Workable has long been known as a leading applicant tracking system (ATS), but recent user feedback makes clear that it’s not without its frustrations. While hiring managers praise its core recruiting strengths, many report that key areas fall short. For example, reporting often requires external BI tools to be effective, and the platform lacks flexibility in talent pooling, CRM-style outreach, and region-specific workflows. Some users also find the candidate experience clunky, like needing to scroll repeatedly through profiles just to access attachments or social links.
These points don’t erase Workable’s strengths, but they do explain why many businesses look to alternatives that combine recruiting with broader HR capabilities like onboarding (which Workable indeed has!), payroll, and performance management. This guide walks through the best Workable alternatives for companies that want both strong recruiting power and end-to-end HR tools in one platform.
Why Companies Look for Workable Alternatives
Workable is excellent at what it was built for: recruiting. Its applicant tracking system is robust and well-regarded, but that focus also highlights its biggest limitation. For businesses that want a single platform to manage both hiring and HR, Workable can feel limited. Its main challenges are:
- Recruitment-only scope: Beyond posting jobs, screening candidates, and managing interviews, Workable doesn’t cover properly the rest of the employee life cycle. This forces many companies to adopt extra systems and create silos and inefficiencies.
- Workable pricing challenges: Workable is priced more like recruitment software than an all-in-one HR solution. For small or early-stage businesses, the costs can feel high, especially when additional HR software is still needed to cover day-to-day operations.
- What businesses really want: More companies today are looking for systems that unify recruiting with deeper HRIS capabilities. That means a platform that combines ATS features with a robust set of features, advanced reporting capabilities, and increasingly, AI automation (for candidate screening and also for routine HR admin tasks).
Basically, it’s strong for hiring managers who need to coordinate candidates, but it doesn’t support the rest of the employee lifecycle in an accessibleway.
Key Features to Look for in a Workable Alternative
If Workable feels too limited for your business, the next step is to look for a platform that covers both broad recruiting capabilities (like unlimited job posting and interview scheduling) and HR. Not every system will fit the bill, so it’s worth focusing on the features that matter most for growing teams:
- End-to-end HRIS: An effective alternative should support the entire employee lifecycle: posting jobs, managing applications, onboarding, payroll, and performance reviews. Having everything under one roof reduces data entry, keeps records consistent, and saves time.
- Customizable workflows: Every business has its own way of hiring and managing people. A good platform lets you adapt processes (such as approvals, onboarding steps, or review cycles) to match your existing workflows instead of forcing you into rigid templates.
- AI-driven automation: AI in HR can cut hours of manual work each week. Look for tools that use it to screen candidates, draft job descriptions, or automate repetitive HR admin tasks like sending reminders or flagging missing documents.
- Affordability and transparent pricing: For smaller companies especially, clear and predictable costs are non-negotiable. The best platforms have tiered plans that scale with team size, without hiding essentials like onboarding or time-off tracking behind expensive add-ons.
- Scalability for growing teams: A platform should feel lightweight at 10 employees but still handle 100 or more without friction. Look for systems that add features, integration capabilities, and reporting depth as your company grows, so you’re not forced to switch tools in the middle of scaling.
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Best Workable Alternatives for All-in-One HR Systems
If Workable feels too narrow for your needs, the good news is there are plenty of platforms that go beyond recruiting. The best alternatives combine a strong applicant tracking system with broader HRIS features. Some even layer in AI to automate repetitive admin tasks or surface stronger candidates faster.
Below are some of the top Workable alternatives that deliver both hiring and HR capabilities in one platform:
TalentHR: An All-in-One HR Platform with a Smarter ATS
TalentHR is built to give small and mid-sized businesses (that may not have a dedicated HR team) a full suite of automation tools without the enterprise-level complexity or price tag. Out of the box, it covers the essentials: employee records, onboarding, time-off tracking, performance reviews, document management with e-signatures, and people analytics. Startups can get going with a free plan for up to 10 users, which makes it especially attractive to early-stage teams that want structure without stretching their budgets.
Where TalentHR has recently raised the bar is in recruiting. Its applicant tracking system (ATS) has been upgraded to better reflect the realities of modern hiring, where candidates arrive through multiple channels and processes often evolve midstream. Key improvements include:
- Adding candidates manually to any open job, so referrals or sourced candidates don’t get lost in spreadsheets or email chains.
- Autofilling candidate profiles like uploaded CVs, cutting down on manual data entry and keeping records consistent.
- Customizable hiring pipelines that let teams add, remove, or rename stages per role. For example, adding a “Skills Test” or “Panel Interview” where needed.
- Attrition tracking alongside hiring reports, giving visibility into whether new hires are driving real growth or just replacing churn.
These additions build on existing features like AI-powered suitability scoring, potential job board integrations (made easier thanks to the Zapier integration), and task automation during the onboarding process.
- Pricing: Free plan for up to 10 users. Paid plans start at $2 per user/month for Essential and $4 per user/month for Premium, which includes advanced features like performance management, surveys, and e-signatures. A 14-day free trial of Premium is available.
- Best for: Startups and SMBs that want a cost-effective, all-in-one HR system with a modern ATS that adapts to their real hiring workflows.
BambooHR: User-Friendly HR with Broad Adoption
BambooHR is widely adopted by small businesses and staffing agencies that want a user-friendly and modern system. Its clean interface makes it easy for both HR staff and employees to manage essentials like employee records, onboarding, performance reviews, and reporting. The system is designed to centralize HR data in a way that helps teams access key information without wading through cluttered menus or overly complex workflows.
That said, many users find payroll integration restricted, particularly for global or international needs, which can make processes feel more manual than automated. Pricing is another concern. The platform does not publish its costs publicly, and there’s no free plan. Businesses must contact sales for a custom quote, and expenses tend to increase as soon as add-ons (such as payroll, compliance, or advanced reporting) are required.
- Pricing: Quote-based; BambooHR doesn’t publish prices publicly, and businesses must contact sales for a tailored plan. No free plan is available.
- Best for: Small to mid-sized businesses that want a widely adopted, user-friendly HR system and don’t mind paying extra for add-ons or advanced features.
HiBob: Modern HR for Mid-Sized and Scaling Companies
HiBob, often branded simply as “Bob,” is aimed at fast-growing startups and mid-sized organizations that need flexibility and modern design. It brings together core HR functions (like employee databases, onboarding workflows, time-off management, and performance reviews) into a platform that feels more contemporary than many traditional HRIS systems. Its strength lies in configurability: companies can adjust policies, review cycles, and workflows to reflect how they actually operate, rather than forcing teams into rigid templates.
However, that modular approach can also be a drawback. Features such as surveys or advanced performance tools are sold separately, and businesses must request a custom quote to understand pricing. This lack of transparency makes direct comparisons harder for smaller firms weighing multiple platforms.
- Pricing: Custom quote-based; pricing varies depending on team size, required modules, and geography.
- Best for: Mid-sized companies and scaling startups that want a flexible, modern HR system with strong configuration options, but are prepared for modular pricing.
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How to Choose the Right Workable Alternative
The best choice will depend on how your company operates today and how it plans to grow in the future. A few key considerations can help narrow the field:
- Company size and hiring volume. A startup hiring a handful of people each year has very different needs from a scale-up onboarding dozens of new employees per quarter. Smaller teams often benefit from lightweight systems with simple workflows, while larger organizations may require deeper functionality, such as workforce planning or performance analytics.
- Budget vs. feature depth. Costs can escalate quickly if core features (like onboarding, payroll, or reporting) are locked behind add-ons. Before committing, ask: Does this platform provide the essentials within my budget, or will I need to keep paying for extras as I grow?
- AI and automation. Consider how much efficiency your team could gain from automating repetitive HR admin tasks. Tools with AI-powered candidate screening, automated workflows, or reminders can reduce manual effort and free up time for more strategic work.
- Global vs. local HR. Companies hiring internationally will need features like multi-country payroll, localized contracts, and compliance tracking. On the other hand, firms focused on one region can prioritize systems with strong local compliance, like GDPR in Europe or state-level payroll in the U.S.
- Integrations with existing tools. Finally, think about your tech stack. Does the platform connect easily with tools you already use, like Slack, Google Workspace, or your accounting software? Smooth integrations can save hours of duplicate work and keep information flowing securely across the business.
Workable Alternative: Try TalentHR
Workable remains a strong choice for the recruitment process, with one of the most widely used applicant tracking systems on the market. But for many companies, the hiring process is just the first step.
This is exactly why many businesses turn to all-in-one HR solutions. By combining ATS features with broader HRIS functionality, they provide much more value: they automate processes, cut down on manual work, and give teams the flexibility to scale without juggling multiple systems.
If you’re looking for an affordable HRIS that’s still modern and broad, TalentHR is worth looking at. Register now for free (no credit card needed) and try its full HR suite alongside its upgraded ATS.
Workable Alternatives FAQs
Q: What is the best alternative to Workable for small businesses?
A:The right alternative depends on your priorities. For startups and small teams, TalentHR stands out with its free plan, simple setup, and full HRIS features. If you want a widely recognized system with a user-friendly interface, BambooHR is another option. Companies with mid-sized teams often consider HiBob for its configurability.
Q: Does Workable include full HRIS features?
A: Workable has grown well beyond being just an ATS. That said, most users still see Workable as the strongest in recruiting. While its HR tools are useful, they aren’t always as deep or flexible as those in true all-in-one HR systems. For businesses comparing Workable pricing with other ATS platforms or HR suites, this balance between strong recruiting and lighter HR coverage is a key consideration.
Q: What features should I look for in an all-in-one HR system?
A: Look for platforms that combine recruiting with HR essentials in a single system. That includes end-to-end HRIS functionality (employee records, onboarding, payroll, and performance), customizable workflows that adapt to your processes, AI automation for tasks like candidate screening or reminders, and scalability so the software grows with your team. Transparent pricing and integrations with career pages and tools like Slack or Google Workspace are also key.