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Greenhouse vs Packer

Greenhouse logo

Greenhouse

Software

Hiring software for growing companies

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
P

Packer

Software

Build automated machine images

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Packer has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Greenhouse core plan lacks talent discovery and contact lookups; Packer packer 1.10.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • They diverge on capability: Greenhouse covers Applicant tracking, Packer covers Image building.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Greenhouse and Packer actually diverge.

Attributes where Greenhouse and Packer differ
AttributeGreenhousePacker
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiLinux, Windows, Mac
Founded20122013

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

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 Greenhouse

  • Applicant tracking
  • Interview scheduling
  • Scorecard system
  • Job board posting
  • Candidate CRM
  • Reporting & analytics
  • Offer management
  • EEO compliance

Only in Packer

  • Image building
  • Multi-platform support
  • Provisioners
  • Builders
  • Post-processors
  • Variables
  • Data sources
  • Validation

What people use each for

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

Greenhouse

  • Applicant tracking system for structured hiringnot Packer
  • AI-powered interview notetaking and sourcingnot Packer

Packer

  • Building identical machine images for multiple clouds from one templatenot Greenhouse
  • Baking golden AMIs and VM images into a CI pipelinenot Greenhouse
  • Creating immutable infrastructure artifacts consumed by Terraformnot Greenhouse

Where each one falls short

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

Greenhouse

  • Core plan lacks talent discovery and contact lookups
  • Core plan lacks email automation and applicant texting
  • Plus plan lacks resume anonymisation and application limits
  • Plus plan lacks audit logging and developer tools
  • Pricing customised by hiring volume and company size, not published
  • Only Pro tier offers audit logs and developer sandbox

Packer

  • Packer 1.10.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • The Additional Use Grant forbids offering Packer to third parties on a hosted or embedded basis in a paid product that competes with IBM's paid versions of Packer
  • Each version converts to the MPL 2.0 Change License only four years after that version is first published, and the Change Date is set separately per version
  • Alternative licensing for uses outside the grant must be arranged with the licensor rather than taken under the public licence

Pricing, plan by plan

Greenhouse

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Greenhouse review.

Packer

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Multi-platform image building
    • Template-driven
    • Provisioner support

Which should you pick?

Choose Greenhouse if

  • You need applicant tracking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want interview scheduling.
Greenhouse review

Choose Packer if

  • You need image building.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac.
  • You also want multi-platform support.
Packer review

Questions people ask

Is Greenhouse or Packer better?
Neither clearly leads. Greenhouse starts at On request and Packer at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Greenhouse or Packer?
Packer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Greenhouse and Free for Packer.
Does Greenhouse or Packer run on more platforms?
Greenhouse runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Packer runs on Linux, Windows, Mac.
Can I use Packer for free?
Yes. Packer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Greenhouse starts at On request.
What is Greenhouse best used for?
Greenhouse is most often used for applicant tracking system for structured hiring, ai-powered interview notetaking and sourcing. Of those, applicant tracking system for structured hiring and ai-powered interview notetaking and sourcing are not what Packer is typically brought in for.
What can Greenhouse do that Packer cannot?
Greenhouse covers Applicant tracking, Interview scheduling, Scorecard system, Job board posting. Packer covers Image building, Multi-platform support, Provisioners, Builders.
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