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Recruitment · head to head

Factorial vs SmartRecruiters

Factorial logo

Factorial

Recruitment

HR software that employees love

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SmartRecruiters logo

SmartRecruiters

Recruitment

Talent acquisition suite for hiring success

From
$14995/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Factorial has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Factorial no published tier names or feature-based pricing breakdown; SmartRecruiters no native video interviewing tool; requires third-party solution
  • They diverge on capability: Factorial covers HR Management, SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Factorial and SmartRecruiters actually diverge.

Attributes where Factorial and SmartRecruiters differ
AttributeFactorialSmartRecruiters
Starting priceFree$14995/year
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20162010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Recruitment).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Factorial

  • HR Management
  • Time Off
  • Time Tracking
  • Documents
  • Payroll
  • Performance
  • Recruiting
  • Shift Management

Only in SmartRecruiters

  • Applicant Tracking
  • CRM
  • Recruiting Marketing
  • AI Matching
  • Onboarding
  • Analytics
  • Marketplace
  • LinkedIn

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Microsoft 365
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Factorial

  • Managing employee records, onboarding and offboardingnot SmartRecruiters
  • Tracking time off, attendance and shiftsnot SmartRecruiters
  • Running recruitment and performance reviews alongside HR datanot SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruiters

  • Reducing time-to-hire from 23 days to 9 daysnot Factorial
  • Scaling high-volume hiring with 50% increase in velocitynot Factorial
  • Engaging candidates with conversational AI chatbotsnot Factorial
  • Automating interview scheduling reducing administrative work by 97%not Factorial
  • Screening candidates with AI talent matching enginenot Factorial

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Factorial

  • No published tier names or feature-based pricing breakdown
  • Pricing customization requires sales consultation

SmartRecruiters

  • No native video interviewing tool; requires third-party solution
  • Reporting tools lack advanced customization; creating custom reports is difficult
  • Mobile app functionality is limited compared to desktop version
  • Integration with external HR systems can be unreliable with synchronization problems
  • Limited customization options to capture position-specific information
  • Subscription fees locked during contract term even if company headcount decreases

Pricing, plan by plan

Factorial

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic HR
    • Time Off
    • Documents
  • Business$5/month
    • All Free features
    • Payroll
    • Performance

SmartRecruiters

$14995/year
  • Essential$14995/year
    • ATS functionality
    • CRM features
    • Onboarding
  • Professional$null/year
    • All Essential features
    • AI-powered Hiring Agent
    • AI Talent Matching Engine
  • High Volume$null/year
    • All Professional features
    • AI-powered Candidate Screening
    • Conversational AI Chat
  • Complete$null/year
    • Full suite with Advanced Analytics
    • Advanced Sandbox
    • Custom in-app guidance

Which should you pick?

Choose Factorial if

  • You need hr management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time off.
Factorial review

Choose SmartRecruiters if

  • You need applicant tracking.
  • You also want crm.
SmartRecruiters review

Questions people ask

Is Factorial or SmartRecruiters better?
Neither clearly leads. Factorial starts at Free and SmartRecruiters at $14995/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Factorial or SmartRecruiters?
Factorial has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Factorial and $14995/year for SmartRecruiters.
Does Factorial or SmartRecruiters run on more platforms?
Factorial runs on Web, Ios, Android. SmartRecruiters runs on Web.
Can I use Factorial for free?
Yes. Factorial has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SmartRecruiters starts at $14995/year.
What is Factorial best used for?
Factorial is most often used for managing employee records, onboarding and offboarding, tracking time off, attendance and shifts, running recruitment and performance reviews alongside hr data. Of those, managing employee records, onboarding and offboarding and tracking time off, attendance and shifts are not what SmartRecruiters is typically brought in for.
What can Factorial do that SmartRecruiters cannot?
Factorial covers HR Management, Time Off, Time Tracking, Documents. SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking, CRM, Recruiting Marketing, AI Matching. Both handle Slack, Microsoft 365, Web support, Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Factorial: What is Factorial's starting price?

Factorial starts at $8 per month per user. The company offers modular pricing where customers select features across categories including time management, talent management, finance management, and IT management.

Source
SmartRecruiters: Does SmartRecruiters have a free tier?

No. As of 2026, SmartRecruiters discontinued the free SmartStart tier. The platform requires a demo and evaluation call; entry-level Essential tier pricing starts around $15,000 per year.

Source
Factorial: Can I customize my Factorial plan?

Yes. Factorial offers customizable plans for all businesses and budgets. A specialist will design a plan based on specific business needs. All plans include the Factorial Core platform with employee directory, onboarding/offboarding, payslip distribution, legal e-signature, and custom notifications.

Source
SmartRecruiters: How does SmartRecruiters billing work?

SmartRecruiters charges by total company headcount, not by recruiter seats. Subscription fees cannot decrease during a contract term even if headcount shrinks mid-contract.

Source
SmartRecruiters: What integrations does SmartRecruiters support?

SmartRecruiters integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and offers a Slack marketplace integration for sending interview notifications and scheduling updates directly to channels.

Source
SmartRecruiters: What are SmartRecruiters' core features?

SmartRecruiters offers end-to-end recruiting including Winston AI talent matching, job distribution, career site builder, applicant tracking, interview scheduling, analytics, and onboarding tools.

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