Reviewed by: Shivam Gupta, HR Specialist at Pitch N Hire
Talent acquisition challenges are at an all-time high for companies today. Recruitment teams find themselves overwhelmed due to the spectrum of tasks involved in recruiting. From application screening to scheduling and conducting remote interviews across various time zones, there's a lot to manage. The challenges of high-volume hiring, candidate data disorganization, and manual screening are exacerbated by the loss of valuable talent to competitors. These challenges can be partially addressed through the use of applicant tracking system software.
Today's ATS software incorporates new technologies that provide a holistic solution for the entire recruitment software lifecycle. From crafting a job description to applicant tracking system in hr receiving acceptance of an offer, effective software will eliminate walls for a seamless transition through the entire recruitment process. If you are an agency with multiple clients, a rapidly scaling startup, or an enterprise with global recruitment, the right software will enhance the quantity and quality of candidates at each stage.
There is a lot of information to cover, such as pricing tiers, a methodology of evaluation, and more. This guide will focus on key features, provide a comprehensive overview of each tier, and present a side-by-side comparison of the platforms. After engaging with the entire guide, you will acquire an understanding of software that meets your organization's unique hiring requirements.
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An applicant tracking system (ATS) is cloud based software designed to assist companies in streamlining and automating their recruitment processes. Most ATS platforms give users a singular centralized database to house candidate information and easily accessible records such as job postings, interview schedules, and hiring workflows.
Companies from all over the world, for example, the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region use ATS software for global hiring to:
Today's cloud based recruitment software offers applicant tracking system in hr advanced real-time updates and enhanced mobility that are essential for organizations in today's complex and competitive talent marketplaces.

These problems arise when organizations do not have dedicated recruitment software:
Resume Overload: Large organizations get hundreds or thousands of applicants on a per role basis and do not have the time to adequately review and give each resume the attention they need to prevent defecting to better organizations the potential resumes.
Manual Screening Delays: Because of the time consumed with the manual process, there is a considerable increase of time-to-hire and thus gives the best potential candidates to competitors.
Poor Recruiter-Manager Collaboration: Communication gets disrupted a heavily when there is no one systematic way of doing the recruiting process, and because there is no consolidated system, recruiters and managers have to rely more on their emails, and separate systems all increasing the time to make a decision on potential candidates.
Remote and Cross-Border Hiring Complexity: With remote work being a mainstay of the recruiting processes and working from different time zones, scheduling becomes an added headache and compliance across different countries becomes troublesome and having to guide candidates through inconsistent processes becomes annoying.
Using ATS software applicant tracking system in hr helps address the issues listed above.
AI Resume Parsing and Matching Advanced AI recruitment software does not require manual processes and fills tedious data and automatically processes resume to eliminate steps to then move candidates to the next phase in the hiring process.
Automated Workflows: Recruitment automation tools help eliminate repetitive processes such as sending acknowledgment emails, scheduling interviews, and advancing candidates through different stages in the pipeline. This allows recruiters to foster relationships and reduce administrative tasks.
Faster Time to Hire: ATS tools help eliminate bottlenecks and facilitate faster screening, thus reducing the time it takes to go from job posting to job offer. This is especially important in competitive markets where candidates are getting multiple offers.
Data-Driven Decisions: Dashboards are important tools in ATS software because they provide valuable large data analytics to assess the effectiveness of recruiters, determine where the bottlenecks are, analyze the diversity of candidates, and and evaluate the effectiveness of various recruitment sources. These features help companies continuously improve in terms of data-driven strategic workforce planning.
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ATS software for startups must offer a compelling combination of sophisticated features, simplicity, and affordability.
Simplicity: Startups require streamlined user experiences and simple systems that don't involve a major time investment for the team. The best systems offer clean user experiences, drag-and-drop customization, and low time barriers to learn the system so teams can jump into the recruiting process as quickly as possible.
Quick Implementation: For growing companies time is always of the essence. Cloud systems that offer built-in templates, one-click job board integrations, and streamlined onboarding processes can help startups to begin their recruiting activities in days, not weeks.
Cost Efficiency: Startups operating with limited budgets appreciate flexible pricing models that adjust according to the volume of new hires. Numerous platforms provide entry-level plans that include free tiers and offer essential features at costs lower than levels required for large enterprises.

Enterprise ATS software is able to cope with complexity at scale.
High-Volume Hiring: Large organizations that employ hundreds or even thousands of new hires every year require systems that can withstand high levels of application volume without performance decline. Advanced filtering, bulk actions, and automated screening become mandatory.
Custom Workflows: Each enterprise has its own distinct hiring operations. Leading platforms provide customizable workflows with proprietary stages, approval chains, compliance checks, and integration with existing HRIS systems applicant tracking system in hr.
Advanced Analytics: Enterprise recruiters require refined analytics—metrics on diversity recruitment, department-specific cost-per-hire analytics, source of hire effectiveness analytics, and predictive analytics that estimate hiring and budget needs.
Agencies have distinct requirements that differ from corporate hiring teams.
Multi-Client Hiring: ATS for recruitment agencies needs to offer separate pipelines for different clients, while protecting their proprietary information. White-label features enable agencies to create custom brand experiences for candidates.
Talent Pooling: Agencies have large databases of candidates that help them to rapidly match candidates to job. Advanced search, tagging, relationship management, and effective network tools provide the recruiters the ability to utilize their networks before they source new candidates.
Faster Shortlisting: In agency recruiting, the ability to move quickly is a competitive advantage. With the help of AI for intelligent matching, automated search filters, and bulk messaging, recruiters can quickly send candidate packs.
Dispersed teams have particular difficulties with coordination.
Distributed Hiring: The ATS applicant tracking system in hr for remote hiring solution facilitates distributed teams' asynchronous collaboration across time zones. With hiring dashboards accessible from the cloud, mobile applications, and real-time alerts, team members spread across the globe can work in sync.
Time Zones: Intelligent scheduling tools consider time zone differences to offer round-the-world interview slots for all invitees, and sync with Google Calendar and other calendars.
Candidate Data Centralization: When team members are distributed, confusion can arise from the lack of a single source of truth. No matter their location, all team members can see the same current data on candidates, including notes, feedback, and status updates.

Understanding ATS software pricing enables businesses to plan budgets and manage expectations.
Starter Plans: ($50—200/month) Small businesses and startups with lower hiring frequency will find these plans the most beneficial. They typically offer limited job postings, resume parsing, and candidate tracking for 1 to 5 team members and up to 10 job openings.
Growth Plans ($200-$500/month): Mid-sized businesses are optimized for enhanced user access, greater job caps, detailed analytics, and additional integrations with job boards and HR systems. These plans typically accommodate 5-20 users with no limits on job postings.
Enterprise Plans ($500-$2,000+/month): Large companies need tailored estimates that consider hiring volume, user headcount, and desired features. Enterprise plans also come with streamlined support, additional flexibility, detailed customization, API privileges, and the inclusion of compliance tools.
The following are some of the aspects of pricing an applicant tracking system in hr that can have the most direct impact on pricing.
Number of Users: Most systems incur additional costs for recruiter seats. Additional hiring managers with no viewing permissions may be included for no cost or at a set discount.
Job Volume: Some vendors center their pricing metrics on the number of vacancy announcements that are currently open rather than the number of users. Organizations that frequently need to make large volumes of hires need to ask about whether or not vacated positions are considered in the limits.
Feature Access: Superior features, such as artificial intelligence based candidate matching, candidate engagement features such as video interviews, test-taking integrations, and tailored analytics are typically found in the top-tier plans.
Integrations: Depending on the vendor, integrations with job boards (e.g., Indeed, LinkedIn), HR Information Systems (e.g., Workday, BambooHR) and collaboration tools may come with additional charges.
Customer Reviews







Note on Pitch N Hire Inclusion
We evaluated Pitch N Hire with the same criteria used for other platforms and included it in this comparison.

ATS vendors usually don't publish their prices because of the wide range of costs that occur due to the ATS software costs differing based on company size and need. The best method for obtaining pricing is to customize pricing demos where vendors analyze the needs of the company and set the pricing based on that. Custom pricing is also helpful in evaluating the price for the features and the usability of the software before a commitment is made.
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The purpose of our evaluation of vendors is to provide insights that lead to actionable, unbiased recommendations.
Each platform was evaluated based on criteria that is set rather than evaluated based on marketing claims by the vendor or any paid promotion. Each system was evaluated based on its actual features and functionality rather than based on promises.
Usability: Evaluation is performed based on the ease of understanding the platform, its interface, and how quickly a user can adopt the system. applicant tracking system in hr that entail a long training set less than those that can allow a user to be productively engaged quickly.
Flexible Pricing: Pricing is evaluated on how each platform is built in regards to where the business is currently and how fast the business is projected to grow. Systems that provide pricing in which a business must make a purchase at a high tier level or make a forced upgrade receive low marks.
Scalability: In this evaluation, the vendor determines how well the system can expand the volume of hires, number of users, and area coverage without any slowness.
Integrations: Each vendor provided a list of built-in job boards, HRIS systems, assessment tools, communication tools, and the other plug-in systems. Vendors with Open APIs earned more than those with closed systems.
Global Hiring Support: We assessed the features of international compliance, multi-currency, time-zone support, and the distribution of operations for transactions in multiple languages.
This guide has no vendor endorsements or paid rankings. We do not receive payment for favorable placements or pay for placements. We aim to assist you in identifying the vendor that best suits your needs, not to advocate for specific providers.
| ATS Software | Best For | Pricing Flexibility | Ease of Use | Global Hiring Support | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitch N Hire | Startups & growing teams | High (custom plans) | Very Easy | Yes | Simple workflows, AI screening |
| Greenhouse | Large enterprises | Medium–High | Medium | Yes | Advanced hiring pipelines |
| Lever | Mid to large companies | Medium | Medium | Yes | ATS + CRM capabilities |
| Workable | SMBs & agencies | Medium | Easy | Yes | Job board integrations |
| BambooHR | HR-led teams | Low–Medium | Easy | Limited | HR + ATS suite |
| Zoho Recruit | Budget-focused teams | High | Medium | Yes | CRM-based recruitment |

Best For: Startups and SMBs looking for recruitment automation that is easy and cost-effective
Pricing Flexibility: Very flexible with adjustable features and plans that begin at low costs to accommodate entry-level users
Key Strengths: User friendly and quick AI resume parsing along with candidate communication systems; low cost for scaling teams
Ideal Company Size: 10-500 employees

Best For: Structured hiring and diversity large and mid-sized companies
Pricing Flexibility: Custom prices at the enterprise level dependent on the volume of hires
Key Strengths: Diversity metrics, customized integration, and reporting at the enterprise level with structured interview kits and customizable workflows
Ideal Company Size: 200-5,000+ employees

Best For: Companies that are rapidly growing and need an ATS and CRM combined solution
Pricing Flexibility: Tiers of pricing with CRM at the higher level
Key Strengths: Modern interface and analytics along with candidate experience, relational management, and talent nurturing
Ideal Company Size: 100-2,000 employees

Best For: SMBs that need global access and quick deployment
Pricing Flexibility: Workable fits in a recurring pricing model for variable hiring with pricing based on open jobs
Key Strengths: Mobile app, AI recommendations, 200 point job board integration, low cost for small teams, and simple setup
Ideal Company Size: 20-500 employees

Best For: Small businesses needing integrated HR and recruitment.
Pricing Flexibility: Bundled core HR features.
Key Strengths: Unified employee databases, seamless onboarding, intuitive systems, responsive support.
Ideal Company Size: 10–500 employees.

Best For: Staffing and recruitment agencies.
Pricing Flexibility: Budget-friendly offerings with agency tailored features.
Key Strengths: Customizability, strong automation, multi-client management, vendor management, and resume parsing.
Ideal Company Size: All agency sizes; 5 to unlimited recruiters.
This comparison of ATS software shows that there is no best ATS software without considering your context. Each of them is built with unique capabilities, which is why demos are a must for pinpointing your preference. These ATS alternatives are tailored to your primary objectives rather than ranking for popularity.
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Startups & Fast-Growing Teams: Look for platforms that will not need to change as you grow. Prioritize systems that are easy to use with a seamless setup and variable pricing. Pitch N Hire, Workable, and BambooHR lead in this regard.
Large Enterprises: Look for a broad range of features, including deep customization, complex analytics, and high-volume capability, as well as compliance. Lever and Greenhouse deliver the sophistication required for enterprise teams.
Recruitment Agencies: Features such as multi-client management, white-labeling, and expansive candidate pools are essential. Zoho Recruit is great for agency-focused workflows.
Budget-Constrained Teams: Review total cost of ownership, including implementation, training, and ongoing support. Some 'affordable' systems create hidden costs with mandatory integrations and premium features.
Even top-tier systems can fail to be the right system for the right company. Consider ATS alternatives when:

Reading assessments can be helpful, but being hands-on is better. You are more likely to find best ATS software alternatives by:
Requesting Demos: I Compare 3-5 vendors to get a sense of the different features and user experience. Note what is intuitive vs what is cumbersome.
Include Real Users: Get recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates involved in the evaluation. Their daily workflows are more important than features that executives use.
Evaluate Practical Use Cases: Have the vendors showcase your particular workflows: high-volume screening, managing agency clients, coordinating remote interviews, etc.
Reference Checking: Talk to existing clients from the same industry and the same company size. Inquire about the difficulties in the implementation process, quality of customer support, and whether the system gave the stated ROI.

India's development as a worldwide business center comes with specific challenges and opportunities in recruitment.
Indian IT services industries, Indian startups, and Indian multinational subsidiaries have to support international growth when they expand beyond Indian borders. International Indian companies' branches in Singapore, the USA, the UK, and the Middle East require ATS tools that facilitate:
Indian companies that need to acquire global customer bases must also acquire global-ready tools. Indian industries must acquire tools that enable them to remove competition.
Unified international and Indian operations integrated with Indian international operations have the advantage of workflow standardization. The right ATS ensures that a candidate applying in Bangalore also receives the same professional experience as one applying in London or New York, strengthening employer branding on a global scale.
No software is universally the best due to various factors, but in general, the best ATS depends on the company's size, how often they hire, budget, and other needs. Greenhouse and Lever are top choices for big enterprises looking for a structured hiring process. Workable and Pitch N Hire are the best for small to medium-sized businesses due to cost and usability. Zoho Recruit is best for recruitment agencies. You should demo several to find which meets your needs best.
Pricing goes as low as $50 to $200/month for small businesses and scaled offerings for enterprises go as high as $500 to $2000 plus monthly. Different factors affect pricing like, the number of users, number of open positions, platform features, and other things. Many vendors do not publish pricing since ATS is a custom experience for teams. The best way to get a good estimate is to provide a vendor your team's size and how many positions you plan to hire.
Yes. Small businesses and startups can benefit from modern ATS systems since they can provide tailored services asymmetrically. These services can include all of the essential elements most businesses need such as: job posting, resume parsing, candidate tracking, and reporting for a fee. Many vendors provide services without charge and offer lower level free services, so small businesses can use the system without charge for as long as they want.
Yes, most modern ATS services have been designed for remote recruitment. These services include cloud-based systems, integrated video interviews, chronological cloud storage, remote access apps, and collaboration software to help to remote teams communicate. These features improve efficiency compared to traditional hiring processes.
To make the right choice you need to accurately define your needs: hiring flow, company size, cost, group size, features, and integration. In your company, identify the people who will use the system, so you can use their perspective for the evaluation. Each solution needs to be used for actual recruitment activities, not test activities. When hiring, use the customer references. When considering a solution, use the total cost of ownership, and then make your choice.
In most cases, the answer is yes. ATS software provides quantifiable ROI through shorter time-to-hire, better quality candidates, less administrative work, and improved collaboration with hiring managers.
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