Softwr

Software · head to head

SmartRecruiters vs Factorial

SmartRecruiters logo

SmartRecruiters

Software

Talent acquisition suite for hiring success

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Factorial logo

Factorial

Software

HR software that employees love

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Factorial has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: SmartRecruiters no native video interviewing tool; requires third-party solution; Factorial beyond a $8 per user per month starting price the pricing page publishes no plan tiers and no rate card, directing buyers to request a tailored quote
  • They diverge on capability: SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking, Factorial covers HR Management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SmartRecruiters and Factorial actually diverge.

Attributes where SmartRecruiters and Factorial differ
AttributeSmartRecruitersFactorial
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20102016

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 SmartRecruiters

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

Only in Factorial

  • HR Management
  • Time Off
  • Time Tracking
  • Documents
  • Payroll
  • Performance
  • Recruiting
  • Shift Management

Both cover

  • Microsoft 365
  • Slack
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

SmartRecruiters

No use cases recorded yet. See the SmartRecruiters review.

Factorial

  • Managing employee records, onboarding and offboardingnot SmartRecruiters
  • Tracking time off, attendance and shiftsnot SmartRecruiters
  • Running recruitment and performance reviews alongside HR datanot SmartRecruiters

Where each one falls short

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

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

Factorial

  • Beyond a $8 per user per month starting price the pricing page publishes no plan tiers and no rate card, directing buyers to request a tailored quote
  • Time management, talent management, finance and IT management are sold as separate modules rather than included in the base product

Pricing, plan by plan

SmartRecruiters

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

Factorial

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic HR
    • Time Off
    • Documents
  • Business$5/month
    • All Free features
    • Payroll
    • Performance

Which should you pick?

Choose SmartRecruiters if

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

Choose Factorial if

  • You need hr management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time off.
Factorial review

Questions people ask

Is SmartRecruiters or Factorial better?
Neither clearly leads. SmartRecruiters starts at On request and Factorial at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SmartRecruiters or Factorial?
Factorial has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for SmartRecruiters and Free for Factorial.
Does SmartRecruiters or Factorial run on more platforms?
SmartRecruiters runs on Web. Factorial runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Factorial for free?
Yes. Factorial has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SmartRecruiters starts at On request.
What can SmartRecruiters do that Factorial cannot?
SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking, CRM, Recruiting Marketing, AI Matching. Factorial covers HR Management, Time Off, Time Tracking, Documents. Both handle Microsoft 365, Slack, Web support, Ios 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.

ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on SmartRecruiters

More on Factorial

Keep looking

Other head to heads