Jun 5, 2025
Samuel Nygren
Founder and CEO of Hirefly. Samuel used to work at a mid size company, struggeling to manage applications every time they were hiring and decied to build and affordable alternative.
For small businesses, hiring isn’t constant. You might need to fill one role now—and then not again for months. So why pay for a bulky, expensive ATS all year round?
This guide is written for small and medium-sized businesses who want to make smart, value-driven decisions when comparing ATS options. We’ll break down pricing models, show you screenshots (yes, the real ones), and help you understand what you’re really paying for—and when you don’t have to.
Quick Note Before We Dive In
If you’re looking for an all-in-one HR suite that manages PTO, payroll, and performance reviews, this isn’t it. This guide focuses only on standalone Applicant Tracking Systems—tools designed to help you attract, track, and hire candidates.
The Real Problem with ATS Pricing (That No One Talks About)
Most small businesses don’t need 25 seats. Or advanced analytics. Or enterprise integrations with your HRIS. What they do need is:
A system that doesn’t lock them into paying $200/month just to post one job
A way to loop in hiring managers without charging per user
Transparent pricing so they’re not surprised when the invoice hits
Too many ATS providers use per-seat pricing and bundle in features you don’t need. This guide is here to help you avoid that trap.
ATS Pricing Comparison table (2025)
ATS | Annual Price (Monthly Equivalent) | Unlimited Users | Free Trial | Branded Career Page | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hirefly | $288/year ($29/mo) | ✅ | ✅ 30 days | ✅ modern | SMBs that hire occasionally and want value-based pricing |
Recruitee | $2,388/year ($270/mo) | ❌ (base plan includes limited seats) | ✅ 18 days | ✅ | Teams that need collaboration and can afford to scale up |
Workable | $4,280/year (~$360/mo) | ❌ (pricing increases per seat) | ✅ | ✅ | Companies hiring regularly with budget for sourcing tools |
Manatal | $228/user/year ($19/user/mo) | ❌ ($19/user/mo) | ✅ 14 days | ⚠️ Basic only | Solo recruiters or small teams hiring lightly |
Recooty | $948/year ($99/mo) | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ Basic | Early-stage teams with limited hiring needs |
Greenhouse | Custom (~$6,500+/year) | ❌ (per-seat licensing) | ❌ | ✅ | High-growth or enterprise teams with complex workflows |
Lever | Custom (~$4,000–8,000/year) | ❌ (per-seat licensing) | ❌ | ✅ | Mid-size to enterprise teams with advanced needs |
Ashby | $3,000–8,400/year ($300–700/mo) | ❌ (per-seat pricing tiers) | ❌ | ✅ | Data-driven teams hiring frequently (not budget-sensitive) |
Homerun | €948/year (~$99/mo) | ❌ (up to 25 users, then pay more) | ✅ 15 days | ✅ modern | Brand-conscious SMBs needing simple, stylish pages |
Bullhorn | Custom (enterprise pricing) | ❌ (staffing agency model, seat-based) | ❌ | ✅ | Staffing agencies and external recruiters |
Hirefly
Starts at: $29/month
Per-seat pricing: ❌ Unlimited users
Free trial: ✅ 30 days
Best for: SMBs that want to hire smart, not overpay for features they don’t use
Why it works: No per-seat pricing. No fluff features. Just fast, modern hiring tools and a beautiful career page.
Recruitee
Starts at: $270/month
Per-seat pricing: ✅
Free trial: ✅
Why it works: Good UX and collaborative tools, but pricing ramps up fast with team size.
Workable
Starts at: ~$360/month
Per-seat pricing: Up to 20 users on the Standard plan.
Free trial: ✅
Why it works: Full-featured, includes sourcing tools—but may feel bloated if you’re a small or medium size company.
Manatal
Starts at: $19/user/month
Per-seat pricing: ✅
Free trial: ✅ 14 days
Why it works: Affordable for solo users, but costs jump with each added teammate.
Recooty
Starts at: $99/month
Per-seat pricing: ❌
Free trial: ✅
Why it works: Lightweight, beginner-friendly, but limited flexibility as you grow.
Greenhouse
Starts at: Custom pricing (est. ~$6,500+/year). Greenhouse pricing not available on their website
Per-seat pricing: ✅
Free trial: ❌
Why it works: Great for high-growth or enterprise hiring—but too complex and expensive for small companies.
Lever
Starts at: Lever atspricing not available in public (commonly quoted ~$4,000–10,000/year)
Per-seat pricing: ✅
Free trial: ❌
Why it works: Strong reporting and CRM-style features—but it’s built for volume hiring, not occasional use.
Ashby
Starts at: $300–700/month (startup pricing tier)
Per-seat pricing: ✅ up to 10 users on the Foundation plan.
Free trial: ❌
Why it works: Impressive analytics and data—but pricing and complexity are overkill for companies hiring under 10 roles/year.
Homerun
Starts at: €99/month
Per-seat pricing: ❌ (up to 25 users on the light plan)
Free trial: ✅ 15 days
Why it works: Strong on visual design and employer branding; limited ATS functionality for larger teams.
Bullhorn
Starts at: Custom pricing (enterprise-focused). No pricing found.
Per-seat pricing: ✅
Free trial: ❌
Why it works: Built for staffing and recruiting agencies—not ideal for in-house hiring at small businesses.
What Small Teams Actually Need
Forget the dashboards and “AI matching.” What really matters for SMBs:
✅ Unlimited team access
✅ Flexible monthly billing
✅ Branded, mobile-friendly career page
✅ Custom application forms
✅ Easy-to-use interface
❌ No hard sales calls, no complex setup, no bloated analytics
Final Thoughts: Don’t Pay for What You Won’t Use
If you’re hiring 2–20 people per year, you don’t need a “system of record” with custom pipelines and dashboards.
You need a tool that’s:
Easy to start using today
Affordable when you’re not hiring
Clear in what you’re paying for
That’s what real value looks like.
Try Hirefly – A Modern ATS Built for Small Businesses
🎯 Start your 30-day free trial
No per-seat pricing. No sales hoops. Just tools that help you hire faster and look great doing it.
