An HR CRM keeps every candidate you have spoken to in one searchable place, so last spring’s strong runner-up is one message away when the next role opens. The best tools pair that talent pool with automated follow-up, LinkedIn sourcing and a clean handoff into hiring. Recruit CRM, Recruiterflow and Bullhorn are built for recruiting from the ground up, while the other twelve tools here are flexible CRMs and business suites you shape around your own hiring process.
That gives you real choice on budget. Recruiting-native plans start at $95 to $119 per user, general CRMs start between $9 and $25, and Zoho, HubSpot and Odoo all offer free plans for small teams. We checked every price with the vendor and scored all 15 tools on the same eight parameters.
The sequence pricing I took out of the introduction (Pipedrive $39, monday $28, Recruit CRM’s one-sequence limit) is still on the page in the Watch for lines. It will also anchor the “What 5 recruiters actually pay” section of the guide.
Best HR CRM Software: Quick Summary
These are the HR CRMs we rank, scored on the same eight parameters. Five more providers with narrower strengths follow the detailed reviews.
-
- From
- $95/user
- Built for
- Recruiting agencies
- Pricing unit
- Per user
- Free plan or trial
- Free trial
Watch for: The Pro plan allows one email sequence, so unlimited nurture needs Business at $135 per user.
-
- From
- $119/user
- Built for
- Search firms
- Pricing unit
- Per user
- Free plan or trial
- Demo only
Watch for: There is no free trial, so you commit at $119 per user after a demo rather than a test run.
-
- From
- Quote only
- Built for
- Staffing agencies
- Pricing unit
- Per user
- Free plan or trial
- Demo only
Watch for: The $99 Starter plan is ATS only, and the recruitment CRM starts on the quote-only Pro tier.
-
- From
- $15/seat
- Built for
- General CRM
- Pricing unit
- Per seat
- Free plan or trial
- Free CRM
Watch for: Email sequences need a Sales Hub Professional seat, a large step up from the $15 Starter price.
-
- From
- $14/user
- Built for
- General CRM
- Pricing unit
- Per user
- Free plan or trial
- Free for 3 users
Watch for: There is no recruiting setup out of the box, so candidate modules and stages are yours to build.
-
- From
- $14/seat
- Built for
- General CRM
- Pricing unit
- Per seat
- Free plan or trial
- 14-day trial
Watch for: Lite has no automations, and nurture sequences start on Growth at $39 per seat.
-
- From
- $12/seat
- Built for
- General CRM
- Pricing unit
- Per seat, 3 minimum
- Free plan or trial
- 14-day trial
Watch for: Basic caps you at 1,000 active contacts, and email sequences start on Pro at $28 per seat.
-
- From
- $9/user
- Built for
- General CRM
- Pricing unit
- Per user
- Free plan or trial
- 14-day trial
Watch for: The $9 Solo plan covers one user, and automated workflows start on Growth at $99 per user.
-
- From
- $25/user
- Built for
- General CRM
- Pricing unit
- Per user
- Free plan or trial
- Free for 2 users
Watch for: Recruiting needs custom objects or partner apps, and the next tier, Pro Suite, costs $100 per user.
-
- From
- $24.90/userPromo
- Built for
- Business suite
- Pricing unit
- Per user
- Free plan or trial
- Free for one app
Watch for: The $24.90 Standard rate is a first-year discount that renews at about $31.10 per user.
Ranked by HRStacks score. Prices are the lowest published paid plan per user or seat per month on annual billing, in USD, as published on each provider’s own site in October 2026. Zoho and Odoo show region-specific prices, so their USD rates come from dated independent checks, and Odoo’s $24.90 is a first-year rate. Close’s $9 Solo plan covers one user and monday CRM sells a three-seat minimum. Bullhorn’s CRM tier is quote only and sorts last on price. Sorting changes the order only.
Detailed HR CRM Reviews
Each review below shows the plan that unlocks the features recruiters use most, not just the entry price. We checked every price with the provider and scored all ten on the same eight parameters.
Recruit CRM
Why we picked Recruit CRM
Recruit CRM keeps candidates, client contacts and job pipelines on one record, which is the core of what an HR CRM should do. The Pro plan at $95 per user already includes the Chrome sourcing extension, AI resume parsing and unlimited open jobs.
It earns our top marks for support and ease of use, backed by 464 public reviews averaging 4.9. Agencies that want ongoing nurture should budget for Business at $135, which unlocks unlimited email sequences.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Recruiterflow
Why we picked Recruiterflow
Recruiterflow is the only tool here that puts multichannel sequences, recruitment automation and API access in its base plan, at $119 per user on annual billing. The vendor states there are no add-ons, and the platform holds ISO 27001 and SOC 2 credentials, which matters when your CRM stores thousands of candidate profiles.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Bullhorn
Why we picked Bullhorn
Bullhorn is built around staffing work such as job orders, placements and client management, and the vendor reports 4,500+ small agencies on the platform.
The catch for this page is packaging. The $99 Starter and $165 Core plans are ATS tiers, and the recruitment CRM with AI search and match arrives on Pro, which is quote only.
Implementation is free on Starter, Core and Pro, and Core opens a marketplace of 300+ partner apps.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
HubSpot
Why we picked HubSpot
HubSpot’s free CRM has no time limit, and the Starter Customer Platform at $15 per seat on annual billing adds every hub at Starter level. For HR teams already sending employer brand email from HubSpot, candidates can sit next to that marketing data.
Recruiting stages and candidate properties are yours to build, and sequences need a Sales Hub Professional seat. Its 4,475 public reviews average 4.5.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Zoho CRM
Why we picked Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is free for up to 3 users, and Standard at $14 per user includes custom modules, multiple pipelines and built-in calling, enough to run a small candidate database. Zoho sells its recruiting product, Zoho Recruit, separately, so this pick suits teams that want one low-cost CRM for clients and candidates.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Pipedrive
Why we picked Pipedrive
Pipedrive’s visual pipeline is the clearest way on this list to see where every candidate stands, and Lite starts at $14 per seat with a 14-day trial.
Automations and nurturing sequences start on Growth at $39 per seat. Implementation is free on plans above $400 a year, and the marketplace connects 500+ apps.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
monday CRM
Why we picked monday CRM
monday CRM suits HR teams that already run projects in monday, because hiring boards, interview tasks and onboarding checklists share one workspace. Basic is $12 per seat with a three-seat minimum, and email sequences arrive on Pro at $28.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Close
Why we picked Close
Close bundles calling, SMS and email into every plan, which helps recruiters who screen by phone. Calls are passed through at cost, around $0.02 a minute for most outbound calls.
The $9 Solo plan covers one user, so teams start on Essentials at $35 per user, and automated workflows need Growth at $99.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Salesforce
Why we picked Salesforce
Salesforce makes sense when recruiting has to live inside an enterprise system. Free Suite covers two users, Starter Suite is $25 per user, and there is a 30-day trial.
Bullhorn’s Recruitment Cloud is built to run inside Salesforce, which shows how far the platform can be extended. Most teams will still need an admin or partner to model candidates, roles and stages.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Odoo
Why we picked Odoo
Odoo’s Recruitment app is free on its own for unlimited users, the cheapest way on this list to run a structured hiring pipeline. Adding a second app moves you to Standard at $24.90 per user in year one, rising to about $31.10, with every Odoo app included, Employees among them.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
OnePageCRM
Why we picked OnePageCRM
OnePageCRM turns every contact into a next action, so no candidate you promised to call back slips through. Its Action Stream sorts people by the follow-up that is due first, which suits recruiters who juggle dozens of warm conversations.
Professional costs $9.95 per user on annual billing with unlimited contacts, and chat and phone support come with every plan. Email sequences arrive on Max at $29.95.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
EngageBay
Why we picked EngageBay
EngageBay puts marketing email, a sales CRM and a help desk in one low-cost platform, and the free plan covers up to 15 users. For HR teams, that means talent newsletters and candidate follow-ups can run without a separate email tool, with the Sales and CRM plan from $11.69 per user on annual billing.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Agiled
Why we picked Agiled
Agiled combines CRM, projects, invoicing and HR management in one workspace, which suits small service firms that hire occasionally and do not want a separate HR tool.
Pricing is flat rather than per user. Starter is $24 a month for one seat, Pro is $59 for three seats with workflows and HRM, and extra seats cost $20.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Bitrix24
Why we picked Bitrix24
Bitrix24 charges a flat monthly price per user bundle, so a team of five pays $49 a month on annual billing and a team of up to 50 pays $99. That makes it the cheapest per-person option on this page once a team grows.
CRM, tasks, chat and video calls share one workspace. Email marketing and HR management tools arrive on Professional at $199 a month for up to 100 users.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Thryv
Why we picked Thryv
Thryv is built for local businesses that want to be found online, and its CRM keeps customer and contact history next to listings, reviews and social posting. Its published packages start at $99 a month and focus on marketing, so the CRM suits owner-led businesses that also hire, not dedicated recruiting teams.
HR CRM-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Every tool above was scored on the same eight parameters, which are set out in the methodology at the end of this page. The scores tell you which CRMs are strongest overall, but the right choice depends on how your team hires.
The guide below helps you decide three things: whether you need a recruiting-native tool or a general CRM you configure, which plan actually unlocks automated follow-up, and how to protect candidate data once your talent pool grows.
How to choose an HR CRM
Five factors separate the 15 tools on this page more than any feature list. Weigh them in this order and the shortlist usually writes itself.
Built for recruiting, or built by you
Recruiting-native tools ship with candidates, jobs and clients already modelled. General CRMs can hold the same data, but you design the fields, stages and views yourself.
Best equippedRecruit CRM, Recruiterflow, Bullhorn
The plan that unlocks follow-up
Automated nurture is why most teams buy a CRM for hiring, and it rarely sits on the entry plan. Check the plan that includes sequences, not the headline price.
Best equippedRecruiterflow includes sequences in its base plan
Sourcing from LinkedIn and the web
A browser extension that saves a profile into the CRM in one click saves hours each week. Without one, recruiters copy details by hand and data quality drops.
Best equippedRecruit CRM, Recruiterflow, Bullhorn, OnePageCRM
Consent and retention controls
A talent pool is personal data you keep on purpose. The CRM should record consent and help you delete profiles on schedule.
Best equippedRecruiterflow (ISO 27001, SOC 2), Recruit CRM (GDPR tools)
Three kinds of tools sold as HR CRM
Searches for HR CRM return three different products, and comparing across them is the most common buying mistake. Here is where each tool on this page sits.
Looking for employee records rather than candidates? A CRM manages people before they join. For records, leave and payroll after the hire, see our rankings of HRIS software and HR software.
Agency desk or in-house talent pool
The second split is who you recruit for. Agencies sell candidates to clients, while in-house teams nurture people for their own roles, and the tools reflect that.
Running an in-house team on a full ATS? Many applicant tracking systems now include candidate nurture. Compare them in our applicant tracking software ranking before adding a separate CRM.
What 5 recruiters actually pay
Entry prices are a poor guide, because automated follow-up usually sits one or two plans higher. This table shows the monthly cost for 5 users on annual billing, first on the entry plan and then on the plan that adds sequences or workflows.
| Provider | Entry plan, 5 users | Plan with sequences or workflows | That plan, 5 users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruit CRM | $475 | Business, unlimited sequences | $675 |
| Recruiterflow | $595 | Platform, included | $595 |
| Bullhorn | $495 (ATS only) | Pro, with recruitment CRM | Quote only |
| HubSpot | $75 | Sales Hub Professional | $500, plus $1,500 onboarding |
| Pipedrive | $70 | Growth | $195 |
| monday CRM | $60 | Pro | $140 |
| Close | $175 (Essentials) | Growth | $495 |
| Odoo | $0 (Recruitment app only) | Standard, all apps, year one | $124.50 |
| OnePageCRM | $49.75 | Max | $149.75 |
| Agiled | $99 (Pro, 3 seats plus 2 extra) | Pro, workflows included | $99 |
| Bitrix24 | $49 (Basic, 5 users) | Professional, email marketing | $199 |
Not shown: Zoho CRM, Salesforce, EngageBay and Thryv do not publish which plan includes sequences in a way we could verify, so ask them directly. Close also bills calls at cost, around $0.02 a minute.
Candidate consent and retention
A talent pool is a store of personal data you keep for future roles, so data protection rules apply from the first saved profile. These are the points your CRM needs to handle.
Check your own jurisdiction: the CNIL’s two-year guide is French guidance, and other regulators set their own expectations. Recruiterflow publishes ISO 27001 and SOC 2 credentials, and Recruit CRM provides GDPR tools. For wider context, see our employee privacy statistics.
From contract to first sequence
Setup time depends mostly on how much candidate history you bring with you. Vendors that publish migration timelines give a useful benchmark.
Both vendors also offer a free spreadsheet import, and Bullhorn includes implementation at no cost on Starter, Core and Pro. A typical rollout follows these steps.
Clean and export your candidate data
Remove duplicates and profiles past your retention period before anything moves.
Owner: Your recruiting team
Import and map fields
Use the free CSV import, or the vendor’s paid migration for large or messy databases.
Owner: You or the vendor
Connect email, calendar and sourcing tools
Sync inboxes so every conversation lands on the right profile, and install the browser extension.
Owner: Each recruiter
Set consent and retention rules
Decide how long pools are kept and how consent is captured before outreach starts.
Owner: HR lead with legal input
Launch your first nurture sequence
Start with one pool, such as silver-medal candidates from recent roles, and measure replies.
Owner: Your recruiting team
Five questions to ask every vendor
Demos show the best plan, not the one you are pricing. These questions surface the gaps before you sign.
“Which plan includes email sequences, and what do 5 users pay for it?”
“Which features in this demo are paid add-ons?”
“What is billed by usage, such as calls, texts or AI credits?”
“Can we record consent and delete profiles automatically after a set period?”
“How do we export candidates, notes and attachments if we leave?”
Narrow it down
Start from your main priority and the right tool follows. Each pick links to its full review above.
ATS and CRM in one for an agency
Candidates, clients and jobs on one record, with Chrome sourcing on Pro at $95 per user.
Daily outbound sequences
Multichannel sequences included in the $119 Platform Plan, with no add-ons.
Staffing at scale
Built for job orders and placements, with 300+ marketplace partners from Core.
Tightest budget
Free for up to 3 users, then $14 per user with custom modules for candidates.
Hiring next to your project boards
CRM and work management in one workspace from $12 a seat, three-seat minimum.
A free, structured hiring pipeline
The Recruitment app is free on its own for unlimited users.
HR CRM Software FAQs
Straight answers to the questions buyers ask most.
Conclusion
The best HR CRM is the one your recruiters will open every day. Agencies and teams that hire every week get the most from a recruiting-native tool such as Recruit CRM or Recruiterflow, while teams that hire occasionally can do well with a general CRM or a free plan.
The most common pricing surprise is follow-up automation. Pipedrive starts at $14 a seat, but its nurture sequences arrive on Growth at $39, so 5 recruiters pay $195 a month rather than $70.
Before you sign, run a two-week trial with one real talent pool and ask each vendor the five questions above. The tool that keeps your candidates warm with the least effort is the one to buy.
How We Score HR CRM Software
Every provider on this page is scored across these same eight parameters, using vendor pricing pages, product documentation and recurring themes in public reviews. Weights reflect what matters most when a CRM is used for hiring.
Pricing & Value
Entry price, the price of the plan that unlocks follow-up automation, free plans and trials, and add-ons or usage charges that change the real cost.
Candidate Database & Search
How well the tool stores, deduplicates and finds candidates, including resume parsing, custom fields and browser-based sourcing.
Outreach & Nurture Automation
Email sequences, multichannel outreach, reminders and workflows, and which plan they sit on.
Recruiting Workflow Fit
Whether candidates, jobs, clients and hiring stages work out of the box, or must be built from a general sales model.
Data Privacy & Consent
Consent recording, retention and deletion controls, permissions, and published security credentials such as ISO 27001 or SOC 2.
Platform & Integrations
Email and calendar sync, ATS and HR software connections, marketplace size and API access.
Customer Support
Support channels and hours by plan, onboarding help, and how public reviewers rate the support they receive.
Ease of Use
How quickly recruiters can get value without an admin, based on setup steps, interface clarity and review feedback.
