Recruitment software pricing is deliberately confusing.

Vendors hide costs behind "contact sales" buttons. Per-user fees stack on top of base prices. Essential features sit behind enterprise tiers. And that "starting at" price? It's for a plan nobody actually uses.

We analyzed pricing from 25+ ATS platforms to show you what recruitment software actually costs in 2026 — including the hidden fees most vendors don't advertise.

Methodology

We collected pricing data from public pricing pages, sales conversations, and user reports for 25 applicant tracking systems. For each, we calculated:

• Entry cost: The cheapest plan that's actually usable for recruitment

• Realistic cost: What a typical small agency (3 users, 1,000+ candidates) actually pays

• Hidden costs: Fees for essential features not included in base pricing

• Cost per hire: Estimated based on typical hiring volumes

Pricing was collected in January 2026. All prices converted to EUR for consistency.

Key Findings

Finding 1: "Starting at" Prices Are Misleading

The average gap between advertised "starting" price and realistic operational cost is 247%.

Vendors advertise entry-level plans that lack essential features or have severe usage limits. By the time you add users, candidates, and necessary features, you're paying 2-4x the advertised price.

Finding 2: Per-User Pricing Adds Up Fast

Among ATS platforms with per-user pricing, the average additional cost per user is €45/month.

For a 5-person team, per-user fees alone can add €180-300/month to your base subscription.

Finding 3: AI Features Command Premium Pricing

ATS platforms with AI-powered features (parsing, search, matching) charge an average of 68% more than those without.

However, the time savings from AI features typically justify the premium within 2-3 months of use, based on reduced manual data entry time. See our analysis of how CV parsing saves time.

Finding 4: Annual Contracts Hide Monthly Reality

Most vendors push annual billing with 15-30% discounts. This obscures the true monthly cost and creates switching friction. A "€99/month" plan billed annually actually requires a €1,188 upfront commitment.

Finding 5: Enterprise Pricing Is a Black Box

Among vendors requiring sales contact for pricing, quoted prices varied by up to 400% for similar requirements — depending on perceived company size and negotiation.

ATS Pricing Tiers Explained

Recruitment software generally falls into four pricing categories:

Free Tier (€0)

What you get: Basic functionality with significant limits (usually 1 user, limited candidates, few features).

Best for: Solo recruiters, testing tools, very low volume hiring.

Examples:

• Adeptiq Free: 1 user, 100 candidates, unlimited jobs, AI features included

• Zoho Recruit Free: 1 user, 1 active job

• Breezy HR Bootstrap: 1 position, 1 candidate pool

Starter/Basic Tier (€15-50/month)

What you get: Usable for small operations. Usually 2-3 users, higher candidate limits, basic automation.

Best for: Small agencies, growing recruiters, businesses hiring regularly.

Examples:

• Adeptiq Basic: €20/month, 2 users, 500 candidates

• 100Hires Starter: ~€59/month

• Recruitee Start: ~€99/month (annual)

Professional Tier (€50-200/month)

What you get: Full feature access for growing teams. Multiple users, advanced reporting, integrations, automation.

Best for: Established agencies, companies with dedicated recruiting teams.

Examples:

• Adeptiq Plus: €55/month, 3 users, 1,000 candidates

• Breezy HR Growth: ~€189/month

• Workable Standard: ~€149/month + per-user fees

Enterprise Tier (€200-1,000+/month)

What you get: Unlimited or very high caps, dedicated support, custom integrations, compliance features.

Best for: Large agencies, enterprise companies, high-volume recruiting.

Examples:

• Greenhouse: €500+/month (requires sales contact)

• Lever: €600+/month (requires sales contact)

• SmartRecruiters: €800+/month (requires sales contact)

Detailed Pricing Comparison

Small Agency Pricing (2-3 users, ~500 candidates)

Medium Agency Pricing (5-10 users, ~2,000 candidates)

Note: Prices are estimates based on published pricing and user reports. Actual pricing may vary based on negotiation and specific requirements.

Hidden Costs to Watch For

Implementation Fees

Some enterprise ATS platforms charge €2,000-10,000 for implementation, onboarding, and data migration. Always ask upfront.

Training Costs

Complex systems may require paid training sessions. Budget €500-2,000 for team training on enterprise platforms.

Integration Fees

Connecting to job boards, HRIS systems, or other tools sometimes requires additional fees or higher-tier plans.

Overage Charges

Exceeding candidate limits, job postings, or API calls can trigger per-unit charges. Understand your limits and overage rates.

Support Upgrades

Priority support, dedicated account managers, or phone support often require premium tiers or additional fees.

Cost Per Hire Analysis

ATS cost per hire depends on your hiring volume. Here's how the math works:

Low volume (10 hires/year):

• Adeptiq Basic (€240/year): €24/hire

• Breezy HR (€2,268/year): €227/hire

Medium volume (50 hires/year):

• Adeptiq Business (€900/year): €18/hire

• Recruitee (€3,000/year): €60/hire

High volume (200 hires/year):

• Adeptiq Business (€900/year): €4.50/hire

• Enterprise ATS (€15,000/year): €75/hire

Higher-priced tools can be cost-effective at scale — if they genuinely improve your time to hire or quality of hire. But for most small and medium agencies, affordable tools deliver better ROI.

The "Contact Sales" Problem

Among the ATS platforms we analyzed, 40% hide pricing behind sales conversations. This creates several problems:

Price discrimination: Vendors quote different prices based on perceived ability to pay.

Wasted time: Multiple sales calls to get basic pricing information.

Comparison difficulty: You can't easily compare options without engaging multiple sales processes.

Pressure tactics: Sales conversations introduce urgency and negotiation pressure.

Our recommendation: favor vendors with transparent pricing. If they won't show you the price, there's usually a reason.

ROI Calculation Framework

To determine if an ATS is worth the cost, calculate your expected ROI:

Time Savings

Manual CV processing time: 5-10 minutes per candidate

With AI parsing: 30 seconds per candidate

Savings per 100 candidates: 7-16 hours

At €50/hour, that's €350-800 saved per 100 candidates.

Speed to Hire

Reducing time to hire by even a few days means:

• Less risk of losing candidates to competitors

• Faster revenue from placements

• Lower cost per hire

Quality of Hire

Better search and matching means:

• More accurate candidate shortlists

• Higher client satisfaction

• Better long-term placement success

For most agencies, an ATS that saves 10+ hours per month pays for itself immediately.

Pricing by Region

ATS pricing varies by market:

US/UK markets: Generally higher pricing. Enterprise tools dominate.

European markets: More mid-market options. GDPR compliance often included.

Emerging markets: Lower pricing but fewer local integrations.

For region-specific recommendations, see our guides for Dutch agencies, UK recruiters, the French market, and German recruitment.

Our Recommendations by Budget

Budget: €0

Start with Adeptiq Free. Unlimited jobs, 100 candidates, and actual AI features — not a stripped demo.

Budget: €25-50/month

Adeptiq Basic (€20) or Plus (€55) offers the best value for small teams. You get AI features, multiple users, and reasonable candidate limits without enterprise pricing.

Budget: €100-300/month

Consider Recruitee, Breezy HR, or Workable depending on specific feature needs. At this price point, expect full automation and reporting capabilities.

Budget: €500+/month

Enterprise tools (Greenhouse, Lever, Bullhorn) make sense for large agencies with complex requirements. But verify you actually need enterprise features — many agencies overpay for capabilities they never use.

For guidance on what you actually need, see What Recruiters Actually Need in an ATS (And What They Don't).

Conclusion

Recruitment software doesn't have to be expensive. The gap between entry-level and enterprise pricing is enormous, but most agencies don't need enterprise features.

Calculate your actual needs. Compare realistic costs (not "starting at" prices). And remember: the best ATS is one that fits your budget while genuinely improving your recruitment process.

Compare your options with Adeptiq's free tier — no credit card required.

This study will be updated quarterly. Last update: January 2026. Have pricing data to contribute? Contact us.