Softwr

Software · head to head

Remote vs SmartRecruiters

Remote logo

Remote

Software

The new standard for global employment

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SmartRecruiters logo

SmartRecruiters

Software

Talent acquisition suite for hiring success

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Remote has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Remote employer of Record costs $699 per employee per month, charged per head with no volume tier published; SmartRecruiters no native video interviewing tool; requires third-party solution
  • They diverge on capability: Remote covers Global Payroll, SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Remote and SmartRecruiters actually diverge.

Attributes where Remote and SmartRecruiters differ
AttributeRemoteSmartRecruiters
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20192010

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 Remote

  • Global Payroll
  • EOR Services
  • Contractor Management
  • Compliance
  • Benefits
  • Equity Management
  • HRIS
  • BambooHR

Only in SmartRecruiters

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

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Remote

  • Employing staff in countries where you have no legal entity through an employer of recordnot SmartRecruiters
  • Paying and managing international contractors with compliant agreementsnot SmartRecruiters
  • Running payroll and HR records for a distributed workforcenot 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.

Remote

  • Employer of Record costs $699 per employee per month, charged per head with no volume tier published
  • Global Payroll carries an implementation fee to set up entities plus a recurring payroll delivery fee on top of the $29 per employee per month rate
  • Contractor Management Plus is $99 per contractor per month against $29 for the standard tier
  • The Equity product is limited to Delaware C-Corps
  • The PEO product bills in USD only and requires a US bank account
  • Remote states it collects reserve payments in high risk circumstances, so an upfront deposit is possible

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

Remote

Free
  • Contractor Management$29/month
    • Contractor Payments
    • Compliance
    • Contracts
  • Employer of Record$599/month
    • Global Employment
    • Payroll
    • Benefits

SmartRecruiters

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Remote if

  • You need global payroll.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want eor services.
Remote review

Choose SmartRecruiters if

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

Questions people ask

Is Remote or SmartRecruiters better?
Neither clearly leads. Remote starts at Free and SmartRecruiters at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Remote or SmartRecruiters?
Remote has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Remote and On request for SmartRecruiters.
Does Remote or SmartRecruiters run on more platforms?
Remote runs on Web, Ios, Android. SmartRecruiters runs on Web.
Can I use Remote for free?
Yes. Remote has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SmartRecruiters starts at On request.
What is Remote best used for?
Remote is most often used for employing staff in countries where you have no legal entity through an employer of record, paying and managing international contractors with compliant agreements, running payroll and hr records for a distributed workforce. Of those, employing staff in countries where you have no legal entity through an employer of record and paying and managing international contractors with compliant agreements are not what SmartRecruiters is typically brought in for.
What can Remote do that SmartRecruiters cannot?
Remote covers Global Payroll, EOR Services, Contractor Management, Compliance. SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking, CRM, Recruiting Marketing, AI Matching. Both handle Slack, Web support, Ios support, Android support.

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.

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