20 Best Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Reviewed & Compared
These are the best applicant tracking systems in 2025 as selected by our in-house experts who boast years of combined HR software testing and research experience.








The best applicant tracking systems can dramatically increase the efficiency of your hiring processes by helping you to source top talent and manage all admin from advertising through to offer acceptance.
Our experts estimate that if your organization makes more than 10-20 hires per year, a fully featured ATS system will more than pay for itself in time savings alone. Well-implemented ATS software can enhance cross-team collaboration, improve internal engagement in recruitment processes, and provide an easy framework for scaling operations.
We've been researching, reviewing and comparing ATS systems since 2018 and update this guide regularly. But we offer more than just research: Our writers have led recruiting operations and PeopleOps across industries. We combine our direct, hands-on experience with rigorous research, product demos, user reviews, and the input of impartial, third-party experts to provide consistent, reliable, and helpful advice.
You can also book a free call with one of our HR tech experts who'll give you personalized help.
To create and update our list of the best ATSs we regularly participate in product demos, gather user and expert feedback, and leverage in-house knowledge. We assess each product's performance on core functions, including job post distribution, candidate screening, interview scheduling, and analytics/reporting. In our view, the three most essential components that a best-in-class ATS systemmust score highly on are UX/UI, candidate experience, and integration/compatibility.
- Employer Experience: Posting a job should take less than 30 seconds, syndicating this job to job boards should be a simple push of a button, and viewing applicants should be as intuitive as using platforms like Trello.
- Candidate Experience: Features like personalized communication, easy interview scheduling, and self-service portals for application status updates all enhance the candidate experience. Your talent acquisition team is also part of your public relations team, so it is critical to equip them with tech to ensure you maintain a strong reputation among all candidates, regardless of your hiring decision.
- Integration and Compatibility: We assess each platform’s ability to integrate with other tools in a typical HR ecosystem. Limited integrations can be a massive drag on ROI: manually entering data or downloading CSVs just to upload them to your ATS, for example, is suboptimal at best.
To address the needs of companies of any size, we've included a few all-in-one solutions. In our experience, many companies with lean HR/TA teams and fewer than 500 employees are better off with a platform that combines applicant tracking with other capabilities like recruiting CRM, HRIS, or payroll software.
For more information on our methodology, read this article on how we evaluate HR tech vendors.

Greenhouse

Greenhouse is a feature-rich ATS system best suited for midsize and large teams. In addition to advanced scheduling, workflow customization, and numerous seamless HRIS integrations, the platform also includes a well-liked onboarding feature.
PROS
- Onboarding module to ease the transition from candidate to new hire.
- 300+ integrations with third-party solutions for numerous people ops needs.
- Collaboration-enabling features distribute the hiring workload across multiple stakeholders.
- Customization options are plentiful, and template workflows are convenient.
- 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
- Undisclosed prices, no free trial.
- The reporting feature can be challenging to navigate.
- Cost-prohibitive for budget-conscious teams.
- A full focus on ATS and onboarding means it lacks core HR features.
- 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.
Our editorial team has always had good things to say about Greenhouse. Several of us have used it extensively as members and leaders of TA teams, and our sentiments align with most of the users who tested the product for us: it’s easy to use, and it saves time.

The dashboard is reflective of the product’s name: greenhouse. It’s visually appealing and offers a clear view of the collection of candidates that need attention. The whole hiring team can see the upcoming interviews, applications to review, and task status overviews.
In our most recent experience using an updated version, we were impressed with the developments in the “interview kit”. The standardization of the interview process is a massive help in combating bias. Clear-cut qualification criteria for each interview stage result in employee confidence in decision-making and valuable insights for process improvement.
We like the pre-built templates for creating and posting jobs. We found that even users with minimal familiarity can post a job in about one minute.
For experienced users who have created their own hiring workflow, this task is reduced to seconds. Even the process of creating custom workflows is a drag-and-drop, super-streamlined affair.
Our writers with professional experience using this tool report that once you’re familiar with it, it basically runs itself. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but the sentiment stands: Greenhouse is a popular ATS because the product meets the needs of actual recruiting teams (and writers who used to be recruiters!).
With more than 300 partners, chances are good that they can connect you with any tool or service you need, and with their well-established place among top HR tech tools, you can count on a smooth, well-supported integration. However, some businesses prefer the simplicity and security of an all-in-one platform, which Greenhouse is not. There’s no right or wrong choice here, but we encourage you to evaluate what is right for your team carefully.
HubSpot, DoorDash, Dropbox, Wayfair.
The starting price for Greenhouse is approximately $6,000 annually, based on information from our network. Standard contracts require a one-year prepayment, but discounted rates are available for those who prepay for two or three years.
Best For
Greenhouse is best for medium to large enterprises that emphasize collaborative hiring practices.
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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.

Pinpoint

Pinpoint has grown into a more powerful system than it was even a year ago. Its focus on workflow efficiency, candidate experience, and cross-team usability makes it a strong option for companies that want to streamline without losing control. It may not be ideal for every budget, but if you are running 30 or more hires a year, the time saved through automation alone could justify the investment.
PROS
- Workflow Automations let teams scale repeatable tasks org-wide, not job-by-job.
- Intuitive career site builder helps attract and convert candidates quickly.
- Highly customizable workflows and referral tools.
- Unlimited jobs and users across all pricing tiers.
- Strong customer support via chat, email, or phone.
- 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
- Employee onboarding comes at an additional cost.
- Lacks a free version or trial, making hands-on exploration harder.
- Bespoke integrations limited to Enterprise tier.
- Pricing may be steep for startups or very small teams.
- 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 has become one of the more complete applicant tracking systems we’ve tested, especially for in-house recruiting teams that manage consistent or high-volume hiring. When we last reviewed the platform, its standout feature was the career site builder. That still holds true today. However, its recent product updates, particularly around workflow automation, have pushed it into a more scalable and strategic category.
The biggest change we noticed is the introduction of organization-level Workflow Automations. During our tests, we configured one automation for rejection emails and applied it across every open role.
Unlike older automation features that operated job by job, this system worked across the board. This made it faster to handle repetitive tasks and ensured that no step in the candidate journey was missed. Recruiters can now set up automations for interview invites, stage transitions, follow-ups, and even internal reminders. The real benefit is consistency. It reduced manual work without sacrificing personalization, especially when paired with custom templates.

We also tried out a few real-world use cases shared by their customer Article, including an automation that followed up with candidates who said they were open to relocation. Setting it up in our test environment was straightforward, and the logic held up when applied across multiple roles.
Another cool feature was the interview scheduling updates. You can now configure automatic email invites that send as soon as a candidate moves to the next stage. We liked that you can restrict these emails to send during working hours, which helped keep communication aligned with our team's time zones. It is the kind of quality-of-life feature that feels small but saves hours over time.
The career site builder is still one of the most intuitive we’ve used. One of our editors with no web development background was able to publish a branded careers page in under 30 minutes. The tool walks users through page creation step by step and includes prebuilt sections for open roles, culture messaging, and custom visuals. We also saw continued strength in the referral system. Internal employees can easily refer candidates and track their progress through a built-in dashboard.
Pinpoint has also added new integrations that support assessments and onboarding. For example, Outmatch brings candidate testing directly into the ATS system, and Planday allows new hire data to sync for a smoother transition into operations. During our trial, these integrations worked as described, though setup required a quick consult with their support team.
The only notable drawback is that while automation and UX are best-in-class, Pinpoint doesn’t offer a free trial, and onboarding tools come at an added cost. We should also warn you that this is not the cheapest platform on the market, but we think the ROI is clear for mid-sized or scaling companies who want modern, repeatable hiring workflows.
CoinShares, Pathways Global, Grant Thornton, Icario, Pivot Energy
- Growth Plan: Starts at $345/month (billed annually). Includes unlimited jobs and users, career site builder, analytics, integrations, and standard automations.
- Enterprise Plan: Starts at $1,200/month. Adds multi-page career sites, multilingual support, bespoke integrations, onboarding features, and implementation support.
- Startup Discounts: Available for companies with fewer than 50 employees.
Best For
Pinpoint is best for mid-sized and scaling in-house recruiting teams, especially those hiring for 30+ roles a year and looking to streamline operations with flexible, organization-wide automations.
We have configured a recruitment process and attached email templates to every stage of it, allowing us to rapidly communicate with candidates in a standard way, at all stages. We share CVs with management within the tool and capture feedback. We use the tool to invite candidates for assessments, and for booking the assessments in [usually via MS Teams which PinPoint integrates nicely with]. We upload interview notes to the candidate area in PinPoint, and sometimes make a phone interview guide within the tool, to enable us to use a more robust scoring mechanism if anticipating higher volumes of direct applications.
Pinpoint is also used to store/bank candidates for future roles. We have created and implemented a bespoke tagging approach to find people quickly. We have also tagged candidates for reasons not to progress, and can report on that. This gives an opportunity to fine-tune adverts for future positions if we uncover particular rejection themes. It is also used for reporting on things like the diversity of applicants and candidate volume.
It is very easy to use from a product owner and user perspective. Both management AND suppliers have happily adopted PinPoint and only have positive feedback about it. The PinPoint support staff/messaging tool is also fantastic, with immediate responses provided to any tickets raised.
I love the ability to make bespoke application form questions. Knowing clearly candidate availability, salary expectations, and right-to-work status from such questions saves the recruitment team countless hours.
With the right process and email template set, it gives a better candidate experience. Candidates receive rejection emails and will know clearly what to expect at the interview/assessment stages.
The reporting is wonderful. You simply cannot report on diversity matters without a system like PinPoint, which removes the candidate’s personal info from their actual job application.
Our global recruitment function was hiring around 60+ people a year, across multiple global locations. We used various channels and suppliers to generate candidates but had to manage everything via email and Excel trackers. We wanted a solution that was easy to use, configurable, and enabled HR and management to collaborate, in line with our values. We also wanted a solution that enabled blind CV applications to mitigate unconscious bias, plus diversity reporting. We have used it since April 2022.
You can't effectively share comms with recruitment suppliers about new openings or changes to vacancy briefs, so I am still relying on emails. There should be a ‘vacancy supplier’ area on each vacancy where we can communicate with agencies and also document any feedback from them from the market. Then we could have an option to share info with leaders.
- The way it can be configured to your needs is refreshing.
- The general speed of moving candidates around within a process or into a new process is also different from other systems.
- In a recruitment team, everyone can see what is going on with candidates and roles, so you remove bottlenecks and enhance efficiency when it comes to things like recruitment team absence.
- First, make sure you have an agreed recruitment process established in the business, then create a ‘shopping list’ of problems to solve or features you would like. Then review solutions.
- Ensure you liaise closely with IT and/or infosec/GDPR managers around the idea and implementation.
- Finally, these systems are priced based on an organization’s headcount, so that may come under consideration from a budget perspective.
A few enhancements here and there, mostly around the reporting suite.
Firms recruiting high volume roles and varied roles, with many different managers/suppliers involved.
Pinpoint would be helpful for any business, regardless of size of industry.

Workable

If you're a fast-growing SMB with multiple roles to fill and want one platform for job distribution, candidate comms, and basic HR support, Workable brings real value. And unlike many competitors, you can test it for 15 days without a sales call.
PROS
- Offers native tools for sourcing, video interviews, assessments, and even Core HR, all under one roof.
- Excellent recruitment automation capabilities for emails, pre-assessments, disqualifications, and self-scheduling.
- AI job posting assistant supports tone adjustments, version control, and sentence-level edits.
- Multilingual candidate interface supports French, German, Greek, Spanish, and Portuguese.
- 290+ integrations and API access enable broader customization.
- 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
- Employer-side dashboard is English-only, which limits backend accessibility for international teams.
- Higher starting price compared to SMB-friendly competitors like Manatal or Wellfound.
- Texting tool, video interviews, and assessments cost extra.
- No built-in candidate profile auto-merge.
- 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.
We’ve followed Workable for years, but our latest hands-on test revealed a platform that has matured into one of the more thoughtful ATS options for fast-growing medium-sized businesses. Our demo began with the career site builder. The no-code builder felt intuitive and quick, and in under 10 minutes, we had a page that looked sharp and felt aligned with our brand, without needing design help.

Where Workable really started to stand out was in its automation engine. We tested templates for thank-you emails, interview scheduling, and rejections. Setting up the logic took less than five minutes, and the personalization tokens (such as candidate first name or role title) were easy to insert. The real win was that we didn’t need to handhold every communication; Workable just got it done.
Another standout was the AI job description assistant. We prompted it for a Customer Support Manager job, and it returned a structured draft in seconds. But what impressed us was the control: we could shift the tone from formal to casual, revert to earlier versions, or even regenerate just one clunky sentence. It felt less like using ChatGPT and more like collaborating with a content editor.
On the inclusion front, Workable’s Language Kit was better than expected. One of our editors, who’s fluent in Spanish, reviewed the full candidate flow and found the translations to be accurate and appropriately localized. The anonymization tool also worked well, instantly scrubbing names and images from profiles. If you're serious about mitigating bias, this is a rare out-of-the-box feature that requires no IT lift.
There are trade-offs, however. One is pricing. Starting at $299 per month can be hard to justify for teams that don’t need the full range of tools. We also encountered issues with duplicate applicants. There is no auto-merge, so users may have to reconcile histories manually – an oversight that could complicate high-volume hiring.
Another mixed bag is the built-in sourcing tool. Although the ATS system surfaced a decent set of passive candidates during our trial (75 views included), it lacked the depth and granularity we’ve seen in dedicated sourcing platforms like Fetcher or Gem. So while it’s fine for occasional outbound efforts, we don’t think it can replace your sourcing stack if you hire aggressively.
Workable has been used by over 30,000 organizations, including Sephora, Forbes, Bevi, Moodle, and Navarro.
Workable pricing starts at $299 per month for its recruiting module, which includes applicant tracking system software, and $349 when bundled with HRIS.
Best For
Workable’s ATS is best suited for teams scaling fast or hiring internationally.
We use Workable to track candidates in our pipeline from sourcing to the hiring stage. In addition, Workable allows users to add comments and leave reviews for the candidate. We also utilize Workable to share job descriptions with the public. It has robust functionality for that and we have easily double or triple the amount of inbound candidates compared to using Greenhouse.

I love the design and ease of use of the website. The automation tools as you move candidates between stages are really powerful. The reach of workable when you upload a JD is very extensive and I get a significant number of inbound candidates.
We purchased Workable to replace Greenhouse as we felt Greenhouse was too bulky for our needs. We have been using it for about a month so far. While it functions very well as an ATS, I appreciate its automation features and ease of use/navigation. It has a clean and understandable UI. It also has a great support team which has helped with the import of our candidate data from Greenhouse.
- The automation sometimes has a few issues, such as moving a candidate out of the pipeline without sending them an email is a little tricky.
- The scorecard symbols aren't customizable and there are only 3 of them (love, like, no).
- The AI candidate search tool, while neat, isn't too helpful usually.
Compared to Greenhouse, I like it much more. It's easier to use, capable of the same things, and much cheaper. The inbound capabilities are better and creating a JD is less complicated.
Criteria 1: Does your team need a robust pool of inbound candidates? If so, Workable is great at providing that quantity.
Criteria 2: Will other non-talent employees be scoring candidates? Greenhouse is a little bit better at sending interview packages, but Workable is much easier to navigate.
Criteria 3: Is cost an issue considering the size of our team? For a smaller team of a few people <10, Workable is much more affordable.
We haven't used it long enough for this to come into play, but the support team has been helpful in setting things up.
It's great for organizations with a smaller talent team that needs a lot of power for a low price point.
If you need to send robust interview packages often, then Greenhouse may be better.

ClearCompany

Launched in 2004, ClearCompany is an established platform that has kept pace with leading-edge HR tech. During our hands-on evaluation of the ATS, we found a comprehensive set of “talent management” features assembled into a logical and seamless workflow recruiting teams need.
PROS
- Multiple pricing options and add-on features.
- Intuitive UI across multiple HR modules.
- Numerous reports of a smooth implementation and attentive customer support.
- ClearCompany offers a host of HR solutions that work well with another. You can choose the solution you need or combine them all to have a comprehensive talent management platform in your stack.
- The majority of users find ClearCompany’s interface to be quite intuitive and easy to navigate.
- Many users have highly rated ClearCompany’s support team for speed and quality of response. Several users have also reported a smooth implementation experience.
CONS
- Undisclosed pricing, no free trials.
- Some users felt underwhelmed by the customization options of the reporting feature.
- The candidate search function is reported to be somewhat unreliable.
- No mobile apps.
- ClearCompany’s pricing is not readily available on their website. You also can’t create a trial account on your own from the website and have to go through the sales team for more info.
- Some users felt that the reporting feature is limited in customizations.
- According to a few users, the candidate search function doesn’t always bring up the correct candidate(s) and could use some improvement.
- ClearCompany doesn’t currently have a mobile app, but the platform is well optimized for mobile use both for hiring managers and candidates.
ClearCompany is a talent management suite with an ATS feature that can be purchased as a stand-alone product or as part of the comprehensive HR tech toolset. Numerous configurations and pricing options are available so companies can create a plan that meets their needs and suits their budget.

We review all types of HR tech, but our team has a lot to say about applicant tracking systems. In fact, during our in-house evaluation, we found that several of us had extensive professional experience using this platform in previous positions. The consensus: the ATS software works best within ClearCompany’s suite, but it is a super-solid ATS on its own.
Some standouts include the user interface, which is uniquely modern for a company founded in 2004. We were specifically impressed with the onboarding workflows, which transitioned candidates into new hires in just a few clicks.
Mitsubishi Electric, Chick-fil-A, Goodwill, Axiom Bank, Bios, FlixBrewHouse, and Halco.
ClearCompany pricing starts at $60 per user per month.
Best For
ClearCompany is among the top ATS platforms for mid-sized teams that only require an ATS, as well as large organizations that can afford the entire suite.
I used ClearCompany regularly to keep the hiring process organized and efficient. One of the most helpful features is its manager scheduling tool, which makes coordinating interviews seamless. Managers are easily integrated into workflows, allowing them to stay updated on candidate progress and participate in key hiring decisions without extra hassle.
What I found most useful about this product is the organizational flow it provides and the time management benefits through task automation.
- Easy Interview Scheduling – Managers can quickly set up interviews without a lot of back-and-forth, keeping the process smooth.
- Great Hiring Workflows – Everything is structured to make recruiting more efficient, helping teams track candidate progress easily.
- Fast Background Checks – The system simplifies background checks, preventing delays in the hiring process.
ClearCompany was already in place before I joined, and it served as the central hub for a team of five recruiters. The platform made it easy to manage hiring workflows, keeping everything organized and efficient. It streamlined interview scheduling, offered strong project management tools, and made background checks quicker and more straightforward.
Since I began using it, I’ve seen how much it helps maintain a smooth hiring process and keeps communication on track. It also integrates well with other tools, saving time and reducing unnecessary back-and-forth. Overall, it has been a reliable system for recruitment.
I currently use Lever, and I miss ClearCompany.
- While ClearCompany’s workflows are effective, additional customization options for automation would be beneficial.
- The platform could be improved with more advanced analytics to track hiring trends in greater detail.
- Adding a document vault for automatic storage of HR paperwork would be a useful enhancement.
Compared to other tools I’ve used, ClearCompany is more user-friendly and efficient. Some platforms can feel clunky or disjointed, but ClearCompany keeps everything organized and streamlined. The faster background check process also helps avoid hiring delays.
When selecting a hiring tool, ease of use is key—no one wants to deal with a complicated system. Automation features like interview scheduling and background checks should speed things up rather than add steps.
Compatibility with other systems such as HR and payroll platforms is also important for maintaining connected workflows. Cost matters—a strong tool should be reasonably priced. Lastly, responsive customer support is crucial when issues arise.
The platform has improved its integration capabilities, connecting with major HR systems like ADP Workforce Now.
ClearCompany is suitable for organizations of all sizes
It's great for everyone, so I’m unsure if it’s not a good fit for anyone other than super small startups.

VidCruiter

VidCruiter is known chiefly for video interviews, but the platform also offers a solid ATS solution and Quick Apply, a hit feature with both TA teams and candidates.
PROS
- VidCruiter can be fully customized to meet specific recruiting needs.
- Easy to use for both job seekers and recruiters.
- Works on all devices. No app installation is needed.
- Quick Apply feature lets candidates apply directly from Indeed and LinkedIn and auto-syncs the candidate's info to the user’s existing ATS.
- Dedicated client success manager, 24/7 applicant support, phone, email, and live chat.
- Scalable and customizable — users pay for what they need and can purchase more features as they grow.
- Robust pre-recorded and live video interviewing with advanced automation.
- Browser-based, so it works across devices without installing apps.
- Available for recruiters in eight languages and supports job seekers in dozens more.
- 24/7 live agent support, assigned account manager, and on-demand training.
CONS
- Some users reported that implementation was time-consuming.
- Advanced search and technical skills testing features within the assessment module leave room for improvement.
- There is no trial version, and no price is listed on their site.
- Because the product is feature-rich and highly customizable, the implementation phase can be time-consuming.
- Advanced search and technical skills testing features within the assessment module leave room for improvement.
- No free or trial version.
- Undisclosed pricing.
VidCruiter has been a significant player in the video interviewing software market for years, but the platform is less well-known for its ATS. However, our research proves the ATS system is robust enough to be listed among other top vendors in the space.

The platform balances the needs of those on both sides of the interview pipeline. TA teams are well-equipped with highly customizable features like job posting, pre-screening, interview scheduling, and real-time reports, and applicants are met with a user experience that was clearly designed with them in mind.
For a glimpse of team culture, vision, and values, users can build a custom career site that delivers a branded digital experience to candidates. The site editor is simple to use, and in our in-house testing, we managed to set everything up without help from the IT or VidCruiter support team. One feature of note: when a candidate accesses a career page supported by VidCruiter, the platform automatically generates recommendations for jobs available near them.
Quick Apply benefits both employers and candidates. With this feature, TA teams can rev up the hiring process without implementing a new ATS, so it’s perfect for teams on a budget. It is also helpful for those counting down the hours left on an ATS contract they don’t plan to renew. The platform offers job seekers the convenience of applying directly from portals such as LinkedIn and Indeed.
VidCruiter is used by over 100,000 recruiters, including Lowe’s, Lionsgate, Samsung, Bears, US Foods, and the United Nations.
VidCruiter prices start at $1,000 annually, according to our sources.
Best For
VidCruiter is a perfect ATS for large companies (U.S.-based and otherwise) hiring 100+ people annually. At the same time, the VidCruiter Quick Apply tool is an excellent pick for smaller companies that want to streamline their hiring process without going separate ways with their current ATS.
Our organization has been using Vidcruiter continuously as part of our international recruitment program for customer service/call center staff. We use the tool for its recorded interviewing functionality. This makes the whole shortlisting and first-round interviewing process convenient and more efficient. We also use automated interview scheduling, which saves a lot of time. During second-round interviews, we use the live interviews functionality as we need to make a closer examination of candidates.
I like how easy it is to use. I have found the customer support team to be responsive and helpful, which should not be taken for granted. The tool can be customized to suit your requirements and company processes, which makes it more usable.
We were going to engage in a big international, high-volume, virtual recruitment campaign. We had been using another well-known but more generalized video conferencing tool, but it lacked recruitment-specific functionality and was proving inefficient when hiring en masse. We needed recorded interviewing functionality because we were hiring in volume across multiple time zones, and manually arranging so many interviews was laborious and time-consuming.
Vidcruiter offered recorded interviews and automated interview scheduling, which helped us efficiently reduce our candidate longlists to several interview shortlists for each position we recruited for. This was then a manageable volume of candidates, after which we could manually arrange interviews. I have used Vidcruiter for about 12 months for high-volume, international recruitment.
Vidcruiter was quite hard to learn at first and requires help from support to make full use of the tool. I also experienced some video loading lag time, which meant that reviewing videos took a little longer. We also had a few problems integrating calendars for our automated interview scheduling workflow.
Customer support is very good compared to the competition. Although I found it harder to learn than some others, I found that it was very customizable compared to the competition, which was important as we are quite a quirky organization with unusual requirements.
If you are doing high-volume recruitment with staff in different time zones, you should focus on two specific features. The first is recorded interviewing, as this is the most efficient way to reduce longlists to shortlists and conduct first-round interviews. Automated interview scheduling is a must for high-volume recruitment, but check that it integrates well with your existing calendar systems.
I think that live video calls and video replays have become less glitchy and stream more seamlessly.
Vidcruiter is good for international organizations recruiting staff in high volume across different time zones.
Vidcruiter is not good for smaller organizations where face-to-face interviewing is crucial for accurate assessment.

Manatal

Manatal made our top ATS list because it's budget-friendly, AI-equipped, and offers transparent pricing—no need to call a sales rep just for a ballpark figure.
PROS
- Among the most affordable ATS options in the market. Offers a 14-day free trial.
- Easy to use with drag-and-drop enabled pipelines.
- Native AI-based recommendations feature.
- Web-based, so it works on multiple devices.
- Free data migration from your existing hiring software.
- Boolean Search and Advanced Search can now be used together.
- 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
- The AI recommendations feature only works well in English.
- There are no free plans.
- ADP and Zapier integrations are restricted to top-tier plans.
- 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.
As HR tech editors with years of working experience as recruiters and HR professionals, we understand the importance of finding the right talent efficiently, and Manatal has proven to be a valuable tool in this regard.
The first on our thumbs-up list is that it’s budget-friendly. We appreciate the transparency in pricing, as there is no need to contact sales just to get a ballpark figure. The platform offers a 14-day free trial.
Using Manatal was straightforward, thanks to its user-friendly interface and the convenience of drag-and-drop-enabled pipelines. The AI-based candidate recommendations feature is a time-saver. It compares job descriptions' language to skills listed by individuals in the talent pool.

Manatal is web-based, so it is compatible with multiple devices. The ability to migrate data from our existing hiring software was also a welcome feature that made for a smooth transition.
They have also begun offering free, live training webinars and introduced several product enhancements in the past year. A key feature update is the Advanced Search, which now supports a blend of Boolean and Semantic search, providing options for Required, Preferred, and Must Not criteria to enhance precision.
We encountered a few limitations during our evaluation. The AI recommendation feature does not operate well in languages other than English, and Manatal lacks a free version. Integration is limited, and ADP and Zapier integrations are restricted to top-tier plans.
Unilever, Coca-Cola, Panasonic, Ogilvy, Toyota.
Manatal pricing starts at $15 per user per month. More specifically:
- Professional: This plan costs $15 per user per month for up to 15 jobs per account and 10,000 candidates. Customers on this plan can add unlimited guests.
- Enterprise: This plan costs $35 per user per month for unlimited jobs per account and unlimited candidates and guests.
- Enterprise Plus: This plan costs $55 per user per month and includes all Enterprise features, user groups, open API access, SSO log-in, priority support, and access to Beta features.
- Custom: Pricing upon request.
Best For
Manatal is best for small businesses experiencing headcount growth due to its affordability and scalability.
I use Manatal for many reasons. I source candidates, store their information, post my jobs on job boards, my career page and our website. I keep notes about candidates as well as my current employees. I also upload all of my new hire information and/or paperwork for each new hire and use it as a digital personnel file.

I like several things about Manatal. The first one being the ability to post on about 19 different free job board sites. I also like the ability to create my own pipeline categories as what I like to see doesn't typically come in a "standard" ATS. Another good thing about Manatal is the ability to email candidates through their personal candidate file, making the note taking a lot less tedious because it automatically keeps the email in that candidate/employee's file.
The main reason I chose Manatal was due to its price. It was one of the less expensive, web-based, customizable ATS systems I could find online. I have to say, however, that this isn't one of those "you get what you pay for" type programs. I was pleasantly surprised at Manatal's capabilities.
There are a few things with Manatal that could be improved. First one is their match system. I feel that the percentages I see on each applicant's file do not match the job description even close to the percentage it gives me. I also don't like that you can't just perform a search in the system without naming a specific field (i.e. I couldn't search by phone number). The other thing I don't care for too much is the email integration. I integrated, and then later removed, my work email because once integrated, all of my emails had to go through the Manatal program and there are emails that I don't want or need to stay within my ATS.
I would say for the price Manatal is awesome. It's better than I thought it would be given how inexpensive it is compared to its competition. Other ATS programs I've used in the past were specifically built for the companies I worked for previously, which cost $10K+. The company I'm with now is about 30 people, and Manatal suits my needs for a company this size.
ATS programs vary in so many ways that I really think it depends on what kind of company you are and what your needs are for an ATS. For a small business that doesn't specialize in just staffing, but has a few internal staffing needs themselves, this is great. For a large(r) staffing agency, Manatal is capable of handling what is needed; however, a custom built software would be more appropriate. Another thing to consider about Manatal is that its integrations are limited to just a couple email programs, another reason why it wouldn't work out so well for a larger company.
I've only been using Manatal for about 3 months now so I can't really answer that question. I know not much, if anything, has updated and/or changed in the time I've been using it.
Any business with smaller staffing needs. The industry doesn't necessarily matter (unless it's a larger staffing agency). We're in the construction industry and unfortunately we can't integrate it with any other program we use...which is fine for our needs right now. If we continue to grow the way that we are, then I would say we would have to consider another ATS that we could integrate with our construction software.
Larger staffing firms or any business that would need integration either with a scheduling and/or timekeeping program, industry specific software and/or accounting programs.

AvaHR

AvaHR left a lasting impression on us with how much the ATS cares about making things easy for users and helping teams work together better. Its Pipeline Triggers take care of mundane tasks that come up during the hiring process, while the Shared Inbox keeps all the messages, questionnaires, and scorecards coming in safe and sound.
PROS
- Intuitive UXUI with Pipeline Triggers that automate repetitive actions based on a candidate's stage, such as sending thank-you emails or requesting hiring team feedback.
- Shared Inbox provides team access to incoming messages, questionnaires, and scorecards in one location.
- 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
- A credit card is required to sign up for a free trial.
- Some of the classic ATS features like resume parsing, interview scheduling, and custom search are currently unavailable.
- Other features, like eSignatures and employee referrals, cost extra to use.
- 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).
After testing AvaHR, we were struck by its thoughtfully designed interface and how easy it made every step of the hiring process. From the moment we logged in, we could tell the team behind this ATS system had put serious effort into crafting a user experience that’s intuitive yet powerful.

A standout feature right from the start was the Pipeline Triggers. Based on where an applicant is in the process, it can automate tasks like sending thank-you emails or requesting feedback from the team— to spare recruiters from the mundane, easy-to-miss details.
The design of the Candidates section is also really nice. It offers a bird' s-eye view of all applicants' key information, including their application dates, hiring stages, and contact details. During our tests, the filter function worked great for narrowing down candidates by job title, department, and other criteria. The only minus was that we couldn’t find any advanced options like Boolean searches.
On par with other robust ATS systems, AvaHR's candidate communication features let us send emails and SMS messages directly from the platform. For these workflows, you can use templates and bulk actions to make things fasyer. Our favorite, though, was the Shared Inbox. It kept all incoming messages, questionnaires, and scorecards, which made it much easier to manage candidate interactions and keep the team aligned.
However, we noticed that the interview scheduling feature was absent at the time of this review. Thankfully, it’s already on the vendor’s roadmap. We’ll keep you posted on how this feature plays out once it’s released.
We think AvaHR should also improve its integration capabilities a bit more since seven options are a modest number compared to other platforms we’ve evaluated.
And while the team offers free data imports if you’re migrating from another ATS (which we love), we can’t say the pricing is as competitive as some competitors like Zoho Recruit, considering there’s no free plan and some features, such as eSignatures and employee referrals, will come with extra fees.
1,000+ companies, including Redirect Health, BuzzRX, and State Farm.
AvaHR offers 3 pricing plans: Starter at $89 per month, Grow at $179 per month, and Pro at $279 per month (billed annually).
Best For
Avatar’s ATS software is best for US-based companies with more than 100 employees.
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.

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

JazzHR

This ATS platform is built with the small business in mind. When testing it, our writers were impressed at how easy it was to set up and use “out of the box,” which is a clear sign of its simplicity, attention to user experience, and understanding of the down-to-business mentality of most SMBs.
PROS
- Affordable pricing, no user limit, and a 21-day free trial.
- Built-in features for offer management, including templates and DIY options.
- Emphasis on automation for those in the pipeline shows dedication to candidate experience.
- 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
- No free version for orgs with minimal needs.
- A few users thought reports could be more customizable and easier to create.
- No mobile apps.
- 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.
We like how simple it is to post and syndicate jobs across portals, and we love the upfront pricing on the website. Many customers start with JazzHR’s lowest-cost plan, and as their needs expand beyond basic features, they often upgrade incrementally. Being able to select features as needed keeps spending under control.

Because they do not offer mobile apps, our product testing included a considerable amount of time with our phones in hand, navigating the mobile web environment. We were impressed with how well the ATS system could manage the tasks a recruiter does on the go, like sending out a quick reply in the 15 seconds you have before your next meeting.
However, at least among our in-house recruiter veterans, the consensus was that complex tasks should be saved for the desktop version.
One of our writers shared this real-world story from a former job with a tiny company: they signed up for a free payroll software trial before they were actually ready to buy. They used the software for a couple of weeks just to get a sense of the basics of how to run payroll; then, they ended their relationship with the company.
Of course, we don't recommend this - but we know how hard it is to run an SMB. So, along with JazzHR, which we DO recommend, we suggest getting creative with your professional development!
JazzHR is used by over 6,500 businesses, including the Seattle Seahawks, L'Occitane En Provence, TED Conferences LLC, and Chick-fil-A.
JazzHR has three plans. When paid annually:
- Hero costs $75 per month.
- Plus costs $269 per month.
- Pro costs $420 per month.
Best For
JazzHR is built for organizations with 5 to 500 employees and works exceptionally well for TA teams with little to no experience.
I used JazzHR daily as the primary platform in my role as a recruiter. I primarily used it to receive candidate applications from the career site and job boards. We also used the platform to share resumes and applications with hiring managers and to schedule interviews.
Candidates were moved through the hiring process accordingly, and all hiring managers had visibility into the positions and applicants. The career page was also used to receive applicants directly from the company website.

- JazzHR is a simple hiring platform that is easy to understand.
- The user interface is clean and easy to navigate.
- It supports the basic functions of hiring for teams without much experience in recruiting or using ATS software.
I was consulting for a company in HVAC and transportation that needed to increase its headcount substantially for a project. We needed software that was simple for hiring managers to use. Since the hiring managers had limited experience with recruitment, more complex ATS programs were not a good choice.
JazzHR had a decent number of job board integrations and was easy to understand. Building workflows in the system was reasonably straightforward. I used this platform for about two years during this project.
- It’s difficult to manage multiple hiring managers who lack recruitment experience.
- When hiring for multiple locations, job postings can become confusing, especially if the titles are too long.
- There are not enough filters to sort through previous applicants effectively.
JazzHR is suitable for basic hiring projects. It’s very easy to get started and is simple to understand, especially for users without much experience in recruitment or talent acquisition.
Consider your level of experience with applicant tracking systems. If you have limited experience with recruiting and using an ATS, this software will likely suit your needs. If your hiring process is complex, a more advanced system may be a better fit.
JazzHR now offers several add-on features such as texting and digital signatures. It also has a wide range of integrations with other HR programs, which are helpful for hiring and onboarding.
JazzHR is ideal for small-to-medium-sized businesses hiring for basic roles. It works well for organizations without a dedicated hiring expert.
JazzHR is not suitable for organizations focused solely on recruitment, such as recruitment consultancies or agencies.

Ashby

Ashby provides a comprehensive TA tech stack, including ATS, CRM/Sourcing, Scheduling, and Analytics. During our frequent demos and interviews with the vendor’s product team, it consistently proves to be an outstanding recruiting solution, especially for fast-growing companies.
PROS
- Analytics dashboard with crucial statistics on all aspects of your hiring process.
- Flexibility and ability to customize across almost all aspects of the platform.
- Consolidated ATS, CRM, Scheduling, and Analytics.
- Fast data migrations, no setup fees.
- Your TA team can have one system that truly has best-in-class options for ATS, CRM, Scheduling, and Analytics.
- Flexibility and ability to customize across almost all aspects of the platform
- Their analytics dashboard is great to understand weaknesses in your hiring process, conducting capacity planning, or determining which teams are running suboptimal hiring processes.
CONS
- This is a powerful product, and understanding all the different features can take some time.
- No multi-lingual support.
- Your company must use G Suite in order to make the most of Ashby
- No multi-lingual support
- This is a powerful product, and it can take a bit of time to understand all the different features
Ashby is an all-in-one TA solution that combines your recruiting CRM, ATS, sourcing, scheduling, and analytics into one platform.

We recently met with Ashby’s to look at recent product developments, and what stood out is how easy they have made it to re-engage with former applicants. If our experience working in recruitment positions has taught us anything, it is that efficiency is essential.
We see it like this: you’re wasting time and effort if you don’t maintain a connection with former candidates because these folks are primed, familiar, and pre-vetted members of your talent pool.
Some are “silver medalists” or applicants who made it to the offer stage, and others may possess a unique skill or trait that your current team is lacking. Ashby can create custom attributes to filter your talent pool, so you’ll never lose touch with “good fit, bad timing” candidates.
We would recommend this ATS system to TA teams seeking powerful reporting capabilities. Ashby’s reports are highly customizable, track all data points throughout your hiring process in real-time, and are easy on the eye.
We also observed that Ashby has consistently focused on enhancing its product through user feedback. Contacting their product team, we found that the ATS regularly releases new features each month. Recent updates include the AI Candidate Assistant, which provides quick answers when you type questions directly into the candidate profile, and additional candidate custom field types that can now be used for email templates and calendar invites.
Regarding implementation, it takes SMBs a few days and larger organizations 6-8 weeks to get Ashby up and running. The ATS doesn’t charge for data migrations and system setup, and according to our research, Ashby’s customer support and success teams have been immensely helpful in making the switch a seamless experience.
1,000+ customers, including Quora, Deel, and Ramp.
Ashby costs between $300 and $900 per month for teams with no more than 100 employees.
Best For
Ashby works best for companies at the hyper-growth stage.
I use Ashby to build out the interview process, track applicants, post jobs, hiring manager feedback. Ashby has provided me with a single source of truth for all hiring metrics and data. As a talent leader it is important to understand key metrics such as time to fill, offer acceptance rate and pass through ratio. Being able to identify gaps in your hiring process is crucial for high volume growth.

- I love how user friendly it is for anyone to hop in and utilize.
- Top notch reporting and accuracy.
- We like the candidate interview workflow and the ability to contact candidates directly from the ATS and create templates as necessary.
- It integrates with key background check companies.
We bought Ashby to be our single source of truth for all things related to hiring. We wanted to track our candidate experience, interview progress and hiring manager feedback in a safe space. The benefits of Ashby is the reporting metrics, ease of use and the ability to integrate with other day to day platforms. I have used Ashby for over 3 years now.
- For first time users it can take a little getting used to especially if you have never used an ATS system before
- It can be confusing to set up calendar links for scheduling with candidates.
- It would be great to include a post interview survey or some form of onboarding feature that automates steps from a signed offer until the first day.
Ashby is certainly in the top 5 of ATS systems out there. It is reliable, it has the necessary reporting that a leader would need and it point blank, just gets the job done.
Buyers should understand the reason behind it. How many roles are you looking to fill, how many hiring managers will need to be involved, what type of reporting will be critical to understand and share with leaders.
Ashby does a great job of providing monthly or bi-monthly newsletters to users about features and changes to the platform. They have a great CS team responsible for showing everyone the ropes.
Anything from small business to large enterprise. Ashby can hold its ground with any size.
Tough to tell but probably a company that doesn’t have high growth hiring targets.

Recruit CRM

Recruit CRM is priced at $85 per user per month for unlimited open jobs, Chrome sourcing extension, AI resume parsing, advanced search, deal pipelines, client portal, and invoicing—just about everything one would need for their staffing firm.
PROS
- Multi-lingual, agency-oriented ATS and recruiting CRM tool.
- Transparent, scalable pricing structure. Generous free trial offerings.
- Zapier and Integrately integrations enable access to 5,000+ third-party tools.
- Live chat support, unlimited training, and dedicated account manager for all plan users.
- 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
- Native AI candidate matching limited to 2 matches per candidate for Pro plan users.
- Not the best fit for in-house recruiting.
- No referral management system.
- 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.
If we were seeking potential candidates within our large internal talent database, we'd turn to Recruit CRM once again. This feature lets you combine text filters, Boolean, and radius search to get the best results. You can even mark unavailable talent (e.g., those currently hired by other clients) as “off limits” so your team won’t find them and communicate with them by mistake.

One common approach we see in most ATS to keep candidate data fresh and accurate is the use of Social Enrichment—the software auto-enriches candidate profiles with their available social media accounts. Recruit CRM does not offer such a feature. Yet, it allows users to bulk or individually email candidates to update their application info. Once candidates submit the form, the data is auto-pulled into the ATS system. While this process may not be entirely automatic, it does simplify the work of maintaining talent data and, just as importantly, ensures GDPR compliance.
Recruit CRM knocked it out of the park on its recruitment agency tools. It lets you send certain candidate data to clients in a few clicks. Plus, the client portal is interactive—clients can choose between Kanban and list view, move stuff around, and give feedback on each profile—then all of which are logged into the system for tracking purposes.
Automation-wise, Recruit CRM offers GPT features for crafting job postings, emails, notes, and even call and candidate profile summaries. What particularly sticks out to us, though, is how this vendor partners with Workato to enable some real convenient 3rd-party automation for users. For example, your TAs get Slack notifications for every new candidate added to Recruit CRM. Additionally, the vendor will jump in to solve arising automation issues, so you don’t have to seek Workato’s support yourself.
Our primary issue with Recruit CRM is the limited number of in-system profiles matching the user ideal candidate it provides: 2 matches per candidate for Pro and 50 for Business and Enterprise. Lastly, designed with staffing firms in mind, this vendor doesn’t do employee referrals and is not ideal for corporate recruiters.
Recruit CRM’s clients include global staffing firms like Cooper Coleman, Zeren, and Avizio.
Recruit CRM has three plans: Pro is $85 per user per month, Business is $125 per user per month, and Enterprise is $165 per user per month when billed annually. A free trial is also available, no credit card is required.
Best For
Recruit CRM works best for recruiting firms and consulting agencies.
I use Recruit CRM to recruit employees from different locations worldwide. The tool helps me create assignments and tasks for employees and generate meeting notes before online meetings. I also use it to visualize employee performance data and share it with the higher management team.

I like the integration with calendar and online meeting tools like Zoom. The pricing is affordable and does not negatively impact the ROI of any business. The customer support team is responsive to technical questions.
Managing, tracking, and recording employees working remotely around the globe was a significant challenge for our company. We faced difficulties in understanding employee needs and improving human resources. Emailing one employee at a time and CCing others was cumbersome. Recruit CRM offered a solution by allowing us to manage employees from a single dashboard and providing robust communication features for emailing employees directly from the tool. I have used Recruit CRM for three years, which has helped me gain more experience as an HR business partner.
The user interface requires significant improvement. The rich text editor for composing emails is unresponsive. The email signature maker offers limited customization options.
Recruit CRM provides more modules at the same pricing level and has a support team that responds promptly to technical questions.
Consider the size of the organization and the pricing of the tool. Also, evaluate the technical knowledge required to set up and use the tool effectively.
There haven't been many changes to the Recruit CRM platform yet.
Recruit CRM is suitable for human resource managers and talent acquisition professionals from medium to large-sized businesses.
Recruit CRM may not be suitable for startups and other smaller businesses that do not require a lot of hiring.

Recruitee

Recruitee emphasizes user experience and collaboration, and we’ve seen firsthand how much impact these two factors can have on recruitment efficiency and effectiveness. Coupled with other solid product choices and month-to-month pricing, this platform is an excellent option for SMBs.
PROS
- Transparent, month-to-month pricing and unlimited seats.
- Features that control for bias in interviewing.
- Built-in AI to job descriptions to target ideal candidates.
- 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
- Recruitee relies on third-party integrations for some essential functions like skill assessments, onboarding, video interviewing, and e-signatures.
- Our user researchers ran into data accuracy issues with the reporting function.
- Some users noted the support team was hard to reach.
- 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.
Recruitee knows SMBs and designed a tool for this market. The most apparent SMB/ bottom-line-focused elements are transparent pricing, month-to-month options, and unlimited seats. There is no mystery there: SMBs tend to be budget-conscious.

However, what might be less obvious is what a small TA team can accomplish with unlimited seats, user-focused design, and factors that facilitate collaboration. The ATS’s feature set represents a clever strategic insight: if the tool is easy to use and designed to distribute the workload among everyone involved in the interview process, the result will be increased efficiency and effectiveness.
We’ve seen it firsthand (several writers here have backgrounds in SMB recruitment), and our user research has confirmed it.
When we test-drove the tool, we were disappointed to note the absence of some features we consider standard. Video interviews, skills assessment, offer management, and onboarding are ubiquitous in modern ATS systems, but none are built into the platform.
Recrutiee leans into integrations with Recruitee Marketplace, a collection of preferred third-party tools prepped for ease of integration.
There’s no right or wrong when it comes to built-in vs. add-on. It’s a matter of personal preference and what works best for your business. For those who prefer add-ons, Recruitee is a great choice: you’ll find what you need, and the integration process will be seamless.
Vice, Greenpeace, Autodesk, Tide, Mollie
Recruitee pricing starts at $216 per month (used to be $199 in our last review update.)
Best For
Recruitee is best suited for teams with at least 20 employees.
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.

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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.

iCIMS

iCIMS, is a massive, global presence serving large companies with high-volume talent managemt needs, so isurprise it operates in more than 70 languages. Still, we are impressed with the attention to user needs demonstrated by the massive toolset.
PROS
- A powerful recruiting solution that can handle high-volume hiring of up to 50,000 candidates.
- The reporting feature is robust and retrieves data accurately.
- iCIMS is constantly expanding its roster of integrations with third-party products. Currently, 300+ and rising, including Workday, SAP, SuccessFactors, ADP, Oracle, and UKG.
- iCIMS is a powerful recruiting solution that can handle high volume hiring of up to 50,000 candidates.
- The platform is constantly evolving through developments and acquisitions, giving users more features.
- The reporting feature is robust and retrieves data accurately.
- iCIMS has a growing marketplace of over 300 integrations with third-party products.
CONS
- The UI is complex and dated compared to other cloud-based recruiting products.
- Customer support is sometimes slow and only available by phone or ticket—no live chat support.
- Though packing many features, it lacks automated reference checking.
- No transparent pricing and no free trial.
- The cost of implementation and integration is relatively high compared to other recruiting solutions.
- A significant number of users complained about the UI’s complexity and that it looks dated compared to other cloud-based recruiting products.
- Customer support is slow at times and only available through phone and by creating a support ticket online - no live chat support yet
- The platform packs an overwhelming amount of features yet still lacks some useful capabilities such as automated reference checking.
- No transparent pricing or free trials, and according to several users, the cost of implementation as well as integrations is high compared to other recruiting solutions.
iCIMS ATS is feature-rich and well-suited for large, multilingual organizations and high-volume agencies. Users can create custom-branded career sites, employee-generated testimonial videos, and personalized email or text campaigns through the platform.

In addition to externally-focused features, iCIMS facilitates users in promoting existing employees through internal mobility programs. This is especially relevant in the context of enterprise scale, as is their global support and industry versatility. This platform is used by businesses operating in healthcare, manufacturing, technology, retail, and more.
The takeaway from our demo and hands-on testing is that although this ATS system offers an astonishing number of features, it’s somewhat difficult to operate. This is reflected in user reviews, too. Remember that our writers scrutinize HR tech all day, so we tend to be sticklers for good design and intuitive UI. However, for some, no sacrifice is represented using a tool that looks and feels a little clunky.
iCIMS has over 4,000 customers, including Ulta, Target, Microsoft, PwC, Uber, and UPS.
iCMS pricing typically starts at around $14,000 per year.
Best For
iCIMS is best for global enterprises and recruiting agencies with high-volume hiring needs.
I use iCIMS mainly for internal recruiting. It provides an easy way to post jobs to our internal job site. Through iCIMS, we can review how many people have applied, see who they are, and view their resumes.
After narrowing down candidates, we schedule interviews and extend offers. I use iCIMS to manage multiple job postings simultaneously and track their progress.
- It is easy to use; posting a job with iCIMS is straightforward.
- It allows us to post jobs both internally and externally, including to job boards like Indeed.
- It provides a simple way to track applicants across different job postings and view their application history.
iCIMS was already in place when I joined the company. The purpose of using iCIMS was to allow HR Generalists to post hourly positions internally and externally without needing to go through a recruiter.
I used the tool for three years, and it provided a simple way to post jobs, review candidates, and schedule interviews. We primarily used the tool for internal candidates, and we needed a way to track applications and resumes efficiently.
- There is limited training available; I learned how to use the tool primarily through colleagues.
- It is difficult to bulk download resumes. I have only been able to download individual resumes one at a time.
- iCIMS has more features beyond applicant tracking, but we do not use them at my company. More information on these additional features would be helpful.
I have not used any other applicant tracking systems. I think iCIMS is effective for those who need a recruiting tool but are not professional recruiters. It is relatively easy to use with minimal training.
This tool is a good option if you're hiring internally or occasionally externally. It is user-friendly, even for those without a recruiting background, though I have found training resources to be limited.
iCIMS has incorporated AI to help narrow down resumes and identify qualified candidates more effectively.
iCIMS is well-suited for any organization that needs an applicant tracking system for recruiting.
iCIMS may not be ideal for organizations that are constantly hiring and receive a high volume of applicants.

Avature

We’re big fans of customized workflows and attention to user experience, and Avature’s platform is a blend of ATS and CRM that strikes the right balance between both.
PROS
- A full-fledged ATS with built-in video interviewing, management features, and onboarding solutions.
- It also has a CRM, allowing TA teams to increase candidate engagement and plan for future hiring.
- Avature leverages AI with talent matching and candidate ranking.
- The recruiter mobile app supports offline use.
- Avature’s solution is quite comprehensive. They have a full-fledged ATS with built-in video interviewing, offer management and onboarding solutions. They also have a CRM, allowing TA teams to amp up candidate engagement and plan for future hiring.
- Avature leverages artificial intelligence with features of automatic talent matching and candidate ranking.
- Avature comes with a recruiter mobile app that allows key stakeholders to perform several recruiting tasks while on the go. The app also supports offline use, and syncs with the system the next time it’s connected to the Internet.
CONS
- Undisclosed pricing. No free trials.
- The UI can be confusing and takes some time to get used to.
- The assessment feature is quite elemental compared to other similar platforms.
- It lacks a built-in reference-checking feature, so users must pay for and integrate third-party solutions.
- Avature’s pricing is not readily available on their website. They also do not offer a free trial.
- Several users noted that the UI isn’t intuitive and takes some time to get used to.
- Avature’s assessment feature is quite basic and isn’t built out enough compared to point solutions in that space. So if you want to test the skills and cultural fitness of candidates, you’d need a third-party solution.
- Avature doesn’t have an automated reference checking feature built-in. The platform does integrate with third-party solutions that facilitate reference checking, but you’ll have to purchase those solutions too separately.
The Avature platform allows users to customize dashboards set up automated workflows, and leverage the power of an all-in-one ATS + CRM.

We got some hands-on experience with the tool, so we asked our colleagues with the most recruiting experience to test the limits of its purported customizability.
The results? This tool is easy to tailor to your company’s processes and goals. During our test run, we quickly built unique recruiting workflows for individual roles or entire departments.
The platform operates through a no-code interface that allows non-technical users to modify the system (with lots of permissions in place). While this level of detail may be overkill for smaller organizations with simple needs, this is a plus for large teams. Those that operate at a global enterprise scale will get the most out of Avature.
More than 6,500 companies use Avature. This includes Shell, Cisco, L'Oréal, Mondelez, Siemens, and KPMG.
Avature's pricing structure is tiered based on the number of employees and maximum recruitment users, starting at £60,500 per year for 1-2,500 employees and 20 recruitment users, and increasing up to £260,000+ per year for 20,000+ employees and 100+ recruitment users. These prices do not include implementation fees and are based on a minimum two-year contract. Educational institutions receive a 25% discount.
Best For
Avature best serves enterprise-scale companies, especially those that operate across international borders.
I use Avature quite frequently. We use the recruiting data and connect it to Tableau to report our recruiting effectiveness. I also use it in preparation of our federal and statutory reporting requirements. As a hiring manager, my use is limited due to when I have an open position. I don't use it as a recruiter.

- It is user friendly, especially for the hiring manager and internal posting process.
- The standard reporting capabilities are pretty good.
- The option to keep all pre-boarding forms in one place.
My organization transitioned from Taleo to Avature about 4 years ago. The decision was made due to the reputation of the tool and the pipelining capabilities. I have used this tool for the last 2 years in my role. Taleo is user friendly and is full of options for recruiting. The tool also has some decent reporting functionality.
- Custom reporting is difficult to navigate.
- The workflow of a job req can be difficult to understand.
- The search capability is lacking. 4) The req-number is hard to find in the application.
I've used Taleo and iCIMS for talent acquisition and above all I preferred the ease of iCIMS. Avature's difficult custom reporting and navigation of job req folders is a turn off for me. iCIMS was highly customizable and worked great for my previous organization..
The size of your organization should be considered. I don't think that the cost would outweigh the benefits. Also, if you want to highly customize the tool, it's not worth it.
Somewhat, a recent release showed some improvement in reporting, but overall, it's remained the same over the time period I've used the tool.
I think if you are a full time recruiter for a large global company, it's a good fit.
I don't see Avature being that useful for a small market company.

Lever

We like Lever’s focus on engaging passive candidates. Candidate nurturing is a critical recruiting strategy that deserves the spotlight it’s been given with this ATS platform. In addition to solid product decisions, the execution is excellent. Put more simply, Lever put together a collection of well-thought-out features, and they’ve succeeded in making them all work together.
PROS
- AI Interview Companion auto-generates interview guides, tracks sentiment, flags biased language, and creates post-interview summaries.
- Talent Fit matching engine ranks candidates based on skills and experience, with transparent scoring and gap analysis.
- AI-powered ROI Dashboard provides recommendations based on industry benchmarks.
- The simple interface is easy to use and requires little training or experience.
- A unified recruiting platform combines elements of ATS and CRM.
- Diverse external sourcing channels and low-friction internal referral process.
- New AI Interview Companion streamlines structured interviews with automated note-taking, sentiment tracking, and bias flagging.
- Talent Fit engine provides ranked candidate lists with transparent scoring explanations.
- Intuitive UI that’s easy to learn and praised by most users.
- Combines ATS and CRM functionality, supporting both current and future hiring pipelines.
- Built-in DEI analytics (EEO surveys, dashboards) and strong integrations with third-party DEI tools.
- Role-based analytics with 20+ key TA metrics in its standard TRM package.
CONS
- ROI Dashboard and AI interview summaries are currently unavailable for EU accounts due to GDPR restrictions (EU rollout planned later this year).
- Undisclosed pricing and no free plan or trial version.
- 3rd party integrations in place of features that could be built in.
- No mobile apps.
- Pricing remains undisclosed and no self-serve free trial is available.
- ROI Dashboard and AI Interview Transcripts are unavailable for EU accounts due to GDPR and data-sharing constraints (support expected later in 2025).
- AI features, while powerful, may require extra training or change management for recruiters.
- Lacks built-in background or reference checks (relies on integrations).
- Reporting, though solid, is not as customizable as some enterprise-focused ATS platforms.
- No dedicated mobile app, though the platform is mobile-optimized.
From our collective in-house experience, we know that the right approach to recruiting is full-cycle. Lever leans into the CRM mentality with functions that attend to potential candidates, current candidates, and (ideally) current employees who used to be candidates.

This may seem like an obvious strategy, but it’s genuinely (and surprisingly!) unique among ATS platforms.
Users can source candidates from multiple channels, including numerous career sites, social media, and internal referrals. Connecting with potential hires is streamlined with automated workflows that include the sophisticated nurture campaigns mentioned above. Regardless of where they end up in the hiring pipeline, these campaigns keep talent engaged with your company.
The video interview integration with Zoom stands out. In addition to synchronizing seamlessly with scheduling features, it allows for customization of interview type between live, structured, and asynchronous, or some mix of the two.
Another highlight is the range of industries and company sizes that Lever can serve. This ATS platform works for any user with consistent hiring needs, whether a tiny but rapidly growing tech start-up or an established business in a field with high turnover rates (think retail or hospitality).
In summer 2025, Lever introduced AI-driven capabilities that differentiate it among SMB-friendly ATS solutions. The new AI Interview Companion automatically generates interview guides, tracks talk-time balance, flags potential bias, and produces post-interview summaries. Talent Fit, Lever’s AI-powered candidate matching engine, ranks applicants based on skills and experience with transparent scoring. Additionally, the AI-powered ROI Dashboard suggests data-driven actions by benchmarking hiring metrics against industry standards.
However, while powerful, the ROI Dashboard and AI interview transcripts are currently unavailable for EU accounts due to GDPR-related data-sharing constraints, with EU rollout planned later this year. Our testers also found some shortcomings in line with other reviews you might read: resume parsing and report generation features could be improved.
Lever is used by over 5,000 companies, including Netflix, Shopify, Eventbrite, Cirque du Soliel, and Reddit.
Lever pricing can start anywhere at $6,000, depending on specific business cases.
Best For
Lever is best for companies with small to medium volume hiring needs.
We primarily use Lever to post jobs, which automatically appear on our careers page, and to manage resumes. The system allows both recruiters and hiring managers to review resumes, move candidates through different stages, or disqualify them easily. We also set up email templates to streamline candidate communication and interview scheduling.
Additionally, we generated offer letters through the tool, and once signed, key information was pushed into our HRIS, reducing manual data entry. The system was also used to capture and review interview notes.
- It is easy to use for recruiters, hiring managers, and interviewers.
- It offers strong cost performance when you don't need too many advanced features.
- The customizable workflows and reporting helped reduce administrative work for our small recruiting team.
We needed an applicant tracking system that managers would find user-friendly. Our main requirements were affordability, the ability to post jobs to our site, a streamlined process for moving candidates through hiring stages, offer letter generation, and integration with our HR system.
Lever is one of the best ATS options for organizations that need hiring managers to participate in sourcing, resume reviews, and candidate progression. For a tool that non-recruiters don't use frequently, it remains intuitive and easy to navigate. I have administered and used Lever for two years and also used it several years ago at a different company.
- Some reporting features became confusing after they changed reporting tools.
- It can be too expensive for smaller companies or those with low hiring volume.
- Integration with HRIS systems is limited depending on the provider.
Lever is easier to set up and use than many other ATS platforms. It falls in the mid-to-top range in terms of pricing and features. The interface is also more visually appealing compared to both more expensive and lower-cost alternatives.
Think about both your immediate hiring needs and what you might require in the next year. Since switching ATS platforms can be costly, ensure you have the budget and a long-term need for the tool over at least the next three years.
Consider not just how recruiters will use it but also how hiring managers and interviewers will engage with the system. Including them in demos after narrowing your options to two or three tools can help with decision-making.
I have only noticed subtle changes in the system between when I used it in 2017 and again in 2021. The good thing is that Lever remains reliable and includes all the essential features we needed.
Lever is ideal for organizations with steady hiring needs where managers play an active role in the recruiting process. Company size is less important than ensuring the budget aligns with its value.
Smaller companies or those that hire infrequently may not find Lever’s cost worthwhile.

Teamtailor

Teamtailor blends ease of use with flexible branding and candidate experience features. We were especially impressed by the ATS’ quick-to-launch career pages, anonymous hiring options, and a new onboarding module that helps streamline post-offer workflows.
PROS
- Intuitive drag-and-drop career site builder, no code needed.
- Responsive, human customer support across channels.
- New onboarding module includes templates, task assignments, and progress tracking.
- Supports DEI via anonymous recruitment, EEO surveys, and internal referrals.
- Free trial and unlimited job posts, users, and candidate records.
- 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
- Analytics customization remains limited.
- Onboarding and job offer approvals come at additional cost.
- Customization can be considered limited for enterprise users.
- 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.
Teamtailor continues to impress us with its ability to make small teams feel like big brands. We’ve always loved its elegant approach to employer branding, especially the customizable career sites and nurturing tools, but the latest updates make it even more competitive as a full-funnel recruiting platform.

We demoed the new onboarding module and found it refreshingly straightforward. You can create pre-set templates with custom tasks, messages, forms, and documents, then apply those by department or role when a new hire accepts their offer. The onboarding dashboard widget gives your HR or hiring team a real-time view of progress, and it’s all centralized.
For hiring managers juggling multiple candidates, Teamtailor now has an improved comparison window. You can view interview notes, co-pilot screening criteria, application dates, and current stages side-by-side. It’s a small UX tweak, but one that really speeds up decision-making in high-volume pipelines.
Another useful feature we explored is Restricted Access, which allows admins to limit specific stages to specific users. For example, an IT lead could be looped in only during the hardware setup stage of onboarding. It’s a nice control layer if you involve multiple departments in hiring.
Despite these wins, Teamtailor still lacks broader HRIS tie-ins and the advanced analytics power that some talent teams might want. Plus, the new onboarding tools and offer approval features come as paid add-ons, which may push pricing above what very early-stage startups can afford.
Still, for companies who want an ATS that scales with them and makes them look good while doing it, Teamtailor remains a top pick.
Kry, Goodbye Kansas, Vitamin Well, Ponsse, Daniel Wellington
Teamtailor’s pricing starts at $1,200 annually, according to our sources.
Best For
Teamtailor works best for startups and SMBs (50-400 employees) that need a straightforward ATS coupled with strong employer branding functions.
We used Teamtailor to improve our recruiting process. We used it daily for organizing meetings, streamlining interviews, and consolidating all of our interview notes. Tracking each candidate was smooth and helpful. The team was able to collaborate more effectively since everyone was on the same page. It was a great way to ensure that notes weren't lost in translation. It also saved time by streamlining the Google Calendar, preventing missed or duplicate meetings, as everyone had the same calendar view.
- We felt Teamtailor was a great value for the yearly invoice.
- It was user-friendly and excellent for streamlining interview notes.
- It made our recruiting process more efficient and helped us hire better candidates.
- It kept the applicants organized and made accessing information easy.
- It was a wonderful tool for reducing the administrative hours spent on each potential new hire.
I used Teamtailor for a year and loved it! This was one of my favorite programs for my HR needs. It greatly improved our recruiting process. It helped our team's daily productivity by streamlining tasks that were constantly repeated. Previously, our recruiting process was time-consuming, inefficient, and not always successful. The integration with our Google Calendars and Zoom alleviated a lot of stress in the office.
- Some of the letterhead views could be improved to look more professional.
- The program could offer a better way to manage different job positions for candidates.
- I would like to see Teamtailor enable PDF viewing without requiring the file to be downloaded.
Teamtailor is great for in-office morale. It is an excellent tool for organizing and keeping everyone on the same page. The integration and streamlining features are far more advanced than those of other programs I've used.
The value of the features offered should be carefully considered. The integration with Google Calendars, Zoom, and LinkedIn is a key feature. I would recommend a trial run to ensure it fits the needs of the company.
Teamtailor has improved the organization of the entire recruiting section. It continues to get better over time and improves with user suggestions.
Teamtailor could be used for small or large companies. It is so user-friendly that any business looking to improve and streamline its HR services could benefit from it.
International companies may find Teamtailor not in-depth enough to be beneficial or worth purchasing.

Trakstar Hire

Trakstar Hire is highly customizable. The ATS provides a single plan that includes all its features without limits, making it an excellent choice for mid-sized businesses.
PROS
- Highly customizable workflows that make navigating the hiring process easy.
- Unlimited job posts.
- Management must-haves are built-in, letting users create offer letters and collect e-signatures without integrating with other tools.
- 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.
- All-or-none plan: customers may pay for features they don’t use.
- No free trials. Undisclosed pricing.
- 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.
Trakstar Hire (formally RecruiterBox) is a web-based ATS system for midsize companies. Our experience navigating the platform was quite positive. The platform supports unlimited job posting on multiple job boards and social media sites. Users can sponsor those listings for maximum visibility and receive resumes through customizable application forms.

We especially liked that customizing the workflow takes just a few clicks. They’ve done a great job balancing ease of navigation with numerous features and configurations available.
Trakstar Hire’s automation stood out as we tested the tool. Once resumes are in, the platform parser automatically extracts candidates’ details and creates profiles in seconds.
The offer management feature is well-made. We especially liked the offer letter templates that were ready to send after just a few tweaks for personalization: end-to-end, we created a mock template in less than 5 minutes. It also manages e-signatures without third-party integration.
However, when the need arises to connect to a third party, Trakstar Hire’s integration abilities are a relative letdown.
They have covered some of the critical basics with the following apps: Namely, BambooHR, Slack, Checkr, QuickBooks, PandaDoc, G Suite, and Outlook/Office 365 Calendar, but we hope more integrations are in the works!
Makita, Couchsurfing, Lonely Planet, Untappd, Quality Ironworks.
Our sources indicate that Trakstar Hire has a starting price of $199 per month.
Best For
Trakstar Hire is best suited for medium-sized businesses that hire regularly.
In the HR department, Trakstar was used on a weekly basis. This was due to the oversight of monthly manager check-ins that were created in the software as customizable forms. These forms allowed managers to document discussions with employees, highlighting things going well and areas where improvement was needed. As a direct supervisor and direct report, all employees logged in to the software at least monthly to acknowledge their monthly reviews. All of these reviews were documented and accessible to both managers and employees during the annual review process, which was a major benefit of Trakstar.
The three main positive elements of Trakstar are its ease of use, the ability to customize, and the comprehensive administrative documentation.
My current organization needed an online performance management software. The previous system was manual, using paper forms, which was very difficult to track from an administrative standpoint. As the HR Manager, I researched many potential solutions and eventually decided to select Trakstar. The key benefit it initially provided was its user-friendly and customizable online platform for all employees. We used Trakstar for performance reviews for four years.
I honestly did not have many dislikes about this software; however, I did receive feedback from managers that their user experience could be challenging when managing many employee reviews.
Trakstar has an advantage over competitors because it is a primary performance management software that focuses on employee reviews, whereas an HRIS only includes performance management as one of its available modules.
When considering Trakstar, think about the number of employees, as this will affect the overall cost. Also, ensure the software aligns with leadership’s performance review objectives for the company. Finally, consider the HR department's need for frequency and oversight of the performance review process.
While using the software, no updates were implemented to my knowledge.
Trakstar can be utilized by any type of organization that focuses on employee development.
Trakstar would not be a good fit for companies that do not have goals for performance management.

SmartRecruiters

Encompassing solutions beyond the standard candidate sourcing, assessment, and engagement features, SmartRecruiter is an enterprise-grade talent acquisition suite that provides native collaboration and AI-driven ATS functionality.
PROS
- Candidate assessment, skill testing, and offer management are built-in, so need for add-ons or integrations.
- Enables easy posting to multiple job boards, integrating social media tools, and facilitating internal recruits.
- Friendly with mobile devices.
- SmartRecruiters has a built-in candidate assessment and skill testing module that allows you to predict cultural fit, future performance and retention, without needing to integrate third-party solutions.
- SmartRecruiters provides features for offer management. You can create offer letter templates, share them with successful applicants, and collect their e-signatures from any device using SmartRecruiters’ DocuSign integration.
- Speaking of integrations, SmartRecruiters has pre-built integrations with over 500 HR solutions and job boards. You can also ask SmartRecruiters’ team to build additional integrations for you if it doesn’t integrate with products in your tech stack.
CONS
- Undisclosed pricing.
- No free trials.
- Users have reported a steep learning curve and that the UI takes time to get used to.
- Features like candidate filtering, report customizations, and KPI tracking are limited.
- SmartRecruiters’ pricing isn’t transparent. Interested users have to go through the sales team to receive a quote. Users are also not able to create trial accounts on their own.
- Users have reported a steep learning curve and that the UI takes time to get used to. Some users have also reported that the system can be slow and glitches at times.
- The reporting feature doesn’t always retrieve data accurately. Some users have also complained that report customizations and KPI tracking capabilities are limited.
- Candidate filtering is quite limited. As it stands, only basic options such as degree, location, gender etc are provided.
SmartRecruiters ATS is built to serve mid-size and large businesses. The platform allows you to cast a wide net with customizable career pages, targeted ad campaigns, and job post distribution to multiple job boards. It also provides features for candidate assessment and offer management.

One unique fact our evaluation uncovered is that SmartRecruiters encourages customer feedback and rapidly integrates suggestions into the product. That’s an excellent reputation to have, and it’s in keeping with a key element of their business model: SmartRecruiters aims to enable their customers to attract talent. It follows that they would want direct feedback from their users on how to do that best.
The downside of this ATS system applies mostly to smaller businesses. It’s not cheap, and the scope of its feature set means that it’s complex to set up and use. These factors are less relevant to larger businesses, which are more likely to use all the features and have time and money to spare for integration and implementation.
More than 5,000 companies, including Ikea, Visa, LinkedIn, Equinox, and Skechers
The annual cost for SmartRecruiters ATS begins at $10,000 and can exceed $50,000.
Best For
SmartRecruiters works best for medium and large-sized businesses.
We used SmartRecruiters every day. The key workflows are as follows,
1) Managing pipeline (reviewing applications, etc.)
2) Interview scheduling (self-scheduling and automatically booking recruiters’ and candidates’ calendars)
3) Candidate scorecards (create forms to put the evaluations of the interviewers more standard, however, that slows down the process and Hiring Managers are late with leaving feedback)
4) Simple data analysis, customized (for example: which sourcing platforms lead to the quickest hiring for some jobs)
5) Job posting and advertising are not really used every day and depend on the hiring needs.
- Integration with Office 365 gives an opportunity to connect to Outlook Calendar, which is useful for quickly scheduling the interviews.
- You can see upcoming interviews on your ATS home page! Quite neat.
- It is quite easy to build the hiring team of other recruiters and hiring managers that will be involved in the recruitment.
For many years my organization has been using another ATS. However, it has been significantly increasing the price every year. The new goal was to reduce yearly subscriptions by at least 30%. The main benefit that attracted my organization was the possibility to integrate a lot of other business software with ATS. More precisely, having the option to generate a unique link that candidates can use to self-schedule interview time slots, connected with MS Teams link for that call, plus automatically booking Recruiters' Outlook calendars and making it visible on SmartRecruiters candidates' profiles.
At first glance, it seemed that SmartRecruiters offered more features for less price. Unfortunately, the data migration we performed later added a lot to the price.
The price of data migration from other ATS is tremendously high (some scripts had to be written by internal software engineers). It also might take a few months and be incomplete.
To post the job you need to fill in two separate fields: the name of the brand and the name of the company, plus it’s a must to enter the address of the workplace. This I find sometimes inconvenient, especially if a company has many brands, and the position has responsibilities for more than one brand, plus if there are multiple locations for that position.
- It is less user-friendly than Recruitee, for example.
- However, SmartRecruiters automatically generates useful data analytics and visualization.
Will you need to migrate a lot of data from previous ATS? (better not)
Will you need the package that allows many jobs to be posted at the same time (100+?) (in that case, yes)
Creating jobs was relatively slow and had many steps; it was simplified after some time.
It might be better for startups than for corporations.
If the organization doesn’t have a team of backend software engineers who will support data migration, or hires a lot, SmartRecruiters isn’t a good option.

BambooHR

We love how this ATS system operates within Bamboo’s larger HR Suite. We found seamless workflows between the applicant tracking software and other core HR features. The simplicity makes for ease of use, and helps ensure compliance.
PROS
- This is one of the few solutions that allow you to do month to month pricing, a nice option to have!
- Free 7-day trials are available (and you can definitely extend these another week or so if needed).
- The mobile app works well and offers built-in application review, communication, and collaboration features.
- They have a ridiculously fast response time on customer success queries, less than 2 minutes in our experience.
- 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
- If you go over your allotted time for customer support, you will pay extra.
- Customer support availability is restricted to U.S. business hours, potentially causing delays in addressing urgent concerns for international users.
- Certain modules like time tracking, performance management, and surveys are only accessible as add-ons, requiring additional investment if you want more HR functionality.
- 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.
We’ve led TA teams, so we know the pressures growing orgs face. The fast pace can result in hasty decisions, which lead to problems down the road in terms of efficiency and compliance.

This ATS, built into the Bamboo suite, gets around the problem of siloed employee data. On top of this, we were also impressed with some specific features.
We used the app version on Android and iOS devices and found it easy to navigate workflows like posting jobs, viewing resumes, communicating with candidates and hiring managers, and scheduling. We know that if you’re a recruiter, your job probably has you on the run, so the well-built app is a big plus.
The cloud-based web version was also impressive. We were guided through each step of a standard hiring process without any confusion, and we found it easy to customize workflows when we tested the simplicity of creating our own. Ease of access to other elements of the suite highlights one of the biggest advantages: not only is it easier to be productive when all employee data is in one place, but it’s also much safer if you don’t have to move information across platforms manually. It’s more secure and less prone to human error.
Among the 30,000+ companies who use BambooHR are names like Quora, Universal Group, Reddit, Asana, Change.org, University of Maryland, Grammarly, Stance, Postmates, Wistia, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and ZipRecruiter.
BambooHR pricing starts at $3,000 and is based on a per-employee per-month model. We've seen companies pay as low as $8, but typically between $12 and $14 per employee per month if they use the full HRIS with a few other modules.
Best For
BambooHR works best for SMBs seeking an all-in-one ATS and HR suite that can take care of the entire employee lifecycle.
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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
BambooHR is ideal for HR professionals and organizations looking to streamline recruitment, improve employee engagement, and manage workforce operations efficiently.
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.

Rippling

Rippling is known for its uniformly solid platform, so after test-driving their newly updated ATS module, we weren’t surprised to discover it’s intuitive to use, intelligently built, and succinctly integrated with their HRIS environment.
PROS
- The transition from candidate to employee is nearly seamless, with minimal manual data transfer.
- Mobile app for recruiters on the move.
- Candidate-friendly with no account creation required.
- Intuitive UI and intelligent workflows.
- Job board integration.
- All-in-one platform for employee management + PEO services offered, and even a suite of other IT products
- With 500 integrations, it’s very likely that they integrate with other key tools from your tech stack.
- Operates globally with any currency
- Workflow automation
- Analytics opportunities
- Provides a holistic view of company outflows—headcount costs included
CONS
- Not offered as a standalone product
- US-centric but globally focused-updates are in the pipeline.
- Users report occasional issues with the mobile apps.
- Some users report that customization options are limited.
- Total buy-in to Rippling is essential
- Very SMB-oriented, in case you’re a larger company.
- New features tend to be buggy in ways that tech teams are not accustomed to fixing
Ripplings ATS offers intelligent, intuitive workflows built into dozens of features and automation. Typically, when an HRIS adds an ATS system to their suite, it’s a half-hearted afterthought. Many are perfunctory, underpowered, and easily out-classed, even by mediocre standalone ATS platforms. But Rippling has built a reputation based on solid product choices, and this one is no exception.

Their ATS is fully built out and offers a feature set that would be a viable standalone product if it weren’t so nicely intertwined with the rest of the Rippling platform.
Based on what’s included, it is clear that they’ve considered the candidate's experience. Little touches, like text messages to connect with candidates, show they know that personal preferences matter.
Another nod to the candidate experience (and what you can learn from it) is the abundant, customizable, anonymous surveys. Rippling recognizes the connection between their public reputation and their candidate experience.
Even with all these candidate-focused features, Rippling hasn’t lost touch with the needs of the people who will use their product most: busy TA/HR teams hiring for SMBs and startups.
Though demand generation is still on the roadmap, elements of their recruiting feature are laudable. It automatically integrates job boards like LinkedIn, Monster, and Zip Recruiter.
Finally, mobile access is a nice touch for busy recruiters, and their open API partnerships with vendors outside their platform leave little to be desired.
For years, companies have had to choose between the superior performance of standalone ATS solutions and the efficiency and security of all-in-one platforms. With Rippling’s ATS, companies who chose the all-in-one solution no longer have to rely on an external ATS.
Bank of America, Motorola, Citigroup, Inc., Dwell, Superhuman, Expensify, Checkr
Rippling pricing starts at $8 per user per month for HR Unity, but the ATS is made available on a higher tier plan (HR Cloud) with undisclosed pricing.
Best For
Rippling’s ATS module is used most by companies with 25 to 150 employees.
As an HR user, Rippling is used almost daily for HR operations. It plays a key role in recruiting, benefits management, and absence/time tracking. An HR admin can vet candidates, configure and manage benefits, track and pay PTO, and handle compliance documentation. The system supports various workflows, making HR processes more efficient.
- Rippling has a clean, visually appealing interface.
- It offers strong integrations and is user-friendly for beginner admins.
- Implementation is quick and straightforward for organizations.
I consulted with a tech startup on a tech stack selection project, where they chose to use Rippling. My engagement lasted about six months, covering implementation and organizational change management.
Rippling is a workforce management platform specializing in HR management, compliance, and expense management. The organization needed an HRIS as it began scaling aggressively and required a system to streamline HR operations.
- The system lacks flexibility for complex HR requirements compared to platforms like Oracle or Workday.
- Customer support is among the weakest in the HRIS market.
- While onboarding is fast, it can be confusing, as Rippling prioritizes speed over thorough implementation.
Rippling targets the middle market, catering to fast-growing startups and mid-sized enterprises. It offers more features than basic HRIS options but lacks the depth and complexity of Workday. While many companies find it appealing, I don’t think it’s worth the price.
- Budget vs. features—how much are you willing to spend for the functionality you need? HRIS options vary widely.
- Organization size and HR complexity—ensure the system can handle your operational demands.
Founded in 2016, Rippling has effectively targeted fast-growing startups and mid-sized enterprises. However, its development team focuses more on UI enhancements than adding meaningful features.
- Companies that prioritize an intuitive interface for admins and employees.
- Those looking for more features than basic HRIS options but not ready to invest in enterprise-level solutions.
- Companies with either very small or very large HR budgets, as their needs likely don’t align with Rippling’s offerings.
- Organizations with advanced HR architecture or complex requirements.

Spark Hire

Spark Hire has packed a massive analytics framework into a program that looks very simple. The ATS product, Spark Hire Recruit, is easy to navigate and appeals to hiring managers with scarce time and attention.
PROS
- Data analysis dashboard and features are top-tier.
- Efficiency-focused elements, like one-way video interviews, are great for busy TA teams.
- Collaboration is enabled by features that offer pipeline transparency to multiple stakeholders.
- Data analysis dashboard and features are top-tier.
- Efficiency-focused elements, like one-way video interviews, are great for busy TA teams.
- Collaboration is enabled by features that offer pipeline transparency to multiple stakeholders.
CONS
- Starting in 2025, the price will increase to $399 per month.
- Some users require more customization than what is offered.
- No caption or translation features in video limits access for some candidates
- No free trial version.
- Some users require more customization than what is offered.
- No caption or translation features in video limits access for some candidates
Spark Hire Recruit enables truly collaborative hiring, and that's no easy task. All top-tier ATS systems are equal parts powerful and pleasant to use. Spark Hire goes beyond that by providing features that appeal to the entire hiring team, encouraging collaboration across roles, and, ultimately, better hires.

One feature that demonstrates this is the interviewing interface, which provides an impressive amount of context at a glance. Without shuffling papers or trying to manage a dozen open tabs, the candidate’s information, including their position in the pipeline, is organized thoughtfully in a single dashboard. The interviewers can directly add their thoughts and impressions to the platform in real time.
We asked our colleagues with the most recruiting experience to weigh in, and they were most impressed with the analytics dashboard. Spark Hire stands out, with notable strengths in data quantity and quality. For example, if a candidate withdraws from the process, it records the point on the pipeline at which they dropped out. This may seem obvious, but it’s a rare find.
Recruiting empowerment was also emphasized during our demo. Our writers are all familiar with the relentless dedication it takes for TA teams to keep their heads above water, so we know the value of seamless automation. This applicant tracking software knows where digital assistance can help and where a human touch is needed.
7,000+ including Fiverr, Monday.com, Sodastream, Vimeo, and KPMG.
Spark Hire Recruit’s pricing starts at $399 per month. They also provide a free trial, but it requires you to schedule a demo with their team.
Best For
Spark Hire Recruit works best for small and medium-sized companies (5-500 employees).
Depending on the number of current roles, the use could vary; however, the system was accessed daily, every business day. It is mandatory for any recruiter to log into each day and is the source of truth in recruitment processes. The main workflows I used include tailoring the questions to the current recruitment demands and roles, screening candidates, communicating shortlists to hiring managers, and selecting onboarding processes.
SparkHire was the system of choice because it had great reviews, not just from the client side but also the candidate side, which is crucial as it is the first point of contact for someone wanting to work for us. After considering other options for our organization at that point in time, it was considered good value for money, with easy integration into our current systems and good customer service.
SparkHire enabled us to ease the pain of bulk recruitment for major civil infrastructure projects around the world in real time, addressing issues caused by time differences. The time differences between countries meant some talent sources were doing online interviews at 3 a.m., leading to bad practice, recruiter turnover, and a lengthy turnaround from advertising to start date. Personally, I have had experience with SparkHire for over two years now. The key benefits of SparkHire include its ability to streamline the interview process, reduce the time and cost of hiring, and improve the overall candidate experience.
SparkHire is a great system, but it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. The business also needs to retain traditional interviewing and sourcing methods for some roles. Assuming it works for all applicants can be risky. I would not use video screening for very senior roles at the risk of losing applicants. The lack of human contact in screening can cost you some fantastic candidates.
SparkHire stands out with its quick turnaround, streamlined approval process, and the ability for multiple staff to view interview results simultaneously. It provides a more efficient and collaborative approach compared to similar tools.
The first key buying criterion, depending on organizational hierarchy, is the ability to manage campaigns for bulk recruitment and reduce time in doing so. If you have a project that requires sourcing a large number of staff at once, SparkHire can reduce your time and costs dramatically. It also positively impacts the success rate of interviews and candidate placements.
They listen to user ideas and respond accordingly, making improvements based on feedback.
SparkHire is suited to any size business.
I can't think of any at this time, if any, small start-ups that want to have more human involvement in the recruitment process and that do not have high-volume campaigns.
Benefits of ATS Software
The primary benefit of an applicant tracking system is that it increases the efficiency of your talent acquisition team through streamlined, automated workflows. These tools can also be quite impactful: 94% of recruiters believe using applicant tracking software has positively impacted their company's hiring processes.
Additionally, applicant tracking systems are essential for growing companies because they streamline recruitment, enhance employer branding, provide detailed analytics, and facilitate smooth engagement of managers and employees beyond HR and talent acquisition teams.
- Customized workflows: An ATS system that can customize and automate tasks like application processing, screening, and collecting feedback can dramatically improve hiring efficiency. This benefit is especially significant to organizations hiring from very different candidate pools. If, for example, your team is hiring both truck drivers and software engineers, or you're hiring seasonally at volume.
- Improved employer branding: Candidate tracking systems will help your organization create and manage a custom career site, helping your company stand out. Showcasing your best features will make it easier to attract top talent. With integrations to networks like LinkedIn, reaching a wide audience is easy.
- Better quality talent pools: The best ATS software can save time and money by maintaining already-sourced candidates. If you maintain occasional contact with a pool of qualified candidates, your recruiting process doesn’t start from zero each time you open a new role.
- Wider internal engagement: Rather than relying exclusively on your HR or TA teams for recruiting, the best ATS software will also involve your hiring managers and employees as part of the process. Employee referrals, feedback on job candidates, and social media can all be leveraged to fill open positions.
- Streamlined hiring and onboarding: An ATS can do more than streamline recruiting; it can work wonders for onboarding. A good first impression sets the stage for employee engagement and, ultimately, retention, so it’s critical to make the onboarding process employee-focused, timely, and effective.
- More effective recruitment strategies: An effective hiring process is data-driven. Any good ATS software dashboard will put recruiter productivity, cost per hire, cost of job boards, cost of paid media, time to hire, and other key data at your fingertips.
How To Choose an Applicant Tracking System
Any business choosing an ATS should aim to get the maximum functionality for its price point (while ensuring key functions for its specific business are best-in-class), focus on potential long-term benefits rather than short-term costs, and understand the software vendor's product roadmap.
- What do you want to achieve with the ATS?: Depending on your business, you can have one person or multiple teams across your company branches interacting with the ATS day-to-day. Each may have a different pain point they want the recruitment tool to tackle. Knowing the center goals of these stakeholders and the importance of each can help you create a list of features ranked from most to least desired.
- What can you afford?: An ATS that can schedule interviews, manage employee referrals, and parse resumes will lighten the load on your HR/TA team, leading to increased efficiency. That said, investing in a feature-rich ATS could mean more complexity, steeper learning curves, and higher costs to the system. So, besides the feature list, you’d need to note down your allowed budget and the human resources involved in onboarding and maintaining the ATS system.
- Focus on individual features during your vendor research: Evaluate precisely what you need. The feature list and resource note that you have prepared in the earlier steps will help you stay focused on options that truly matter.
- Think long-term: Trying to anticipate the future is critical given how hard these tools are to replace over time (migrating tons of candidate data, different workflows for different types of jobs, etc.). Beyond the platform's capacity to scale up as you grow, pay attention to how this growth will affect product pricing and, therefore, the ATS ROI.
- Understand the roadmap: A tool with no future plan for improvements may cause trouble for future software updates, but a vendor with an ambitious list of feature enhancements, yet a very humble track record of delivery, is not any better. Ask the sales rep specific questions relevant to your business needs, and review content published on the company's channels for more information.
ATS Pricing Models and Cost Estimates
ATS companies commonly use four main pricing structures: flat rate, pay per user, pay per job vacancy, and pay per module.
- Flat rate: This pricing model offers a fixed monthly or annual fee for unlimited use of the ATS, making it ideal for large enterprises that prefer long-term contracts. Breezy HR, for example, is one of the applicant tracking systems that employ this model. The ATS includes unlimited users, candidates, positions, and candidate pools across its three paid plans: Startup, Growth, and Business.
- Pay-per-user: This model is best suited for small teams with limited recruiter usage. It charges a monthly fee for each active user of the ATS. You can easily come across this pricing structure at ATS systems for small businesses, such as Manatal and Recruit CRM.
- Pay-per-vacancy: Designed for small businesses with low hiring volumes, pay-per-vacancy charges a fee for each job you post using the ATS, although it’s more common now for the vendor to limit the number of job slots per plan instead Zoho Recruit, for instance, allows one active job in its free plan, while that is 100, 250, and 750 active jobs in Standard, Professional, and Enterprise, respectively.
- Pay-per-module: This model is suitable for companies with an existing HR platform that want to add an ATS to their tech stack as an add-on. It allows companies to pay for only the ATS module they need, rather than the entire platform. Workable and VidCruiter are some of the brands that use this pricing model.
Keep in mind that:
- Additional costs may apply for selective integrations, premium support, and advanced features.
- Prices can be negotiable: Some ATSs offer discounts for early-stage startups, non-profits, and buyers willing to sign multi-year contracts.
Here are some guidelines on ATS pricing based on company headcount. This information is intended to help you get a general sense of ATS pricing. Keep in mind that ATS software comes in all shapes and sizes. Here we provide mid-range samples for reference.
- Small business (<100 employees): $250 up to $12,000 USD per year.
- Medium-sized business (100-500 employees): $3,000 to $25,000 per year.
- Large business (501-5,000 employees): $15,000 to $50,000+ annually.
- Enterprise (5,000+ employees): From $125,000 per year.
Key Features of ATS Platforms
Key ATS features include automated resume parsing, reliable data security, and great analytics.
- Third-party integrations: Almost without exception, the top ATSs are built with robust integration capabilities and a substantial network within their partner ecosystem. You should aim for seamless ATS integrations, meaning the ATS should be ready to interface (connect to, plug in to, work well with) whatever software you use for hiring.
- Talent sourcing: The best applicant tracking systems include dynamic features, such as Google Chrome extensions, that allow you to source candidates directly from the web. You’ll also find databases of job seekers that you can query for specific skills and outreach tools that will enable you to build sequences that engage candidates through email and texting.
- AI recruiting assistant: It’s hard to find an applicant tracking system that doesn’t offer a couple of AI recruiting tools nowadays. So the more valuable question now is whether an ATS has a legally and ethically helpful AI feature. For example, many offer job description generators, but few allow for tone adjustments the way Workable does. Similarly, when a candidate deletes their data, Pinpoint is one of the few that also automatically deletes their email history to prevent compliance issues for customers.
- Candidate relationship management (CRM): A recruiting CRM nurtures your relationship with your entire job seeker ecosystem, whether active or passive. It helps your TA keep leads warm by setting reminders to ping individual candidates (“silver medalists”) or to check in periodically with larger candidate pools. Structured communications and automated workflows help maintain good relationships and free up your TA team’s time.
- Blind screening: This is an effective method for controlling hiring bias, a foundational element of all diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives. ATSs with a blind screening feature obscure the candidates' names, photos, addresses, and other demographic identifiers to prevent assessments based on non-relevant characteristics.
- Employer branding and career site: Modern applicant tracking systems are built with the candidate experience in mind. Making a good first impression is critical, so top ATSs include no-code features that recruiters and hiring managers can use to build and maintain a professional, bespoke career site without needing to involve marketers and developers.
- Data and analytics: Any ATS worth its salt has a basic analytics dashboard. The best (and often the most expensive) ATS also incorporates a powerful analytics engine to make light work of your heaviest statistical loads.
- Interview scheduling: ATS software that is focused on recruitment process automation will include scheduling for everything from phone screens to final-round interviews. Some enterprise options, such as SparkHire and VidCruiter, even have a video interview tool built in so you don’t have to rely on a third-party app for such use.
- Offer letters: Automated distribution of offer letters is a standard ATS feature. Most platforms offer templates that can be easily customized for each offer presented to a new hire.
- Onboarding: A smooth onboarding process helps ensure that the transition from candidate to colleague is as smooth as possible. It’s not surprising to see that most applicant tracking platforms now offer some form of this capability, either natively or via integrations with third-party employee onboarding tools.
The above features are highly specific and designed to help buyers and decision-makers make quick, informed decisions. However, some critical aspects of ATS performance and functionality can’t be summed up so easily.
Our guest expert, Zach Larson, suggests buyers consider the following three basic elements:
- First, consider how well the product will respond to market challenges.
- Second, estimate the quality of candidates based on the ATS's sourcing methods.
- Last but not least, involve your TA team in the process. Your internal stakeholders must be on board with your choice.
Other Factors Worth Considering
Beyond key features and pricing, user experience (UX) and user interface (UI), scalability, and customization are also critical factors to look for in an ATS.
- User Experience and Interface: When looking at well-known platforms like Greenhouse, BambooHR, and Pinpoint, it’s easy to see that a well-designed interface partly contributes to higher adoption rates and, consequently, the growing popularity of these platforms. A great UX/UI enhances user satisfaction, reduces training time, and improves recruitment processes. It also benefits job applicants, as a smooth and intuitive application process helps improve the candidate experience and increase the likelihood of successful hires.
- Customization and Scalability: An applicant tracking system that seems ideal for your 20-person team today may become inadequate if it cannot support your international hiring needs as your team scales globally. Be sure to assess how customizable the system is (e.g., branding options, workflow customization, automation tools) to meet both your current and long-term needs. Oftentimes, seeking advice from HR tech experts results in faster and more accurate ATS shortlists, as they provide candid insights that a vendor’s sales team might not disclose.
Questions to Ask on ATS Software Demos
The questions should all be about your specific requirements for an ATS, but the following can offer some ideas and inspiration on what to ask during your ATS vendor demo.
- Is there a two-way API to share information between this system and my HRIS?
- How does this ATS help my recruiting efforts beyond capturing candidate information? For example, will it allow me to pipeline candidates, source new ones, boost referrals, etc.?
- How does this system improve the candidate experience?
- What is your partner strategy, and do I have to pay to integrate my other recruiting tools?
- What metrics do you focus on to prove the effectiveness of this solution, and where can I see these in my analytics dashboard?
- Can I speak to my future customer service rep about implementation and how exactly your organization will be involved?
- Walk me through the candidate experience.
- Can I store candidate profiles in this system in a way that is searchable for future candidate sourcing?
- Walk me through how recruiters post jobs, vet applicants, and leave feedback.
- How do employees outside of HR interact with this ATS?
- Do you have social recruiting capabilities?
- We use {{XYZ indispensable recruiting tool}}, do you integrate with it? If yes, how?
- What is the onboarding process after we buy this solution? Ask for specific steps and who in your org needs to be involved.
For those wondering what the right number of questions to bring to a demo, here is a piece of advice: ask as many as you can. If a vendor doesn’t have time to help you understand their product from the ground up, they are probably the wrong vendor.
Applicant Tracking System FAQs
What is ATS software?
ATS software is a type of recruitment software designed to make it easier for companies to find, organize, and track applicants for jobs.
Read more: What Is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
How do applicant tracking systems work?
Applicant tracking systems serve as a liaison between employers and applicants. Once an application is submitted, the ATS extracts and stores the candidate’s work experience, education, and contact information in a database. HR teams use the database to review applications, communicate with applicants, schedule interviews, and sometimes administer skills tests.
What is the difference between ATS systems and an HRIS?
An ATS system is the core operating software for your recruiting team, handling hiring records. In contrast, your HRIS (Human Resource Information System) is the core operating system for your human resources team, handling employee records.
What is the difference between ATS software and CRM?
ATS software focuses on streamlining application logistics, while CRM (candidate relationship management system) builds relationships with potential candidates early on through engagement activities. ATS is used in the later hiring stages, and CRM is used in the early stages of candidate attraction and engagement.
Why is ATS software used in recruitment?
An ATS is used in recruitment to make the end-to-end hiring process easier. ATSs were initially designed for large corporations managing thousands of job applications every week. The use of software dedicated to specific purposes has become part of our everyday lives, and so has the ubiquity of the ATS in small and medium businesses. Teams of all sizes, with various hiring needs, can benefit from a tool that increases efficiency by streamlining tasks.
Is there a free applicant tracking system?
Yes, there are. Some of the best applicant tracking systems we've tested that offer free editions are Manatal, which offers a free trial; Dover, which has a free plan that lasts forever; and Recooty, which is free for one user. Check out our free ATS buyer guide for more options.
What is the best ATS for startups and SMBs?
Startups and small businesses often have a tight budget for recruitment technology, so the above free ATS could be a good starting point for these companies. Additionally, Workable, Zoho Recruit, and Recruit CRM are among the other top SMB-focused ATS systems we tested, which offer a good range of features at an affordable price.
What is the best ATS for recruitment and staffing agencies?
Recruit CRM, Manatal, and Zoho Recruit provide comprehensive features tailored to the needs of smaller agencies. On the other hand, larger firms with increased volume and complex recruitment processes may find Bullhorn and Avionté to be more suitable.
Final Advice on Buying an ATS
- Know your needs: Get clear on the specific needs your ATS must satisfy. Meet with vendors and watch demos only after you are absolutely sure of your current ATS requirements and confident of your future forecast. Don’t agree to anything less (or more) than exactly what you need.
- Two-for-one ROI analysis: Being CFO-ready with an ATS ROI calculation will refine your thoughts on why and how an ATS is a necessary purchase for your team, leading to greater clarity on which features to prioritize.
- Consider the context: As ATS platforms have become more sophisticated, their cost has decreased. This means capabilities like sourcing, recruitment CRM, talent re-discovery, and even top-rate analytics are readily available to most.
Watch this video for insights from our experts on selecting the right applicant tracking software for your needs.
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