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HR · head to head

Freshteam vs SmartRecruiters

Freshteam logo

Freshteam

HR

Smart HR software for growing businesses

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 Freshteam has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Freshteam no pricing information published on the website; SmartRecruiters no native video interviewing tool; requires third-party solution
  • They diverge on capability: Freshteam covers Time Off, SmartRecruiters covers CRM.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Freshteam and SmartRecruiters actually diverge.

Attributes where Freshteam and SmartRecruiters differ
AttributeFreshteamSmartRecruiters
Starting priceFree$14995/year
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
CategoryHRRecruitment

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2010).

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 Freshteam

  • Time Off
  • Employee Directory
  • Time Tracking
  • Documents
  • Org Chart
  • Freshdesk
  • Freshsales
  • Google Workspace

Only in SmartRecruiters

  • CRM
  • Recruiting Marketing
  • AI Matching
  • Analytics
  • Marketplace
  • Indeed
  • Workday
  • SAP

Both cover

  • Applicant Tracking
  • Onboarding
  • Slack
  • Microsoft 365
  • LinkedIn
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Freshteam

  • Onboarding new hires through automated employee lifecycle workflowsnot SmartRecruiters
  • Processing expense and procurement approvals without manual email routingnot SmartRecruiters
  • Managing maintenance requests with centralized tracking and approval trailsnot SmartRecruiters
  • Automating contract reviews and document request handlingnot SmartRecruiters
  • Routing HR, Finance, Facilities, Legal requests through structured catalogsnot SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruiters

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

Where each one falls short

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

Freshteam

  • No pricing information published on the website
  • Requires contacting sales or requesting a demo for pricing details

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

Freshteam

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 Employees
    • Basic ATS
    • Time Off
  • Growth$1.2/month
    • All Free features
    • Onboarding
    • Time Tracking
  • Pro$2.4/month
    • All Growth features
    • Custom Reports
    • Advanced Workflows

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 Freshteam if

  • You need time off.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want employee directory.
Freshteam review

Choose SmartRecruiters if

  • You need crm.
  • You also want recruiting marketing.
SmartRecruiters review

Questions people ask

Is Freshteam or SmartRecruiters better?
Neither clearly leads. Freshteam 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, Freshteam or SmartRecruiters?
Freshteam has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Freshteam and $14995/year for SmartRecruiters.
Does Freshteam or SmartRecruiters run on more platforms?
Freshteam runs on Web, Ios, Android. SmartRecruiters runs on Web.
Can I use Freshteam for free?
Yes. Freshteam has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SmartRecruiters starts at $14995/year.
What is Freshteam best used for?
Freshteam is most often used for onboarding new hires through automated employee lifecycle workflows, processing expense and procurement approvals without manual email routing, managing maintenance requests with centralized tracking and approval trails, automating contract reviews and document request handling. Of those, onboarding new hires through automated employee lifecycle workflows and processing expense and procurement approvals without manual email routing are not what SmartRecruiters is typically brought in for.
What can Freshteam do that SmartRecruiters cannot?
Freshteam covers Time Off, Employee Directory, Time Tracking, Documents. SmartRecruiters covers CRM, Recruiting Marketing, AI Matching, Analytics. Both handle Applicant Tracking, Onboarding, Slack, Microsoft 365.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Freshteam: How much does Freshteam cost?

Freshteam (formerly Freshservice HRMS) does not publish specific pricing information. The vendor focuses on describing product features and benefits across HR, Finance, Facilities, and Legal departments on their public website.

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
Freshteam: Does Freshteam offer a free version?

Freshteam includes a 'Start for free' call-to-action on their website, suggesting a freemium model or free trial option. However, specific details about free tier capabilities or duration are not published.

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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