Best ATS with Free Trial (2026)
An ATS is a significant workflow commitment — once your team starts using it, switching costs are high. A free trial lets you test the actual product with real data before signing a contract, which is materially better than making a decision based on demos and sales calls alone.
Not all ATS free trials are equal. Some give full access to paid features for 14-30 days. Others restrict key functionality or limit you to a sandbox environment. A few platforms offer genuinely usable free plans that function as indefinite trials with feature caps. When evaluating, the trial length matters less than what you can actually test — focus on posting a real job, running candidates through the pipeline, and checking team collaboration features.
The 17 ATS platforms below all offer either a free trial or a free plan. They're ranked by overall user rating. If budget is your primary constraint, start with the free plan options (Breezy HR, Zoho Recruit). If you want to evaluate the best-rated tools, run trials of Manatal and Ashby — both offer full-access trials that give a genuine sense of the product.
Last updated: March 2026. Based on verified features, pricing, and user ratings.
| # | Tool | Rating | Starting Price | Free Plan | Free Trial | Best For | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ashby
All-in-one ATS, CRM, and scheduling with best-in-class analytics. Rapidly growing among tech companies and startups. |
4.8/5 | N/A | Yes | Yes | Mid-Market | Visit → |
| 2 |
Manatal
AI-powered ATS and recruitment CRM with social media enrichment. Very affordable with strong feature set... |
4.8/5 | $15/mo | No | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 3 |
100Hires
Simple, free ATS with Gmail and Outlook integration. Pipeline management and basic reporting for lean... |
4.8/5 | $69/mo | Yes | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 4 |
Homerun
Design-focused ATS with beautiful job posts and career pages. Built for small teams who care... |
4.7/5 | $79/mo | Yes | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 5 |
ClearCompany
Talent management platform covering ATS, onboarding, performance management, and workforce planning with goal-alignment capabilities for... |
4.6/5 | N/A | No | Yes | Mid-Market | Visit → |
| 6 |
Teamtailor
Employer branding-focused ATS with beautiful career site builder, employee advocacy tools, and collaborative hiring workflows. |
4.6/5 | N/A | No | Yes | All | Visit → |
| 7 |
Loxo
AI-powered talent intelligence platform combining ATS, CRM, and sourcing. Free forever plan available for solo... |
4.6/5 | $119/mo | Yes | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 8 |
ApplicantPro
Applicant tracking built for small to mid-sized businesses. Job posting, screening questions, and WOTC tax... |
4.6/5 | $90/mo | No | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 9 |
Recruitee (Tellent)
Collaborative hiring platform with strong recruitment marketing features including branded career sites, talent sourcing, and... |
4.5/5 | $199/mo | No | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 10 |
Workable
All-in-one recruiting platform with AI-powered sourcing, job board posting, and built-in assessments. Popular with growing... |
4.5/5 | $149/mo | Yes | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 11 |
Breezy HR
Visual drag-and-drop ATS with free forever plan. Modern interface with automated scheduling, scorecards, and EEOC... |
4.5/5 | $157/mo | Yes | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 12 |
Zoho Recruit
Part of the Zoho ecosystem. Full ATS with resume parsing, source boosters, and workflow automation.... |
4.5/5 | $25/mo | Yes | Yes | All | Visit → |
| 13 |
JazzHR
Affordable ATS for small businesses. Simple job posting, candidate tracking, and collaborative hiring at budget-friendly... |
4.3/5 | $49/mo | No | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 14 |
Freshteam
Part of Freshworks HRMS. ATS with job posting, applicant tracking, onboarding, and time-off management. Free... |
4.3/5 | $1/mo | Yes | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 15 |
Trakstar Hire
Simple ATS with job board distribution, candidate scoring, and interview scheduling. Part of the Trakstar... |
4.3/5 | N/A | No | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 16 |
GoHire
Simple, affordable ATS for small businesses and startups. Multi-channel job posting, customisable pipelines, and team... |
4.1/5 | $89/mo | No | Yes | SMB | Visit → |
| 17 |
Jobvite (Employ Inc.)
End-to-end talent acquisition suite including ATS, recruitment marketing, onboarding, and analytics. Part of Employ Inc.... |
4.0/5 | N/A | No | Yes | Mid-Market | Visit → |
How we chose these tools
Tools are ranked by overall rating, which combines user reviews from G2 and Capterra with our assessment of features, pricing, and ease of use. We only include tools with verified data. Pricing and features are checked against official sources. Learn more about our methodology.
1. Ashby
All-in-one ATS, CRM, and scheduling with best-in-class analytics. Rapidly growing among tech companies and startups.
2. Manatal
AI-powered ATS and recruitment CRM with social media enrichment. Very affordable with strong feature set for small teams and agencies.
3. 100Hires
Simple, free ATS with Gmail and Outlook integration. Pipeline management and basic reporting for lean teams.
4. Homerun
Design-focused ATS with beautiful job posts and career pages. Built for small teams who care about employer brand and candidate experience.
5. ClearCompany
Talent management platform covering ATS, onboarding, performance management, and workforce planning with goal-alignment capabilities for mid-sized organisations.
6. Teamtailor
Employer branding-focused ATS with beautiful career site builder, employee advocacy tools, and collaborative hiring workflows.
7. Loxo
AI-powered talent intelligence platform combining ATS, CRM, and sourcing. Free forever plan available for solo recruiters.
8. ApplicantPro
Applicant tracking built for small to mid-sized businesses. Job posting, screening questions, and WOTC tax credit processing.
How we evaluate tools
Our ratings combine verified user reviews from G2 and Capterra with hands-on feature analysis. Pricing is checked against official sources. We may earn a commission through affiliate links, but this never influences our rankings or recommendations. Read our full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ATS platforms offer free trials?
Many ATS platforms offer free trials, including Manatal (14 days), Breezy HR (free plan forever), Workable, GoHire, and several others. Trial periods typically range from 7 to 30 days with full access to paid features.
Should I use a free trial or a free plan?
Free trials give you full access to paid features for a limited time — good for evaluating whether the tool meets your needs. Free plans let you use the tool indefinitely but with feature limits. If you're evaluating, a free trial is better. If you want to use an ATS ongoing at zero cost, look for free plans.
What should I test during an ATS free trial?
Focus on the core workflow: posting a real job, reviewing applicants, moving candidates through stages, and team collaboration features. Also test integrations with your email and calendar, and check whether the reporting meets your needs. Don't just click around — run a real hiring process through it.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
Detailed side-by-side comparisons of popular tools from this guide:
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