Hiring Software for Small Business: Complete Guide 2025

Small businesses make up 99.9% of all US businesses and employ nearly half the workforce. Yet most hiring software is built for enterprises with dedicated HR teams and unlimited budgets.

If you're a small business owner or manager, you've probably experienced this frustration: enterprise tools cost too much and do too much, while free tools don't do enough. You end up managing hiring through emails, spreadsheets, and sticky notes—losing candidates and wasting time.

Hiring software for small business fills this gap. These tools provide the essential features you need—job posting, candidate tracking, interview scheduling, team collaboration—without enterprise complexity or pricing.

This guide compares the 12 best hiring software options for small businesses in 2025, with honest pricing, feature comparisons, and recommendations based on your specific needs.

TL;DR: JuggleHire is the best hiring software for most small businesses at $19/month. It has everything you need (job posting, candidate tracking, career page, team collaboration) without anything you don't. For growing companies needing more features, Workable ($149/month) is the next step up.

#What is Hiring Software?

Hiring software is a category of tools that help you manage the recruitment process—from posting jobs to extending offers. The term includes:

• Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Track candidates through your hiring pipeline
• Recruiting software: Broader term including sourcing, assessment, etc.
• HR software with hiring features: All-in-one platforms like BambooHR

For most small businesses, an ATS with basic recruiting features is all you need.

#Why Small Businesses Need Hiring Software

#Signs You Need Hiring Software

You need hiring software if:

• You're hiring 5+ people per year
• Multiple people are involved in hiring decisions
• You've lost track of a candidate or forgotten to respond
• Scheduling interviews takes multiple emails
• You want to look more professional to candidates
• You're spending too much time on hiring admin

#What to Look for in Small Business Hiring Software

#Must-Have Features

#Nice-to-Have Features

#What Small Businesses DON'T Need

• Complex compliance dashboards (unless you're regulated)
• Dozens of integrations
• Custom implementations taking weeks
• Enterprise security features (SSO, SAML)
• Multi-language, multi-country features

#12 Best Hiring Software for Small Business

#Quick Comparison

#Top Picks: Detailed Reviews

#1. JuggleHire — Best Overall for Small Business

JuggleHire is built specifically for small businesses upgrading from spreadsheets or Google Forms. It's the simplest hiring software on the market with a learning curve of about 10 minutes.

Why It's Best for Small Business

• Instant setup: Go from signup to posting your first job in 10 minutes
• No training needed: If you can use email, you can use JuggleHire
• Right-sized features: Everything you need, nothing you don't
• Affordable: Starts at $19/month with no per-user fees

Key Features

• Visual Kanban pipeline: Drag-and-drop candidates between stages
• Custom career page: Professional careers site, supports custom domains
• Team collaboration: Unlimited team members on all plans
• Email templates: Pre-built templates for every hiring stage
• Interview scheduling: Calendar integration with timezone support
• Mobile-friendly: Full functionality on any device

Pricing

All plans include unlimited team members and candidates.

Best For

Small businesses (1-50 employees) making 1-25 hires per year who want simplicity without sacrificing professionalism.

Try JuggleHire Free for 14 Days →

#2. Workable — Best for Growing Companies

Workable adds AI-powered features for companies with higher hiring volume who are ready to invest more.

Key Features

• AI candidate sourcing from 200+ platforms
• One-click posting to 200+ job boards
• Built-in video interviews
• Assessment tools
• Advanced reporting

Pricing

• Starter: $149/month (2 active jobs)
• Standard: $299/month (unlimited jobs)
• Premier: $599/month (AI + advanced features)

Best For

Companies (50+ employees) hiring 20+ people per year who want AI assistance and are willing to pay for it.

Related: Workable Alternatives

#3. JazzHR — Best Budget ATS

JazzHR delivers solid ATS fundamentals at lower prices than most competitors.

Key Features

• Job posting to multiple boards
• Candidate pipeline management
• Interview scheduling
• Basic customization

Pricing

• Hero: $75/month (3 open jobs)
• Plus: $269/month (unlimited jobs)
• Pro: $359/month (advanced features)

Best For

Budget-conscious small businesses who need real hiring software at minimum cost.

Related: JazzHR Alternatives

#4. BreezyHR — Best for Video Hiring

BreezyHR includes video interviewing built-in, eliminating the need for separate tools.

Key Features

• Built-in live + async video interviews
• Visual Kanban pipeline
• Good automation features
• Career site builder

Pricing

• Bootstrap: Free (1 position, very limited)
• Startup: $157/month
• Growth: $273/month
• Business: $439/month

Best For

Remote-first small businesses who conduct most interviews via video.

Related: BreezyHR Alternatives

#5. Zoho Recruit — Best for Zoho Ecosystem

If you already use Zoho products, Zoho Recruit integrates seamlessly.

Key Features

• Native Zoho integration
• AI matching
• Candidate portals
• Reasonable per-user pricing

Pricing

• Free: 1 active job
• Standard: $25/user/month
• Professional: $50/user/month
• Enterprise: $75/user/month

Best For

Small businesses already using Zoho CRM, Projects, or other Zoho tools.

Related: Zoho Recruit Alternatives

#6. Freshteam — Best Free Option

Freshteam offers a genuinely useful free tier for very small teams.

Key Features

• Free for up to 50 employees
• Basic ATS functionality
• Career site
• Integrates with Freshworks products

Pricing

• Free: Up to 50 employees, 3 job postings
• Growth: $71/month (up to 100 employees)
• Pro: $119/month (up to 200 employees)

Best For

Very small businesses (under 50 employees) who want free hiring software.

#7. BambooHR — Best All-in-One HR

BambooHR combines hiring with full HR functionality—employee records, time-off, onboarding.

Key Features

• ATS + full HRIS
• Employee self-service
• Onboarding workflows
• Time-off management
• Performance management

Pricing

• Custom pricing based on employee count
• Typically $8-15/employee/month

Best For

Small businesses wanting one platform for all HR, not just hiring.

Related: BambooHR Alternatives

#8. Homebase — Best for Hourly Workers

Homebase is designed for businesses with hourly workers—restaurants, retail, healthcare.

Key Features

• Job posting for hourly roles
• Applicant tracking
• Also includes scheduling, time tracking
• Messaging with candidates

Pricing

• Basic: Free
• Essentials: $20/location/month
• Plus: $48/location/month
• All-in-one: $80/location/month

Best For

Small businesses hiring hourly workers who also need scheduling and time tracking.

#9. Manatal — Best AI on a Budget

Manatal offers AI-powered features at prices small businesses can afford.

Key Features

• AI candidate recommendations
• Social media enrichment
• Kanban pipeline
• Career page builder

Pricing

• Professional: $15/user/month
• Enterprise: $35/user/month

Best For

Small businesses who want AI features without enterprise pricing.

#How to Choose the Right Hiring Software

#By Business Type

#By Hiring Volume

#By Budget

#Setting Up Hiring Software: Quick Start Guide

#Step 1: Choose Your Software (15 minutes)

Use the comparisons above to select the right tool. For most small businesses, JuggleHire is the best starting point.

#Step 2: Basic Setup (30-60 minutes)

1. Create your account
2. Add your company information
3. Invite team members
4. Connect your calendar
5. Set up your career page

#Step 3: Create Your First Job (15 minutes)

1. Write or paste job description
2. Set location and job type
3. Define hiring stages
4. Publish to your career page
5. Share on job boards

#Step 4: Configure Communication (30 minutes)

1. Customize email templates
2. Set up automatic acknowledgment
3. Create rejection email template
4. Set up interview invitation template

#Step 5: Start Hiring

You're ready to receive and manage applications!

#Common Questions

#What's the best free hiring software for small business?

Freshteam offers the best free tier with real functionality. Zoho Recruit also has a free option. However, the free tiers are limited—investing $19-49/month in JuggleHire gives you much better features and saves more time than the cost.

#How much should a small business spend on hiring software?

Most small businesses can manage effectively with $20-100/month. JuggleHire at $19-99/month covers all essential needs. Only spend more if you're hiring 20+ people per year or need specific advanced features.

#Do I need hiring software if I only hire 2-3 people per year?

You don't need it, but it helps. Even occasional hiring benefits from:

• Professional career page
• Organized candidate tracking
• Consistent communication
• Time savings on admin

At $19/month, JuggleHire pays for itself if it saves you 30 minutes per month.

#What's the difference between hiring software and an ATS?

ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is a type of hiring software focused on tracking candidates through your pipeline. "Hiring software" is a broader term that might include job boards, assessment tools, background checks, etc. For most small businesses, a good ATS is all the hiring software you need.

#Can I switch hiring software later?

Yes. Most hiring software lets you export candidate data. The bigger challenge is re-training your team. Choose a tool you can grow with for 2-3+ years to minimize switching costs.

#Making the Switch: From Spreadsheets to Software

#What to Migrate

• Active candidate information
• Job descriptions
• Email templates
• Interview processes

#What to Leave Behind

• Old, cold candidates (start fresh)
• Outdated job posts
• Manual processes that the software handles

#Timeline

#Conclusion

Small businesses deserve hiring software that fits their needs and budgets. You don't need enterprise tools to hire great people—you need the right tools.

Our recommendation:

• Most small businesses: JuggleHire at $19/month—simple, affordable, effective
• Growing companies: Workable at $149/month—more features, AI sourcing
• Hourly workers: Homebase—built for shift-based businesses
• All-in-one HR: BambooHR—hiring + full HR platform

Ready to upgrade from spreadsheets? Try JuggleHire free for 14 days—no credit card required, setup takes 10 minutes.

#Related Resources

• Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses
• Best Recruitment Software for Small Businesses
• Best Recruiting Tools for Small Businesses
• Hiring Strategies for Small Businesses
• How to Reduce Cost Per Hire