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Best Applicant Tracking Systems in 2026: 12 Tools Compared by Company Size and Requirements

Updated October 24, 2026 · 12 tools · Facts checked against vendor pages · How we review

Workable and Breezy HR are the most approachable applicant tracking systems for small teams, since both publish prices and offer a trial. Zoho Recruit adds a free single-job tier, while Greenhouse and SmartRecruiters are built for mid-size and enterprise hiring with structured processes.

This page is for people who need an applicant tracking system and want to know which products suit their hiring volume before talking to any vendor. The tools are sorted by company size and requirements, so a startup filling two roles and an employer running high-volume hiring each find a sensible shortlist. Copy the requirement lists below into a request on SaaSBid and compare the offers that come back, rather than decoding quote-only pricing pages yourself.

Top picks by situation

  • A tiny team hiring one role now

    Breezy HR

    The Bootstrap plan costs nothing for a single active job, and paid plans start at $157 per month with a 14-day trial when more openings come.

    From: $0 (Bootstrap)

  • A small agency already using Zoho CRM

    Zoho Recruit

    A free tier covers one active job, interview scheduling is included even there, and paid plans are priced per recruiter rather than per company.

    From: Free (1 active job)

  • A 20-person company wanting HR and hiring together

    BambooHR

    Firms of up to 25 staff pay a flat $250 per month for the HRIS, which includes a built-in ATS with a capped number of openings.

    From: $250/mo flat (Core, 25 or fewer employees)

  • A 150-person company wanting published prices

    Workable

    Pricing is a flat tier by company size from $299 per month, with a 15-day trial and 3,000 free AI screening credits on paid accounts.

    From: $299/mo (Standard, monthly billing)

  • An employer-brand-focused team with many interviewers

    Teamtailor

    Unlimited users and jobs come with the plan, and employer branding is the product's core positioning, with SSO and user provisioning listed.

    From: Contact sales

  • A large team standardizing interviews

    Greenhouse

    Interviews follow a scorecard-driven structure by design, and only the top Pro tier lists an audit log with adjustable session time-outs.

    From: Contact sales

Applicant Tracking Systems comparison table

Applicant Tracking Systems compared
ToolBest forStarting priceFree planFree trialG2 rating
Ashby Startups up to 100 employees wanting one published monthly price $400/month (All-In-One Foundations, up to 100 employees) No No 4.7 (115 reviews)
Zoho Recruit Small teams and agencies that want a per-recruiter price with a free one-job plan Free (1 active job) Yes Yes 4.4 (1,847 reviews)
iCIMS Large employers with complex high-volume hiring Contact sales No No 4.2 (989 reviews)
BambooHR Small and mid-size US companies that want HRIS first and light recruiting in the same system $250/mo flat (Core, 25 or fewer employees) No No 4.4 (5,796 reviews)
JazzHR Small businesses that want a published annual price $1,000/yr (Hero, billed annually) No No 4.4 (858 reviews)
Teamtailor Employer-branding focused hiring teams that want unlimited users Contact sales No Not stated 4.6 (524 reviews)
Breezy HR Very small teams that can live with one active job on the free plan $0 (Bootstrap) Yes Yes 4.4 (686 reviews)
Greenhouse Mid-size and enterprise teams that want structured interviews, scorecards and deep integrations Contact sales No No 4.4 (3,954 reviews)
Lever Teams that want ATS and sourcing CRM in one tool Contact sales No No 4.3 (2,102 reviews)
Workable Small and mid-size teams that want a published price and a 15-day trial $299/mo (Standard, monthly billing) No Yes 4.5 (686 reviews)
Recruitee Growing companies wanting a collaborative ATS with SSO available as an add-on Contact sales No Yes 4.5 (450 reviews)
SmartRecruiters High-volume and mid-market to enterprise hiring Starting at $14,995 (Essential), unit/period not stated No No 4.3 (522 reviews)

What are applicant tracking systems?

An applicant tracking system, usually shortened to ATS, is the database a company uses to run its hiring. Recruiters publish a job, applications flow in from boards and the careers page, and each candidate moves through stages such as screen, interview and offer. Hiring managers leave scorecards, interviews get scheduled from shared calendars, and the record stays on file afterward. Recruiters, HR generalists and hiring managers all work in it, and an applicant tracking system often hands accepted candidates over to the HR or payroll system.

Core capabilities

  • Job posting to multiple boards

    Publishes one opening to the careers page and external job boards so applications arrive in a single inbox.

  • Candidate pipeline

    Moves each applicant through hiring stages and shows recruiters and managers where everyone stands.

  • Resume parsing and screening

    Reads resumes into structured profiles and filters applicants with knockout questions or AI-assisted matching.

  • Interview scheduling and scorecards

    Syncs with calendars to book interviews and collects structured feedback from every interviewer.

  • Careers page and employer branding

    Gives candidates a branded place to browse roles and apply, which affects how many finish the form.

  • HRIS and background check handoff

    Passes hired candidates to HR, payroll and screening providers so nobody retypes their details.

The 12 best applicant tracking systems, reviewed

1

Ashby

$400/month (All-In-One Foundations, up to 100 employees)

Ashby packs applicant tracking, scheduling, sourcing and analytics into one product. The Foundations plan is a flat $400 monthly fee for firms of up to 100 staff and includes 1,500 AI credits. SSO and advanced scheduling are paid extras, and there is no free tier or trial.

  • 1-10: workable
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: workable

Best for

  • Startups up to 100 employees wanting one published monthly price
  • Tech-forward teams that want analytics and sourcing in the ATS

Look elsewhere if

  • Buyers needing SSO included in base price (paid add-on)
  • Teams needing confirmed EU data residency

Key features

Resume parsing and screening
AI credits: 1,500/month on Foundations
Interview scheduling
Advanced Scheduling is a paid add-on
Careers page and candidate experience
Up to 5 brands on Foundations, unlimited on Plus and Enterprise
Pricing model and real cost
Flat price by company size; add-ons for SSO, texting, AI credits, lookups
Target company size
Startups to enterprise; Foundations up to 100 employees

What users like

  • Easy to use and efficient for recruiting teams
  • Responsive, knowledgeable support
  • Broad feature set and customizable workflows

Common complaints

  • Reporting and data volume can feel overwhelming
  • A few reviewers find the interface unintuitive

Full Ashby profileRequest an offer

2

Zoho Recruit

Free (1 active job)

Pricing for Zoho Recruit is per recruiter, with a free plan that allows a single active job and paid plans from roughly $25 per user monthly. Separate editions exist for staffing agencies and in-house HR. Teams that already run Zoho CRM or Zoho One get the most from it.

  • 1-10: strong fit
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: poor fit

Best for

  • Small teams and agencies that want a per-recruiter price with a free one-job plan
  • Companies already running Zoho CRM or Zoho One

Look elsewhere if

  • Teams that need published SSO or SCIM details before buying
  • Enterprises that want a dedicated enterprise-grade ATS with deep compliance tooling

Key features

Job multiposting
Free job boards on Free plan; premium job boards from Standard
Pipeline and hiring-team collaboration
Candidate management, email management and talent pipeline; assignment rules from Professional
Resume parsing and screening
Resume management from Standard; AI candidate matching, screening and assessments from Professional
Interview scheduling
Interview scheduling included even on Free plan; video interviews are a paid add-on
HRIS and background check integrations
50+ integrations from Standard; background checks from Professional
Careers page and candidate experience
Candidate portals from Professional; customer portal is a per-license add-on
Pricing model and real cost
Per user per month, tiered by active job limit
Target company size
G2 reviewers are 81.8% small business

What users like

  • Broad toolset that covers the full recruiting process
  • Low price versus enterprise ATS
  • Ease of use scored about 8.5 of 10 on G2

Common complaints

  • Third-party roundups disagree on job limits and price, so plan details are confusing
  • Premium support is a separate paid add-on

Full Zoho Recruit profileRequest an offer

3

iCIMS

Contact sales

iCIMS positions itself at large employers with heavy, high-volume hiring. Prices are only available through sales, and implementation is billed separately. Users praise its reporting and recruiter efficiency, but note a steep learning curve, limited customization and slow support replies.

  • 1-10: poor fit
  • 11-50: poor fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: strong fit

Best for

  • Large employers with complex high-volume hiring
  • Teams with budget for implementation services

Look elsewhere if

  • Small businesses needing self-serve pricing
  • Teams wanting quick setup (steep learning curve per G2)

Key features

Pricing model and real cost
Quote-based
Target company size
Enterprise and mid-market (third-party)

What users like

  • Recruiting efficiency
  • Reporting

Common complaints

  • Limited customization
  • Steep learning curve
  • Slow support response

Full iCIMS profileRequest an offer

4

BambooHR

$250/mo flat (Core, 25 or fewer employees)

BambooHR starts as a people-records system and treats recruiting as a built-in extra, with open-job limits of 5, 25 or 50 depending on the tier. A flat $250 monthly Core price covers up to 25 employees. Reviewers describe the reporting and customization as thin.

  • 1-10: strong fit
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: no data

Best for

  • Small and mid-size US companies that want HRIS first and light recruiting in the same system
  • Teams of 25 or fewer that benefit from the flat monthly rate

Look elsewhere if

  • Companies that need a full-featured standalone ATS (openings capped 5, 25 or 50 by tier)
  • Teams needing deep reporting or customization (common complaint)

Key features

Pricing model and real cost
Per employee per month by tier; flat monthly rate for 25 or fewer employees; add-on modules
Target company size
Small to mid-size; flat rates tuned to 25 or fewer employees

What users like

  • Clean interface and easy navigation
  • Fast, straightforward onboarding and good support scores

Common complaints

  • Limited features and weak customization
  • Reporting and approval options feel thin

Full BambooHR profileRequest an offer

5

JazzHR

$1,000/yr (Hero, billed annually)

Annual plans starting at $1,000 per year make JazzHR a budget option sized by job volume. Small businesses get quick setup, though customization is limited. Agencies, franchises, multi-location firms and employers above 250 people fall outside the standard price list.

  • 1-10: strong fit
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: poor fit

Best for

  • Small businesses that want a published annual price
  • Teams that want quick setup and ease of use

Look elsewhere if

  • Staffing or recruiting agencies, franchises, multi-location businesses and companies over 250 employees (excluded from standard pricing at JazzHR's discretion)
  • Buyers who want monthly billing or deep customization

Key features

Job multiposting
Premium listings and syndication to more job boards available; posting limits by plan
Pricing model and real cost
Flat annual plan by job volume; usage-billed extras
Target company size
Small business; standard pricing excludes companies over 250 employees

What users like

  • Easy to use
  • Quick, simple implementation

Common complaints

  • Customization options are limited

Full JazzHR profileRequest an offer

6

Teamtailor

Contact sales

Teamtailor is a Stockholm-based ATS focused on employer branding. Plans include unlimited users and jobs, and AI features are listed with unlimited usage. Pricing is quote-only, and reviewers say customization is limited. SSO and user provisioning are part of the plan.

  • 1-10: no data
  • 11-50: workable
  • 51-500: strong fit
  • 500+: no data

Best for

  • Employer-branding focused hiring teams that want unlimited users
  • Companies wanting SSO and user provisioning on the plan

Look elsewhere if

  • Teams that need published prices
  • Buyers wanting heavy customization (G2 complaint)

Key features

Pipeline and hiring-team collaboration
Unlimited users on the vendor pricing page
Resume parsing and screening
Teamtailor AI with unlimited usage listed as included
Careers page and candidate experience
Employer branding is core positioning; Divisions and Multi-brand Management marked Premium
Pricing model and real cost
Quote-based; unlimited users and jobs

What users like

  • Intuitive interface
  • Helpful support during implementation

Common complaints

  • Limited customization options

Full Teamtailor profileRequest an offer

7

Breezy HR

$0 (Bootstrap)

Breezy HR is built around a visual pipeline and offers a free Bootstrap tier limited to one live job. Paid accounts pay one flat monthly fee starting at $157. Self-scheduling appears from Startup, custom scorecards from Growth and HRIS integrations from Business.

  • 1-10: strong fit
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: no data

Best for

  • Very small teams that can live with one active job on the free plan
  • Small teams wanting published prices and a 14-day trial

Look elsewhere if

  • Teams needing SAML SSO below the Pro level
  • Buyers who need reporting flexibility (reviewer complaint)

Key features

Job multiposting
Active positions can be listed on job boards and Career Portal
Pipeline and hiring-team collaboration
Customizable scorecards from Growth
Interview scheduling
Self-scheduling from Startup
HRIS and background check integrations
HRIS integrations from Business
Careers page and candidate experience
Career Portal included
Pricing model and real cost
Flat monthly plans per account; add-ons for AI credits, SMS, onboarding
Target company size
Small teams

What users like

  • Easy to use, intuitive interface
  • Quick support and easy setup

Common complaints

  • Reporting could be more customizable
  • Occasional platform glitches

Full Breezy HR profileRequest an offer

8

Greenhouse

Contact sales

Greenhouse is known for structured hiring, meaning set interview plans and scorecards. It comes in Core, Plus and Pro, all priced on request, and mid-size and large employers are the target. An audit log is limited to Pro, and reviewers report a steep learning curve.

  • 1-10: poor fit
  • 11-50: poor fit
  • 51-500: strong fit
  • 500+: strong fit

Best for

  • Mid-size and enterprise teams that want structured interviews, scorecards and deep integrations
  • Companies that need an audit log and configurable session time-outs (Pro tier only)

Look elsewhere if

  • Small teams that need a published price or a self-serve start
  • Buyers who want heavy report and scheduling customization out of the box (a common review complaint)

Key features

Pipeline and hiring-team collaboration
Structured hiring with scorecards is the vendor's core positioning ( not confirmed by the vendor on a docs page)
Pricing model and real cost
Quote only; three tiers (Core, Plus, Pro) priced by hiring volume, complexity and features
Target company size
Mid-size to enterprise (vendor has a dedicated enterprise page); no small-business self-serve price

What users like

  • Integrates easily with other HR and recruiting tools
  • Clear, navigable interface for hiring teams

Common complaints

  • Limited customization, especially in reporting and scheduling
  • Steep learning curve and some functionality gaps

Full Greenhouse profileRequest an offer

9

Lever

Contact sales

Lever combines an ATS with a recruiting CRM and is part of the Employ family alongside Jobvite and JazzHR. Pricing is quote-only and scales with team size. AI screening is included in the core platform, but no native SCIM provisioning is reported.

  • 1-10: poor fit
  • 11-50: no data
  • 51-500: strong fit
  • 500+: workable

Best for

  • Teams that want ATS and sourcing CRM in one tool
  • Mid-size companies already in the Employ family (Jobvite, JazzHR) looking for a step-up tier

Look elsewhere if

  • Buyers who need published pricing
  • Teams that need native SCIM provisioning (none reported on any plan)

Key features

Resume parsing and screening
AI screening included in core platform per vendor
Pricing model and real cost
Quote only; scales with team size and hiring needs; add-ons quoted separately
Target company size
Positioned by third-party research as the 'scalable hiring' tier in Employ's lineup (mid-size)

What users like

  • Well-organized candidate management
  • Automation saves recruiter time

Common complaints

  • Pausing or moving candidates can feel complicated
  • Customer support and customization limits, plus integration issues

Full Lever profileRequest an offer

10

Workable

$299/mo (Standard, monthly billing)

Workable publishes monthly prices by company-size tier, starting at $299 on Standard with monthly billing. A 15-day trial is offered. Paid accounts get 3,000 free AI credits, each candidate screened uses one, and further credit packs are sold separately.

  • 1-10: workable
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: strong fit
  • 500+: workable

Best for

  • Small and mid-size teams that want a published price and a 15-day trial
  • Teams that want video interviews, texting and assessments bundled in higher tiers

Look elsewhere if

  • Teams that need SSO plan detail confirmed before buying
  • Heavy AI-sourcing users who dislike credit-based add-ons

Key features

Resume parsing and screening
AI screening credits: 1 credit per candidate screened; 3,000 free credits on paid accounts
Pricing model and real cost
Flat price by company-size tier, plus AI credits and add-ons
Target company size
1 to 1000+ employees, priced by tier

What users like

  • Intuitive, user-friendly interface
  • Quick to set up

Common complaints

  • Not confirmed from review text in this research

Full Workable profileRequest an offer

11

Recruitee

Contact sales

Note: Sold as Tellent Recruitee; G2 lists it under the Tellent name and the pricing page lists a Tellent HR

Now sold as Tellent Recruitee, this ATS stresses teamwork between recruiters and managers. Price depends on plan, headcount and billing period and is not published. Expect a one-year commitment and optional SSO as an add-on; some reviewers complain about big yearly increases.

  • 1-10: no data
  • 11-50: workable
  • 51-500: strong fit
  • 500+: no data

Best for

  • Growing companies wanting a collaborative ATS with SSO available as an add-on
  • Teams that can commit to a one-year contract

Look elsewhere if

  • Buyers who need public prices to budget
  • Teams wanting a month-to-month contract

Key features

Pipeline and hiring-team collaboration
Positioned as collaborative ATS (G2 category description)
HRIS and background check integrations
Tellent HR (HRIS) available as add-on; WhatsApp Hiring, Texting, Journeys, AgencyHub add-ons
Pricing model and real cost
Tiered by plan, company employee count and billing period
Target company size
Growing companies (G2 description)

What users like

  • Automation saves recruiter time
  • Intuitive interface
  • Responsive support

Common complaints

  • Reviewers cite aggressive annual price increases
  • Prices not public

Full Recruitee profileRequest an offer

12

SmartRecruiters

Starting at $14,995 (Essential), unit/period not stated

SAP owns SmartRecruiters, which aims at enterprise and high-volume recruiting and plugs into SAP SuccessFactors and other HCM suites. Four tiers exist, yet only the $14,995 Essential price is shown publicly. Small teams on lean budgets will struggle to justify that entry point.

  • 1-10: poor fit
  • 11-50: poor fit
  • 51-500: strong fit
  • 500+: strong fit

Best for

  • High-volume and mid-market to enterprise hiring
  • SAP SuccessFactors customers

Look elsewhere if

  • Small teams with sub-$15k budgets
  • Buyers who want self-serve monthly plans

Key features

HRIS and background check integrations
Interoperable with SAP SuccessFactors and other HCM suites (SAP statement)
Pricing model and real cost
Four tiers; only Essential price published
Target company size
G2 reviewers note high-volume hiring fit

What users like

  • Smooth candidate application process
  • Works for high-volume hiring

Common complaints

  • Trails rivals on overall G2 score

Full SmartRecruiters profileRequest an offer

How to choose applicant tracking systems

Job multiposting

This covers how easily one opening reaches your careers page and external boards. Strong tools include free boards on lower plans and offer premium syndication as a clear upgrade. Weak ones cap postings or hide the board list until after you sign.

Pipeline and hiring-team collaboration

This describes how recruiters and hiring managers share one view of every candidate. Strong tools offer custom stages, scorecards and comments without extra seats. Weak ones restrict feedback forms to higher tiers or charge for each manager who logs in.

Resume parsing and screening

Screening is about turning raw resumes into comparable profiles. Strong tools parse files accurately, support knockout questions and offer AI matching with clear usage terms. Weak ones leave sorting to the recruiter or meter AI features in ways that raise the bill.

Interview scheduling

This means booking interviews without email ping-pong. Strong tools sync with Google or Outlook calendars, let candidates pick a slot and handle panels. Weak ones treat scheduling as a paid add-on or support only simple one-on-one bookings.

HRIS and background check integrations

This is the handoff from accepted offer to HR, payroll and background checks. Strong tools offer native connectors and an open API on standard plans. Weak ones require a separate integration product or pass data only by file export.

Careers page and candidate experience

This covers the candidate-facing side, including the careers site, application form and brand controls. Strong tools allow several brands and clean mobile pages. Weak ones give a generic template that looks the same as every other employer.

Pricing model and real cost

Pricing means how the product is billed, whether per recruiter, by company size or job volume, or by quote, and what extras apply. Strong models list what each tier includes and are easy to forecast. Weak ones hide prices, add implementation fees or meter AI and SSO separately.

Target company size

This shows which employers a tool was designed for. Light tools suit a handful of hires per year, while enterprise suites add compliance, audit logs and provisioning. A mismatch means paying for controls you never use or outgrowing the product within a year.

The SaaSBid view

Which applicant tracking systems tool fits your company size

Fit of each tool by company size
Tool1-10 people11-50 people51-500 people500+ people
AshbyWorkableStrong fitWorkableWorkable
Zoho RecruitStrong fitStrong fitWorkablePoor fit
iCIMSPoor fitPoor fitWorkableStrong fit
BambooHRStrong fitStrong fitWorkableNo data
JazzHRStrong fitStrong fitWorkablePoor fit
TeamtailorNo dataWorkableStrong fitNo data
Breezy HRStrong fitStrong fitWorkableNo data
GreenhousePoor fitPoor fitStrong fitStrong fit
LeverPoor fitNo dataStrong fitWorkable
WorkableWorkableStrong fitStrong fitWorkable
RecruiteeNo dataWorkableStrong fitNo data
SmartRecruitersPoor fitPoor fitStrong fitStrong fit

Strong fitWorkablePoor fitNo data from the vendor

Ratings follow each vendor's stated audience, employee or job caps, free plan limits and whether enterprise controls such as an audit log, SSO or provisioning are listed. Cells stay empty where nothing is said about a size.

  • 1-10 people

    Hiring is occasional, so a free or flat-priced plan matters more than depth. Breezy HR and Zoho Recruit both have free plans limited to one active job, and JazzHR publishes an annual price. BambooHR makes sense if you also want an HR system.

  • 11-50 people

    Several open roles and more interviewers call for scorecards, self-scheduling and a branded careers page. Workable, Breezy HR, JazzHR, Zoho Recruit, BambooHR and Ashby all fit this range. Check how many active jobs each tier allows.

  • 51-500 people

    Structured interviews, integrations with HR systems and admin controls become the deciding factors. Workable, Teamtailor, Recruitee, Lever and Greenhouse all list support for this range. Greenhouse expects a quote, so budget time for sales calls.

  • 500+ people

    Volume, compliance and system integrations dominate. Greenhouse, iCIMS and SmartRecruiters are aimed at this size, and SmartRecruiters works with SAP SuccessFactors. Expect implementation fees and quote-only pricing from all three.

Feature coverage at a glance

Documented features by tool
ToolJob multipostingPipeline and hiring-team collaborationResume parsing and screeningInterview schedulingHRIS and background check integrationsCareers page and candidate experienceShare
AshbyNot documentedNot documentedDocumented: AI credits: 1,500/month on FoundationsDocumented: Advanced Scheduling is a paid add-onNot documentedDocumented: Up to 5 brands on Foundations, unlimited on Plus and Enterprise50%
Zoho RecruitDocumented: Free job boards on Free plan; premium job boards from StandardDocumented: Candidate management, email management and talent pipeline; assignment rules from ProfessionalDocumented: Resume management from Standard; AI candidate matching, screening and assessments from ProfessionalDocumented: Interview scheduling included even on Free plan; video interviews are a paid add-onDocumented: 50+ integrations from Standard; background checks from ProfessionalDocumented: Candidate portals from Professional; customer portal is a per-license add-on100%
iCIMSNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedNot documented0%
BambooHRNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedNot documented0%
JazzHRDocumented: Premium listings and syndication to more job boards available; posting limits by planNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedNot documented17%
TeamtailorNot documentedDocumented: Unlimited users on the vendor pricing pageDocumented: Teamtailor AI with unlimited usage listed as includedNot documentedNot documentedDocumented: Employer branding is core positioning; Divisions and Multi-brand Management marked Premium50%
Breezy HRDocumented: Active positions can be listed on job boards and Career PortalDocumented: Customizable scorecards from GrowthNot documentedDocumented: Self-scheduling from StartupDocumented: HRIS integrations from BusinessDocumented: Career Portal included83%
GreenhouseNot documentedDocumented: Structured hiring with scorecards is the vendor's core positioning ( not confirmed by the vendor on a docs page)Not documentedNot documentedNot documentedNot documented17%
LeverNot documentedNot documentedDocumented: AI screening included in core platform per vendorNot documentedNot documentedNot documented17%
WorkableNot documentedNot documentedDocumented: AI screening credits: 1 credit per candidate screened; 3,000 free credits on paid accountsNot documentedNot documentedNot documented17%
RecruiteeNot documentedDocumented: Positioned as collaborative ATS (G2 category description)Not documentedNot documentedDocumented: Tellent HR (HRIS) available as add-on; WhatsApp Hiring, Texting, Journeys, AgencyHub add-onsNot documented33%
SmartRecruitersNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedDocumented: Interoperable with SAP SuccessFactors and other HCM suites (SAP statement)Not documented17%

A check means the vendor documents the capability publicly (hover for the detail). A dash means we found no public documentation, which is a question to put in your request, not proof the feature is missing.

Applicant Tracking Systems requirements checklist

Use this list to write down what your team actually needs. Sorting requirements into must-have, should-have and nice-to-have is what lets vendors quote accurately instead of pitching their biggest plan.

Must have

  • One-click posting to major job boards from a single job recordPosting limits and premium board access differ by plan and change the quote.
  • Customizable hiring stages per job or departmentA support hire and an engineering hire rarely follow the same steps.
  • Calendar sync with Google or Outlook for interview schedulingWithout it, recruiters spend hours trading availability by email.
  • Interview scorecards shared with all hiring managersStructured feedback is sometimes reserved for a higher tier.
  • Branded careers page that works on mobileCandidates abandon long or clumsy application forms.

Should have

  • Resume parsing and knockout questionsThey reduce manual screening when a posting draws hundreds of applications.
  • Handoff to our HRIS and payroll for new hiresIt prevents retyping and delays on a new employee's first day.
  • Integration with a background check providerScreening integrations are often plan-gated or sold separately.
  • Hiring reports by source and time to fillThey show which boards are worth paying for.

Nice to have

  • AI-assisted candidate matching and summariesSome vendors meter this with credits, which affects the real cost.
  • SSO and automated user provisioningLarger companies often require it, and it may be a paid add-on.
  • Texting or WhatsApp outreach to candidatesIt speeds up replies but is commonly an extra module.

Turn this checklist into a request

Questions vendors will ask you

Have answers ready for these, and your first conversation with a vendor starts at pricing instead of discovery.

  1. How many roles do you expect to have open at the same time?Several plans cap active jobs, so this decides the tier.
  2. How many hires will you make over the next twelve months?Volume affects whether vendors quote a flat tier or a usage-based price.
  3. How many recruiters and hiring managers need access?Seat-based vendors charge differently from those with unlimited users.
  4. Which HRIS, payroll and background check tools must connect?Connectors and API access can be locked to upper plans or billed on top.
  5. Do you hire in several countries or under different brands?Multi-brand careers pages and data residency affect plan and pricing.
  6. How many candidate records need to be imported from your current system?Migration scope influences the implementation fee and timeline.

Example request

What a strong applicant tracking systems request looks like
We are a 120-person software company hiring about 25 people over the next year, mostly engineers and a few sales roles. Today we collect applications by email and track them in a spreadsheet, which has caused missed replies. We need posting to the main job boards, customizable stages, shared scorecards and Google Calendar scheduling. A branded careers page is required, and we would like hires to flow into our HR system. Around 1,500 past candidates should be imported. We have four recruiters and about twenty hiring managers. We want to start in two months and expect a budget in the low to mid four figures per year, though we will consider more for the right fit.

Write your own request

Applicant Tracking Systems FAQ

What does an applicant tracking system do?

It runs hiring from the first job post through to the signed offer. Applications arrive in one place, profiles are stored, candidates progress by stage and interviews get booked. Many products also report on results and pass new hires into HR systems.

Which applicant tracking system suits a small company best?

Breezy HR, Workable, JazzHR and Zoho Recruit all publish entry prices or free tiers aimed at small teams. BambooHR works if you want HR records and light recruiting in one system. Match the plan's job limit to the number of roles you open at once.

Are there free options for applicant tracking?

Breezy HR and Zoho Recruit both have free plans, and each limits you to one active job. That works for occasional hiring, but a second open role pushes you into a paid plan.

How is an ATS different from a recruiting CRM?

An ATS manages people who applied to a specific job. A recruiting CRM nurtures talent who have not applied yet, such as sourced prospects. Lever combines both in one product, and several other vendors add sourcing modules.

How do these tools screen resumes automatically?

It parses each resume into fields, then applies knockout questions and filters set by the recruiter. Some tools add AI matching, and vendors like Workable and Ashby meter that with credits. A human should still review borderline candidates.

What should I include in an ATS request for offers?

Give the number of open roles, hires per year, recruiters and hiring managers, plus the HRIS and job boards you use. Add the number of candidate records to import, your timeline and budget range.

The bottom line

Start by matching your hiring volume to the tier structure, since job caps and company-size pricing rule out many products quickly. Then drop any tool that misses a must-have such as calendar sync or scorecards. A precise request on SaaSBid lets vendors quote the right tier and show their implementation costs, so the offers you compare cover the same scope.

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