Vendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. The largest vendors in staffing agency software
cannot hold places 1 to 3. Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands in a category,
wherever the category has them; the established names follow from place 4 in their ranked order. How it works: placement disclosure ·
editorial process.
The 12 tools, reviewed
#1 Crelate
Recruiting CRM and ATS for agencies and search firms · United States · crelate.com
Published prices Open API Executive search
Crelate is the pick for an agency that wants to see a price before talking to anyone. Essentials covers the ATS, CRM, job portal and resume parsing at $85 per user, and Business at $119 adds the AI Assistant, client and team portals, reports and email connections.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Essentials $85 per user per month billed annually (up to 2 users, 20k contacts). Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Small agencies and search firms
- Strengths: Applicant tracking; Recruiting CRM; Client and team portals.
Where it falls short
Automation, sequences and the full API sit on Business Plus, which has no published price, so the headline $85 understates what a busy desk pays. Essentials caps accounts at two users.
Wrong for
A temp agency that pays workers weekly should look at TempWorks or Avionté first, since Crelate connects to payroll systems rather than running payroll.
Visit Crelate →
#2 Recruit CRM
AI-first ATS and CRM for recruitment agencies · United States · recruitcrm.io
Published prices AI credits 30-day trial
Recruit CRM is the cleanest buy for a recruiter-led agency that wants to compare tiers on one page. Pro includes the Chrome extension, email and calendar sync, a hiring manager portal and one hiring pipeline. Business at $135 adds multichannel sequences, white-labelled pages, custom job feeds, teams, an open API and SSO.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Pro $95, Business $135 and Enterprise $215 per user per month, with annual billing saving up to 17%; credits are pooled per account. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Desk recruiters wanting clear tiers
- Strengths: ATS and CRM; Chrome sourcing extension; Two-way email and calendar sync.
Where it falls short
Pro allows one hiring pipeline and 15 custom fields, so an agency with several desks outgrows it quickly. Credits are metered, and extra credits are bought separately. Data migration may carry costs.
Wrong for
A firm paying temps weekly needs a pay and bill product such as Avionté or TempWorks.
Visit Recruit CRM →
#3 Manatal
Low-cost recruitment software with ATS and CRM · Singapore · manatal.com
Lowest entry price Published prices No card trial
Manatal is where a three-person agency starts. The Professional plan costs $15 per user on annual billing and covers the core ATS, sourcing and career page, with unlimited hiring managers. Enterprise at $35 lifts the job and candidate caps and adds workflow automation. The trial runs 14 days without a card, and the site says users can be added without limit.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Professional $15 per user per month annual ($19 monthly), Enterprise $35, Enterprise Plus $55, Custom on request; 14-day free trial without a card. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Small agencies on a tight budget
- Strengths: Applicant tracking; Candidate sourcing; Career page.
Where it falls short
Professional is capped at 15 jobs and 10,000 candidates per account, and automation starts at Enterprise. Open API, SSO and custom permissions require Enterprise Plus. Export is limited to one free export a year for paid subscribers.
Wrong for
A temp agency that needs timesheets and payroll, or an agency needing a stated data region and a named legal entity before signing, should look at Avionté, TempWorks or Firefish.
Visit Manatal →
#4 Bullhorn
Staffing industry's largest ATS, CRM and back-office suite · United States · bullhorn.com
Largest vendor Back office Marketplace
Bullhorn is the vendor staffing firms usually benchmark everything against, and it earns that for firms that outgrow a recruiter-desk tool. The company says it serves more than 10,000 customers and that 80% of the world's largest staffing agencies use it.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Starter $99 and Core $165 per user per month; Pro, Max, Front Office, Middle Office and Onboarding quoted. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Growing agencies needing full back office
- Strengths: ATS and CRM; Search and Match; Resume parsing.
Where it falls short
Only Starter and Core show a price. Everything that makes it a back-office platform, including Pro, Max, Middle Office and Onboarding, is a quote. Amplify AI and Digital Workers sit on the higher tiers.
Wrong for
A two-recruiter boutique that wants a flat published price and a quick setup is better served by Manatal or Crelate.
Visit Bullhorn →
#5 Zoho Recruit
Recruiting software with a free staffing plan · India · zoho.com
Free plan Zoho ecosystem Client portal
Zoho Recruit makes sense for a one- or two-person agency that wants to try a real system without paying. The Free plan covers one active job with candidate management, email and interview scheduling, and the paid editions raise the active job limit to 100, 250 and 750. Professional adds screening, background checks and candidate portals.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Free plan with 1 active job. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Solo recruiters testing the market
- Strengths: Candidate management; Job site posting; Pipelines.
Where it falls short
The staffing page we read describes a client portal and candidate submissions but no invoicing, timesheets or payroll, and it says temp workers belong in a separate Zoho product, Workerly.
Wrong for
A temp agency that needs pay and bill inside one system should look at Avionté or TempWorks.
Visit Zoho Recruit →
#6 Recruiterflow
ATS and CRM with sales automation for agencies · United States · recruiterflow.com
Single published tier Sequences AI agents
Recruiterflow suits an agency whose growth depends on winning new clients. The one published Platform plan at $149 per user bundles ATS and CRM with multichannel sequences, recruitment and sales automation, access control for clients and teams, reports and API access. The company says it is trusted by more than 2,100 firms.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Platform plan $149 per user per month; AIRA plan quoted; no free trial stated on the pricing page. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Agencies running outbound business development
- Strengths: ATS and CRM; Multichannel sequences; Recruitment automation.
Where it falls short
The headline price is the highest per-user entry among the published prices, with only one tier to compare. No trial, annual price or user limits are stated, and the footer gives no address.
Wrong for
A small agency on a tight budget should look at Manatal or Crelate Essentials.
Visit Recruiterflow →
#7 Loxo
AI-driven recruiting platform with built-in talent database · United States · loxo.co
AI sourcing Credits Free migration
Loxo is a good fit for a recruiting or executive search firm that sources most of its candidates itself. Core covers the full ATS and CRM with unlimited jobs, candidates and companies, natural-language AI search and email sync, and migration is free for teams of three or more seats.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Core from $149 per user per month billed annually up front. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Search firms leaning on AI sourcing
- Strengths: ATS and recruiting CRM; Natural-language AI search; Talent database.
Where it falls short
Billing is annual and paid up front. Professional is quote-only, and its monthly credits can be topped up with Boost add-ons priced by sales. SSO and governance sit in Enterprise.
Wrong for
An agency wanting a monthly contract and a public price for the AI tier should look at Recruit CRM or Manatal.
Visit Loxo →
#8 JobAdder
Recruitment platform for agencies and talent teams · Australia · jobadder.com
Quote only Temp talent pools Open API
JobAdder is the regional pick for agencies in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The company says it was founded in Sydney in 2007, is headquartered there, has teams in New Zealand and the UK, and supports more than 4,000 agencies and in-house talent teams.
- Pricing: Quote only. Recruiter Lite, Essential, Pro and Business tiers, all by request; annual contracts standard; no trial stated. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Agencies in Australia, New Zealand and UK
- Strengths: ATS and CRM; Job ad multi-posting; Branded careers page.
Where it falls short
No amount appears on the pricing page, so budgeting needs a call. Temp and contractor pools and the open API start at Essential, and the sandbox and priority support at Pro. Annual contracts are standard.
Wrong for
A buyer who needs a published price before a demo should look at Crelate or Manatal.
Visit JobAdder →
#9 Firefish
Recruitment CRM for UK contract and temp agencies · United Kingdom · firefishsoftware.com
UK agencies Contract workflow Quote only
Firefish suits a UK agency that places permanent, contract and temporary candidates and wants one system to hold all three. Core covers the permanent workflow, Scale adds contract assignments, rates and timesheets, and Enterprise adds the temporary workflow with shift planning, availability, confirmations and client approval of timesheets.
- Pricing: Quote only. Core, Scale and Enterprise plans quoted by demo; add-on modules from GBP 150 each; pricing shaped by users, workflows and package. Free plan: none.
- Best for: UK permanent and contract agencies
- Strengths: Permanent workflow; Contract workflow; Temporary workflow.
Where it falls short
Prices are not published and the pricing page does not say whether billing is per user. The plan names on the grid do not match the button labels.
Wrong for
A US agency or one that needs payroll funding in-house should look at Avionté or TempWorks.
Visit Firefish →
#10 Ceipal
Staffing ATS with VMS and workforce management · United States · ceipal.com
VMS Quote only IT staffing
Ceipal is the option for a staffing firm that supplies contractors into larger clients and must work inside vendor management systems. The site lists an applicant tracking system, Procurewise VMS branded as Staffing Vendor Management, workforce management for employees, and an AI layer. Its healthcare segment lists credentialing and compliance, invoicing and workflow optimization.
- Pricing: Quote only. No prices published; the site offers a demo and a self-guided tour. Free plan: none.
- Best for: IT staffing firms with VMS clients
- Strengths: Applicant tracking; Staffing VMS; Workforce management.
Where it falls short
No plan, price or trial is published. The privacy policy and the terms of use list different suites at the same street address.
Wrong for
A small permanent desk with no VMS clients does not need this scope and should look at Manatal or Recruit CRM.
Visit Ceipal →
#11 TempWorks
Staffing software and payroll services for temp agencies · United States · tempworks.com
Payroll and billing Services Temp staffing
TempWorks is built around the part of staffing most desk tools skip: paying workers and billing clients. The site lists an ATS with job boards and onboarding, a CRM, and payroll processing, tax management, time management and ACA administration. It also sells services, including payroll funding in partnership with Lone Oak Payroll, tax processing and W-2 management.
- Pricing: Quote only. No prices published; demo and sales contact only. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Temp agencies running their own payroll
- Strengths: Applicant tracking; Client CRM; Job management.
Where it falls short
No price or trial is shown, and the site does not describe a vendor management system or an open API.
Wrong for
A permanent-placement boutique has no use for payroll and should choose Crelate or Recruit CRM.
Visit TempWorks →
#12 Avionté
All-in-one staffing platform with payroll and billing · United States · avionte.com
All-in-one Payroll and billing Mobile app
Avionté is the all-in-one choice for a staffing firm that wants recruiting, payroll and billing in a single platform. The site lists CRM and applicant tracking, payroll and billing, reporting and analytics, a mobile app for talent engagement that was formerly named WorkN, AI and automation, and APIs with pre-built partner integrations. The footer also links a VMS and a Pay product.
- Pricing: Quote only. No prices published; demo request only. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Light-industrial and temp staffing firms
- Strengths: CRM and ATS; Payroll and billing; Reporting and analytics.
Where it falls short
No pricing is shown, and the home page describes neither the VMS nor the Pay product in body text. It states no owner or legal entity suffix.
Wrong for
A recruiter-led desk with no temps on payroll should choose a lighter tool such as Manatal or Recruiterflow.
Visit Avionté →
Questions and answers
What is the best staffing agency software in 2026?
Crelate ranks first of 12, best for small agencies and search firms. Recruit CRM is second (desk recruiters wanting clear tiers) and Manatal third (small agencies on a tight budget). Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands, wherever the category has them.
What is the difference between an ATS and staffing agency software?
An ATS tracks applicants for one employer's open jobs. Staffing agency software tracks candidates, client companies, job orders per client, submissions and placements, because the agency sells people to many clients.
How much does staffing agency software cost per user?
The published entry prices we read are $15 per user per month at Manatal on annual billing, $85 at Crelate, $95 at Recruit CRM, $99 at Bullhorn Starter, and $149 at Recruiterflow and Loxo Core.
Which staffing agency software has a free plan?
Zoho Recruit lists a Free plan limited to one active job, with a 15-day trial of Enterprise features. Manatal and Recruit CRM offer free trials of 14 and 30 days. Loxo lists a 7-day trial of its Professional platform.
Which staffing agency software also handles payroll and billing?
TempWorks lists payroll processing, tax management, time management and billing for staffing agencies, and Avionté lists payroll and billing in its platform. Bullhorn offers Middle Office and says it pays 1.3 million workers monthly through it.
What is the cheapest staffing agency software for a small recruitment firm?
Manatal has the lowest published entry price at $15 per user per month billed annually, with a cap of 15 jobs and 10,000 candidates on that Professional plan.
Is there open source staffing agency software?
None of the twelve products we checked is open source. All are hosted commercial products, several with open APIs.
Does staffing agency software work for UK and EU agencies?
Firefish is built for UK contract, temporary and permanent agencies and lists its office in Glasgow. JobAdder is headquartered in Sydney with a London office.
What does a staffing agency need besides a CRM and ATS?
An agency that places temporary workers needs timesheet capture, pay and bill rules, client invoicing, compliant onboarding and, for larger clients, vendor management system access. TempWorks, Avionté and Bullhorn cover parts of that chain.
How long does it take to switch staffing agency software?
A desk-based agency can move in days if the vendor handles the import. Loxo states free migration for teams of three or more seats on Core, and Recruit CRM states onboarding is free although migration may carry costs.
Do staffing agency software vendors charge for AI features?
Often, yes. Recruit CRM gives each user a monthly pool of credits, 100 on Pro, 200 on Business and 2,000 on Enterprise, shared at account level. Loxo lists 2,500 credits per seat on Professional and sells Boost add-ons.
