Finding the right talent is essential for organizational success. However, manually sorting through hundreds of applicants for a job opening can be arduous and time-consuming. An applicant tracking system, or ATS, can help simplify and streamline the hiring process, enabling HR professionals to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time with high-quality candidates.
Looking for Applicant Tracking Software? Check out SoftwareSuggest’s list of the best Applicant Tracking Software solutions.
Recent research indicates that 94% of hiring professionals utilizing ATS systems have experienced significant enhancements in their hiring process.
Applicant tracking systems help manage candidates’ information in a centralized database, keep records of email communication, schedule interviews, facilitate background and reference checks, rank and filter applications based on job requirements, and stay compliant with equal-opportunity hiring best practices. With so many options on the market, determining the right ATS for your needs can be challenging.
An efficient hiring process is essential in today's competitive job market, and applicant tracking software is designed specifically to achieve that goal. Investing in the right ATS technology will save your team time and provide data-driven insights so that you can hire the right people faster. The key is to evaluate your needs, resources, and budget to determine the right option for your organization. While no solution is perfect, an applicant tracking system can significantly improve your ability to attract great candidates and build a more effective, unbiased hiring process
This blog aims to overview 16 of the top applicant tracking systems in the UK to help you evaluate options based on your priorities and budget. We will break down each system and provide details so you can determine which solution best fits your organization’s talent acquisition needs.
Top 16 Applicant Tracking Systems in UK
Are you a recruiter or an HR professional searching for the best applicant tracking systems in the UK? Look no further! Below we have curated a list of the top 16 applicant tracking systems that can streamline your hiring process, enhance candidate management, and optimize your recruitment efforts –
Tool Name | Pricing | Free Trial Period |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at $1,700 per month | 14 days | |
| Three pricing plans – Essential, Advanced, Expert | 30 days | |
| Request a price quote | 14 days | |
| Two pricing plans – Essentials and Advantage | 14 days | |
| Starts at $5,000 per year | 30 days | |
| Starter – $149 per month | 14 days | |
| Standard – $25 per user per month (if billed annually) | 15 days | |
| Starting from $10,000 per year | 14 days | |
| Startup – $157/month | 14 days | |
| Request a price quote | 14 days | |
| Range between $25 and 38 PEPM | 30 days | |
| Starts at $400 per month | 14 days | |
| Custom Pricing | 14 days | |
| Request a price quote | 14 days | |
| Request a price quote | 14 days | |
| Launch – € 199/month | 18 days |
1. iCIMS
iCIMS
iCIMS is the oldest yet the best applicant tracking system used by thousands of mid-sized companies and enterprises across different verticals. With three flexible recruiting suites – Recruitment Marketing Suite, Advanced Communications Suite & Hiring Suite, it enables organizations to market, communicate, and hire at scale with its advanced solutions.
Features
- Job posting
- Career portal (E-recruiting)
- Candidate relationship management
- Talent testing and assessment
- Talent acquisition analytics and reporting
Pricing
- Pricing starts at $1,700 per month.
Pros and Cons
- The software is highly configurable and can be customized to suit specific needs
- Connect with job seekers seamlessly through its collaboration with Google and automate job postings with clear job descriptions to popular and niche job boards
- Built-in AI platforms help identify qualified candidates, making recruitment more efficient
- The software allows for seamless integrations with existing HCM/HRIS systems, minimizing disruptions to workflow
- Refreshing job boards requires recreating job postings, which can be time-consuming
- Reporting functions are limited, and customization can be challenging
- A set-up fee is required for entry-level use of the software
2. Greenhouse
Greenhouse
Greenhouse is one of the fastest-growing UK applicant tracking systems that has won giant clients like Times Inc., Airbnb, Cisco Meraki, and more. From hiring managers and recruiters to candidates, Greenhouse optimizes the end-to-end hiring process while streamlining data migration. With its advanced user permission controls, it can manage large recruiting teams and enable effective communication with everyone involved.
Features
- Applicant tracking
- Structured hiring
- Team collaboration
- Automated task management
- Multichannel sourcing
Pricing
- Greenhouse offers three pricing plans – Essential, Advanced, Expert, Greenhouse Welcome, and Greenhouse Onboarding, each of which has a price based on the size of your company.
Pros and Cons
- The ATS is highly intuitive and flexible, with strong automation capabilities, leading to significant improvements in the recruitment process
- It offers a robust set of features that aid in finding, screening, and interviewing candidates quickly and efficiently
- The software includes onboarding functionality, streamlining the process of welcoming new hires
- It enables businesses to establish consistent and repeatable, structured hiring processes
- Setting up and learning the software may require time and effort
- Creating a new hiring process for each job can be time-consuming
- The software lacks artificial intelligence or algorithms to automatically find and source passive talent, which may require additional effort from recruiters
3. Bullhorn
Bullhorn
Focused on the recruiting meadow since 1999, Bullhorn is a market leader in Europe. Having powered top recruiting organizations like Manpower and Adecco, it serves over 11,000 clients globally with its best-in-class UK applicant tracking system. It is designed to manage the entire recruitment and applicant management process from a unified platform.
Features
- Onboarding
- Vendor management system
- Mobile recruiting
- Candidate screening
- Recruitment automation
Pricing
- Bullhorn requires you to request a price quote through its pricing page.
Pros and Cons
- Increase recruiter’s productivity with faster source, search, and match mechanism
- Parse & edits resume, identify keywords, and fill positions with top candidates
- Track candidates automatically throughout the recruitment process
- Integrate recruitment and sales activity to close jobs faster & offers seamless integration with Gmail and Outlook
- The software does not offer a free version for users to try before purchasing
- The basic plan lacks LinkedIn integration, which may be a key feature for some users
- Users may experience slow response times and lagging performance while using the system
4. BambooHR
BambooHR
BambooHR is one of the best applicant tracking systems used by the in-house recruitment teams of organizations of all sizes to keep track of all the important aspects of their employees. Its cloud-based candidate management system helps companies gather the top talents on the job market and offers a great onboarding experience that supports retaining candidates.
Features
- Applicant tracking system
- E-signatures
- Employee wellbeing surveys
- Training tracking
- Customizable reports
Pricing
- BambooHR offers two pricing plans – Essentials and Advantage. To get the quote of each, you need to get in touch with the company.
Pros and Cons
- Flawless hiring process from application to offer letter and a simple mobile app for recruiting on the go
- Collaboration with stakeholders and team members to make informed hiring decisions
- Customizable offer letter templates that auto-populates candidate information
- Detailed reports and analytics to identify bottlenecks and spot inconsistencies
- The employee onboarding module is not included in the base software and requires an additional cost
- The software may not be the most cost-effective option for those seeking a budget-friendly ATS solution
- The software does not offer a free trial or version for users to test before committing to a purchase
5. Oracle Taleo
Oracle Taleo
Oracle Taleo is a leading applicant tracking software hosted completely on the cloud. Touted as the world’s most used recruitment platform, it helps companies find the needed talent. An engaging and easy-to-use interface for everyone, whether candidates, hiring managers, or recruiters, improves hiring at every step. Moreover, its mobile application enables recruiters to connect with candidates from wherever they are.
Features
- Online content management
- Blended learning plans
- Customizable system
- Goal management features
- Cloud solution for sourcing, hiring, and onboarding
Pricing
- Oracle Taleo’s pricing plan starts at $5,000 per year.
Pros and Cons
- Build tailored websites and sourcing campaigns and screen and assess CVs with quick-filter technologies
- Market current and future openings across different sourcing channels and social media via Multi-Channel Sourcing
- Design flexible candidate selection workflows
- Integrate with Oracle’s wide range of HCM solutions coherently
- Some users find the software has too many filters, making it difficult to use
- The HCM software does not include payroll control functionality, which may be a drawback for some businesses
- The recruitment software may have a steeper learning curve than its competitors, requiring additional user training
6. Workable
Workable
Regarding choosing among the best-designed applicant tracking systems, Workable tops the list. With a wide customer base, including Declara, Tile, Babbel, and more, it has helped thousands of companies find and hire great people. Workable assists you throughout the hiring process, from sharing vacancies on different job portals to collaborating with the hiring team and dispatching feedback.
Features
- Unlimited active jobs
- 20,000 AI sourcing profile views per year
- Hiring plan with requisition approvals
- Single sign-on support
- Custom account onboarding
Pricing
- Starter – $149 per month
- Standard – $299 per month
- Premier – $599 per month
Pros and Cons
- AI enables powerful search capabilities and allows for one-click job postings
- The recruiting process streamlines and is made more efficient with tools that engage and empower everyone involved
- The platform is capable of generating beautiful and accurate reports automatically
- Integrating one-click calendar features and interview self-scheduling can save time and simplify scheduling
- The platform’s onboarding features are limited, which may make it more difficult to get started
- The search function is limited, which could make it harder to find the right candidates
- There is no flexibility in pricing, which may not work for all users or companies
7. ZOHO Recruit
Zoho Recruit
ZOHO Recruit is one of the best cloud-based candidate tracking systems that provide end-to-end hiring solutions. It specifically caters to its services to corporate HRs, recruitment agencies, and a temporary workforce. From streamlining the hiring process to sourcing a better talent pool, it adorns companies with resume management and interview features. Besides, it integrates with Zoho and third-party applications effortlessly.
Features
- Personalized portals and licenses
- Background checkers
- Video interview platform
- AI Assistance
- Candidate search & management
Pricing
Depending on the specific solution you choose, ZOHO Recruit has a number of pricing plans to offer. These are as follows:
- Standard – $25 per user per month (if billed annually)
- Professional – $50 per user per month (if billed annually)
- Enterprise – $75 per user per month (if billed annually)
Pros and Cons
- The platform offers powerful Source Boosters that can help you source talent quickly
- The offer letter-sending process can be digitized, making it more efficient and streamlined
- Users can customize their career pages and build their employer brand
- Conflict-free scheduling is made easy on the platform
- Pre-screening tools are available to assess candidate skills
- The platform may be expensive for smaller businesses
- Full-time support may be lacking, which could disadvantage some users
- Some features may be confusing or difficult to use, and customer support can be poor sometimes
8. SmartRecruiters
SmartRecruiters
SmartRecruiters is an ideal fit for organizations deploying modern candidate management software. It empowers the hiring team to attract, engage, and hire the right talent. Moreover, its recruitment marketing tools help collaborate and manage the varied aspects of the recruiting process. So far, Its users say that SmartRecruiters is great at collecting candidate feedback.
Features
- Talent matching
- Applicant tracking
- Keyword extraction
- Resume parsing
- Google job search
Pricing
- SmartRecruit offers flexible pricing starting from $10,000 per year. The exact pricing depends on your customized bundle and the number of employees in your organization. For a personalized quote, feel free to reach out to SmartRecruiters.
Pros and Cons
- The platform offers data analytics and reporting capabilities that can help optimize the hiring process
- The recruiting process can be run in compliance with applicable regulations
- Strategic relationships with sourcing candidates can be fostered and nurtured
- Users have access to SmartRecruiters’ pre-integrated marketplace of 350+ vendors
- The platform may not offer enough customization for managers and interviewers to have full visibility into the recruiting process
- It may not be possible to leverage the features of other HCM solutions with this platform
- The platform no longer supports sponsored jobs on Indeed
9. breezyHR
breezyHR
breezyHR helps companies attract and hire great employees with less to no effort. It gives the power to optimize the hiring process while aiding in making informed hiring decisions. This modern recruiting system offers actionable insights into every facet of the hiring process while letting you personalize your career page and employee referral sites. It also allows you to advertise your jobs on 50+ job boards with a single click.
Features
- Background screening
- Customizable career site
- Job performance tracking
- Candidate sourcing
- End-to-end recruiting
Pricing
- This applicant tracking software cost are mentioned below:
- Bootstrap – Free
- Startup – $157/month
- Growth – 273/ month
- Business – $439/month
Pros and Cons
- The platform features a visual drag-and-drop interface, making it easy to use
- Candidate communication can be automated, including emails, SMS, schedules, and interviews
- The platform includes a proactive candidate database and sourcing extension
- Users can get an overview of their candidate pipeline at a glance, and hiring teams can collaborate in real time
- Phone support is not available on the platform, a major drawback
- The system may be prone to glitches, which could frustrate users
- Premium plans may be expensive, starting at $143 per month
10. IBM Kenexa BrassRing
IBM Kenexa BrassRing
IBM Kenexa BrassRing is a global recruiting automation software that helps large organizations to attract, engage, and recruit top talent. With its configurable, scalable, robust, and flexible support. It empowers candidates to collaborate with recruiters through its top-notch mobile and social technologies. From sourcing to assessing, hiring, and onboarding candidates, BrassRing manages the entire talent acquisition cycle efficiently.
Features
- Screening and assessment tools
- Interview management
- Candidate scoring and ranking
- Onboarding and orientation
- Reporting and analytics
Pricing
- You need to connect with its team to receive a quote if you want to implement IBM Kenexa BrassRing.
Pros and Cons
- The platform offers a plethora of recruitment features to streamline the hiring process
- Users can access a wide range of talent pools to find the best candidates
- Social media-based recruiting is encouraged, expanding the reach of job postings
- The platform is powered by IBM Watson analytics, which helps identify the best candidates
- The platform has recently increased its rates significantly, which may disadvantage some users
- There is no app available for the platform
- Since the IBM acquisition, the product has undergone changes that may affect user experience
11. SAP SuccessFactors
SAP SuccessFactors
SAP SuccessFactors is aimed at delivering result-oriented recruiting practices to enterprises. With its embedded engagement and automation abilities, it helps organizations secure the best talent pool. Some outstanding recruitment functionalities it offers include global talent sourcing, candidate engagement, candidate relationship management, and applicant management.
Features
- Core HR and payroll
- Talent management
- Workforce analytics
- Time and attendance
- Core HR lifecycle
Pricing
- SAP SuccessFactors range between $25 and 38 PEPM.
Pros and Cons
- The platform can help source candidates likely to contribute to long-term business success
- Strategic relationships with passive candidates can be fostered to fill critical positions
- Automating mundane tasks can free up resources to focus on mission-critical tasks
- Workforce engagement and productivity can be optimized on the platform
- The interface may be slow and outdated, which could affect user experience
- The software can be complex, which may disadvantage some users
- New modules, such as Recruiting Marketing, may not be widely available
12. Jobvite
Jobvite
Jobvite is the best recruiting software that works on a candidate-centric recruiting model. It incorporates automation and intelligence to help companies engage with the right candidates at the right time. Serving this staffing and recruiting industry since 2006, Jobvite has managed to serve thousands of significant business leaders, including LinkedIn, Schneider Electric, Zappos, Blizzard Entertainment, and more.
Features
- Job Posting
- Candidate Sourcing Metrics
- Workflow Building
- Recruiting and Onboarding
- Candidate screening tools
Pricing
- Jobvite plans start at $400 per month.
Pros and Cons
- Time-consuming tasks such as applicant screening, email parsing, and resume analysis can be automated
- Customizable and branded career pages can be created to attract candidates and job openings can be shared on popular job boards and social media channels
- Customized nurture campaigns can be developed to engage with more candidates
- The platform features a smart scheduler that can automatically schedule interviews
- Jobvite may not be the most modern ATS available on the market
- The pricing for Jobvite can be expensive, which may not be affordable for all users
- The interface may not be very intuitive, which could make it difficult to use
13. Trakstar Hire
Trakstar Hire
Unlike other candidate tracking software we saw earlier in this article, Trakstar Hire is completely web-based. Thus, it neither requires downloading nor installing, updating, or maintaining. It comes with features that are designed to meet your needs. With Trakstar Hire, you don’t need to match your needs with the software. All you do is match the software with your hiring process.
Features
- Email Templates
- Bulk Resume Parsing
- Applicant tracking & workflow
- Recruiting Management
- Candidate sourcing software
Pricing
- Custom Pricing
Pros and Cons
- Openings can be created and reflected on a customizable career page & candidate activity can be monitored throughout the hiring process
- Hiring teams can collaborate and collect feedback on candidates
- The application form is customizable, allowing for data collection beyond resumes
- Evaluations, notes, and other candidate-related information can be shared and organized in one place
- The user experience is easy to use but may be outdated
- If there are many job openings, it may become difficult to find a specific one
- Users may experience difficulty with reminders to follow up on existing emails
14. ClearCompany
ClearCompany
ClearCompany is the easiest-to-use candidate management system. Companies must put minimal effort into attracting, screening, evaluating, and hiring people. Moreover, ClearCompany comes with unique weighted sections, scoreboards, and free-form comparisons for different departments and offices. It also eliminates redundant data entry tasks by pre-filling the previously inserted information.
Features
- Talent acquisition software
- Employee referral management
- Candidate management
- Job board posting
- Talent pool management
Pricing
ClearCompany has no specified pricing plans for its candidate tracking system mentioned on the website, so you must get a quote by connecting with them.
Pros and Cons
- The company provides incredible customer support to help us get the most out of the product
- The software creates a more efficient recruiting process by streamlining and automating key tasks
- Real-time updates are shared across the software with remote users so our entire team can see the hiring process
- The software allows us to effectively manage and track candidates through onboarding so we do not lose contact with top talent
- A mobile app for recruiters would improve the functionality and accessibility of the software
- Improved email notifications to hiring managers would keep them up to date on role progression and candidate status changes
- The search feature for candidates needs improvement to make it easier to find potential applicants in the database
15. Newton
Newton
Newton candidate tracking systems are best known for their customized hiring experience. It facilitates everything from helping to recruit managers to drafting dedicated offers to help HR teams pinpoint the applicants concerning existing hiring policies. As it is scalable, it fits companies of all sizes. Moreover, it is designed to operate on any device, platform, or OS.
Features
- Recruiting analytics
- Online applications
- Employee referrals
- Billing & Invoicing
- Background checks
Pricing
- Newton also provides a custom quote based on the features, users, and your requirements.
Pros and Cons
- With Newton, you can effortlessly broadcast job openings, accept applications, and create an exceptional candidate experience
- It provides a centralized platform for seamless communication with candidates, efficient scheduling of interviews, and gathering valuable feedback
- Newton allows you to conduct background checks on candidates and facilitate digital onboarding for new hires, streamlining the hiring process
- Gain valuable insights into your recruitment process with detailed reporting and robust analytic capabilities
- Some users may perceive the software as relatively expensive compared to alternative applicant tracking system (ATS) solutions
- Newton may not be suitable for larger enterprises with more complex recruitment needs
- While Newton offers essential features, it may not provide as many advanced functionalities as other ATS solutions
16. Recruitee
Recruitee
Recruitee comes with comprehensive tools to view candidate profiles, track candidate progress, automate communication with applicants, and reach out to qualified candidates directly with in-app video calls. But Recruitee is also more than just candidate tracking. It has features to launch a Careers website, publish job ads, distribute job ads across multiple job portals, and obtain detailed insights into the recruitment process.
Features
- Customizable pipelines
- Workflow templates
- Roles and visibility
- Job scheduler
- Overdue candidate reminders
Pricing
- Launch – € 199/month
- Scale – € 349/month
- Lead – Custom Pricing
Pros and Cons
- The platform is easy to use and seamlessly integrates with job boards
- Users find it a very good resource for managing job postings on multiple sites
- Recruitee is an excellent platform for tracking notes, recruiting activity, email dialogue, and documents
- The API library is robust, and much information can be extracted
- Changing the candidate layout according to the job offer could improve user experience
- A better tracking record of candidates’ time in each stage of the hiring process could be beneficial
- Improved tracking of when candidates entered the job offer could be helpful
Final Thoughts
Many excellent applicant tracking systems are available in the UK to help companies streamline and optimize their hiring process. The systems we have reviewed range from simple to sophisticated, with various features and price plans.
For small businesses on a tight budget, Zoho Recruit and Breezy HR provide solid free options to get started. They offer core functionality like job posting, applicant screening, and interview scheduling. SmartRecruiters and Workable provide paid options with more advanced tools for mid-sized companies.
Greenhouse, Taleo, and iCIMS are leading options for enterprise organizations, providing highly customizable solutions with seamless integration options. These systems have the highest range of capabilities but also the highest costs.
Every business has different needs, priorities, and resources regarding talent acquisition, but utilizing applicant-tracking technology is vital for success. With many options available at various prices, nearly every organization has an ATS solution. The key is evaluating the options based on your specific needs and determining which will provide the most robust yet cost-effective option.
Khyati Sagar is a seasoned HR and payroll expert with over a decade of experience in the field. She has worked with businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large corporations, helping them optimize their HR and payroll processes. As a passionate advocate for technology-driven solutions, she is always on the lookout for the latest advancements in HR and payroll software. When she’s not working, you can find her hiking or playing basketball with her friends and family.
