When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn Most recruiters’ favorite aspect of their jobs? Changing candidates’ lives with dream roles. I’ll take a wild guess that managing recruitment admin isn’t that high up the perks list.
But that’s ok — because the best recruiting software reduces the admin. With features including candidate sourcing and tracking, AI resume parsing, and collaborative scorecard reviews, it helps you find better hires in shorter timeframes. Meanwhile, you can enjoy building candidate relationships.
Hiring tools vary a lot, from applicant sourcing and tracking only, to broader solutions including interviews and onboarding. Thankfully, I’ve researched the best recruiting software using demos, company materials, and user reviews. My review below include feature highlights, pros and cons, and. You can also see how the top 20 recruiting systems compare.
Best Recruitment Software 2024
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What is Recruitment Software?
Recruitment software is a combination of applicant tracking, assessment, and communication features that help recruitment departments (or agencies) find the right hires faster and more cost-effectively.
For instance, you can post to and capture applications from multiple job boards, get profile highlights using resume parsing, and automate candidate communications such as interview invites.
How to Choose HR Recruitment Software
When making your selection of HR recruitment software and recruiting systems, consider a few key features.
Set a monthly or annual recruitment software budget. Then, compare it against our average software prices to check, broadly, what plan tier meets your budget. Mention your budget upfront when requesting custom quotes.
Test how intuitively you navigate between different features (e.g., from sourcing to reporting) and how fast you complete tasks (e.g., job posting). You want non-techy recruiters to use the platform without much training.
Double-check that the provider offers a mobile app for your team’s devices. Also ensure it offers compatible HR integrations (e.g., payroll, e-sign) on your chosen plan.
Split your desired recruiting features into must-haves and nice-to-haves. For instance, must-haves might include sourcing and advanced reporting, while interview scheduling is a nice-to-have. Shortlist the platforms that offer your must-haves within your budget, and consider nice-to-haves as add-ons.
Your platform’s capabilities should grow along with your hiring needs. Ensure that higher-tier features or add-ons are available when you need them — such as advanced automation and compliance tracking.
Consider your team’s technical and customization needs. Will general live chat support suffice, or will your power users need hands-on dedicated success managers? (Pro tip: Check out real-life user experiences on sites like Trustpilot.)
The Best Recruiting Software 2024 Reviewed
Here are my unbiased reviews for 7 top recruiting platforms. I evaluated features and prices, checked user testimonials, and watched or tested software demos hands-on. Check out our methodology for more info on our testing.
Greenhouse — Best for Small to Mid-sized Businesses
| Free Trial | Demo available |
|---|---|
| Price From | Custom pricing |
| Live Chat | ✅ |
| Integrations | Calendly, Checkr, DocuSign, LinkedIn, Microsoft 365, ResumeLibrary |
| Top 3 Features | Hiring campaign management, Workflow automation, Robust reports |
Why I Picked It
Greenhouse is a leading recruitment platform that shines across sourcing, interview management, reporting, and workflow automation. It’s ready to use out of the box, while some competitors require lengthy setups, making Greenhouse ideal for small and mid-size businesses.
Features
Greenhouse lets you tackle recruitment end-to-end, from sourcing to interview and onboarding. Compared with competitors like BambooHR, its standout feature is its robust yet easy-to-configure reports.
Here are the top features for Greenhouse:
- Candidate Sourcing – After creating my job post, I can distribute (and promote) it across 1,000+ boards (e.g., LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter). I like that the prospecting feature quickly grabs accurate passive candidate details.
- Hiring Campaign Management – I can automate applicant emails at every campaign stage and send offers in a couple of clicks.
- Interviewing Tools – I can structure my interview process front-to-back for each role. For instance, I can customize recommended questions and candidate scorecards.
- Workflow Automation – I can automate repetitive tasks with rules like, “Send candidate a telephone interview invitation when their score is 85% or higher.”
- Robust Reports – I can access ready-made reports spotlighting, for example, my top candidate sources and individual recruiter performance. My dashboard also shows me top-level figures, such as the average time to hire.
Plus, Greenhouse offers in-depth candidate profiles (including interview performance), diversity and inclusion tools, including resume anonymization, onboarding checklists, and self-paced learning resources (such as video tutorials), in addition to technical customer support.
I also think Greenhouse has the most comprehensive and user-friendly recruiting app among its competitors. I can intuitively review and progress applications, approve job openings and offers, create reports, and more.
Greenhouse Pricing
Greenhouse tailors quotes to your team’s needs, including your employee count and desired add-ons. There are three plans: Essential, Advanced, and Expert. However, all plans are custom quotes only.
Essential covers multi-channel sourcing, automated tasks, and basic interview flows, while Advanced lets you customize reports and set bulk workflow actions, providing more insight and saving time. Advanced would suit most businesses, while Essential could suit startups and growing small businesses.
Who is Greenhouse Best For?
Greenhouse is best for small to medium-sized businesses tracking end-to-end candidate journeys with reporting rigor.
Pros 
- Intuitive interface
- Powerful reporting
- DE&I features that reduce hiring bias
- Workflow automation
- Customizable scorecards
Cons 
- Many users want simpler permission management
- No AI-driven screening
- No free trial
Tracker — Best ATS & CRM for Staffing and Recruiting Firms
| Free Trial | Demo available |
|---|---|
| Price From | Custom pricing |
| Live Chat | ✅ |
| Integrations | ChatGPT, DocuSign, Indeed, Intuit Quickbooks, LinkedIn, RingCentral |
| Top 3 Features | Candidate CRM, AI ranking, Client communications |
Why I Picked It
Tracker offers a complete solution for staffing and recruiting firms, featuring client collaboration and advanced candidate profiling on top of sourcing and job marketing.
Features
Tracker has especially strong candidate search, ranking, and profiling features when compared with competitors like Pinpoint. Plus, you can automate tasks, market job openings, and share video materials with clients.
Tracker’s top features are:
- Candidate Sourcing and Tracking – Tracker turns my job spec into posts for +1,000 job boards. It also automatically parses resume data. I can shortlist or reject profiles with one click and see my job pipelines on a kanban-style board (great for visually-inclined recruiters.)
- Candidate CRM – I find the CRM’s search function very robust — using Excel-style checklists, I can filter candidates by availability dates, job titles, and more. Profiles are also highly detailed. I can see candidates’ job experience, interview notes, and previous campaign comms.
- AI Ranking – The AI tool analyzes applicant-job matches and continuously learns from past hiring decisions (e.g., who got an interview or an offer). It then provides a shortlist I can review.
- Marketing Tools – I can send unlimited email campaigns to nurture my candidates with personalized fields (e.g., role title) and triggered scheduling (e.g., send on onboarding day). I like that I have SMS texting and web form options too.
- Client Communication – This is a big plus for agency users. I can record candidate interviews in Tracker and share videos with my team and clients. I can also swiftly embed videos in emails and share video resumes with employers.
In addition, Tracker offers a customizable analytics dashboard, reports, recruitment KPI tracking, placement scheduling and timesheets, and client-side sales and marketing tools.
Tracker Pricing
Tracker offers three pricing plans and your custom quote depends on your team size and software add-ons. Similar to Greenhouse, Tracker offers a Starter, Professional, and Enterprise plan, and each plan is quoted individually.
All plans feature CRM and ATS tools, job board posting, and AI ranking. However, Starter only allows up to 5 users and doesn’t include collaboration, marketing, or automation (though you can pay extra for them.) Professional, meanwhile, would suit most recruitment firms, allowing 5+ users and collaboration, marketing, and automation features.
Who is Tracker Best For?
Tracker is best for recruiting and staffing agencies with high candidate volumes.
Pros
- Robust CRM and candidate tracking
- AI-powered ranking
- Video interviews and resumes
- Intuitive navigation
Cons
- No dedicated success manager on the Starter plan
- No more than 4 users on Starter plan
Pinpoint — Best for In-house Talent Acquisition and HR Teams
| Free Trial | Demo available |
|---|---|
| Price From | Custom pricing |
| Live Chat | ✅ |
| Integrations | BambooHR, Gusto, Indeed, LinkedIn, TrustID, Zapier |
| Top 3 Features | Job requisition workflows, Blind application tracking, Candidate feedback surveys |
Why I Picked It
Pinpoint is a comprehensive recruitment platform with a modern interface. Unlike some competitors, it lets you manage candidates from multiple sources, including employee referrals and agency picks — making it ideal for in-house HR teams.
Features
Value-add features such as job requisition, onboarding, and candidate feedback surveys set Pinpoint apart.
Here are the top Pinpoint highlights:
- Sourcing Browser Extension – I have a job board profile open and the Pinpoint browser extension saves the candidate data to the database in one click.
- Job Requisition Workflows – It’s super useful to in-house teams to streamline requisition approvals. I can create multi-stage approval workflows involving different stakeholders and add unlimited sign-offs.
- Blind Application Tracking – I can anonymize candidates’ identifiable info (e.g., name and age) so my team evaluates applications based on qualifications, skills, and experience only. This helps reduce bias and foster diversity and inclusion.
- Onboarding tools: Candidates who accept my offer go straight through Pinpoint’s onboarding flow. It feels easy to collect right-to-work info, send handbooks, and track new starter progress.
- Candidate feedback surveys: I can customize questions and automate surveys in an intuitive interface. In the long run, feedback data helps me better attract candidates and increase offer acceptance rates.
With Pinpoint, I can also manage candidates from recruitment agencies and employee referrals, customize online application forms, auto-translate my forms and emails in other languages, schedule video interviews, and customize and send offer letters.
Pinpoint Pricing
Pinpoint doesn’t advertise its subscription plans or pricing. However, you can select modules from Attract (sourcing), Hire (applicant tracking), and Onboard.
Having spoken to a Pinpoint sales rep, I understand prices can broadly range from $4,800 – $9,600 per year for a team of 40-50 employees.
The Starter plan includes limited job board posting, interview scheduling, and custom application forms — with onboarding as a ~$1,200/year add-on. The Advanced plan, meanwhile, would also include anonymized screening, referrals, requisitions, and extra job boards. The quote I received is comparable to Workable’s publicly advertised prices for 20-50 employees.
Who is Pinpoint Best For?
Pinpoint is best for in-house recruiters with multiple talent sources, managing active and passive candidates, plus new starters.
Pros
- Sleek, modern interface
- Job requisition approval
- Agency and referral candidate tracking
- Feedback surveys
- Anonymized applications
Cons
- Plan components could be more transparent
- No AI application scanning
Workable — Best for Sourcing Qualified Candidates Using AI
| Free Trial | 15-day free trial |
|---|---|
| Price From | $149/month |
| Live Chat | ✅ |
| Integrations | BambooHR, Checkr, Deel, Indeed, LinkedIn, Rippling, Zoom |
| Top 3 Features | AI passive sourcing, One-way interviews, Assessments |
Why I Picked It
Workable is a reliable and highly intuitive recruitment platform that, unlike some competitors, also offers handy HR features like time off management. I love the distinct feel of the interface — designed like a journey rather than an endless form.
Features
While Workable boasts an almost overwhelming set of features, the navigation is simple enough, even for non-tech users. Shiny tools like the AI-powered “headhunter”, one-way interviews, and pre-built assessments set Workable apart from competitors like Greenhouse and Pinpoint.
Here are Workable’s top features:
- Active and passive sourcing: With a few clicks, I can post job ads on boards like LinkedIn and Indeed. The browser extension also absorbs prospect info in a click. However, I notice that its 200+ job boards lag behind the 1000+ offered by competitors like Greenhouse and Tracker.
- Recruiter AI: The AI searches 400+ million profiles to produce shortlists for my job openings. It can also draft job ads based on my past hiring data and summarize candidate profiles. This productivity boost makes up for the lower number of job boards.
- Team collaboration: After adding my coworkers, we can add notes, comments, and action items on candidate profiles. I can also set triggers for team Slack notifications like, say, getting new comments on a candidate.
- One-way video interviews: I love this feature. I simply customize my interview questions and automate email invites, then candidates “attend” the one-way interviews in their own time — all in Workable. My team then reviews the recorded interviews.
- Online assessments: I can add assessments to my hiring flow and track results in real-time. While Workable only offers cognitive and personality tests (lacking role-specific and software tests, for example), I can integrate with third-party platforms like TestGorilla for more robust testing.
With Workable, I can also automate tasks, save job templates, estimate salaries (for an extra fee), manage my LinkedIn Recruiter account, send candidate surveys and offer letters, build careers pages, and manage internal referrals.
Plus, all plans include basic HR features — namely, an employee directory, an org chart, and file storage. Modules like onboarding and payroll integration cost extra.
Workable Pricing
Workable offers three plans and a free 15-day trial (no credit card required).
| Plan | Monthly | Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $149/month | Not available |
| Standard | Starts at $360/month for 1-20 employees | Starts at $3,588 for 1-20 employees ($299/month – 20% off) |
| Premier | Not available | Starts at $7,188 for 1-20 employees ($599/month) |
While small businesses with under 20 employees could manage with the Starter plan’s two-active-jobs ceiling, most employers would benefit from Standard’s unlimited active jobs.
The recruiting system offers multiple add-ons to each pricing level. I’ve outlined them below to help you more accurately compare costs.
| Add-on | Starter | Standard | Premier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texting | $39/month | $79/month | Included |
| Video interviews | $49/month | $59/month | Included |
| Assessments | $29/month | $99/month | Included |
| HR module (time off management, e-signatures, onboarding, payroll integrations) | $40/month | $18/month | $29/month |
I like that Workable has transparent pricing, making it easy to get a full understanding of total costs.
Who is Workable Best For?
Workable is best for busy in-house HR teams hiring specialists, especially in remote-capable roles.
Pros
- Free 15-day trial
- Handy AI features
- Assessments and one-way interviews
- Optional (and affordable) HR module
- Extra-smooth user journey
Cons
- Monthly vs. annual option on mid-tier plan only
- Fewer job board integrations than other platforms
BambooHR — Best for Recruiting Tools Within a Full HRIS Suite
| Free Trial | 7-day free trial |
|---|---|
| Price From | Custom pricing |
| Live Chat | ✅ |
| Integrations | Checkr, Deel, Greenhouse, iMocha, Netsuite, Slack, Spark Hire |
| Top 3 Features | Internal CRM, Onboarding and self-serve, HR reporting |
Why I Picked It
BambooHR is an end-to-end HR platform where your hiring tools merge painlessly with features including performance tracking, payroll, and on- and offboarding. Its all-in-one Human Resource Information System (HRIS) solution is more comprehensive than recruitment software featuring HR add-ons (like Workable).
Features
BambooHR offers a comprehensive HR suite for recruiters, candidates, and employees alike.
Here’s what to expect from BambooHR:
- Customizable Application Form – I find it quick to create a new job and application form. I simply confirm the info I need (e.g., resume, desired salary) and whether it’s required/optional. Plus, I can customize application questions to gather skills, experience, values, and more.
- Internal CRM – My contact directory offers robust data on candidates and employees. I can see personal info, documents, job details, timesheets, and more in a neatly organized interface. I appreciate that I can create custom CRM fields (like, say, proficiency level in Japanese.)
- Candidate Communication – First, I can customize and automate email templates for different application stages (like interview invitations). Also, I found the offer letter customization interface brilliantly fast.
- Onboarding and Self-Service – I would love the self-serve feature as a candidate. My hired status changes once I sign my offer letter. Then, I complete my onboarding checklist and start managing my BambooHR employee profile. For instance, I can check my benefits, ask for time off, and update personal details.
- HR Reporting – There’s a fair amount of prebuilt reports (40+), including recruitment ones like time-to-hire. Thankfully, this section includes lots of data visualization — but you can also customize and export table reports.
Besides these, BambooHR offers automatic job posting, collaborative candidate scoring, hiring and reporting automation, and e-signing. Its HRIS stack includes benefits and time off tracking, employee experience surveys, performance management, internal comms, payroll, time tracking, and benefits administration.
BambooHR Pricing
BambooHR offers two subscription plans, Core and Pro, but doesn’t advertise its pricing. Your custom quote depends on your company size and chosen modules.
Companies with up to 25 employees pay a monthly flat fee, whereas, for 25+ employees, you pay on a per-employee, per-month basis.
You pay for the following add-ons separately:
- Time tracking
- Payroll
- Benefits administration
Both Core and Pro include all hiring and onboarding features and all integrations, plus time off and employee experience tracking. Core, however, only allows up to 5 active job openings, making it suitable for small businesses. Pro caps openings slightly higher at 25 jobs — which shouldn’t disadvantage mid-volume hiring, but isn’t as attractive as competitors’ unlimited plans.
Who is BambooHR Best For?
BambooHR is best for small to medium-sized businesses with end-to-end HR needs, from hiring to offboarding.
Pros
- Free 7-day trial
- Smooth onboarding and self-serve experience
- Payroll and time tracking add-ons
- Robust internal CRM
- Quick and easy navigation
Cons
- Limited job posting
- No AI hiring tools
- No video interviews
ClearCompany — Best for Modern, Mobile Recruiting
| Free Trial | Demo available |
|---|---|
| Price From | Custom pricing |
| Live Chat | ✅ |
| Integrations | ADP, Checkr, JobTarget, LinkedIn, Slack, WonderLic |
| Top 3 Features | Text communication, AI-driven automation, Background checks |
Why I Picked It
ClearCompany is an experience-first recruitment platform that lets you “outsource” candidate outreach to a friendly AI chatbot. This sets it apart from more traditional platforms like BambooHR, which primarily enable career pages and email communication.
Features
The platform throws in a conversational AI assistant alongside traditional features like sourcing, candidate comms, and reporting, leading the tech trend in the recruiting software space.
Here are ClearCompany’s top points:
- AI Sourcing and Shortlisting – I can use job description templates to swiftly create new job postings — and ask the AI assistant to polish them or even draft them from scratch. Then, I can both post my roles on job boards and get a selection of passive candidates using AI auto-sourcing. The bot also scans resumes to produce shortlists.
- Applicant Tracking – I found the ClearCompany ATS interface refreshingly intuitive. Candidate profiles spotlight important info or upcoming tasks, and applicant lists are easy to filter and prioritize.
- Mobile AI Bot – This is my favorite ClearCompany feature. A “virtual recruiter” bot guides applicants through my process, helping them submit their details and schedule interviews.
- Background Checks – In-built background checks are a competitive feature. I simply enter candidates’ details and tick a few boxes (including the types of checks, e.g., credit checks).
- Prompt-based Analytics – My AI assistant also pulls recruiting reports based on natural-language questions like, “How many people did we hire this year?” I like that I can easily sort and filter data, choose timeframes, and more by tapping a few toolbar buttons.
ClearCompany also offers SMS communications, onboarding tools, employee engagement and performance management, and an AI-driven learning management system (LMS) through its sub-company Brainier.
ClearCompany Pricing
While ClearCompany doesn’t advertise its pricing online, you can choose one of two plans: Modular access or Total platform access.
You could go for the modular access plan if you only want applicant tracking and onboarding functionality. Alternatively, total platform access offers hiring plus performance management, employee engagement, and workforce planning.
Who is ClearCompany Best For?
ClearCompany is best for businesses recruiting heavily from Millennial or Gen Z candidate pools thanks to its mobile-first recruiting experience.
Pros
- Automated, mobile-first candidate experience
- Conversational AI reporting
- AI auto-sourcing
- In-app background checks
- Includes onboarding
Cons
- No video interviews
- No e-signature integrations (e.g. DocuSign)
VIVAHR — Best for Providing Top-Tier Recruitment Software Services
| Free Trial | 7-day free trial |
|---|---|
| Price From | $83/month |
| Live Chat | ✅ |
| Integrations | Calendly, Checkr, DocuSign, Gusto, Paychex, Trello, Typeform, Zoom |
| Top 3 Features | Custom candidate tracking, In-depth profiles, Culture profile |
Why I Picked It
VIVAHR is a comprehensive and affordable hiring software, with a top-tier offer matching other competitors’ starter or mid-tier plans in cost.
Features
While the software lacks onboarding and interview scheduling tools, it shines across sourcing, candidate profiles and comms, and automation. It may have a more focused offering than competitors like BambooHR or Workable, but it adds depth to your job posting and candidate reviews.
Here are VIVAHR’s main features:
- Internal and External Sourcing – During the demo, I found it easy to add job and application details (including custom questions). I can quickly choose from 50+ job boards to post on, including niche ones. Plus, I can separately manage internal applications and offer a tailored experience to existing employees.
- Culture Profile – This feature isn’t common on competitor platforms. I can tailor multimedia culture content (like photos, videos, and text) to each position. If done right, this can attract candidates with a high skill and culture fit.
- Custom Candidate Tracking – I like that I can add custom tags to categorize and filter candidates. For example, I can create a “culture fit” tag and add it to interviewees who fit my company culture.
- In-depth Profiles – I like that VIVAHR offers both a bird’s eye view of candidates’ suitability (like an executive summary of their application). At the same time, I get comprehensive info on their work experience and interview performance. Bonus points for the detailed, customizable scorecards.
- Workflow Automation – In a few clicks, I edit and automate candidate comms based on triggers (e.g., a reminder SMS/email the day before their interview). I can also automate notifications to team members — say, when candidates accept job offers.
Additionally, VIVAHR lets me customize candidate questionnaires, customize and send offer templates, automate e-signatures, customize candidate pipelines using drag-and-drop, have two-way SMS conversations, collaborate with coworkers, and analyze basic reports.
VIVAHR Pricing
VIVAHR offers three subscription plans, billed monthly or annually. You get a 7-day free trial, for which you must enter your credit card details.
| Plan | Monthly | Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $129/month | $996 ($83/month – 36% off) |
| Growth | $199/month | $1,500 ($125/month – 37% off) |
| Premier | $349/month | $3,588 ($299/month – 14% off) |
The following add-ons cost extra on Standard and Growth, but are free with Premier.
- SMS messaging: from $29/month
- eSignatures: from $49/month
- Custom user roles: from $29/month
- Employee referrals: from $59/month
Standard may not suit you unless you’re a one-person recruitment agency — it’s limited to 1 user and 5 active job postings. However, the Growth plan is feature-rich and affordably priced. It offers unlimited postings and users, plus customizable pipelines and dedicated phone support.
I say VIVAHR is fantastic value for money. Its recruitment-focused features are extra-sharp for just $125/month on Growth. And its top-tier Premier plan is extremely competitive at $299/month — compared with Workable’s mid-tier plan (starting at $299/month), and Pinpoint’s basic plan (starting at about $400/month).
Who is VIVAHR Best For?
VIVAHR is best for small businesses that need budget-friendly but highly customizable recruiting tools.
Pros
- Very affordable pricing
- Free 7-day trial available
- Intuitive navigation
- Custom candidate tracking
- Culture profile
Cons
- HRIS integrations on top-tier plan only
- 1 user only on Starter plan
- Only 50+ job boards
- Email click-through journey could be smoother
The Best Recruitment Software Compared
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of not just my top 7 picks, but also some honorable mentions for best recruitment platforms.
| Software | Best For | Starting Price | Free Trial | Countries Covered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse | Small to Mid-sized Businesses | Custom pricing | Demo | Global |
| Tracker | ATS & CRM for staffing and recruiting firms | Custom pricing | Demo | US, Canada, UK |
| Pinpoint | In-house talent acquisition and HR teams | Custom pricing | Demo | US, Canada, UK |
| Workable | Sourcing qualified passive candidates using AI | $149/month | 15 days | Global |
| BambooHR | Recruiting tools within a full HRIS suite | Custom pricing | 7 days | US, Canada, UK |
| ClearCompany | Modern, mobile recruiting | Custom pricing | Demo | US, Canada |
| VIVAHR | Top-tier recruitment software | $83/month | 7 days | US, Canada, UK, Australia |
| Zoho Recruit | Small businesses | Custom pricing | 15 days | Global |
| Trakstar | Modern and mobile-friendly recruiting | $249/month | 14 days | US, Canada, UK |
| Manatal | AI-powered candidate matching | $15/month | 14 days | US, Canada, UK |
| Teamtailor | Collaborative hiring | Custom pricing | 14 days | US, Canada, UK, Europe |
| Recruitee | Affordable recruitment software | $185/month | 14 days | US, Canada, UK, Europe |
| TalentReef | High-volume hiring | Custom pricing | 14 days | US, Canada |
| Arcoro | HR and payroll integration | Custom pricing | 14 days | US, Canada |
| Unnanu Hire | Remote hiring | $99/month | 14 days | Global |
| VidCruiter | Video interviewing | $399/month | 14 days | US, Canada, UK |
| PowerToFly | Diversity and inclusion | $9900/year | 14 days | US, Canada |
| JazzHR | Recruiting agencies | $29/month | 21 days | US, Canada |
| Lever | Enterprise Recruiting | Custom pricing | 14 days | Global |
| Jobvite | Talent acquisition | Custom pricing | 14 days | Global |
Methodology
How We Review And Test HR Products
To provide our readers with accurate and well-informed recommendations, we test the most popular HR products on the market to find the best options for you. Our methodology consists of the following criteria:
- Features: We examine each product’s features to determine what capabilities are offered, and how well it performs crucial HR management tasks, such as tracking a sick leave.
- Integrations: We evaluate the integrations of each piece of HR software to determine how well it fits in with other key pieces in a business’s software stack, and whether its functionality can be expanded as required.
- User Experience: Usability is paramount when it comes to HR software. That’s why we put ourselves in the shoes of a new user, testing each platform to gain a firsthand understanding if the platform is easy to use or requires onboarding.
- Price and Value for Money: Our approach to pricing involves a thorough review of the structure and plans offered by each platform. Beyond just the initial cost, we delve into the details to assess affordability and value for money.
- Security: We dig into the security policies of each company, interrogating the safeguards they have in place to ensure the software protects user data properly.
- Compliance: A critical requirement for most HR departments, we assess HR software on whether it offers local compliance when it comes to payroll, taxes, and more.
- Reporting and Documentation: We look at the reporting and documentation capabilities of each software to make sure they offer comprehensive data sets, takeaways, and collaboration options for documentation.
How We Review And Test HR Products
To provide our readers with accurate and well-informed recommendations, we test the most popular HR products on the market to find the best options for you. Our methodology consists of the following criteria:
- Features: We examine each product’s features to determine what capabilities are offered, and how well it performs crucial HR management tasks, such as tracking a sick leave.
- Integrations: We evaluate the integrations of each piece of HR software to determine how well it fits in with other key pieces in a business’s software stack, and whether its functionality can be expanded as required.
- User Experience: Usability is paramount when it comes to HR software. That’s why we put ourselves in the shoes of a new user, testing each platform to gain a firsthand understanding if the platform is easy to use or requires onboarding.
- Price and Value for Money: Our approach to pricing involves a thorough review of the structure and plans offered by each platform. Beyond just the initial cost, we delve into the details to assess affordability and value for money.
- Security: We dig into the security policies of each company, interrogating the safeguards they have in place to ensure the software protects user data properly.
- Compliance: A critical requirement for most HR departments, we assess HR software on whether it offers local compliance when it comes to payroll, taxes, and more.
- Reporting and Documentation: We look at the reporting and documentation capabilities of each software to make sure they offer comprehensive data sets, takeaways, and collaboration options for documentation.
What are the Different Kinds of Recruitment Management Software?
According to a survey, nearly half (49%) of jobseekers turned down offers because of a slow, complicated, and unclear hiring process. Recruitment systems streamline processes by automating workflows and providing HR recruiters with insights into applicant data.
Recruitment management platforms specialize in one or several of the following functionalities.
- Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) – Source active candidates by posting on job boards, and passive ones using AI-based candidate search tools. Track application ranking, interview and assessment scores, and hiring team comments. (Example: VIVAHR)
- HRIS with Recruiting Features – Track and score candidate applications, onboard new hires, deliver and track training, manage the employee directory, approve timesheets, and more. (Example: BambooHR)
- Candidate Experience and Communication Platform –Improve candidate experience with automated email and text updates, AI chatbot-led application processes, branded careers pages, customizable application forms, and candidate surveys. (Example: ClearCompany)
- Interview and Assessment Platform – Schedule interview candidates, hold and record one- or two-way video interviews, score and comment on interview performance, distribute customizable assessments (e.g., cognitive and personality tests), track and rank test results. (Example: Workable)
- Recruitment Agency Software – Source and track diverse candidate pools, collaborate directly with clients, track candidate availability and active jobs, and manage timesheets. (Example: Tracker)
Key Recruiting Software Features
Recruiting software comes in different shapes and sizes. Here is a comprehensive list of features to consider.
- Active Candidate Sourcing, including auto-posting on multiple job boards
- Passive Candidate Sourcing, including AI-driven profile longlists
- Employee Referral Tracking, including employee remuneration details
- Applicant Tracking, including individual profiles and filterable lists
- Candidate Scoring, including customizable scorecards
- Diversity and Inclusion Features, such as resume anonymization
- Interview Management, including candidate self-scheduling and video interview recording
- Automated Candidate Communications, such as email, SMS, and chatbot
- Collaborative Candidate Reviews, including scores and comments
- Job Offer Management, including templates, communication, and tracking
- Onboarding Tools, such as onboarding checklists
- Online Assessments, such as cognitive and personality tests
- Customizable Reports and Dashboards, such as time-to-hire reports
- Internal Team Permissions, for example, who can review specific candidates
- Third-party Integrations, for instance, with job boards, HRIS, payroll software, and video conferencing platforms
Benefits of Recruiting Software
Effective recruiting software contributes to:
✅ Faster Time-to-hire – Find and assess qualified candidates more speedily using multi-job-board posting, scorecards, and automated comms.
✅ Better Candidate Fit – Find passive candidates more easily with AI, and collaborate easily on profile reviews.
✅ Enhanced Candidate Experience – Send timely updates using email automation, allow self-scheduling flexibility, and offer 24/7 chatbot application support.
✅ Lower Recruitment Costs – Use less manual labor thanks to automation, and solve bottlenecks using customizable reports.
✅ Lower Turnover Rates – Your people stay for longer thanks to great candidate-job matches and positive hiring and onboarding experiences.
How Much Does Recruiting Software Cost?
Recruiting platforms charge monthly or annual subscriptions and may offer free trials or live demos. Some offer tiered plans with increasingly advanced features, while others charge for modules such as hiring, payroll, and performance management. Optional add-ons like SMS marketing are priced separately.
Check whether third-party tools cost extra. For instance, you might pay a per-posting or monthly/annual fee on specific job boards. Background checks and talent assessments may also incur extra fees.
Recruiting Software: Price Plans Compared
| Key Features | Basic | Standard | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Cost (starting at) | $116/month | $212/month | $449/month |
| Number of Users | 1-5 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Best For | Occasional hiring (headcount: 1-25) | Mid-volume hiring (headcount: 25-100) | High-volume hiring (headcount: 100+) |
| Customer Support | Email, chat | Dedicated phone support | Dedicated success manager |
| Features Included | Job posting templates, Candidate sourcing, Scorecards, Email automation, Offer letters, Team collaboration, Integrations, Basic reports | Basic features + Candidate self-scheduling, Customizable reports and workflows, Bulk CRM actions, Custom user roles | Standard features + SMS communication, Employee referrals, Onboarding, e-signing, Developer sandbox, Multi-language hiring |
Trends in Recruiting Software 2024
The recruiting software market is shifting quickly. Here are the top 3 trends to keep tabs on.
1. Appetite for hybrid work
Eighty percent of U.S. workers work remotely some or all of the time. For recruiters, this means two things:
- They’re hiring for remote or hybrid roles.
- They’re likely collaborating with HR and hiring managers remotely themselves.
In turn, recruitment software providers are responding with features like collaborative application reviews, automated candidate emails and internal notifications, and streamlined job requisition approvals. Plus, many have in-app video interview capabilities, or integrate with video call software such as Zoom to enable remote candidate interviews.
2. AI simplifying automation and personalization
Tech companies like Open AI and Google’s Gemini are competing to release smarter, more accurate generative AI (gen-AI) solutions. OpenAI o1, for example, “thinks harder” to solve more complex problems, including math and coding ones.
Many hiring platforms are also riding the AI train. We’re already seeing candidate-facing AI chatbots, gen-AI assistants personalizing job descriptions and comms, and AI-led resume parsing and report customization. Soon, we’ll increasingly see advanced AIs managing and scoring interviews, tailoring offer letters and onboarding documents, and other automations.
3. Push toward skills-based hiring
Skills-based hiring prioritizes competency over qualification — and it’s gaining ground. In 2024, 81% of employers use skills-based hiring, compared with 56% in 2022. Decreasing degree- or resume-based screening prevents bias and increases diversity, while benefitting your bottom line. Avoiding hires who lack pertinent skills could save you $7,800 – $22,500 per role.
That’s why recruiting platforms are increasingly including talent assessments (such as job-specific tests, and software tests) in their plans, or as third-party integrations. Video interviews also help determine skill levels, and providers are adding features such as customizable scorecards and candidate practice runs to help you find the right skills match.
How Do Online Recruiting Software Solutions Work?
Here's how recruiting software works in a few key steps.
Setup
First, you create user accounts for your recruiters and relevant hiring managers, and set appropriate permissions (for instance, hiring managers only see candidates for specific roles.You then import existing recruitment data — such as candidate lists and job description templates.
Job Posting
Follow your platform’s instructions to post jobs and start sourcing candidates. Add, for instance, the job title, location, salary, department, duties, and requirements.Decide where you advertise your position — on specific job boards or on your website, for instance — and customize application questions (like “Why do you want to work with us?”). Your software might also offer AI tools that copy details from similar roles, polish job postings, and draft application questions.
Applicant Assessment
Your applicant tracking system (ATS) automatically collects applications from multiple sources — such as different job boards and internal referrals. You see top-level data (e.g., number of applications received) on your dashboard and individual details (e.g., location, resume) in candidate profiles.After customizing scorecards for every role, you score candidates on specific skills, abilities, and experiences at each hiring stage. Other team members can also score and leave comments. Some platforms let you schedule and hold video interviews, and send pre-employment assessments (e.g., cognitive tests) so you make well-rounded hiring decisions.
Candidate Communications
You can customize and automate email templates for different hiring stages and scenarios — like rejection emails and interview invitations. Then, set rules in your communication workflows, such as “send template X at 9 am after application status changes to Interview Stage 2”. Your emails can contain personalized information such as job titles and candidate names.Some vendors also let you send SMS updates or offer AI chatbots that manage candidate comms.
