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Recruitment · head to head

Glassdoor vs ZipRecruiter

Glassdoor logo

Glassdoor

Recruitment

Employer review and salary transparency app owned by Recruit Holdings, the same parent as Indeed

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ZipRecruiter logo

ZipRecruiter

Recruitment

Job posting and applicant matching platform priced per job slot, quoted individually per employer

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Glassdoor has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Glassdoor it shares the same parent company, Recruit Holdings, as Indeed, whose revenue depends on employer ad spend, which sits in tension with Glassdoor's role as an independent employer watchdog.; ZipRecruiter no rate card is published anywhere, so an employer has no way to benchmark whether its quote is competitive without seeking independent estimates or comparing notes with peers.
  • They diverge on capability: Glassdoor covers Employee reviews, ZipRecruiter covers Multi-board distribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter actually diverge.

Attributes where Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter differ
AttributeGlassdoorZipRecruiter
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree for job seekers, employers pay for branding and recruiting productsPer active job slot per month, quoted individually
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: 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 Glassdoor

  • Employee reviews
  • Salary reports
  • Interview insights
  • CEO approval rating
  • Job listings
  • Company comparisons

Only in ZipRecruiter

  • Multi-board distribution
  • AI candidate matching
  • Resume database access
  • Applicant tracking basics
  • Mobile employer app
  • Sponsored job boosting

What people use each for

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

Glassdoor

  • Researching a company's culture and management reputation before accepting a job offernot ZipRecruiter
  • Comparing self-reported salary data for a role before a negotiationnot ZipRecruiter
  • Reading anonymous interview reports to prepare for a specific company's processnot ZipRecruiter
  • Checking CEO and leadership approval trends before joining a companynot ZipRecruiter

ZipRecruiter

  • A small or mid-sized employer with a handful of concurrent open roles wanting broad job board distribution from one postingnot Glassdoor
  • A hiring manager without a full ATS wanting basic pipeline and messaging tools alongside job distributionnot Glassdoor
  • A company that wants to proactively search a resume database rather than only waiting for applicantsnot Glassdoor
  • An employer comparing per-slot job board spend against a flat-fee ATS subscription for a similar hiring volumenot Glassdoor

Where each one falls short

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

Glassdoor

  • It shares the same parent company, Recruit Holdings, as Indeed, whose revenue depends on employer ad spend, which sits in tension with Glassdoor's role as an independent employer watchdog.
  • Review authenticity cannot be independently verified, and companies have periodically been accused of soliciting favourable reviews from current employees to offset negative ones.
  • Self-reported salary data is not verified against payroll records, so figures for a given role and company can be inconsistent or dated.
  • Older accounts were required to submit their own review or salary before unlocking others' data, and remnants of that give-to-get pressure can still affect what gets submitted.
  • Employers can purchase enhanced branding pages, which changes what job seekers see on a company's page compared with a company that has not paid for branding.

ZipRecruiter

  • No rate card is published anywhere, so an employer has no way to benchmark whether its quote is competitive without seeking independent estimates or comparing notes with peers.
  • Cost is charged per active job slot, so an employer with several concurrent openings pays multiplicatively, and pausing then reopening roles can reset pricing negotiations.
  • It is not a full applicant tracking system, so companies with more than lightweight pipeline needs typically still run a separate ATS alongside it, adding integration overhead.
  • Quotes reportedly vary significantly by industry competitiveness and geography, so cost predictability across a multi-location or multi-department hiring plan is poor.
  • Candidate quality and match relevance depend heavily on how well the AI matching interprets a job description, and poorly written postings can under-perform without an obvious signal why.

Pricing, plan by plan

Glassdoor

Free
  • Job seeker accountFree
    • Free browsing of reviews, salaries and listings

ZipRecruiter

On request
  • Standard$undefined/month
    • Priced per active job slot, quoted by industry, location and company size
    • Job distribution across the ZipRecruiter network
    • Basic applicant tracking and messaging
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Priced per active job slot, quoted individually
    • Expanded resume database access and search
    • Enhanced candidate reach and visibility
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Priced per active job slot, quoted individually
    • Highest visibility and matching priority
    • Dedicated account support

Which should you pick?

Choose Glassdoor if

  • You need employee reviews.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want salary reports.
Glassdoor review

Choose ZipRecruiter if

  • You need multi-board distribution.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want ai candidate matching.
ZipRecruiter review

Questions people ask

Is Glassdoor or ZipRecruiter better?
Neither clearly leads. Glassdoor starts at Free and ZipRecruiter at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Glassdoor or ZipRecruiter?
Glassdoor has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Glassdoor and On request for ZipRecruiter.
Does Glassdoor or ZipRecruiter run on more platforms?
Glassdoor runs on iOS, Android, Web. ZipRecruiter runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Glassdoor for free?
Yes. Glassdoor has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ZipRecruiter starts at On request.
What is Glassdoor best used for?
Glassdoor is most often used for researching a company's culture and management reputation before accepting a job offer, comparing self-reported salary data for a role before a negotiation, reading anonymous interview reports to prepare for a specific company's process, checking ceo and leadership approval trends before joining a company. Of those, researching a company's culture and management reputation before accepting a job offer and comparing self-reported salary data for a role before a negotiation are not what ZipRecruiter is typically brought in for.
What can Glassdoor do that ZipRecruiter cannot?
Glassdoor covers Employee reviews, Salary reports, Interview insights, CEO approval rating. ZipRecruiter covers Multi-board distribution, AI candidate matching, Resume database access, Applicant tracking basics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Glassdoor: Is Glassdoor free to use?

Yes for job seekers; employers pay for enhanced branding and recruiting products.

ZipRecruiter: How much does ZipRecruiter cost?

It is not published. Pricing is a monthly subscription per active job slot, quoted individually by industry, location, company size and hiring volume.

Glassdoor: Are Glassdoor and Indeed the same company?

No, they are separate products but share the same parent company, Recruit Holdings.

ZipRecruiter: Is ZipRecruiter a full ATS replacement?

No. It includes basic pipeline and messaging tools but most employers with real ATS needs run a separate system alongside it.

Glassdoor: Are Glassdoor reviews verified?

No, reviews and salary reports are self-reported and anonymous; Glassdoor applies moderation but does not verify employment or salary details against payroll records.

ZipRecruiter: Can I post one job without a subscription?

Historically ZipRecruiter has offered pay-per-job or trial options in some markets, but its main employer product is a recurring per-slot subscription.

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