Skip to main content

ATSs are crucial tools in the hiring tool belt and choosing the right one is a big decision.

It's worth taking the time to put in the research and land on a solution that addresses your current needs with an eye on the future.

As someone who's navigated the complexities of recruitment firsthand, I understand your challenges and how these tools can help solve them.

This article is your guide to finding the perfect ATS match, featuring software that's designed to streamline your recruitment process and help you hire better talent.

You Can Trust Our Software Reviews

We've been testing and reviewing HR software since 2019. As HR professionals ourselves, we know how critical and difficult it is to make the right decision when selecting software.

We invest in deep research to help our audience make better software purchasing decisions. We've tested more than 2,000 tools for different HR use causes and written over 1,000 comprehensive software reviews. Learn how we stay transparent, and take a look at our software review methodology.

Best Applicant Tracking Systems: Pricing Comparison Chart

This ATS comparison chart summarizes pricing details for my top applicant tracking systems to help you find the best software for your budget and business needs.

Tool Best For Trial Info Price
1
Journeyfront

Journeyfront uses advanced data analytics to help HR teams enhance and streamline hiring operations.

Best for data-driven hiring practices

Free demo available

Pricing upon request Website
2
Pinpoint

Pinpoint's dashboard offers an overview of each qualified candidate, their status, their scorecards, and more.

Best for in-house talent acquisition teams

Free demo available

Pricing upon request Website
3
ClearCompany

With ClearCompany you can find, schedule, and engage the best future employees while staying organized.

Best for streamlined hiring automation

Free demo available

Pricing upon request Website
4
Workable Recruiting

Workable allows users to post jobs across hundreds of channels to reach the right candidates.

Best for ease of use

15-day free trial + free demo

From $169/month, with up to 20 seats Website
5
Greenhouse

Cast a wide net using the system's smart recommendations of where to post your job listings, then track candidates through each stage of the hiring process.

Best for sourcing many qualified candidates

Free demo available

Pricing upon request Website
6
BambooHR

Offer letter templates are built right into BambooHR’s applicant tracking system, making it fast and easy to get offers into candidates hands.

Best for automated offers and analytics

7-day free trial

From $6.19/user/month (billed annually) Website
7
Manatal

Manatal users can streamline the recruitment process by organizing candidates and process stages onto Kanban boards.

Best for AI recruitment and candidate sourcing

14-day free trial

From $15/user/month Website
8
VIVAHR

VIVAHR helps recruiting teams save time by supporting bulk actions and numerous automations.

Best for small businesses

7-day free trial

From $89/month Website
9
Tracker

Tracker's ATS platform helps teams visualize recruiting and hiring pipelines on intuitive Kanban boards.

Best for combined ATS and CRM

Free demo available

Pricing upon request Website
10
Zoho Recruit

Zoho Recruit provides breakdowns and reports on open job status, jobs by industry, and more.

Best for staffing agencies

15-day free trial + free plan available

From $25/user/month (billed annually) Website

Best Applicant Tracking System Reviews

Below are my detailed reviews of each applicant tracking system that made it into my top 10 list, including notes on why I picked them. Each review offers a detailed look at the key features, pros & cons, integrations, and ideal use cases for each ATS system to help you find the best option for you.

Best for data-driven hiring practices

  • Free demo available
  • Pricing upon request

Journeyfront is an intelligent hiring suite that leverages advanced data analytics to refine the hiring process for organizations. It offers an advanced range of tools for sourcing, screening, assessing, managing candidates, interviewing, and decision-making, while ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.

Why I picked Journeyfront: Journeyfront's automated candidate screening process includes digital interviews, customizable hiring scorecards, and continuous tracking and optimization of hiring practices. This efficiency accelerates the hiring process and enhances the overall quality of hires. Additionally, the platform's dedicated customer support for onboarding and training is valuable for high-volume recruiting and talent acquisition needs. With these standout features, Journeyfront balances speed and quality while maintaining the human element in recruitment, ensuring cultural fit and connection with candidates.

Journeyfront Standout Features & Integrations:

Standout features include screen and ranking tools to assist in evaluating and ranking candidates based on their qualifications, assessments and tests to gauge candidate skills, management processes to streamline the hiring journey, and reporting and analytics to monitor and refine hiring tasks.

Integrations include Greenhouse, BambooHR, Workday, ADP, JazzHR, Jobvite, LinkedIn, Okta, and Indeed.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Effective onboarding processes
  • Insightful analytics
  • Customizable hiring processes

Cons:

  • Limited feature set
  • Feedback loop limitations

Best for in-house talent acquisition teams

  • Free demo available
  • Pricing upon request
Visit Website
Rating: 4.7/5

Pinpoint's ATS software is a fast and flexible ATS with plenty of options to add new features as you need them.

Why I picked Pinpoint: Pinpoint is extremely powerful yet easy-to-use with an intuitive design and straightforward user experience. Recruiters and hiring managers can be onboarded and get up and running quickly, with additional customer support always available from their customer success team.

Pinpoint has core ATS and talent CRM features such as job board multiposting and social media advertising, unlimited customizable workflows, automated interview scheduling, and employee onboarding. Data protection and security features include single sign-on, two-factor authentication, and tools to help manage compliance with local regulations like the GDPR/CCPA.

Pinpoint Standout Features & Integrations:

Standout features that make Pinpoint unique include blind screening to help reduce unconscious bias, candidate scorecards for gathering fast and objective hiring manager feedback, and a suite of reporting tools including a custom report builder. They also offer access for an unlimited number of users, since their software isn't priced per user, leading to a greater ROI for large-scale in-house recruiting teams.

Integrations are available natively with hundreds of other platforms, including ADP, BambooHR, Canditech, Certn, CodeSubmit, DocuSign, JotForm, Google Meet, Gusto, Microsoft Teams, Namely, Rippling, Sage People, SAP, UKG Pro, Workday, Zoom, and many others. In addition, their Zapier integration supports integration with over 3,000 other tools.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Exceptional customer success and support
  • Focus on employer brand and candidate experience
  • Powerful automation and careful design for ease-of-use

Cons:

  • Not suitable for most recruitment agencies due to lack of client management features
  • Some features only available in the Enterprise tier

Best for streamlined hiring automation

  • Free demo available
  • Pricing upon request
Visit Website
Rating: 4.6/5

ClearCompany is an easy-to-use applicant tracking system (ATS) that has empowered thousands of companies to attract, screen, and hire better talent. You'll also unlock tools to engage your team and use strategic insights to keep recruiting competitive.

Why I picked ClearCompany: I appreciate the many time-saving automations their platform includes, such as interview scheduling workflows, and the ability to expedite the candidate communications process via automated emails or pre-built text recruiting campaigns. When combined, these features can help hiring teams accelerate their hiring process and identify top talent faster.

ClearCompany is best for companies based in the U.S. and Canada.

ClearCompany Standout Features & Integrations:

Standout features for ClearCompany include their mobile-friendly interview packages, and their Advanced ClearText suite that meets candidates where their are (on their mobile devices) by offering ClearText and Text-to-Apply features for candidates, as well as bulk texting and text recruiting templates for your talent acquisition specialists. Plus, their pre-built recruiting report templates track all the key data points you'd expect (candidate demographics, pipeline sources, time to hire, etc.), saving you from having to set your reports up from scratch.

Other key features include candidate sourcing, automated screening, candidate grading, text & video interview scheduling, EEO/OFCCP compliance reporting, numerous integrations to help you post jobs, AI-assisted job descriptions, and an additional full-service background-checking option that's available as an add-on.

Integrations are available natively with 100+ programs for assessment tests, background checks, calendars, job postings, payroll and benefits, and SSO.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Lots of integrations to help with skill testing
  • Recruiting tools link to other modules to support easy employee onboarding
  • Automatic candidate screening and grading saves lots of time

Cons:

  • Information on plan features and prices is not readily available
  • No free trial available

Best for ease of use

  • 15-day free trial + free demo
  • From $169/month, with up to 20 seats
Visit Website
Rating: 4.6/5

Workable is a recruitment software designed to simplify the hiring process for businesses of all sizes. Their ATS tool offers features that cover every aspect of recruitment, from posting jobs to tracking applicants and managing interviews. 

Why I picked Workable: One of the reasons Workable stands out is its ease of use. The platform’s intuitive design ensures that even those with minimal technical expertise can navigate and utilize its features. Additionally, Workable’s robust job posting capabilities allow users to distribute job listings across hundreds of job boards and social media channels with a few clicks, attracting a diverse range of applicants.

Workable also has a comprehensive ATS that helps the recruitment process by organizing applications in a centralized dashboard, where recruiters can easily track candidate progress and status. Advanced features like resume parsing, candidate scoring, and automated workflows reduce administrative burdens and help recruiters focus on engaging with the most promising candidates

Workable Standout Features & Integrations:

Standout features include collaborative hiring tools for better team communication and shared evaluations, customizable templates for job descriptions and emails, and reporting and analytics tools for actionable insights into recruitment metrics. Furthermore, Workable includes an integrated video interview feature, allowing for more flexible and remote-friendly hiring processes.

Integrations include LinkedIn, Indeed, Google Calendar, Slack, Microsoft Outlook, Zapier, BambooHR, Greenhouse, Zoom, Asana, Trello, DocuSign, G Suite, Office 365, Monster, Facebook, Twitter, and Glassdoor.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Reports and analytics for the recruitment process
  • Automation features for recruitment tasks
  • Easy to navigate, intuitive user interface

Cons:

  • Initial setup can be complex, especially with data migration
  • Some limits to customization

Best for sourcing many qualified candidates

  • Free demo available
  • Pricing upon request
Visit Website
Rating: 4.3/5

Greenhouse is a comprehensive ATS that helps you reach, classify, and nurture talent. You can use it to build a robust candidate pipeline and find the best candidates for each available position.

Why I picked Greenhouse: You can easily post on over 1,000 job boards through the software, including both niche sites and major job marketplaces. This helps you reach a large pool of candidates from the outset and you can be confident in where you decide to post because the platform makes recommendations based on historical and industry performance.  

The software stores data for all of your candidates (compliantly of course) which you can use to automate personalized outreach and engagement messages at scale. When the applications stack up, you can screen and evaluate candidates anonymously and with pre-defined scorecards, helping you reduce unconscious bias in your hiring process and ensures a fair shot for all applicants.

Greenhouse Standout Features and Integrations

One standout feature that really sets Greenhouse apart is its structured hiring capabilities. Their structured hiring workflow is designed to create a consistent and equitable interviewing experience by determining the requirements, experience, and attributes a successful candidate must have for an open role before the job is posted.

By setting these parameters up in advance, Greenhouse creates a scoring rubric you can use to assess all your candidates consistently and fairly. This process also ensures role requirements are linked to business decisions, and that hiring decisions are based firmly on data and not other potentially biased candidate details.

Other key features in Greenhouse's applicant tracking system include team collaboration tools, an internal job board to promote internal mobility, multichannel candidate sourcing, onboarding features to create a positive candidate experience, automated task management, core reports, and a mobile app.

Integrations include over 400+ applications, including Broadbean, Canditech, Calendly, Checkr, Cord, DocuSign, Dropbox, FlexJobs, GoodTime, Google Meet, Indeed, Microsoft Teams, Namely, Paradox, Seek, and many others. Greenhouse also has a Harvest API to support additional custom integrations as well.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • "Essential" (basic) plan offers good value for small businesses
  • Tools to mitigate unconscious bias
  • Ability to cast a wide net for all roles

Cons:

  • Pricing details are not transparent
  • BI tools only included in top-tier paid plan

Best for automated offers and analytics

  • 7-day free trial
  • From $6.19/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.4/5

BambooHR is a well-known HR solution that offers core HR modules designed for small and medium businesses. Their software includes modules for hiring and onboarding, time off and benefits, HR data and reporting, and employee experience.

Why I picked BambooHR: Efficiency and speed are two core elements of BambooHR’s applicant tracking system, which includes time-saving features like sending multiple email template responses at once, and branded digital offer letters that auto-populate candidate and job details. To improve the candidate experience, electronic signatures also make it fast and easy to accept a new position.

Automated reminders also ensure hiring managers communicate with applicants in a timely fashion, ensuring they feel acknowledged and informed throughout the hiring process.

BambooHR Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include automated emails, automated disqualifying questions, detailed candidate records, candidate keyword search, email and offer letter templates, connections with job boards, job pipelines, talent pools, and a full-feature mobile app so you can stay in touch with candidates from anywhere.

To help with your overall recruitment process, BambooHR also includes a useful birds-eye-view of applicant information. Their Applicant Sources Report parses out your candidate data to show you where your applicants are coming from, helping you focus your resources on what’s working the best, or address any shortcomings directly.

In addition, their Applicant Funnel Report digs deeper into your recruitment timeline to pinpoint the slower portions of your process so you can look at ways to speed up those steps.

Integrations are available 60+ common HR software solutions including job posting boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter, as well as social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Offer letters with e-signature signing capabilities
  • User-friendly interface, including on mobile apps
  • ATS is connected to onboarding tools for hired candidates

Cons:

  • Not a recruiting-first system
  • Limited customization options

Best for AI recruitment and candidate sourcing

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $15/user/month
Visit Website
Rating: 4.9/5

Manatal is a leading applicant tracking and recruitment software solution that uses artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and other unique and innovative features. The software helps in streamlining all recruitment operations from sourcing to onboarding, and is currently used by organizations in over 90 countries worldwide.

Why I picked Manatal: Their interface is both practical and intuitive, and as a result, little to no training is required and teams can quickly start leveraging its tools. Manatal also includes a complete CRM (customer relationship management) system and an easy-to-use, customizable career page builder so users can start showcasing openings.

Manatal Standout Features & Integrations:

Features The platform includes all the standard ATS features you'd expect, such as daily recruitment processing, drag-and-drop pipelines, compliance tools (i.e., GDPR, CCPA, & PDPA), a full analytics suite, a skill bank, candidate and job history, activities management, collaboration tools, a placement management system, and all main functions that relate to applicant information and employee records.

More innovative features include things like powerful search functions, AI-based recommendations, candidate scoring, and social media recruitment (LinkedIn, Facebook, GitHub, and more). These features have proven extremely valuable in streamlining activities like candidate sourcing and screening, as well as in helping leverage large existing candidate databases.

Integrations are available through Manatal's open API and include platforms like LinkedIn, Gmail, Outlook, Mailchimp, and more.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Intuitive user interface
  • AI-based recommendation of candidates and social media recruitment
  • Built-in CRM tools

Cons:

  • No free plan available
  • No payroll management system

Best for small businesses

  • 7-day free trial
  • From $89/month
Visit Website
Rating: 4.7/5

VIVAHR is an all-in-one applicant tracking system for small businesses designed to make the whole recruitment process a lot easier. You can use it to help you manage your job postings, sift through resumes, and keep track of applicants.

Why I picked VIVAHR: I included VIVAHR in this ATS list because it's got all the features you need without being overly complicated or expensive. It's also very flexible, so you can adapt it to different hiring workflows as needed. You can use automations to post to 50+ job boards at once, share job openings over social media, create custom pipelines, and communicate with candidates through text messages.

VIVAHR Standout Features and Integrations

One standout feature I really love about VIVAHR is its collaborative hiring tools. You can involve your whole team in the hiring process, which can really help to ensure you're making the right decisions. It also has a great candidate ranking system, which makes it easy to see at a glance who your top applicants are, while also eliminating any unconscious biases.

Other key features include resume parsing, tools for collecting employee referrals, and the ability to send digital offers to top-tier candidates, which can be signed with e-signatures. VIVAHR also supports bulk actions, which can save high-volume hiring teams even more time.

Integrations are available with over 860 apps, including CRM systems like Twilio, Salesforce, HubSpot and Pipedrive, and with work operating systems like Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365. It also integrates with numerous job boards, including LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter, which allows you to post jobs to multiple platforms with just a few clicks.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Suitable for small businesses or enterprise organizations with multiple locations
  • Numerous software integrations available
  • Well-suited for hiring trade services, hospitality, and healthcare workers

Cons:

  • Could use more job board integrations compared to other systems
  • Starter package has limited features

Best for combined ATS and CRM

  • Free demo available
  • Pricing upon request
Visit Website
Rating: 4.6/5

Tracker is a recruitment and staffing software that acts as a combined ATS and CRM (candidate and/or client relationship management) system. The tool is designed to help staffing and recruiting firms manage and optimize their candidate, client, marketing, and operational processes.

Why I picked Tracker: I selected Tracker because of its dual purpose as an ATS and CRM system, plus several unique features that make it a great choice for any organization with a heavy customer relations focus. This includes their back office functions that help with client onboarding, assignment management, and accounting, as well as their integrated vendor management system (VMS) that helps teams proactively source talent 24/7 thanks to their rules-based parsing engine and auto-match technology.

Tracker Standout Features and Integrations

One standout feature that can save a lot of time is their AI-based candidate ranking feature. This feature uses machine learning to monitor candidate engagement and combines these details with existing candidate data already in Tracker from previous applications. By combining these data sources, their AI agent helps to rank candidates and present the best fits for your open positions using this proprietary ranking methodology.

Other key features worth noting include tools for sourcing candidates, nurturing and matching applicants, 1-way and 2-way video interviewing, a built-in team TrackerChat app, and a full-featured mobile app, plus tools for marketing vacant positions. You can also set up custom candidate portals, dashboards, workflows, and reports easily thanks to their user-friendly interface. Plus, Tracker also offers tools like resume parsing to remove resume formatting and help eliminate manual data entry.

Integrations include a wide variety of job boards, as well as third-party tools like Outlook, Gmail, Google Chrome, LinkedIn, Office 365, and QuickBooks through their RESTFul API. You can also connect Tracker to 30+ other software solutions using their Zapier API integration.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Intuitive, easy-to-use interface
  • Ability to customize views, fields, workflows, and more
  • Highly regarded local support and success team

Cons:

  • No background check integration
  • No built-in payroll, but integration with QuickBooks and others

Best for staffing agencies

  • 15-day free trial + free plan available
  • From $25/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.4/5

Zoho Recruit is an applicant tracking system designed for recruiters and corporate hiring teams. The tool helps teams hire a workforce that is in sync with the changing talent demand, as well as hire more qualified candidates.

Why I picked Zoho Recruit: Zoho Recruit’s applicant tracking system caters to multiple hurdles faced by recruiters. The tool offers solutions for both in-house recruiters and staffing agencies, and helps users source, track, and hire the best candidates, without any juggling required across different media.

Zoho Recruit Standout Features & Integrations:

Features include the ability to post jobs to multiple job boards, and tools to automate and manage candidates, clients, & contacts so your team can spend less time on mundane processes. Users can also make use of customizations and automations for tasks like sending emails, updating interview status, and more. Zoho Recruit also provides reports and analytics for hiring strategies, plus 24/5 customer support.

Zoho Recruit integrates natively with other Zoho products such as Zoho Analytics, Zoho CRM and Zoho People. They also have native integrations with 30+ other tools, including Adobe Sign, Evernote, Checkr, Clickatell, DocuSign, HireRight, Mailchimp, Screen Magic, Slack, Sparkhire, and Verified First.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Reduces drop-off rates through continuous candidate engagement
  • Offers intelligent recruitment automation capabilities
  • Enhances job opening visibility through candidate sourcing features

Cons:

  • Various features can be overwhelming
  • Mobile app does not allow users to manage hiring process on mobile
  • Client and vendor portal access only available in the enterprise edition

Other Applicant Tracking Systems

Here are a few more recruitment ATS tools that didn’t make the top 10 applicant tracking systems list:

  1. Unnanu Hire

    For its free plan

  2. Gem

    For unified recruitment pipeline views

  3. Freshteam

    For growing businesses

  4. Recruitee

    For automated candidate reminders

  5. JazzHR

    For customizable recruiting solutions

  6. PCRecruiter

    For detailed recruitment analytics

  7. Eddy

    For those with little technical expertise

  8. Bullhorn

    For integrations

  9. TalentReef

    For recruiting, hiring, and onboarding

  10. Recooty

    For resume parsing

  11. SAP SuccessFactors

    For data analytics and reporting

  12. JobAdder

    For built-in job posting

  13. iCIMS Talent Cloud

    For mobile accessibility

  14. Avionté

    For attracting quality candidates

  15. GoHire

    For industry-specific customizations to help businesses scale

  16. Oracle Taleo

    For large enterprises

  17. Rippling

    For pre-built pipeline templates

  18. Recruit CRM

    For recruiting firms and enterprises

  19. VidCruiter

    For high-volume recruiting

  20. monday.com

    For creating customized workflows

If you still haven't found what you're looking for here, check out these other tools that are related to payroll software, that we've tested and evaluated.

Selection Criteria for Applicant Tracking Systems

Selecting the right applicant tracking system involves carefully evaluating how well the software will meet your specific needs to help you improve your candidate selection process. My approach to choosing the best applicant tracking software is based on my personal experience managing candidate applications and extensive research into how these software systems address the needs, pain points, and goals of recruiters and hiring teams in real, day-to-day scenarios.

Core ATS Functionalities (25% of total score): For an applicant tracking system to land a place in my initial list, it needed to fulfill the following basic functionalities:

  • Job posting tools to help you advertise positions across multiple platforms
  • customizable dashboard where you can track job applications for each open position
  • Tools to streamline communication with candidates through automated emails and notifications
  • Candidate screening tools, including side-by-side comparisons, skill-based comparisons, and resume screening to speed up candidate selection
  • Interview scheduling tools to automate the booking process
  • Collaboration tools to make it easier for internal teams to discuss hiring decisions as a group

Additional Standout Features (25% of total score): To help me hone in on the best applicant tracking software on the market, I also took note of any unique features, including:

  • AI-driven analytics tools that offer deeper insights into the recruitment process
  • Innovative candidate engagement tools like video interviewing or AI-driven chatbots for pre-screening
  • Enhanced mobile applications or dedicated ATS apps that provide a full range of ATS functionalities for recruiters communicating with candidates on the go

Ease of Use (10% of total score): To evaluate the usability of each applicant tracking system, I considered the following:

  • An intuitive user interface that minimizes the learning curve
  • Clear and logical menu structures that lend quick access to essential features
  • Visual recruiting pipelines, color-coding, or visual status flags that make it easy to digest information at a glance
  • Drag-and-drop functionalities for ease of scheduling interviews and organizing candidate profiles
  • Role-based access controls that are straightforward to configure

Customer Onboarding and Customer Support (10% of total score): To get a sense of each software provider's customer onboarding process and the level of customer support each vendor offered, I considered the following factors:

  • Quick setup processes with clear guidelines for new users
  • Comprehensive ATS training materials such as videos, templates, and interactive product tours
  • Data migration support for transferring existing candidate information into the new system
  • Availability of customer support during the onboarding phase to address any issues
  • The availability of multiple support channels, including email, phone, and chat
  • The existence of a self-service knowledge base or other self-help resources to speed up troubleshooting
  • The overall quality, responsiveness, and helpfulness of the support team during customer onboarding and post-purchase, as inferred from customer reviews
  • Regular updates regarding new features of system-wide changes

Value for Price (10% of total score): To gauge the value of each software, I considered the following factors:

  • The availability of free trials or demos to test the software before purchasing
  • Transparent pricing models that clearly explain which features are included at each level, without hidden fees
  • Tiered pricing plans that cater to different business sizes, from small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) up to enterprise-level organizations
  • Comparable pricing to other applicant tracking system examples

Integration capability (10% of total score): Evaluating the integration capabilities of applicant tracking systems (ATS) is crucial for understanding their usability and functionality. Here are the factors I considered:

  • Advanced integration capabilities with social media for a broader reach in sourcing candidates
  • Seamless integration with internal HR tools such as HR Information Systems (HRIS), payroll systems, and onboarding platforms that are essential for efficient HR operations
  • The system's ability to connect with external resources like recruiting platforms and job boards to enhance the recruiting reach and efficiency
  • Assessing integration with advanced tools such as assessment platforms and video interviewing capabilities, which are critical for a comprehensive evaluation of applicants
  • Whether the ATS system offers direct, first-party integrations or relies on third-party APIs, with a preference for systems that provide more reliable, easy, and smooth direct integration options
  • A high score is given to systems that offer a wide range of robust integration options that improve overall system usability and performance

Customer Reviews (10% of total score): Evaluating customer reviews is the final element of my selection process, which helps me understand how well a product performs in the hands of real users. Here are the factors I considered:

  • Whether a product has consistently high ratings across multiple review platforms, indicating a broad level of user satisfaction
  • Specific praises, criticisms, or trends in customer feedback that indicate the software's strengths or areas for improvement
  • Whether customer feedback specifically mentions issues with ease of use, customer support responsiveness, or lacking features
  • Testimonials that highlight specific features that users found beneficial for their recruitment needs

By using this assessment framework, I was able to identify applicant tracking systems that go beyond basic requirements to offer additional value through unique features, intuitive usability, smooth onboarding, effective support, and overall value for price.

Use your ATS and sourcing tools strategically. Leverage AI to help with baseline screening, but always make room for the human touch to evaluate culture fit and adaptability.

How to Choose an Applicant Tracking System

Applicant tracking systems can help you optimize your recruitment process, find best-fit candidates faster, and create a better candidate experience. To help you figure out which applicant tracking system software is the best fit for your needs, keep the following points in mind:

  • What hiring challenges are you trying to solve? Identifying your current recruiting challenges will guide you in selecting an ATS system with the features and functionalities you need to overcome them. For example, if your candidate pool is often away from their desks, you'll want an applicant tracking system that offers strong mobile-friendly features such as one-click applications and in-app texting.
  • What outcomes are important and how will you measure success? Decide in advance how you will measure the success of your new ATS system. For example, if you're trying to automate repetitive parts of your recruiting process or screen candidates faster, you could measure your time-to-hire and how many hours recruiters save per hire. Being clear on your desired outcomes up front is crucial to ensure you avoid wasting valuable time.
  • Who are your primary user groups? Consider who will use the software and how many user licenses you'll need. Will your entire HR department require access or only your talent acquisition specialists? Once that's clear, it's also useful to list the needs of your different user groups (ATS power users, managers, and future candidates), to ensure they're all met.
  • What is your budget? It's crucial to determine a realistic budget for your new ATS software up-front, so you don't waste time considering software that's out of your price range. Remember that some systems charge a flat fee per month, whereas others charge per user or per hire. It's important to consider the most common fee structures against your projected hiring needs for the future.
  • What software integrations do you need? Look for an ATS system that offers direct integrations with the key systems you're already using, including your HR management systems or onboarding software. If you're using separate tools for resume screening or background checks, can you replace multiple tools with one consolidated recruiting ATS platform?
  • How would the new ATS fit into your existing workflows? Consider the software selection alongside your workflows and delivery methodology. Evaluate what's working well, and any problem areas that need to be addressed.

Remember, every business is different — don’t assume that a system will work for your organization just because it's a popular ATS. Instead, focus on your specific challenges, user needs, and technical requirements to find the best fit for you.

The race for top talent is fast-paced, and recruitment software is evolving just as quickly. Here are several key trends shaping applicant tracking systems to meet the needs of modern recruiters.

Most Important Evolving Features

  • AI-driven Screening & Skill Matching: Managing large volumes of applications efficiently is a major challenge for recruiters. AI integration into ATS software is streamlining this process by using machine learning to quickly scan resumes and identify candidates with the best skill matches for your job requirements. This significantly speeds up screening and adopts a skills-first approach, reducing potential hiring biases. AI also helps automate tasks like writing job descriptions and creating email templates, cutting down time-to-hire.

    If this resonates with you, check out our best AI recruiting software for some cherry-picked options.

What’s the source of the data feeding your AI? If it’s biased, the outcomes will be biased too. Transparency about algorithms and their impacts is essential to building trust in HR processes like recruitment.

  • Hiring Bias Reduction Tools: As diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) continue to grow in importance, many ATS tools are adding features to reduce unconscious bias. These tools can anonymize applications by removing personal details like names, gender, age, and ethnicity, allowing recruiters to focus solely on skills and qualifications, fostering a more equitable hiring process.

    Want to learn more? Explore tips for identifying and tackling bias in hiring.
  • Mobile Accessibility & Optimization: With mobile usage on the rise, ATS systems are increasingly optimized for mobile recruiting. According to Appcast's 2022 Recruitment Marketing Benchmark Report, 67% of job applications are now completed on mobile devices. Key mobile-friendly features include:
    • Mobile-friendly job applications
    • Career pages with SMS alerts or notifications for new postings
    • Applications via text
    • Texting candidates directly from your ATS
    • Dedicated mobile ATS apps to speed up recruiting from anywhere

Unique and Unusual Functionality

  • Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) Integrations: Some ATS companies are experimenting with VR and AR for immersive job previews and interviews, offering a novel way to engage candidates and provide a realistic job preview.
  • Blockchain for Candidate Verification: The use of blockchain technology for verifying candidate credentials and work history is emerging as a novel application, ensuring authenticity and transparency in the recruitment process.

To stay competitive, invest in an ATS with AI capabilities that embraces these trends. By leveraging AI for better talent discovery, promoting unbiased hiring, and optimizing for mobile, you can improve your time-to-hire and enhance the candidate experience.

What are Applicant Tracking Systems?

Applicant tracking systems are a type of HR software that helps you organize all aspects of your recruiting process, from sourcing candidates to comparing their skill sets side-by-side and advancing them through the hiring process. They're designed for professional recruiters and in-house talent acquisition specialists.

Applicant tracking systems can optimize your hiring process, making it more efficient by automating key tasks such as resume parsing, skill matching, and interview scheduling. These features will make your hiring team more efficient by reducing manual work and improving your time-to-hire. Applicant tracking systems can also improve the quality of your hires and support better data-driven decision-making due to their advanced filtering and screening capabilities.

Discovering cutting-edge applicant tracking systems is easier when you attend conferences tailored to HR professionals. HR leaders attending staffing solutions conventions gain first-hand experience with innovative tracking systems that simplify hiring.

Features of Applicant Tracking Systems

Finding the right candidate for each role is a complex process that involves multiple stages from posting job openings to scheduling interviews. An applicant tracking system can help you efficiently track, screen, and engage with candidates throughout the hiring process and automate your workflows to save you time.

To help you find the best ATS system for you, here are the most important ATS features to look for:

  • Resume Parsing: This feature automatically extracts information from resumes, saving time, ensuring candidate information is entered into your ATS accurately, and allowing for quicker candidate assessments.
  • Talent Pools & Pipelines: A talent pool is a feature that lets you build a roster of potential candidates for each position, or future positions. The related talent pipeline is a visualization feature that shows you where each candidate is within the recruitment process. Key phases include screening, interview, background check, references, offer, etc.
  • Customizable Automations & Workflows: The best ATS allow you to set up workflow automations to take care of menial tasks like sending out interview reminders, following up on references, or sending bulk rejection emails.
  • Candidate Screening Tools: This refers to incorporated ATS tools to assess candidates on specific skills using exams, questionnaires, skill assessments, or other ranking tools. This helps to compare qualified candidates side-by-side before deciding who should advance.
  • Job Posting & Distribution: This refers to tools that automatically post job openings to multiple job boards and social media platforms, increasing the visibility of your job postings, and attracting a larger and more diverse candidate pool.
  • Analytics & Reporting Tools: Built-in data analytics can help you gain deeper insights into your hiring process so you can make better data-driven decisions to improve hiring strategies, understand where the best candidates are coming from, and identify bottlenecks in your recruitment process.
  • Mobile Accessibility: This is an important feature because 89% of job seekers use their mobile devices to apply for jobs. Top ATS systems offer mobile accessibility through a mobile-friendly interface or a dedicated mobile app to increase the speed and convenience of communications, ensuring that the recruitment process keeps moving forward, even on the go.
  • Candidate Relationship Management: CRM features ensure a positive candidate experience by keeping candidates consistently engaged and updated on their progress, which is crucial for attracting top talent and enhancing your employer brand.
  • Collaboration Tools: To make team-based hiring easier, applicant tracking systems include collaboration tools such as comments, tags, and feedback tools. This fosters a collaborative hiring environment, ensuring that multiple perspectives are considered during the decision-making process.
  • Software Integrations: The best ATS software should offer integrations with human resources information systems (HRIS), email providers, and digital calendars, improving productivity and transparency for team-based hiring.

Selecting an ATS with these features can dramatically improve your recruitment process, making it more efficient, effective, and candidate-friendly. By focusing on these key aspects, you can ensure that your ATS not only helps manage candidate data efficiently but also uncovers the best talent fit for each role, ultimately contributing to the success and growth of your organization.

Strong ATS tools should track metrics like offer acceptance rates, scorecard completion rates, and salary averages to provide actionable insights.

Benefits of Applicant Tracking Systems

Depending on the size of your hiring volume, you're likely dealing with a handful of positions that you’re scouting for simultaneously, all with distinct candidate skills and requirements. On top of that, you have candidates submitting their applications around the clock, vying for your attention and time.

Without the right tools, juggling all that information can be overwhelming. Here are the key benefits of using an applicant tracking system:

  • Improved Recruitment Efficiency: Since an ATS automates the screening and sorting of resumes, it significantly reduces the time HR staff need to spend on manual tasks. This allows recruiters to focus more on engaging with qualified candidates, thereby speeding up the hiring process.
  • Enhanced Candidate Experience: By streamlining the application process and providing timely communication, an ATS helps create a positive experience for applicants and a favorable brand perception among potential new employees.
  • Increased Quality of Hires: With advanced filtering and matching algorithms, an ATS can help identify the most suitable candidates based on the job requirements and organizational fit. This leads to a higher quality of hires, directly impacting your company's success.
  • Improved Scalability: An ATS allows organizations to easily scale their recruitment efforts up or down based on their current needs without compromising the quality of the hiring process. This adaptability is crucial for businesses experiencing rapid growth or seasonal fluctuations in hiring.
  • Data-Driven Insights: By offering detailed analytics on various aspects of the recruitment process, an ATS enables organizations to make better data-driven decisions. Insights on performance metrics and hiring trends can help in refining recruitment strategies and improving future outcomes.

By automating routine tasks, improving candidate engagement, ensuring scalability, and providing valuable insights, the best ATS platforms not only save time and resources but also empower more informed hiring decisions.

Costs & Pricing for Applicant Tracking Systems

ATS platforms typically offer a range of plans to suit different organizational sizes and hiring needs, from free versions designed for small businesses or startups to more comprehensive, feature-rich packages for large enterprises. Understanding these options will help you select a plan that aligns with your recruitment goals, budget, and the scale of your hiring operations.

In general, applicant tracking systems tend to cost between $10 to $100 per user, per month, though some systems do operate on a flat fee model instead. Some systems do include a one-time set-up fee too. However, most recruiting software providers are happy to offer you a free demo or free trial so you can get a first-hand feel for their ATS system before signing up.

Pricing & Plan Comparison Table for Applicant Tracking Systems

Plan TypeAverage Per User FeeAverage Flat FeeCommon Features
Free$0$0Basic job posting, limited candidate tracking, email notifications, and simple reporting
Basic$10 to $20 per user, per month$50 - $100/monthEnhanced job posting on multiple platforms, resume parsing, basic CRM, email integration, and basic analytics
Professional$50 to $100 per user, per month$200 - $500/monthAdvanced CRM features, bulk email sending, advanced analytics, integration with HR systems, and customizable workflows
EnterpriseCustom PricingCustom PricingFull suite of features including AI-driven analytics, dedicated support, enhanced security, and unlimited job postings
A breakdown of plan types, costs, and features for applicant tracking systems.

Note that the free option typically offers a taste of the system's capabilities, making it ideal for very small businesses or those in the initial stages of scaling their operations.

When considering an ATS platform, it's important to assess not just the current size of your recruitment team but also anticipate future growth. This approach ensures that the selected plan not only meets your current needs but is also scalable to adapt to your organization's evolving requirements.

If your hiring needs are minimal, you may be able to start with a free or basic plan initially. However, there are many reasons why you may want to opt for a more advanced plan, including:

  • Increased Hiring Volume: If your company experiences a surge in job openings, a more advanced plan can efficiently handle the higher volume of applicants and streamline the recruitment process.
  • Enhanced Candidate Experience: Upgrading allows you to offer a more user-friendly application process, reducing candidate drop-off rates and improving your employer brand.
  • Advanced Analytics: If you need deeper insights into your recruitment metrics, advanced plans provide robust analytics tools to track and optimize your hiring strategies.
  • Employer Branding: To help you stand out in a competitive job market, advanced plans often include features that enhance your company's visibility and attractiveness to top talent.
  • Integration Capabilities: Basic plans often lack integration abilities, so you'll need to scale up to unlock this feature. Advanced plans generally offer seamless integration with other HR tools and systems, allowing for a unified workflow.

Ultimately, it's important to secure a plan that offers the features you require to satisfy your current needs and solve your challenges without exceeding your budget.

New & Noteworthy Product Updates

Below, I've summarized the most recent release notes and product updates for my top ATS recommendations. Discover what’s now possible through new feature releases, improvements, and updates for web, desktop, and mobile apps. Learn what’s new, if it’s hot—or not, and why it matters for recruiting.

2025 Q4: ATS Software Updates

Journeyfront Update Notes

Journeyfront users now have new tools to design custom workflows with specific triggers and actions.

Journeyfront recently rolled out new features to improve hiring workflows and usability. These updates include self-scheduling for interviews, job field filters on dashboards, custom automation tools, and visibility into candidates' other job applications.

Self-scheduling lets candidates book interviews directly through integrated calendar systems. Job field filters simplify data sorting on dashboards for more precise analysis. Custom automations allow users to design workflows with specific triggers and actions. A new column on the candidate page shows how many other roles a candidate has applied for.

The new self-scheduling feature reduces admin work, while job filters and candidate visibility tools help recruiters make faster, smarter decisions. Custom automations create tailored, efficient workflows for seamless recruitment.

Verdict: Hot! These changes save time and improve hiring outcomes.

BambooHR Update Notes

BambooHR has improved its user interface with an expansive update to numerous products in October 2025.

During Q4 of 2025, BambooHR announced an update to its user interface to improve visual appeal and usability. This update aims to make the platform cleaner and simpler to use without changing how existing tools work. The new update applies to several BambooHR products, including Hiring & Onboarding, Essentials, Advantage, Performance, and others.

Key changes include moving the navigation bar from the top to the left side of the screen. This layout follows common design standards, making it easy for users to adapt while keeping all functions as accessible as before.

The new interface helps streamline the user experience, especially for new users. The side navigation bar provides a straightforward layout that is quick to navigate, enhancing overall efficiency for HR tasks.

Verdict: Hot! This update brings practical design improvements that make BambooHR easier to use daily.

Manatal Update Notes

Manatal new Sourcing Hub will connect recruiters to over 600 million candidate records, all from within the Manatal platform.

During Q4, Manatal introduced a new Sourcing Hub feature, which is currently in beta testing. The Sourcing Hub is a strategic addition designed to streamline the candidate sourcing process for recruiters. This feature provides access to multiple talent-sourcing channels directly within the platform, making it easier to find suitable candidates.

The Sourcing Hub consolidates various job boards and networks into one central location, allowing recruiters to post job openings and source candidates more efficiently from a pool of over 600 million candidates. It also includes advanced filters and automation to improve the search process.

For users, this feature enhances efficiency by centralizing recruitment efforts and reducing time spent managing multiple platforms, helping streamline candidate outreach.

Verdict: Hot! This feature will improve the efficiency of time-consuming candidate sourcing... as long as it makes it through beta testing!

Workable Update Notes

Workable users can now add custom fields to improve filtering results and find top candidates faster.

During the fall, Workable released several updates to its Recruiting product, focused on report filtering, candidate filtering by custom fields, and a new SEEK APAC integration. These updates aim to give recruiters more control, improve candidate filtering, and expand advertising reach across Asia-Pacific.

Workable's fall update adds flexible report filters for recruiters, enabling filters by position, location, and hiring stage. This update includes recruiter-specific filters, new report names (“Candidate details” and “Hiring funnel”), and a feature to automate report sharing with stakeholders.

Custom candidate filtering allows quick sorting by criteria like salary or visa status. The SEEK APAC integration simplifies advertising across Asia-Pacific, using local ad types and job categories to reach more relevant candidates.

Verdict: Hot! These updates help recruiters save time and make better hiring decisions.

Pinpoint Update Notes

Pinpoint's new 'stale candidate' alert notifies recruiters if a candidate has been sitting in a particular stage for too long, nudging them to send a follow up email or pursue the next step.

During Q4, Pinpoint released updates to improve hiring workflows for recruiters and managers. Key features include scoped custom fields, flexible interview options, and stale candidate alerts.

Scoped custom fields limit visibility of options based on team structure, keeping views relevant. Flexible interview options provide more ways to schedule and conduct interviews. Stale candidate alerts notify recruiters when a candidate has been inactive for too long, encouraging follow-up.

These updates simplify processes and improve outcomes. Scoped fields cut clutter, flexible interviews boost candidate experience, and stale candidate alerts help prevent missed hiring opportunities.

Verdict: Hot! This new disclaimer function helps improve recruiting at scale, especially for enterprise organizations with many open roles.

Greenhouse Update Notes

Greenhouse users can now easily feature key open positions on internal or external job boards using a new Featured tag.

This fall, Greenhouse announced several updates to its Recruiting product to improve efficiency and the user experience for HR professionals. Several new features include a new "featured" tag to highlight key positions on job boards, as well as tools to host an internal job board easily, using an iFrame.

The update also includes new automation capabilities that streamline repetitive tasks throughout the hiring process. These include automated candidate sourcing from integrated job boards and improved scheduling functionalities that synchronize seamlessly with calendar applications.

In addition, enhancements to the candidate evaluation tools now offer more robust analytics and reporting capabilities, empowering users to make data-driven hiring decisions more effectively.

Verdict: Hot! These improvements save time by automating repetitive tasks, empower recruiters with deeper insights, and collectively enhance operational efficiency and recruitment outcomes for Greenhouse users.

TrackerRMS Update Notes

TrackerRMS recently announced a new integration with AccuSourceHR to offer streamlined background screening and compliance checks within its applicant tracking system. This update aims to enhance efficiency for staffing and recruitment firms.

The integration allows users to manage screening tasks directly within TrackerRMS. It eliminates the need for manual data entry, reduces errors, and provides real-time updates. A mobile-friendly interface simplifies candidate participation.

By consolidating tasks into one platform, it speeds up hiring while ensuring compliance and boosting operational effectiveness.

Verdict: Hot! This update helps recruiters save time, lower hiring risks, and improve efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions About Applicant Tracking Systems

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions you may have about applicant tracking software and how it works:

How do applicant tracking systems work?

Applicant tracking systems manage the process of filling a job opening by aggregating job seeker data from third-party sources (like LinkedIn, Indeed, or Yello). They also incorporate advanced tools to help you categorize candidate information to uncover the best candidates in the mix.

Simply put, an ATS system works by fulfilling relevant recruiting process needs. It might include features such as a recruitment CRM, talent acquisition, human resource management, talent management, metric-based recruiting, candidate experience, and predictive analytics. This type of software is often described more generically as recruiting software, or an application tracking system.

Once your candidates are in your system, the ATS will include tools to advance candidates through each phase of the recruiting process for every vacant position. These phases often include:

Applicant tracking software may encompass all or just a few of the following processes: job posting, resume parsing and collection, qualification analysis, employee referral programs, interview scheduling, and CRM (candidate relationship management). More advanced systems can even link your new hires directly into your orientation and onboarding software platform too. Either way, the main goal of an ATS is to give you an intelligent framework to keep your candidate data tracked and organized.

Are there different types of recruitment ATS software I should consider?

Yes, there are! And luckily for you, we’ve already done a lot of the research for you. To help you find the best applicant tracking system for you, here are some link that cover other types of ATS and recruiting software you should also consider, and why:

  • Applicant tracking systems for small businesses might be a better fit for you if you’re recruiting on a smaller scale or working within a tight budget. The top applicant tracking systems in this were specially selected with SMBs (small to medium businesses) in mind.
  • Diversity recruiting software is another type of recruiting tool that helps you source job applicants from a more diverse pool of candidates. This type of recruiting software is an excellent choice if you’re looking to develop more inclusive hiring practices and improve your diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) metrics.
  • Recruitment marketing software is another subset to consider if you’re hiring for open positions in a very competitive industry. These recruiting platforms include robust tools to help you promote your open jobs far and wide, including through social media, popular talent networks, and career sites. These systems include extra bells and whistles to help you entice candidates to apply, including rich job descriptions and tools to highlight your company culture.
  • Staffing software for staffing & recruiting is also a good list to browse over if you’re looking for software suggestions for a recruitment agency or hiring firm. These user-friendly systems are purpose-built to handle high-volume recruiting and staffing at the enterprise-level scale.

Why use an applicant tracking system?

Beyond the benefits listed above, one of the main reasons why you can consider using an ATS is to create consistency in your process. You can establish clear workflows for how candidates will move through the recruitment and hiring process, and track each one in the same way. This helps reduce human error and unconscious bias in your recruiting process.

Additionally, creating those clear workflows helps alleviate your recruiting team’s workload. Everyone will be following the same process, and the software’s automation features will reduce the manual work needed. For example, the software may be able to scan applications and notify recruiters when qualified candidates enter the pipeline. It can also handle your interview scheduling, and send consistent, automated communications out to candidates as they move through the process.

How do ATS platforms handle data privacy and security?

Applicant tracking systems prioritize data privacy and security by adhering to international standards such as GDPR in the EU, and using encryption methods for data transmission and storage. They also conduct regular security audits and compliance checks to safeguard data integrity, and offer role-based access controls to ensure that sensitive candidate information is only accessible to authorized personnel.

This article offers more details into data management best practices if you’re interested in learning more.

How customizable are ATS solutions for different industries?

ATS solutions are designed to be flexible, making them simple to cater to various industries. They allow customization in job postings, workflows, communication templates, and reporting metrics to meet specific industry needs. This adaptability ensures that whether a company operates in tech, healthcare, retail, or any other sector, the ATS can be tailored to streamline its unique recruitment processes and improve overall hiring efficiency.

If you’re looking for a specific industry, take a closer look at our in-depth reviews of Manatal, Greenhouse, or Tracker may be a good fit.

What kind of customer support do ATS providers offer?

Customer support offered by ATS providers typically includes a range of services such as 24/7 live chat, email support, dedicated account managers, and an extensive online knowledge base. Many providers also offer onboarding assistance, training sessions, and webinars to help businesses maximize the use of the system. This comprehensive support ensures that users can efficiently resolve issues and optimize their recruitment processes.

For more detailed insights into ATS platforms, I recommend contacting specific providers for a personalized quote that’s tailored to your specific needs.

What's the difference between an ATS and a CRM?

An applicant tracking system (ATS) and a customer relationship management (CRM) system play different roles in recruitment. An ATS manages the hiring process by organizing applications and automating tasks like posting jobs, screening resumes, and tracking candidates through hiring stages. Its main purpose is to make the application and selection process faster and more efficient.

A CRM, however, is built to maintain relationships with potential candidates. It focuses on engaging passive talent who may not be actively applying. Through personalized communication and tracking interactions, a CRM helps recruiters stay connected with future talent, building a network of potential hires.

While an ATS drives immediate hiring needs, a CRM supports long-term candidate engagement. By integrating your ATS other recruitment CRM tools, you’ll gain a complete approach to recruitment: the ATS streamlines the hiring process, while the CRM strengthens ongoing connections with candidates for future roles. This results in a more organized, responsive, and data-driven recruitment process, improving the candidate experience and employer branding.

What's the difference between an ATS and talent acquisition software?

An ATS (applicant tracking system) is mainly used to manage job applications. It helps with posting jobs, sorting resumes, and tracking candidates through different stages of hiring. Its main function is to keep the application process organized and efficient.

Talent acquisition software, on the other hand, goes beyond just managing applications. It handles the entire hiring process, including finding potential candidates, building relationships, and long-term planning for hiring the right people. This type of software includes tools for finding, attracting, and engaging the right candidates over time.

In short, an ATS handles the organization of applications, while talent acquisition software provides a comprehensive approach to hiring, from sourcing to relationship-building and strategic planning.

What are the challenges and limitations of using an ATS for recruiting?

Using an ATS can streamline the recruitment process, but it comes with some challenges and limitations. One common issue is that ATSs often rely on automated screening processes, which can filter out qualified candidates if their resumes don’t include specific keywords. This reliance on keyword matching means some strong applicants might be overlooked if their resume formatting or language doesn’t align with the ATS criteria, leading to missed opportunities for diverse talent.

Another limitation is that while ATSs handle job applications well, they aren’t always built to support broader talent engagement strategies. For instance, they may lack tools for nurturing relationships with passive candidates or tracking long-term interactions, which can make it harder for recruiters to build talent pipelines for future needs. This narrow focus can limit an ATS’s effectiveness in proactive recruiting efforts.

Lastly, ATS systems can sometimes be rigid, making integration with other HR tools challenging. This can create data silos and require manual workarounds, reducing the efficiency gains that an ATS is meant to provide. While they excel at organizing applications, these systems may fall short when it comes to offering a flexible, integrated approach to comprehensive talent acquisition.

How does resume scoring work in an ATS?

An ATS assigns a score to each resume based on how well it matches the job description. To determine the resume score, the system checks for specific keywords, skills, experience, and education that the recruiter has marked as important. These criteria help the ATS evaluate which resumes are the best fit for the role.

The ATS scans each resume for keywords that align with the job’s requirements, like “project management” or “data analysis.” Resumes that match more criteria get higher scores. Some systems also factor in years of experience or certifications, further refining the score.

Resume scoring helps recruiters quickly find the most relevant candidates by ranking resumes based on these scores. However, because it relies on specific words and formats, the system may miss qualified candidates who use different terms or layouts. Recruiters may still need to look beyond the score to spot strong candidates.

If you’re trying to understand how your own resume might be scoring, you may get some answers by playing around with resume screening software to see how your resume stacks up.

Is it true that an ATS might automatically reject qualified candidates?

It’s possible that an applicant tracking system may mistakenly reject qualified candidates, but this typically happens when the system relies too heavily on automated keyword matching. If a candidate’s resume lacks certain keywords or phrases specified in the job description, the ATS might exclude them, even if their skills and experience are a strong match.

To minimize this risk, recruiters should fine-tune their ATS settings and supplement automated processes by periodically reviewing resumes flagged for rejection. Encouraging candidates to tailor their resumes to match the job posting’s language can also improve the accuracy of ATS filters, ensuring that top talent doesn’t slip through the cracks.

Are there tricks candidates can use to beat an ATS?

There are some strategies candidates can use to improve their chances of passing an ATS screening, often referred to as “beating the ATS.” The most effective approach is tailoring their resume to match the job description by incorporating relevant keywords and phrases that reflect the required skills and qualifications. Using a clean, standard resume format without complex designs, graphics, or columns also helps ensure the ATS can accurately parse the information.

While these tricks can optimize a resume for ATS screening, they work best when paired with genuine qualifications and experience. Recruiters should be cautious of resumes that appear keyword-stuffed or overly generic, as they might signal candidates focusing more on passing the system than being a good fit for the role. A well-configured ATS can help identify resumes that balance both keyword relevance and substance.

While some keyword optimization can help, focusing solely on tricking the ATS often creates generic résumés that lack impact. A strong résumé should be tailored to the specific job description and showcase the applicant’s unique value proposition.

Other Software Reviews

As you can see, there are a lot of options to consider when it comes to the best ATS systems to source candidates for your open positions. And, the fact that 98.9% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS is also a strong indication of just how important these software systems are.

However, your journey doesn't have to stop here. If you're looking for a different type of application tracking system or specialty recruiting software, please take a look at these other lists too:

Other Recruiting Resources

We also have loads of other resources to help you dive deeper into this topic, beyond just software. Here's a selection of our articles covering hiring best practices, written by industry experts:

Stay in Touch

I hope this article got you one step closer to finding the best application tracking system for your business. Before you go, make sure to subscribe to our People Managing People newsletter too. You'll stay up-to-date on all our latest articles, podcasts, tool recommendations, and best practices related to talent acquisition and management.

Kim Behnke
By Kim Behnke

Kim Behnke is an HR Tool Expert & Writer for People Managing People. She draws on her 9 years of human resources experience and her keen eye for systematic processes to support her analyses of the top HR tools on the market. She is passionate about maximizing efficiencies and streamlining workflows to ensure internal systems run smoothly. Kim's HR experience includes recruitment, onboarding, performance management, training and development, policy development and enforcement, and HR analytics. She also has degrees in psychology, writing, publishing, and technical communication, and recently completed a Certified Digital HR Specialist program through the Academy to Innovate HR. When away from her desk, she can usually be found outside tending to her ever-expanding garden.