The recruiting tech landscape is overwhelming. There are hundreds of tools across dozens of categories, each claiming to revolutionize your hiring. Most are mediocre. A few are genuinely useful. This guide cuts through the noise.
We've tested, researched, and talked to recruiters about every major tool in the space. Below you'll find our honest assessments - what's worth paying for, what's overpriced, and what you can skip entirely.
Top Picks by Category
If you just want recommendations, here's our short list:
Greenhouse
The gold standard for structured hiring. Expensive but worth it for growing teams.
Read review →Ashby
Modern, fast, and built for data-driven teams. Rapidly gaining on incumbents.
See ATS comparison →LinkedIn Recruiter
Still the largest database. Essential for most professional hiring.
Read review →SeekOut
Excellent for diversity sourcing and technical roles. Strong GitHub integration.
See alternatives →LinkedIn Jobs
Best reach for professional roles. Indeed wins for hourly/volume hiring.
See comparison →HackerRank
Industry standard for coding assessments. Large question bank, good analytics.
Read review →Applicant Tracking Systems
An ATS is the foundation of your recruiting stack. It's where candidates flow in, get tracked through your pipeline, and (hopefully) receive offers. The right ATS depends heavily on your size, process, and budget.
| Platform | Best For | Starting Price | Our Take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse | Growing companies (50-5000) | ~$6,000/year | Industry leader. Structured, powerful, pricey. |
| Lever | Mid-market teams | ~$4,000/year | Strong CRM features. Good Greenhouse alternative. |
| Ashby | Modern startups | ~$4,800/year | Fast-rising newcomer. Excellent analytics. |
| Workable | SMBs, simplicity | $149/month | Easy to use. Good for smaller teams. |
| JazzHR | Budget-conscious | $49/month | Basic but functional. Best value at low end. |
Sourcing Tools
Sourcing tools help you find candidates proactively - searching databases, scraping profiles, and enriching contact information. The elephant in the room is LinkedIn, but there are increasingly viable alternatives.
| Platform | Best For | Starting Price | Our Take |
|---|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn Recruiter | Professional roles | ~$10,000/year | Largest database. Essential but expensive. |
| SeekOut | Diversity, technical roles | ~$8,000/year | Best LinkedIn alternative. Strong on DEI. |
| hireEZ | High-volume sourcing | ~$6,000/year | Good AI matching. Formerly Hiretual. |
| Superstar Sourcing | Startups, occasional hiring | Pay-per-use | Budget-friendly. No commitment required. |
| Apollo.io | Contact enrichment | $49/month | Best for emails/phones. Sales-focused but works. |
Job Boards
Job boards remain a core channel for inbound applications. The big platforms (Indeed, LinkedIn) have massive reach, but niche boards often outperform for specialized roles. The right mix depends on who you're hiring.
| Platform | Best For | Cost per Posting | Our Take |
|---|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn Jobs | Professional roles | ~$200-500 | Best reach for knowledge workers. |
| Indeed | Volume hiring | Free (sponsored extra) | Largest traffic. Great for hourly/entry-level. |
| ZipRecruiter | SMB hiring | ~$300/month | Easy to use. Good distribution network. |
| Glassdoor | Employer branding | ~$200-600 | Reviews drive applicants. Worth managing. |
| AngelList | Startup roles | Free | Best for startup-minded candidates. |
Assessment Platforms
Pre-employment assessments help screen candidates before investing interview time. Technical assessments (coding challenges) are most common, but there are also tools for cognitive ability, personality, and skills testing.
| Platform | Best For | Starting Price | Our Take |
|---|---|---|---|
| HackerRank | Technical roles | ~$4,000/year | Industry standard for coding tests. |
| Codility | Technical roles | ~$5,000/year | Strong plagiarism detection. Good analytics. |
| TestGorilla | Multi-skill testing | $75/month | Broad test library. Good value. |
| Vervoe | Non-technical roles | Custom pricing | Good for sales, support assessments. |
Other Recruiting Tools
Beyond the core categories, there are specialized tools for specific parts of the hiring process.
Interview Scheduling
Calendly, GoodTime, ModernLoop - Automate the back-and-forth of scheduling. Saves hours per week for busy hiring teams.
Background Checks
Checkr, GoodHire, Sterling - Criminal, employment, and education verification. Required for many industries.
Video Interviewing
HireVue, Spark Hire, BrightHire - Async video responses and recorded interview platforms.
Reference Checking
Crosschq, Searchlight, Refapp - Automated reference collection and analysis.
Offer Management
DocuSign, HelloSign, PandaDoc - Digital offer letters and e-signatures.
Employer Branding
The Muse, Built In, Glassdoor - Company profiles and employer brand platforms.
Building Your Recruiting Tech Stack
Not every company needs every tool. Here's what we recommend based on company stage:
1-50 employees
- ATS: JazzHR or Workable
- Sourcing: LinkedIn free + referrals
- Job Boards: Indeed (free), AngelList
Keep it simple. Focus on referrals.
50-200 employees
- ATS: Greenhouse or Ashby
- Sourcing: LinkedIn Recruiter Lite
- Job Boards: LinkedIn Jobs, Indeed sponsored
- Assessment: HackerRank (for tech)
Invest in structure and process.
200+ employees
- ATS: Greenhouse Enterprise
- Sourcing: LinkedIn + SeekOut/hireEZ
- Job Boards: Multiple channels
- Assessment: Multiple platforms
- Scheduling: GoodTime or ModernLoop
Optimize every stage. Measure everything.