Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving SmartRecruiters.
Want the closest match?
iCIMSMost similar to SmartRecruiters in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens iCIMS in a new tab)Want the lowest price?
VanillaHRFrom $199/mo, the lowest starting price here.
Visit (opens VanillaHR in a new tab)Want the best rated?
AshbyRated 4.2 out of 5 in our review, against 4.0 for SmartRecruiters.
Visit (opens Ashby in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than SmartRecruiters, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 SmartRecruitersBaseline | 4.0 | Not listed | No | Enterprise talent acquisition platform covering sourcing through onboarding, with AI running across the hiring workflow rather than bolted onto one step. | |
| iCIMS | 4.2+0.2 | Not listed | No | Enterprise recruiting platform with an applicant tracking system, candidate engagement and career sites, plus iCIMS AI: a Sourcing Agent, candidate ranking and matching, a GenAI search assistant, an AI career-site chatbot and AI email writing. | vs SmartRecruiters |
 Talently.ai | 3.5−0.5 | Not listed | No | An AI interviewer that conducts live candidate interviews in multiple languages, with structured evaluation across every conversation. | vs SmartRecruiters |
| Ashby | 4.2+0.2 | $270/mo | No | Applicant tracking system built with recruiting analytics baked in, not bolted on as an afterthought | vs SmartRecruiters |
 Crelate | 3.8−0.2 | Not listed | No | Modular recruiting platform for staffing agencies - ATS and CRM together, with AI candidate discovery, plus onboarding and compliance forms. | vs SmartRecruiters |
 Alex | 4.0Same | Not listed | No | Conversational AI interviewer that screens job candidates through interactive, real-time interviews. | vs SmartRecruiters |
 Jobvite | 4.0Same | Not listed | No | Recruiting platform for mid-sized and enterprise teams with AI-powered candidate matching, an AI Interview Companion and AI-assisted outreach, now owned by Employ Inc. alongside JazzHR and Lever. | vs SmartRecruiters |
| VanillaHR | 3.5−0.5 | $199/mo | No | AI-driven applicant tracking system from Paris that screens CVs and cover letters, with a 30-day free trial and plans from $199 a month. | vs SmartRecruiters |
 HeyMilo AI | 4.0Same | Not listed | No | Runs automated voice interviews for high-volume hiring and scores the results. | vs SmartRecruiters |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches SmartRecruiters.
iCIMS
4.2Not listed
vs SmartRecruiters+0.2
Enterprise recruiting platform with an applicant tracking system, candidate engagement and career sites, plus iCIMS AI: a Sourcing Agent, candidate ranking and matching, a GenAI search assistant, an AI career-site chatbot and AI email writing.
- Sourcing Agent for automated candidate sourcing
- Candidate ranking, talent matching and a GenAI search assistant
- AI career-site chatbot and conversational job search
Recruiters choose how much AI autonomy to enable
No published pricing; demo or sales call required
Talently.ai
3.5Not listed
vs SmartRecruiters−0.5
An AI interviewer that conducts live candidate interviews in multiple languages, with structured evaluation across every conversation.
- Live AI-conducted candidate interviews
- Multi-language interviewing
- Consistent question set across all candidates
Removes the scheduling bottleneck in high-volume early screening
Automated employment assessment is regulated - NYC bias audits and EU AI Act high-risk rules apply
Ashby
4.2$270/mo
vs SmartRecruiters+0.2
Applicant tracking system built with recruiting analytics baked in, not bolted on as an afterthought.
- Full applicant tracking system with job requisitions, pipelines, and interview scheduling
- Native recruiting analytics dashboards built into the core product
- AI-assisted candidate sourcing alongside the core ATS workflow
Built-in analytics remove the need to export ATS data into a separate BI tool
Entry pricing at $400/month is a real commitment for very small teams
Crelate
3.8Not listed
vs SmartRecruiters−0.2
Modular recruiting platform for staffing agencies - ATS and CRM together, with AI candidate discovery, plus onboarding and compliance forms.
- ATS and recruiting CRM in a single system
- AI-powered candidate discovery and insights
- Business development and outreach alongside sourcing
Built for agencies, where business development matters as much as candidates
No public pricing
Alex
4.0Not listed
vs SmartRecruitersSame
Conversational AI interviewer that screens job candidates through interactive, real-time interviews.
- Interactive conversational AI interviewer
- Automated candidate screening and scoring
- Real-time follow-up question generation
Runs live, adaptive interviews instead of static video submissions
Pricing is not published and requires a sales conversation
Jobvite
4.0Not listed
vs SmartRecruitersSame
Recruiting platform for mid-sized and enterprise teams with AI-powered candidate matching, an AI Interview Companion and AI-assisted outreach, now owned by Employ Inc. alongside JazzHR and Lever.
- AI-powered candidate matching with explanations
- AI Interview Companion for structured interviews
- AI-assisted automation and outreach at scale
Match explanations show why a candidate was surfaced
No published prices; quotes only
VanillaHR
3.5$199/mo
vs SmartRecruiters−0.5
AI-driven applicant tracking system from Paris that screens CVs and cover letters, with a 30-day free trial and plans from $199 a month.
- AI analysis of CVs and cover letters
- AI content creation for job posts and candidate messages
- A full applicant-tracking pipeline with scheduling and collaboration
A generous 30-day trial with a guided onboarding call
Pro and Enterprise pricing both require a sales conversation
HeyMilo AI
4.0Not listed
vs SmartRecruitersSame
Runs automated voice interviews for high-volume hiring and scores the results.
- Voice interviews conducted automatically
- Built for high-volume screening
- Works inside an existing applicant tracking system
Targets the real bottleneck in high-volume hiring
Pricing is not published
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is SmartRecruiters free?
SmartRecruiters does not list a free plan. Check its pricing page for current plans.
What is the cheapest alternative to SmartRecruiters?
Among paid plans, VanillaHR has the lowest starting price (from $199/mo).
How did you pick these alternatives?
We match tools on what they do, their category and their price, using the details in our directory. Ratings come from our reviews and reader reviews.