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Software · head to head

Freshteam vs SmartRecruiters

Freshteam logo

Freshteam

Software

Smart HR software for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SmartRecruiters logo

SmartRecruiters

Software

Talent acquisition suite for hiring success

From
On request
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 freshworks HRMS (formerly Freshteam) paid tiers as captured 19 February 2023 combined a per-employee monthly charge ($1.20 to $2.40+/employee/month) with a separate flat platform fee ($71 to $119+/month), on top of a $0 free tier; SmartRecruiters no native video interviewing tool; requires third-party solution
  • They diverge on capability: Freshteam covers Time Off, SmartRecruiters covers CRM.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Freshteam and SmartRecruiters actually diverge.

Attributes where Freshteam and SmartRecruiters differ
AttributeFreshteamSmartRecruiters
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), 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

Where each one falls short

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

Freshteam

  • Freshworks HRMS (formerly Freshteam) paid tiers as captured 19 February 2023 combined a per-employee monthly charge ($1.20 to $2.40+/employee/month) with a separate flat platform fee ($71 to $119+/month), on top of a $0 free tier

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

On request
  • SmartRecruiters$undefined/month
    • ATS
    • CRM
    • Recruiting Marketing

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 On request, 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 On request 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 On request.
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

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
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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