Finding the right applicant tracking system can be overwhelming with so many options to consider.
This comprehensive guide compares features across top ATS platforms to help you select the best system for your recruitment needs.
We'll explore popular solutions like Greenhouse, JazzHR, and Workable as well as ATS designed for small businesses. You'll see an ATS comparison chart along with real-world examples and test cases. By the end, you'll have key takeaways to inform your talent acquisition technology decision.
Introduction to Applicant Tracking Systems
What is an Applicant Tracking System?
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that streamlines the entire recruitment process for employers and recruiters. Key features of an ATS include:
- Posting job openings across multiple job boards with one click
- Receiving and organizing resumes/applications in a centralized database
- Automated screening and ranking of applicants based on predefined criteria
- Scheduling and tracking interviews and assessments
- Sending automated emails to candidates during each stage
- Analytics reporting on metrics like time-to-hire, source of hire, etc.
By centralizing and automating repetitive recruitment tasks, an ATS reduces manual work for recruiters and provides structure to talent acquisition efforts.
Benefits of an Applicant Tracking System
Using an ATS provides several advantages:
- Improved candidate experience: Automated application updates and seamless communication through the hiring funnel
- Faster time-to-hire: Streamlined workflows cut down time spent on manual tasks
- Enhanced collaboration: In-built tools for sharing feedback and tracking candidate progression
- Data-driven decisions: Reporting provides insights into recruitment KPIs to optimize strategies
- Scalability: Cloud-based ATS handles increasing application volumes without additional infrastructure
Factors to Consider When Choosing an ATS
When evaluating ATS solutions, key aspects to analyze include:
- Usability: Intuitive and easy to use interface for all user levels
- Mobile access: Ability to manage applicants on-the-go from any device
- Integrations: APIs to connect with existing HR tech stack like HRMS, background check tools etc.
- Customization: Tailor workflows, fields, templates etc. to your unique processes
- Security compliance: Adherence to regulations like GDPR, ISO regarding data privacy
- Support: Quality and availability of customer service resources
- Pricing: Subscription models based on usage limits, features and number of users
Matching organizational needs and recruiters' expectations with the right ATS platform is vital for adoption success.
What is the most popular ATS?
According to recent data, the most popular applicant tracking system (ATS) in 2024 is Freshteam by Freshworks. Here's a quick comparison of the top ATS solutions:
THE BEST APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEMS OF 2024
- Freshteam by Freshworks: Voted best overall ATS. Offers a user-friendly interface, customizable workflows, AI-powered talent search, and robust analytics. Ideal for fast-growing companies.
- JazzHR: Best ATS for startups and small businesses. Very affordable, with powerful recruiting features like one-click job posting.
- BreezyHR: The best free ATS on the market. Allows unlimited users and applicants with basic features.
- Rippling: Best ATS bundled with payroll. Streamlines HR processes in one unified platform.
- Greenhouse: Leading mid-market ATS. Used by over 4,000 organizations globally. Advanced analytics and candidate experience.
- Zoho Recruit: Best free ATS trial (15 days). Scales from startups to enterprises. AI resume parser.
- BambooHR: Best ATS for large companies. Seamless HRIS/payroll integration. Custom workflows and branded career sites.
When comparing ATS systems, key aspects to evaluate include:
- User interface - Is it intuitive and easy to navigate?
- Customization - Can you tailor it to your workflows?
- Integration - Does it connect to your other HR systems?
- Analytics - Does it provide actionable recruiting metrics?
- Candidate experience - Is the application process applicant-friendly?
Choosing the right ATS depends on your organization's size, budget, technology stack, and recruiting needs. The solutions above represent some of the most widely-adopted in their respective categories.
How many Applicant Tracking systems are there?
Before we introduce you to the prevalent application tracking systems (ATSs), it's important to understand what these systems are and why they are valuable.
An ATS is a software application that enables the digital handling of recruitment processes like:
- Posting job openings
- Receiving and organizing applicant resumes/profiles
- Tracking applicant status
- Scheduling interviews
- Making offers
- And more
ATS systems aim to simplify and automate talent acquisition for recruiters and hiring managers. They provide central dashboards to manage candidates and open positions in one place.
There are over 60 well-known ATS platforms available today that cater to organizations of all sizes. The breadth of options allows companies to find a solution tailored to their specific recruitment needs and budget.
When selecting an ATS, key aspects to compare include:
- Integration capabilities with your existing HR systems
- Customization of workflows
- Reporting and analytics
- Candidate experience optimization
- Pricing and required IT resources
To help navigate the myriad of applicant tracking systems, our **applicant tracking systems list** provides an always up-to-date catalog of top ATS options. We compile real user reviews and feature comparisons across systems like BambooHR, JazzHR, Greenhouse and more.
Check out our ATS directory to find the recruitment platform that best matches your organization's needs!
What is an example of an applicant tracking system?
Jobvite is a leading cloud-based applicant tracking system (ATS) that focuses on the candidate experience. Some key features of Jobvite ATS include:
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Social recruiting: Jobvite integrates with major social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to enable social sourcing and publishing job postings to these networks. This expands your talent pool.
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Mobile-optimized career sites: Jobvite provides customizable career sites that are optimized for mobile devices. This improves candidate experience.
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Onboarding: The software supports onboarding by allowing collaboration between recruiters and hiring managers on tasks like paperwork, equipment, and training.
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Interviews: Jobvite has dedicated interview management features like scheduling, feedback collection, and scorecards to rate candidates.
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Requisitions: The ATS allows creating, publishing and managing job requisitions with custom workflows.
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Referrals: You can create customized referral programs to incentivize employees to refer candidates.
Overall, Jobvite offers a feature-rich ATS platform designed for the modern, mobile-first candidate. It's an applicant tracking system example that focuses both on recruiter needs as well as candidate experience throughout the hiring process.
Feb 1, 2023
What is the best ATS system for healthcare?
The top applicant tracking systems (ATS) for healthcare businesses are designed to streamline and optimize the recruitment process while meeting industry-specific needs. Here are some of the best options:
GoHire
GoHire offers customized modules for healthcare recruiting. Key features include:
- Intuitive candidate relationship management tools
- Automated screening questions and skills testing
- Robust reporting on hiring metrics and pipeline tracking
- Integration with background check services
Greenhouse
Greenhouse has an intuitive interface and provides:
- Structured interview templates and scorecards
- Customized hiring workflows
- Detailed analytics on source effectiveness
- Seamless integration with major job sites
Lever
Lever enables talent acquisition teams to:
- Post jobs to niche healthcare job boards
- Automate candidate outreach
- Manage compliance reporting requirements
- Leverage healthcare-focused hiring templates
Cornerstone OnDemand
Cornerstone streamlines the hiring process through:
- Centralized dashboard
- Structured interviews and assessments
- Automated reference checks
- Visibility into candidate pipeline
SmartRecruiters
SmartRecruiters offers features like:
- Customized healthcare screening forms
- Tools to track license/credentials
- Automated reminders for expiring documents
- Reporting on diversity recruiting metrics
The above ATS systems provide the specialized tools needed to attract, screen, and hire top healthcare talent efficiently. Their customized features, compliance capabilities, and analytics simplify recruitment for healthcare organizations.
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Exploring the Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Recruiters
This section will provide an overview of some of the top-rated applicant tracking systems (ATS) on the market, analyzing their key features and how they can benefit recruiters.
Greenhouse Review: Comprehensive Talent Acquisition
Greenhouse offers a robust and intuitive ATS platform aimed at mid-size to large enterprises. Some of its standout features include:
- Customizable career sites and application flows to enhance candidate experience
- Comprehensive analytics and reports to gain insights across the hiring funnel
- Seamless integration with existing HR systems like payroll, background checks etc.
- Configurable workflows and process automation to streamline recruiting
With its focus on usability and analytics, Greenhouse is a great choice for companies looking to scale their recruiting efforts and gain actionable insights. The integration capabilities also make it suitable for organizations wanting to unify their HR tech stack.
Workable Review: Streamlining Small Business Recruitment
Workable provides an affordable and easy-to-use ATS focused on collaboration and communication. Key features include:
- Intuitive interface for creating and managing job postings
- Built-in collaboration tools like candidate review and interview scheduling
- Customizable hiring workflows to match business needs
- Mobile app for managing recruiting on-the-go
As a platform aimed at SMBs, Workable makes recruiter collaboration and task management simple without overwhelming users. The configurable workflows also allow customization as teams and processes evolve.
BambooHR Review: Integrating ATS with Human Capital Management
In addition to ATS functionality, BambooHR offers a full-fledged HRIS for managing the employee lifecycle. Some main features are:
- Ability to post jobs, source, track, interview and hire candidates
- Applicant tracking tightly integrated with core HR data
- Employee records, time-off management, compensation etc.
- Reporting and analytics covering recruiting and HR metrics
For small and mid-size companies looking for an all-in-one talent acquisition and HR solution, BambooHR is a viable option. The integration between ATS and HCM enables unified insights into recruitment and workforce planning.
JazzHR Review: Affordable Recruitment Software for Growing Teams
As a cost-effective recruiting software, JazzHR offers the following capabilities:
- Intuitive interface and easy setup for getting started quickly
- Customizable career sites and job application forms
- Tools for screening, scoring, managing candidates
- Compliance features for EEO and OFCCP reporting
JazzHR is suitable for fast-growing startups and SMBs looking for an intuitive and affordable platform to streamline their recruiting. The out-of-the-box compliance tools also appeal to US-based companies aiming to meet regulatory requirements through their ATS.
When selecting an ATS, it's important to consider the size of your organization, existing tech stack, recruiting workflows and processes, compliance needs, and budget. Evaluating solutions like Greenhouse, Workable, BambooHR and JazzHR can give you a headstart in finding the right platform based on your unique requirements.
Small Business Applicant Tracking Solutions
This section compares some popular, budget-friendly ATS platforms tailored for small business recruiting needs.
Zoho Recruit Review: ATS Application for SMEs
Zoho Recruit offers a free plan alongside affordable paid plans with complete ATS functionality, mobile access, and integrations with the Zoho suite of products.
Key features include:
- Free plan available with basic ATS features for up to 5 users
- Paid plans start at $12 per user per month
- Mobile apps for iOS and Android
- Integration with Zoho CRM, Zoho People, and other Zoho tools
- Customizable career site builder and job board integration
- AI-powered resume parsing and matching
- Customizable application workflows and hiring stages
- Reporting and analytics
Zoho Recruit is designed to scale with a growing business while remaining affordable. The free plan allows startups and small companies to begin using an ATS without a large upfront investment. As needs grow more advanced, paid plans add functionality like skills assessments, background checks, and more extensive reporting.
Overall, Zoho Recruit offers a full-featured ATS optimized for SMB budgets. The free plan and seamless integration with other Zoho tools make it easy to get started for companies with limited resources.
BreezyHR Review: Enhancing Candidate Relationship Management
BreezyHR is an intuitive ATS focused on the candidate experience and recruiting analytics while maintaining an affordable pricing model scaled for SMBs.
Key features include:
- Intuitive and visually appealing interface
- Customizable career site builder with branded templates
- Structured application workflows with custom stages
- Real-time candidate relationship management analytics
- AI-powered resume screening and shortlisting
- Customizable scorecards and structured interviews
- Robust reporting on hiring funnel conversion, source of hire, and more
BreezyHR aims to eliminate tedious tasks for recruiters through automation while providing insights to improve the candidate experience. The platform is designed to be easy to use for both applicants and recruiters.
Pricing starts at $99 per month for up to 75 candidates. Volume discounts are available for larger hiring needs.
For startups and small companies focused on building their employer brand through an exceptional candidate experience, BreezyHR balances usability, analytics, and affordability.
Freshteam Review: All-in-One Recruitment and HR Platform
Freshteam combines ATS, HRMS, and collaboration tools in one platform designed for startups and small company hiring on a budget.
Key features include:
- Unified platform for applicant tracking, HR management, and team collaboration
- Intuitive interface and simple setup
- Customizable career site, job board integration, and branded career pages
- Structured application workflow with custom stages
- AI-powered resume screening and matching
- Onboarding and employee database management
- Shared candidate profiles and collaboration tools for hiring teams
- Affordable pricing starting at $50 per month
For growing startups and SMBs seeking an integrated solution covering the entire talent acquisition process, Freshteam provides an all-in-one platform with ATS, HRMS, and collaboration features essential for scaling up hiring. The unified interface allows companies to manage the complete talent lifecycle without integrating disparate software tools.
While functionality may not be as advanced as larger enterprise-grade ATS platforms, Freshteam offers an easy-to-use system covering essential hiring and HR needs for small business budgets. The platform is designed to scale as organizations expand.
ATS Platform Features and Capabilities
Applicant Tracking System Comparison Chart
Here is a comparison of some popular applicant tracking systems (ATS) and their key features:
| ATS | Interface | Mobile App | Resume Parsing | Recruiting Features | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse | Intuitive, modern | Yes | Yes, AI-powered | Custom workflows, structured interviews | $4-8 per user/month |
| Workable | Simple, clean | Yes | Yes | Collaboration tools, candidate scorecards | $39-99 per user/month |
| JazzHR | Easy to navigate | Yes | Yes, AI-powered | Customizable stages, automation | $350-1,000+ per month |
As you can see, most ATS platforms nowadays have mobile-friendly interfaces, AI-powered resume parsing, and a variety of recruiting features like workflow customization and collaboration tools. Pricing can vary widely based on the number of users and desired features.
Applicant Tracking System Examples: Real-World Use Cases
Here are some examples of how different businesses utilize ATS platforms:
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A small retail business uses BambooHR's ATS to post job openings on their website and job boards, screen resumes, and track applicants through the hiring workflow. The simple interface and affordable pricing work well for their needs.
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A mid-sized tech company uses Lever to source candidates on niche tech job boards, organize applicant information, allow hiring managers to collaborate, and give recruiters analytics on their pipeline.
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A large corporation uses SAP SuccessFactors for high-volume recruiting across locations worldwide, customized branding and workflows, compliance reporting, advanced analytics, and integration with their HRIS system.
Applicant Tracking System Test Your Resume: Optimization for Candidates
Many ATS platforms allow you to test how your resume will parse in their system. Here are some tips to optimize your resume:
- Use standard headings like "Work Experience" which are easy for ATS to read
- Use a simple, consistent format throughout your resume
- Don't use fancy templates or tables which can confuse ATS parsers
- Include keywords from the job description so you match what they are looking for
Testing your resume in any ATS you are applying through will help ensure it gets through and catches a recruiter's eye!
Applicant Tracking System Free Options for Startups
If you're a budget-conscious startup or small business, there are some free and freemium ATS options to consider:
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Zoho Recruit offers a free plan for up to 5 users with basic applicant tracking features.
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Breezy HR has a forever free plan with unlimited job openings for small teams. Features are limited compared to paid plans.
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BetterTeam offers basic applicant tracking, resume search, and collaboration for free with limits on the number of applicants and users.
While feature-limited, these solutions allow early-stage startups to begin using an ATS without a huge investment. As the organization grows, they can upgrade to more robust paid versions.
Key Considerations When Evaluating ATS Solutions
When assessing different applicant tracking system (ATS) options, there are several key factors to consider that will impact your organization's recruiting and hiring processes. Carefully evaluating these elements will help you select the right ATS that aligns with your needs.
Core ATS Functionality and Candidate Experience
The core features and functionality of an ATS play a critical role in your evaluation process. Assess the system's capabilities for:
- Posting jobs and reaching suitable candidates
- Sourcing, tracking, and managing applicants
- Scheduling interviews and assessments
- Making offers and onboarding new hires
- Analytics, dashboards, and custom reporting
Additionally, examine the candidate experience supported by the ATS. A positive experience can boost your employer brand and aid recruiting.
Ease of Use and ATS Application Flexibility
Consider how intuitive and easy to use the ATS platform is for all types of users. Review the flexibility of workflows and configurability of fields, stages, and processes to match your existing recruiting procedures. These factors impact the learning curve and adoption rate.
Customization and Personalization of the ATS Platform
Determine the level to which you can tailor and customize elements within the ATS system for your specific requirements. Assess capabilities such as:
- Customizing application questions and fields
- Configurable career site templates
- Ability to build personalized workflows and stages
- Custom analytics, metrics, dashboards and reporting
Integration and API Capabilities with Existing Systems
Examine what other critical HR systems, tools and software the ATS seamlessly integrates with through APIs. Key integrations may include:
- HRIS/HCM systems
- Video interviewing platforms
- Background check services
- Assessment tools
- CRM and marketing software
Security and Compliance in Applicant Tracking Systems
Validate that the ATS employs adequate security protections, access controls, and meets necessary compliance standards such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR. Protecting applicant data is essential.
Carefully evaluating these key elements will guide you in determining the best ATS solution for your organization's talent acquisition needs. Selecting the right system can streamline recruiting processes, improve hiring outcomes, and enhance the candidate experience.
Conclusion: Selecting the Right Applicant Tracking System for Your Needs
In closing, implementing the right ATS solution can transform recruiting operations. Take stock of your organization's needs, shortlist top contenders, thoroughly evaluate options, and leverage free trials to determine the best system for your goals.
Key Takeaways from the Applicant Tracking Systems List
The article provided an ATS overview, compared leading platforms’ capabilities, gave SMB-focused recommendations, and outlined critical factors to consider when selecting an ATS:
- ATS solutions streamline and automate recruiting tasks like posting jobs, sourcing candidates, tracking applications, scheduling interviews, and making offers.
- Key features include customizable career sites, candidate relationship management, AI-powered resume parsing, skills assessments, interview tools, analytics reporting, and integration capabilities.
- Top ATS picks for small businesses include BreezyHR, JazzHR, Zoho Recruit, and BambooHR for their affordability, ease-of-use, and core recruiting features.
- When evaluating options, prioritize must-have capabilities, scalability needs, budget parameters, ease of use, implementation timelines, and available support.
Next Steps in Talent Acquisition Technology
Inventory existing recruiting pain points, identify must-have ATS features, document workflows, compare top contenders, and pilot top choices to determine the best fit:
- Analyze current application tracking methods to pinpoint bottlenecks and opportunities for automation.
- Determine essential capabilities like requisition management, candidate sourcing, customized career portals, interview scheduling, and analytics.
- Map out recruiting processes to understand workflow needs and where an ATS can drive efficiency.
- Shortlist 4-5 top contenders that align with priorities, request demos, compare options, and set up free trials.
- Pilot the 1-2 leading choices with real open roles to gauge usability, features, and results before deciding.
Selecting and implementing the right ATS takes research and planning, but can yield tremendous recruiting improvements in the long run.
