Zoho Recruit vs Freshteam: Two Affordable ATS Tools Compared

Choosing the right applicant tracking system (ATS) can make a noticeable difference in how efficiently a business handles recruitment. For small to mid-sized companies, where every hire matters and budgets are closely managed, finding an affordable and reliable ATS is more than a convenience — it’s a necessity.

Zoho Recruit and Freshteam are two well-known options that often come up during this search. Both offer accessible pricing and useful features, but they cater to slightly different needs. This comparison is built to make that decision easier — breaking down the tools side by side to highlight their strengths, differences, and the type of team each one is best suited for.

Whether you’re managing hiring for a fast-growing startup or overseeing recruitment at an agency, this guide will help you understand which platform aligns best with your goals.

What This Blog Covers

This blog offers a detailed comparison between Zoho Recruit and Freshteam, two popular applicant tracking systems for growing businesses and recruitment teams. You’ll find:

• A quick side-by-side feature and pricing comparison
• Use case scenarios for different team types
• Pros and considerations for both platforms
• Insights into user experience, onboarding, and support
• Top alternatives to consider if you’re still exploring options
• A clear verdict to help you make a confident decision

Whether you’re managing hiring for a startup, HR team, or agency, this guide will help you choose the tool that fits your workflow, budget, and hiring goals.

Zoho Recruit vs Freshteam: Comparison Table

Feature	Zoho Recruit	Freshteam
Free Plan	✔️ Yes	✔️ Yes
Best For	Staffing agencies	In-house HR teams
Starting Price	$25/user/month	$1/employee/month
Job Boards	75+	15+
Onboarding Tools	Basic	Built-in
HR Suite	No	Yes

Zoho Recruit vs Freshteam: Tool Overviews

Zoho Recruit

Zoho Recruit is a dedicated applicant tracking system that’s part of the larger Zoho ecosystem. It’s designed to help recruiters streamline every step of the hiring process — from posting jobs to managing candidate pipelines. What sets it apart is its flexibility. Whether you’re working in a staffing agency or handling internal recruitment, Zoho Recruit offers custom workflows, automation rules, and powerful sourcing tools that can be tailored to fit different hiring needs.

It’s especially helpful for agencies managing multiple client accounts or hiring at scale, as it supports multi-channel job distribution and candidate relationship management within a single dashboard.

Ideal For – Best suited for recruitment agencies, staffing firms, and internal HR teams that need flexible workflows and custom automation. It works well for teams that handle high-volume hiring or manage multiple clients.

Freshteam

Freshteam is an all-in-one HR software built by Freshworks, focused on helping small to mid-sized businesses simplify their recruitment and employee management. In addition to applicant tracking, it includes tools for onboarding, employee records, and time-off management — making it a great pick for teams looking for a broader HR solution.

Its intuitive interface, quick setup, and built-in collaboration tools make it ideal for in-house HR departments. If your team is looking to centralize both hiring and basic HR operations, Freshteam offers a convenient way to do both from one platform.

Ideal For – In-house HR teams at growing startups and mid-sized businesses looking for an ATS that also handles onboarding and basic HR tasks like employee records and time-off tracking. A great match for companies building out their HR processes from the ground up.

Zoho Recruit vs Freshteam: Feature-by-Feature Comparison

When comparing Zoho Recruit and Freshteam, it’s helpful to look at how they perform across key hiring functions. Here’s a breakdown of where each tool stands:

Advanced Feature	Zoho Recruit	Freshteam
Resume Parsing	Advanced parsing with email & doc support	Available in higher plans, suitable for SMBs
Candidate Search	Boolean search, filters, tags, advanced search	Search by role, tags, pipeline stages
Custom Fields	Custom fields for jobs, candidates, clients	Basic custom fields for jobs & applicants
Role-Based Access	Granular control by user roles	Simplified access management for small teams
Document Management	Supports resume uploads, offer docs, etc.	Candidate & employee file storage built-in
Compliance Readiness	Supports compliance with Zoho HR tools	Organized document storage for easy access
Multilingual Support	Multiple languages & global job board reach	Primarily supports English markets
Global Hiring Tools	Time zones, localization, multi-region support	Functional for international teams
API Access	Open API, webhooks, developer documentation	Limited API with core integration capability
Integration Flexibility	Custom integrations possible via API	Best for basic external tool connections

Resume Parsing & Candidate Search

Zoho Recruit offers powerful resume parsing capabilities, letting recruiters extract key candidate information automatically from PDFs, Word documents, or even email attachments. It also features advanced search filters, Boolean search support, and tagging systems — making it easy to locate the right candidates quickly, even in large databases.

Freshteam includes resume parsing in its higher-tier plans. While its parsing tool is simpler compared to Zoho Recruit, it’s efficient enough for teams managing lower to moderate volumes of applicants. Users can search candidates using filters like role, tags, and pipeline stages, which is great for smaller teams working with a lean hiring process.

Custom Fields & Role-Based Access

Zoho Recruit allows users to create custom fields for jobs, candidates, clients, and more — ideal for agencies or internal teams that need to capture job-specific or client-specific data. It also supports complex user permissions, allowing admins to control who sees what across roles like recruiters, hiring managers, and clients.

Freshteam offers simpler custom field functionality, mainly for candidate and job data. Its role-based access is designed with smaller teams in mind, focusing on collaboration without overwhelming users with configuration options.

Document Management & Compliance

Freshteam helps HR teams stay organized by offering secure document storage for candidate resumes, offer letters, onboarding forms, and more. All documents are tied to either the candidate or employee record and can be accessed quickly whenever needed.

Zoho Recruit supports document uploads at various touchpoints in the hiring journey. While its document management is strong on the recruitment side, integration with other Zoho tools may be necessary if you’re looking for end-to-end HR compliance documentation.

Multilingual & Global Hiring Support

Zoho Recruit supports multiple languages and offers localization features that are useful for agencies working across countries or global organizations hiring in different regions. It also offers time zone support and integrations with international job boards.

Freshteam is primarily focused on English-speaking markets, though it can be used by global teams for internal hiring. It covers the basics well but doesn’t currently offer as much language localization.

API & Developer Tools

Zoho Recruit provides an open API, webhooks, and developer-friendly documentation, which is beneficial for businesses looking to build custom integrations or automate specific workflows beyond what’s available out of the box.

Freshteam also includes an API but with more limited endpoints. It’s a good fit for teams that want to connect a few key tools but may not need deep customization.

Pricing Plans Comparison: Zoho Recruit vs Freshteam

Plan	Zoho Recruit	Freshteam
Free	1 active job Basic candidate management Email management Interview scheduling	Up to 50 employees Basic applicant tracking Employee directory Email integration
Standard/Growth	$25/user/month (billed annually) 100 active jobs Resume parsing (250/day) Interview scheduling Job requisition management	$1/employee/month + $71 platform fee Custom hiring pipelines Job board integrations Time-off management
Professional/Pro	$50/user/month (billed annually) 250 active jobs Unlimited resume parsing Advanced analytics Client portal Background checks	$2/employee/month + $119 platform fee Advanced analytics Onboarding tools Interview scheduling
Enterprise	$75/user/month (billed annually) 750 active jobs AI candidate matching Custom modules Sandbox environment Advanced security features	Custom pricing Dedicated account manager Custom roles Priority support

Additional Notes:

• Zoho Recruit:
  • Free Trial: A 15-day free trial is available for all paid plans
  • Billing Cycle: Annual billing offers the best value; monthly billing is available at a slightly higher rate
  • Money-Back Guarantee: 45-day money-back guarantee for paid plans
• Freshteam:
  • Free Trial: A 21-day free trial is available for premium plans
  • Billing Cycle: Annual billing provides cost savings; monthly billing is available at a higher rate.

Zoho Recruit vs Freshteam: User Experience & Interface

Zoho Recruit

Zoho Recruit offers a structured and feature-rich interface that gives hiring teams full control over their workflows. The dashboard is organized into modules for candidates, job openings, clients, and interviews — making it easy to switch between tasks.

While there’s a slight learning curve in the beginning, especially for teams that are new to recruitment platforms, the customization options and depth of features are valuable once you’re familiar with the layout.

Its interface supports user roles, allowing different access levels for recruiters, hiring managers, and administrators — which adds a layer of clarity and control in team-based hiring environments.

Freshteam

Freshteam is designed with simplicity in mind. Its interface is clean, modern, and easy to navigate — ideal for teams that want to start using an ATS without much setup time. The menu structure is straightforward, and common actions like posting jobs, moving candidates through the pipeline, or scheduling interviews can be done in just a few clicks.

The overall experience feels smooth, even for those with limited technical experience. It’s especially well-suited for lean HR teams or startups that need to move quickly without diving into deep configurations.

Zoho Recruit vs Freshteam: Use Case Scenarios

Hiring Manager at a Tech Startup

Needs: Fast onboarding, clear candidate tracking, easy collaboration with a small team.

Best Fit: Freshteam
Freshteam is a solid match for startups hiring their first few employees or scaling rapidly. Built-in onboarding, a clean UI, and easy access for team members to leave notes or ratings help startup teams stay aligned.

The platform’s all-in-one structure reduces the need for additional HR tools — ideal for teams that want a single place to manage recruitment and basic employee data.

Recruiter at a Staffing Agency

Needs: High-volume candidate sourcing, custom workflows, detailed client management.

Best Fit: Zoho Recruit
For staffing agencies juggling multiple roles and clients, Zoho Recruit provides the control and customization needed to manage everything efficiently. Its advanced sourcing tools, resume parsing, and ability to create tailored workflows for each client make it a practical solution for agency recruiters.

The client portal and job requisition features also help streamline communication with clients during the hiring process.

HR Generalist at a 50-Person Company

Needs: Manage both recruitment and internal HR processes like onboarding and leave tracking.

Best Fit: Freshteam
For small to mid-sized companies, Freshteam offers the right balance between applicant tracking and HR management. From posting jobs to handling onboarding paperwork and maintaining employee records, everything can be done from one platform.

It reduces back-and-forth between systems and keeps things organized for teams that manage both hiring and HR tasks together.

Zoho Recruit vs Freshteam: Pros & Cons

Tool	Pros	Cons
Zoho Recruit	Customizable workflows 75+ job board connections Advanced automation and search	Requires time to configure More features to learn upfront
Freshteam	User-friendly interface Includes onboarding tools Quick to set up	Fewer third-party integrations Resume parsing in paid plans

Zoho Recruit

Pros

1. Customizable Workflows – Zoho Recruit lets users create custom stages, fields, and triggers to reflect their exact hiring process. This flexibility makes it ideal for recruiters managing different job types or client requirements.
2. 75+ Job Board Connections – The platform integrates with major global and niche job boards, helping recruiters post jobs widely without switching between platforms. It supports multi-channel posting from a single dashboard.
3. Advanced Automation and Search – From parsing resumes to setting up automated status updates, Zoho Recruit streamlines repetitive tasks. Its Boolean search and tagging features help find candidates faster, even in large databases.

Cons

1. Requires Time to Configure – The initial setup takes effort, especially when tailoring workflows, automations, and permissions. It’s powerful, but not plug-and-play out of the box.
2. More Features to Learn Upfront – Because the platform is packed with tools, new users may need time to understand how everything connects. It’s better suited to users who prefer depth and flexibility.

Freshteam

Pros

1. User-friendly interface – The layout is simple and clean, with clear navigation and a minimal learning curve. This makes it easy for first-time ATS users to adopt the software quickly.
2. Includes Onboarding Tools – Freshteam offers built-in tools to manage tasks like collecting documents, setting up welcome emails, and assigning onboarding checklists, reducing the need for extra tools.
3. Quick to Set Up – You can start using Freshteam right after sign-up with minimal configuration. It’s optimized for speed and simplicity, which is ideal for lean HR teams.

Cons

1. Fewer Third-Party Integrations – Freshteam works best when used with other Freshworks apps. Integration with external platforms (like Slack or LinkedIn) is limited compared to other ATS tools.
2. Resume Parsing in Paid Plans Only – While resume parsing is supported, it’s only available in premium tiers — teams on the free plan will need to input or review resumes manually.

Zoho Recruit vs Freshteam: Customer Support

Zoho Recruit

Zoho Recruit offers multiple support channels, including live chat, email, and phone support during standard business hours. Users on paid plans also get access to Zoho’s support portal, where they can submit tickets and track responses.

The platform has a detailed knowledge base, user guides, and video tutorials that help with setup and ongoing use. For larger teams or Enterprise plan users, Zoho provides access to a dedicated account manager and personalized onboarding support.

Key Support Highlights:

• Channels: Chat, Email, Phone (for paid users)
• Knowledge Base: Extensive documentation and tutorials
• SLA: Priority support available for higher tiers
• Dedicated Manager: Yes (on Enterprise plans)

Freshteam

Freshteam provides email and chat support across all paid plans and phone support for Enterprise users. The support team is known for quick, responsive assistance, particularly during onboarding or migration.

The platform includes a rich self-service help center and community forums that cover everything from setup to advanced features. Teams on higher plans may also get access to a customer success manager to guide them through the implementation process.

Key Support Highlights:

• Channels: Email, Chat (Phone support for Enterprise)
• Knowledge Base: Help center + community forum
• SLA: Response times vary by plan level
• Dedicated Manager: Available on top-tier plans

Conclusion

Zoho Recruit and Freshteam both offer valuable solutions, but their strengths cater to different needs. Zoho Recruit is ideal for staffing agencies or teams that need flexibility, automation, and deep customization in their hiring process. On the other hand, Freshteam stands out for its simplicity, built-in onboarding, and HR-friendly features, making it a great fit for growing startups and small businesses.

The right choice depends on your team structure, hiring volume, and whether you need a standalone ATS or one that’s part of a broader HR suite. Both platforms offer free plans and trials, so you can explore them firsthand before committing. Evaluate your internal workflow, tech stack, and future goals to pick the tool that aligns best.

Frequently Asked Questions