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What is Applicant Tracking Systems?

Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) is also called candidate management system. This type of solution helps enterprises to recruit staff members more efficiently. ATS is typically used to post job openings on company website and job boards, browse resumes, and send interview requests to candidates by email. Show moreOther key features include: multilingual capabilities, pre-screening questions, response tracking, customized input forms, automated resume tracking, requisition tracking, and applicant tracking. ATS is heavily used by medium-sized and large companies that hire a steady stream of employees for their different departments throughout the year. Start by checking our leader BambooHR, and other recommended solutions in this category. Show less

How was this ranking made?

To devise this list of best applicant tracking software we have analyzed 253 popular apps currently present on the market, comparing their features, how easy are they are to learn, customer support, offered integrations as well as mobile support with our unique SmartScoreTM rating algorithm. This list has been created by Nestor Gilbert, our software expert dedicated to the applicant tracking software category.

List of Top 16 Applicant Tracking Systems

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1. BambooHR

Our score: 9.8 User satisfaction: 99%

BambooHR is the winner of our 2019 Best HR Software Award. A reliable HR software for small and medium-sized businesses, it offers end-to-end solutions for workforce management and provides small and growing companies with a user-friendly platform.

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2. Greenhouse

Our score: 9.3 User satisfaction: 97%

An applicant tracking software that helps companies of all sizes to optimize their hiring process and create a positive employee experience. The tool allows hiring teams to create a structured, data-driven hiring process, from the moment the job is opened to the time of onboarding for new hires.

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3. Submittable

Our score: 9.5 User satisfaction: 100%

An all-in-one application management solution that helps teams manage the application and review process. It offers features ranging from multichannel job posting and application form creation to review management and autoscoring. Moreover, the platform is mobile-ready to give you the flexibility you need.

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4. Workable

Our score: 8.7 User satisfaction: 89%

Workable offers a cloud-based recruitment platform for companies.

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5. WorkBright

Our score: 8.8 User satisfaction: 95%

A cloud-based onboarding software designed to streamline the onboarding process with functionalities optimized for mobile, allowing new hires to accomplish and submit their documents remotely via their mobile devices.

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6. eSkill

Our score: 8.7 User satisfaction: 87%

eSkill is a scalable and configurable applicant assessment tool with accurate tests for different stages. The tool is easy to use and highly-customizable to fit the varying requirements of companies and businesses. eSkill draws from its extensive portfolio of skills testing, behavior assessments, video interviewing, and job simulations to help recruiting companies find the best candidate for the job.

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7. Recruit CRM

Our score: 8.9 User satisfaction: 98%

Recruit CRM is a web-based application that enables recruiters and staffing agencies to handle all aspects of their business in one place. The platform offers advanced features such as an AI-powered resume parser, Boolean + Filter search, and Kanban boards to help businesses streamline their hiring pipelines and recruit the right candidates.

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8. Pinpoint

Our score: 8.6 User satisfaction: 100%

Pinpoint is an end-to-end recruitment software that aims to deliver ideal recruits at lower costs, which is a great deal for businesses looking to hire the best talent to join their team. A solution that allows you to create job ads in minutes, it utilizes automated tools to create a targeted recruitment campaign.

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9. JobAdder

Our score: 8.8 User satisfaction: 100%

An all-in-one staffing solution that assists agencies and recruiters in finding the best candidates for their open positions. The application makes it easier to manage the myriad number of candidates and provides a platform for swift communications through email, SMS, and even video.

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10. Jotform

Our score: 9.0 User satisfaction: 100%

JotForm is a professional, fully-featured mobile form builder for companies and individuals. This user-friendly and intuitive forms builder is known for its capability in helping create innovative and personalized forms for various purposes using its smart drag-and-drop forms editor. It also allows automatic synchronization of updated forms.

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11. Paylocity

Our score: 8.5 User satisfaction: 99%

Paylocity is a hybrid, web-based payroll and HR service that is specifically developed and created for the lower end of the SMB market.

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12. Teamtailor

Our score: 8.5 User satisfaction: 97%

A powerful applicant tracking software that offers businesses the freedom to create a fully automated, customized, and compliant recruitment process. Combining powerful automation, collaboration, and communication tools, Teamtailor brings an all-in-one hiring and recruitment platform that businesses across different industries can tailor according to their recruitment needs.

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13. Zoho Recruit

Our score: 8.9 User satisfaction: 99%

Zoho Recruit is a leading recruitment management platform and applicant tracking system designed for startups and SMEs. Completely cloud-hosted and mobile-ready, Zoho Recruit provides powerful tools to publish job vacancies, search candidates, evaluate resumes, and schedule interviews.

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14. Recruiterflow

Our score: 8.4 User satisfaction: 95%

Recruiterflow is a cloud-based recruiting platform built for staffing and recruiting agencies. It helps teams manage sourcing, outreach, interviews, and placements in one streamlined system.

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15. iSmartRecruit

Our score: 8.8 User satisfaction: 93%

iSmartRecruit is an applicant tracking solution for HR teams, recruiters, and staffing firms to efficiently manage the entire recruitment lifecycle.

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16. hireEZ

Our score: 8.7 User satisfaction: N/A

An AI-powered candidate sourcing and engagement solution that lets companies find the best talents faster.

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Similar Categories:

In the event you didn't find just the solution you were looking for here's a list of various categories similar to Applicant Tracking Systems that you might want to browse through:

Applicant Tracking Systems Guide

Table of contents

Industry Report - Applicant Tracking Systems for 2022

CloudRank™ system is a unique algorithm that our research team uses to evaluate Applicant Tracking Systems solutions in a detailed and accurate way. The Winter 2022 edition of the ranking was prepared by Nestor Gilbert, our leading expert in the field of Applicant Tracking Systems, who has authored 1380+ product reviews in this category. The goal of CloudRank™ is to present an unbiased, multi-layered perspective on Applicant Tracking Systems, considering a wide range of metrics and factors, and educating potential customers about both opportunities and challenges associated with each piece of software.

In order to achieve full objectivity the position in our CloudRank™ is based on:

  • Expert Score: which involves extensive analysis by our internal team which carefully examined all key elements of each software and testing it in real-life situations
  • User Score: which involves an aggregated opinion of actual users of each product whose identity was properly verified
  • Market Position: which involves general recognition of a given vendor on the market and reflects its overall popularity and reach
What do the tiers in CloudRank™ mean?

What do the tiers in CloudRank™ mean?

We’ve calculated a score for each product based on the average experience shared by our users in their product reviews and arranged the list in three tiers. You can see the methodology below on how the calculations were made.

  • Leaders: those with a User Score of 8 or higher; this tier includes products that are currently leaders on the market and are appreciated by both experts and actual users. They always represent the best of what the Applicant Tracking Systems market has to offer and are all worth trying out if you’re looking for a reliable solution.
  • Contenders: those with a User Score between 7.5 and 8; this tier includes high-quality products that still have some minor drawbacks that prevent them from becoming leaders on the market. They always represent well-designed tools that, over time, will most likely develop into market leaders as the missing features are added.
  • Rising Stars: those with a User Score between 7 and 7.5; this tier includes products that have high-potential but still lack some crucial features or services expected from a leading solution. They are products with solid foundations and a vision that makes us eager to see what they will become as their solution improves in the future.

Regardless of their tier, all products included in our CloudRank™ are popular, quality products considered top-performers by our team of experts. Make sure you read a more detailed review of each solution to find one that will work best for your specific needs and budget.

Show less
Rising Star
Contenders
Front-Runners

MARKET POSITION

A score between 1 and 10 based on popularity and market reach of each product.

TOTAL score

A score between 1 and 10 based on the average of our Expert Score and User Score.

How does CloudRank™ work?

Arrow top

Market Position

A score between 1 and 10 based on popularity and market reach of each product.

Arrow right

Total Score

A score between 1 and 10 based on the average of our Expert Score and User Score.

CloudRank™ tier

Based on product's total score.

Rising Star

Contender

Front Runners

25 Most Popular Applicant Tracking Systems

Here is a list of all 25 Applicant Tracking Systems solutions evaluated with our CloudRank™ analysis. We have compared their features, user satisfaction, market presence and other key factors in an in-depth analysis you can find below:

1. BambooHR

8.70
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:8.70
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Email integration

%

Interview scheduling

%

Job posting

%

Resume management

%

Applicant ranking

%
Worst features

Website integration

%

Data centralization

%

Employer branding

%

Mobile recruiting

%

Reporting & analytics

%

2. Zoho Recruit

8.31
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:8.31
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Mobile recruiting

%

Website integration

%

Email integration

%

Note taking

%

Applicant ranking

%
Worst features

Job posting

%

Resume management

%

Interview scheduling

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Employer branding

%

3. ADP Workforce Now

8.25
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:8.25
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Data centralization

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Applicant ranking

%

Job posting

%

Resume management

%
Worst features

Interview scheduling

%

Mobile recruiting

%

Social recruiting

%

4. Freshteam

8.12
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:8.12
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Applicant ranking

%

Data centralization

%

Interview scheduling

%

Resume management

%

Employer branding

%
Worst features

Job posting

%

Website integration

%

Social recruiting

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Mobile recruiting

%

5. Jobvite

8.03
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:8.03
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Website integration

%

Applicant ranking

%

Job posting

%

Note taking

%

Email integration

%
Worst features

Employer branding

%

Resume management

%

Social recruiting

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Mobile recruiting

%

6. Greenhouse

8.02
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:8.02
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Email integration

%

Interview scheduling

%

Job posting

%

Applicant ranking

%

Note taking

%
Worst features

Employer branding

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Website integration

%

Social recruiting

%

Mobile recruiting

%

7. Workday

7.92
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.92
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Job posting

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Email integration

%

Interview scheduling

%

Resume management

%
Worst features

Note taking

%

Mobile recruiting

%

Website integration

%

Employer branding

%

Social recruiting

%

8. JobAdder

7.92
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.92
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Job posting

%

Data centralization

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Employer branding

%

Resume management

%
Worst features

Note taking

%

Social recruiting

%

Website integration

%

Applicant ranking

%

Interview scheduling

%

9. SmartRecruiters

7.88
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.88
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Resume management

%

Job posting

%

Applicant ranking

%

Data centralization

%

Email integration

%
Worst features

Social recruiting

%

Website integration

%

Interview scheduling

%

Mobile recruiting

%

Reporting & analytics

%

10. Sage HR

7.87
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.87
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Applicant ranking

%

Mobile recruiting

%

Social recruiting

%

Interview scheduling

%

Email integration

%
Worst features

Job posting

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Data centralization

%

Resume management

%

Employer branding

%

11. UltiPro

7.78
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.78
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Employer branding

%

Interview scheduling

%

Note taking

%

Website integration

%

Email integration

%
Worst features

Job posting

%

Applicant ranking

%

Resume management

%

Mobile recruiting

%

Social recruiting

%

12. Breezy HR

7.74
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.74
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Job posting

%

Note taking

%

Resume management

%

Employer branding

%

Interview scheduling

%
Worst features

Website integration

%

Applicant ranking

%

Data centralization

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Social recruiting

%

13. iCIMS Talent Acquisition

7.68
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.68
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Applicant ranking

%

Job posting

%

Website integration

%

Note taking

%

Data centralization

%
Worst features

Interview scheduling

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Social recruiting

%

Resume management

%

Mobile recruiting

%

14. Rippling

7.65
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.65
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Reporting & analytics

%

Website integration

%

Mobile recruiting

%

Data centralization

%

Employer branding

%
Worst features

Applicant ranking

%

Job posting

%

Resume management

%

Email integration

%

Social recruiting

%

15. Workable

7.55
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.55
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Job posting

%

Applicant ranking

%

Data centralization

%

Note taking

%

Resume management

%
Worst features

Interview scheduling

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Employer branding

%

Social recruiting

%

Mobile recruiting

%

16. Manatal

7.53
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.53
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Resume management

%

Applicant ranking

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Job posting

%

Social recruiting

%
Worst features

Email integration

%

Interview scheduling

%

Employer branding

%

17. Ascentis

7.41
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.41
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Reporting & analytics

%

Email integration

%

Job posting

%

Employer branding

%

Resume management

%
Worst features

18. ClearCompany

7.31
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.31
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Data centralization

%

Job posting

%

Employer branding

%

Mobile recruiting

%

Resume management

%
Worst features

Website integration

%

Social recruiting

%

Applicant ranking

%

Note taking

%

Reporting & analytics

%

19. ApplicantPro

7.17
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.17
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Job posting

%

Note taking

%

Email integration

%

Website integration

%

Reporting & analytics

%
Worst features

Resume management

%

Data centralization

%

Social recruiting

%

Applicant ranking

%

Interview scheduling

%

20. Recruiterbox

7.16
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.16
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Email integration

%

Data centralization

%

Applicant ranking

%

Job posting

%

Interview scheduling

%
Worst features

Note taking

%

Website integration

%

Resume management

%

Social recruiting

%

Reporting & analytics

%

21. Submittable

7.14
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.14
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Employer branding

%

Resume management

%

Note taking

%

Email integration

%

Data centralization

%
Worst features

Reporting & analytics

%

22. Betterteam

7.00
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:7.00
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Interview scheduling

%

Job posting

%

Resume management

%

Website integration

%

Mobile recruiting

%
Worst features

Social recruiting

%

Data centralization

%

Note taking

%

23. Comeet

6.93
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:6.93
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Applicant ranking

%

Interview scheduling

%

Job posting

%

Employer branding

%

Website integration

%
Worst features

Note taking

%

Resume management

%

Social recruiting

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Mobile recruiting

%

24. Oracle Taleo Cloud Service

6.62
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:6.62
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Job posting

%

Data centralization

%

Resume management

%

Employer branding

%

Website integration

%
Worst features

Interview scheduling

%

Note taking

%

Social recruiting

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Mobile recruiting

%

25. CATS

6.51
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Our score and features analysis:

Total User Satisfaction

Total Expert Score

Market Position

} CloudRank™
Score:6.51
Customers company size

No. of employees:

1-10 11-50 51-100 100+
Best features

Data centralization

%

Website integration

%

Interview scheduling

%

Job posting

%

Resume management

%
Worst features

Mobile recruiting

%

Note taking

%

Employer branding

%

Reporting & analytics

%

Applicant ranking

%

Our report covered 25 most popular products from the Applicant Tracking Systems category. We’ve analyzed their features, performance, integration, customer support, pricing, and several other key buying factors and combined it with feedback from user reviews to come up with the current list of best solutions:

Snagging the top spot in our CloudRank Applicant Tracking Software 2022 Report is BambooHR. The company boasts of being the number one HR platform for small and medium businesses, and user reviewers from these companies certainly agree.

Bamboo HR equips recruiters and hiring managers with tools that help them stay on top of the competitive hiring environment. Recruiters can cast their nets wide by posting on multiple job platforms and social media, a feature that earned high marks from its users. With its robust reporting features, teams can analyze the applicant funnel, applicant sources, and applicants by gender and ethnicity to support continuous improvement and compliance efforts. On the other hand, it also makes the candidate experience a positive one with desktop- and mobile-optimized job postings, automatic alerts, and electronic offer letter signatures. It even goes a step further by allowing hiring managers to make custom new hire packets for onboarding, which is something that other vendors don’t usually incorporate in an applicant tracking software (ATS).

Bamboo HR prides itself on designing software that people like to use, which is reflected in its high ease-of-use ratings. In addition, reviewers gave it high marks across all features evaluated in the category, especially in its interview scheduling and email integration capabilities.

Most users of Applicant Tracking Systems solutions confirm that in most cases these tools allow them to reach the following business goals:

  • It enables us to hire top quality candidates. [ 85.6% of users ]
  • It helps to simplify the workload of recruiters. [ 85.7% of users ]
  • It helps us to meet compliance needs. [ 85.4% of users ]
  • It minimizes employee turnover. [ 85.8% of users ]
  • It reduces personnel and administrative expenses. [ 85.7% of users ]

How did we select products for this Applicant Tracking Systems report?

The Winter 2022 version of the report includes a total of 25 Applicant Tracking Systems products that were compared and analyzed by our team. We selected them based on the following factors:

  • Popularity of a given brand in the SaaS market (based on our own market research)
  • How popular a given brand is among FinancesOnline users (based on number of mothly readers for each review page)
  • Availability of statistical data generated from user reviews of a particular product (we excluded products with not enough data to draw meaningful conclusions)
  • The current listing reflects the state of our database and research as of January 2022. An updated version of the report will be released quarterly to keep data fresh and incorporate information about shifts and changing trends in the market.

What are the current Applicant Tracking Systems trends?

More recruiters using video interviews

As more and more people embrace video, its adoption is spilling into the realm of recruiting as well. Recruiters can use it as a tool to choose only candidates whose qualifications fit the description and reserve face-to-face interviews with shortlisted applicants. It can also save them from travel expenses for meeting candidates that are not local to where their company is based. For this reason, video interviewing is becoming more popular for remote positions. As a result, video interviewing can broaden an organization’s talent pool. They can hire a candidate regardless of geography, helping avoid locational mismatching which is one of the top career trends for 2020/2021.

While real-time video interviews are more common, some companies have also started using asynchronous or pre-recorded video interviewing. Some of the benefits of asynchronous video interviews include the ability to replay the video and share it with other people for feedback.

Source: RecRight 2020 Candidate Survey

Crafting a compelling employer brand to attract candidates

Recruiters constantly grapple with the lack of skilled candidates and increasing hiring costs. One way to get more qualified applicants is by developing a solid employer brand. Employer branding efforts include maintaining a career site where you share your company’s mission and vision, showcase employee testimonials, and post other similar content. Nowadays, applicants research potential employers online, making a good reputation key to attracting top talent. By making this information easier to find, you can have an avenue to strengthen your employer value proposition (EVP). Employer branding takes a lot of effort but it pays off. According to LinkedIn’s list of employer brand statistics, great employer branding reduces turnover by 28% and cost-per-hire by 50%.

EVP Usage Within Companies

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Creating smart, efficient workflows with AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the recruiting workflow to drive efficiencies and provide better outcomes. Though it can be deployed at various stages, recent HR statistics show that the stage where the most impact will be at the sourcing and outreach stage.

With resume screening capabilities and keyword-based resume searches, recruiters don’t have to manually sort through thousands of resumes to find qualified candidates. They can perform standardized job matching to determine if a candidate is a good fit for the role. AI-powered software can also scour through candidates’ social media profiles and get publicly available information about an applicant’s past employers. As the candidate moves through the pipeline, AI technology can be deployed in the interview process to analyze applicant sentiment through speech and facial expression. 

How AI Helps Talent Acquisition Professionals

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Source: Korn Ferry Global Survey

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Applicant tracking system (ATS) is a valuable resource for companies that need to hire employees on a regular basis throughout the year. However, selecting the best applicant tracking systems may be a difficult task as there are a number of quality ATS platforms in the market. This article will help you learn what is applicant tracking software as we detail the crucial factors and features that separate the wheat from the chaff.

Get to know each product with free trial

A great way to start your search for the best applicant tracking tools is to sign up for the free trials or demo offered by leading applicant tracking systems providers. This way, you can do a comparison and find out if the features match your needs. We recommend you check out the following applications that have the highest rankings in our applicant tracking tools reviews: Zoho Recruit, BambooHR, softgarden, CEIPAL, and Workday.

Targeted Businesses

Small businesses. These companies normally have between 1-50 employees but are usually without a dedicated hiring department.

Midsize businesses. These enterprises typically have between 51-500 employees and if they are growing quickly, they need to hire a dedicated recruiter.

Large enterprises. These big corporations have more than 500 employees, a dedicated IT unit, and many recruiters for their different departments.

Examples of Applicant Tracking Systems

  • BambooHR: Easy-to-use HR software for small and medium-sized companies. Includes ATS and human resources information system (HRIS) tools that can be accessed in multiple languages. Plus, you can track organizational data like employee retention and turnover. Another advantage is you can limit access based on employee role.
  • Zoho Recruit: Recruiting software for HRs and staffing agencies. You can streamline your hiring procedures and get the best available talent with this ATS. Features include interview scheduling, resume storage, customized company careers pages, automated job board posting, and resume parsing.
  • softgarden: Claims it is the only ATS that recycles excellent candidates. Therefore, applications and potential hires are never lost as they are rechurned back into contention. Top features include a career site, job posting, job ad designing, mobile recruiting, and applicant tracking. Users can rate candidates and post comments on their capabilities.
  • CEIPAL: With this ATS, you can optimize and simplify your recruiting process. You can also use it to manage job posting, interviews, and feedback, hire suitable candidates, and implement onboarding. Important features include reporting and notifications, mobile device functionality, social media integration analytics, eBoarding, job posting, and job requisition.
  • Workday: You can manage and establish staffing at all levels in your company. Workday Recruiting offers three types of staffing models. You can utilize them to handle the full work lifecycle of your employees. In short, this app is a cohesive and centralized platform that empowers enterprises to staff and manage their global workforce.
  • Freshteam. An intuitive applicant tracking tool and recruitment management software from Freshworks. It comes equipped with tools for job posting, personalized engagement, collaborative hiring, and employee onboarding. Moreover, it comes with a searchable database where you can store the profiles of your applicants for easier retrieval.

Types of Applicant Tracking Systems

The following types of software are closely related to ATS in their functions:

  • HR apps. HR employees can utilize their mobile device to work on important tasks. Features include one-click payroll runs and mobile clock-in and out.
  • Talent management software. Offers tools such as applicant tracking and performance management to enable HR managers to manage the full employee lifecycle from hiring to retirement.
  • Onboarding software. You can automate onboarding processes to welcome new hires and train them effectively on their tasks. Features include: onboarding form management, digital signature tools, and new hire task assignment.
  • Staffing agency software. Ideal for external staffing and recruiting agencies that can utilize features such as email/calendar integration, back office management, and time and expense tracking to fill roles for their clients.
  • Recruiting software. Does more than applicant tracking as you can do background checks, enhance the applicant experience, handle branding initiatives, and more.

Key Features of Applicant Tracking Systems

  • Applicant scoring and ranking: Allows you to score candidates based on criteria, such as personality, skills, and experience. After getting the scores, the software can automatically rank the candidates for an opening, or you can do it manually.
  • Job posting: Allows you to create job listings for your openings and post them on your website as well as job boards and social media profiles. You can buy job board ads from ATS vendor partners, optimize postings to show up on search engines, and schedule posts in advance.
  • Candidate profiles: You can maintain full profiles of job candidates containing resumes, interview notes, manager feedback, evaluation scores, social media profiles, contact information, and more. This enables you to easily search for candidates based on criteria, such as keywords, experience, role, location, etc.
  • Applicant tracking: Enables you to track the stage where the applicant is in, such as first interview, screening, etc. As each candidate moves to the next stage or is dropped from the reckoning, the system automatically updates the status in the database.
  • Reporting dashboards: Allows users to make sense of recruitment and hiring information for a more data-driven applicant tracking process. With this, it is easier for hiring managers to measure factors like the time to hire, the average cost of hiring, and retention rates.

Benefits of Applicant Tracking Systems

Detailed comparisons show that the best applicant tracking systems solutions offer the following benefits:

  • Streamlined hiring process: Applicant tracking tools can facilitate faster candidate review as it consolidates all applicant data in one place. Moreover, as it automates repetitive administrative responsibilities, these tools can help hiring teams focus more on attention-demanding tasks, such as assessing candidates and improving interview processes.
  • Reporting and analytics: You can get answers to questions, such as which website sends you the best candidates, where most candidates fail in the recruiting process, etc. The analytics tools also help you to identify areas where you company can improve. With the reporting feature, you can generate reports to keep stakeholders updated and also use them to meet compliance needs.
  • Applicant scoring and ranking: Hiring managers, recruiters, and others can collaborate to evaluate applicants. They can use the same criteria for all candidates. In top systems, you simply need to input data on the most valuable criteria you are looking for and they will automatically rank candidates for you.
  • Candidate data management: Typically, candidate applications and resumes pour in from various sources. ATS enables you to automatically import and store them in a secure database. You can create full profiles for candidates and easily search through them to look for criteria, such as role, skills, location, etc.
  • Customized recruiting workflows: Each company has its own process and criteria for hiring employees. ATS enables your firm to customize the hiring process for each role and standardize it with steps for candidate evaluation, interviews, etc. Plus, it offers tools such as automated alerts, shared calendars, and task lists to ensure nothing is missed.

Employee diversity is important

Diversity is not just for the sake of public image. It also offers tangible business results. A Gallup report reveals that companies that have an almost equal number of men and women employees enjoy greater profits. Plus, a Glassdoor survey shows that two-thirds of applicants consider diversity to be a key factor while evaluating job offers and companies. Top enterprises such as Microsoft and Apple are actively embracing diversity and small companies need to follow their example to stay competitive.

Mobile applying is becoming popular

A study conducted by the Pew Research Center shows that 28% of American candidates have utilized a smartphone to search for jobs. This rises to 53% for candidates between 18 to 29 years of age. They are going beyond reading information on job openings and even applying for positions from their mobile phone. Therefore, it has become imperative for companies to optimize their application process for mobile users so that they don’t miss out on tech-savvy candidates.

Potential Issues

You can miss good candidates

ATS systems are designed to evaluate resumes that meet exact criteria. The drawback is they may not consider some types of candidates such as those who have good experience in a different field and are now looking to switch careers. The software may end up ignoring such valuable applicants.

Unreliable and inaccurate

Sometimes, the ATS may reject resumes for reasons such as inability of the scanner to read the information properly or if a resume is designed in a slightly complex manner. This drawback affects both candidates as well as businesses as they miss out on the chance to establish a mutually beneficial relationship.  

Applicant Tracking Systems Buying Considerations

Applicant tracking tools don’t come cheap. That said, it is important that you thoroughly assess your prospective platforms before you commit to a particular subscription plan. To help you out, here are some questions that you might want to ask as you evaluate the applicant tracking platforms you’re interested in:

  • How extensive is their feature set? Does the platform come with all the essential applicant tracking tools?
  • Is the software easy enough to use for your tech-averse users and flexible enough for your tech-savvy employees?
  • Can it integrate with your existing business systems?
  • Is the platform compatible with your equipment?
  • Do their pricing plans give you value for money? Are they inclusive of the features, customer support, and added services you need? If not, do they charge reasonable fees for them?
  • Do they provide customer support on multiple channels, including live chat, email, and phone?

The Bottom Line

In an increasingly digital world, companies need to explore new technologies to remain competitive. As you have read above, one aspect in which this could be applied is applicant tracking. By adopting a software solution to reinforce this process, you can accelerate job posting tasks, simplify the way you keep tabs on applicants and improve the overall hiring process. What’s more, these tools can help you make your recruitment efforts more data-driven by providing you with tools that can generate reports and give you insights into your day-to-day processes.

But of course, it is good to note that to reap the benefits of ATS, you must also do your part in learning how you can make it work for you. This means understanding what it can and can’t do and figuring out how you can configure it according to your needs. More importantly, you must take the time to guide your employees on how to use it so that you may make the most out of its functionalities.

Hopefully, with this article, you were able to kickstart your research on ATS and get a better grasp of how you can leverage it to your advantage.

List of Applicant Tracking Systems Companies

Order by:

Newest
  • Newest
  • Score
  • User Score
Product name:
Category:
Smart Score:
Price:
User Satisf.
User reviews:
Recruiterflow reviews

Recruiterflow

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.4
$99
95%
TalentScreen reviews

TalentScreen

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.7
$99
97%
Reczee reviews

Reczee

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.5
$69
95%
PyjamaHR reviews

PyjamaHR

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.4
$9.99
96%
Trakstar Hire reviews

Trakstar Hire

Applicant Tracking Systems
9.2
By quote
-
Axterior reviews

Axterior

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.6
$29
97%
ClearCompany reviews

ClearCompany

Applicant Tracking Systems
9.3
by quote
100%
Recooty reviews

Recooty

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.6
$49
96%
GoHire reviews

GoHire

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.9
£69
98%
Shine Interview reviews

Shine Interview

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.0
$191
97%
RecruiterPM reviews

RecruiterPM

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.0
By quote
-
Zappyhire reviews

Zappyhire

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.0
$39
97%
Jobspage reviews

Jobspage

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.0
$30
100%
SmartATS reviews

SmartATS

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.0
By quote
97%
Skillspace reviews

Skillspace

Applicant Tracking Systems
8.0
$1
93%

Things to consider when you invest in a SaaS

To select an appropriate SaaS vendor you need to consider vital criteria such as privacy and security, support and service, and transparency.

Find out if the provider can be trusted with data security and privacy. Do they have procedures in place to protect your confidential information and data? Find about the security procedures they use. This is an important feature of a SaaS application that cannot be over-emphasized.

It is important that the vendor offers consistent support to resolve any issues quickly. Ask your potential vendors the following questions: Do they offer consulting and training services to help your employees to use the solution competently? Do they have an online support center that has helpful articles and training resources? What channels of support do they offer? Do they monitor problems till they are resolved? Is customer satisfaction measured?

Does the SaaS vendor conduct their business in a transparent and open manner? You can find out by requesting them for references you can contact. Talk to existing customers of the system to learn about the quality of service provided. Does the vendor make public the algorithms they use in the program? Ask these queries to find a SaaS provider whom you can trust with your sensitive customer and business data.

Frequently asked questions about Applicant Tracking Systems

What is the best applicant tracking system?

BambooHR is an end-to-end online human resource management solution built to cater to companies of different sizes. As a fully-integrated system, it comes with a robust applicant tracking module, which makes it one of the best options on the market. Through this, you can keep tabs on your job openings, process applications, and review applicant leads all in one place. What’s more, it comes with tools that let you sift through applications as soon as they enter your system so that you can quickly zero in on candidates who are ideal for the positions you are offering. 

Another great thing about this platform is that it comes with a job posting tool where you can provide the relevant details of your company’s job openings and easily share them on social media networks and job boards. In this way, you can more efficiently tap the right talent pools and accelerate your recruitment process. 

Of course, as a full-fledged HR tool, this platform is not limited to ATS functions. That said, it is a great option for companies who want to use one platform for all their recruitment and workforce management processes. 

What are the benefits of applicant tracking systems?

Companies can reap plenty of benefits by using applicant tracking systems. These include:

  • Faster Recruitment. Applicant tracking systems often come with tools such as searchable databases, screening automation, and centralized job posting systems. With these, you can optimize the way you organize applications as well as streamline processes. As a result, you can improve the time it takes for you to hire new employees. 
  • Better Quality of New Hires. This technology equips you with the features you need to zero in on the best possible candidates in the shortest amount of time. That said, it will improve the quality of your talent pool and ensure the quality of your new hires. Moreover, as the system allows you to identify candidates that best fit your company right away, it also allows you to lower your cost per hire and reduce employee churn.
  • Improved Decision Making. A good chunk of applicant tracking systems also comes equipped with reporting and analytics features. With these, hiring managers can make sense of their recruitment metrics, gauge the efficiency of their processes, and adjust their strategies accordingly. In addition, this allows them to create a more data-driven approach when it comes to hiring decisions.
What are the features of applicant tracking systems?

Here are some critical applicant tracking features that you should look for in an ATS: 

  • Job Posting Management. A tool that allows you to create job listings and publish them on social networks and job boards. This should also come with SEO tools to help you ensure that your listings reach the right candidates.
  • Resume Collection and Sorting. This lets you automatically consolidate and organize the applications that are sent to you via different digital channels. With this tool, you can be sure that no application falls through the cracks. 
  • Application Repository. A searchable database where you can store all previous and current applications and candidate profiles. This allows you to keep tabs on applicants and easily retrieve their documents when needed.
  • Automated Resume Screening. A feature that essentially scans the content of applications for preset keywords, such as the skills or educational attainment that you require. This allows you to sift through large quantities of applications and pinpoint which candidates are qualified for the job you are offering. However, do note that this is something that not all applicant tracking systems offer.
  • Interview Scheduling. ATS often allows its users to schedule interviews with applicants from within the platform. In some cases, these can be synced with your existing calendar apps. 
  • Recruiting Analytics. This allows you to collect data on recruitment metrics like time-to-hire, quality of hire, and cost-per-hire. With this, you can evaluate your hiring efforts as well as make data-driven decisions. 
What is the easiest applicant tracking system?

There are plenty of great applicant tracking systems out there. However, while they are built to make your day-to-day operations more convenient, not all of them will be simple enough to implement. If your team members are not particularly tech-savvy, you might want to check out some of these easy-to-use solutions: 

  • Bamboo HR. An online HR software offering end-to-end workforce management functionalities. Equipped with a straightforward interface that’s easy to navigate, this platform provides users with a centralized employee database, comprehensive application management module, robust employee onboarding suite, and more. 
  • Freshteam. A simple yet highly intuitive solution that brings together applicant tracking and recruitment features in one convenient interface. With job posting, talent pool archiving, and recruitment CRM features, this platform will allow you to optimize candidate sourcing and screening processes. 
  • Submittable. A cloud-hosted submissions management platform that aims to simplify the collection of applications. It provides robust functionalities, such as form creation, multichannel marketing, and an all-in-one review portal in a simple drag-and-drop interface. As such, you should expect it to help you streamline processes without the steep learning curve.
What is a good free applicant tracking system?

Getting a good applicant tracking system for your business doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, there are a few best-in-class providers out there that offer a basic version of their software solutions free of charge. This makes it highly ideal for small businesses as well as larger companies with minimal applicant tracking needs. One such example of this is Freshteam.

A product from Freshworks, this platform provides intuitive applicant tracking tools and recruitment management functionalities to help you tap top-notch talents for your company. It currently offers a free Sprout plan which is inclusive of ATS, support for up to three published job postings, referral management features, and team collaboration tools. With this, you can easily perform basic applicant tracking processes, making it great for growing businesses.  

What’s more, as your requirements change, you can easily scale up to their more advanced plans to get access to tools such as recruitment CRM, feedback collection, and employee onboarding. 

Nestor Gilbert

By Nestor Gilbert

Nestor Gilbert is a senior B2B and SaaS analyst and a core contributor at FinancesOnline for over 5 years. With his experience in software development and extensive knowledge of SaaS management, he writes mostly about emerging B2B technologies and their impact on the current business landscape. However, he also provides in-depth reviews on a wide range of software solutions to help businesses find suitable options for them. Through his work, he aims to help companies develop a more tech-forward approach to their operations and overcome their SaaS-related challenges.

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