A free applicant tracking system (ATS) helps businesses collect applications, organize candidates, and manage basic hiring workflows without paying for software. However, most free ATS plans come with trade-offs, such as limits on users, active jobs, resume parsing, reporting, automations, or career site features.
ATS platforms are used by companies of all sizes to organize, search for, and communicate with large groups of applicants. However, many of the best applicant tracking systems are geared toward large corporations that juggle hundreds of applicants. However, small businesses on a budget need fully featured, affordable ATS software as well. Below, I reviewed the top free ATS software so you can find the right one.
After evaluating 10 providers, here are the top five on my list:
| Recruitly | Small staffing agencies | Candidate and client outreach |
| Odoo Recruitment | Automated applicant follow-ups | Stage-triggered emails |
| Zoho Recruit | Solo recruiters | Candidate tracking and interview scheduling |
| Dover | Teams hiring across multiple roles | Unlimited jobs, users, and candidates |
| Breezy | Collaborative hiring on one role | Unlimited users for one active position |
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My recommendations draw on more than eight years of reviewing HR and payroll software and 10 years working with HRIS, time tracking, and payroll systems. That experience helps me assess how applicant tracking systems support the practical work behind hiring, from collecting applications to coordinating candidate reviews and follow-ups.
For this guide, I evaluated 10 ATS platforms using current product information, pricing pages, and support documentation. I compared their free-plan limits, recruiting features, security and platform capabilities, and customer support. I also checked which tools require a paid plan or add-on, since those limits can affect whether a free ATS will work for your hiring process.
See my full methodology below.
– Robie Ann Ferrer
Payroll & HR Software Expert at TechRepublic
Methodology
To select my top picks for this guide, I used a weighted rubric to score and compare 10 applicant tracking systems:
- Recruitly
- Jobsoid
- Odoo Recruitment
- Zoho Recruit
- Breezy HR
- Dover
- Giig Hire
- OrangeHRM
- Loxo
- monday work management
I researched each product using vendor websites, documentation, and pricing pages. I checked what its free plan includes, which features require a paid plan or add-on, and how it handles recruiting workflows, integrations, platform security, and support.
Below are my evaluation criteria:
- Pricing (25%): Free ATS plans can differ in their limits, upgrade costs, and setup fees. I compared whether the free plan is ongoing and used the standard month-to-month price of the starter paid plan for one user, excluding annual discounts and promotions.
- Core ATS features (30%): I assessed whether the free plan supports routine hiring, from collecting applications and managing candidate records to screening, communication, interview scheduling, and team collaboration.
- Advanced ATS features (15%): This category measured practical tools that can extend a basic ATS, including automation, reporting, integrations, API access, and workflow and field customization. I gave credit for capabilities available at no cost.
- Platform and security (20%): I considered how products protect candidate information and manage account access, along with documented setup, mobile access, data management, ease of use, and scalability.
- Customer support (10%): Scores reflect documented support channels, including phone, chat, email, or ticket options, and self-help resources such as help centers and product documentation.
Best free applicant tracking systems compared
The five providers in this guide differ in how many jobs and users their free plans support, and which recruiting tools they include. Here’s a closer comparison.
| Recruitly |
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| Odoo Recruitment |
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| Zoho Recruit |
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| Dover |
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| Breezy |
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Recruitly: Best for small staffing agencies
Expert score: 3.91 out of 5
Recruitly combines applicant tracking with recruiting CRM tools in one system. It is built around external agency recruiting, where staffing firms place candidates with client companies.
Why I chose Recruitly
Recruitly is a good fit for a small staffing agency that wants several recruiters to work in the same system. Its free plan allows up to five users, giving a small team a shared starting point before it takes on a software subscription.
The limits on jobs, candidate records, and contacts may become restrictive as an agency grows. Employers hiring for their own organization may prefer Odoo Recruitment for stage-based applicant follow-ups, while Zoho Recruit may suit a solo recruiter.
Pricing
Recruitly offers a free plan and three paid tiers:
- Free: $0 for up to five users, five jobs, 1,000 candidates, and 200 contacts
- Solo: $30 per user per month
- Professional: $80 per user per month
- Enterprise: $150 per user per month
Annual billed plans are available, which lets you save up to 20%. However, it requires upfront and lump sum payment of all fees.
You can also purchase add-ons to access these features:
- Email marketing: $15 for 10,000 emails
- SMS credits: $10 for 1,000 SMS
- Digital signatures: $1 per signature
- AI agents: $0.50–$3 per action
- Sourcing: $0.15–$0.25 per search/find
- Dedicated IP: $30 per month
Key features
- Candidate and client records: Recruiters can link candidate information to client and job records, making it easier to track who is being considered for each opening.
- Outreach campaigns: The free plan includes two email campaigns, with up to 100 recipients per campaign. This can help recruiters contact groups of candidates or clients without sending each message separately.
- API access: The free plan comes with up to 100 API calls per day. Agencies can use API connections to transfer information between Recruitly and other business tools, reducing manual updates.
Recruitly pros and cons
| Free plan supports up to five users | Free-plan capacity may not keep pace with a growing agency |
| Includes outreach campaigns and API access | Employers hiring in-house may not need agency-oriented tools |
| Recruiters can connect recruiting work with client records |
Odoo Recruitment: Best for automated applicant follow-ups
Expert score: 3.81 out of 5
Odoo Recruitment is an applicant tracking app within Odoo’s broader business software suite. Hiring teams can manage applications and candidate progress through the recruitment process.
Odoo’s One App Free plan lets businesses use one app, such as Recruitment, with unlimited users. Adding other Odoo apps requires a paid plan, and publishing jobs on an Odoo careers website requires the Website app.
Why I chose Odoo Recruitment
Odoo stands out for follow-ups that can happen automatically as applicants move through hiring stages. For example, a team can configure a stage to send an email template when a candidate reaches it, helping recruiters keep applicants informed without relying on someone to remember each message.
Its Recruitment app may also make sense for a business that already uses Odoo and wants hiring activity alongside its other business operations. Using additional apps, however, means moving beyond the free one-app plan.
The one-app limit can make Odoo less convenient for employers who also want a careers website or other Odoo tools. Consider Zoho Recruit as it offers a more focused option for solo recruiters, while Dover may suit teams that want unlimited jobs and users on a free plan.
Pricing
With Odoo, you get a free forever plan and two paid options.
- One App Free: $0 for one Odoo app (e.g., Recruitment); includes unlimited users and access to Odoo Online
- Standard: $11.20 per user per month; includes access to all apps and Odoo Online
- Custom: $20.40 per user per month
You also get discounted pricing if you sign up for an annual plan, but you have to pay all the fees upfront and in a lump sum.
Key features
- Applicant pipeline: Hiring teams can move candidates through recruitment stages, making it easier to see where each application stands.
- Stage-based email templates: Teams can assign an email template to a recruitment stage so applicants receive updates as they progress.
- Interview scheduling: Recruiters can send applicants a scheduling link, allowing them to choose an interview time from available slots.
Odoo Recruitment pros and cons
| Free plan supports unlimited users when using one app | Adding other Odoo apps requires a paid plan |
| Applicant emails can be triggered by recruitment stage | Careers website requires the Website app |
| Can connect with other Odoo apps on paid plans | May be more software than a business needs for basic recruiting |
Zoho Recruit: Best for solo recruiters
Expert score: 3.61 out of 5
Zoho Recruit helps recruiters organize candidate profiles, job openings, and interviews. Its free Corporate HR plan is designed for one recruiter managing one active job, which can suit a business with occasional hiring.
The free plan includes candidate management and interview tracking, but it limits how many openings the recruiter can manage at once. Resume parsing and free job-board postings require a paid plan, so recruiters who rely on those tools will need to budget for an upgrade.
Why I chose Zoho Recruit
Zoho Recruit is a practical fit for a solo recruiter who wants a dedicated place to keep hiring activity organized. A one-person hiring function can track applicants and interviews without needing to coordinate separate recruiter accounts.
There’s also a clear step up when hiring needs grow. The Standard plan supports up to 10 active jobs per recruiter and adds features such as resume parsing and free job-board postings. Zoho Recruit Corporate HR
However, the one-job limit can be restrictive for businesses hiring for several roles at once. Dover may suit teams that need more active jobs and users on a free plan, while Odoo Recruitment is a fit for teams that prioritize stage-based applicant follow-ups.
Pricing
Zoho Recruit’s Corporate HR edition offers three plans:
- Free: $0 for one recruiter and one active job
- Standard: $30 per recruiter per month
- Enterprise: $60 per recruiter per month
If you want to save on costs and budget isn’t a concern, sign up for the annual plan. This lets you save up to 16% but requires upfront, lump-sum payment of all fees.
Zoho Recruit also offers the following add-ons:
- Video interviews: $12 per job opening
- Employee license: $10 per month; can be purchased as packs of 10 only; this allows employees to refer candidates through a referral portal
- Vendor portal: $6 per month (billed annually); portal to manage hiring leaders and external recruiters
Key features
- Candidate management: Recruiters can store candidate profiles and notes in one place, making it easier to return to applicants as a hiring process moves forward.
- Interview tracking: The free plan includes interview records, so a solo recruiter can keep interview activity connected to each candidate.
- Career site: Zoho Recruit includes one career-site page on the free plan, giving candidates a place to view and apply for an opening. Resume parsing and free job-board posting are paid features.
Zoho Recruit pros and cons
| Free plan includes candidate and interview management | Free plan limited to one recruiter and one active job |
| Includes one career-site page | Paid plans charge per recruiter |
| Supports an ecosystem of other products such as Zoho CRM, Zoho People, and Zoho Mail for a seamless experience |
Dover: Best for teams hiring across multiple roles
Expert score: 3.49 out of 5
Dover combines applicant tracking with candidate sourcing and recruitment CRM tools. Hiring teams can use it to organize candidates and run searches for different jobs from a shared system.
Its free plan has no limits on users, jobs, or the number of candidates stored. It also includes job-board distribution, a basic careers page, interview plans, email templates, and reporting. One trade-off is that free accounts can view only recent candidate history; Premium provides full history.
Why I chose Dover
Dover is a strong fit for teams hiring across several roles because they can add jobs and hiring teammates without paying per opening or per seat. That flexibility can make it easier for managers and interviewers to take part in hiring as the business grows.
The free plan also covers more of the hiring process than candidate tracking alone. Teams can distribute job posts, share a basic careers page, and coordinate interviews before deciding whether Premium’s AI scoring, interview notes, or advanced scheduling would be useful. Dover
Dover’s main drawback is that free users get only recent candidate history, which may be limiting for teams that revisit older applicants. Teams focused on applicant follow-ups may prefer Odoo Recruitment, while Breezy HR may suit teams collaborating on one active position.
Pricing
Dover offers two ATS plans:
- Free: $0 for unlimited users, jobs, and candidates. Candidate history is limited to recent activity.
- Premium: $199 per month; adds full candidate history, AI applicant scoring, an AI notetaker, offer management, and advanced scheduling.
Key features
- Job-board distribution: Dover can send listings to more than 50 job boards, helping teams reach candidates without posting each role separately. Dover
- Careers page: A basic page gives candidates a place to learn about openings and apply; customization is part of Premium.
- Interview plans: Teams can outline interview stages and coordinate scheduling. Dover’s advanced scheduling tools are part of Premium.
Dover pros and cons
| Free plan has zero limits on jobs, users, and candidate count | Free accounts show only recent candidate history |
| Job-board distribution and a basic careers page are included in free tier | Premium may be more than a small team needs |
Breezy: Best for collaborative hiring on one role
Expert score: 3.41 out of 5
Breezy is an applicant tracking system (ATS) for teams that want to bring hiring managers into the recruiting process. Its visual pipeline gives the team a shared view of applicants as they move through the hiring stages.
The free Bootstrap plan includes unlimited users, but only one active position or candidate pool at a time. Candidate profiles added more than 30 days ago aren’t accessible on the free plan, so it’s best suited to teams with a focused, active hiring process.
Why I chose Breezy
Breezy’s free plan lets a team involve multiple people in hiring for one role without paying for extra user seats. That can help managers and interviewers review the same candidate pipeline instead of passing updates through email or spreadsheets.
The Bootstrap plan also provides a useful starting set of recruiting tools, including a customizable career portal and automatic job-board distribution. These can help a small team present its opening to candidates and collect applications in one workflow. breezy.hr
The one-position limit and 30-day candidate-data window can become restrictive if hiring slows down or a team needs to work on several openings. Dover allows unlimited jobs and users on its free plan, while Odoo Recruitment may suit teams that prioritize stage-based applicant follow-ups.
Pricing
Breezy HR offers five plans:
- Bootstrap: Free, with unlimited users and one active position or candidate pool
- Startup: $189 per month, adds unlimited positions and candidate automations to the free Bootstrap plan
- Growth: $329 per month, adding features such as reference checking, scorecards, and employee referrals
- Business: $529 per month, adding tools such as offer management, HRIS integrations, and priority support
- Custom Pro: Call for a quote
There’s also an annual plan, which includes two months free, as well as several add-on tools:
- Breezy Intelligence: Starts at $30 per 100,000 credits for AI-powered candidate evaluations, resume audits, and interaction summaries
- SMS/text messaging: Starts at $41 per month
- Onboard: Starts at $49 per month for automated role-based onboarding workflows
- Perform: Call for a quote
- Expert training: Call for a quote
Key features
- Customizable career portal: Teams can present open roles on a branded, mobile-friendly page, giving candidates a central place to review openings and apply.
- Job-board distribution: Breezy can distribute a position to more than 50 job boards, helping employers broaden reach without posting to each site separately.
- Resume parsing: The Bootstrap plan can extract information from resumes and make parsed details searchable, reducing manual data entry when reviewing applications.
Breezy pros and cons
| Unlimited users on the free plan | Only one active position or candidate pool; candidate access limited to the last 30 days |
| Career portal and job-board distribution included | Advanced automation requires a paid plan |
| Powerful AI resume analysis feature |
Learn more: Breezy HR overview
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about free ATS software
Are free ATS plans really free?
The providers in this guide offer ongoing free plans, but each sets its own limits. For example, Odoo’s free option covers one app with unlimited users, while Breezy HR limits its free plan to one active position or candidate pool. www.odoo.com
What should I check before choosing free applicant tracking software?
Check how many jobs and users the plan allows, how long you can access candidate records, and whether the features you need are included. A plan may let you store candidates but charge extra for resume parsing, job-board posting, or workflow automation.
Can a free ATS support multiple open jobs?
Some can. Dover’s free plan allows unlimited jobs and users, while Zoho Recruit’s free plan allows one active job and Recruitly’s free plan allows five. Breezy HR’s free plan allows one active position or candidate pool at a time.
Should I use a free or paid ATS?
That depends on the features needed. A free ATS is perfect for a small budget. However, what you can accomplish is generally limited. A paid ATS, on the other hand, will come with a higher price tag but offers full access to all features and may allow for more or unlimited users.
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