometimes fails to retrieve data accurately, which can be frustrating for SMBs that rely on clear, real-time hiring metrics to make decisions. Additionally, Recruitee has increased its pricing recently, though to be fair, those increases have come alongside meaningful feature additions.

Recruitee Customers

Semrush, Mark and Spencer, Transcom, Taco Bell, Toyota, Asus, Livestorm, Rakuten.

Recruitee Pricing

Recruitee offers custom plans based on the number of active jobs and other particular needs. The ATS has three pricing plans:

  • Launch starts at $269 per month
  • Scale starts at $479 per month
  • ‍Lead has custom pricing.

Best For

Recruitee is a good bet for small and medium-sized businesses looking for an easy-to-use ATS with robust features for collaborative hiring.

Recruitee in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

I use Recruitee daily, as our primary recruitment lead my role involves creating our recruitment strategy and being involved in the end-end process/recruitment cycle.

Having a system that I can trust, that allows candidates to quickly and easily upload their resumes and apply with us has been integral in our ability to continue to scale the company and grow our teams.

We use Recruitee not only to house candidates for current/open positions, but to categorize, sort, and save profiles of those who we believe may be a good fit for roles later down the line. Being able to use Recruitee to build and foster long-standing relationships allows us to continue to grow our organization and visibility in the tech talent market.

What do you like about this tool?

1. Ease of use - UI/UX: everything is extremely intuitive, as a recruiter things are where they should be and I don't have to spend a lot of time searching for settings or information

2. Customer service/transparency: the team at Recruitee has always provided us with top-notch customer service, and has always been great about answering any questions or concerns we have. The ability to vote on and suggest product improvements makes you feel that they care - and the number of improvements/suggestions they implement is fantastic. Being able to know what's upcoming on the roadmap is also really useful for us.

3. Integrations: being able to integrate with our other systems and tools is extremely important to us so that all of our candidate data can be housed in one place.

4. Analytics: being able to actually track your time to hire, number of applicants/role, and many, many more are critical for understanding your recruitment process and cycle, as well as being able to implement improvements.

5. KANBAN visibility: once you recruit in KANBAN you'll never go back to having a list view of your candidate pipeline. Being able to quickly view a role and visually see the health/number of applicants in each stage is probably my favorite feature.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We bought Recruitee because our previous ATS was hindering our recruitment process. It was time-consuming for us as the employer and for the candidates applying and interviewing with us. I strongly believe our previous ATS was causing us to lose potential candidates.

As a company, we've been using Recruitee since November 2022. However, I was a customer at my previous organization so I began using their system back in 2020.

I was determined to bring in a new ATS within my first week of joining RBR and received positive support from the entire company. I vetted out and demoed several other options as I wanted to ensure I wasn't being biased in my selection of an ATS, however, Recruitee was the clear winner for us due to its ease of use, time-saving capabilities, and overall customer support/service from their teams.

Setting up Recruitee was a breeze, we had a team assist us with implementation and training our managers, and because of their ability to create such an intuitive system, it's taken little to no time for our managers to understand how the system works.

What do you dislike about this tool?

1. Better integration with LinkedIn (I've chatted with the team and know this is in the works)

2. Continue to build out the scheduling feature (again, chatted with the team about this)

3. More automation for sorting candidates - for example, if a candidate applies and selects certain answers to screening questions being able to tag/filter candidates based on those answers

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Recruitee is far superior to many of its competitors. Coming from using a LARGE system that was primarily for payroll, having a system that is focused on recruitment is extremely important if you really want to have a strong recruitment process.

Again, their customer service and support is something that just can't be beaten. And the speed at which they review customer feedback and integrate new solutions is incredible.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Our must-haves when looking at an ATS were:

1. Ease of use (both internally and externally): simple to use, training for managers, and candidates having the ability to easily and quickly apply

2. Search ability: need to be able to search in our own ATS for candidates, easily and using Boolean search

3. Kanban board style of view/dashboard - click and drag option

4. Easy Implementation- Integration Specialist or team to assist

5. Enhance/Encourage Collaboration: the ability to tag team members in candidates' profiles and collaborate within the ATS

What I would recommend to those looking for a new ATS is to start with your current pain points (if applicable) then build out your must-haves and nice-to-haves. Do some demos of different ATSs and make sure to actually test them for yourself. We found a lot of demos seemed interesting but once we were in the system it was clunky and difficult to use. Recruitee was by far the most intuitive.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Since I initially started using Recruitee there have been countless new features, integrations, and options made available to their customers. It is clear that they listen to the feedback they receive as they understand those using the product on a day-to-day basis will likely share the best ideas/feature requests that will actually be used/appreciated by their customers.

When I think back to when I first started using Recruitee to now, it's incredible to see all of the new features such as the referral portal, scheduling features, req approvals, and more that have been added to their features list!

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

I think Recruitee is great for organizations that are agile and need to operate very quickly. Those who are looking to hire and scale their organizations and who are looking for an ATS that can scale with them are the ideal customer for Recruitee.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

I think slow-paced organizations, those that thrive on outdated systems/tools, or those that don't necessarily have the desire to update their recruitment processes would not be a good fit.

Trakstar Hire

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Trakstar Hire
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.3 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Trakstar Hire

Trakstar Hire outperforms the typical ATS with features like unlimited job posting, resume duplication detection, and advanced customization capabilities. Trakstar Hire is a favorite pick for SMBs as its undisclosed pricing is negotiable based on customers’ annual number of job openings.

PROS

  • Recruitment workflow is highly customizable.
  • Native, in-platform collaboration hiring features allow users to delegate tasks, collect evaluations, and schedule interviews without third-party tool integrations.
  • Users can create unlimited job posts and add as many hiring managers as they need without added cost.
  • Offer management is built into the product, so users can create, send, and store offer letters directly through the platform. They even do e-signatures!
  • Trakstar Hire’s recruitment workflows are highly customizable. You can edit them as needed to reflect your company’s hiring process. 
  • You can post as many jobs as needed with Trakstar Hire without any limitation. 
  • Trakstar Hire has offer management tools built-in. Users can create offer letters and collect e-signatures within Trakstar Hire without needing to integrate it with third-party tools.

CONS

  • Limited integration options with third-party HRIS and payroll solutions.
  • No mobile apps.
  • As Trakstar Hire offers only one plan with all features included, some businesses looking for a basic ATS may need more time to find it.
  • No free trial or free plans. Trakstar’s pricing is all-or-one and undisclosed.
  • Trakstar Hire has limited integration options with third-party HRIS and payroll solutions. 
  • Several users have complained about being unable to sort candidates and search results in an order other than displayed.
  • Trakstar Hire isn’t a scalable platform; they have a single plan, all features included, which means customers may end up paying for features that they don’t need. 
  • Trakstar doesn’t publically list their pricing nor allows visitors to create trial accounts directly from the website, which is unusual for a software solution aimed at mid-market companies.
Screenshot of Trackstar Hire (one of the best Applicant Tracking System) Showing Tasks on ATS Dashboard

Trakstar Hire Review

Trakstar Hire ATS (formerly Recruiterbox) is ideal for midsize companies. Still, the platform does work out deals for small businesses as they have room for negotiation based on how many job openings they have annually.

Rather than offering a feature-light product, Trakstar Hire ATS carries nearly everything you can ask for in a modern application tracking system: resume management, candidate sourcing, interview scheduling, offer management, collaborative hiring, reports, and careers site management.

Does the company overdo it? Based on our experience with Trakstar, the answer is yes and no.

It’s challenging to master many things simultaneously, but Trakstar Hire makes learning their tool manageable by presenting users with a well-made set of core products. We’ll start with job posting.

When a job is added to the platform, it is automatically distributed to LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, careers pages, job boards, and search engines. There is no limit to the number of jobs you can post, which is helpful for teams who hire frequently.

We love a smooth, customized workflow, and Trakstar Hire delivers in the “tailored experience” department. Users can customize literally every step of the way, making their hiring experience stand out against the rest but also fold into the best operational flow for the business.

We are also big fans of products with built-in features like offer management. No plug-in is necessary! Creating, sending, and storing offer letters all in one place makes sense.

There’s no such thing as a perfect tool, and we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out some aspects of the platform that cause us concern.

A free trial was available when they were still Recruiterbox in 2021. In 2023, there’s no more free trial, and the pricing is now undisclosed.

We’ve already touched on the lack of integrations, but it’s worth restating. Though it’s a very capable ATS, being unable to integrate with standard HR tools is a significant drawback.

Trakstar Hire Customers

Makita, Couchsurfing, Lonely Planet, Untappd, Quality Ironworks.

Trakstar Hire Pricing

Trakstar Hire has one plan that includes all of its features without any limits. The pricing is custom depending on headcount.

Best For

Trakstar Hire is a powerful ATS for SMBs assessing one hundred or more candidates annually.

Trakstar Hire in action
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BambooHR

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BambooHR
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Popularity Score
4.5 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.4 / 5

Why we picked BambooHR

BambooHR is among the top ATS options for SMBs, thanks to its ease of use and full-stack features built-in. The platform also offers flexible plans, which means businesses can benefit from having custom offerings based on their needs.

PROS

  • Flexible and tailored pricing, allowing you to choose and scale up features based on your specific needs.
  • Free 7-day trials are offered, providing an opportunity to explore and evaluate the ATS functionalities before making a financial commitment.
  • Well-performing mobile app, which facilitates application review, communication, and collaboration features on the go.
  • User-friendly interface and intuitive design.
  • Flexible packaging and custom pricing is the way they roll. You can pick out one or two packages and pick other modules as add-ons based on your needs. 
  • Very simple and straightforward tool, easy to use.

CONS

  • Payroll capabilities are limited to U.S.-based employees, which may be a drawback for companies with an international workforce.
  • Customer support is available only during U.S. business hours, potentially causing delays in resolving urgent inquiries for users in different time zones.
  • Modules like time tracking, performance management, and surveys are offered as add-ons, requiring additional investment to access these functionalities.
  • Payroll is only available for US-based employees 
  • Customer support is only offered during US business hours.
  • Some modules like time tracking, performance management, and surveys are only available as add-ons.
Screenshot of BambooHR Applicant Tracking System Showing Onboarding Task, Monthly Headcount, Vacation

BambooHR Review

Having looked at dozens of SMB-oriented ATS platforms, we find it impressive that BambooHR packs most of the essential recruiting features into a modestly priced HRIS package.

Bamboohr-ats-dashboard-is-intuitive-for-small-business

First, let’s discuss the ATS’s customization capability. During our testing, we appreciated how BambooHR made these features accessible without overwhelming the user—everything felt simple, which is a great strength for small businesses with limited recruiting experience. 

We also found the candidate application organization process intuitive. It was fast and easy to track candidates through every stage of the hiring process, from application to final e-signature. Plus, BambooHR allowed us to create new hire packets, which provide essential details on what new hires can expect during their first days—a helpful tool that makes onboarding smoother.

BambooHR’s mobile app for hiring is equally loveable. Users we spoke to enjoyed the flexibility it provided. Through the app, hiring managers could post jobs, review resumes, communicate with candidates, and coordinate with other team members while on the move. Just to be sure, we also tested these mobile capabilities ourselves, and phew! The experience was positive. This ability to carry out hiring activities from a smartphone is a real differentiator—especially when compared to tools like JazzHR, which, although feature-rich, lacks the same level of mobile optimization.

BambooHR also scores points with its flexible pricing options. The ATS, though custom, is modestly priced and allows you to choose and scale up features based on your specific needs. A free 7-day trial is also available upon request, so anyone interested can explore and evaluate the platform before committing financially.

When we compared BambooHR to other applicant tracking systems catering to SMBs, such as Trackstar Hire and Zoho Recruit, we found BambooHR’s user interface to be particularly well-designed and easy to use. Additionally, the collaboration features within BambooHR, like the ability to comment on candidate profiles and track team progress, were well-executed and on par with the best that tools like Recruitee offer.

However, it’s worth mentioning that BambooHR doesn’t offer its ATS as a standalone tool. Instead, it’s mixed with time off, benefits, and employee experience, which can be an overkill for those looking for just applicant tracking software.

It’s also quite a letdown to find out that though BambooHR’s customer support is helpful, it’s only available during U.S. business hours, which could lead to delays if you’re in other time zones.

BambooHR Customers

33,000+ companies, including Quora, Universal Group, Reddit, and Asana.

BambooHR Pricing

BambooHR pricing is custom. For companies with more than 25 employees, pricing is based on a per-employee, per-month model, while those with 25 or fewer pay a flat monthly rate. There are no annual contracts, and volume discounts are automatically applied as employee counts increase.

Best For

BambooHR is an excellent choice for small businesses, ideally U.S.-based and rapidly growing, that are looking for a feature-rich HRIS with ATS tools built in, all at a reasonable price.

BambooHR in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

We primarily use BambooHR for payroll and internal HR processes. It consolidates various HR functions into one platform, making it easier to manage workflows, merit increases, and communication during site closures. The system also helps track employee performance and manage compensation reviews, streamlining our overall HR operations. Additionally, we use it for onboarding and recruiting, as it simplifies job postings across multiple platforms. The integrated features create a consistent candidate experience, making the hiring process more efficient.

What do you like about this tool?
  • It is easy to use, allowing users to quickly become proficient without extensive training.
  • The setup process is simple, ensuring a hassle-free installation.
  • It offers a variety of features, providing flexibility for different HR needs.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

One of the key issues we aimed to address was the need for better support for our internal team. We required a system that would provide reliable assistance whenever needed.

Previously, we used ADP, which offered various features, but its customer service was lacking. This often left our team feeling frustrated, especially during critical times when timely support was essential.

In contrast, BambooHR made it easy to get assistance and resolve issues quickly. Their responsive customer support significantly improved our experience, allowing us to navigate challenges more efficiently. Additionally, the platform was simple to install and use, with an intuitive interface that helped our team transition smoothly.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • Many useful features require additional payments, which can increase costs.
  • The billing structure works well for smaller organizations but may become expensive as employee counts grow.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

I find BambooHR to be more intuitive and accessible than other HR platforms, which can often feel clunky or overly complex. Its user-friendly interface allows me to work more efficiently with fewer obstacles, making the overall experience more enjoyable.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

The number of employees in an organization is a key consideration, as pricing can increase significantly with a larger workforce. It’s also important to assess which features are necessary and which ones can be omitted to manage costs effectively. Identifying essential tools ahead of time can help keep monthly expenses reasonable.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

BambooHR has continuously improved by listening to user feedback and adding features that enhance usability and efficiency. These updates have made the platform even more valuable for HR teams.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

BambooHR is ideal for HR professionals and organizations looking to streamline recruitment, improve employee engagement, and manage workforce operations efficiently.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

BambooHR may not be the best fit for sales teams or organizations primarily focused on direct sales activities, as it is designed for HR and workforce management rather than sales tracking.

Manatal

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Manatal
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.7 / 5
Product Score
4.2 / 5

Why we picked Manatal

Manatal is an affordable ATS with a 14-day free trial. Its AI features are handy and drag-and-drop functionality also makes organizing candidate pipelines easy.

PROS

  • Affordable ATS with a 14-day free trial.
  • User-friendly interface with drag-and-drop pipelines.
  • Good AI features for job description generation and profile recommendations.
  • Free data migration from existing hiring software with automatic duplicate detection.
  • Suitable for both in-house TAs and recruiting agencies.
  • Supports multiple languages.
  • Manatal is quite affordable and offers a 15-day free trial for users to test it out before making commitments.
  • Manatal is fairly easy to use. It features drag-and-drop enabled pipelines for candidate organization.
  • Manatal’s AI-based recommendations feature can save hiring managers quite a bit of time. It’s able to scan job descriptions then search a users talent pool and bring up candidates most suited for the job.

CONS

  • AI can only generate English job descriptions, limited to 200 per month.
  • Core product available only in English and Spanish.
  • No free plans available.
  • Limited native integrations. API and Zapier integrations for top-tier plans only.
  • Boolean Search and Advanced Search cannot be used simultaneously.
  • The AI recommendations feature works best with resumes that are in English, and doesn’t work as accurately with other languages according to several users’ feedback. Several users have also complained about Manatal’s interface only being available in English and that career pages cannot be published in languages other than English and Spanish. 
  • Manatal doesn’t offer a free plan. We mention this as a con as several SMB-geared ATSs do offer a free-forever verison, and that puts Manatal slightly behind competition. 
  • Manatal doesn’t offer prebuilt integration modules. They do have an open API that allows users to plug in third-party products and custom tools, but that required a bit more time and technical knowledge to accomplish. It’s also worth mentioning that only Custom plan customers can access Manatal’s API and Zapier integration. Customers on the Professional and Enterprise plan cannot.
  • Users can search for candidates via Boolean Search or Advanced Search, but cannot combine the two search methods together. E.g users cannot use the Boolean search operators (AND, OR and NOT) within Manatal’s Advanced Search tab.
Manatal ATS dashboard

Manatal Review

Manatal is a budget-friendly ATS solution that caters specifically to SMBs without compromising essential features. It even has a free trial without requiring credit card info.

Manatal’s AI tool is a real asset. It can generate English job descriptions and sift through your existing candidate database to surface individuals it finds most suitable for the role. The results are pretty awesome and available almost instantly. Its usefulness was reduced when we asked the AI to suggest non-English-speaking candidates, though.

Manatal has a user-friendly interface and native drag-and-drop-enabled pipelines, which are very easy to use. Plus, being mobile-optimized means there’s no need to download any apps from users who need to access Manatal on the go.

We also appreciate how transparent Manatal's pricing is. The platform has a scalable “custom” plan in addition to three lower-tier plans. On its website, it breaks down what’s included in each plan and how much it costs. With prices starting at $15 per user per month, it’s safe to say this ATS is affordable for most SMBs. For those having a hard time with their existing ATS and looking for a switch, Manatal’s offer of free data migration is quite compelling.

However, as mentioned earlier, Manatal’s AI tool works best in English only and only allows for 200 generations per month. Despite having a fairly good pricing structure, Manatal doesn’t offer a free plan like several others in this space. We should also note that its API and Zapier integrations are limited to top-tier plans, while the pre-built integration list is limited.

Manatal Customers

10,000+ companies, including Unilever, Coca-Cola, Panasonic, Ogilvy, and Toyota.

Manatal Pricing

Manatal has four plans:

  • Professional ($15 per user per month)
  • Enterprise ($35 per user per month)
  • Enterprise Plus ($55 per user per month)
  • Custom plans (available on demand)

A 14-day free trial is available, no credit card info required.

Best For

For startups and SMBs with limited budgets who are seeking an easy-to-use ATS with AI features, Manatal is a top choice.

Manatal in action
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Why You Should Trust Us

The contributors to this buyer guide represent decades of experience and perspective. We called on Stefanie Sher (Director of Talent Acquisition, Replicated), Tracie Marie (Founder, Hire Incentive), Zachary Larson (People Operations leader with 10+ years experience), Phil Strazzulla (SSR Founder), Huda Idris (SSR Software Advisor), and SSR HR Tech Researcher and Editor Anh Nguyen to help you find the right tool for your team.

Pro Tips on Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses

Benefits of ATS for Small Businesses

Benefits of using an ATS for small businesses include saving time, improving the quality of hires, reducing costs, becoming more data-driven in recruitment, facilitating collaborative hiring, and building a talent pool.

  • Save time: Recent applicant tracking system statistics show that recruiters can reduce time-to-hire by up to 20% when using an ATS solution. Additionally, 86% of recruiters report that ATS solutions have helped them shorten their time-to-hire, at least to some extent. For SMBs, these numbers mean fewer manual tasks and faster candidate movement through the pipeline, freeing up time for team members who often have to wear multiple hats beyond recruiting.
  • Increase the quality of hire: Compared to manual applicant tracking, an ATS tailored to the needs of small businesses can aid tremendously in structured evaluations, reduce bias, and ensure that the most qualified candidates rise to the top. Statistically, 78% of recruiters confirm that an ATS has improved the quality of hire.
  • Save money: Small businesses can enjoy $10,000 annual savings using an applicant tracking system. Output from our ATS calculator has shown that a 500-person company can save up to $468,000 from a new ATS.
  • Become more data-driven with recruitment: Though the small teams are held to the same legal standard as larger ones, they generally don’t have the same access to legal counsel. A quality ATS will help cross the Ts and dot the Is, allowing your business to focus and grow.
  • Forster collaborative hiring: In small businesses, where “wearing many hats” is the norm, an ATS brings structure and transparency to collaborative hiring. It organizes tasks, centralizes candidate information, and clarifies who’s responsible for what, helping teams work together efficiently without letting anything slip through the cracks.
  • Build a talent pool: A high-quality talent pool doesn’t create itself. Small business ATSs typically can also function as a recruiting CRM, helping small businesses establish and nurture a repository of skilled workers. By creating and managing ongoing relationships with both passive and active job seekers, a lean team can reduce the effort and expense of filling a new role; they can simply tap into the existing pool rather than starting the search from scratch. Some tools even help with considering internal candidates.

How to Choose the Best ATS for Small Businesses

Small businesses seeking an applicant tracking system might find it helpful and time-saving to start by considering just 3 to 5 vendors recommended by industry experts. Additionally, reviewing user feedback, attending product demos, and trialing the ATS firsthand can provide valuable insights to help narrow down the choices further.

  • Look for unbiased insights: Most ATS vendors have websites with plenty of information on how good their product(s) are, but rarely do they highlight gaps, trade-offs, or shortcomings. For this reason, we suggest you make the most of third-party reviews, buyer guides, and independent product breakdowns to gain a balanced view of each ATS’s pros and cons. This broader perspective helps you understand where each tool performs well (and where it may fall short) so you can make the right decision for your team’s realities.
  • Learn from other small business ATS users: There’s a tremendous amount of value in the feedback of real product users, particularly those working at startups and small businesses. What are their ATS decision criteria? What are their expectations about hiring software vs. reality? How satisfied are they with the purchased ATS? In each of our small business ATS’s detailed reviews, we include insights directly from HR and recruiting professionals using the tools so that you can learn from their firsthand experiences.
  • Talk to 3-5 most potential vendors: If your business is too small to justify sending out a formal ATS request for proposal (RFP), you'll need to vet companies yourself. Take advantage of our recommended tools to shortlist the top 3-5 relevant vendors. Then, schedule and come to their product demos prepared. We’d suggest having a list of applicant tracking system questions specific to your small business needs (whether they offer unlimited users, what automation features are included at entry-level plans, how well they support scaling as your hiring needs grow, etc.), as it can significantly help to identify which options match your priorities more efficiently.

Pro Tip: Shopping for a new ATS can be challenging. Contact our HR software advisor for free, personalized assistance in shortlisting vendors that fit your needs and budget.

Bonus Tips for First-Time Small Business ATS Buyers

If you’re a small business weighing whether to invest in an ATS and how to make the right choice, we recommend watching this insightful discussion with Phil Strazzulla, founder of SelectSoftware Reviews, and Rahul Bansal, CEO of TribalVision, as they delve into the whole process of choosing a system that fits your team’s size, budget, and long-term goals.

FAQs

What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

An applicant tracking system for small businesses is a hiring tool designed to help lean teams streamline and organize the recruitment process, from posting jobs and sourcing candidates to managing interview pipelines and maintaining records. For organizations with limited time and resources, a small business ATS removes manual tasks, keeps everything in one place, and ensures the hiring process stays efficient, even as the team grows.

What features are essential for a small business ATS?

Key ATS features for small businesses include resume parsing to extract candidate information automatically, job posting to distribute listings across multiple job boards quickly, candidate pipeline management to track where each candidate stands in the process, candidate searching and filtering to surface the best fits fast, reporting and analytics to monitor hiring progress and identify bottlenecks, and integrations with video interview tools, HRIS, and communication apps to keep workflows smooth without needing a large tech stack.

When should a small business start using an ATS?

A good rule of thumb is that your small business has at least 20 positions to fill per year, as at this level, you will most likely see the significant ROI the ATS brings to your recruitment process.

How much does an ATS cost an SMB?

Specifics on ATS pricing vary based on factors such as business size, job vacancies, integrations, and team location. Based on our research, small businesses typically pay between $15 and a few thousand dollars per month for an ATS, with some free editions available.

Is there any free ATS?

Yes, there is! Manatal (free trial available), Recooty (free trial available), and Wellfound (free plan available) are our favorites. You can find more options in our best free ATS buyer guide.

How many ATS options should an SMB consider when doing demos?

According to Tracie Marie, one of the experts we talked about for this piece, three can be a good starting number for vendor demos, and you should aim to include slightly less than your budget and one slightly more, as “you can see the differences in features among those vendors this way.”

Conclusion

An SMB-focused applicant tracking system can bring real, measurable benefits to small businesses by automating manual tasks, streamlining candidate workflows, improving collaboration, and integrating with essential tools, all of which help lean teams hire faster and more effectively.

Having said that, it’s important to remember that even the best ATS can’t solve underlying issues like a toxic workplace culture or unclear hiring goals. For a supercharged modern ATS to make a difference, the right mindset—ready and willing to adopt the technology, commit to structured processes, and align the tool with broader business and people goals—is critical.

About the Author

Alison Hunter
Editor and HR expert for SelectSoftware Reviews
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With 10+ years in Human Resources and many more as a professional writer, Alison brings an authoritative editorial voice, first-hand industry knowledge, and a people-first perspective to the team. 

Alison entered the field of HR/ People Ops in the early 2000s. Following the innovative spirit of SF Bay Area tech, she established herself professionally at the intersection of people, process, and culture. 

She has held pivotal Human Resources positions overseeing every aspect of the employee experience. Her experience includes recruiting, interviewing, hiring, employee relations, employee development, DEI, compensation and performance, learning and development, management training, compliance and policy management, payroll and benefits, and more. 

In keeping with her Bay Area native status and unconventional social science/biology/sculpture education, her CV includes robot builder and professional wedding officiant. She's a writer by birth and a techie by osmosis.

Featured in: The Teamwork Advantage Podcast with Grey Greggory, HR Power Hour Podcast with David Ciullo, HomeLight, Human Interest, Recruit CRM Expert's Corner, and CBS News

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