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Software · head to head

iCIMS vs Workday

iCIMS logo

iCIMS

Software

Talent cloud for transformative hiring

From
$14500/year
Rated
-
Workday logo

Workday

Software

Enterprise cloud applications for finance and HR

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: iCIMS difficult customer support requiring escalation for resolution; Workday high implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
  • They diverge on capability: iCIMS covers Applicant Tracking, Workday covers Human capital management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which iCIMS and Workday actually diverge.

Attributes where iCIMS and Workday differ
AttributeiCIMSWorkday
Starting price$14500/yearOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidCloud/Web
Founded19992005

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 iCIMS

  • Applicant Tracking
  • CRM
  • Career Sites
  • Text Recruiting
  • Video Interviewing
  • AI Matching
  • Indeed
  • Workday

Only in Workday

  • Human capital management
  • Financial management
  • Planning
  • Payroll
  • Time tracking
  • Talent management
  • Procurement
  • Salesforce

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • LinkedIn

What people use each for

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

iCIMS

  • Enterprise applicant tracking with configurable hiring workflowsnot Workday
  • High volume hiring in retail, hospitality and healthcarenot Workday
  • Candidate relationship management and automated campaignsnot Workday
  • Career site and employer branding managementnot Workday
  • Employee onboarding after offer acceptancenot Workday

Workday

  • HR managementnot iCIMS
  • Financial planningnot iCIMS
  • Workforce planningnot iCIMS
  • Compliancenot iCIMS
  • Analyticsnot iCIMS

Where each one falls short

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

iCIMS

  • Difficult customer support requiring escalation for resolution
  • Complex and dated user interface compared to modern cloud recruiting tools
  • CRM, ATS, and Text engagement systems do not sync well and require separate logins
  • Custom reporting is difficult to create without IT expertise

Workday

  • High implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
  • Long deployment timelines (12-18 months standard) before ROI
  • Steep per-employee pricing at enterprise scale ($408-504 PEPM)
  • Limited pre-built templates and customization; often requires extensive configuration
  • Requires significant IT and change management resources during implementation

Pricing, plan by plan

iCIMS

$14500/year

No published plan breakdown. See the iCIMS review.

Workday

On request
  • Small Business$undefined/month
    • Core HR
    • Payroll
    • Time tracking
  • Medium Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Full HCM suite
    • Financial management
    • Advanced analytics
  • Large Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Complete platform
    • Custom configurations
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose iCIMS if

  • You need applicant tracking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want crm.

Choose Workday if

  • You need human capital management.
  • You work on Cloud/Web.
  • You also want financial management.

Questions people ask

Is iCIMS or Workday better?
Neither clearly leads. iCIMS starts at $14500/year and Workday at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, iCIMS or Workday?
iCIMS starts at $14500/year and Workday at On request.
Does iCIMS or Workday run on more platforms?
iCIMS runs on Web, Ios, Android. Workday runs on Cloud/Web.
What is iCIMS best used for?
iCIMS is most often used for enterprise applicant tracking with configurable hiring workflows, high volume hiring in retail, hospitality and healthcare, candidate relationship management and automated campaigns, career site and employer branding management. Of those, enterprise applicant tracking with configurable hiring workflows and high volume hiring in retail, hospitality and healthcare are not what Workday is typically brought in for.
What can iCIMS do that Workday cannot?
iCIMS covers Applicant Tracking, CRM, Career Sites, Text Recruiting. Workday covers Human capital management, Financial management, Planning, Payroll. Both handle Analytics, LinkedIn.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

iCIMS: How much does iCIMS cost?

iCIMS pricing varies from $14,500 to $635,000 annually depending on organization size and modules. Mid-market companies typically pay $15,000-$35,000 annually, with larger enterprises exceeding $100,000 plus implementation fees.

Source
Workday: What is Workday GO and what market is it designed for?

Workday GO is a product designed for small and midsize organizations, bringing together HR and finance solutions with transparent pricing and fast activation in 30 to 60 days. It includes HCM, benefits, payroll, talent, and more at a lower price point than standard Workday.

Source
iCIMS: What companies use iCIMS?

iCIMS serves more than 4,400 companies across 200 countries, including a quarter of Fortune 500 companies, particularly in retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and finance sectors.

Source
Workday: What is Workday Skills Cloud and how does it fit into HCM?

Workday Skills Cloud is an intelligent skills foundation built into Workday HCM. It is described as the world's most open intelligent skills foundation and fuels data-driven talent strategies across recruiting, learning, and workforce planning.

Source
iCIMS: Does iCIMS integrate with other HR systems?

Yes, iCIMS connects with more than 800 partner technologies including job boards, background check services, HR systems, and social platforms.

Source
Workday: Does Workday include payroll and benefits management?

Yes. Workday HCM includes benefits administration and payroll capabilities as part of its core suite. Global payroll processing is available across multiple countries and tax jurisdictions.

Source
iCIMS: How long does iCIMS implementation take?

iCIMS implementation is typically lengthy and complex, with setup time varying based on workflow complexity, integrations, and organizational requirements. The process requires professional services and can involve extended ramp-up periods for configuration and training.

Source
Workday: What is the typical pricing model for Workday HCM?

Workday HCM uses per-employee (PEPM) annual subscription pricing. Companies at scale typically pay $34-42 PEPM. Enterprise organizations with 5,000+ employees typically pay $408-504 per employee annually. Pricing decreases with larger commitments and longer contract terms.

Source
Workday: How long does Workday implementation typically take?

Standard implementations are lengthy, often taking 12-18 months. Workday GO promises faster activation in 30-60 days. Implementation costs typically equal 100-150% of the first year's software subscription fees.

Source

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