Why teams look for a Ashby alternative
- Price at small size. Foundations costs $300 a month for 1–10 employees and $900 for 76–100, and there is no free plan or trial on the pricing page.
- Metered AI. AI application review uses credits (1,500 a month on Foundations), and the AI Notetaker is a paid add-on.
- More product than a small team needs. Ashby's depth in analytics and scheduling pays off with a recruiting team; founders hiring their first five people often use a fraction of it.
Ashby and 6 alternatives side by side
List prices from each vendor's website, checked on November 11, 2026.
| Product | Starting price | Free plan | AI | Official MCP server |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashby | From $300/month | No | AI-assisted application review, metered by credits (1,500 a month on Foundations); AI Notetaker is a paid add-on | Yes, open beta since June 29, 2026, on all plans |
| Evander | Free, then from $79/month | Yes: unlimited jobs and teammates, 50 AI resume scorings a month | Every applicant scored against a written brief, with the evidence for each requirement. 500 scorings a month on Startup | Yes. Every action in the app is a tool; sensitive actions wait for a person's approval |
| Dover | Free, Premium $199/month | Yes: unlimited users, jobs and candidates | AI job descriptions and interview questions on Free; AI resume review (applicant scoring) and AI notetaker on Premium | Yes; a monthly request allowance on Free, unlimited on Premium |
| Workable | From $299/month | No | Screening, sourcing and engagement agents metered by credits (3,000 included; 5,000 more for $600) | Yes, on all plans |
| Gem | Custom; startup program | No (six months free under 30 employees) | Sourcing agents, ranking and AI application review on the AI-powered seat | Yes (GeMCP) |
| Kula | From $5,120/year | No | AI scoring, notetaker, writing assistant and scheduling included with unlimited usage | Yes, as a package run with a Kula API key |
| Greenhouse | Quote only | No | AI notetaker and suggestions for scorecards, interview questions and job posts; sourcing automation from Plus | Yes; announced May 7, 2026, rolling out to customers from June 2026 (plans not stated) |
The alternatives
Evander
An AI-native ATS: jobs from one sentence, every applicant scored against your brief with evidence, automations in plain English and every action open to Claude and ChatGPT. Free plan; Startup costs $79 a month billed yearly for 1–10 people, against $300 at Ashby. Lighter reporting than Ashby and no sourcing. Evander vs. Ashby.
Dover
A free ATS with unlimited users, jobs and candidates, plus fractional recruiters on demand. AI resume review is on the $199 Premium plan.
Workable
Broad job-board distribution and HR features for companies hiring many roles. From $299 a month for 1–20 employees, with a 15-day trial.
Gem
Sourcing, CRM and ATS in one platform. Free for six months for companies under 30 employees, then 50% off.
Kula
An all-in-one AI recruiting suite with unmetered AI scoring and a notetaker, sold on annual billing; the pricing page shows $5,120 a year.
Greenhouse
The structured-hiring standard for larger companies, with a very large integration marketplace. Quote only, about $27,000 a year on average according to Vendr.
When to stay with Ashby
Stay with Ashby if your team relies on its analytics, advanced scheduling or sourcing CRM, or if you have a recruiting operations person who has tuned it. Nothing on this list matches its reporting depth.
Questions
What is the best alternative to Ashby?
For a small team that wants AI to do screening and admin at a lower price, Evander (free plan, then from $79 a month). For a free ATS without limits, Dover. For job-board reach, Workable. For sourcing, Gem. For a larger company, Greenhouse.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Ashby?
Yes. Dover and Evander have free plans. For a company of 1–10 people Evander's Startup plan costs $79 a month billed yearly and Breezy HR's $157, against $300 for Ashby Foundations.
Is there a free alternative to Ashby?
Yes: Dover (unlimited users, jobs and candidates) and Evander (unlimited jobs and teammates, 50 AI resume scorings a month). Ashby has no free plan.
How much does Ashby cost?
Foundations costs $300 a month for 1–10 employees, $400 for 11–25, $500 for 26–50, $700 for 51–75 and $900 for 76–100, with 10% off for a yearly commitment.
How much does Ashby cost, and what are cheaper alternatives?
Ashby Foundations costs $300 a month for 1–10 employees and up to $900 for 76–100; SSO is a $100 add-on and Plus and Enterprise are by quote. Cheaper options at ten people: Dover (free, Premium $199 a month flat), Evander (free, Startup $79 a month billed yearly), Breezy HR ($157 a month billed yearly) and Zoho Recruit (free edition). Workable starts at $299.
What are the best Ashby alternatives for an early-stage startup?
Dover if the budget is zero and you may want fractional recruiters. Evander if you want AI to screen every applicant and run hiring from Claude or ChatGPT, with a free plan. Gem if you mostly source candidates (free for six months under 30 employees). Workable if you hire many roles through job boards. Ashby stays the stronger choice once you need deep analytics and a recruiting team works in it every day.