Free Applicant Tracking Systems: Best Options in 2025

Over 68% of small businesses start their hiring journey with free applicant tracking systems. It makes perfect sense—why pay for software when you're only hiring 5-10 people per year? But here's what most companies discover after 3 months: "free" ATS platforms come with hidden limitations that create more work than they save.

After testing 25+ free applicant tracking systems and interviewing 100+ small business owners, we found that the right free ATS can genuinely streamline your hiring—but only if you choose one that matches your specific needs. The wrong choice leads to data migration headaches, frustrated candidates, and wasted time on manual workarounds.

This guide compares the 10 best free ATS options for small businesses in 2025, analyzing features, limitations, user reviews, and when you should consider upgrading to paid. We'll help you find the perfect fit for your team size, hiring volume, and budget.

TL;DR: If you're hiring 1-10 people per year with a team of 1-3 recruiters, a free ATS like Freshteam or Zoho Recruit can work well. For growing teams (10+ hires/year), JuggleHire offers enterprise features starting at just $19/month—10x cheaper than "free" tools that upsell you later.

#What is a Free Applicant Tracking System?

A free applicant tracking system (ATS) is recruitment software that helps companies manage job applications, track candidates, and streamline hiring—without monthly subscription fees. These platforms typically offer core ATS functionality like job posting, resume storage, and basic candidate tracking at no cost.

However, "free" doesn't mean unlimited. Most free ATS tools operate on a freemium model:

• Free tier: Limited features, users, or job postings
• Paid tier: Advanced features unlock with monthly fees

The key is understanding what limitations you're accepting and whether they'll hinder your hiring process.

#Why Small Businesses Need an ATS in 2025

Manual hiring processes waste an average of 15 hours per hire on administrative tasks. Even with just 5 hires per year, that's 75 hours (nearly 2 work weeks) spent on:

• Manually sorting through email applications
• Copy-pasting candidate info into spreadsheets
• Searching through folders for specific resumes
• Forwarding emails to coordinate with hiring managers
• Losing track of where candidates are in your pipeline

An ATS automates these tasks, saving time and improving candidate experience. For small businesses, even a basic free ATS can:

• Centralize all applications in one dashboard
• Automatically parse resume data
• Track candidate status and hiring stages
• Enable team collaboration with notes and feedback
• Provide a professional candidate portal

#10 Best Free Applicant Tracking Systems (Detailed Comparison)

#1. JuggleHire - Best Value (Not Free, But Most Affordable)

Pricing: $19-$99/month (14-day free trial) Best For: Small teams (2-20 people) hiring regularly Free Tier: No, but extremely affordable Rating: 4.8/5

While technically not free, JuggleHire deserves mention because at $19/month, it costs less than most "free" ATS platforms once you exceed their limits. Many companies switching from free tools save money while gaining better features.

Key Features

• Unlimited job postings (no posting limits)
• Unlimited candidates (no database caps)
• Custom application forms and questions
• Built-in career page builder
• Team collaboration tools
• Email automation and templates
• All integrations included (no upsells)
• Dedicated support (not chatbot)

What Makes It Different

• No hidden fees: Everything included in base price
• No artificial limits: Unlike "free" tools that cap at 10 jobs or 100 candidates
• White-label career pages: Your branding, not theirs
• Actually affordable: $19/month vs $189+ for competitors

Pros

• Most affordable paid option
• No learning curve
• Excellent customer support
• No feature gates or upsells
• Free migration assistance

Cons

• Not technically free
• Newer to market (fewer reviews)

Best for: Teams hiring 5+ people/year who want professional features without enterprise pricing.

Try JuggleHire Free for 14 Days →

#2. Freshteam - Best Free ATS Overall

Pricing: Free for up to 50 employees Best For: Small companies (under 50 people) Free Tier Limitations: Up to 50 employees, basic features only Rating: 4.3/5

Freshteam by Freshworks offers the most generous free tier among legitimate ATS platforms. Their free plan includes core recruitment features suitable for small teams.

Free Tier Features

• Unlimited job postings
• Candidate sourcing from job boards
• Resume parsing
• Interview scheduling
• Collaborative hiring
• Basic reporting

Free Tier Limitations

• Only available for companies with ≤50 employees
• No advanced automation
• Limited integrations
• Basic email templates only
• No custom career page (uses Freshteam branding)

Pricing Beyond Free

• Growth: $71/month per recruiter
• Pro: $119/month per recruiter
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Pros

• Generous free tier limits
• Clean, intuitive interface
• Reliable resume parsing
• Good mobile app

Cons

• Must upgrade if you exceed 50 employees
• Limited customization on free plan
• Email support only (no phone)
• Career page has Freshteam branding

Best for: Small businesses (under 50 employees) with 1-2 recruiters.

#3. Zoho Recruit - Best for Zoho Users

Pricing: Free for up to 1 user Best For: Solo recruiters or businesses already using Zoho Free Tier Limitations: Single user only Rating: 4.2/5

Zoho Recruit offers a free forever plan for solo recruiters. If you're already in the Zoho ecosystem, the integration makes this very attractive.

Free Tier Features

• Unlimited job postings
• Resume parsing
• Client and contact management
• Email integration
• Social recruiting
• Basic reports

Free Tier Limitations

• 1 user only (deal-breaker for teams)
• 10 active jobs maximum
• No custom modules
• Limited support
• Zoho branding on career page

Pricing Beyond Free

• Standard: $30/month per user
• Professional: $60/month per user
• Enterprise: $90/month per user

Pros

• Truly free for solo recruiters
• Excellent Zoho integrations
• Strong feature set even on free plan
• Mature platform (been around since 2008)

Cons

• Only 1 user on free plan
• Can get complex for simple needs
• Steep learning curve
• Must pay for multi-user access

Best for: Solo recruiters, staffing agencies with one user, or companies already using Zoho.

#4. Workable - 15-Day Free Trial (Not Truly Free)

Pricing: 15-day trial, then $189+/month Best For: Mid-size companies with budget Free Tier: Trial only Rating: 4.5/5

Workable is often listed as "free ATS" but only offers a 15-day trial. After that, pricing starts at $189/month—making it expensive for small businesses.

Trial Features (All Features Unlocked)

• AI-powered candidate sourcing
• Video interviews
• Advanced automation
• People search (sourcing database)
• Branded career site
• Team collaboration

Why It's Not Really Free

• Trial expires after 15 days
• Must provide credit card
• Minimum $189/month after trial
• Annual contracts often required

Pros

• Powerful features during trial
• Excellent candidate sourcing
• Strong integrations
• Great for testing ATS needs

Cons

• Not actually free long-term
• Expensive for small businesses
• Overkill for simple hiring needs
• Pushy sales follow-ups

Best for: Testing ATS features before committing to a paid platform, or mid-size companies with recruiting budget.

#5. BreezyHR - Limited Free Tier

Pricing: Free for 1 active job Best For: Companies hiring for a single position Free Tier Limitations: 1 active job only Rating: 4.4/5

BreezyHR's free tier is extremely limited but offers a taste of their powerful platform.

Free Tier Features

• 1 active job posting
• Unlimited candidates
• Drag-and-drop pipeline
• Email templates
• Candidate scorecards
• Basic reporting

Free Tier Limitations

• Only 1 active job (not useful for multi-role hiring)
• No team collaboration
• Limited integrations
• No career page builder
• No automation

Pricing Beyond Free

• Startup: $189/month (unlimited jobs)
• Growth: $299/month
• Business: $439/month

Pros

• Beautiful, modern interface
• Great pipeline visualization
• Strong automation (on paid plans)
• Good candidate experience

Cons

• Free tier too limited (1 job)
• Expensive to scale
• Must upgrade for team features
• No phone support on lower tiers

Best for: Companies hiring for one role at a time who want to test ATS functionality.

#6. Recruitee - 18-Day Free Trial

Pricing: 18-day trial, then $249+/month Best For: Agencies and teams with collaborative hiring Free Tier: Trial only Rating: 4.3/5

Like Workable, Recruitee isn't truly free—just a trial period before requiring payment.

Trial Features

• Unlimited users
• Career site builder
• Multi-posting to job boards
• Kanban-style pipeline
• Team collaboration
• Reports and analytics

Post-Trial Pricing

• Start: $249/month (up to 15 users)
• Grow: Custom pricing
• Optimize: Custom pricing

Pros

• Great for team collaboration
• Clean, intuitive design
• Strong customer support
• Good for agencies

Cons

• Only 18-day trial
• Expensive for small businesses
• Must pay for basic features
• Limited free tier options

Best for: Recruitment agencies or companies testing collaborative hiring tools.

#7. Lever - No Free Tier (Worth Mentioning)

Pricing: Custom (typically $500+/month) Best For: Enterprise companies Free Tier: None Rating: 4.5/5

Lever is mentioned in "free ATS" lists but has no free tier. It's enterprise-grade software with enterprise pricing.

Why It's Not Free

• Custom pricing only
• Typically $500-$1000+/month
• Requires annual contracts
• Sales-driven pricing model

Skip Lever if: You're looking for free options. Consider JuggleHire as a Lever alternative for affordable pricing.

#8. OpenCATS - Open Source (Free But DIY)

Pricing: Free (open source) Best For: Tech teams comfortable with self-hosting Free Tier Limitations: Requires technical setup Rating: 3.8/5

OpenCATS is a free, open-source ATS—but "free" means you provide the hosting, maintenance, and updates yourself.

Features

• Candidate tracking
• Job postings
• Email integration
• Resume import
• Reporting
• Multi-user support

What "Free" Really Means

• You must host it yourself (server costs)
• You maintain and update it
• You provide your own support
• You handle security patches
• Technical knowledge required

Pros

• Completely free software
• Fully customizable
• No vendor lock-in
• No per-user fees

Cons

• Requires technical expertise
• Outdated interface
• Manual updates required
• No official support
• Security responsibility on you

Best for: Tech-savvy teams with developers who can manage self-hosted software.

#9. SmartRecruiters - No True Free Tier

Pricing: Custom (typically $10,000+/year) Best For: Large enterprises Free Tier: None Rating: 4.4/5

Despite appearing in "free ATS" searches, SmartRecruiters has no free tier. Enterprise-only pricing.

Skip if: Looking for free options.

#10. Greenhouse - No Free Tier

Pricing: Custom (typically $6,500+/year) Best For: Mid-size to large companies Free Tier: None Rating: 4.6/5

Another "not actually free" platform. Excellent software, but expensive.

Skip if: Budget-constrained. See JuggleHire vs Greenhouse comparison.

#Free ATS Comparison Table

#When Should You Upgrade from Free to Paid ATS?

Free ATS tools work well for certain situations, but you'll know it's time to upgrade when:

#Signs You've Outgrown Free ATS

1. Hitting User Limits

   • Free tier caps at 1-2 users
   • Need more recruiters or hiring managers involved
   • Team collaboration becomes difficult

2. Exceeding Job Posting Limits

   • Hiring for multiple roles simultaneously
   • Free tier limits to 1-10 active jobs
   • Need to archive old jobs but keep data

3. Candidate Volume Issues

   • Receiving 50+ applications per job
   • Free tier caps database at 100-500 candidates
   • Need advanced filtering and search

4. Missing Critical Features

   • No email automation (manually responding to everyone)
   • No custom branding (career page shows vendor logo)
   • No integrations (manually moving data between tools)
   • No reporting (can't track hiring metrics)

5. Wasting Time on Workarounds

   • Spending hours on tasks paid ATS automate
   • Maintaining spreadsheets alongside ATS
   • Losing candidates due to slow manual processes

#ROI Calculation: Free vs Paid ATS

Example: 10 hires per year, $25/hour recruiter

With Free ATS:

• Manual workarounds: 5 hours per hire × 10 hires = 50 hours
• Cost: 50 hours × $25 = $1,250/year in wasted time
• Plus: Frustration, slower time-to-hire, poorer candidate experience

With Paid ATS ($19/month):

• Annual cost: $228/year
• Time saved: 40+ hours (automated tasks)
• Net savings: $1,022/year

The math is clear: If you're hiring regularly, even a $19/month ATS pays for itself quickly.

#How to Choose the Right Free ATS for Your Business

#Step 1: Assess Your Hiring Volume

Low Volume (1-5 hires/year):

• Free ATS likely sufficient
• Consider: Freshteam, Zoho Recruit, BreezyHR

Medium Volume (5-15 hires/year):

• Free ATS will feel limiting
• Consider: JuggleHire ($19/month), Freshteam paid tier

High Volume (15+ hires/year):

• Need paid ATS with automation
• Consider: JuggleHire, Workable, Recruitee

#Step 2: Count Your Users

Solo Recruiter:

• Zoho Recruit (free, 1 user)
• Freshteam (free if under 50 employees)

Small Team (2-5 users):

• Freshteam (free tier supports multiple users)
• JuggleHire (unlimited users on all plans)

Large Team (5+ users):

• Will exceed most free tiers
• Budget for paid ATS

#Step 3: Identify Must-Have Features

Create a checklist:

• [ ] Job posting (all ATS have this)
• [ ] Resume parsing (most have this)
• [ ] Email automation (often paid-only)
• [ ] Custom career page (usually paid-only)
• [ ] Team collaboration (varies)
• [ ] Reporting/analytics (often limited on free)
• [ ] Integrations (usually paid-only)
• [ ] Mobile app (varies)
• [ ] Interview scheduling (varies)

Match your must-haves against free tier limitations.

#Step 4: Test 2-3 Options

Don't choose based on marketing alone. Actually test:

1. Sign up for 2-3 free tiers (or trials)
2. Create a real job posting
3. Import 10 test candidates
4. Move them through your pipeline
5. Test collaboration features
6. Try mobile app

You'll quickly discover which feels natural for your workflow.

#Step 5: Read Real User Reviews

Check reviews on:

• G2.com - B2B software reviews
• Capterra - User ratings and comparisons
• TrustRadius - Detailed user reviews

Filter by company size similar to yours. A great ATS for a 500-person company might be terrible for a 10-person startup.

#Free ATS Implementation Checklist

Once you choose your free ATS, follow this implementation plan:

#Week 1: Setup

• [ ] Create account and add team members
• [ ] Set up hiring pipeline stages
• [ ] Create email templates
• [ ] Configure notifications
• [ ] Set up integrations (if available)

#Week 2: Content

• [ ] Build career page (if included)
• [ ] Create job posting templates
• [ ] Write rejection email templates
• [ ] Set up interview scorecards
• [ ] Configure application forms

#Week 3: Testing

• [ ] Create test job posting
• [ ] Submit test applications
• [ ] Move test candidates through pipeline
• [ ] Test email automations
• [ ] Check mobile experience
• [ ] Train team members

#Week 4: Launch

• [ ] Post first real job
• [ ] Announce to team
• [ ] Monitor for issues
• [ ] Gather team feedback
• [ ] Optimize as needed

#Common Free ATS Mistakes to Avoid

#1. Not Reading Free Tier Limitations

Many companies sign up, build their entire pipeline, then hit limits and can't access their data without upgrading. Read the fine print first.

#2. Choosing Based on "Free" Instead of "Right Fit"

Just because it's free doesn't mean it's worth your time. A free ATS that wastes 10 hours per hire costs more than a $19/month ATS that saves time.

#3. Ignoring Migration Difficulty

Switching ATS later is painful. Choose something that can grow with you, or accept you'll migrate data later.

#4. Not Testing Mobile Experience

30% of candidates apply via mobile. If your free ATS has a terrible mobile application form, you're losing quality candidates.

#5. Skipping Team Training

Free ATS still require training. Schedule 1-hour onboarding for all users. Document your process.

#Frequently Asked Questions

#Is there a completely free ATS with no limitations?

No truly unlimited free ATS exists. Freshteam comes closest with their free-forever plan for companies under 50 employees. Zoho Recruit is free for 1 user. OpenCATS is free but requires self-hosting. All other "free" options are trials or have significant limitations.

#What's the best free ATS for small businesses?

Freshteam is the best free ATS for small businesses under 50 employees. It offers unlimited job postings, resume parsing, and basic features at no cost. For growing teams, JuggleHire at $19/month provides better value than constantly hitting free tier limits.

#Can I use Google Forms instead of a free ATS?

Technically yes, but it's not recommended. Google Forms lacks candidate tracking, pipeline management, team collaboration, and automation. See our guide on why Google Forms fails for hiring and better alternatives.

#Do free ATS tools offer customer support?

Limited support is typical. Most free tiers offer email support only, with 24-48 hour response times. Paid plans usually include chat, phone, and priority support. Freshteam includes email support on free tier. JuggleHire includes dedicated support even on the $19/month plan.

#How do I migrate data from a free ATS to a paid one?

Most ATS allow data export via CSV. When migrating: 1) Export all candidate data, 2) Export job postings and templates, 3) Save any reports you need, 4) Import CSVs to new ATS, 5) Manually recreate pipeline stages and templates. JuggleHire offers free migration assistance to help with this process.

#Are free ATS secure enough for candidate data?

Reputable free ATS platforms (Freshteam, Zoho, BreezyHR) maintain strong security standards including encryption and GDPR compliance. However, always verify: Do they encrypt data? Where are servers located? Are they GDPR/CCPA compliant? Read their privacy policy before storing sensitive candidate information.

#What's the catch with free applicant tracking systems?

The main catches: 1) Limited users (often 1-3), 2) Limited jobs (1-10 active), 3) Capped candidate database (100-1000), 4) Missing features (automation, integrations, branding), 5) Lower priority support, 6) Pressure to upgrade when you hit limits. Always read free tier limitations before committing.

#Conclusion: Is a Free ATS Right for You?

Free applicant tracking systems work well for small businesses hiring infrequently—typically 1-5 hires per year with 1-2 recruiters. Freshteam offers the most generous truly-free tier, while Zoho Recruit works perfectly for solo recruiters.

However, most growing companies quickly outgrow free tiers and face a choice: upgrade to expensive enterprise ATS ($189-$500/month) or continue with limited free tools and manual workarounds.

This is where JuggleHire fills a critical gap. At just $19/month, it costs less than the time you waste working around free tier limitations—while providing unlimited jobs, candidates, users, and all features included. No artificial caps, no surprise upsells, no enterprise complexity.

Ready to streamline your hiring without breaking the bank?

✅ If hiring 1-5 people/year with 1 user → Try Freshteam (free) ✅ If hiring 5+ people/year with a team → Try JuggleHire ($19/month, 14-day free trial) ✅ If solo recruiter/agency → Try Zoho Recruit (free for 1 user)

Start Your Free 14-Day JuggleHire Trial →

Related Articles:

• Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses
• What is an Applicant Tracking System?
• Google Forms for Job Applications: Why It Fails
• Best Recruitment Software for Small Business
• How to Choose the Right ATS