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20 Best Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Reviewed & Compared

We kicked off Q2 with a fresh round of tech tests for all the ATS systems in this guide. Some have switched up their prices, while others have launched some awesome product updates. Check out all the details below.

Phil Strazzulla
Written by
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast
We are a reader supported site with strict editorial standards, clicks may earn a fee which supports our testing. Learn More
Last Updated: May 20, 2025
TOP
Best for collaborative hiring at midsized to large teams
Greenhouse
4.5
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best for collaborative hiring at midsized to large teams
Greenhouse
4.5
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
ATS software nested in HRIS, best for mid-sized businesses
BambooHR
4.5
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.4
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
ATS software nested in HRIS, best for mid-sized businesses
BambooHR
4.5
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.4
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Best for in-house TAs with strong user-centric mentality
Pinpoint
4.6
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best for in-house TAs with strong user-centric mentality
Pinpoint
4.6
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Comprehensive HR software starting at $5 per employee monthly
GoCo
4.1
Popularity Score
4.7
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Comprehensive HR software starting at $5 per employee monthly
GoCo
4.1
Popularity Score
4.7
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Enterprise-grade project management tool with powerful automation
Wrike
4.7
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Enterprise-grade project management tool with powerful automation
Wrike
4.7
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Best video interviewing platform for scalability
Willo
4.5
Popularity Score
4.8
User Score
4.8
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best video interviewing platform for scalability
Willo
4.5
Popularity Score
4.8
User Score
4.8
Product  Score
Learn More

Best Applicant Tracking Systems

VidCruiter

: Video interview platform with applicant tracking capabilities

Workable

: Scalable ATS with native AI-powered talent sourcing tool

Trakstar Hire

: Mid-market ATS software with robust offer management tool

AvaHR

: Well-designed applicant tracking system for mid-market orgs

ClearCompany

: Highly flexible ATS system for midsized and large teams

Manatal

: Affordable ATS, works both for corporates and agencies

JazzHR

: Among top ATS systems for businesses with 5 to 500 employees

Ashby

: Consolidated ATS, recruiting CRM, and sourcing for fast-growing teams

Recruit CRM

: Among best-priced ATS software for staffing agencies

Recruitee

: User-friendly applicant tracking system for SMBs

TOP
Best for collaborative hiring at midsized to large teams
Greenhouse
4.5
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best for collaborative hiring at midsized to large teams
Greenhouse
4.5
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
ATS software nested in HRIS, best for mid-sized businesses
BambooHR
4.5
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.4
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
ATS software nested in HRIS, best for mid-sized businesses
BambooHR
4.5
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.4
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Best for in-house TAs with strong user-centric mentality
Pinpoint
4.6
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best for in-house TAs with strong user-centric mentality
Pinpoint
4.6
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Learn More

Compare the Best Applicant Tracking Systems

Popularity Score
Best for
Key Differentiator
Pricing
Free Trial
Customers
Users Score
Product Score
4.5
Midsize and large teams focused on collaborative hiring
Feature-loaded ATS with onboarding component
Starts at $89/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
1,000+ companies
4.4
4.6

BambooHR

BambooHR

Trending Now
4.5
Hybrid and remote teams with high volume hiring needs
ATS built for volume hiring nested in popular HR suite
Starts at $150/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
33,000+ companies
4.5
4.4

Pinpoint

Pinpoint

Trending Now
4.6
Mid-sized in-house TA teams scaling fast
Scalable org-wide workflow automations
Starts at $345/mo
Get pricing info
No
300+ companies
4.4
4.5
4.1
Large companies hiring 100+ people annually
Has video interviews, ATS, and Quick Apply
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
No
10,000+ companies
4.5
4.2

Workable

Workable

Trending Now
4.1
Teams wanting a high tech tool for volume hiring
Access to enormous talent pool of more than 400 million
Starts at $299/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
30,000+ companies
4.5
4.5
4.0
Medium-sized companies optimizing for efficiency
Offer management tools, like e-signature, are built in
Custom pricing
Get pricing info
Yes
3000+ customers
4.3
4.1

AvaHR

AvaHR

Trending Now
4.2
US-based mid-market companies
Remarkably good UX for the price
Starts at $89/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
1,000+ companies
4.6
4.1
4.2
Enterprise-size with 1,000-10,000 employees
Best for enterprise, stand-alone ATS works well for mid-size
Starts at $7/mo
Get pricing info
No
2,500+ companies
4.5
4.3

Manatal

Manatal

Trending Now
4.2
Small and mid-sized teams wanting affordable AI tech
Cost-effective and AI-equipped
Starts at $15/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
10,000+ companies
4.7
4.2

JazzHR

JazzHR

Trending Now
4.5
Startups and SMBs hiring frewer than 500 per year
Tailormade for SMBs
Starts at $49/month
Get pricing info
Yes
9000+ companies
4.3
4.5

Ashby

Ashby

Trending Now
4.0
SMBs with rapid growth and any orgs hiring consistently
ATS with CRM maintains and nurtures talent pools
Starts at $300/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
1,000+ companies
4.4
4.1
4.1
Global recruitment staffing agencies
Good-priced ATS, generous free trial available
Starts at $85/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
1,200+ companies
4.7
4.4

Recruitee

Recruitee

Trending Now
4.2
The best fit is small and medium-sized businesses
Leverages internal resources for collaboration
Starts at $269/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
5000+ customers
4.4
4.5

iCIMS

iCIMS

Trending Now
4.0
Global enterprises and recruiting agencies
Extra large scale can manage up to 50k candidates
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
No
4,000+ companies
3.9
4.0

Avature

Avature

Trending Now
4.1
Enterprise-scale companies exclusively
Combined ATS and CRM to improve user experience
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
Yes
1,900+ companies
4.4
4.2

Lever

Lever

Trending Now
4.0
Teams focused on maintaining talent pools
A single platform for ATS and CRM integration
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
No
5,000+ companies
4.3
4.3
4.0
Startups and SMBs building brand alongside headcount
ATS with great employer branding
Starts at $100/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
7,000+ customers
4.3
4.1
4.0
Mid to large-sized companies wanting an all-in-one HR tool
Candidate assessment, skill testing, and offer management
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
Yes
4,000+ companies
4.2
4.0

Rippling

Rippling

Trending Now
4.2
Organizations looking for a comprehensive ATS + HR suite
Very scalable solution, well-suited for growing teams
Starts at $8/mo for the HCM suite
Get pricing info
Yes
16,000+ companies
4.2
4.1
4.4
SMBs building headcounts
Strong collaboration and video screening features
Starts at $299/mo
Get pricing info
No
7,000+ companies
4.8
4.8

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Introduction to Applicant Tracking Systems

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software that automates the recruitment and hiring process. For companies that hire more than 20 employees a year, an ATS is an essential tool. On this page, you’ll find expert reviews and comparisons of the best ATS systems on the market.

We've been researching, reviewing and comparing ATSs since 2018 and update this article 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 an HR tech expert who'll give you personalized help.

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

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 best-in-class ATS software must score highly on are UX/UI, candidate experience, and integration/compatibility.

  • UX/UI: 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 functions like CRM, HRIS, or payroll.

For more information on our methodology, read this article on how we evaluate HR tech vendors.

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Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast

Need Help? Get Custom Recommendations for Best Applicant Tracking Systems

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Detailed Reviews of the Best Applicant Tracking Systems

Greenhouse

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

Why we picked Greenhouse

Greenhouse is a feature-rich ATS 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.
Screenshot of Greenhouse Applicant Tracking System Showing Jobs and Their Status

Greenhouse Review

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.

Greenhouse Customers

HubSpot, DoorDash, Dropbox, Wayfair.

Greenhouse Pricing

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.

Greenhouse in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

I use Greenhouse daily for recruiting tasks. It helps streamline the hiring process by integrating with LinkedIn and centralizing key workflows such as job postings, applicant reviews, and interview scheduling.

If a candidate is not the right fit for a particular role, the Referral feature allows them to be considered for other suitable positions. The Rating feature enables interviewers to score candidates, making it easier to compare and evaluate applicants. Overall, Greenhouse keeps the entire recruiting process organized and efficient.

What do you like about this tool?
  • Greenhouse consolidates multiple recruiting functions, such as job postings and resume reviews, into a single platform.
  • The user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and train new recruiters or hiring managers.
  • The platform provides how-to videos and tutorials that assist with training and onboarding.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

My company needed a centralized system to manage all recruiting-related tasks efficiently. Greenhouse provides a streamlined platform that simplifies the hiring process by allowing recruiters to post jobs, review resumes, and manage candidate interactions in one place.

One of its key benefits is its integration with LinkedIn, which expands the candidate pool and enhances outreach efforts. Additionally, the platform offers a mobile app, making it easier for applicants to apply from anywhere. I have personally used Greenhouse for [X amount of time], and it has significantly improved our ability to track and manage candidates throughout the hiring process.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • Once a rating (scorecard) is created, it is difficult to modify, which can be an issue if interview questions change.
  • The initial setup of the system was challenging, making it harder to establish streamlined processes at the beginning.
  • A more straightforward implementation process would improve the user experience.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

Greenhouse stands out because it integrates multiple recruiting functions into a single platform, eliminating the need for multiple tools. This all-in-one approach makes it more efficient compared to other systems that may require additional integrations to achieve the same functionality.

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

The cost of the system is a key factor, as pricing varies depending on the number of employees. It is important to assess whether the tool will address workflow challenges and improve efficiency. Greenhouse offers a variety of recruiting features in one system, making it a strong option for organizations looking to streamline their hiring processes.

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

Greenhouse has introduced new features, such as the Event Calendar, which enhances scheduling and recruitment event management. This demonstrates the platform's commitment to continuous improvement and adapting to user needs.

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

Greenhouse is ideal for companies with frequent hiring needs, especially those that manage a high volume of applicants and require a structured recruiting process.

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

Smaller companies that hire infrequently may not find Greenhouse cost-effective or necessary for their recruiting needs.

BambooHR

Visit Website
BambooHR
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.5 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.4 / 5

Why we picked BambooHR

We love how this ATS 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.
Screenshot of BambooHR Applicant Tracking System Showing Onboarding Task, Monthly Headcount, Vacation

BambooHR Review

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.

BambooHR Customers

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

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. 

BambooHR in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

We mainly used it for time tracking, sourcing, shortlisting, hiring, onboarding, and performance management. Besides, it has very good functionality for Compensation&Benefit and internal communication. There is no need to fill in the new hires' details manually, it is fully integrated with its ATS, and when we send out a job offer through the system the details of the new hire are automatically added. Moreover, we used it for birthday and tenure celebrations. We used Bamboohr for Engagement surveys as well. Last but not least, we customized and get periodical reports for various data that make sense for decision-making.

What do you like about this tool?

Firstly, I like BambooHR for its simple and user-friendly Recruitment function. Secondly, it is a great system where you can keep all of the records, even it is possible to keep the terminated employees' details as well. Thirdly, I like it for its customizable reports. I think that there is still room for further improvement in supporting clients in the Learning&Development process.

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

We have been using BambooHR since 2020. The previous HRIS that we used had lots of issues that we were not able to solve as it was not possible to get an answer from the support team to our inquiries. Before choosing BambooHR we defined key criteria that would support the business and analyzed other available HRISs as well. Key benefits of BambooHR for our company are lots of functionalities that support the employee life cycle in the company; a user-friendly interface; friendly and prompt support team. It has very good functionality for welcoming new hires and sending a new hire welcome package to all personnel/users.

What do you dislike about this tool?

I think there is room for further development in the Training function. It would be great to integrate the system with one of the LMS platforms or develop its own. Moreover, I think that it would be great to receive some comments or follow-up messages from each user under each announcement sent through the platform. Besides, there is not any chat room for users. That is why the companies that use BambooHR use other tools for internal communication.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Simplicity, user-friendliness, and having more functions than others.

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

Clients that prefer user-friendly programs should choose BambooHR. It has a very good customer support team. They are always prompt and friendly. But they should keep in their mind that this tool doesn't provide in-house payroll management.

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

BambooHR has some great integrations (Slack, for instance) that allow me to see when my co-workers are out of the office or even celebrating an anniversary or birthday.

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

It is good for startups and small-size companies that use other tools for payroll, but need a user-friendly tool that is great for time tracking, recruitment, and performance management.

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

Big enterprises and global big companies that have many processes in HR

Pinpoint

Visit Website
Pinpoint
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.6 / 5
User Score
4.4 / 5
Product Score
4.5 / 5

Why we picked 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.
Screenshot of Pinpoint Applicant Tracking System Showing Latest Jobs and Candidates by Stage

Pinpoint Review

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.

Applicant tracking system Pinpoint rolled out new automation features

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, 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.

Pinpoint Customers

CoinShares, Pathways Global, Grant Thornton, Icario, Pivot Energy

Pinpoint Pricing

  • 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.

Pinpoint in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

We use Pinpoint to advertise all of our roles across the globe. We use to create all adverts, interviews and communications with candidates. We also use this to run reports on statistics from this on our sources of applications and diversity and inclusion data

What do you like about this tool?
  • Easy for both HR and Hiring Managers to use.
  • Ability to quickly build and download reports.
  • Ease of booking interviews.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We have been using Pinpoint for just over 2 years now.

We bought it because of the great customer service we had been provided in the demo, the capability of the system and the cost.

What do you dislike about this tool?

I really don't have anything I dislike.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

In previous ATS systems, I have never been able to quickly run reports and data which is a huge benefit. The customer service is also heads and tails above any other ATS I have worked with

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

I think this is really hard to answer because every business will have a different requirement of what they are looking for. For us, it was the ability to run reports, easy booking of interviews, ROI, candidate experience and hiring manager experience

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

I think the regular updates from Pinpoint are super useful. Continually partnering with other businesses for ease of linking other platforms into the recruitment process

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

I would say any organization.

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

Again I think it would depend on what you were looking for in a system to say this.

VidCruiter

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VidCruiter
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.2 / 5

Why we picked 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.
Screenshots of VidCruiter (one of the best ATS software) Showing Different Features of their ATS

VidCruiter Review

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 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 Customers

VidCruiter is used by over 100,000 recruiters, including Lowe’s, Lionsgate, Samsung, Bears, US Foods, and the United Nations.

VidCruiter Pricing

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.

VidCruiter in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

I use this tool throughout my workday. Of course, it is used more when we are hiring multiple positions. It creates and posts job requisitions, which is a great tool for tracking candidates. I also use it to review resumes and send out automated questionnaires. This allows us to filter applicants and schedule video interviews, which has saved the company many hours between the HR team. Having the ability to interview people in different time zones with VidCruiter has given us the ability to find highly talented staff members.

What do you like about this tool?

The automatic screening and scheduling of candidates have allowed us to focus on finding qualified applicants. Accommodating different time zones and schedules enhanced the candidate's experience and the efficiency of the interview process as a whole. Sharing feedback and communication also helped us make well-timed hiring decisions.

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

VidCruiter was great in helping us solve the inefficiency and inconsistency in our hiring process. Manually reviewing each candidate's resume and application, scheduling interviews, and discussing hiring decisions led us to miss opportunities, and candidates were frustrated with the length of time. Once we started using the program, it streamlined all of those issues, allowing us to significantly improve the time spent and obtain highly valued employees. I have two years of experience using this program and feel it has been a great tool for the HR team. It allowed us to focus on finding qualified applicants rather than spending a lot of time on ones that weren’t a fit for us.

What do you dislike about this tool?

The interface is more complex and requires more time and training. Troubleshooting with our IT team was not always flawless, causing us to contact customer support. Having to call to work out bugs would sometimes be time-consuming and not conducive to the flow of the day.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Many HR programs focus only on applicant tracking/video interviewing. VidCruiter offers a program that has screening, scheduling, and interviewing all in one program. It allows us to make the hiring process smoother and quicker. I like the flexibility of video interviews, as they are convenient for both the applicant and our team. Having the capability to speed up the interview and hiring process makes it ideal for both the applicant and the HR team.

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

Anyone considering this program should consider its features and functionalities. Having a checklist of tools needed and wanted will allow them to decide if VidCruiter is a good fit. Reading through other users' reviews and opinions will also allow them to get a real hands-on opinion on the program and customer support.

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

VidCruiter has evolved over time by expanding its recruitment tools to include more than video interviewing. It has improved its user-friendliness and integration with other HR software.

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

VidCruiter caters to mid to large-sized companies. It is a great tool for an entire office to be able to easily communicate and streamline interviewing and hiring.

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

VidCruiter may not be a good fit for companies that prefer in-person interviews as it focuses more on video screening.

Workable

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Workable
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.5 / 5

Why we picked Workable

Workable is a robust and scalable recruiting solution. Its AI-powered sourcing tool integrates nicely with its ATS software and other products and can provide over 400 million candidate records.

PROS

  • Straightforward pricing plans.
  • 15-day free trials with no card info required.
  • Post jobs with one click to over 200 sites and access its talent pool with over 400 million profiles.
  • Built-in features for cognitive and personality candidate assessment and management. No need for third-party tools.
  • The anonymized screening feature can help reduce unconscious hiring bias.
  • You can post jobs with one click to over 200 sites. You also get access to access to Workable’s talent pool with over 400 million profiles.
  • Workable has built-in cognitive and personality candidate assessment. The platform also has features for offer management, which means you can create offer letters and collect e-signatures without needing to use third-party tools
  • You can reduce unconscious hiring bias with Workable’s anonymized screening feature. It helps you hide identifying candidate information from the sourced and applied stages of the hiring process.

CONS

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

Workable Review

Workable provides an applicant tracking system catering to medium and large businesses.

Besides covering the features expected from an ATS, like candidate sourcing and applicant organization, Workable integrates AI to suggest suitable candidates for posted jobs.

The ATS tries to foster a more structured and unbiased hiring process by providing anonymized screening, interview kits, and scorecards in all their plans. However, additional candidate evaluation tools like video interviews and assessments separately, as they’re not built within the ATS product.

Workable Customers

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

Workable Pricing

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 and recruitment software offerings are best suited for medium and large-sized businesses.

Workable in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

I used Workable daily. We used the Job Postings, Candidate Sourcing Suite, and Recruitment Marketing features. We also used the ATS components, including the CRM database, interview tools, one-way video interviews, interview scheduling, assessments, and candidate screening tools.

We benefited from automation throughout our pipeline and workflow. I used the basic reporting functions daily, weekly, monthly, and annually.

What do you like about this tool?
  • Workable’s UX/UI is excellent.
  • The Candidate Sourcing Suite includes AI, LinkedIn, Boolean search, and the existing database.
  • The CRM database is well-organized and functional.
  • The ATS workflows are customizable.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We did not have an ATS and were using Google Sheets to track our recruitment efforts. I built the recruitment team from scratch (0 to 28 recruiters).

Workable was perfect for our needs at the time we built the recruitment program. It provided a unified solution with an intuitive interface and customizable workflows that streamlined our hiring process.

The UX/UI is top-notch. Features like automated interview scheduling and real-time feedback collection enhanced team coordination, allowing us to move candidates through the pipeline more efficiently.

I implemented Workable and used the platform for almost two years.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • Workable’s reporting functionality is poor.
  • I had to create my own reports in Google Sheets using the basic data exported from Workable.
How is this tool different than their competitors?
  • If you have a small team (fewer than 20 people) and a limited number of roles to fill, this platform works well.
  • Workable now offers plans for more than 20 users and unlimited job posts, which was not the case from 2019 to 2022.
  • I enjoyed using Workable because it is a highly intuitive platform where workflows can be customized, automations can be set, and the built-in candidate sourcing tools are exceptional.
What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
  • Previously, I would have recommended Workable for smaller recruitment teams with fewer than 10 job openings.
  • Today, Workable offers personalized plans to support companies of any size and with unlimited job posts.
  • It’s a great option across a range of team sizes.
  • Warning: the reporting functionality remains very basic. If your organization relies heavily on advanced reporting, you may need to generate your own or consider another ATS focused on data analytics.
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?
  • Workable has made significant improvements to its platform.
  • In the past, it was limited to smaller teams with fewer job openings.
  • Now, it offers personalized plans to support companies of any size and unlimited job postings.
  • Their pricing is customized based on organizational needs.
  • If these options had been available between 2020 and 2022, I might not have switched to iCIMS, as we needed more job openings, more users, and more robust reporting.
What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Any organization of any size with any level of growth plans. Just be aware that the reporting functionality is very basic.

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

Organizations that require robust, customizable reporting functions may find Workable lacking. If you're comfortable exporting basic data and have the Excel or Sheets skills to analyze and build reports, Workable can still meet your needs.

Trakstar Hire

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

Why we picked Trakstar Hire

Trakstar Hire 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.
Screenshot of Trackstar Hire (one of the best Applicant Tracking System) Showing Tasks on ATS Dashboard

Trakstar Hire Review

Trakstar Hire (formally RecruiterBox) is a web-based ATS 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!

Trakstar Hire Customers

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

Trakstar Hire Pricing

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.

Trakstar Hire in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

We use Trakstar for the entire recruitment process, from hire requests through to the offer stage. The key workflows include requests to fill and approval, posting jobs directly on various job boards, applicant questionnaires, interview scheduling, hiring manager feedback on applicants, offer request approvals, offer extension, and signed acceptance. We use Trakstar daily when in hiring mode, which is nearly year-round, except for some downtime in Q1.

What do you like about this tool?
  1. It allows us to keep all recruitment records and data in one location, providing a single record for each person and useful historical information.
  2. It allows for automated workflows and integrations with other systems, such as calendars and Teams video calls.
  3. It is cost-effective for a small organization, meeting our needs in a budget-friendly way.
  4. They provide a platform for customers to give feedback and regularly make updates based on this input.
  5. The customer service team is exceptional, offering alternatives if the system cannot meet a specific need.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We bought Trakstar one year ago. Previously, we did not have an applicant tracking system and were growing by about 30 employees per year, necessitating a better mechanism to track and manage our talent pool. We had been using homemade workflows and forms, which didn't provide useful recruitment data and didn't allow us to leverage our full pool of applicants for future roles. Additionally, the manual process slowed us down significantly.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  1. The system has limitations in terms of customizing fields, and while they take feedback, these changes have not yet been prioritized.
  2. The integration with other systems, like our payroll system, is limited, making it not worthwhile for us to integrate.
  3. Access levels are limited, which restricts the access we can provide to hiring managers and business leaders.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

While we use Trakstar specifically as an applicant tracking system, they offer a suite of solutions for performance management, training, and more, all of which are easy to navigate. The intuitive nature of the site sets it apart from some competitors. Additionally, their customer service team and the support provided during the implementation process are significantly better than those of other systems I've used.

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

Consider the entire recruitment lifecycle and the specific needs of your business. Also, consider growth plans and the scalability of the tool. Since Trakstar offers more than an ATS, think about your long-term talent management plans and whether a single system can meet your talent development and performance management needs, so you don't need to switch systems as you grow.

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

Trakstar regularly asks for feedback from clients and provides a platform for ongoing feedback. They introduce new features and updates quarterly, addressing key client needs. Although we've only used Trakstar for one year, I've seen more attention to client needs than with most other systems I've used.

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

Trakstar is great for small to medium-sized companies. The system is cost-effective and offers various solutions to meet needs as the organization grows. Trakstar is best for organizations of limited complexity due to its simplistic workflows and system limitations.

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

Trakstar would not be a good fit for very large enterprises or highly matrixed organizations, as the system limitations would likely not allow for the necessary customization those organizations would need.

AvaHR

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

Why we picked AvaHR

AvaHR left a lasting impression on us with how much they care about making things easy for users and helping teams work together better. Their 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).

AvaHR Review

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 tool had put serious effort into crafting a user experience that’s intuitive yet powerful.

VIVAHR-ATS-offers-customizable-pipeline-triggers

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.

AvaHR Customers

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

AvaHR Pricing

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.

AvaHR in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ClearCompany

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ClearCompany
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.3 / 5

Why we picked 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.
Screenshot of Clear Company Applicant Tracking System Showing Team Goals and ATS Features

ClearCompany Review

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.

ClearCompany Customers

Mitsubishi Electric, Chick-fil-A, Goodwill, Axiom Bank, Bios, FlixBrewHouse, and Halco.

ClearCompany Pricing

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.

ClearCompany in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

I used ClearCompany to send data of new hires to our HRIS system via an API integration. This eliminated the manual process required to transfer applicant data. I also used it to manage and move applications through the hiring pipeline, from new applicants to eventually hired employees.

What do you like about this tool?
  • Easy integrations.
  • Robust management tools.
  • Intuitive and user-friendly interface.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We used ClearCompany for its talent management solutions, specifically its applicant tracking system. Its platform integrated seamlessly with our HRIS system. It allowed us to attract, retain, and develop top talent while aligning employee goals with company objectives. Its analytics and automation features improved efficiency, driving better decision-making.

The main issues we aimed to solve were inefficient recruitment processes, cumbersome manual transfers to our HRIS system, and the lack of automated management tools. Personally, I have used it for a year and a half.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • Limited functionality compared to advanced tools.
  • Better recruiting tools are available in the market.
  • Lack of integration with some popular job posting platforms.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

This is a great starter tool with basic functionalities. It meets the needs of small businesses but lacks the scalability and advanced features needed for long-term use in growing organizations.

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

Price is an important consideration, as ClearCompany is relatively affordable. Evaluate how robust a system you require—while it offers good basic functionalities, other tools may provide more advanced options.

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

Last year, they released about 11 new integrations, focusing on streamlining recruitment and enhancing candidate experiences. Like many companies, they incorporated AI-assisted tools for crafting job descriptions, candidate emails, and offer letters, enabling recruiters to communicate more efficiently.

Additionally, ClearCompany expanded its performance management capabilities by introducing features like enhanced 1:1 workspaces, facilitating better collaboration and feedback between managers and employees.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?
  • Small Organizations: Companies with 1–10 employees benefit from ClearCompany's scalability and ability to integrate with existing HR systems, helping manage workflows efficiently.
  • Industries with High-Volume Hiring Needs: Retail, healthcare, hospitality, and similar sectors use ClearCompany’s applicant tracking and onboarding features to streamline hiring and reduce time-to-hire.
  • Organizations Focused on Goal Alignment: ClearCompany’s tools for performance management, goal tracking, and employee engagement are ideal for businesses looking to align individual and team objectives with company goals.
What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?
  • Large Businesses with Extensive HR Needs: Organizations with over 150 employees may find ClearCompany’s features insufficient for their HR requirements.
  • Non-Budget-Conscious Organizations: Businesses with larger budgets may find more robust offerings compared to ClearCompany.
  • Companies Without Dedicated HR Staff: ClearCompany’s tools and analytics require users familiar with HR processes, which may be challenging for organizations without HR professionals.
  • Industries with Unique HR Needs: Organizations with highly customized HR processes may find ClearCompany less adaptable than desired.

Manatal

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

Why we picked Manatal

Manatal 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.
Screenshot of ATS Manatal on candidate profile dashboard

Manatal Review

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 ATS platform’s advanced search has been enhanced recently

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.

Manatal Customers

Unilever, Coca-Cola, Panasonic, Ogilvy, Toyota.

Manatal Pricing

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.

Manatal in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

I used Manatal for creating webpages to attract candidates, posting jobs to multiple job boards and social media platforms from one location, and tracking candidates through the screening process. It facilitated communication and scheduling for team members involved in hiring, ensuring everyone was informed and coordinated. The analytics and reports feature was instrumental in evaluating hiring timelines and identifying the most effective sources for candidates. This functionality allowed us to refine our recruitment strategy and make informed decisions on where to invest in promoting positions.

What do you like about this tool?

The coordination of the hiring process among team members was significantly improved, reducing miscommunications and the hassle of scheduling. Manatal's candidate tracking and database features prevented delays in the recruitment stages and helped us avoid losing good candidates to human error.

The ability to create company showcase web pages was invaluable in attracting sought-after candidates for challenging positions. Additionally, the access to detailed reports and data supported our decision-making with evidence, optimizing our recruitment budget and strategies.

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

We adopted Manatal to address challenges in managing a high volume of recruiting, especially for hard-to-fill positions with lengthy recruitment processes. We found it difficult to efficiently find the right candidates, and the coordination of the recruitment process was hard, resulting in missed tasks and delays. Additionally, we sought a better way to showcase our company as an attractive place to work, as traditional job postings were insufficient. We experienced loss of good candidates due to protracted processes or confusion over contact points and screening stages. Manatal offered a solution to better coordinate hiring efforts, track candidate progress, and enhance our attractiveness to potential applicants. I personally have used it for about a year.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Some team members found the interface unintuitive, with key features like email templates being hard to locate. The lack of a standalone mobile app initially was a limitation (not anymore), and certain functionalities, such as self-scheduling for candidates and enhancing the focus on candidate relationship management, needed further development for a better candidate experience.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Manatal holds its ground as a competitive tool in the recruitment software market, offering a comprehensive set of features. However, it required a steeper learning curve compared to other tools I have used, although it also provided superior customer service, which added value to our experience.

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

Prospective buyers should weigh the cost against their specific needs. If your organization does not engage in frequent hiring or if the existing team efficiently manages recruitment, this tool might exceed your requirements. However, for businesses with high recruitment volumes and a collaborative hiring process, Manatal could streamline operations, enhance your company's appeal to candidates, and potentially lead to more successful hires.

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

Manatal has made significant improvements, including the development of a mobile app and enhancements to its user interface to be more intuitive. The dashboard has been upgraded for easier navigation, reflecting the company's commitment to evolving in line with user feedback.

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

Manatal is ideally suited for small to medium-sized companies engaged in frequent hiring. It is particularly beneficial for organizations with collaborative hiring processes and those needing to attract high-demand candidates through compelling career pages.

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

For small businesses with minimal hiring needs, Manatal may not be cost-effective due to underutilization of its features. Conversely, very large companies requiring extensive customization and complex recruitment workflows might find Manatal's capabilities too basic for their needs.

JazzHR

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

Why we picked JazzHR

This 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.
Screenshot of applicant tracking system ATS JazzHR showing how to add interview questionnaire to send candidates

JazzHR Review

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 it 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 Customers

JazzHR is used by over 6,500 businesses, including the Seattle Seahawks, L'Occitane En Provence, TED Conferences LLC, and Chick-fil-A.

JazzHR Pricing

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.

JazzHR in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JazzHR has remained relatively unchanged since I started using it.

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

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

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

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

Ashby

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Ashby
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.4 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Ashby

Ashby offers the entire TA tech stack: ATS, CRM/Sourcing, Scheduling, and Analytics—an excellent recruiting solution 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
Screenshot of applicant tracking system Ashby showing its interview plans

Ashby Review

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 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 noticed that Ashby has consistently worked hard to improve its product based on user feedback. Check out their blog page, and you’ll see that the ATS literally rolls out new features every month.

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.

Ashby Customers

1,000+ customers, including Quora, Deel, and Ramp.

Ashby Pricing

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.

Ashby in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

I use Ashby daily. I use it for candidate sourcing, using their Chrome extension. I also use it for outreach. Candidates can apply through our Ashby career site which we have embedded on our website. I use their pipelines for tracking applicants throughout the entire selection process. I use their interview guides to conduct interviews and submit feedback. Candidates can book their interviews using Ashby's direct booking links.

What do you like about this tool?
  • Customizable email sequences. 
  • One-click sourcing using the Chrome extension. 
  • Unlimited users and job postings.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We were unhappy with our ATS. It was too slow and it was riddled with bugs. We were also using a few different services for our recruitment efforts and Ashby had the potential to centralize those services.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • The whole interface is not very user-friendly. It feels like it was created for IT users, not HR users. 
  • The customizations are hard to figure out and their navigation menus are counterintuitive. 
  • The kanban view for the pipelines feels like an afterthought and feels heavy and sluggish.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

Ashby has a lot of potential and, when used to its max, it is a powerful tool that centralizes all the tools you will need in large-scale recruitment campaigns. It has the same issues that larger CRM-like platforms have. Just like Zoho and Odoo's recruitment modules, Ashby is not easy to set up and takes a long time to get used to. 

Customization is sluggish and requires a lot of guidance from the support team.  Platforms like Recruitee or Breezy have a much more user-oriented interface. That being said, if you are gearing up for a long and large recruitment effort, then it makes sense to invest a few days with the support team and set up every minor detail in Ashby, taking advantage of its highly customizable automation. It will allow you to manage large-scale efforts with a small team.

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

Primarily, the scope of your work. If you are the in-house team of a startup or small agency, Ashby might prove to be a challenge in itself to set up. It is better suited for large organizations or mid-level startups that need to conduct large recruitment efforts. I strongly recommend against it for a staffing agency or freelancing recruiters.

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

They have improved their platform's performance and its workflows.

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

Large companies.

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

Small agencies and early-stage startups.

Recruit CRM

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

Why we picked Recruit CRM

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.
  • 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

  • Price has gone up since our last review updates.
  • No native features for skill assessments, onboarding, video interviewing, and e-signatures.
  • Our user researchers ran into data accuracy issues with the reporting function.
  • Some users noted Recruitee’s support team was hard to reach.
  • Limited native integrations. Recruit CRM only integrates natively with LinkedIn, Zapier, Logic Melon, some email apps, and Google and Outlook calendars. If you want to run background checks, for example, using Checkr or other background verification platforms, you won’t be able to do that unless you use Zapier’s API extension.
Recruit-CRM-dashboard

Recruit CRM Review

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. 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 Customers

Recruit CRM’s clients include global staffing firms like Cooper Coleman, Zeren, and Avizio.

Recruit CRM Pricing

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.

Recruit CRM in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

During my time at Maersk, I relied on RecruitCRM almost daily to oversee the recruitment process from start to finish efficiently. This system played a crucial role in monitoring all our interactions with candidates, from initial contact to the final hiring decision. It streamlined communication between departments and offices worldwide, ensuring everyone involved in recruiting was on the same page.

Additionally, it centralized candidate information and conversations, making coordination and follow-up tasks easier throughout our recruitment efforts. Consistently using this tool was vital to maintaining a successful recruitment approach.

What do you like about this tool?

Efficient Tracking: It keeps all candidate information and statuses at our fingertips.

Customizable Workflows: We can tweak processes to fit exactly how our teams work.

Integration Friendly: It works well with our other HR and operational systems.

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

During my time at Maersk, we implemented a platform called RecruitCRM to address the challenges we faced in managing recruitment efficiently and effectively on a global scale due to our widespread operations and the need to oversee numerous recruitment activities each year. The application enabled us to consolidate candidate information in one place, which helped organize our communications and monitor the overall progress of recruitment processes.

I used the system for more than two years, and it significantly improved our ability to coordinate efforts across different regions, leading to a more seamless and cohesive hiring process. This development greatly enhanced our approach to handling our diverse recruitment needs.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Learning Curve: It took time for everyone to get the hang of it.

Occasional Glitches: Sometimes, there are minor bugs, especially after updates.

Limited Awareness: The shipping industry uses so many products that many people aren't familiar with this one.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

RecruitCRM stands out due to its flexibility in accommodating recruitment processes and its ability to integrate seamlessly with other systems or tools. This sets it apart from tools that may lack user-centered features and customization options.

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

I recommend ensuring it can scale with your organization and integrate with your existing systems. Ease of use is also crucial—no one wants a tool that’s difficult to learn. Additionally, check how robust their customer support is because you’ll likely need their help at some point.

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

When I used it, I noticed upgrades that enhanced its user-friendly interface and incorporated new features based on feedback from users. It seems they are quite dedicated to adapting to market needs.

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

It's perfect for large, international companies like ours that deal with a high volume of applicants across many different sectors. It's robust enough to handle complex processes and large amounts of data.

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

Small companies or startups might find it too much for their needs. If the recruitment process is straightforward or doesn’t involve many stakeholders, they might be better off with a more concise, less feature-rich system.

Recruitee

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

Why we picked Recruitee

Recruitee 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 Recruitee’s 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.
Screenshot of Recruitee ATS Software Showing Active Talent Pool

Recruitee Review

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. Recruitee’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 ATSs, 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.

Recruitee Customers

Vice, Greenpeace, Autodesk, Tide, Mollie

Recruitee Pricing

Recruitee pricing starts at $216 per month (used to be $199 during our last review update.)

Best For

Recruitee is best suited for teams with at least 20 employees.

Recruitee in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

I use Recruitee every day. I know how to use most of its features, such as creating job postings, scheduling interviews, moving candidates through the hiring process, having technical and hiring meetings, rejecting or advancing candidates, making offer letters, and communicating with my team. I also use it to evaluate candidates after a phone screening and add resumes. I also connect Recruitee to other job websites.

What do you like about this tool?

I like Recruitee because it is very easy to use. It has a user-friendly interface that allows me to perform all workflows efficiently. I can quickly post jobs and move candidates to different stages, saving me much time. The platform is designed to make it simple and quick to use, which is a big plus. I also appreciate that it's very straightforward to use all the workflows, so I can spend little time figuring out how to do something. Overall, Recruitee has made my recruitment process much more efficient and streamlined, which is why I continue to use it.

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

My organization was searching for an applicant tracking system (ATS) that could connect to multiple job portals, especially in Europe. In addition, the ATS they wanted should have a user-friendly interface so that both hiring managers and other team members can easily use it and be easy to set up.

The organization needed help with its previous ATS system. Connecting to job portals, especially those targeting European markets, was a significant pain point. Hiring managers and other team members needed help connecting to their google calendar, adding to the frustrations. The user interface of the previous ATS could have been better, making the overall experience negative.

To overcome these issues, the organization decided to switch to Recruitee in August 2022. Recruitee has provided numerous benefits to the organization and effectively solved the pain points they faced with their previous ATS system. With the ability to connect to over 20+ job portals, including regional portals for specific countries, the organization can now reach a broader range of job seekers. The user-friendly interface of Recruitee has made it easier for hiring managers and team members to navigate and use the system, improving their overall experience. Additionally, connecting the google calendar to Recruitee was a breeze, making scheduling and organizing interviews much simpler.

Since August 2022, the organization has been using Recruitee and has found it to be a reliable and efficient solution to their recruitment needs. The ability to create a complete job workflow within the system has made the recruitment process smoother and more organized. The support team of Recruitee is also a plus, providing quick and helpful assistance when needed.

What do you dislike about this tool?

One thing I dislike about Recruitee is the lack of an option for directly promoting jobs on LinkedIn. Currently, Recruitee doesn't have this feature, which can be a drawback for those who rely on LinkedIn for their recruitment process. Not being able to promote jobs directly on LinkedIn adds an extra step to the process and can be time-consuming. I hope that Recruitee will add this feature to enhance the user experience and make the recruitment process more efficient.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Recruitee is different from other applicant tracking systems (ATS) because they have good after-sales service. They listen to customer feedback and make changes based on it. They also have a close relationship with their customers and understand their problems. Other ATS that I have used do not have these features.

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

When buying an applicant tracking system (ATS), people should consider the following criteria:

  • Ability to connect to local job portals
  • User-friendly interface
  • Ease of creating workflows
  • Capability to process offer letters
  • Integration with calendars to schedule meetings.
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

As I have yet to study Recruitee's history in depth, I can only speak about my experience with the company over the past six months. In that time, I have found Recruitee to be highly responsive to their customers' needs. They have been able to integrate the solutions we requested and are in the process of adding new features, such as background check capabilities. They have also recently added more portals to better match the needs of their users. Overall, it is clear that Recruitee is dedicated to making their customers happy and understanding their real-time problems. They go above and beyond to ensure that their users are satisfied with their products and services.

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

Recruitee is a user-friendly tool suitable for organizations in various industries, including IT, healthcare, e-commerce, and startups. Its user-friendly interface makes it accessible to anyone with basic computer knowledge, while advanced features are ideal for HR professionals. This versatility makes Recruitee a good option for organizations of all sizes and types.

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

Recruitee is a user-friendly tool suitable for organizations in various industries, including IT, healthcare, e-commerce, and startups. Its user-friendly interface makes it accessible to anyone with basic computer knowledge, while advanced features are ideal for HR professionals. This versatility makes Recruitee a good option for organizations of all sizes and types.

iCIMS

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iCIMS
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
3.9 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked 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.  
Screenshot of iCIMS Applicant Tracking System Showing Candidate Scores, Hiring Manager Feedback and Job Report

iCIMS Review

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 tool 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 Customers

iCIMS has over 4,000 customers, including Ulta, Target, Microsoft, PwC, Uber, and UPS.

iCIMS Pricing

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.

iCIMS in action
Reviewer's Rating
6/10

When I used iCIMS, my primary tasks involved creating and posting job openings directly through the platform. I drafted and published job descriptions, often customizing them to target different geographic areas or specialized job boards, making it easier to attract diverse candidate pools.

Once applications started coming in, I regularly logged in to review candidate profiles, mark favorites, and update their statuses based on initial qualifications or phone screenings. One feature I found particularly valuable was the batch emailing function, which allowed me to send personalized but efficient messages to multiple applicants who didn’t move forward, saving significant time compared to individual notifications.

Beyond these core recruitment processes—posting jobs, screening applicants, and batch communications—I didn’t explore advanced capabilities. For example, I didn’t use it for onboarding or detailed analytics. My usage was strictly focused on the day-to-day management of candidate workflows within recruiting.

What do you like about this tool?

I liked how straightforward iCIMS was for posting job openings across multiple job boards, including niche sites that would otherwise be time-consuming to manage individually.

The candidate review interface was another standout, making it easy to scan resumes and application data side by side for faster comparisons.

The ability to group rejected candidates and send personalized bulk updates significantly streamlined communication, reducing manual tasks.

Overall, it provided practical features that made recruitment less tedious.

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

We selected iCIMS as our Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to streamline the hiring process, from job posting to candidate management. Our adoption of iCIMS was initially driven by a requirement set by a larger partnering company, which mandated using this platform to ensure consistency and compliance.

iCIMS provided key benefits, such as the ability to post job openings across multiple platforms and locations, improving our recruiting visibility and efficiency. It also helped centralize candidate information, simplifying applicant tracking, communication, and reporting.

We used iCIMS for approximately one year, during which it proved valuable in consolidating recruitment workflows and ensuring that our hiring processes aligned with broader organizational standards. While our initial adoption was externally driven, the platform’s functionalities genuinely supported our recruitment needs.

What do you dislike about this tool?

One frustration with iCIMS was how clunky and outdated the interface felt—it wasn’t intuitive at all. Navigating between candidate profiles required multiple clicks and page reloads, slowing down the process.

The search function was unreliable; even when entering a candidate’s exact name, the system sometimes failed to pull them up. It wasn’t built for speed or ease of use, which made juggling multiple positions at once more difficult.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Compared to competitors like Lever or Greenhouse, iCIMS felt more geared toward larger, compliance-focused companies rather than smaller, agile teams. It offered built-in workflows designed for enterprise-level HR processes, which was helpful for organizations needing standardized hiring steps aligned with corporate guidelines.

However, it lacked the flexible customization and user-friendly, drag-and-drop simplicity found in newer, startup-oriented platforms. It prioritized structured hiring practices over ease of use, making it better suited for organizations with more rigid hiring requirements.

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

Make sure your recruiters test-drive the system first, especially for daily tasks like bulk emailing candidates, posting to specialty job boards, and managing complex candidate pipelines. If the workflow feels clunky or slows them down, a simpler solution might be a better fit.

Also, consider how frequently your hiring needs change—if you often restructure processes, you'll want a tool that offers flexibility without requiring constant IT support or service tickets.

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

When I used iCIMS, updates focused mainly on improving third-party integrations, such as background check providers and calendar apps. Early on, scheduling interviews required manual workarounds, but a later update enabled direct syncing with Outlook and Google Calendar.

Over time, the platform became slightly less cumbersome, but the core interface itself remained largely unchanged. Most improvements were behind the scenes or integration-related rather than visual or usability upgrades.

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

iCIMS is best for mid-to-large companies with structured, compliance-heavy hiring requirements. Organizations managing multiple locations, complex regulatory issues, or requiring detailed audit trails—such as healthcare systems, universities, or large retail chains—would benefit the most.

It’s ideal for companies that prioritize consistency in recruitment processes over modern interfaces.

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

Smaller businesses or startups that want quick setup, flexibility, and a modern user interface won't vibe with iCIMS. If your recruitment team moves quickly, experiments a lot, or often tweaks hiring workflows on the fly, you'd likely get frustrated by how rigid it can feel. It isn't built for teams who prioritize speed and simplicity over detailed processes and extensive documentation.

Avature

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Avature
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.4 / 5
Product Score
4.2 / 5

Why we picked 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.
Screenshot of Avanture Applicant Tracking System Dashboard Showing Active Jobs and New Candidates

Avature Review

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 premium tool for large teams. Those that operate at a global enterprise scale will get the most out of Avature.

Avature Customers

More than 6,500 companies use Avature. This includes Shell, Cisco, L'Oréal, Mondelez, Siemens, and KPMG.

Avature Pricing

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.

Avature in action
Reviewer's Rating
5/10

My teams use Avature to track passive sourcing productivity on a weekly basis. We also use it for candidate outreach and engagement. Our teams track candidate progress through the recruitment funnel, from initial screening to hire.

As a leader, I use the dashboards to monitor daily, weekly, and monthly productivity by team and recruiter. I also audit for time in process to ensure candidates are not sitting in one stage for too long.

What do you like about this tool?
  • Avature is relatively easy to navigate from a recruiter’s perspective.
  • The platform is highly customizable for reporting, dashboards, and recruitment process steps.
  • I appreciate the ability to engage and conduct candidate outreach directly within the platform.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

Our organization has used Avature since 2021. I have personally used it since January 2022. We needed a system to capture sourcing and recruiting information for our internal teams within the RPO.

We also required a CRM or ATS with dashboard functionality for auditing and reporting purposes. Candidate engagement was another key area we aimed to address. Compliance and regulation, particularly in the EU, were additional priorities the platform needed to support.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • There is a steep learning curve, especially regarding recruitment steps and submitting support tickets for basic corrections.
  • Because of its high level of customization, the system requires substantial configuration and support to implement changes or create specific reports.
  • The reporting feature is not intuitive and can be cumbersome to use.
  • It can be difficult to distinguish between multiple candidate profiles when searching for individuals with common names.
How is this tool different than their competitors?
  • Avature stands out because it can function as both an ATS and a CRM, or just one, which is uncommon among similar tools.
  • It is also more customizable at the user level than many other platforms.
  • This flexibility is valuable when modifying reports or adjusting steps in the recruitment process.
What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
  • Cost is a critical factor to compare, as prices vary significantly across ATS and CRM solutions.
  • Integration is essential for seamless functionality with HRIS and other recruitment tools.
  • It’s important to evaluate whether the platform supports global recruitment and hiring.
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Since I began using the system, Avature has introduced two key features. One is AI integration for ranking candidates, which evaluates skills, experience, and education to save recruiters time by assigning scores and providing transparency behind those scores.

Analytics capabilities have also improved, offering deeper insights into reporting and helping to identify bottlenecks and enhance efficiency.

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

Avature is well suited for RPOs and organizations with global recruitment strategies. It is ideal for large enterprises with complex hiring needs and for teams needing a CRM to track passive sourcing. It also supports internal recruitment efforts effectively.

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

Companies seeking a straightforward, plug-and-play solution may find Avature challenging due to its complexity and learning curve.

It may also not be suitable for organizations that lack an internal system administrator or dedicated support resources.

Lever

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Lever
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.3 / 5
Product Score
4.3 / 5

Why we picked 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 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

  • 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. 
  • According to most users, Lever's UI is very intuitive and easy to learn.  
  • Lever combines the capabilities of an ATS and a CRM into a single platform that not only supports your current hiring needs but allows you to actively engage and nurture prospective qualified candidates for future roles.
  • Lever takes diversity hiring into consideration with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) surveys that help you collect diversity data from applicants, sourced candidates, and referrals regardless of whether they applied to an open position or not.
  • Lever provides role-based visual analytics with over 20 key TA metrics in its basic TRM package.

CONS

  • Undisclosed pricing and no free plan or trial version.
  • 3rd party integrations in place of features that could be built in.
  • No mobile apps.
  • Lever doesn't disclose their pricing on their website. Interested users are also not able to create trial accounts on their own. 
  • The platform doesn’t have features for background or reference checking but they do integrate with third-party solutions that specialize in those checks. 
  • Lever currently lacks a mobile app, but the platform is optimized for mobile use.
Screenshot of Lever Applicant Tracking System Showing Job Applications Received in Customer Success Department

Lever Review

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 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).

Our testers found some shortcomings in line with other reviews you might read: resume parsing, and report generation features could be improved.

Lever Customers

Lever is used by over 5,000 companies, including Netflix, Shopify, Eventbrite, Cirque du Soliel, and Reddit.

Lever Pricing

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.

Lever in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

Our talent acquisition team quickly realized it was a powerful ATS, which helped us streamline our hiring process.

Some of the key workflows we used Lever for was hiring team collaboration as we can set provide multiple employees access to a specific job, reducing the time of sending resumes to each collaborator to review resumes. We could also set up their viewing abilities which allow us to only provide hiring managers the chance to change the status of the applicant.

We use it for job postings as well as it allows us to post jobs directly to our website from Lever. Earlier it was very time-consuming to have a job posted on our website, and all applicants came to us via email whereas in this case, they go directly into Lever making it much easier and quicker to review applicants and respond to them.

As a part of the talent acquisition team, we also use Lever to distribute our job postings to job boards and social media platforms. We particularly use it to manage job posts on LinkedIn and it also then helps us track candidate sourcing channels. We are also able to track any employee candidate referrals, which was earlier done manually.

Lastly, with Lever - managing interviews scheduling has been very easy too. We are able to manage automatically scheduling based on the interviewer's schedules. Earlier there were a lot of back-and-forth emails being sent to do the same which ended up being very time-consuming.

The customizable workflows have been a great benefit to reduce time to hire and help collaborate with team members on each job.

What do you like about this tool?
  • The ability to manage collaborative hiring with ease. This has reduced the need for email communications, and Slack messages with constant back and forth.
  • The Lever UI is quite user-friendly, it is easy to use which makes it easy to introduce the platform to hiring managers and new recruiters with minimum training.
  • The ability to integrate your calendar and availability of interviewers into Lever has allowed us to save a lot of time and effort in scheduling interviews with applicants. This reduces the efforts needed to schedule multiple rounds of interviews and also helps us with candidate communications which was a concern in the past.
  • We are also able to get data driven reports which help us understand how we are doing on each job and make any updates as needed to ensure we are using processes which are effective.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

Our team was growing and we were in a situation where we had to automate our recruitment process within the organization. We had many jobs open and various hiring managers, so managing it with spreadsheets and documents was getting difficult. The organization's time to close roles was too long as well.

After reviewing many ATS, we decided on Lever. We chose Lever because it had many customizations that would be useful to make sure we were able to make the ATS customized to the needs of our hiring managers, our collaborators, and our applicants.

We also felt that integrations Lever offers such as Zoom and Slack were an advantage as our organization was already using these applications within the organizations. We can use Zoom to schedule interviews and we use Slack to collaborate with candidates as well which is terrific. Personally, I have been using personally for over 3 years.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • While Lever has a great UI, sometimes for users who never have used an ATS, it can take a little time to learn how to use it, and the training available to us was pretty much online only.
  • Support can be limited and slow on occasion, where we need to wait for a response via email which can sometimes cause delays
  • The cost of the ATS is good only for larger teams, I think for small businesses the price of Lever may be higher than the benefits it brings especially if working with smaller budgets.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

Lever's level of customization with workflows is better than many ATS that I have used in the past like Jazz and Bamboo which has helped us customize the platform to our organization's needs.

Lever's scheduling system with integrated calendars and the ability to send calendar invites is a huge plus which many ats do not have.

Lever's level of candidate communications is similar to most ATS, but I do like how quickly an email or message can be sent to a candidate.

One of the areas some alternatives are better is not having an App, when on the move, or working remotely an app can be a plus

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

I think the pricing is important for all organizations, determining your needs from how many open jobs you anticipate per year will help determine the cost incurred for each hire when using an ATS.

It is important to ensure the features your organization needs are provided by the ATS you chose. For instance, some companies may not want all workflows automated only a few. A basic

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

I believe they do have constant updates to their UI, and workflow options, and increase integrations as they come available.

One of the notable changes has been the diversity, equity, and inclusion section that they have included which has been beneficial in hiring in line with new talent acquisition policies of the organization which aim to reduce biases when hiring.

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

The Lever ATS can be a good fit for organizations of various sizes and industries, but I think it is well suited for teams with strong hiring collaboration, teams seeking data driven hiring results and lastly looking for an ATS that can handle scalability. With Lever, it is very easy to involve many team members in a single hiring process which makes it easy for us to work together. Reporting is essential for each organization, with Lever it is easier. Lever provides valuable insights with reports which can help find areas that need focus and improvement quickly. Lastly, with Lever, you can manage to scale with market fluctuations, economic changes, and updates to hiring needs where you can scale up or down as needed.

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

I would say a very small business with limited hiring needs. A team with a couple of collaborators may not find the full use of Lever. For smaller businesses, they may not find the full use of Lever.

Teamtailor

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

Why we picked Teamtailor

Teamtailor blends ease of use with flexible branding and candidate experience features. We were especially impressed by their 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.
Screenshot of Teamtailor Applicant Tracking System Showing My Jobs, To Do List and Other Updates.

Teamtailor Review

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.

Teamtailor applicant tracking system dashboard

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.

Teamtailor Customers

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

Teamtailor Pricing

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.

Teamtailor in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

We used teamtailor to publish jobs to job boards and social media and update or deactivate postings. We also were able to set up recruiting teams and set up the questions we needed for candidates. Also, it was very useful in keeping track of the many candidates, where they were in the process and, if they were not selected, the reasons why. We also used the triggers to communicate with candidates throughout the process, get needed information, and track communications. We also created career pages to better attract candidates and give a better sense of our company to potential applicants and increase the number of applicants.

What do you like about this tool?

I really liked the templates to create career pages, and felt it gave users a sense of the company and really made us look polished. The ability to track candidates was a huge advantage, eliminating the need to remember or to scroll through notes or emails to recall where someone was in the hiring process. I felt it was really easy for the entire team to use, especially hiring managers who are not in the HR department and needed an intuitive, simple way to participate.

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

I used teamtailor for a little over a year, and it was incredibly helpful in attracting and recruiting hard-to-get top talent. We needed our company to stand out, and to create an experience for applicants that would give a sense of our culture and why we are special and unique to work for. The ease with which we could create ads, the great templates provided, and the overall immersive experience for applicants improved not just the quality and number of applicants we received, but the conversion to hires. We also felt that throughout the process, our candidates had a better sense of who we are and seemed more engaged in the interviewing process as a result. Also, it integrated well with the various job boards and social media we needed to use, making it more efficient in getting the word out regarding openings.

What do you dislike about this tool?

I was not impressed with the analytics. Also, though it makes communicating and tracking candidates easy, being able to opt out of automatic emails would have been good on occasions, and it didn't have flexibility that way. Sometimes there were issues with scheduling too, and it didn't seem to always coordinate people's calendars completely.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

This is a very comprehensive and complete ATS, and very easy to use. I have only used one other, and would say that teamtailor had better features and was easier to use.

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

I think it is important to consider the needs of the business. If you don't do extensive recruiting, this product may be more than you need. Is simply posting ads and getting responses enough, or are you finding a lack of quality candidates? If so, this may solve that. Are you hiring candidates who are in very high demand? If so, you should consider how you are presenting your company and if the process and features this tool provides may be able to make it more attractive to such candidates and is often what they expect.

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

It appears the company has increased the amount of knowledge, advice and resources regarding the recruiting process to users over time.

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

This is ideal for an organization that does a great deal of hiring, and has a lot of people involved in the hiring process. It is also great for companies that need to hire candidates that are in very high demand.

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

I think a small company that doesn't have a lot of hiring, or that maybe has mostly part time or more entry level jobs may not need something like this.

SmartRecruiters

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SmartRecruiters
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked 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 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.
Screenshot of SmartRecruiters Applicant Tracking System Showing Candidate Applications and Their Status

SmartRecruiters Review

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 platform 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.

SmartRecruiters Customers

More than 5,000 companies, including Ikea, Visa, LinkedIn, Equinox, and Skechers

SmartRecruiters Pricing

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.

SmartRecruiters in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

SmartRecruiters is an essential tool in my recruitment process. It covers all aspects of the hiring process, from posting job openings to screening resumes, conducting phone interviews, and presenting job offers to candidates. SmartRecruiters also helps me keep track of all candidate data, including rejected applicants and past applications. This allows me to have a comprehensive view of all my recruitment efforts and ensures that no important information is lost.

What do you like about this tool?

I have a positive opinion of SmartRecruiters as I find it easy to use and its interface straightforward. I like its ability to store and manage candidate data, as well as its integration with tools for organizing interviews and generating reports for my manager. These features make SmartRecruiters an effective and convenient tool in the recruitment process.

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

My organization bought SmartRecruiters 2 years ago to help solve the issue of managing applicant data and to streamline the recruitment process. With SmartRecruiters, they can keep track of all past applications, allow hiring managers to screen, reject, and make job offers in one place, and easily schedule interviews through integration with Google Calendar.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Firstly, I find it challenging to integrate other applications like Checkr, etc. with SmartRecruiters. Secondly, there are a very limited number of job portals that can be linked with SmartRecruiters. There are many small to big job portals that are still not available on their platform.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

SmartRecruiters distinguishes itself from other competitors by offering a user-friendly interface, constantly adding new features, and integrating well with daily tools like Zoom and Calendly. This makes it easier for users to manage candidate data and extend job offers, all within a single platform.

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

People should consider the following factors when buying a recruitment tool like SmartRecruiters: ease of use, the size of their organization, the desired job portals, and pricing. These are key elements that can impact the effectiveness and efficiency of the recruitment process, and it's important to consider these factors before making a decision.

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

SmartRecruiters has made significant improvements over time. They have expanded the number of job portals available every month, improved their support team's response time, and have shown a commitment to addressing user feedback. These advancements have helped make SmartRecruiters a more effective and efficient tool for managing recruitment efforts.

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

SmartRecruiters is well-suited for organizations that utilize technology in their hiring process, experience high volumes of monthly hiring, and are seeking a comprehensive HR information system rather than just an applicant tracking system. With its user-friendly interface, ability to integrate with other tools, and robust features for managing candidate data, SmartRecruiters can provide a seamless and streamlined recruitment experience for these types of organizations.

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

SmartRecruiters may not be the best option for industries like construction or labor-oriented fields where paper-based applications are still widely used. These industries may not have the infrastructure or technology in place to fully utilize the features and benefits of SmartRecruiters, making it a less suitable solution for their recruitment needs.

Rippling

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Rippling
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked 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
Screenshot of ATS Rippling showing its new hire onboarding feature

Rippling Review

Ripplings ATS offers intelligent, intuitive workflows built into dozens of features and automation.

Typically, when an HRIS adds an ATS 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.

Rippling Customers

Bank of America, Motorola, Citigroup, Inc., Dwell, Superhuman, Expensify, Checkr

Rippling Pricing

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.

Rippling in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

We used Rippling to input new hires and manage current employees. Employee information was stored on the platform. We used it to enroll employees in benefits and provide the team with an easy way to enroll in their plans or download their plan summaries. We also used it for payroll and to process yearly bonuses. Additionally, we relied on Rippling for compliance purposes. Their team would provide advice on compliance issues, HR support, and updates on new laws applicable to us.

What do you like about this tool?

I love the ease of use and the way it's laid out. I appreciate that there’s one place for all information. I also like that they have many useful tools, so as the company grows, they can adapt other features within their system (like performance evaluations, tracking, and learning management trainings).

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

Our company needed an HRIS system that would allow us to handle payroll, administer benefits, and provide compliance advice. We used Rippling for one year. The key benefit Rippling provided was a one-stop shop where everything could be tracked and kept together in one place, rather than having to visit different sites for various tasks (e.g., payroll, compliance, etc.). We were originally using an Excel file to track employee data. We switched to Rippling to store this data on their platform in a more secure and user-friendly way.

What do you dislike about this tool?

We used it as a PEO, and the health plans offered weren’t as competitively priced as if we had brought benefits in-house. Additionally, the benefit rates increased during open enrollment. I also dislike the $65 per employee, per month fee, which I find a bit steep.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Rippling is very comparable to other PEOs. What sets it apart is that they allow you to continue using their HRIS platform for HR, employee data tracking, and payroll even if your company decides to leave the PEO and bring benefits in-house. This flexibility is helpful, as it allows you to start with them as a PEO and transition to their standalone platform without searching for a new system, making the process easier.

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

The fees per employee per year are important to consider. If you’re in a period of rapid growth, make sure to account for expected new hires in your budget. You’ll also want to decide which features you’ll actually use. For example, we didn’t use their recruitment feature because we had a different system for that, but Rippling does offer a recruitment tool. The more features you use, the higher the cost, so be mindful of that.

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

I think their customer service improved from the time we started using them until we stopped. Initially, they didn’t have a designated rep for companies, so you had to go through their experts and didn’t always get the same person helping you, which could be frustrating. By the end of the year, we noticed improvements in their customer service, which was a positive development.

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

Rippling is great for any company with more than 10 employees. It’s ideal for small companies using a PEO, especially if employees are spread across multiple states. For larger companies that want to stop using a PEO and bring benefits in-house, Rippling is still very effective as an HRIS system for data tracking.

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

Rippling may not be worth the cost for companies with fewer than 10 employees. In that case, it might be better to avoid the PEO fees. If all employees are in one state, I would recommend using a broker for insurance and managing employee data and recruitment in-house instead.

Spark Hire

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Spark Hire
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Popularity Score
4.4 / 5
User Score
4.8 / 5
Product Score
4.8 / 5

Why we picked 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 applicant tracking system dashboard

Spark Hire Review

Spark Hire Recruit enables truly collaborative hiring, and that's no easy task. All top-tier ATSs 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.

Spark Hire Customers

7,000+ including Fiverr, Monday.com, Sodastream, Vimeo, and KPMG.

Spark Hire Pricing

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). 

Spark Hire in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

We use Spark hire as the one-way video platform for all of our roles at the AMA. This is the first step after application to engage with candidates. We send them to the Spark hire app through a link in our ATS messaging and the hiring manager reviews, rates and comments on each question in a thorough way to ensure there is no bias in their decision making.

After the Spark hire interview, we have a better idea how a candidate shares their thoughts, how they understand the questions and show off their critical thinking skills. Once a candidate makes it through that first step, if the hiring manager would like to move them forward to a phone interview with me, I refer to the answers provided in Spark hire and refer to them. This again shows candidates that we are paying attention to what they have told us and that we are engaged. This is a marked difference from other organizations.

After the phone interview, hiring managers determine who is moved to the final step of the process, a Virtual Interview.

What do you like about this tool?

I love how easy it is for me as an admin and for our hiring managers. The candidate experience is fantastic as well.I love that you can turn what can feel like an impersonal experience for candidates into a more activated and engaged process. I also love that the interviews can be done when it’s most convenient for the candidate. Oftentimes, we receive these interviews after hours or overnight. Having this timeline allows candidates to provide thoughtful responses.

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

We engaged with Spark hire at the end of 2019. We've been using it for over three years. The reason we started with it was due to the lack of mobile application of our old tool. We were looking for a more inclusive tool and Spark hire absolutely solved for this problem. We also wanted this to be a more personal experience for our candidates and we loved being able to record intro and outro videos for our candidates as well as record the questions so that the candidates knew there was someone there and that someone was me! We also liked the idea of unlimited think time. It takes some of the initial resistance away from candidates when they see that we want them to succeed and bring their best selves to the interview process.

What do you dislike about this tool?

The feedback section can be tricky. We would like the Discuss Answer to be the default place to take notes for candidate responses rather than in the Add Comment section which isn't viewable by the recruiter.

I am disappointed that there isn’t an integration with our ATS, which causes hiring managers to engage with two separate platforms rather than just one.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Quality of service, flawless candidate, and customer experience.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
  • Cost - this is a fantastic solution and worth every penny.
  • Implementation - this is where Spark hire shines. Implementation is robust and training is thorough.
  • Ease of use for candidates - When your candidates can get to know you and your company through intros/outros, you’d be surprised at how much of a difference it makes in their experience.
  • Ease of use for hiring managers and recruiters - The system is very easy to use which removes a barrier for hiring managers and recruiters since they’re using a 2nd system outside of our ATS.
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Over time, they have made some minor tweaks and added new features to the whole platform that have greatly helped with overall user experience and analytics capabilities.

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

All: recruiter, hiring manager, the candidate.

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

Any organization that doesn't need a personal touch or high accountability from recruiters and hiring managers would not appreciate this tool.

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.

Other benefits include improved employer branding, access to detailed analytics, and seamless engagement of managers and employees outside of HR and TA 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, you can bet these workflows won’t be interchangeable.
  • ‍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.

Pro Tips on Applicant Tracking Systems

How To Choose an ATS

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 the following pricing structures:

  • 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.
  • Pay per user: This model is best suited for small teams with limited recruiter usage, like ours! It charges a monthly fee for each active user of the ATS.
  • 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.
  • Pay per module: This model is suitable for companies with an existing HR platform that includes ATS as an add-on. It allows companies to pay for only the ATS module they need, rather than the entire platform.

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.

ATS Key Features

The best 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 at least one form of AI-powered recruiting feature 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.
The Importance of a Landing Page for Recruitment

  • 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 when selecting an applicant tracking system to support your organization's growth and operational needs.

  • 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 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 bi-directional 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.

FAQs

What is ATS?

ATS stands for applicant tracking system, 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 an ATS and an HRIS?

An ATS (applicant tracking 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 and CRM?

ATS 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.

SSR Expert Sharing Advice on Buying Applicant Tracking Software

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