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Technology · head to head

Okta vs SmartRecruiters

Okta logo

Okta

Technology

The identity platform for builders

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SmartRecruiters logo

SmartRecruiters

Recruitment

Talent acquisition suite for hiring success

From
$14995/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Okta has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Okta requires $1,500 annual minimum contract; SmartRecruiters no native video interviewing tool; requires third-party solution
  • They diverge on capability: Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Okta and SmartRecruiters actually diverge.

Attributes where Okta and SmartRecruiters differ
AttributeOktaSmartRecruiters
Starting priceFree$14995/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, SaaSWeb
CategoryTechnologyRecruitment
Founded20092010

Identical on both: 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 Okta

  • Single sign-on (SSO)
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Lifecycle management
  • Universal directory
  • API access management
  • B2B integration
  • Passwordless authentication
  • Adaptive MFA

Only in SmartRecruiters

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

Both cover

  • Microsoft 365
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Okta

  • Employee SSOnot SmartRecruiters
  • Customer identitynot SmartRecruiters
  • B2B integrationnot SmartRecruiters
  • Zero Trust securitynot SmartRecruiters
  • Compliancenot SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruiters

  • Reducing time-to-hire from 23 days to 9 daysnot Okta
  • Scaling high-volume hiring with 50% increase in velocitynot Okta
  • Engaging candidates with conversational AI chatbotsnot Okta
  • Automating interview scheduling reducing administrative work by 97%not Okta
  • Screening candidates with AI talent matching enginenot Okta

Where each one falls short

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

Okta

  • Requires $1,500 annual minimum contract
  • Admin-only MFA can be vulnerable to push notification fatigue attacks
  • Implementation requires significant services and integration fees in year one

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

Okta

Free
  • Starter Suite$6/user/month
    • SSO
    • MFA
    • Universal Directory
  • Core Essentials Suite$14/user/month
    • Adaptive MFA
    • Privileged Access
    • Lifecycle Management
  • Essentials Suite$17/user/month
    • Same as Core Essentials
    • Most popular
  • Professional Suite$undefined/custom
    • Device Access
    • Identity Security Posture
    • Threat Protection

SmartRecruiters

$14995/year
  • Essential$14995/year
    • ATS functionality
    • CRM features
    • Onboarding
  • Professional$null/year
    • All Essential features
    • AI-powered Hiring Agent
    • AI Talent Matching Engine
  • High Volume$null/year
    • All Professional features
    • AI-powered Candidate Screening
    • Conversational AI Chat
  • Complete$null/year
    • Full suite with Advanced Analytics
    • Advanced Sandbox
    • Custom in-app guidance

Which should you pick?

Choose Okta if

  • You need single sign-on (sso).
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, SaaS.
  • You also want multi-factor authentication.
Okta review

Choose SmartRecruiters if

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

Questions people ask

Is Okta or SmartRecruiters better?
Neither clearly leads. Okta starts at Free and SmartRecruiters at $14995/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Okta or SmartRecruiters?
Okta has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Okta and $14995/year for SmartRecruiters.
Does Okta or SmartRecruiters run on more platforms?
Okta runs on Web, SaaS. SmartRecruiters runs on Web.
Can I use Okta for free?
Yes. Okta has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SmartRecruiters starts at $14995/year.
What is Okta best used for?
Okta is most often used for employee sso, customer identity, b2b integration, zero trust security. Of those, employee sso and customer identity are not what SmartRecruiters is typically brought in for.
What can Okta do that SmartRecruiters cannot?
Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), Multi-factor authentication, Lifecycle management, Universal directory. SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking, CRM, Recruiting Marketing, AI Matching. Both handle Microsoft 365, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Okta: What is the minimum contract for Okta Workforce Identity?

Okta requires a $1,500 annual minimum contract for Workforce Identity plans. Pricing starts at $6 per user per month (Starter) and ranges to $17 per user per month (Essentials), billed annually.

Source
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
Okta: Does Okta offer a free trial?

Yes, Okta provides a 30-day free trial so customers can explore all product capabilities before committing to a paid plan.

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
Okta: How many pre-built integrations does Okta support?

Okta offers over 7,000 pre-built integrations with popular enterprise applications including Salesforce, Slack, Workday, Box, Confluence, and Zendesk.

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
Okta: What security features does Okta provide for admins?

Okta provides multi-factor authentication, adaptive MFA, single logout, and identity threat detection and response. However, only 94% of Okta customers have MFA enabled for administrators.

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.

Okta: Can Okta integrate with on-premises directories?

Yes, Okta's Universal Directory and lifecycle management support cloud and on-premises identity sources, including Active Directory and LDAP.

Source
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