Sourcing tools find candidates you can't reach through job postings. They search professional databases, aggregate contact information, and help you reach passive candidates before your competitors do.
The market has options from free to $15,000+/year. This guide helps you find the right fit - whether you're a startup founder making occasional hires or a recruiting team hiring at scale.
The Sourcing Tool Landscape
Sourcing tools fall into a few categories:
- Professional network tools (LinkedIn Recruiter) - Search within a closed network where users maintain their own profiles
- Aggregator tools (SeekOut, hireEZ) - Pull data from multiple sources (LinkedIn, GitHub, publications, etc.)
- Contact finders (Apollo, Lusha) - Focus on finding email addresses and phone numbers
- AI-powered tools (Superstar Sourcing) - Use AI to match candidates to your requirements
Most recruiting teams use a combination. LinkedIn Recruiter as the primary tool, with aggregators for hard-to-find candidates and contact finders for outreach.
Full Tool Comparison
| Tool | Best For | Pricing | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn Recruiter | General recruiting | $8K-15K/year | Largest database, InMail |
| SeekOut | Diversity & tech hiring | $6K-12K/year | Diversity filters, GitHub integration |
| hireEZ | High-volume sourcing | $5K-10K/year | AI automation, multi-platform |
| Superstar Sourcing | Budget-conscious teams | Pay-per-use (~$10-15/hire) | No subscription, AI matching |
| Apollo.io | Sales/recruiting crossover | $0-99/mo | Contact database, sequences |
| Lusha | Contact info only | $0-79/mo | Accurate emails/phones |
| Entelo | Enterprise | $15K+/year | Predictive analytics |
LinkedIn Recruiter
LinkedIn Recruiter is the default choice for professional recruiting. With 900M+ profiles, it has the largest database of professional candidates. The platform's strength is breadth - nearly every working professional has a profile.
Strengths
- Largest professional database
- InMail for direct outreach
- Profiles stay current (users maintain them)
- Strong search filters and boolean
- Industry standard - ATS integrations
Weaknesses
- Expensive ($8K-15K/year)
- Candidates are over-contacted
- Limited email access
- Response rates declining
- No GitHub/technical signals
Pricing
- Recruiter Lite: ~$170/month - 30 InMails, basic features
- Recruiter Corporate: $8,000-15,000/year - 150 InMails, team features
Bottom line: If you're hiring regularly and can afford it, LinkedIn Recruiter is still the best single tool. The database size and InMail access are unmatched. Consider alternatives if you're hiring occasionally or need to stretch a budget.
Full LinkedIn Recruiter ReviewSeekOut
SeekOut aggregates data from LinkedIn, GitHub, patents, publications, and other sources. Its standout feature is diversity sourcing - filters for gender, ethnicity, veteran status, and more help teams build diverse pipelines.
Strengths
- Best diversity sourcing filters
- GitHub integration for tech hiring
- Patent and publication data
- Multi-source aggregation
- Contact info included
Weaknesses
- Still expensive ($6K-12K/year)
- Smaller database than LinkedIn
- Some profiles are outdated
- US-focused (weaker internationally)
Pricing
- Professional: ~$6,000/year - Core features
- Enterprise: $10,000-15,000/year - Full platform
Bottom line: The best choice if diversity hiring is a priority or you're recruiting engineers. GitHub integration surfaces technical signals LinkedIn can't match. Worth it alongside or instead of LinkedIn Recruiter for tech teams.
Full SeekOut ReviewhireEZ (formerly Hiretual)
hireEZ uses AI to automate sourcing across 40+ platforms including LinkedIn, GitHub, and niche professional communities. It's built for high-volume recruiting where automation matters.
Strengths
- Multi-platform search (40+ sources)
- AI candidate matching
- Automated outreach sequences
- Contact info enrichment
- ATS integrations
Weaknesses
- Learning curve
- AI matching quality varies
- Email accuracy sometimes low
- Interface can be clunky
Pricing
- Professional: ~$5,000/year
- Business: $8,000-12,000/year
Bottom line: Great for teams doing high-volume sourcing who want automation. The multi-platform search finds candidates LinkedIn misses. Less suited for occasional hiring or relationship-focused recruiting.
Full hireEZ ReviewSuperstar Sourcing
Superstar Sourcing takes a different approach: instead of monthly subscriptions, you pay per candidate batch. Describe your ideal candidate in plain English, preview matches free, then unlock 200-300 candidates for about 10 credits (~$10). Contact info is pay-as-you-go.
Strengths
- No subscription - pay only when hiring
- AI matching from natural language
- Realistic cost: $10-15 per hire
- Preview matches before paying
- Simple interface, fast results
Weaknesses
- Smaller database than LinkedIn
- Newer tool (less established)
- No InMail equivalent
- Limited advanced filtering
Pricing
- Candidate searches: ~10 credits for 200-300 candidates
- Contact info: Pay per reveal
- Typical cost per hire: $10-15
Bottom line: The best option for startups, small teams, and occasional hiring. The economics are dramatically better than LinkedIn Recruiter for companies that don't hire constantly. Worth trying as a supplement even if you have other tools.
Full Superstar Sourcing ReviewOther Tools Worth Knowing
Apollo.io
Primarily a sales tool, but the contact database and sequence features work for recruiting. Free tier is generous. Best for teams that also do sales outreach.
$0-99/monthLusha
Contact finder focused on accurate emails and phone numbers. Chrome extension works on LinkedIn profiles. Good complement to other sourcing tools.
$0-79/monthEntelo
Enterprise-focused platform with predictive analytics (e.g., "this person is likely to change jobs"). Powerful but expensive and complex.
$15,000+/yearGem
Combines sourcing with CRM and analytics. Strong for teams that need to track nurturing over time. Integrates deeply with ATS systems.
Custom pricingHow to Choose a Sourcing Tool
Ask Yourself:
How often do you hire?
Occasionally (1-5/year): Superstar Sourcing or free LinkedIn - don't pay for subscriptions you won't use
Regularly (5-20/year): LinkedIn Recruiter Lite or hireEZ - subscription value kicks in
Constantly (20+/year): LinkedIn Recruiter Corporate + SeekOut or hireEZ
What roles are you hiring?
Technical/Engineering: SeekOut (GitHub data) or use LinkedIn + GitHub directly
General business: LinkedIn Recruiter is the broadest
Sales: Apollo.io gives you recruiting + sales in one tool
Is diversity hiring a priority?
Yes: SeekOut has the best diversity filters by far
Not specifically: Other factors matter more
What's your budget?
Under $1K/year: Superstar Sourcing + free LinkedIn + Apollo free tier
$1K-8K/year: LinkedIn Recruiter Lite or hireEZ
$8K+/year: LinkedIn Recruiter Corporate + specialized tool