Last updated: October 2026. Written by the Curriculo team.
Curriculo ATS fits teams that want free forever Starter, flat Pro at $50, and scored shortlists. Ashby fits teams that want analytics-first ATS plus CRM on Custom quote pricing. Pick by published free plan versus analytics depth, as of Oct 2026.
A side-by-side comparison of two modern applicant tracking systems: one analytics-first, one AI-screening-first. Updated October 2026.
Comparison table (as of Oct 2026)
| Feature | Curriculo ATS | Ashby | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Recruiters and small teams | Startups to mid-market that want analytics-first ATS | Product positioning |
| Starting price | Free Starter; Pro $50 | Custom quote | Curriculo pricing; Ashby |
| Per seat fees | No per-seat fees on any plan | Often per-seat on Custom quote | Same |
| AI screening | 0 to 100 Impact Score plus written AI summary | Basic screening plus automation | Same |
| Candidate Network | Candidate Network access to 10,000+ pre-structured profiles from the Curriculo resume builder | Not positioned the same way | Curriculo product |
| Free forever plan | Yes | No | Same |
| Analytics | Built-in dashboard plus score summaries | Best-in-class native BI marketed | Same |
| Setup time | About 15 minutes | Often 1 to 2 days | Same |
| CRM features | Drip campaigns on Starter | Built-in CRM marketed | Same |
| Auth | Sign in with Google or Microsoft | Custom quote | Same |
Curriculo ATS scores every candidate from 0 to 100 against your job, with a written AI summary of the fit. Set up in about 15 minutes. No credit card.
What is Ashby
Ashby is a modern, analytics-first applicant tracking system popular with well-funded startups and scaling tech companies. It is known for a polished UI and deep reporting: pipeline conversion, source attribution, interviewer performance, and DEI tracking. Ashby combines ATS, CRM, and scheduling in one platform.
Ashby targets companies that have outgrown lightweight tools and want analytics as the product. Pricing is Custom quote. Confirm live commercial terms on Ashby rather than trusting third-party monthly guesses. No free forever plan is available.
What is Curriculo ATS
Curriculo ATS is built for independent recruiters and small teams. Curriculo ATS scores every candidate from 0 to 100 against your job, with a written AI summary of the fit. Starter is free forever with unlimited jobs and members, and 1,000 ranked candidates. Pro is $50 with 10,000 ranked candidates. No per-seat fees on any plan.
Curriculo includes Gmail and Microsoft 365 work mailboxes, Google Calendar, CSV and bulk resume imports, drip campaigns on Starter, WhatsApp automated calling, Candidate Network access to 10,000+ pre-structured profiles from the Curriculo resume builder, six agents, AI Interview Taker, Works with Slack through MCP, and API access. Curriculo supports 200+ languages and can read a resume in any language.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
AI and screening
Ashby offers screening plus strong workflow automation. Its primary differentiator is analytics and process tooling, not a 0 to 100 Impact Score with a written AI summary. Curriculo leads with scored shortlists on every plan.
Pricing and cost
Curriculo publishes free forever Starter and Pro at $50. Ashby is Custom quote and often includes per-seat costs. If you need a public budget line without a sales call, Curriculo is clearer.
Analytics and reporting
Ashby is stronger for native BI, custom reports, and interviewer performance tracking. Curriculo includes a built-in dashboard plus the written AI summary on each ranked candidate. If deep analytics is the must-have, Ashby wins. If ranked shortlists plus a free forever plan matter more, Curriculo wins.
User experience and setup
Ashby is polished and usually needs a day or two of setup for analytics and scheduling workflows. Curriculo is self-serve in about 15 minutes.
Candidate sourcing
Ashby markets CRM and sourcing workflows for nurturing pools. Curriculo supports CSV and bulk resume imports and Candidate Network profiles. No LinkedIn import claim.
Practical buying notes
If you already have an Ashby Custom quote, put it next to Curriculo Pro at $50 and free forever Starter. The gap is not only money. It is also whether analytics depth is load-bearing for your weekly hiring review.
If scheduling load balancing and interviewer scorecards are the daily pain, Ashby is the fairer shortlist. If you need ranked applicants on day one without a sales cycle, Curriculo is the fairer shortlist.
For migration, export candidates and open roles from Ashby, then import with CSV and bulk resumes. Keep Ashby live until you trust the Curriculo shortlist for one active search.
Who should choose Ashby
Pick Ashby if analytics-first ATS, CRM, and scheduling depth are the must-have, and Custom quote pricing fits. Ashby fits teams that already run formal hiring reviews and need BI-grade reports.
Who should choose Curriculo ATS
You get free forever Starter and Pro at $50 when Ashby Custom quote pricing is more mid-market than you need. Curriculo ATS scores every candidate from 0 to 100 against your job, with a written AI summary of the fit. Choose Curriculo when ranked shortlists and a fifteen-minute setup matter more than Ashby's analytics suite.
Who should not pick Ashby yet
If you are under about twenty people, still hiring without a dedicated recruiting ops owner, and you need a published free forever plan, Ashby is usually more product than you will use. Start on Curriculo Starter, then revisit Ashby when analytics depth becomes the weekly bottleneck.
Frequently asked questions
Can I migrate from Ashby to Curriculo ATS
Yes. Plan a structured export from Ashby, then use Curriculo CSV and bulk resume imports for candidate records and resumes. Most teams move a first active search quickly once the export is clean.
Does Curriculo ATS have analytics like Ashby
Curriculo ATS has a built-in analytics dashboard covering core hiring metrics plus score summaries. Ashby's analytics are more advanced with native BI and interviewer performance tracking. If deep analytics is your top priority, Ashby is stronger.
Is Ashby better than Curriculo ATS
Depends on your needs. Ashby is better for analytics, CRM, and scheduling depth. Curriculo ATS is better for AI-powered screening on a published free forever plan, flat Pro at $50, and Candidate Network access. Neither is universally better.
Why is Curriculo ATS priced differently
Curriculo ATS publishes free forever Starter and Pro at $50 with no per-seat fees. Ashby targets a broader market including scaling companies with bigger HR budgets on Custom quote pricing.
Which is better for a 15-person startup
Curriculo ATS for most teams at that size. It is free to start, requires no long implementation, and is built for teams without dedicated recruiting ops. Ashby Custom quote pricing is harder to justify until analytics depth is a weekly need.
Does Curriculo ATS have scheduling features
Curriculo ATS focuses on AI screening and pipeline management. Google Calendar is supported. Ashby has built-in scheduling with interviewer load balancing, which is a strong advantage if scheduling is the main pain.
Where is AI candidate ranking
Related pages
- Ashby alternatives
- Greenhouse alternatives
- Lever comparison
- Best free ATS
- AI candidate ranking
- Curriculo pricing
- Dover comparison
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Sources
- Ashby, Custom quote, checked Oct 6, 2026
- Curriculo pricing, checked Oct 6, 2026