Best Candidate Tracking Software for 2025: 12 Tools Compared

Tracking candidates across emails, spreadsheets, and sticky notes is chaos. You lose track of who's at what stage, forget to follow up with promising applicants, and create a frustrating experience for everyone involved.

Candidate tracking software solves this by centralizing all your hiring activity in one place. Every application, interview note, email thread, and hiring decision lives in a single system that your entire team can access.

The result? 50% less time spent on administrative tasks, 30% faster hiring, and a professional candidate experience that helps you win top talent.

This guide compares the 12 best candidate tracking systems in 2025, from simple free tools to enterprise platforms. Whether you're a small business making 5 hires per year or a growing company hiring every month, you'll find the right solution here.

TL;DR: For small businesses wanting simple, affordable candidate tracking, JuggleHire delivers at $19/month. For free options, Freshteam and Zoho Recruit work well. For advanced features and scaling, Greenhouse and Lever are top choices.

#What is Candidate Tracking Software?

Candidate tracking software (also called an Applicant Tracking System or ATS) helps you manage job candidates from application through hire. Instead of juggling spreadsheets and email folders, everything happens in one organized system.

#What Candidate Tracking Software Does

Core Functions:

• Organize applications in a visual pipeline (Applied → Screening → Interview → Offer → Hired)
• Track candidate information (resume, contact info, notes, ratings)
• Manage communication (emails, interview scheduling, status updates)
• Enable team collaboration (shared notes, feedback, hiring decisions)
• Provide analytics (time-to-hire, source effectiveness, pipeline health)

#The Problem It Solves

Without candidate tracking software:

• Applications scattered across email, LinkedIn, job boards
• No visibility into where candidates are in the process
• Candidates fall through the cracks
• Team members duplicate work or contradict each other
• Manual data entry and status updates
• No insights on what's working

With candidate tracking software:

• All candidates in one organized system
• Clear pipeline visibility
• Automated follow-ups and reminders
• Team collaboration with shared context
• Automated workflows save hours
• Data-driven hiring improvements

#Key Features to Look For

#Essential Features (Every System Should Have)

✅ Application management - Centralized candidate database ✅ Pipeline stages - Visual hiring funnel ✅ Resume parsing - Automatic data extraction ✅ Email integration - Track all communication ✅ Team collaboration - Shared notes and feedback ✅ Job posting - Publish to career page and job boards ✅ Search and filters - Find candidates quickly ✅ Mobile access - Review candidates anywhere

#Valuable Features (Worth Paying For)

⭐ Interview scheduling - Automated calendar coordination ⭐ Email templates - Consistent communication ⭐ Custom workflows - Automated stage transitions ⭐ Analytics dashboard - Hiring metrics and insights ⭐ Career page builder - Branded careers site ⭐ Integrations - Connect with other tools ⭐ Candidate portal - Let applicants check status ⭐ Scorecards - Structured evaluation

#Advanced Features (Enterprise/Scaling)

🚀 AI screening - Automated candidate matching 🚀 Video interviews - Built-in video screening 🚀 Background checks - Integrated verification 🚀 Offer management - Digital offer letters 🚀 Onboarding - Seamless hire-to-employee transition 🚀 Multi-location - Manage hiring across offices 🚀 Advanced permissions - Role-based access control 🚀 API access - Custom integrations

#12 Best Candidate Tracking Software (2025)

#Quick Comparison

#1. JuggleHire — Best Value for Small Businesses

JuggleHire delivers professional candidate tracking at a fraction of enterprise pricing. Built specifically for small businesses, it focuses on the features that matter most without overwhelming complexity.

#Why Small Businesses Choose JuggleHire

Unlike enterprise systems built for HR departments, JuggleHire is designed for founders, office managers, and small teams who need to hire efficiently without becoming recruitment experts.

#Key Features

• Visual candidate pipeline with drag-and-drop stages
• Centralized inbox for all candidate communication
• Team collaboration with comments and @mentions
• Custom career page for employer branding
• Email templates for consistent communication
• Interview scheduling with calendar integration
• Source tracking to see what's working
• Mobile-friendly for on-the-go hiring
• Job board posting to major platforms

#What Sets It Apart

Simplicity: Set up in 15 minutes, not 15 days. Affordability: $19-99/month vs $500+ for alternatives. No bloat: Only the features you'll actually use.

#Pricing

• Starter: $19/month (3 active jobs, unlimited candidates)
• Professional: $49/month (5 jobs, remove branding)
• Scale: $99/month (unlimited jobs, white-label)

All plans include unlimited users, team collaboration, and core candidate tracking features.

#Best For

Small businesses (1-50 employees) making 5-30 hires per year who want professional candidate tracking without enterprise costs.

Try JuggleHire Free for 14 Days →

#2. Freshteam — Best Free Option

Freshteam by Freshworks offers a surprisingly capable free tier that includes candidate tracking for one job posting.

#Key Features

• Free tier (1 job posting, 50 candidates)
• Applicant tracking with pipeline stages
• Interview scheduling with calendar sync
• Collaborative hiring with team feedback
• Career site builder
• Job board distribution
• Email templates

#Pricing

• Free: 1 job, 50 candidates
• Growth: $59/month per recruiter
• Pro: $99/month per recruiter
• Enterprise: Custom

#Best For

Very small businesses or those hiring infrequently (1-2 positions at a time) who want to test candidate tracking before committing.

#3. Zoho Recruit — Best Free Starter System

Zoho Recruit provides a free forever plan that's more generous than most, making it ideal for bootstrapped startups.

#Key Features

• Free forever plan (1 active job)
• Candidate database with unlimited storage
• Resume parsing
• Email integration
• Interview scheduling
• Custom workflows
• Integrations with Zoho suite

#Pricing

• Free: 1 job, 1 user
• Standard: $30/month per recruiter
• Professional: $60/month per recruiter
• Enterprise: $90/month per recruiter

#Best For

Bootstrapped startups integrating with Zoho ecosystem, or companies wanting to try candidate tracking risk-free.

#4. Breezy HR — Best Visual Pipeline

Breezy HR emphasizes visual candidate management with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that makes hiring feel less like data entry.

#Key Features

• Kanban-style pipeline (extremely visual)
• Free tier available
• Resume parsing
• Automated workflows
• Video introductions from candidates
• SMS and email automation
• Team scorecards
• Chrome extension for sourcing

#Pricing

• Bootstrap: Free (unlimited candidates, 1 active job)
• Startup: $143/month (3 jobs)
• Growth: $273/month (unlimited jobs)
• Business: $399/month (advanced features)

#Best For

Visual thinkers who want hiring to feel more like project management (Trello for recruiting).

Related: Breezy HR vs JuggleHire

#5. Workable — Best for Fast Implementation

Workable gets you tracking candidates the same day you sign up. Their onboarding is the smoothest in the industry.

#Key Features

• AI Recruiter for automated sourcing
• 400M+ candidate database
• One-click job posting to 200+ boards
• Video interviews built-in
• Mobile app for iOS and Android
• Background checks integrated
• Offer letters and e-signatures
• People analytics

#Pricing

• Starter: $149/month (1 job)
• Standard: $299/month (3 jobs)
• Premier: $599/month (unlimited jobs + AI features)

#Best For

Companies (20-200 employees) wanting to modernize hiring quickly without lengthy setup.

Related: Workable Alternatives

#6. Greenhouse — Best Structured Hiring

Greenhouse built its reputation on structured hiring—consistent, objective evaluation that reduces bias and improves quality of hire.

#Key Features

• Structured interview kits
• Objective scorecards
• DEI analytics and tools
• Extensive integrations (300+)
• Advanced reporting
• Candidate surveys
• Compliance tools
• Training and certification

#Pricing

• Essential: ~$6,500/year
• Advanced: Custom
• Expert: Custom

#Best For

Growing companies (50-500 employees) committed to fair, consistent, data-driven hiring.

#7. Lever — Best Candidate Relationship Focus

Lever combines ATS with CRM (Candidate Relationship Management), recognizing that great hiring is about relationships, not just processing applications.

#Key Features

• Native CRM for talent pools
• Nurture campaigns for passive candidates
• Pipeline analytics
• Diversity sourcing tools
• Automated workflows
• Collaborative hiring
• Referral programs
• Interview plans

#Pricing

• Custom pricing (typically $3,000-10,000/year based on size)

#Best For

Companies prioritizing candidate relationships and building long-term talent pipelines.

#8. BambooHR — Best HR Suite Integration

BambooHR's candidate tracking integrates seamlessly with their HRIS, creating a smooth transition from candidate to employee.

#Key Features

• Applicant tracking integrated with HRIS
• Seamless onboarding handoff
• Employee referrals
• Interview scheduling
• E-signatures for offers
• Reporting and analytics
• Mobile app

#Pricing

• Custom pricing (typically starts around $99/month)
• Pricing includes both ATS and HRIS

#Best For

Companies already using BambooHR for HR, or those wanting an all-in-one HR and recruiting solution.

#9. Recruitee — Best Collaborative Hiring

Recruitee makes team collaboration effortless. Everyone stays in sync without overwhelming non-recruiters with complexity.

#Key Features

• Easy team collaboration
• Career site builder
• Talent pool management
• Automated workflows
• Chrome extension for sourcing
• Multi-location support
• GDPR compliance built-in
• Kanban pipeline

#Pricing

• Launch: €199/month (~$215)
• Scale: €349/month (~$375)
• Lead: Custom

#Best For

European companies or those with distributed hiring teams who need collaborative decision-making.

Related: Recruitee Alternatives

#10. JazzHR — Best for Growing Companies

JazzHR strikes a balance between simplicity and power, making it ideal for companies outgrowing basic tools but not ready for enterprise complexity.

#Key Features

• Unlimited jobs on all plans
• Customizable workflows
• Interview scheduling
• Team collaboration
• Branded career site
• Job board posting
• Reporting and analytics
• Integrations with HR tools

#Pricing

• Hero: $75/month (unlimited jobs)
• Plus: $299/month (advanced features)

#Best For

Growing companies (20-100 employees) making 15-50 hires per year.

#11. SmartRecruiters — Best Enterprise Scalability

SmartRecruiters handles the complexity of enterprise hiring—global teams, high volumes, complex approval workflows.

#Key Features

• Free tier (limited features)
• Enterprise-grade platform
• Global compliance
• Marketplace (600+ integrations)
• Advanced analytics
• Collaborative hiring
• Mobile recruiting
• AI-powered matching

#Pricing

• Free: Basic features
• Custom: Enterprise pricing for full platform

#Best For

Large companies (500+ employees) with sophisticated hiring needs.

#12. Pinpoint — Best Modern Interface

Pinpoint offers a refreshingly modern, intuitive interface that makes candidate tracking feel less like database management.

#Key Features

• Beautiful, modern UI
• Career site builder
• Automated workflows
• Collaborative hiring
• Interview kits
• Analytics dashboard
• Integrations with popular tools
• GDPR compliant

#Pricing

• Custom pricing based on company size

#Best For

Design-conscious companies wanting a candidate tracking system that's a joy to use.

#How to Choose Candidate Tracking Software

#By Company Size & Hiring Volume

#By Budget

#By Primary Need

#Candidate Tracking Best Practices

#1. Define Your Hiring Process First

Before implementing software, map your ideal hiring process:

1. Application received
2. Resume screening
3. Phone screening
4. Interview(s)
5. Reference check
6. Offer
7. Hired

Your software should match this workflow, not force you into theirs.

#2. Standardize Your Pipeline Stages

Use clear, consistent stage names across all jobs:

• ✅ "Phone Screen" (clear)
• ❌ "Initial Chat" (vague)

This makes reporting and analytics meaningful.

#3. Use Email Templates

Create templates for common scenarios:

• Application received confirmation
• Interview invitation
• Rejection (with feedback)
• Offer letter

This ensures consistency and saves hours.

#4. Set Up Automation

Automate repetitive tasks:

• Auto-send confirmation when application received
• Auto-move to "Rejected" after 30 days in "Applied"
• Auto-remind hiring managers to provide feedback

#5. Track Your Sources

Tag every candidate with where they came from:

• Job board (Indeed, LinkedIn)
• Referral
• Career site
• Social media

This shows you what's working so you can invest wisely.

#6. Make It a Team Effort

Candidate tracking only works if everyone uses it:

• Train hiring managers
• Make it easy (mobile access, email integration)
• Set expectations (all feedback goes in the system)
• Lead by example

#7. Review Metrics Regularly

Check your dashboards monthly:

• Time-to-fill by role
• Source effectiveness
• Where candidates drop off
• Hiring team performance

Use insights to continuously improve.

#Common Mistakes to Avoid

#1. Choosing Based on Features, Not Needs

The platform with the most features isn't necessarily best. Choose based on what you'll actually use.

Fix: List your must-haves, then evaluate only those features.

#2. Neglecting User Experience

If the system is clunky, your team won't use it consistently.

Fix: Prioritize ease of use. Request demos. Test it yourself.

#3. Poor Data Migration

Switching systems without cleaning your data creates a mess.

Fix: Audit your current candidate data. Decide what to migrate vs. archive.

#4. Inadequate Training

Software doesn't work if people don't know how to use it.

Fix: Schedule training sessions. Create quick-reference guides. Offer ongoing support.

#5. Not Customizing Workflows

Out-of-the-box workflows rarely match your process perfectly.

Fix: Spend time customizing stages, automations, and templates to match your needs.

#6. Ignoring Candidate Experience

Automated rejection emails at 3 AM, lack of status updates, and generic communication hurt your employer brand.

Fix: Test the candidate-facing experience. Use thoughtful communication. Show you care.

#Frequently Asked Questions

#What is candidate tracking software?

Candidate tracking software (also called an Applicant Tracking System or ATS) is a tool that helps you organize and manage job applicants. It centralizes resumes, applications, communication, and hiring decisions in one system instead of scattered across email and spreadsheets.

#How much does candidate tracking software cost?

Pricing ranges widely:

• Free options: Freshteam, Zoho Recruit, Breezy HR (limited features)
• Small business: $19-200/month (JuggleHire, Workable, JazzHR)
• Mid-market: $500-2,000/month (Greenhouse, Lever)
• Enterprise: $5,000+/month (SmartRecruiters, iCIMS)

#Is there free candidate tracking software?

Yes! Freshteam, Zoho Recruit, and Breezy HR offer free plans. However, free plans typically limit you to 1 active job posting and basic features. For growing companies, paid options like JuggleHire at $19/month offer better value with unlimited candidates and more features.

#What's the difference between ATS and candidate tracking software?

They're the same thing. "Applicant Tracking System" (ATS) and "Candidate Tracking Software" are different terms for the same category of tools. Some vendors prefer "candidate tracking" because it sounds less mechanical.

#Do I need candidate tracking software for a small business?

If you make 5+ hires per year, yes. The time savings alone justify the cost. Even at minimum wage, the hours saved on organizing applications, scheduling interviews, and coordinating your team quickly exceed $19/month.

#Can candidate tracking software help reduce hiring bias?

Yes, when implemented properly:

• Blind resume screening hides names and demographics
• Structured interviews ensure consistent evaluation
• Objective scorecards reduce gut-feel decisions
• Analytics reveal bias patterns in your hiring data

However, poorly configured systems can perpetuate bias. Choose vendors committed to fair hiring.

#How long does implementation take?

Implementation time varies:

• Simple systems (JuggleHire, Breezy HR): 1-2 hours
• Mid-tier platforms (Workable, JazzHR): 1-2 days
• Enterprise systems (Greenhouse, Lever): 2-4 weeks
• Complex integrations: 1-3 months

#What integrations should I look for?

Essential integrations:

• Email (Gmail, Outlook)
• Calendar (Google Calendar, Outlook)
• Job boards (Indeed, LinkedIn)

Valuable integrations:

• HRIS (BambooHR, Gusto, Rippling)
• Background checks (Checkr, GoodHire)
• Video interviewing (Zoom, Google Meet)
• Assessment tools (Codility, TestGorilla)

Nice-to-have:

• Slack/Teams (notifications)
• LinkedIn Recruiter (sourcing)
• DocuSign (offer letters)

#Conclusion

Candidate tracking software transforms chaotic hiring into an organized, efficient process. The right system saves hours every week, creates a professional candidate experience, and provides insights to continuously improve your hiring.

For small businesses on a budget, JuggleHire delivers professional candidate tracking at $19-99/month—a fraction of enterprise pricing.

For free options, Freshteam or Zoho Recruit work well if you're hiring infrequently.

For growing companies ready to invest, Greenhouse or Lever provide the structure and analytics to scale hiring effectively.

The key is choosing a system that matches your current needs without overwhelming you. Start simple, use it consistently, and upgrade as you grow.

Ready to organize your hiring? Try JuggleHire free for 14 days—no credit card required.

#Related Resources

• Talent Acquisition Software: Complete Buyer's Guide
• How to Organize Job Applications
• Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses
• Best Recruitment Software for Small Businesses
• How to Automate Your Recruitment Process
• AI Recruitment Software Guide