Best ATS for Startups

Last Updated on August 7, 2025 by Ewen Finser

When it comes to selecting an ATS, it can be tough to choose from the overwhelming list of options currently available, with newcomers being added to the mix constantly.
Although choice-fatigue may be a challenge, startups should step back and instead focus on specific business needs and key factors to ensure the software you choose is able to scale as your organization does.
Recruiting and attracting the right talent for your business can be challenging, and the cost of a bad hire can be considerable.
Startups should carefully analyse what their hiring, recruitment, and onboarding needs are before selecting the right tool for them. Applicant tracking platforms seem similar but have diverse feature sets, capabilities, and costs.

TL;DR:

When choosing an ATS, think about your specific hiring needs, company size, and technical capabilities before making a decision based on costing alone.

• Workable – Best combined HR & ATS solution
• Teamtailor – Best choice for brand-conscious startups
• Ninja Gig – Best low-cost ATS with syndicated job postings 
• Lever – Best CRM and ATS in one
• Ashby – Best pick for scaling tech startups 
• Homerun – Best lightweight ATS for creative agencies

I’ve selected some of my preferred ATSs for startups, and what I like about each of them, and what features may be essential for you to factor in when selecting a platform for your business. Before we dive into the list, here’s what you should be considering when testing out potential ATS platforms.

Here are some key factors I look for when it comes to selecting the right ATS tool:

• Ease of use – A short learning curve is essential! Training and upskilling new users should be quick and straightforward. I like tools that have an easy-to-access knowledge base and user support. 
• Quick implementations and integrations – Startups should favor easy and quick implementations and tools that have pre-configured integrations so that you don’t need to manage this process from start to finish with added complexities. 
• Scalability – The tool you choose needs to be able to scale as your business needs do. 
• Cost-friendly and flexible pricing – When it comes to pricing models, flexible pricing plans with free options 
• Syndicated job postings – Free job board syndication is a great value add for small businesses. 
• Branded & customizable careers page – Having a branded careers page with your job listings is a great way to showcase your brand. Some ATS platforms have this as a significant value-add. 
• Built-in applicant communications – ATSs with built-in candidate communications can save time when needing to respond to multiple applications. I prefer those that can send automated updates on job applications. 
• Reliable tech support – Startups need to ensure they have hands-on support if they experience issues

My Top ATS picks:

Here are my top choices when it comes to ATS options for startups and why they’re a good fit. Remember that each business will have niche hiring needs, and this should be the most crucial factor when narrowing your search for the right tool.

Workable – Best combined HR and ATS platform

Likes:

• An all-in-one platform for organizations that need to manage HR functions such as time and attendance, employee data, reporting, and more.
• Scalable features that can be added on as your needs grow, which is an excellent feature for startups. 
• I like that it’s easy to set up, and it doesn’t require advanced upskilling to learn how to use the platform or create job adverts.
• You can post across multiple locations, and it’s ideal for organizations that have remote hiring requirements. 
• AI candidate sourcing capabilities are a great value-add, especially for startups with lean teams. 
• Integrated assessment, video interview, and texting capabilities

Dislikes:

• It can be on the costly side for cost-conscious startup businesses 
• It has a lot of paid-for add-ons that mean costs scale quickly if you need advanced HR features.
• Startups may not require as many features as Workable offers.

Pricing:

• Workable pricing ranges from $360/month to $599/month. 
• Add-on features such as texting, video interviews, assessments, and full HR features can cost between $50-$120 per feature extra. 
• Free 15-day trial available 
• 20% discounts offered for annual commitments (on the lower tier only).

Teamtailor – Best choice for brand-conscious startups

If your startup is strongly focused on branding and culture, Teamtailor may be a great fit. You can set up a customized branded careers page that can showcase potential new hires what it’s like to work for your organization.

Likes:

• I love the clean, modern, and sleek UI that makes it feel less like a traditional ATS. 
• It’s a great fit for startups as it’s intensely focused on culture, which is becoming increasingly important in recent times. 
• You don’t need to have advanced web design skills to build out your career site, and many of the functionalities are pre-set and ready to use. 
• Your job boards and social media sites are already integrated, making it easy to post to multiple sources and reach candidates across various channels.
• You will have access to Teamtailor’s advertising experts to help you set up advert campaigns and analyze data without needing to contact third-party agencies.
• AI-driven candidate suggestions and matching can help startup teams save time when needing to search for potential candidates.
• Strong focus on GDPR helps small businesses and startups stay compliant without needing to consult specialists.

Dislikes:

• No transparent pricing plan, which means you’ll need to request a quote on their website. 
• Less ideal for businesses whose brand isn’t fully developed, and you don’t have a strong marketing vision.
• It may be too advanced for smaller startups that need a simple ATS only. 

Pricing:

• Upon request on their website only.

Ninja Gig – Best low-cost ATS with job board integrations

Ninja Gig is an excellent fit for startups for multiple reasons, including the fact that it has a flat-fee pricing that is transparent and all-inclusive with unlimited applications. This makes budgeting and monitoring costs easy, as you won’t have any unexpected expenses, which can be essential in the foundational phase of a startup.

Likes:

• Easy to set up and an intuitive interface make it a great option for lean teams that are not tech-savvy. 
• I like the guided onboarding process, which helps you get up and running through a series of clear and easy-to-follow steps. 
• Free job board integrations make Ninja Gig ideal for startups that need to advertise to popular job boards like Indeed, Google Jobs, and more without the manual hassle of managing these integrations themselves. 
• I like the built-in candidate communications and automated emails notifying candidates (with personalized emails) of changes in their application status and taking the administrative burden out of manual and time-consuming emails. 
• A flat cost structure that’s all-inclusive can be beneficial for startups that may suddenly need to scale up recruitment needs without worrying about skyrocketing costs.

Dislikes:

• The analytics can be basic, so if your organization needs advanced reporting, this may not be ideal. 
• Lacks some advanced automation features that other ATS platforms offer.
• Standalone ATS that doesn’t have add-on HR features like onboarding, benefits management, or HR features.

Pricing:

• Ninja Gig has a flat fee of $49/month and includes unlimited job adverts and free job board integrations.
• Free 14-day trial available.

Lever – Best CRM and ATS in one

Lever is an excellent option for startups that need a combined solution without having to sign up for multiple tools. Lever has some great baked-in AI features that help streamline recruitment processes and save time for startups.

Likes:

• Great DEI features that help startups who are focused on maintaining regulatory standards, diversity, and inclusion metrics and goals. 
• AI candidate sourcing, as well as interview summary notes, can help smaller teams save time on recruitment. 
• Fully customizable and configurable careers site available with pre-built out-of-the-box templates. 
• Great integration features with various tools like Slack, LinkedIn, email, and more. 
• Advanced automation and analytics capabilities are available within the tool, should your organization be focused on this.

Dislikes:

• No transparent pricing options offered, meaning you’ll need to contact the team for a quote. 
• It may be overkill for startups that have minimal hiring needs.
• Although feature-rich, you may require highly skilled recruiters and larger teams to manage some of these functionalities. 
• It can take time to set up, leading to a steep learning curve and drawn-out implementation time.

Pricing:

They don’t disclose transparent pricing, but from research, you can expect to pay around $3000-$5000 per annum for smaller organizations.

Ashby – Best pick for scaling tech startups

Ashby is fast becoming one of the more popular combined ATS & CRM platforms on the market, and for good reason. It combines advanced AI features into various functionalities within the tool, making it a great option for tech startups that need to make use of advanced features.

Likes:

• Ashby has pricing plans structured specifically for startups. You can scale up as your business requires. 
• Ashby allows you to build talent pipelines and tools to ensure you’re staying ahead of hiring needs. 
• Built-in scheduling is a great time saver when it comes to setting up interviews and meetings, and can help improve both the user and candidate experience. 
• Configurable and customizable workflows that can be tailored to fit changing hiring needs as your company expands. 
• Advanced reporting and dashboards, which can be set up according to your requirements.

Dislikes:

• The interface is dull and less modern and sleek than other, more established ATS platforms. 
• There is no free plan available, so you’ll need to sign up for the paid version and try it out. 
• Takes some time to set up and can require considerable upskilling and implementation time.

Pricing:

• Various pricing tiers are available for different requirements
• Basic plans start at $300/month for companies with 1-10 employees and scale rapidly depending on company size. 
• Discounts are available for annual commitments. 
• Pricing for higher-tiered plans is available upon request only.

Homerun – Best lightweight ATS for creative agencies 

Homerun is a unique ATS focused on helping organizations that value strong company culture and “storytelling” as part of their mission. I found this lightweight, easy-to-use ATS an excellent fit for startups in the marketing, tech, creative, media, and branding space.

Likes:

• I love the clean, modern, and beautiful user interface, which is easy to navigate and doesn’t require advanced setup or learning.
• With advanced branding options, including a dedicated careers page, Homerun is ideal for startups that heavily value strong branding and corporate identity.
• Homerun is surprisingly feature-rich for a lightweight tool. 
• You can customize application questions, helping you save time on shortlisting suitable candidates. 
• Homerun has automated emails at various steps in the application process, helping to keep applicants engaged and save your recruiters’ time when needing to send out auto-replies. 
• Homerun is intensely focused on user experience and collaboration. It’s easy for your recruiters or hiring managers to comment and score applicants within one space, making sure your feedback is centralized.

Dislikes:

• Not ideal for organizations that need to manage bulk recruitment, and is best suited for smaller teams. This may be a challenge if your hiring needs change. 
• Lacks a lot of automations and customizations that some of the other ATS platforms have.

Pricing:

• Various pricing tiers are available for different requirements
• Basic plans start at around $56/€49 per month (their website is available in Euro pricing only)  and range up to $207/€179 per month. 
• Annual and monthly contracts are available, with monthly contracts on the lower tier only. 
• Homerun does offer a 15-day free trial and discounted rates for non-profit organizations.

In Summary

The best solution will depend on your organization’s needs, budget, and company size. You’ll need to factor in how much time you’ll have for training and upskilling, and how tech-savvy your end users are. ATSs like those mentioned above have varying levels of complexity and configuration requirements.
If you’re a small team with limited resource time, opt for a solution that offers a ready-to-go solution that has pre-configured out-of-the-box templates. For startups that need more customized workflows or those that have niche hiring needs, look for a solution that can offer more flexibility.