What an explainable score looks like
| Opaque score | Explainable score | |
|---|---|---|
| Output | A number or a "match" label | A number plus one check per requirement |
| Evidence | None, or a general summary | The line in the resume behind each check |
| Missing requirements | Hidden in the number | Named: "no sign of managing a team" |
| Criteria | Set by the vendor's model | Written by you, per role, and editable |
| Correction | Ignore the score | Override it; the override is recorded |
| Record | None | Score, checks and decision kept per candidate |
The difference matters for two reasons. You can only trust a ranking you can check, and a strong candidate who describes their work in unusual words is caught when you can see which requirement was marked missing. And the law in the EU and New York City expects human oversight and a record of how automated tools were used; see what the law expects.
Which ATS products screen with AI
From each vendor's own pricing and product pages, checked on November 11, 2026. The table shows what each offers and how it is charged; it does not show how much reasoning each displays, which we could not verify from public pages.
| Product | AI | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Ashby | AI-assisted application review, metered by credits (1,500 a month on Foundations); AI Notetaker is a paid add-on | From $300/month |
| Kula | AI scoring, notetaker, writing assistant and scheduling included with unlimited usage | From $5,120/year |
| Gem | Sourcing agents, ranking and AI application review on the AI-powered seat | Custom; startup program |
| Dover | AI job descriptions and interview questions on Free; AI resume review (applicant scoring) and AI notetaker on Premium | Free, Premium $199/month |
| Workable | Screening, sourcing and engagement agents metered by credits (3,000 included; 5,000 more for $600) | From $299/month |
| Manatal | AI recommendations with scoring, candidate enrichment and AI Copilot on all plans; AI Interviewer is an add-on | From $15/user/month |
| Pinpoint | AI match score, notetaker, candidate filters and a hiring copilot | Quote only |
| Zoho Recruit | AI included from Standard; AI candidate matching on Enterprise | Free, paid per recruiter |
| Evander | Every applicant scored against a written brief, with the evidence for each requirement. 500 scorings a month on Startup | Free, then from $79/month |
A five-minute test for any vendor
- Bring three real resumes for one role: one clear yes, one clear no and one borderline candidate who uses unusual words.
- Write the requirements yourself. If you cannot change the criteria the model uses, you are trusting the vendor's idea of the role.
- Ask why the borderline one scored as it did. You should see each requirement, met or missing, with the evidence.
- Override a score. Check that the change is kept and visible to the team.
- Ask what is never considered. Age, gender, ethnicity, nationality and religion should be excluded by design, and equal-opportunity answers kept away from the model.
- Ask how it is billed. Included, capped per month or metered by credits; screening that stops mid-month leaves applicants unread.
How screening works in Evander
You write a screening brief for the role: three to five must-haves, either/or profiles and bonuses. Every applicant is checked against each requirement, and each check links to the evidence in the resume, so you see why someone scored 91 or 34 and can correct the brief when it is wrong. Overrides become examples for later scoring. The score ranks; people decide who moves forward. Voluntary equal-opportunity answers are stored apart and never reach the model. The free plan includes 50 scorings a month and Startup 500.
Questions
Which ATS screens resumes with AI and shows why?
Ashby, Kula, Gem, Dover, Workable, Manatal, Pinpoint, Zoho Recruit and Evander all screen or rank applicants with AI. Evander shows one check per requirement of your written brief, each with the evidence from the resume. For other products, test in a demo with your own resumes, because their public pages do not say how much reasoning is shown.
Is AI resume screening accurate?
It is as good as the requirements it checks against. Written must-haves and visible evidence per requirement make it checkable; a single score without reasons cannot be checked. Always review borderline candidates yourself.
Does AI resume screening reject candidates automatically?
It should not decide alone. Under GDPR Article 22 decisions based solely on automated processing are restricted, and the EU AI Act classes recruiting AI as high-risk with human oversight. Use the score to rank and keep a person in every rejection.
How is AI screening charged?
Three ways: included without limits (Kula), included up to a monthly cap (Evander: 50 a month free, 500 on Startup), or metered by credits (Ashby, Workable). Dover includes AI resume review in its $199 Premium plan.