Side-by-side record

15Five vs. SmartRecruiters

A side-by-side view of the product records we have today. Use it to narrow the question, then confirm current pricing, limits, and security details with each vendor.

The short version

15Five starts at $4 per seat, versus SmartRecruiters at $10,000. SmartRecruiters carries the higher aggregate rating (9.5/5 vs 4.7/5).

Full comparison

	15Fivefrom $4 per user/mo	SmartRecruitersfrom $10,000 per month
Audyense Score	80ASStrong	29AS*Low
Positioning	AI-powered performance management platform for engagement, reviews, and manager effectiveness	SmartRecruiters is a recruiting software designed for the modern workforce, providing everything you need to attract, select and hire great talent.
Free tier	No	Yes
Deployment	Cloud / SaaS	Cloud / SaaS
Best fit	SMB, Mid-market, Enterprise	Startup, SMB, Mid-market
Pricing plans	Engage$4 Perform$11 Total Platform$16	Free or entry planFree Higher tiersCustom pricing
Applicant tracking (ATS)	NoNot an ATS; integrates with HR systems instead	—
Benefits administration	No	—
Employee directory & org chart	NoSyncs people data from HRIS integrations rather than acting as the directory of record	—
Mobile app	PartialMobile apps exist but reviewers report navigation issues and missing features vs web	—
Employee onboarding	No	—
Payroll	No	—
Performance reviews	YesCore product: AI-assisted reviews, 360° feedback, talent matrix	—
Public API	YesAPI and SFTP listed on the integrations page	—
Reporting & dashboards	YesHR Dashboard, Insights Dashboard, heat maps; reviewers note limited customization	—
Time-off & PTO management	No	—
Multi-Board Job Posting	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
One-Click Apply	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Applicant Progress Tracking	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Custom Interview Scorecards	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Interview Scheduling Tools	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Collaborative Response & Review Sharing	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Mobile Hiring App	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Consistent Branding	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Job Aggregators Distribution	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Social Media Job Distribution	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Employee Referral Portal	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Personalized Auto-Responder	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Facebook Synchronization	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Mobile-Friendly Career Site	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Integrations verified	15+	—
Aggregate rating	4.7 · 895 reviews	9.5 · No reviews yet
Integrations	SlackMicrosoft TeamsWorkdayBambooHRADPRippling+9 more	—
Security & compliance	SOC 2GDPRPIPEDAISO 27001 data centers	—
Pros	Weekly check-in cadence keeps feedback frequent and transparent, making performance conversations continuous rather than annual Structured 1-on-1s centralize conversation history and action items, which managers cite as a standout Goal/OKR tracking is straightforward, with strongly positive reviewer sentiment on progress monitoring High Fives peer recognition is popular and boosts team morale	Independent review documents a concrete business workflow Documented capability: Multi-Board Job Posting Documented capability: One-Click Apply Documented capability: Applicant Progress Tracking Documented capability: Custom Interview Scorecards
Cons	Survey and check-in questions can feel rigid and repetitive, and are hard to customize Mobile experience lags the web app, with navigation issues and missing features Reviewers call pricing higher than market value, and SSO is gated to higher plans Reporting and analytics customization is limited, and navigation between the growing feature set can be confusing	Pricing and usage limits should be checked against the exact plan Implementation effort depends on the team's data and process maturity Reported outcomes should be validated with the buyer's own data
	Visit 15Five ↗	Visit SmartRecruiters ↗

Editorial read of this comparison

The table summarizes structured facts; this section explains what the differences mean for a real buying decision.

Where each tool fits, and where it may not

15Five

15Five is a performance management platform that combines weekly check-ins, OKR/goal tracking, engagement surveys, 360° feedback, and structured 1-on-1s in one system. It targets mid-market and enterprise HR teams and pairs the software with manager training and coaching add-ons to improve manager effectiveness and retention.

A particularly good fit for: Mid-market HR teams that want check-ins, OKRs, reviews, and engagement surveys in one system instead of separate point tools Organizations investing in manager effectiveness, given the built-in training, coaching, and microlearning add-ons Teams replacing annual reviews with a continuous-feedback model built on weekly check-ins and structured 1-on-1s

May be a poor fit if: Companies needing a core HRIS — 15Five has no payroll, benefits, ATS, or time-off management Budget-constrained small teams — reviewers flag above-market pricing and SSO locked to higher tiers

SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruiters is a recruiting software designed for the modern workforce, providing everything you need to attract, select and hire great talent. Its comprehensive recruitment marketing tools let you promote new opportunities internally and externally. With its selection tools, you get to experience robust applicant tracking, complemented by deep collaboration tools for identifying the right fit for your organization. SmartRecruiters features digital offer management and pre-integrated onboarding, which allows a seamless team welcome for your new hires. It lets you search your own data with ease, crucial when you consider how your database grows with your company. The application is supported by SmartAssistant, the industry’s first and only native AI-powered recruiting service, giving you an intelligent sidekick for finding the talent you need. SmartAssistant helps eliminate subjectivity by enabling hiring teams to align faster and identify quality talent more easily using data science to back selection decisions. From its core recruiting power to its smart engine, SmartRecruiters lets you virtually future-proof your hiring process with functionalities that deliver value over the long-term, including unified information architecture, built-in collaboration tools, and improved productivity through machine-learning.

A particularly good fit for: B2B teams evaluating HR and People software Teams that need documented workflow capabilities and fit guidance Organizations willing to validate implementation and plan limits

May be a poor fit if: Teams seeking a workflow outside the product's documented focus Teams needing unlimited usage without plan limits

Pricing and plan structure

15Five: Published starting price $4 per user/mo

Engage$4 per user/mo (billed annually)
Perform$11 per user/mo (billed annually)
Total Platform$16 per user/mo (billed annually)

SmartRecruiters: Published starting price $10,000 per month

Free or entry planFree
Higher tiersCustom pricing

Capabilities worth validating

15Five: Mobile app, Performance reviews, Public API, Reporting & dashboards Integrations include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Workday, BambooHR.
SmartRecruiters: Multi-Board Job Posting, One-Click Apply, Applicant Progress Tracking, Custom Interview Scorecards, Interview Scheduling Tools

Questions to answer before switching

Does 15Five's selected plan include the features and limits we need?
Does SmartRecruiters's selected plan include the features and limits we need?
Does the exact integration path for Slack, Microsoft Teams, Workday support the sync direction, permissions, and volume we need?
Is a hosted-only deployment acceptable for the team and customers who will use this system?

How to evaluate this shortlist

A useful comparison turns the differences between HR & People tools into a concrete test. Use these steps to avoid choosing from a feature table or the lowest headline price alone.

Start with a representative HR & People workflow, not a feature checklist. Define who will use it, what data goes in, and what outcome the team needs.
Test the complete path through Slack, Microsoft Teams, Workday: permissions, sync direction, failure handling, and volume limits often matter more than the integration name.
Compare the cost of the real scenario, including users, usage, storage, support, and contract requirements. The entry price alone does not measure adoption cost.
Before switching, list the evidence gaps, request a demo of the critical workflow, and confirm security, data residency, export, and support with each vendor.

Structured signals help narrow the shortlist, but a trial with a real workflow is still the best way to validate the decision.

Research basis

Last checked: 2026-08-18. Pricing, integrations, feature support, and review signals can change, so treat this as a research snapshot and verify the final decision with the vendor.

Sources consulted: 15Five product site, Capterra, G2; SmartRecruiters product site, FinancesOnline review, Vendor website