If you are looking into an applicant tracking system for your company, you’ve probably encountered the unfortunate fact that most of them are not free. After all, with so many benefits on the table, why should they be free? They shouldn’t but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some.
That’s right, there are a bunch of different ATS tools out there. Some of them are actually pretty good despite being limited by their budget of none. If you are looking for an ATS tool but don’t know whether you really need it, these seven free systems are an absolute must try out.
Review Criteria
Before we jump into the tools, we’d like to set some ground rules that will help us exclude some systems and focus on the key areas. And the first one is that the tools must be free. No trials, no demos, only free access. Next, we will be looking at the features and will mention (where info is available) how many users can use the system. Last but not least, we will also see if the tool has good scalability. Alrighty, then, let’s dive into the tools themselves.
Freshteam
The first one on our list is Freshteam, a powerful applicant tracking tool that focuses on delivering a people-holistic service. From gathering data to conducting interviews to onboarding, the system is equipped with a separate module. That module lets you personalize every stage to help you meet target high-profile specialists.
The system offers a Free tier option in which you can get access to a wide range of different functions. Among the most notable ones are the Kanban Boards and the Organization Chart. Both of these features will allow you to set up your recruitment department in a way that would let you accommodate high-volumes of applications. The tool's equipment includes a robust collaboration system that you can use to your advantage. With it, you can remotely and locally work with people using a single all-encompassing space.
As for scalability, the limitation of free plan is just 50 employees. If you want more people on the system, you’ll have to pay $50 a month which isn’t a lot considering that you get access to other functions and an extra 50 people. Generally speaking, the free plan won’t work in a bigger company but if you are only starting to expand, Freshteam is a nice place to start.
SmartRecruiters
Next on our list is SmartRecruiters and as the name suggests, this a smart ATS tool that aims to minimize input and maximize output through different functions. From things such as targeted campaigns to qualitative resume analyses to company branding, SmartRecruiters got you covered.
The free plan is not as packed as some of the other vendors we’ll talk later it is still equipped with some very powerful functions. Namely, the one-click apply function will allow you to hire people in a more streamlined fashion which is something that people actually like and prefer over long registration processes. The second function that you get access to is the employee referral portal and as you might have guessed, this is a system where your current staff can recommend their friends for a position. Finally, you also get access to their mobile app which aims to replicate the same experience you get on a proper desktop system.
And now for the scalability. The tool is not exactly known to be super scalable but for an undisclosed amount, you will also get access to their smart assistant tool and the dedicated onboarding module that has more functions than the free option. You will also have access to the integrations system which can be critical. Overall, it is a good solution that will work best in small companies.
Zoho Recruit
Third, on our list is Zoho Recruit and it is part of the Zoho family of products. This is a very polished tool that has some industry-class functions. However, the free plan doesn't provide access to many features.. Still, with it, you can easily eliminate a lot of mundane work and accelerate certain aspects of the hiring process.
In terms of features, the free plan comes with just four functions but these aren’t small and are quite helpful. Take for instance the Interview Scheduling tool, it will not only allow you to schedule sessions but will help your candidates find your office, help you pick a convenient time, and will even remind you when the event will happen. And then there’s the Candidate Management tool that would allow you to group, filter, and sort candidate letters in a fast and effective manner. And in case you need to send out multiple responses, you have the Email Management solution. All of this might seem simple but in reality, there’s more than meets the untrained eye.
Scalability isn’t exactly possible in this plan. You are limited to just the above-mentioned functions and if you want more, you’ll have to buy one of their licenses or opt for a different solution. We suggest that you give it a try, even if the number of options is not impressive to you at first. The quality is, indeed, there.
When I Work
This weirdly named tool is not only that but rather a sophisticated hiring system that will allow you to modify just about anything. If you are looking for customizability, this is the place to start. The core aspect of the tool is that it allows you to hook it to popular boards in a fast and productive manner. Whether it is Google, Indeed, or even Facebook, the system will connect and post a job listing the way you want. The number of configs is simply staggering. The main focus of the tool is not candidates but rather hiring staff.
The free plan accommodates up to 75 users and offers a number of interesting features. One of them is Team Scheduling that allows you to set up a schedule for dedicating hiring teams for a specific time and date. Then there is the Shift Trading tool which allows your employees to back each other without needing to go through long application review processes. Finally, there’s the Time Off Requests module which your staff can use to schedule pauses and vacations all in one place.
In terms of scalability, the tool is punching well above its weight. For just $1,50 per user, you can expand the feature set double the amount. You will get access to functions such as Overtime Visibility, 10+ Scheduling, Remote Job Sites, among other things. The tool will work well in both large and small companies.
Homebase
Homebase is another free ATS solution that aims to automate a lot of work for your staff. The reason for praise of this tool lies in having one of the best integration suites out there. Whether it is popular platforms like Indeed or niche ones as Trovit, the system can connect them and allow you to post a single template on all plats at once.
The free tier is pretty good as it offers an unlimited amount of users but only a single location. This alone makes it a no-brainer for smaller companies but when you take into account the features, namely, the Simple Scheduling tool that lets you conduct blitz meetings and interviews in a fast and convenient manner and the Happier Employees system which lets employees see their hours, vacation days, and pay, it becomes clear that it can work in larger businesses. But that’s not all, you also get access to the Streamlined hiring tool that will give you a single place to manage jobs and applicants.
The tool provides unlimited number of agents, with the possibility of expasion in features and locations. For just $16 a month, you will get additional locations and pretty useful features that will improve your communication, visibility, and even performance. This tool is a good fit for small and large companies alike.
OpenCATS (CATS)
OpenCats has been on the forefront of freemium ATS solutions for years now. And the reason why it is so popular is the fact that this is an open-source solution that somehow manages to get frequent updates. It has a ton of different functions and all of them are available after the installation with no strings attached.
Yet, despite being free and unlimited, the tool is quite convoluted and cumbersome when it comes to the installation. Furthermore, installation is only half of the story, each vital feature requires manual configuration. Yet, the reason why we listed that is because of the functions. They are very powerful and will work like a dream (provided you config them properly). And speaking of the features, the system UI is quite simple. On top, you get tabs where you can manage your Candidates, Activities, Companies, and even Job Orders. All these features have micro-functions that allow you to schedule, remove, and demo candidates. The list is constantly evolving with constant additions.
The tool is very scalable but you need to have the technical expertise to be able to scale it properly. This isn’t a straightforward tool either. If you are a small company that doesn’t have an OpenCATS specialist on board, you will have to spend a considerable amount of time on training. No optimal for small companies but can be worked with if the desire is there.
JobScore
And last but not least, we have JobScore. This is one of the most used solutions out there and for good reasons. It is functional and it is being constantly updated with new and powerful tools. The company offers a free tier that will help you not only familiarize with the system but use it as a viable free hiring solution. The core focus of the entire tool is to help you with candidates throughout the entire process. Starting from impressing the candidate, moving to reviews to interviews, and ending in measuring and optimizing.
The free tier as we mentioned, has a considerable amount of features that will surely come in handy. It will allow you to schedule interviews with all kinds of calendar integrations. The free tier also has a proper job application design module where you can personalize your posting to meet your business branding.
Although the free tier is good enough, it is only that, good enough. The plan only allows you to post just 1 job and if you want more, you will have to opt for a paid solution. The pricing is quite expensive, for the Starter plan you’ll have to dish out $99 a month. However, this will give you only 5 job postings and a few advanced features. The meat and bone of the tool is the Scale plan which is $299 a month. That plan has all you might ever need. Overall, it is good but not for small companies.
Bottom Line
And there you go, our take on free applicant tracking systems. There are more, of course, but listing them all would take forever. However, those that we did list we view as some of the more promising. If by any chance you decided to test some of the tools yourself and found that you’d actually like to use your old data, we can help you move it. Just give us a call or drop us a message. We’ll make sure our technician will reach you ASAP to discuss the possibility of the transition. For now, thanks for joining and we’ll see you next time.
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