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Recruitment · head to head

SmartRecruiters vs UKG Pro

SmartRecruiters logo

SmartRecruiters

Recruitment

Talent acquisition suite for hiring success

From
$14995/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
UKG Pro logo

UKG Pro

Payroll

Our purpose is people

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: SmartRecruiters no native video interviewing tool; requires third-party solution; UKG Pro no access to super-user privileges or advanced database customization
  • They diverge on capability: SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking, UKG Pro covers HR Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SmartRecruiters and UKG Pro actually diverge.

Attributes where SmartRecruiters and UKG Pro differ
AttributeSmartRecruitersUKG Pro
Starting price$14995/yearOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile (iOS/Android), Cloud (Hosted)
CategoryRecruitmentPayroll
Founded20102020

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 SmartRecruiters

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

Only in UKG Pro

  • HR Management
  • Payroll
  • Benefits Administration
  • Talent Management
  • Workforce Management
  • Salesforce
  • Google Workspace
  • ServiceNow

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • Workday
  • Microsoft 365
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

SmartRecruiters

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

UKG Pro

No use cases recorded yet. See the UKG Pro review.

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

UKG Pro

  • No access to super-user privileges or advanced database customization
  • Limited system procedure access for advanced administrative functions
  • No direct host access via SSH, Telnet, or remote desktop connectivity
  • Requires paid technical support subscription for assistance beyond standard support

Pricing, plan by plan

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

UKG Pro

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the UKG Pro review.

Which should you pick?

Choose SmartRecruiters if

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

Choose UKG Pro if

  • You need hr management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android), Cloud (Hosted).
  • You also want payroll.
UKG Pro review

Questions people ask

Is SmartRecruiters or UKG Pro better?
Neither clearly leads. SmartRecruiters starts at $14995/year and UKG Pro at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SmartRecruiters or UKG Pro?
SmartRecruiters starts at $14995/year and UKG Pro at On request.
Does SmartRecruiters or UKG Pro run on more platforms?
SmartRecruiters runs on Web. UKG Pro runs on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android), Cloud (Hosted).
What is SmartRecruiters best used for?
SmartRecruiters is most often used for reducing time-to-hire from 23 days to 9 days, scaling high-volume hiring with 50% increase in velocity, engaging candidates with conversational ai chatbots, automating interview scheduling reducing administrative work by 97%. Of those, reducing time-to-hire from 23 days to 9 days and scaling high-volume hiring with 50% increase in velocity are not what UKG Pro is typically brought in for.
What can SmartRecruiters do that UKG Pro cannot?
SmartRecruiters covers Applicant Tracking, CRM, Recruiting Marketing, AI Matching. UKG Pro covers HR Management, Payroll, Benefits Administration, Talent Management. Both handle Analytics, Workday, Microsoft 365, Web 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
UKG Pro: What databases does UKG Pro support?

UKG Pro is a cloud-based HCM platform that manages payroll, benefits, and HR across 160+ countries in a single integrated system.

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
UKG Pro: Does UKG Pro handle multi-country payroll?

Yes. UKG Pro can manage global payroll complexity and ensure accurate, compliant payroll processing across 160+ countries, all in one seamless experience.

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
UKG Pro: What features are included in time and attendance tracking?

Time and Attendance module monitors employee working hours, attendance, and related data to drive accurate payroll processing and compliance.

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.

UKG Pro: Does UKG Pro offer reporting and analytics?

Yes. UKG Pro provides customizable reporting and analytics for actionable workforce insights, enabling data-driven human capital decisions.

Source
UKG Pro: What is UKG Talk?

UKG Talk is a built-in collaboration platform within UKG Pro that enables real-time team communication and engagement features.

Source
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