Finding the right employees for your company is essential for reducing turnover and increasing productivity. An applicant tracking system can help to simplify and speed up your hiring processes. However, it’s important to use the best ATS software for your company because the wrong software could actually slow down your hiring.
To aid in your search for the best ATS platform, we’ve compiled a list below of our top recommended applicant tracking systems. Additionally, don’t forget to check out our free vendor match tool.
Matchr’s Top 10 Best ATS Software System Recommendations for 2023
1) ClearCompany
ClearCompany is a complete talent management system that helps companies quickly hire and engage top talent. ClearCompany’s unique approach to hiring helps you first identify the ideal candidate so they can then help you to source intelligently, ask the right questions, make an offer your candidates are likely to accept, and then onboard your new employees into actionable positions faster. ClearCompany has over 16 years of building quality ATS solutions with thousands of satisfied clients.
Why ClearCompany Made Our List of Best ATS Systems:
- Supports multilingual applications
- Can source from millions of talent profiles
- Automated interview guides and scorecards
- Intuitive software for both candidates and hiring managers
- Company specialists help speed up implementation
- Assists with EEO and OFCCP compliance
2) Greenhouse ATS Software
Greenhouse ATS software is suitable for companies of all sizes and is designed to help them look to their future hiring needs. This is a fast-growing software platform that focuses on helping clients optimize their hiring practices through every stage of the hiring and onboarding process. The software also has a large integration ecosystem to sync with software you may already have.
Why Greenhouse ATS Software Made Our List of Best ATS Systems:
- Trusted by over 2,000 top people-driven companies
- Access to committed Customer Success team
- Integrates with 150+ technology partners
- Customizable hiring plans for each role
- Robust reporting provides the insights teams need
- Automated alerts, tasks, and notifications
3) Zoho Recruit ATS
Zoho Recruit offers a powerful ATS and CRM in a single recruitment platform. With scalability, customization, and remote hiring tools, Recruit has everything your staffing agency or internal HR team needs to match the right candidate to the right role. Zoho Recruit’s world-class recruitment software will help you find, evaluate, and communicate with candidates for any role.
Why Zoho Recruit Made Our List of Best ATS Systems:
- Post your jobs on 75+ job boards with a single click
- Keep track of your candidates at every stage & optimize your process with advanced analytics
- Data privacy and security so you can rest easy
- Over 50+ integrations
- Built-in automation to enhance your candidate search
- Secure data migration and implementation support
4) Pinpoint ATS
Pinpoint is a fast, flexible applicant tracking system designed for in-house talent acquisition and HR teams. Their ATS solution helps employers reduce recruitment agency spending while increasing the speed of hiring. As a result, Pinpoint ATS takes the pain out of marketing your job post by allowing its users to run intelligent recruitment marketing campaigns with just a click of a button. If your organization is looking for a modern ATS solution, Pinpoint is the way to go in 2023.
Why Pinpoint Made Our List of Best ATS Systems:
- Attract up to 4x more direct applicants
- Reduce recruitment agency spend by as much as 83%
- Offer letter creation, background screening, and interview management
- Electronic fillings
- Pre-Employment assessment tracking
- Easy-to-use career portal
5) JazzHR ATS
JazzHR helps companies effortlessly streamline the hiring process. The JazzHR software uses simple and attractive visuals that break down the complexities of recruiting into easily manageable tasks so recruiters can bring in more talent at a faster rate. JazzHR ATS is a powerful and affordable recruiting solution that enables today’s greatest people to build tomorrow’s greatest companies.
Why JazzHR Made Our List of Best ATS Systems:
- Single-click job postings that save time while improving reach
- Reduced paperwork and the elimination of spreadsheets for applicant tracking
- Digitization of the offer process that reduces the time to hire
- Role Match™ Scorecard that allows fast comparisons between qualified candidates
- Reporting options that make compliance simple and easy
- HRIS integrations make it easy to import candidate information
6) Recruitee ATS
Trusted by 181,000 users, Recruitee ATS is not only robust but also affordable and scalable. Founded in 2015, Recruitee is a collaborative hiring software that delivers the complete solution to help internal HR teams work with the rest of their organization to hire better together. Recruitment teams can easily manage the hiring process from start to finish while keeping hiring managers and colleagues as active participants. Recruitee also offers users a free 18 trial.
Why Recruitee Made Our List of Best ATS Systems:
- Job requisition and job posting management
- Free 18-day trial for new users
- Background screening, offer letter creation, and candidate tracking
- Save time with easy-to-use interview scheduling and management
- Career portal and resume search
- Easy to use career portal with e-verify
7) VidCruiter ATS
The VidCruiter ATS is designed to help companies manage the entire hiring lifecycle. Over 100,000 recruiters use VidCruiter to manage their recruitment and hiring process from pre-screening and interviewing through reference and background checks. If your company is looking to hire remote or hybrid candidates, VidCruiter is our top pick for 2023.
Why VidCruiter Made Our List of Best ATS Systems:
- Powerful video integration to save your company time and resources
- Filter, screen, interview, and conduct background checks all in one place
- Pre-record interviews and review them on your own schedule
- Minimize hiring bias with a structured process
- Keep a secure video record of each interview
- No sign-ins or downloads are required for applicants
8) ICIMS ATS
iCIMS is one of the largest and most well-known applicant tracking system providers in the industry. For over 20 years, iCIMS has been an industry leader in the ATS space. The ICIMS platform is designed to be flexible, configurable, and scalable so that clients of all sizes and industries can grow and scale with ease. The iCIMS Talent Cloud is designed so that it is easy for recruiters to attract, engage, and hire talent, faster.
Why iCIMS ATS Made Our List of Best ATS Systems:
- Proven and trusted solution that balances business growth with stability
- Routine upgrades so that your software is kept current
- Highly configurable workflows
- Proactive, award-winning customer service
- Unlimited, one-click job posting
- Easy to view and report recruitment analytics
9) SmartRecruiters ATS
SmartRecruiters applicant tracking system is a modern, enterprise-grade ATS that empowers companies to hire talent on demand and under budget. The SmartRecruiters ATS is a modern cloud-based solution that works best for medium to large companies. Their applicant tracking system provides multi-lingual support and as a result, is a great choice for companies operating around the globe.
Why SmartRecruiters ATS Made Our List of Best ATS Systems:
- Versatile solution that can be customized to fit client needs
- Assists with EEO, OFCCP, and GDPR compliance
- Talent communities so companies can stay ahead of hiring demand
- Easy-to-use and navigate dashboards
- Intuitive and convenient application management
- High-quality support with a dedicated account manager for each client
10) Workable
While Workable is an enterprise-grade ATS platform, it can be used for hiring by organizations of any size. It’s designed to scale so that you can continue to use the software even as your company grows. The software’s mobile features make it easy to use from anywhere, which can help your company keep pace with increases in remote work and globalization; as the business grows, you can hire more easily from across the country or even across the globe.
Why Workable Made Our List of Best ATS Systems:
- Live global support 24/7
- More than 20,000 companies use Workable
- Integrations with other apps and tools
- Scalable as companies grow
- Automated legal compliance features
- Library of advice, tutorials, and templates
Honorable Mentions – 5 Additional ATS Software Systems
ApplicantPro ATS
ApplicantPro is an application tracking system solution for small to medium-sized businesses. The ApplicantPro ATS is a highly customizable yet simple solution that takes the pain out of the hiring process. With ApplicantPro’s ATS, you get up-to-date insights and hiring trends so that you can focus more on recruiting the best talent for your business.
Why ApplicantPro ATS Made Our List of Honorable Mentions:
- No binding contracts
- A paperless system so you can onboard easily
- Flexible and affordable pricing
- Savable job opening templates so you can post jobs quickly and easily
- Screening questions so you can quickly filter candidates
- Trusted by thousands of customers
HiringThing ATS
If you are looking for an ATS that allows you to source top talent and hire quickly, HiringThing ATS may be the solution for you. The HiringThing platform lets you integrate with job boards, social media, and your HRIS so recruiters can easily find and source candidates. The team at HiringThing prioritizes support and as a result, issues are usually resolved in minutes vs. hours or days.
Why HiringThing ATS Made Our List of Honorable Mentions:
- Video interviewing so candidates can be screened more easily and more efficiently
- Recruitment information is easy to share between the hiring team, hiring managers, and stakeholders
- Digitized offer letters so candidates can accept the job offers and move into onboarding quickly
- Reduces time-to-hire by about 30%
- Automatically collects EEOC information, with easy-to-generate reports
- Easy to integrate with existing company web pages and content management programs
Jobvite ATS
Jobvite ATS is an innovative applicant tracking system that goes beyond just tracking job applicants. The Jobvite ATS lets you streamline the applicant process while attracting a large number of qualified candidates. This allows companies to hire top talent faster and easier. With the Jobvite ATS, you can create customizable workflows, simple interview scheduling, and feedback tools.
Why Jobvite ATS Made Our List of Honorable Mentions:
- Award-winning customer service
- Highly customizable solution
- Unlimited job link tracking
- Better candidate experience
- Reduces time to fill by 27% on average
- All recruiting tools available from a single point and single sign-on
JobAdder
JobAdder is an applicant tracking system designed to meet the specific needs of small businesses. Although the company is based out of Australia, the company has offices in both Europe and North America so that the software can be used and supported across the globe. This cloud-based system makes it simple to access it from anywhere via the Internet and on mobile devices.
Why JobAdder Made Our List of Honorable Mentions:
- World-class, international support
- Designed for web and mobile access
- Constantly seeking new technology for innovation
- Access to more than 200 job boards
- Analytics that show which job boards provide the greatest ROI
- Customizable workflows, email templates, jobs, and auto-response messages
ApplicantStack ATS
ApplicantStack comes in two modules: ApplicantStack.Recruit and ApplicantStack.Onboard. Between these two, ApplicantStack can take an employee from the candidate stage all the way through onboarding. However, you’re not required to purchase both modules and can instead select only what your company actually needs. ApplicantStack is meant for small businesses with fewer than 100 employees.
Why ApplicantStack ATS Made Our List of Honorable Mentions:
- Job posting on multiple job boards and social media platforms
- EEOC and OFCCP compliance assistance
- 24/7 help desk and knowledge base
- New hire virtual assistant
- A branded careers page for job openings
- Document e-signing
What Is ATS?
Applicant tracking system (ATS) software is recruiting software that can process dozens or even hundreds of applications in a fraction of the time it would take a recruiter or hiring manager to do the same manually. ATS systems use algorithms to automatically find applicants who are the best fit for a job posting.
ATS software can also help hiring teams coordinate with one another. It also helps in streamlining the hiring process and improving the experience for everyone involved.
How To Select the Best Applicant Tracking System
So how do you find the top ATS software? Most people start with an online search for the most popular applicant tracking system. Just because an applicant tracking system was ideal for another company doesn’t mean it’ll be the best ATS for yours. To find the best ATS system for you, follow these steps.
Step 1: List Your Needs and Wants
Before you start the search for top ATS systems, it’s a good idea to make at least two lists of features. The first is a list of the features that an ATS platform absolutely must have in order to work for your organization. The second is a list of features that would be nice to have. They’re not critical needs, but would be helpful or beneficial to your organization. This second list will help to narrow down the ATS options available to create a shortlist of the best ATS platforms.
Tip: Consider Compliance
When you are reviewing ATS features, make sure that the ATS will help with compliance needs. Failure to consider compliance when selecting a system may give your recruiters a ton of extra paperwork to do and possibly garner your company a hefty fine. It is still important to understand the basics of compliance requirements, but having an automated system that tends to most compliance needs can ease many worries.
Step 2: Rank Your Needs and Wants
Brainstorming sessions and lists can be valuable when it comes to figuring out what the top priorities are for your ATS. After the priorities have been clarified, they should be written down and ranked so that this list can be held firmly in the hands of each member of the ATS selection team while researching and reviewing different ATS system features. Guidelines can help team members avoid getting swept up in the excitement of picking a new system so they stay focused on the task at hand.
Step 3: Involve Your Recruiters
There will most likely be one or a few people using the ATS regularly who currently take care of your company’s recruiting needs. These employees will be able to identify your company’s pain points with the greatest accuracy and figure out which system will be the easiest and best to use daily. Working one-on-one with the people who will be using the system during selection will also show those employees that you value their input and care to make their job better, which can build loyalty and boost morale.
Step 4: Use a Software Match Tool
Matchr offers a free software match tool that can help you find the top ATS platforms for your company. You’ll need to answer some questions about your organization and your specific needs, but we can then use that information to make suggestions for the best applicant tracking systems for you. We’ve spent hundreds of hours analyzing different applicant tracking systems and working with vendors so that we can share that knowledge with HR professionals and recruiters.
Step 5: Make a Shortlist of Top ATS Systems
The list of applicant tracking systems that can meet your needs may be long. This means that you’ll need to narrow down that list so you’re not spending too much time on demos. Use your list of “nice to haves” to eliminate any software options that meet all of your needs but not your wants. You should also research the vendor. Make sure to look for reviews left by others so you can see what their experiences were.
Tip: Look for Vendors with Quality Customer Support
Many vendors offer support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but this offering is worthless if the support available is not high quality. Read reviews submitted by other companies using the systems on your shortlist and even talk to some of those companies if you can find an appropriate context. Make sure that once you commit to an ATS, you will be able to implement and use the system to your greatest advantage, receiving timely and high-quality assistance when you need it.
Step 6: Ask Vendors for Demonstrations
Once you have a shortlist, you can start asking for demonstrations and taking advantage of the free trials that they may offer. It’s important to see how a system works in your environment. It’s also a good idea for recruiters and any employees who will use the system to try it out and give feedback.
Tip: Be Difficult During Demonstrations
Don’t be difficult just for the sake of being difficult, but put pressure on the vendor representative to show you the ins and outs of what the system can do. Make sure that employee candidates will have an easy time applying and recruiters will have an easy time making hiring decisions and moving information around. Intentionally make mistakes so that you can see how easy it is to recover from them.
Step 7: Select the Best ATS Software
Once you’ve had a chance to ask questions, see how each applicant tracking system works, and try them out for yourself, it’s time to make your selection. You can always ask for a second demonstration if necessary. It’s more important to take your time and invest in the right system than to rush the decision and then have to go through the entire process again later to replace it.
ATS Software FAQs
What Does ATS Software Do?
Each system varies, but most applicant tracking systems utilize keywords to sort and rank applications or resumes. Hiring managers can choose keywords to find matches in submitted applications. This helps distinguish the most qualified candidates whose work experience is most closely aligned with the qualifications in a job posting.
But that’s not where an ATS stops being useful. A recruiter or hiring manager can use an ATS to reach out to qualified candidates, keep their information organized, and even save the applicants they deem most qualified. Team members can also use the centralized system to offer feedback on interviewees, as well as to schedule follow-up interviews.
How Does ATS Software Work?
ATS software works as a filter for applications and resumes. If a company receives dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of applications, an ATS can sort through them all to find the ones those most relevant to certain filters applied by a hiring manager. It does this by dividing the resume or application into parts, such as education, work experience, and skills. It then scans those sections and selects the ones with the highest amount of keyword or filter matches. Once an application is approved by an ATS, it is recommended to the hiring manager.
What Are the Benefits of ATS Software?
There are a wide range of benefits of using ATS software, including:
- Reduced time to hire
- Improved applicant experience
- More coordinated hiring efforts
- Data management
- Customized recruitment process
- Applicant scoring and ranking
- Boosting HR efficiency
- Interview guidelines and scoring
Why Do I Need ATS Software?
If you’re looking to make your recruitment process more efficient both for your company and for applicants, an ATS system is an ideal solution. Instead of storing resumes and applicant information manually, an ATS provides you with a way to organize all the information. This can be especially beneficial for companies that get lots of applicants for job postings.
ATS systems are also beneficial for organizing the process of hiring an employee. It can manage everything from the initial reception of an application to onboarding. If you interview a candidate and want to bring them back in for a second interview, you can note that in an ATS. It also provides a platform for other team members to provide feedback on an interviewee.
What Are the Different Types of Applicant Tracking Systems?
Applicant tracking systems are available in two different operations: stand-alone and integrated. Which one you choose will depend on your company’s needs, the operating costs, and if you want a system that can easily work with other software.
What Is the Difference Between ATS and Recruiting Software?
ATS and recruiting software seem to offer similar features. However, ATS systems filter, manage, and analyze potential candidates for open positions. On the other hand, recruiting software is better suited for recruiting companies and enterprise businesses as it focuses on task management, public relations, social recruiting, and billing solutions.
What Is the Difference Between ATS and CRM?
An ATS system optimizes the hiring process while a CRM is designed to build relationships between potential candidates and company recruiters. Unless your company is a staffing agency, an ATS will be more efficient for most businesses.
How Does ATS Software Rank Applications?
Applicant tracking systems may vary slightly depending on the vendor, but most applicant tracking systems utilize keywords to sort and rank applications or resumes. The keywords that are used may be controlled by the hiring manager or may be synced up to job postings and historical job description information. In some cases, programs may also highlight applications for certain “unique” keywords that may distinguish one applicant from the rest.
What Are the Most Important ATS Features?
Most ATS platforms include the following features:
- Job board integration
- Application tracking
- Resume parsing
- Interview tools
- Candidate messaging
- Chatbots
- Company profile
- Reporting and analytics
- Cloud storage
- Internal candidate portal
- Employee referral tool
How Much Does a Top ATS Software Cost?
The cost of ATS software plays a big role in which system a company chooses. ATS systems are offered on two platforms: cloud-based and on-premise. A cloud-based ATS system is supported on eternal servers and the company pays — usually monthly — to access the remote server. On-premise ATS software works from a server stored at your facility and incurs additional costs, since your company is responsible for every aspect of the server.
ATS software costs also vary based on the features you add to your system and which pricing model you use. ATS prices can range anywhere from $25 per user up to around $400 for monthly plans, based on the options you choose.
What Are the Different ATS Software Pricing Models?
ATS pricing models are broken up into three categories: pay per user, pay per job opening, and a flat fee option. The pricing model you choose will depend on your company’s needs and how often you need to use the ATS system.
What Should You Consider When Choosing an ATS?
System costs and company needs aren’t the only factors to consider when purchasing applicant tracking software. You want a system that is easy to use, simple to implement, and can integrate with your current software.
What Are Future Trends in ATS Software?
ATS systems are quickly becoming an integral part of business hiring practices. As more companies adopt this software, it is important to look ahead to future trends to see how processes may evolve.
Some future trends include:
- Social media recruiting
- Remote recruiting
- Video interviews
- AI
- Web-based platforms
- Mobile-first platforms
What Is a Candidate Management System?
A candidate management system is just another name for ATS software. It helps you source and attract candidates, review resumes, compile an applicant database, manage communications, interview candidates, and onboard new employees.
Is Open-Source Recruitment Software Right for Your Company?
With open-source recruitment software, you receive a source code that allows you to develop your software manually. This option isn’t right for every company since you skilled developers to make it work, but the software can save businesses more money in the long run.
Need Help Choosing the Best ATS Software for Your Business?
Finding and hiring top talent for your company can be a daunting task. ATS systems make this process easier and more efficient, saving companies time and money in the long run. However, choosing the right ATS system for your company may be difficult without guidance. The Matchr team offers hand-picked ATS recommendations based on your company’s unique needs, taking the hassle out of finding a system by yourself.
Tools & services for human resources so managers in your company to find the right candidate for the job. With the right tool, you’ll get the right app! When you need ATS software for your company, we’re here to match you with the right one.
To find the best applicant tracking system for your company, use Matchr’s Software Match Tool today.
