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Software · head to head

SmartRecruiters vs Lever

SmartRecruiters logo

SmartRecruiters

Software

Talent acquisition suite for hiring success

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lever logo

Lever

Software

Talent acquisition suite built for collaboration

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: SmartRecruiters no native video interviewing tool; requires third-party solution; Lever customized pricing requires sales contact, no public pricing
  • They diverge on capability: SmartRecruiters covers CRM, Lever covers Candidate CRM.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SmartRecruiters and Lever actually diverge.

Attributes where SmartRecruiters and Lever differ
AttributeSmartRecruitersLever
Founded20102012

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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

  • CRM
  • Recruiting Marketing
  • AI Matching
  • Onboarding
  • Marketplace
  • SAP

Only in Lever

  • Candidate CRM
  • Sourcing
  • Interview Management
  • Offer Management
  • Google Workspace

Both cover

  • Applicant Tracking
  • Analytics
  • LinkedIn
  • Indeed
  • Workday
  • 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.

Lever

  • Applicant tracking from sourcing through offernot SmartRecruiters
  • Building and nurturing talent pipelines of passive candidatesnot SmartRecruiters
  • Automating interview scheduling, follow-ups and offer lettersnot SmartRecruiters
  • Reporting on hiring performance across sourcesnot SmartRecruiters
  • Screening at volume with AI ranking and recommendationsnot 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

Lever

  • Customized pricing requires sales contact, no public pricing
  • Premium features like advanced CRM functionality require additional fees
  • Implementation requires some technical configuration

Pricing, plan by plan

SmartRecruiters

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

Lever

On request
  • LeverTRM$undefined/month
    • ATS
    • CRM
    • Sourcing
  • LeverTRM for Enterprise$undefined/month
    • All LeverTRM features
    • Advanced Security
    • Dedicated Support

Which should you pick?

Choose SmartRecruiters if

  • You need crm.
  • You also want recruiting marketing.
SmartRecruiters review

Choose Lever if

  • You need candidate crm.
  • You also want sourcing.
Lever review

Questions people ask

Is SmartRecruiters or Lever better?
Neither clearly leads. SmartRecruiters starts at On request and Lever at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SmartRecruiters or Lever?
SmartRecruiters starts at On request and Lever at On request.
Does SmartRecruiters or Lever run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What can SmartRecruiters do that Lever cannot?
SmartRecruiters covers CRM, Recruiting Marketing, AI Matching, Onboarding. Lever covers Candidate CRM, Sourcing, Interview Management, Offer Management. Both handle Applicant Tracking, Analytics, LinkedIn, Indeed.

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
Lever: What is Lever used for?

Lever is modern recruiting software that centralizes recruiting into a single system for sourcing candidates, managing applications, scheduling interviews, collaborating with hiring managers, automating workflows, and measuring hiring performance.

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
Lever: Does Lever include both ATS and CRM?

Yes. Lever integrates comprehensive Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) functionalities within a single offering called LeverTRM, with features like AI-powered screening and interview transcripts.

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
Lever: What integrations does Lever support?

Lever integrates with 300+ tools including Slack for notifications, Zoom for interviews, calendar applications for scheduling, background check services, job boards, and leading HRIS platforms for talent management workflows.

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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Related pages

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