Softwr

Technology · head to head

Greenhouse vs SmartRecruiters

Greenhouse logo

Greenhouse

Technology

Hiring software for growing companies

From
On request
Rated
-
SmartRecruiters logo

SmartRecruiters

Recruitment & ATS

Talent acquisition suite for hiring success

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Greenhouse core plan lacks talent discovery and contact lookups; SmartRecruiters no native video interviewing tool; requires third-party solution
  • They diverge on capability: Greenhouse covers Applicant tracking, SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Greenhouse and SmartRecruiters actually diverge.

Attributes where Greenhouse and SmartRecruiters differ
AttributeGreenhouseSmartRecruiters
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb
CategoryTechnologyRecruitment & ATS
Founded20122010

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 SmartRecruiters

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

Both cover

  • LinkedIn
  • Indeed
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Greenhouse

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

SmartRecruiters

No use cases recorded yet. See the SmartRecruiters review.

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

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

Greenhouse

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Greenhouse review.

SmartRecruiters

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Greenhouse if

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

Choose SmartRecruiters if

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

Questions people ask

Is Greenhouse or SmartRecruiters better?
Neither clearly leads. Greenhouse starts at On request and SmartRecruiters at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Greenhouse or SmartRecruiters?
Greenhouse starts at On request and SmartRecruiters at On request.
Does Greenhouse or SmartRecruiters run on more platforms?
Greenhouse runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. SmartRecruiters runs on Web.
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 SmartRecruiters is typically brought in for.
What can Greenhouse do that SmartRecruiters cannot?
Greenhouse covers Applicant tracking, Interview scheduling, Scorecard system, Job board posting. SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking, CRM, Recruiting Marketing, AI Matching. Both handle LinkedIn, Indeed, Slack.

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.

Related pages

Other head to heads