{"id":52587,"date":"2024-06-05T12:32:13","date_gmt":"2024-06-05T12:32:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/?p=52587"},"modified":"2026-01-27T14:55:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T14:55:32","slug":"what-is-an-applicant-tracking-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/what-is-an-applicant-tracking-system","title":{"rendered":"What is an Applicant Tracking System? A Complete Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In an era of self-driving cars and other technical wonders, it&#8217;s high time for recruiters to <strong>stop wasting time reading resumes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest advancements in HR in recent decades is the applicant tracking system (ATS), a tool that can help you save time and money and hire better people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, as with most software and tools, an ATS is only really effective if you&#8217;re <strong>using the right one and taking advantage of all its features and functions<\/strong>. Here&#8217;s what to know about how applicant tracking systems work and why <em>every<\/em> modern workplace should use one for hiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">TL;DR \u2014 Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><p><strong>An ATS is a type of <a href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/recruiting-tools\">recruitment software <\/a>that helps businesses hire faster and better, with many key time-saving features, <\/strong>such as resume parsing, automated job posting, applicant status tracking, interview scheduling, and more.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Applicant tracking systems are used to <strong>filter resumes, scan and sort applicants, track candidate journeys, <\/strong>and maintain timely communication.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>The main <strong>benefits of an ATS include<\/strong> automated screening, improved collaboration, improved candidate experience, compliance with hiring regulations, shorter time to hire, better <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/quality-of-hire\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"quality of hire\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"433\">quality of hire<\/a>, and a faster and fairer hiring process.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Some of <strong>the best applicant tracking systems<\/strong> include Manatal, Workable, Recruitee, and others. They can cost anywhere from $20 to thousands of dollars per month.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is an ATS?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that helps businesses <strong>streamline and organize recruitment processes<\/strong> and identify top talent at a fraction of the time and cost compared to manual effort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With an ATS, a company can automate key recruitment activities, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><p>Put up a <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/make-job-ad-that-attracts-candidates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"job posting\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"2367\">job posting<\/a> online<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Receive and parse resumes to find the best applicants<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Track the status of each applicant<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Inform applicants about their progress<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Send out interview invitations<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Close out the hiring process and even help out with onboarding<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see below, companies of all sizes, from startups to Fortune 500 businesses, use an ATS in some form because of the many benefits, making it a no-brainer regardless of your size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-20-780x1024.png\" alt=\"Who uses ATS?\" class=\"wp-image-52590\" srcset=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-20-780x1024.png 780w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-20-228x300.png 228w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-20-768x1008.png 768w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-20-308x404.png 308w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-20-579x760.png 579w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-20-614x806.png 614w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-20-85x112.png 85w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-20.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.selectsoftwarereviews.com\/blog\/applicant-tracking-system-statistics\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ATS vs. candidate relationship management software<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The terms &#8220;applicant tracking system&#8221; and &#8220;candidate relationship management software&#8221; are often bundled together, but they&#8217;re not <em>exactly<\/em> the same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An <strong>ATS focuses on the application process<\/strong>, while candidate relationship management software is a tool for building and maintaining relationships with candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, many ATS tools already come with the candidate relationship management feature out of the box, but it&#8217;s one of several features offered to help streamline and improve the hiring process.<\/p>\n\n\n        <div class=\"mb-8\">\n            <span class=\"block text-dark-purple-100 opacity-60 uppercase mb-2 text-sm font-bold\">Further Reading:<\/span>\n            <div class=\"border-t-[3px] border-b border-yellow-100 py-4 pb-2 lg:grid lg:gap-8 lg:grid-cols-2\">\n                                    <div class=\"mb-4 lg:mb-2\">\n                        <a class=\"flex items-center hover:italic hover:text-dark-purple-80\" href=\"\" title=\"\" aria-label=\"\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rounded-full w-14 h-14 mr-4 object-cover\" src=\"\" alt=\"\" width=\"56\" height=\"56\">\n                            <span class=\"font-semibold font-heading leading-snug\"><\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"mb-4 lg:mb-2\">\n                        <a class=\"flex items-center hover:italic hover:text-dark-purple-80\" href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/full-recruitment-cycle\" title=\"Full-Cycle Recruiting: What It Is &amp; Tips for Success\" aria-label=\"Full-Cycle Recruiting: What It Is &amp; Tips for Success\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rounded-full w-14 h-14 mr-4 object-cover\" src=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-Cycle-Recruiting_-What-It-Is-Tips-for-Success-112x68.png\" alt=\"Full-Cycle Recruiting: What It Is &amp; Tips for Success\" width=\"56\" height=\"56\">\n                            <span class=\"font-semibold font-heading leading-snug\">Full-Cycle Recruiting: What It Is &amp; Tips for Success<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    \n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ATS vs. manually filtering job seekers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An applicant tracking system can&#8217;t replace a member of your hiring team, but it can help them do their jobs better by <strong>filtering top candidates for your job openings faster, cheaper, and more accurately<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;ve probably heard of the famous statistic that it takes a recruiter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theladders.com\/static\/images\/basicSite\/pdfs\/TheLadders-EyeTracking-StudyC2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">six seconds<\/a> to go over someone&#8217;s resume, but in reality, it&#8217;s not just time that&#8217;s at stake. When you manually review job seekers it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><p>Takes considerably more time<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Opens up the chances for recruiter bias<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Is less objective and efficient<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When you combine modern applicant tracking systems with the experience and skills of great hiring managers, you can fill your job openings with better applicants more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n        <div class=\"mb-8\">\n            <span class=\"block text-dark-purple-100 opacity-60 uppercase mb-2 text-sm font-bold\">Further Reading:<\/span>\n            <div class=\"border-t-[3px] border-b border-yellow-100 py-4 pb-2 lg:grid lg:gap-8 lg:grid-cols-2\">\n                                    <div class=\"mb-4 lg:mb-2\">\n                        <a class=\"flex items-center hover:italic hover:text-dark-purple-80\" href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/unconscious-bias\" title=\"13 Unconscious Bias Examples in Recruitment (+ How to Avoid Them)\" aria-label=\"13 Unconscious Bias Examples in Recruitment (+ How to Avoid Them)\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rounded-full w-14 h-14 mr-4 object-cover\" src=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/unconscious-bias-112x67.png\" alt=\"13 Unconscious Bias Examples in Recruitment (+ How to Avoid Them)\" width=\"56\" height=\"56\">\n                            <span class=\"font-semibold font-heading leading-snug\">13 Unconscious Bias Examples in Recruitment (+ How to Avoid Them)<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"mb-4 lg:mb-2\">\n                        <a class=\"flex items-center hover:italic hover:text-dark-purple-80\" href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/resume-screening-tools\" title=\"Resume Screening Tools: Types, Pros, Cons &amp; Alternatives for 2026\" aria-label=\"Resume Screening Tools: Types, Pros, Cons &amp; Alternatives for 2026\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rounded-full w-14 h-14 mr-4 object-cover\" src=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Resume-screening-tools-112x67.png\" alt=\"Resume Screening Tools: Types, Pros, Cons &amp; Alternatives for 2026\" width=\"56\" height=\"56\">\n                            <span class=\"font-semibold font-heading leading-snug\">Resume Screening Tools: Types, Pros, Cons &amp; Alternatives for 2026<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    \n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do applicant tracking systems work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Different types of applicant tracking systems offer different features. Some may help you with only the basics of your recruitment process, while others could offer robust features that can save significant time and money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regardless, most applicant tracking systems offer the following basic features to help you find qualified candidates for your job openings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Filter resumes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As the first part of the recruiting process, a member of the hiring team needs to upload a job requisition to the ATS. This is a formal request for a new hire and explains how it fits into the overarching company structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the requisition, hiring managers list requirements such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><p>Years of experience<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Hard and soft skills<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Tools and frameworks the applicant should know<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The ATS then uses these requirements to swiftly filter through all of your job seekers, giving you only qualified candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It usually<strong> uses keywords to determine if an applicant matches your <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/job-description-examples\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"job description\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"432\">job description<\/a><\/strong>. For example, if you&#8217;re hiring someone for a product owner role and their resume and profile only mention &#8220;product marketer&#8221; as a keyword, the applicant tracking system will rule them out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scan and sort applicants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Behind the scenes, an applicant tracking system is working its<strong> complex algorithms to show you only the best job applicants.<\/strong> It considers the input you provided as a set of rules and guidelines for hand-picking the best of the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is arguably the most important aspect of an ATS because it can help you quickly go from thousands of applicants to a pre-qualified pool of dozens of top candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But as many recruiting teams know, an applicant tracking system needs to be handled with care. Focusing too much on keywords, or the wrong ones, and using arbitrary criteria, such as years of experience, can backfire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reason is simple: you&#8217;re not considering whether the candidate can do the job and how well they perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Track candidate journeys<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An applicant tracking system helps you throughout the <em>entire <\/em>hiring process, not just at the very beginning. Hiring managers can use it to visualize the <a href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/full-recruitment-cycle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">full recruitment cycle<\/a>, from the moment a job requisition is created until they fill the position and sign a contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Visualizing your hiring pipeline lets you spot any bottlenecks<\/strong> in your hiring process and remove them quickly. For example, you could see that many candidates drop off after the initial interview. This tells you that improving the interviews can elevate the entire <a href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/candidate-experience\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">candidate experience.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, applicant tracking systems are cloud-based apps that your hiring teams can access simultaneously. This <strong>fosters collaboration <\/strong>since talent acquisition teams can leave comments and use interview scorecards to evaluate candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maintain timely communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>34% of job seekers don&#8217;t hear back from potential employers even two months after submitting their application. Even worse (although it&#8217;s all pretty bad), only 58% of candidates have received a basic &#8220;thank you&#8221; email after applying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An applicant tracking system can be a huge help here, as it can <strong>send automated and personalized emails <\/strong>for each step of the hiring process. For example, you can usually set triggers to contact candidates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><p>When someone applies for a job<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>When they are moved to the next round and invited for an interview<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>To thank them for taking part in the interview<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>To give them feedback about the interview<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>To extend an offer<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>To turn the candidate down in the appropriate manner<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of automation, most applicant tracking systems come with <strong>handy email templates <\/strong>for each of these situations. Of course, it&#8217;s your job to find and personalize them to match your employer brand and support the candidate experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7 benefits of using an ATS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Think all of this work can be automated with a mix of Notion, ClickUp, and Zapier? You must not <em>really<\/em> understand the benefits of using applicant tracking software in your recruitment process. Here are seven reasons why it pays to get a dedicated applicant tracking software to organize everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Automate screening candidates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know that, according to research, <a href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/news\/application-tracking-systems-global-market-104300666.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">99% of Fortune 500 companies<\/a> use applicant tracking systems? The reason is simple: <strong>the<\/strong> <strong>savings made by using an ATS far outweigh the cost<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can go from 1,000 job seekers to 10 applicants with top talent to interview and hire quickly. Speeding up the <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/screening-process-for-hiring\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"screening process\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"434\">screening process<\/a> and eliminating the least qualified candidates early on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Improve collaboration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With the right software, hiring managers can work <em>with<\/em> each other instead of in isolation. Applicant tracking systems let you <strong>track the recruiting process from a single dashboard<\/strong>, helping various stakeholders to collaborate seamlessly during the recruitment process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider a scenario where a candidate has all the technical skills for a role but a recruiter from the hiring team thinks they lack the required soft skills. They can then leave a note in the ATS, ensuring the person who does the interview will prioritize assessing their <a href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/100-soft-skills-questions-to-help-you-hire-top-talent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">soft skills<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Streamline candidate experience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>From the moment your applicants read your job descriptions to the moment they get an offer, everyone goes through the same process. New hires don&#8217;t miss a single step in the recruitment process, and the ATS does all the heavy lifting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This not only helps support a <strong>more consistent candidate experience<\/strong> but also gives everyone a fair, unbiased chance at getting the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Compliance with hiring regulations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Talent acquisition teams can rely on ATS recruitment software to stay on the right side of the law (although you should definitely consult a legal expert from time to time, too&#8230;). Namely, they can help with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><p>Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) compliance<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Data protection and privacy compliance<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Job posting compliance (with local, federal, and country laws)<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Audit trails and compliance monitoring<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Integrations with background screening services<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Automated compliance updates<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In short, the best applicant tracking systems can even save you <em>serious<\/em> money in legal fees and embarrassing legal fiascos if you&#8217;re a larger company with a big brand name to protect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Reduce time to hire<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>How much an ATS can speed up your time to hire depends on many factors, but one thing is certain: you&#8217;ll <strong>find top candidates more quickly<\/strong>. Instead of spending hours on resumes, hiring stakeholders can use ATS systems to automate the tedious parts of recruitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You also won&#8217;t waste time manually emailing everyone. This means you can focus on the very best candidates and show them why they should look forward to being your new hire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Improve quality of hire<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether it&#8217;s job boards, social media, LinkedIn, or some other source, an ATS can help you get better hires with the same number of starting applicants. You&#8217;ll ensure that every applicant matches the requirements in the job description and that they have relevant industry experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Faster, fairer hiring decisions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/time-to-fill\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">average time to fill<\/a> a position is 44 days. Much of that time is spent on evaluating whether the applicant meets the most basic criteria for the job opening. Recruiting teams can shorten their time to hire and time to fill by using an ATS early on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are even more benefits to using an ATS. By keeping things fair, you can be sure that the person you hire is based on their work experience and knowledge rather than the impression they made on the recruiter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best part? Applicant tracking systems are not easy to fool, and they don&#8217;t see gender, age, or skin color, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What should hiring managers look for in an ATS?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re a hiring manager or a recruiter looking to get an ATS for your hiring process, you first need to have a basic idea of what an ATS can and cannot do. When assessing applicant tracking systems to test out and purchase, here are some of the features to be on the lookout for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><p><strong>Automated job posting<\/strong>: To post job openings on job boards and networks such as LinkedIn<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p><strong>Resume parsing<\/strong>: To quickly scan through resumes for things such as job titles, keywords, years of experience, etc.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p><strong>Interview scheduling<\/strong>: To book interviews with the best candidates for the job<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p><strong>Support for employee referrals<\/strong>: To let your internal team members enter the job search<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p><strong>Advanced search and filtering: <\/strong>So you can find the most qualified candidate by using relevant keywords and filters<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p><strong>Integrations with hiring and other business tools<\/strong>: CRMs, assessment tools, workforce planning tools<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p><strong>Detailed analytics: <\/strong>So you can see at a glance how many active candidates you have, who is dropping out, what percentage makes it to the final stages, etc.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These are just some of the basics that an ATS software should have to help you hire top talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Top applicant tracking systems in 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most applicant tracking systems offer the same features and functionalities. There is no single &#8220;best&#8221;, as <strong>the best tool depends on your specific needs and requirements<\/strong>. Having said that, here are some of the top choices that any hiring manager should consider in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n        <div class=\"mb-8\">\n            <span class=\"block text-dark-purple-100 opacity-60 uppercase mb-2 text-sm font-bold\">Further Reading:<\/span>\n            <div class=\"border-t-[3px] border-b border-yellow-100 py-4 pb-2 lg:grid lg:gap-8\">\n                                    <div class=\"mb-4 lg:mb-2\">\n                        <a class=\"flex items-center hover:italic hover:text-dark-purple-80\" href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/recruiting-tools\" title=\"The 14 Best Recruiting Tools to Use in 2026\" aria-label=\"The 14 Best Recruiting Tools to Use in 2026\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rounded-full w-14 h-14 mr-4 object-cover\" src=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/X_Tools_to_Have_in_Your_Recruitment_Tech_Stack-112x67.png\" alt=\"The 14 Best Recruiting Tools to Use in 2026\" width=\"56\" height=\"56\">\n                            <span class=\"font-semibold font-heading leading-snug\">The 14 Best Recruiting Tools to Use in 2026<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    \n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Manatal <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"482\" src=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-5-1024x482.jpeg\" alt=\"Manatal applicant tracking system\" class=\"wp-image-52598\" srcset=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-5-1024x482.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-5-300x141.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-5-768x361.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-5-1536x722.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-5-2048x963.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-5-746x351.jpeg 746w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-5-1152x542.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-5-1500x705.jpeg 1500w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-5-112x53.jpeg 112w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re looking for an easy-to-use applicant tracking system backed with AI features, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.manatal.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Manatal<\/a> is a superb option. Similar to a project management tool (think Trello), it&#8217;s beginner-friendly, and even the most novice HR teams can get up and running within hours of signing up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Top features include: <\/strong>Automated job posting on over 2,500 free and paid channels, AI-powered candidate recommendations, profile enrichment (by adding missing candidate information from sources like LinkedIn), mobile app, custom branded career sites, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recruitee<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"478\" src=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-6-1024x478.jpeg\" alt=\"Recruitee applicant tracking system\" class=\"wp-image-52599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-6-1024x478.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-6-300x140.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-6-768x359.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-6-1536x718.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-6-2048x957.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-6-746x349.jpeg 746w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-6-1152x538.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-6-1500x701.jpeg 1500w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-6-112x52.jpeg 112w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a large hiring team and need something to bring everyone together around the same cause, <a href=\"https:\/\/recruitee.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Recruitee<\/a> is one of the leading applicant tracking systems in the HR industry. It promises to save up to 64% of your time (or 12 hours per week) by eliminating manual tasks from the hiring process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Noteworthy features include:<\/strong> Hiring pipeline creation, a hiring team feature that lets you manage projects and people, Referralshub for <a href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/employee-referral-program-ideas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">employee referrals<\/a>, integrations with video interview tools, a mobile app, requisition approvals, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zoho Recruit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-7-1024x484.jpeg\" alt=\"Zoho Recruit applicant tracking system\" class=\"wp-image-52601\" srcset=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-7-1024x484.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-7-300x142.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-7-768x363.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-7-1536x726.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-7-2048x968.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-7-746x353.jpeg 746w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-7-1152x545.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-7-1500x709.jpeg 1500w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-7-112x53.jpeg 112w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re in the Zoho ecosystem and use their renowned CRM, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoho.com\/recruit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Zoho Recruit<\/a> is the natural next step. Built for both staffing agencies and internal HR teams, Zoho uses the power of the cloud with the most recent AI features to help you fill key positions more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Some top features include:<\/strong> Integrations with over 50+ different hiring and business tools, a mobile app for recruiting on the go, and extensive customization options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Workable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-8-1024x484.jpeg\" alt=\"Workable applicant tracking system\" class=\"wp-image-52602\" srcset=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-8-1024x484.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-8-300x142.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-8-768x363.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-8-1536x725.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-8-2048x967.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-8-746x352.jpeg 746w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-8-1152x544.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-8-1500x708.jpeg 1500w, https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-8-112x53.jpeg 112w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;ve applied for a job online in recent years, there&#8217;s a good chance you&#8217;ve run across <a href=\"https:\/\/www.workable.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Workable<\/a> at least once. It&#8217;s one of the most versatile applicant tracking systems, with features that can save time and money and reduce manual HR tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Some of its highlights include:<\/strong> Automated job postings across different platforms, passive <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/creative-sourcing-strategies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"candidate sourcing\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"428\">candidate sourcing<\/a>, career page builder, electronic signatures and document management, and many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much do applicant tracking systems cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>From several hundred dollars per month to over $10,000 monthly, applicant tracking systems have different price tags based on several factors. Most pricing structures for this kind of software vary based on the:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><p>Size of your company<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Feature set you need<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Number of users on the applicant tracking system<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Number of job postings you plan to publish<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><p>Number of job seekers you need to process on a monthly basis<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In an era of self-driving cars and other technical wonders, it&#8217;s high time for recruiters to stop wasting time reading resumes. One of the biggest&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":641,"featured_media":52588,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[846],"tags":[955,986,985],"class_list":["post-52587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-talent-acquisition","tag-applicant-tracking-system","tag-ats","tag-hiring-software"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is an Applicant Tracking System? A Complete Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is an applicant tracking system and how do you choose the right one for your hiring needs? View our complete breakdown here!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/what-is-an-applicant-tracking-system\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is an Applicant Tracking System? A Complete Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is an applicant tracking system and how do you choose the right one for your hiring needs? View our complete breakdown here!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/what-is-an-applicant-tracking-system\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Toggl Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Toggl\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-06-05T12:32:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-27T14:55:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/What-is-an-Applicant-Tracking-System_-A-Complete-Guide.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1091\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mile \u017divkovi\u0107\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@toggl\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@toggl\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mile \u017divkovi\u0107\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/what-is-an-applicant-tracking-system#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/what-is-an-applicant-tracking-system\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mile \u017divkovi\u0107\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/cdf51bf945f86b890525fb27411e0a63\"},\"headline\":\"What is an Applicant Tracking System? 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