How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- The best recruiting platform for a 20-person company is not the best one for a 2,000-person company. Match the tool to your hiring volume first.
- Published pricing is refreshingly common here: Workable starts at $299 a month, Breezy HR at $157, JazzHR at $75 and Zoho Recruit at $25 per user, all on annual billing.
- Greenhouse, Lever, SmartRecruiters and Ashby keep pricing behind a demo, which usually signals enterprise budgets.
- Free starting points exist: Breezy HR and Zoho Recruit both offer genuine free plans, and most others offer trials of 7 to 15 days.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Greenhouse | Structured hiring at scale | See website | Free trial (14 days) |
 Lever | ATS plus candidate CRM | See website | No |
 Workable | All-in-one recruiting and HR | $299 per month | Free trial (15 days) |
 JazzHR | Affordable ATS for small business | $75 per month | Free trial (7 days) |
 Breezy HR | Simple hiring with automation | $157 per month | Yes |
 Zoho Recruit | Budget ATS for Zoho users | $25 per user/month | Yes |
 SmartRecruiters | Enterprise talent acquisition suite | See website | Free trial |
 Ashby | Data-driven recruiting for startups | From $300 per month | No |
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Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial (14 days)
Greenhouse is the platform companies graduate to when hiring becomes a serious operation. Its structured hiring approach, with scorecards, interview kits and approval workflows, keeps every interviewer evaluating the same criteria. That consistency is why larger teams trust it: it reduces bias, improves hire quality and stands up to compliance scrutiny.
The trade-off is that Greenhouse expects commitment. Pricing is quote-based and sits at the enterprise end of this list, and rolling it out properly takes work. If you run dozens of open roles with multiple interviewers per role, that investment pays back. If you hire five people a year, a lighter tool will serve you better.
What we like- Structured hiring methodology with scorecards and interview kits
- Hundreds of pre-built integrations
- Strong reporting and compliance tooling
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing aimed at larger budgets
- Can feel heavy for teams hiring a few roles a year
- Implementation takes real effort
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Lever built its reputation on combining an applicant tracking system with a real candidate CRM. Most ATS tools only manage people who applied. Lever also helps you build pipelines of passive candidates, nurture them with campaigns and re-engage past applicants when new roles open. For teams that source proactively rather than waiting for applications, that distinction matters.
Pricing is customized to company size and hiring volume, and there is no self-serve trial, so expect a demo and a sales process. One thing to know: Lever is now part of Employ Inc., alongside JazzHR and Jobvite. The product remains strong, but its future is tied to a portfolio strategy rather than a standalone roadmap.
What we like- True ATS and CRM in one platform for nurturing passive candidates
- Clean, modern interface recruiters enjoy using
- AI-assisted screening and analytics built in
Watch out for- Customized quote-only pricing
- No free trial or free plan
- Now part of Employ Inc., so the roadmap is shared with sister products
Starting price$299 per month
Free planFree trial (15 days)
Workable is the rare recruiting platform that also handles HR after the hire: onboarding, time off, performance and employee records live in the same system. The Standard plan at $299 a month includes unlimited active jobs, a candidate sourcing suite and 200+ job board distribution. A 15-day free trial with no credit card required makes it easy to evaluate.
In 2026 Workable leaned hard into AI agents that source, screen and engage candidates, with 3,000 free AI credits on every plan and paid credit bundles beyond that. The honest catch is the pricing ladder: as headcount grows, the monthly figure climbs, and the AI credits are a separate meter to watch. For small and mid-size companies that want recruiting and HR in one place, it is one of the most complete options.
What we like- Published pricing starting at $299 a month for Standard
- Recruiting plus HRIS in one system
- AI sourcing and screening agents with 3,000 free credits
Watch out for- Costs scale with headcount on higher tiers
- The new AI agents run on credits that cost extra
- Starter tier is limited to occasional hiring
Starting price$75 per month
Free planFree trial (7 days)
JazzHR is the budget-friendly ATS that small businesses actually stick with. The Hero plan costs $75 a month on annual billing and includes unlimited users, which is unusual at this price: hiring managers and interviewers all get access without per-seat fees. Setup is fast, and the interface does not require training to understand.
The limits show up as you grow. Hero allows only 3 open jobs, so a team with four or five roles needs the Plus plan at $269 a month. Texting, e-signatures and advanced reporting are separate add-ons that inflate the real bill. Still, for a small team replacing spreadsheets, JazzHR delivers the core hiring workflow at a price that is hard to argue with.
What we like- Flat-fee pricing with unlimited users on every tier
- Hero plan starts at just $75 a month billed annually
- Quick to set up without IT help
Watch out for- Hero caps you at 3 open jobs
- Many useful features are paid add-ons
- No free plan for long-term use
Starting price$157 per month
Free planYes
Breezy HR wins on approachability. The Bootstrap plan is free forever for one active position, with unlimited users, a branded career site and distribution to 50+ job boards. Paid plans start at $157 a month billed annually for Startup, and every tier includes unlimited users and candidates, so a founder, an HR manager and three department heads all collaborate without per-seat math.
The visual pipeline is the part teams love: candidates move through stages with drag and drop, and stage-based automations handle the follow-up emails. The gating is the catch to note. Interview scorecards and e-signatures require Growth at $273 a month, and the AI matching and SMS features bill as add-ons. For straightforward small-business hiring, though, Breezy is one of the easiest platforms to run.
What we like- Genuine free Bootstrap plan for one active role
- Flat pricing with unlimited users and candidates
- Visual drag-and-drop pipeline that teams learn in minutes
Watch out for- Scorecards and e-signatures need the Growth tier
- AI and SMS features are metered add-ons
- Reporting is thinner than enterprise platforms
Starting price$25 per user/month
Free planYes
Zoho Recruit is the value pick, and it is not close on price. The Standard plan costs $25 per user a month on annual billing, and a Forever Free plan covers one active job for teams that want to start at zero cost. You get resume parsing, job board integrations, interview scheduling and workflow automation at a fraction of what the enterprise platforms charge.
The natural buyer is a company already inside the Zoho ecosystem: the integrations with Zoho CRM, Mail and People make the whole thing click. Watch the edition split, though. The corporate HR edition allows fewer active jobs per tier than the staffing agency edition, so in-house teams with many open roles should check the caps. The interface will not win beauty contests, but the functionality per dollar is excellent.
What we like- Cheapest paid entry on this list at $25 per user a month
- Free Forever Free plan for one active job
- Deep integration with the rest of the Zoho suite
Watch out for- Corporate edition caps jobs more tightly than the agency edition
- Interface feels utilitarian next to modern rivals
- Advanced features require higher tiers
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
SmartRecruiters positions itself as the hiring operating system for companies where talent acquisition is a strategic function. Beyond applicant tracking, it covers recruitment marketing, CRM, interview scheduling, offers and onboarding, with a marketplace of integrations that extends the platform. It is built for organizations hiring across many locations and departments at serious volume.
That scope is the point and the price. Pricing is quote-based and aimed squarely at enterprise budgets, and getting it running is an implementation project. A 50-person company would be buying a cruise ship for a lake crossing. For large organizations that have outgrown simpler tools, SmartRecruiters offers the depth and ecosystem to run hiring as a company-wide operation.
What we like- Full talent acquisition suite beyond basic ATS
- Strong marketplace of third-party apps and service providers
- Built for high-volume, multi-location hiring
Watch out for- Quote-based enterprise pricing
- More platform than a small team needs
- Implementation is a project, not an afternoon
Starting priceFrom $300 per month
Free planNo
Ashby is the startup world's answer to enterprise recruiting software. It bundles an ATS, sourcing CRM, interview scheduling, analytics and AI tools into one platform, with reporting depth that fans compare to business intelligence software. Pricing is refreshingly transparent: the Foundations plan scales with total employee count from $300 a month, so you know the cost before the first sales call.
The catch is that headcount-based pricing charges you for the whole company, not just the recruiting team, and there is no free tier to experiment with. Ashby also rewards teams that invest in setup: the analytics are powerful but need proper configuration. For growth-stage companies with a dedicated recruiter and structured hiring, it is one of the most loved platforms in the category.
What we like- Transparent pricing based on headcount, starting at $300 a month
- Analytics that rival standalone BI tools
- ATS, CRM, scheduling and AI in one system
Watch out for- No free plan or trial
- Pricing climbs with employee count even if hiring is slow
- Configuration takes real effort to get right
How we chose
We reviewed vendor pricing pages, product documentation and feature lists, then cross-checked against public reviews on G2, Capterra and TrustRadius and practitioner discussion on Reddit. We compared published pricing where available, trial and free plan terms, integration ecosystems and fit for different company sizes, from founder-led hiring to enterprise talent acquisition. We did not run hands-on trials; every price and plan detail comes from publicly published information.
Start with hiring volume, not features. A team filling five roles a year needs a simple pipeline and good job distribution, which Breezy HR, JazzHR or Zoho Recruit handle well. A team with fifty open roles needs structured interviews, approvals and analytics, which is where Greenhouse, Lever and Ashby earn their keep. Buying enterprise software for occasional hiring wastes money twice: on the subscription and on the setup.
Second, count your users honestly. Per-seat pricing punishes companies where many managers interview. JazzHR, Breezy HR and Workable use flat or headcount models that are kinder to broad hiring teams. Third, check the job caps: JazzHR's Hero plan allows 3 jobs and Zoho Recruit's corporate tiers cap active openings, so growing teams should price the tier they will need in six months, not the one they need today.
Finally, map your must-have integrations before the demo. Background checks, HRIS sync, assessment tools and calendar scheduling all vary by platform. And ask about the add-ons: texting, e-signatures and AI credits are frequently billed separately, so get the all-in number in writing.
When a simple ATS is enough (and when it is not)
A simple ATS is enough when one person runs hiring, roles are filled from inbound applications, and interviews involve two or three people. In that world, the job is tracking candidates and sending timely follow-ups, and any competent platform on this list does it. Complexity adds cost without adding value.
You need more when hiring becomes a team sport: multiple recruiters, hiring managers across departments, structured interview loops, compliance requirements or high-volume sourcing. That is when scorecards, approval workflows, CRM nurturing and funnel analytics start paying for themselves. The best recruiting platform is the simplest one that still covers your actual process, with room to grow one tier.
Frequently asked questions
What is a recruiting platform?
A recruiting platform, usually built around an applicant tracking system (ATS), manages your entire hiring process in one place. It posts jobs to job boards, collects applications, tracks candidates through interview stages, schedules interviews and stores hiring data. More advanced platforms add sourcing CRMs, AI screening and analytics.
How much does recruiting software cost?
It ranges widely. Zoho Recruit starts at $25 per user a month and JazzHR at $75 a month flat, while Breezy HR starts at $157 and Workable at $299 a month. Ashby starts at $300 a month based on headcount. Greenhouse, Lever and SmartRecruiters use quote-based pricing aimed at larger budgets.
Is there a free applicant tracking system?
Yes. Breezy HR offers a free Bootstrap plan for one active role, and Zoho Recruit has a Forever Free plan with one active job. Both are genuine free tiers, not time-limited trials. Most other platforms offer trials of 7 to 15 days instead.
What is the difference between an ATS and a recruiting CRM?
An ATS manages active applicants moving through your hiring pipeline. A recruiting CRM manages relationships with passive candidates over time: sourcing, nurturing campaigns and talent pools you can tap for future roles. Platforms like Lever and Ashby combine both, while simpler tools focus on the ATS side.
Which recruiting platform is best for small businesses?
For tight budgets, Zoho Recruit and JazzHR offer the lowest entry prices, and Breezy HR's free plan covers occasional hiring. Workable suits small companies that also want HR features in the same system. The right pick depends on how many roles you fill per year and how many people need access.
Sources we checked (9)
- https://greenhouse.com/
- https://www.lever.co
- https://www.workable.com
- https://www.workable.com/pricing
- https://www.jazzhr.com
- https://breezy.hr
- https://www.zoho.com/recruit/
- https://www.smartrecruiters.com
- https://www.ashbyhq.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.