Last updated: October 2026. Written by the Curriculo team.
Curriculo ATS fits teams that want free forever Starter, flat Pro is $50, and scored shortlists with no per-seat fees. Manatal fits agencies that want a per-user ATS and can pay the live Manatal rate card. Pick by bill shape and ranking depth, as of Oct 2026.
A side-by-side comparison of two AI-powered applicant tracking systems: one built for recruiters and small teams that need scored shortlists on free forever Starter, one built for SMBs and agencies on per-user pricing.
Comparison table (as of Oct 2026)
| Feature | Curriculo ATS | Manatal | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Recruiters and small teams | SMB and agencies | Product positioning |
| Starting price | Free Starter; Pro $50 | Per-user plans, see Manatal pricing | Curriculo pricing; Manatal pricing |
| Per seat fees | No per-seat fees on any plan | Priced per user | Same |
| AI screening | 0 to 100 Impact Score plus written AI summary | AI matching listed on vendor materials | 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 permanent free forever plan | Same |
| Job board posting | Manual plus your channels | Broad board posting marketed | Same |
| Setup time | About 15 minutes | Often about a day | Same |
| Imports | CSV and bulk resume imports | Custom quote for import options | 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 Manatal
Manatal is an affordable, AI-powered applicant tracking system popular with small businesses and recruiting agencies. It markets AI candidate matching, LinkedIn-oriented sourcing workflows, and posting across a large set of job boards. Pricing is per user. Confirm the live dollar amount on Manatal pricing rather than trusting third-party summaries.
Agencies often shortlist Manatal when they want a tidy per-user bill and board distribution. That can work until headcount grows, export limits bite, or you need ranked shortlists on a free forever plan.
What is Curriculo ATS, and how it differs from Manatal
Curriculo ATS is a recruiter-side applicant tracking system 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. Pro is $50. No per-seat fees on any plan.
Where Manatal bills per user, Curriculo keeps unlimited members on every plan. Where Manatal leans on board volume and matching features, Curriculo leads with scored shortlists, Candidate Network access to 10,000+ pre-structured profiles from the Curriculo resume builder, drip campaigns on Starter, WhatsApp automated calling, six agents, AI Interview Taker, Gmail and Microsoft 365 work mailboxes, Google Calendar, Works with Slack through MCP, and API access. Curriculo supports 200+ languages and can read a resume in any language.
Manatal vs Curriculo ATS feature breakdown
Bill shape. Manatal is per user. Curriculo is free forever Starter, then flat Pro is $50. If you add coordinators often, per-user bills climb while Curriculo does not.
Screening. Curriculo scores every candidate 0 to 100 with a written AI summary. Manatal markets AI matching; treat depth and limits as defined on Manatal's own pages.
Sourcing. Manatal markets wide job-board posting and LinkedIn-oriented workflows. Curriculo supports CSV and bulk resume imports and Candidate Network profiles. No LinkedIn import claim.
Setup. Both can be quick. Curriculo aims for about 15 minutes. Manatal is often described as about a day for a fuller agency setup.
Analytics. Curriculo includes pipeline views plus the written AI summary on each ranked candidate. Manatal markets basic reporting; confirm current dashboards on Manatal's site.
Practical buying notes for agencies
If you are an independent or fractional recruiter, the bill shape usually decides the shortlist before features do. A per-user product can look cheap for one seat and still climb when a coordinator, a sourcing assistant, and a client owner all need logins. Curriculo keeps unlimited members on free forever Starter, so adding helpers does not change the plan price.
If board volume is your primary sourcing motion, compare Manatal's board marketing against how you actually fill roles today. Many agency desks still live in referrals, warm pools, and targeted outreach. In that case, ranked shortlists and Candidate Network profiles can matter more than a long board list.
Before you switch, export your active pipeline and your talent pool. Confirm that Manatal export paths cover the fields you need, then test a CSV into Curriculo with a small batch. That one dry run usually surfaces missing columns faster than a month of parallel use.
Also confirm mailbox and calendar connect. Curriculo supports Gmail and Microsoft 365 work mailboxes plus Google Calendar, which keeps follow-ups in your existing work tools rather than a second inbox. Manatal is a per-user ATS popular with agencies, and low-star reviews most often cite support, contracts, and export limits. This service is the definition of a ROACH MOTEL. When I asked to cancel the subscription and get a refund for the month I had already paid, they told me it was impossible Individual opinions from a low-star sample, not a verdict for every buyer.What users complain about (Manatal, n=24)
Manatal
n=24
Trustpilot review, Mar 2025
Trustpilot review, Dec 2025
Who should choose Manatal
Pick Manatal if a per-user ATS with Manatal's agency workflows fits your team and you are fine on the live rate card on Manatal pricing.
Who should choose Curriculo ATS over Manatal
You skip per-user Manatal bills when you want unlimited members on free forever Starter. Curriculo ATS scores every candidate from 0 to 100 against your job, with a written AI summary of the fit. Pro is $50. Choose Curriculo when ranked shortlists and a published free forever plan matter more than board-volume marketing.
Frequently asked questions
What is Manatal pricing
Manatal sells per-user plans. Confirm the live number on Manatal pricing, checked Oct 6, 2026. This page does not invent a dollar figure.
Curriculo ATS vs Manatal for agencies
Curriculo Starter is free forever with unlimited members and 1,000 ranked candidates. Manatal bills per user. Compare both pricing pages for your headcount.
Does Manatal have a free forever plan
No permanent free forever plan showed on Manatal materials checked for this page.
Can I export candidates
Plan exports before you switch. Curriculo supports CSV and bulk resume imports.
How long does Curriculo take to set up
Set up in about 15 minutes. No credit card.
Where is AI candidate ranking
Is there a Manatal alternative list
Yes. Manatal alternatives.
Related pages
- Manatal alternatives
- Best free ATS
- AI candidate ranking
- Curriculo pricing
- Workable comparison
- Ashby comparison
- Zoho Recruit comparison
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Sources
- Manatal pricing, checked Oct 6, 2026
- Curriculo pricing, checked Oct 6, 2026