HR & work · Ranked by price to features
9 Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Business of 2026
By the Rankozo research desk · Updated November 9, 2026 · Next review December 24, 2026
Manatal is the best applicant tracking system for small businesses with one person doing the hiring in 2026, at $15 per user a month on yearly billing with 15 jobs and unlimited hiring managers. Breezy HR suits teams that hire every month and want unlimited users for a flat $157 a month, and Jobsoid is the cheapest option: free for one job, then $49 a month for three jobs and unlimited users.
- Tools ranked
- 9
- With free plan
- 2
- Cheapest paid plan
- Manatal, $15
- per user per month
By the numbers
- $1,200The median cost per hire for nonexecutive roles at US organizations was $1,200 in 2025, down 27% since 2017, according to SHRM benchmarking of its members.SHRM
- $10,625The median cost per hire for executive roles in the US reached $10,625 in 2025, up 113% from 2017 and 21% from 2022, per SHRM.SHRM
- £3,500UK employers reported a median cost of £3,500 to recruit a senior manager or director in CIPD's 2026 survey.CIPD
- 39 daysThe median time to fill a nonexecutive position at US organizations fell to 39 calendar days in 2026, according to SHRM.SHRM
- 63.0 millionUS employers made 63.0 million hires in 2025, 1.5 million fewer than in 2024, according to BLS annual JOLTS estimates.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 200%Gallup estimates replacing a leader or manager costs around 200% of their salary.Gallup
Comparison table
| Tool | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manatal | 01 | 8.5 | 9.0 | $15per user per month | No |
| Breezy HR | 02 | 8.4 | 8.0 | $157per month, flat | No |
| Jobsoid | 03 | 8.2 | 9.3 | $49per month, flat | Yes |
| Zoho Recruit | 04 | 8.2 | 8.5 | Free plan | Yes |
| JazzHR | 05 | 8.1 | 8.2 | $83per month, billed $1,000 a year | No |
| 100Hires | 06 | 8.0 | 8.3 | $49per month | No |
| Workable | 07 | 8.0 | 6.6 | $299per month for 1 to 20 employees | No |
| Recooty | 08 | 7.8 | 7.9 | $79per month for up to 20 employees | No |
| JobScore | 09 | 7.6 | 7.6 | $69per month for 2 open jobs | No |
Click a column to sort. Prices are the cheapest paid plan quoted from each vendor's US pricing page; "Check price" means the US price check is pending.
How this ranking works
One method for every tool. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests. Value carries the most weight.
Full methodThis list is for small employers that fill a few roles a year and want to compare free plans and flat monthly fees before paying for recruiting software. We compared documented features and published prices on each vendor's own pages in November 2026. Rankozo scores value at 40%, features at 35% and ease of use at 25%, so low-cost tools that still handle job posting, a candidate pipeline and team feedback rank above expensive suites. Prices are the cheapest paid plan in USD, and the buying guide shows yearly totals for one recruiter.
The verdict
Manatal is the best value for a small business where one person runs hiring: $15 a month buys 15 jobs, 10,000 candidates and unlimited hiring managers. Breezy HR is the stronger product when you hire monthly and want every manager in the system, since its $157 flat fee covers unlimited users and positions. Jobsoid and Zoho Recruit both have permanent free plans for a single opening, and Jobsoid's $49 Lite plan is the cheapest flat fee with unlimited users. JazzHR's $1,000 yearly Hero plan suits US single-location firms, while Workable has the most features but starts at $299 a month. Zoho Recruit showed only euros from our location, so confirm its USD price.
- 01Top value
Manatal
8.5/10Cloud recruitment software with a pipeline, career page, resume parsing and AI candidate recommendations, priced per recruiter seat.
Price
$15per user per month
Professional from $15 per user per month billed annually ($19 monthly), up to 15 jobs and 10,000 candidates
“Professional Plan: $15 USD per user/month (billed annually), including 15 jobs and up to 10,000 candidates.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 9.0
- Features (35%)
- 8.2
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.2
Best forAn owner or office manager who runs hiring alone and wants the lowest paid entry price with unlimited hiring managers.
Manatal ranks first because a small employer with one person doing the hiring pays $15 a month on yearly billing, or $19 month to month, and still gets up to 15 jobs and 10,000 candidate records. That is enough headroom for a business filling a handful of roles a year, and the cap on jobs is per account rather than per seat. Hiring managers are unlimited on every plan, so a supervisor can review applicants and leave feedback without adding cost. The catch is the pricing model: each recruiter is a paid seat, so a team where three people screen candidates pays three times as much, and at that point flat-fee tools such as Breezy or Jobsoid can work out cheaper. Workflow automation sits on the $35 Enterprise plan. There is no permanent free tier, but the 14-day trial needs no card. For a solo hiring lead, it is the cheapest full ATS we found.
- ✓Lowest paid entry price on this list for a single recruiter
- ✓Hiring managers do not need paid seats
- ✓14-day free trial with no card required
- ✕No permanent free plan
- ✕Cost grows with every extra recruiter seat
- ✕Workflow automation needs the $35 Enterprise plan
- Entry plan:
- Professional, $15 per user per month yearly
- Monthly billing:
- $19 per user per month
- Job limit:
- 15 jobs per account on Professional
- Candidate limit:
- 10,000 on Professional
- Free trial:
- 14 days, no card required
Bottom line: The cheapest paid ATS here for a single recruiter, with 15 jobs and unlimited hiring managers. Teams with several recruiters should compare flat-fee plans.
- 02
Breezy HR
8.4/10Flat-priced applicant tracking system with unlimited users and positions, job board distribution, questionnaires and interview self-scheduling.
Price
$157per month, flat
Startup $157 per month billed annually ($189 monthly) with unlimited users and positions
“For small teams hiring regularly $157/mo $189/mo” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.0
- Features (35%)
- 8.6
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.8
Best forSmall businesses that hire every month and want everyone on the team in the ATS for one flat fee.
Breezy HR charges one flat price per plan regardless of company size, and the Startup plan at $157 a month on annual billing ($189 monthly) already includes unlimited users and unlimited positions. That makes it the easiest way to give every manager access without counting seats. The entry plan is unusually complete: distribution to more than 50 job boards, a branded career site on your own domain, candidate questionnaires that screen applicants, stage automations that send messages or book interviews, self-scheduling, one-way video screening, EEOC and OFCCP reporting, and native mobile apps. Breezy states plainly that it has no free plan, so the 14-day trial is the only free option. For an employer filling only one or two roles a year, the yearly bill of about $1,884 is hard to justify next to Manatal or Jobsoid. AI candidate scoring and SMS are sold as credits on top. Once you hire every month, the flat fee and the feature set make it the strongest all-rounder here.
- ✓Flat price that does not change with headcount
- ✓Large feature set on the entry Startup plan
- ✓14-day trial of every feature with no card
- ✕No free plan
- ✕$157 a month is a lot for one or two hires a year
- ✕AI scoring and texting are paid add-ons
- Entry plan:
- Startup, $157 per month yearly
- Monthly billing:
- $189 per month
- Users and positions:
- Unlimited
- Job boards:
- 50+
- Free trial:
- 14 days, no credit card
Bottom line: The most complete flat-fee ATS for small teams that hire often. Too expensive for a business with only a couple of openings a year.
- 03
Jobsoid
8.2/10Applicant tracking software with a free one-job plan and flat monthly plans that include unlimited user accounts.
Price
$49per month, flat
Free Beginner plan for 1 job and 1 user; Lite $49 per month billed annually ($59 monthly) for 3 jobs and unlimited users
“Lite Perfect for small teams 49 $ Per Month, Paid Annually $59 Per Month, Paid Monthly” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Value (40%)
- 9.3
- Features (35%)
- 7.3
- Ease of use (25%)
- 7.8
Best forVery small employers that hire once or twice a year and want a free ATS or a low flat fee.
Jobsoid is the best fit for an employer who opens one role at a time. Its Beginner plan is free with one job posting, one user and unlimited candidates, plus Android and iOS apps, which covers a business that hires once or twice a year. When a second person needs access or you run more than one opening, Lite costs $49 a month on annual billing or $59 month to month and adds three job postings, unlimited user accounts, advanced reporting and unlimited email support. That flat fee is the lowest paid price here once more than three people use the system. The trade-off is that the useful screening tools sit higher up: questionnaires, reviews and scorecards, video screening, automatic reference checks and EEO reports start on Standard at $99 a month for ten jobs. The interface and feature depth are simpler than Breezy or Workable. Jobsoid says you can upgrade, downgrade or cancel at any time, which suits seasonal hiring.
- ✓Permanent free plan
- ✓Paid plans are flat, with unlimited users
- ✓You can upgrade, downgrade or cancel anytime
- ✕Free plan allows only 1 job and 1 user
- ✕Lite is capped at 3 job postings
- ✕Screening questionnaires and scorecards need the $99 Standard plan
- Free plan:
- Yes, 1 job and 1 user
- Entry paid plan:
- Lite, $49 per month yearly
- Monthly billing:
- $59 per month
- Lite job limit:
- 3 job postings
- Users on paid plans:
- Unlimited
Bottom line: A real free plan for one job and a $49 flat fee with unlimited users make it the budget pick. Screening tools cost more.
- 04
Zoho Recruit
8.2/10Recruiting software from Zoho with a forever free plan, sourcing, career sites, assessments and 50+ integrations on paid tiers.
Price
Free plan
Forever free plan with 1 active job; paid plans: see vendor pricing (USD check pending)
US price check pending. Vendor pricing page
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 15 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.5
- Features (35%)
- 8.3
- Ease of use (25%)
- 7.4
Best forBusinesses that want a free starting point and may already use other Zoho apps.
Zoho Recruit has one of the more useful free tiers for small employers. The Forever Free plan includes one active job, candidate management, email management, interview scheduling and support on weekdays, and when the 15-day Enterprise trial ends your account drops to that free plan rather than locking you out. The Standard plan raises the limit to ten active jobs per recruiter license and adds sourcing, resume management, premium job boards, a branded careers site, employee referrals, assessments, a hiring pipeline, reports and more than 50 integrations. Enterprise adds AI candidate matching, automation, custom dashboards and SMS. Paid plans are priced per recruiter, and employee or hiring manager licenses are sold in packs of ten. Zoho also offers a 45-day money-back guarantee. The pricing page showed euros from our location, so we could not confirm the USD price; check it on Zoho's site before you buy. The setup has more menus than Breezy or Manatal.
- ✓Forever free plan that you keep after the trial
- ✓15-day trial of Enterprise features
- ✓45-day money-back guarantee on paid plans
- ✕Free plan is limited to 1 active job
- ✕Paid plans are priced per recruiter
- ✕Add-ons are not available on the free edition
- Free plan:
- Yes, 1 active job per recruiter license
- Standard job limit:
- 10 active jobs per recruiter license
- Enterprise job limit:
- 20 active jobs per recruiter license
- Free trial:
- 15 days of Enterprise, then free plan
- Refund:
- 45-day money-back guarantee
Bottom line: A capable forever free plan for one opening, with a broad paid tier. Confirm the USD price before choosing a paid plan.
- 05
JazzHR
8.1/10Small business applicant tracking system from Employ with job board posting, email templates and a LinkedIn Recruiter integration, sold on yearly plans.
Price
$83per month, billed $1,000 a year
Hero $1,000 per year billed annually (about $83 a month); Plus $3,480 and Pro $5,508 per year
“Hero — For Getting Started $1,000 /yr billed annually” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Value (40%)
- 8.2
- Features (35%)
- 7.9
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.4
Best forUS small businesses that want a simple, well-known ATS on a fixed yearly budget.
JazzHR is built for small business hiring and prices its entry Hero plan at $1,000 a year, about $83 a month, which buys the applicant tracking system, posting to free job boards, email message templates, a LinkedIn Recruiter integration and access to premium job listings. JazzHR says yearly billing saves up to 24% over monthly. Plus, at $3,480 a year, adds AI candidate matching, structured interviews, assessments, task automation and reporting with up to 200 active jobs, and Pro at $5,508 adds offers, e-signatures and custom reports. The vendor publishes several conditions: standard pricing does not apply to staffing agencies, franchises, multi-location businesses or companies over 250 employees, the Hero plan lists job postings starting at three a month, and some add-ons are billed by usage. JazzHR describes itself as mainly a desktop tool with a mobile-optimized interface. For a single-location US employer who wants a familiar tool and one predictable annual bill, Hero is a fair price.
- ✓Fixed yearly price that is easy to budget
- ✓Simple pipeline built for small teams
- ✓Integrates with payroll, background check and HRIS tools
- ✕Standard pricing excludes agencies, franchises, multi-location businesses and firms over 250 employees
- ✕Hero lists job postings starting at 3 a month
- ✕Some add-ons are billed by consumption
- Entry plan:
- Hero, $1,000 per year
- Next plan:
- Plus, $3,480 per year
- Top plan:
- Pro, $5,508 per year
- Yearly saving:
- Up to 24% versus monthly
- Mobile:
- Mobile-optimized web interface
Bottom line: A straightforward small business ATS at a fixed $1,000 a year. Read the eligibility and usage terms before signing.
- 06
100Hires
8.0/10AI applicant tracking system with job board distribution, candidate scoring credits and calling and texting on its higher plans.
Price
$49per month
Start $49 per month billed annually ($99 monthly) for 3 jobs, 100 candidates and 1 user; Advanced $199 a month yearly
“$ 49 /month USD , billed annually, up to 3 jobs” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Value (40%)
- 8.3
- Features (35%)
- 7.6
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.0
Best forA sole owner who hires rarely and wants a low annual fee, with room to move to unlimited jobs later.
100Hires aims its Start plan at companies that are not actively hiring: $49 a month on annual billing gets up to three jobs, 100 candidates, one user, the basic features and 100 monthly AI credits for candidate scoring, resume parsing and job descriptions. You can post to free job boards such as Indeed and LinkedIn and start from more than 500 job description templates. Paid monthly, the same plan costs $99, so the yearly option is the one to take. The limits are tight. A single user and a 100-candidate cap suit an owner who hires one role at a time, not a manager sharing applicants with a team. Advanced, at $199 a month yearly or $249 monthly, removes the caps on jobs, candidates and users and adds automated emails, knockout questions, a custom career site domain and calling and texting. That jump is large, which leaves Breezy's $157 flat plan as the more obvious step up for growing teams.
- ✓Start plan is $49 a month on yearly billing
- ✓Advanced removes job, candidate and user limits
- ✓Free trial with no credit card
- ✕Start allows only 1 user and 100 candidates
- ✕Monthly billing doubles the Start price to $99
- ✕Automated emails and knockout questions need Advanced
- Entry plan:
- Start, $49 per month yearly
- Monthly billing:
- $99 per month
- Start limits:
- 3 jobs, 100 candidates, 1 user
- Advanced:
- $199 per month yearly, unlimited jobs and users
- Free trial:
- Yes, no credit card required
Bottom line: A cheap yearly plan for the occasional hire, but the 1-user and 100-candidate caps arrive quickly.
- 07
Workable
8.0/10Recruiting and HR platform that bundles an ATS with sourcing, onboarding, time off and an HR information system, priced by company size.
Price
$299per month for 1 to 20 employees
Standard $299 per month for 1 to 20 employees ($3,588 a year), recruiting and HR bundled
“Standard BUNDLE RECRUITING AND HR TO SAVE UP TO 20% $ 299 /month $ 3,588 /year” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 15 days
- Value (40%)
- 6.6
- Features (35%)
- 9.2
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.6
Best forSmall companies that want hiring and basic HR in one product and can spend more for a deeper tool.
Workable is the most complete product on this list but also the most expensive. Its Standard plan costs $299 a month for companies with 1 to 20 employees, shown as $3,588 a year, and the price steps up as headcount grows. That money buys more than an ATS: a candidate sourcing suite, unlimited active jobs under fair use, hiring plans, nine native languages and a custom report builder, plus an HR side with an employee database, onboarding, time off, time tracking, e-signatures and payroll preparation. Each ATS plan includes 3,000 AI credits for agents that draft job briefs, source and screen candidates. Texting ($89 a month), video interviews ($109) and assessments ($59) are add-ons on Standard. For a small employer filling two or three roles a year, the bill is several times what Manatal, Jobsoid or JazzHR charge, which is why it scores low on value. If you also need an HR system and hire steadily, the bundle can replace two tools.
- ✓Deepest feature set on this list
- ✓Recruiting and HR in one bill
- ✓15-day free trial with no card
- ✕Highest entry price here at $299 a month
- ✕Price rises with company headcount
- ✕Texting, video interviews and assessments cost extra on Standard
- Entry plan:
- Standard, $299 per month
- Company size band:
- 1 to 20 employees
- Active jobs:
- Unlimited, fair usage limits
- AI credits:
- 3,000 included per ATS plan
- Free trial:
- 15 days, no credit card
Bottom line: The strongest feature set here, with HR included, but the $299 entry price is steep for occasional hiring.
- 08
Recooty
7.8/10AI recruiting software with a no-code careers page, posting to 200+ job boards and resume scoring, priced by company size.
Price
$79per month for up to 20 employees
Starter $79 per month billed annually for up to 20 employees and 5 active jobs; Standard $149 a month yearly
“Starter For occasional hiring $ 79 / Month Billed annually Up to 20 employees” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 15 days
- Value (40%)
- 7.9
- Features (35%)
- 7.5
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.1
Best forEmployers under 20 people who hire occasionally and want broad job board reach on a flat plan.
Recooty positions its Starter plan for occasional hiring at companies with up to 20 employees, at $79 a month billed annually. That covers five active job posts, distribution to more than 200 boards worldwide including Indeed, LinkedIn and Google for Jobs, a no-code careers page builder, AI resume parsing and scoring, AI job description writing, knockout questions, an interview scheduler with Gmail and Outlook sync, standard reports and two-factor authentication. Yearly billing saves 28% against paying monthly. The entry plan is solid for a small business posting a few roles, but some basics wait for Standard at $149 a month: a customizable hiring pipeline, bulk candidate actions, real-time analytics, video meeting scheduling and unlimited job posts. Compared with Jobsoid's free and $49 plans, Recooty costs more but reaches more job boards at the entry level. Compared with Breezy, it is cheaper but less flexible. The 15-day trial needs no card.
- ✓Starter is designed for occasional hiring
- ✓Wide job board reach on the entry plan
- ✓15-day free trial with no credit card
- ✕Starter is limited to companies with up to 20 employees
- ✕Customizable pipelines and bulk actions need Standard
- ✕Monthly billing costs more than the yearly rate
- Entry plan:
- Starter, $79 per month yearly
- Company size:
- Up to 20 employees on Starter
- Active jobs:
- 5 on Starter, unlimited on Standard
- Job boards:
- 200+ globally
- Free trial:
- 15 days, no credit card
Bottom line: Good job board reach for small employers at $79 a month, though pipeline customization costs more.
- 09
JobScore
7.6/10Applicant tracking system with a hosted careers site, one-click job posting and unlimited users and candidates on every plan.
Price
$69per month for 2 open jobs
Lite plan $69 per month for 2 open jobs; Start, Scale and Enterprise priced by number of open jobs
“We also offer a LITE plan with 2 open jobs for $69/mo” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Value (40%)
- 7.6
- Features (35%)
- 7.4
- Ease of use (25%)
- 7.7
Best forSmall employers with one or two openings at a time who want unlimited users without a per-seat fee.
JobScore sells its plans by the number of open jobs rather than by user, and every plan includes applicant tracking, a hosted careers site, one-click job posting, social recruiting and unlimited users, candidates, notes and tags. For a small employer the relevant option is the Lite plan, which JobScore lists at $69 a month for two open jobs. That is a fair deal if two roles at a time is your ceiling and several people need to review applicants, because nobody needs a paid seat. The Start, Scale and Enterprise plans are priced in steps from five to 25 or more open jobs, and annual billing saves up to 33%, but the page loads those figures dynamically, so check the price for your job count. JobScore uses AI to draft job descriptions for review. Next to Jobsoid at $49 for three jobs or Manatal at $15 for 15, the Lite plan costs more per opening, which keeps it at the bottom of our value ranking.
- ✓Unlimited users on all plans
- ✓Lite plan suits one or two openings
- ✓Annual billing saves up to 33%
- ✕Lite covers only 2 open jobs
- ✕Prices for the main plans depend on job count and are not listed as text
- ✕No free plan
- Entry plan:
- Lite, $69 per month
- Lite job limit:
- 2 open jobs
- All plans include:
- Unlimited users and candidates
- Annual saving:
- Up to 33%
- Size:
- Plans for organizations up to 10,000 employees
Bottom line: Unlimited users on a $69 plan for two openings. Cheaper per job options exist above it.
What to check before you pay
Add up the yearly bill, not the monthly headline
For one recruiter on yearly billing: Jobsoid Beginner and Zoho Recruit Free cost $0, Manatal $180, Jobsoid Lite $588, 100Hires Start $588, Recooty Starter $948, JazzHR Hero $1,000, Breezy HR Startup $1,884 and Workable Standard $3,588. Paying monthly raises most of these: Manatal goes to $19, Jobsoid Lite to $59, 100Hires Start to $99 and Breezy to $189.
Count who needs to log in
Manatal charges per recruiter but gives unlimited hiring managers. Breezy HR, Jobsoid paid plans and JobScore include unlimited users at a flat price. 100Hires Start allows a single user, and Zoho Recruit prices per recruiter and sells hiring manager licenses in packs of ten. If three people screen candidates, flat plans usually cost less.
Check job and candidate caps
Entry plans limit openings: Jobsoid Free 1 job, Zoho Free 1 active job, JobScore Lite 2, Jobsoid Lite 3, 100Hires Start 3 jobs and 100 candidates, Recooty Starter 5 and Manatal Professional 15 jobs and 10,000 candidates. Breezy HR and Workable allow unlimited jobs. Pick a cap above your busiest month, not your average.
Decide whether you need HR features too
Most tools here stop at the offer. Workable bundles an HR information system, onboarding, time off and time tracking in its $299 Standard plan, and Breezy sells onboarding as an add-on from $49 a month. If you already run an HR system, a cheaper standalone ATS plus that system usually costs less than a bundle.
FAQ
Is there a free applicant tracking system for small business?
Yes. Jobsoid's Beginner plan is free for 1 job posting, 1 user and unlimited candidates, and Zoho Recruit has a Forever Free plan with 1 active job, candidate management and interview scheduling. Both are enough for an employer who fills one role at a time.
How much does an ATS cost for a small business?
Entry paid plans in this list run from $15 per user a month (Manatal, yearly) to $299 a month (Workable Standard for 1 to 20 employees). Flat-fee plans include Jobsoid Lite at $49, 100Hires Start at $49, JobScore Lite at $69, Recooty Starter at $79, JazzHR Hero at $1,000 a year and Breezy HR Startup at $157 a month.
Which ATS has unlimited users at a flat price?
Breezy HR includes unlimited users and positions from its $157 Startup plan, Jobsoid paid plans include unlimited user accounts from $49 a month, and JobScore includes unlimited users on every plan, starting with Lite at $69 a month for 2 open jobs.
Is per-user or flat pricing better for a small business?
Per-user pricing is cheaper when one person runs hiring: Manatal costs $15 a month for a single recruiter, and hiring managers are free. Flat pricing wins when several people screen candidates, because Jobsoid, Breezy HR and JobScore do not charge more for extra users.
How did you rank these applicant tracking systems?
We compared documented features and published prices on each vendor's site in November 2026. Each tool is scored on value (40%), features (35%) and ease of use (25%), and the overall score is the weighted average. Zoho Recruit's paid price could not be confirmed in USD, so it is scored on its free plan and documented features.
Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.comSee our disclosure. Prices change; confirm on the vendor page before buying.
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