Buyer’s guide · Sales
Best ATS Software in 2026: Pricing & Comparison
We compared four applicant tracking systems on public pricing, company-size bands, recruiting features and enterprise fit so hiring teams can shortlist faster.
Ashby fits startups up to 100 employees that want published company-size pricing and all-in-one recruiting. Workable suits small teams that prefer flat headcount-based rates with optional HR. Greenhouse is the structured mid-market and enterprise option (quote). Lever is the CRM-heavy alternative that also requires a quote.
Applicant tracking software (ATS) is the system recruiting teams use to post jobs, manage candidates, schedule interviews, collect feedback and report on hiring. Buyers care about structured interviews, sourcing, CRM features, reporting, integrations and whether pricing scales with company headcount or recruiter seats.
We evaluated every vendor on the same fields: published pricing, free plan or trial, core focus and main limitation. Order is not a quality ranking. We sorted by public published price first, then quote-led platforms last.
Compared at a glance
| Provider | Published pricing | Free plan or trial | Best for | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashby | Foundations from $300–$400/mo (up to 100 employees) | No free plan; demo available | Startups wanting all-in-one with published bands | Visit → |
| Workable | Standard from $299/mo (1–20 employees, annual) | 15-day trial | Small teams wanting recruiting + optional HR | Visit → |
| Greenhouse | Quote only (Core, Plus, Pro) | Demo | Structured mid-market and enterprise hiring | Visit → |
| Lever | Quote only | Demo | Teams wanting ATS + CRM in one | Visit → |
Prices are public list prices in USD where published, checked 13 Oct 2026; they change often — confirm on the vendor’s pricing page. How we evaluated: see methodology below.
The 4 companies in detail
Ashby
Best for startups with published company-size pricing
Best for: companies under 100 employees that want ATS, sourcing, CRM and analytics with transparent bands.
| Published pricing | Foundations ~$300–$900/mo by size band (up to 100); Plus and Enterprise quote |
|---|---|
| Free plan or trial | No permanent free plan |
| Core focus | All-in-one ATS + CRM + scheduling + analytics |
| Main limitation | Pricing moves to quote once you exceed 100 employees |
- Published Foundations pricing based on company size, not recruiter seats.
- Unlimited recruiter seats on Foundations; strong analytics and API.
- Plus and Enterprise are custom; some add-ons (texting, SSO) cost extra.
Workable
Best for small teams with headcount-based rates
Best for: companies of 1–20 employees that want a published flat rate and optional HR features.
| Published pricing | Standard $299/mo annual (1–20); Premier $599; Enterprise $719; scales with headcount |
|---|---|
| Free plan or trial | 15-day trial |
| Core focus | Recruiting + optional HR; sourcing, assessments |
| Main limitation | Texting, video and assessments are add-ons on Standard; price rises with total headcount |
- Clear published prices for small headcount bands.
- Bundles recruiting and HR; AI agent available.
- Bill tracks company size even if hiring volume is low; extras cost more on entry plan.
Greenhouse
Best for structured mid-market hiring
Best for: growing companies that want strong structured interviews, scorecards and governance.
| Published pricing | Quote only (Core, Plus, Pro) |
|---|---|
| Free plan or trial | Demo |
| Core focus | Structured interviewing, CRM, reporting, AI notetaker |
| Main limitation | No public list prices; cost depends on headcount and plan |
- Strong structured interview kits and scorecards on all plans.
- Deep reporting and BI connector on higher tiers.
- Fully quote-based; buyer data suggests median contracts in the mid-five figures.
Lever
Best for ATS + CRM combination
Best for: teams that want talent relationship management and sourcing alongside core ATS features.
| Published pricing | Quote only |
|---|---|
| Free plan or trial | Demo |
| Core focus | ATS + CRM, AI screening, reporting |
| Main limitation | No public prices; add-ons (insights, screening, onboarding) may cost extra |
- Unified ATS and CRM with nurture campaigns.
- AI-powered screening and interview transcripts included in flagship package.
- Custom quotes only; typical contracts range widely by headcount.
Kurums Match: which ATS fits your situation?
Startups under 100 people that want published pricing and all-in-one features should look at Ashby Foundations. Small teams preferring a simple headcount-based rate with optional HR can start with Workable. Mid-market teams that prioritize structured interviews and governance usually evaluate Greenhouse. Organizations that want deep CRM and talent nurturing often shortlist Lever after a demo.
Buying tip
Ask whether pricing is based on total company headcount, recruiter seats or hiring volume. Request the annual total, implementation fees and any add-on costs in writing before you sign.
Which ATS publishes pricing for small companies?
Ashby publishes Foundations pricing by company-size band up to 100 employees. Workable publishes Standard, Premier and Enterprise rates that start at the 1–20 employee band and rise with headcount.
Is Greenhouse or Lever cheaper?
Both are quote-only. Buyer reports place typical Greenhouse contracts in a similar mid-five-figure range to Lever, but actual cost depends on headcount, plan and negotiation. Confirm with each vendor.
Do any of these ATS platforms include HRIS?
Workable offers an optional HR package. The others focus primarily on recruiting and connect to HRIS tools via integrations.
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