20 Best Greenhouse Alternatives for Startups

Compare 20 Greenhouse alternatives for startups on price, free plans and AI screening. Greenhouse is Custom quote. Curriculo Starter free, Pro $50.

Last updated: October 2026. Written by the Curriculo team.

The best Greenhouse alternative for most startups is Curriculo ATS: free forever Starter, or Pro is $50 with no per-seat fees. Greenhouse publishes Custom quote pricing. Compare free plans, AI screening, and setup time across 20 alternatives below, as of Oct 2026.

ATS Guide · Greenhouse pricing checked October 2, 2026

What is the best Greenhouse alternative for startups? For most early-stage teams, Curriculo ATS: free Starter, or Pro is $50 Pro with no per-seat fees. Greenhouse does not publish prices. Vendr lists a median contract of $26,611 per year (Vendr, checked October 2, 2026). Compare free plans and setup time below.

Other vendor prices on this page were reviewed for this page in October 2026 and may have changed; check each vendor before you buy. For free plans checked October 2, 2026, see the best free ATS guide. Switching? Read the Greenhouse migration guide.

The Cost Math

Greenhouse vs Curriculo: Real Annual Cost

Greenhouse does not publish its prices. Vendr, which negotiates software contracts, reports that the median buyer pays $26,611 per year for Greenhouse (Vendr, as of October 2, 2026); quotes depend on employee count and expected hiring volume. Curriculo's prices are public.

Cost Greenhouse Curriculo ATS

Published price No, quote only Yes

Typical annual cost $26,611 median (Vendr, Oct 2, 2026) $0 on Starter, or Pro is $50

How it is priced Quoted by employee count and hiring volume Flat; Starter has unlimited team members and no per-seat fees

The short version: Greenhouse's median contract is $26,611 a year (Vendr, October 2, 2026), while Curriculo costs $0 on Starter or Pro is $50.

At a Glance

Top 10 Greenhouse Alternatives

A quick comparison of the most popular Greenhouse alternatives for startups and SMBs.

ATSBest forStarting priceFree planAI screeningKey strength
Curriculo ATSRecruiters and small teamsFree Starter; Pro is $50Yes, unlimited jobsImpact Score 0 to 100Scored shortlists + Candidate Network
AshbyAnalytics-first teamsCustom quoteNoAutomation plus screeningNative analytics
LeverCRM-style recruitingCustom quoteNoCustom quote for AI featuresCRM nurture
WorkableSMB sourcing breadth$299/month Standard (1 to 20 employees)NoAI sourcingBoard distribution
ManatalAgencies$15/user/month billed annuallyNoAI matchingBoard volume
JazzHRSmall businessHero $1,000/yrNoMatching on higher tiersFlat annual plans
Zoho RecruitZoho suite users$25/recruiter/month billed annuallyLimited freeHigher-tier AIZoho ecosystem
BambooHRHRIS-first SMBsCore $10 PEPMNoBasic hiring moduleFull HR suite
Breezy HRVisual pipeline teamsBootstrap free; Startup $157/mo annualYes, 1 active roleAdd-on creditsKanban + video
RecruiteeCollaborative hiringCustom quoteNoCustom quoteCollaboration polish

All 20 Greenhouse Alternatives Reviewed

Each platform evaluated on pricing, AI capabilities, setup time, and startup fit.

#1 Curriculo ATS, Best Overall for Startups

Curriculo ATS is an AI-native applicant tracking system built specifically for startups with 5 to 200 employees. Curriculo ATS scores every candidate from 0 to 100 against your job, with a written AI summary of the fit.

The standout feature is the built-in Candidate Network of 10,000+ professionals whose resumes are pre-structured through the Curriculo resume builder, providing cleaner data for AI screening. Starter is free forever with unlimited jobs and members. Pro is $50 with no per-seat fees. Greenhouse is Custom quote on Greenhouse pricing, checked Oct 2026. Vendr lists a median contract of $26,611 per year as third-party context only (Vendr Greenhouse marketplace, checked Oct 2, 2026).

#2 Ashby, Best for Data-Driven Startups

Ashby has quickly become the analytics-first ATS that data-driven startups gravitate toward. Its modern UI feels like it was designed by a product team rather than an HR vendor, and its reporting capabilities are genuinely best-in-class, you get pipeline velocity, source ROI, and diversity metrics out of the box without needing to upgrade to a higher tier.

The trade-off is price. At Custom quote, Ashby sits in an awkward middle ground, too expensive for seed-stage startups but significantly cheaper than Greenhouse. It works best for Series A/B companies with 20 to 500 employees that have moved past spreadsheet recruiting but don't need enterprise tooling.

#3 Lever, Best CRM + ATS Hybrid

Lever (now part of Employ Inc.) combines a full CRM with its ATS, making it the strongest option for companies that rely on candidate nurture campaigns and long-term relationship building. If your hiring strategy involves sourcing passive candidates and keeping them warm over months, Lever's nurture sequences and automated touchpoints are hard to beat.

Lever also offers solid DEI analytics and structured interview tools that mirror some of Greenhouse's core strengths. Starting at Custom quote, it's cheaper than Greenhouse but still aimed at mid-market companies with 100 to 500 employees. No free plan is available.

#4 Workable, Best for AI-Powered Sourcing

Workable's headline feature is its AI sourcing engine backed by a database of over 200 million candidate profiles. When you post a job, Workable can automatically surface relevant candidates from its database, essentially giving you a sourcing tool and ATS in one. For companies that struggle to attract inbound applicants, this is a genuine differentiator.

At $149/month and up, Workable targets SMBs with 10 to 1,000 employees. The interface is clean and well-designed, and the platform includes video interviews, offer management, and onboarding features. The main downside: no free plan, only a 15-day trial, and AI sourcing quality varies by role type and geography.

#5 Manatal, Best for Agencies & Multi-Board Posting

Manatal is an AI-powered ATS that excels at multi-channel job distribution, connecting to over 2,500 job boards worldwide. Its AI candidate matching scores applicants automatically and enriches profiles with data from LinkedIn and social media. At $15/user/month, it's one of the most affordable options with genuine AI capabilities.

Manatal is particularly popular with recruitment agencies thanks to its client management features and white-label career pages. For in-house teams, it works well for SMBs that post across many channels and need a centralized pipeline. The per-user pricing model can get expensive as your team grows, though.

#6 JazzHR, Best Budget ATS for Small Business

JazzHR is the no-frills ATS that small businesses under 50 employees reach for when they outgrow spreadsheets but don't want to overpay. At $75/month, it provides job posting, candidate tracking, interview scheduling, and basic reporting. Higher-tier plans unlock unlimited active jobs.

The platform won't impress anyone with its design or AI capabilities, it's basic, functional, and affordable. That's the point. JazzHR works for businesses that need structure around their hiring process without the complexity (or cost) of platforms like Greenhouse.

#7 Zoho Recruit, Best for Zoho Ecosystem Users

Zoho Recruit offers a free plan with 1 active job posting, making it one of the few genuinely free ATS options. If your company already uses Zoho CRM, Zoho People, or other Zoho apps, Recruit integrates seamlessly into that ecosystem, sharing data across HR, sales, and operations without third-party connectors.

The free plan is genuinely limited (1 active job, basic features), but paid plans starting at $25/user/month are competitive. Zoho Recruit won't match Greenhouse in depth, but it's a solid choice for SMBs already invested in the Zoho stack.

#8 BambooHR, Best All-in-One HR + ATS

BambooHR is primarily an HR platform (payroll, benefits, time-off, employee records) with an ATS module built in. If you need both HR management and applicant tracking in a single tool, BambooHR eliminates the need to manage two separate systems. HR plan prices are listed on BambooHR pricing, checked Oct 2026 (Core $10, Pro $17.50, Elite $25 per employee per month, with a $250/mo floor for 25 employees or fewer).

The ATS component is functional but not its primary strength. You get job posting, application tracking, and basic hiring workflows. If hiring is your top priority and you need advanced screening or analytics, a dedicated ATS like Curriculo ATS or Ashby will serve you better. BambooHR is best when hiring is one of many HR needs.

#9 Breezy HR, Best Free Visual Pipeline

Breezy HR offers a free plan with a visual kanban-style pipeline that makes tracking candidates intuitive even for first-time recruiters. The drag-and-drop interface is its biggest draw, you can see exactly where every candidate stands at a glance, which is something Greenhouse's interface doesn't do as elegantly.

The free plan is limited to one active position and basic features. Paid plans starting at $157/month unlock multiple positions, automations, and team collaboration. Breezy HR works well for very small teams (under 20 employees) making occasional hires who want a clean, visual experience without complexity.

#10 Recruitee, Best for Collaborative Hiring

Recruitee is designed around collaborative hiring, making it easy for hiring managers, interviewers, and recruiters to work together on candidate evaluation. Its team-based features, shared candidate notes, @mentions, evaluation templates, and hiring manager portals, are among the best in class for mid-market teams.

At $199/month, Recruitee targets companies with 50 to 500 employees where multiple stakeholders are involved in every hiring decision. The platform includes career site hosting, automated actions, and solid analytics. It's a good Greenhouse alternative for companies that value consensus-driven hiring.

#11 Teamtailor, Best for Employer Branding

Teamtailor is the employer branding ATS. Its built-in career site builder is genuinely impressive, you can create a polished, branded careers page without touching code. If attracting talent through a strong employer brand is central to your strategy, Teamtailor makes that easier than any other ATS on this list.

The ATS functionality is solid (pipeline management, automations, team collaboration), and the platform includes employee testimonial features, department pages, and social sharing tools. Pricing is by request and typically involves annual contracts. Best for companies with 50 to 1,000 employees that invest heavily in employer branding.

#12 Pinpoint, Best for Diversity-Focused Hiring

Pinpoint is a modern ATS targeting companies with 200 to 5,000 employees that prioritize diversity and inclusion in their hiring process. It includes blind screening options, diversity dashboards, and structured interviewing tools designed to reduce unconscious bias throughout the pipeline.

The platform also offers strong career site capabilities and multi-language support. Custom pricing means you will need to request a demo to get numbers, but Pinpoint typically sits between JazzHR and Greenhouse in cost. A solid choice for mid-market companies where DEI is a strategic priority.

#13 Dover, Best for AI-Powered Outbound Recruiting

Dover is an AI-first recruiting platform that automates outbound sourcing at scale. It builds candidate lists automatically, writes personalized outreach sequences, and manages responses, essentially acting as an automated recruiter for inbound and outbound hiring. Its Free ATS includes unlimited users and jobs; AI applicant scoring is on the $199/month Premium ATS plan (dover.com/pricing, as of October 2, 2026).

Dover is particularly strong for engineering and technical roles where passive candidate sourcing is essential. The AI learns from your hiring patterns and improves targeting over time. The limitation is that Dover is more of a sourcing automation tool than a full-featured ATS, you may still need a dedicated ATS alongside it for pipeline management.

#14 GoHire, Best for Multi-Channel Job Posting

GoHire is a straightforward ATS for SMBs that focuses on getting your job postings in front of as many candidates as possible. At $79/month, it provides multi-channel job distribution to 15+ job boards, a branded career page, and basic candidate management. A 15-day free trial lets you test before committing.

GoHire won't match the depth of Greenhouse or even mid-tier alternatives, but it does one thing well: simplifying the job posting and application collection process. If your main pain point is manually posting jobs across multiple platforms, GoHire solves that efficiently.

#15 SmartRecruiters, Best Enterprise Marketplace ATS

SmartRecruiters is a full enterprise talent acquisition suite with a marketplace of add-ons (assessments, background checks, job boards) that lets you customize your hiring stack. Targeting companies with 250+ employees, it competes directly with Greenhouse at the enterprise level but with a more modular approach.

The platform includes AI-powered candidate matching, CRM capabilities, and a strong mobile experience. Custom pricing means enterprise-level budgets are required. SmartRecruiters is not a startup play, it's for established companies looking for a Greenhouse-caliber ATS with more flexibility in vendor selection.

#16 iCIMS, Best for Large Enterprise Talent Cloud

iCIMS is a full talent cloud platform serving 4,000+ customers including major enterprises. It covers the entire talent lifecycle, from career sites and recruitment marketing to ATS, onboarding, and internal mobility. If you're hiring hundreds of people per year across multiple regions, iCIMS has the infrastructure.

This is firmly enterprise territory. iCIMS requires significant implementation, training, and budget. For startups reading this list, iCIMS is almost certainly not the right fit, but for large organizations looking for a Greenhouse alternative with broader talent management capabilities, it's worth evaluating.

#17 Freshteam (by Freshworks), Best Free ATS for Small Companies

Freshteam is Freshworks' HR and applicant tracking tool. When we rechecked pricing on October 2, 2026 we could not find a current Freshteam pricing page, so confirm with Freshworks that a free plan is still offered before you rely on it.

The ATS features on the free plan include job posting, candidate management, and basic pipeline tracking. It's not going to match Curriculo ATS's AI screening or Ashby's analytics, but for a small company that needs basic hiring tools without paying anything, Freshteam is a legitimate option, especially if you already use Freshworks products.

#18 Hireology, Best for Industry-Specific Hiring

Hireology is a specialized ATS built for industries like healthcare, automotive, and hospitality, sectors where hiring is high-volume, location-based, and requires specific compliance workflows. Starting at $249/month, it's not cheap, but the industry-specific templates and integrations justify the cost for companies in these verticals.

Features include automated reference checks, pre-hire assessments, and integrations with industry-specific job boards. If you're a tech startup, Hireology is not for you. But if you're running a healthcare practice, auto dealership, or hospitality group and want a Greenhouse alternative tailored to your industry, it's worth a look.

#19 Recooty, Most Budget-Friendly ATS

Recooty is a bare-bones ATS from $79/month billed annually, with a 15-day free trial, that covers the essentials: job posting, candidate tracking, and a basic career page. If you need a cheap, functional ATS without any bells and whistles, Recooty delivers exactly that. The interface is simple, setup takes minutes, and it gets the job done for very basic hiring needs.

The trade-off is obvious, no AI features, limited reporting, no advanced automations. Recooty is the right choice only if your hiring volume is low (a few positions per quarter) and your budget is extremely tight. For anything more, Curriculo ATS's free plan offers significantly more value at no cost.

#20 OpenCATS, Best Open-Source ATS

OpenCATS is the only fully open-source ATS on this list. It's free forever, self-hosted, and gives you complete control over your data and customization. For technical teams that want to build a bespoke hiring workflow without vendor lock-in, OpenCATS is the starting point.

The reality: OpenCATS requires server setup, PHP/MySQL knowledge, and ongoing maintenance. The UI is dated, there are no AI features, and community support is the only help available. It's best suited for technically capable teams (often agencies or consultancies) that value ownership and customization over convenience. Most startups will find modern SaaS options like Curriculo ATS more practical.

How We Ranked These Alternatives

We evaluated all 20 Greenhouse alternatives across five criteria, weighted for startup relevance:

Platforms that scored highest across all five criteria ranked higher. Curriculo ATS ranked #1 on these criteria: a permanent free plan with AI candidate ranking, unlimited jobs and team members, and self-serve setup in about 15 minutes. Curriculo publishes this page; Ashby, Lever or Workable may suit you better if analytics depth, CRM or sourcing matter most.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best free alternative to Greenhouse?

Curriculo ATS's free Starter plan has unlimited jobs and team members and ranks up to 1,000 candidates with AI. Dover's Free ATS also has unlimited users and jobs, with AI scoring on its paid plan. Breezy HR and Zoho Recruit each allow one active job on their free plans. See the best free ATS comparison (checked October 2, 2026).

What is a strong Greenhouse alternative with AI screening?

Curriculo ATS Starter is free forever, and Pro is $50. Curriculo ATS scores every candidate from 0 to 100 against your job, with a written AI summary of the fit. Manatal Professional is $15/user/month billed annually on Manatal pricing, checked Oct 2026.

Can I migrate from Greenhouse to any of these?

Most modern ATS platforms accept candidate imports. Curriculo ATS has CSV and bulk resume imports for Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby and Workable exports, and most teams move their candidates in about 15 minutes. See the Greenhouse migration guide and the general ATS migration guide.

Which alternative is closest to Greenhouse in features?

Lever is the closest match with its CRM + structured hiring approach and DEI tools. Ashby matches Greenhouse in analytics depth with a more modern UI. For AI-powered screening specifically, Curriculo ATS offers the strongest capabilities with Impact Score ranking that goes beyond Greenhouse's keyword matching.

Do any alternatives have better AI than Greenhouse?

Yes, several. Curriculo ATS uses Impact Score ranking that evaluates measurable outcomes rather than keywords. Workable offers AI sourcing from a database of 200M+ candidate profiles. Manatal provides AI candidate matching with social media profile enrichment. All three deliver more advanced AI than Greenhouse's keyword matching approach.

How much cheaper is Curriculo than Greenhouse?

Greenhouse does not publish prices; Vendr reports that the median buyer pays $26,611 per year for Greenhouse (as of October 2, 2026). Curriculo costs $0 on the Starter plan or Pro is $50.

Combien coûte Greenhouse ATS ? (et les alternatives moins chères)

Greenhouse ne publie pas ses tarifs. Selon Vendr, l'acheteur médian paie 26 634 $ par an pour Greenhouse (Vendr, octobre 2026). Le devis dépend de l'effectif et du volume de recrutement.

C'est cher pour une bonne raison : Greenhouse a été conçu pour des sociétés cotées en bourse avec un service RH structuré. Le tarif par siège, la facturation annuelle d'avance et l'engagement de 12 mois minimum font partie du modèle. Si vous êtes une startup de 10 à 50 personnes qui recrute 5 à 20 postes par an, vous payez surtout pour des fonctionnalités que vous n'utiliserez jamais.

Trois alternatives Greenhouse moins chères en 2026

Curriculo est le seul de la liste avec un vrai plan gratuit à vie, pas un essai. Vous publiez autant d'offres que vous voulez, l'IA classe vos candidats selon un Impact Score, et vous gardez vos 1 000 premiers candidats pour toujours. Pour une équipe qui recrute son premier ou deuxième employé, ça suffit largement.

Pourquoi Greenhouse coûte si cher

Trois choses gonflent la facture. D'abord la tarification par siège : chaque recruteur, chaque manager qui valide un candidat, chaque membre du comité d'embauche compte. Ensuite l'enterprise SSO, le reporting avancé et les intégrations Workday sont verrouillés derrière les paliers les plus chers. Et puis il y a les frais d'onboarding et de migration, souvent 2 000 à 5 000 $ ajoutés au contrat initial.

Si vous voulez juste poster une offre, trier les CV plus vite et embaucher, vous n'avez besoin d'aucun de ces trucs. Essayez Curriculo gratuitement, sans carte bancaire, des offres actives illimitées.

FAQ, Greenhouse ATS en français

Greenhouse ATS coûte combien par mois ?Greenhouse facture à l'année, pas au mois. Selon Vendr, le contrat médian est de 26 634 $ par an (octobre 2026). Le prix exact n'est communiqué qu'après un appel commercial. Quelle est la meilleure alternative gratuite à Greenhouse ?Curriculo ATS propose un plan gratuit à vie avec des offres actives illimitées et 1 000 candidats classés par IA. C'est la seule alternative sérieuse qui ne soit pas qu'un essai limité dans le temps.

What users complain about (selected competitors)

Greenhouse

n=9, small sample

Greenhouse is strong for structured hiring, and this small sample points to slow loads and demo-to-reality gaps.

  • bugs 4
  • UI 3
  • onboarding 2
  • small-team limits 2
  • sales over-promise 2
Capterra 1-star review of Greenhouse, February 2025, reviewer name blurred

We were lied to during our demo and told that Greenhouse could do things it could not. We have MAJOR buyers remorse.

Capterra review, Feb 2025
Capterra 1-star review of Greenhouse, July 2024, reviewer name blurred

Needing to wait 10+ minutes for a candidate profile to load is unacceptable

Capterra review, Jul 2024

Workable

n=42

Workable is a capable recruiting and HR suite, and low-star reviews most often cite support delays and rising monthly cost.

  • support 18
  • pricing 14
  • bugs 11
  • UI 9
Trustpilot 2-star review of Workable, January 2026, reviewer name blurred

Account managers are useless and add no value. All escalations and requests are ignored.

Trustpilot review, Jan 2026
Trustpilot 2-star review of Workable, December 2025, reviewer name blurred

we're stuck with them for one more entire year.

Trustpilot review, Dec 2025

Breezy HR

n=38

Breezy HR is strong on a free forever one-role plan, and low-star reviews most often cite support delays and reliability gaps.

  • support 13
  • bugs 12
  • UI 9
  • pricing 8
Trustpilot 1-star review of Breezy HR, September 2026, reviewer name blurred

No applicants and account terminated with no warning.

Trustpilot review, Sep 2026
Trustpilot 1-star review of Breezy HR, January 2026, reviewer name blurred

Tech Support is ABSOLUTELY USELESS.

Trustpilot review, Jan 2026

Individual opinions from low-star samples, not a verdict for every buyer.

Who should pick which alternative

You should shortlist Curriculo ATS when you want free forever Starter, Pro is $50, and scored shortlists without a Greenhouse Custom quote. Curriculo ATS scores every candidate from 0 to 100 against your job, with a written AI summary of the fit. Keep Ashby when analytics depth is the must-have. Keep Lever when CRM nurture is the must-have. Keep Workable when board distribution and a large sourced database matter more than ranking on free.

Pick Curriculo over Greenhouse when setup time and published price matter more than enterprise interview kits. Pick Greenhouse when structured hiring ops already justify a Custom quote.

Sources

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