The Top 8 Free and Open Source Applicant Tracking Software

Updated on :February 14, 2025
By :Jemimah Rodriguez

Hiring is still considered the most tedious and time-consuming job by the business owners, hiring managers, and recruiters struggling to shortlist perfect candidates for the vacancies in their organization. But, at the same time hiring the right people is also essential for the success of a company. So, this job, no matter how challenging it is, should be done with high-end accuracy. Appointing talented people with a professional background can be done quickly by using Applicant Tracking Software.

In an academic context, several colleges and universities are still struggling to manage the admissions and recruitment of students to the programs offered by them. Engaging the best talent with institutes and universities through enrolment is the key to successful admissions, and this can be achieved by executing software.

What is Applicant Tracking Software?

ATS can help businesses manage and systematically process job applications. It is also used by universities and colleges to manage applications for admission to their different courses. It helps the recruiters, hiring managers of the companies, and admissions department of any educational organization to scrutinize the applications and communicate with the candidates in an automated manner.

Applicant tracking systems are designed to sort the applications as per the eligibility or admission criteria, the way a recruiter or an admission manager would do. It automates the entire process of selection, reducing human efforts to a great extent. When a recruiter or admission manager receives a huge number of applications, it is just impossible to read each one thoroughly. The software makes the selection process easier, saves time, and eliminates the chances of human errors.

What is Applicant Tracking Software

Who is Using Applicant Tracking Software?

Applicant Tracking Software Users
 

Why is Applicant Tracking Software Required?

Several applications are received by the companies every day, and the number of human resources required to review those applications and shortlist them would be exorbitant. Also, the companies need to ensure compliance with their local Government rules & regulations. So, ensuring that each application is properly scrutinized before it is rejected or selected becomes mandatory.

Gone are the days when the software was considered by the companies having a huge budget reserved for the recruitment process. Using ATS is no more a luxury now; it has become a necessity for all enterprises in saving thousands of dollars during hiring.

There are many free applicant tracking solutions available in the market. Thus, it becomes easy for businesses to save time on their recruitment processes without investing a huge amount.

Here, we have shortlisted the top 8 free and open source applicant tracking software, which you can consider to make your recruitment process quick and simple. But, before we look into the details of each one of them; let's have a brief about exactly how ATS works, its benefits, and the features to look for, which can help you in selecting the best one for your business.

How Does an ATS System Work?

Applicant Tracking Software Process

Benefits of Using Applicant Tracking Software

The usage and popularity of software are gradually growing. But why? The below-mentioned benefits can answer this question.

Applicant Tracking System Benefits

Saves Time

The software automates many tasks which were done manually previously like screening applications, eliminating unqualified applications, scheduling interviews, etc. Moreover, storing a database of resumes for different job profiles doesn't require paperwork and maintaining huge physical files anymore. The entire recruitment process is managed seamlessly with the help of application tracking software, saving a lot of time.

Saves Money

Using the software, you are automating the recruitment process, which can save the time of the recruiters and admission managers. Also, you know where your candidates are coming from, which helps you in controlling the expenses done on recruitment ads and admission strategies that are not going to work. The software helps you in building talent pools so that you have candidates ready even before a new job or admission course opening.

Streamlined Hiring Process

Hiring and admission to a course can also be done using various tools like Excel Spreadsheets, Email, Calendars, Social Media, Job Boards, etc. But, all these methods are prone to errors, and you need to shift between these different tools to get things done. The software can integrate various tools and help you in completing the entire process using a single platform.

Improves Candidate Experience

The system helps recruiters continuously communicate with the candidates by sending automated emails and messages. Keeping in touch with the candidates and notifying them about the status of their application, helps in providing impeccable candidate experience. This can enhance the reputation of your company and make your hiring or admission process easier.

Ensures Legal Compliance

The system can scrutinize the applications based on the rules governed by EEOC (The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). This helps companies eliminate biased behavior toward specific candidates and human errors, ensuring legal compliance throughout the hiring process.

Provides Access to Insights and Reports

The software can provide information like which channels brought the best candidates, what was the cost per hire or admission, which post of yours attracted maximum candidates, the status of the applications, and many other important things helping in improving the entire hiring or admission process in the future.

Ideal Features of an Applicant Tracking Software

Now you know the benefits of using the software, but at the same time, the competition in the job market is becoming fiercer day by day. Companies need to think out of the box to attract qualified candidates to apply for the jobs and organize the applications accurately once they have applied. This is where the features of the software play a major role. So, what are the key features that you should look for in your applicant tracking software to ensure that the right people are being recruited for your organization? Let us see this in detail -

Career Page

The system helps you with career page templates that can be customized. You can add your company logo, photos, job description, social sharing buttons, instructions on how to apply, and even the application form through which the candidate can apply. The career page is something that forms the first impression of your company in the minds of the candidates. Thus, you need to ensure that your software facilitates you to design one, which represents your business in the right manner.

Job Posting

Posting your job requirements to maximum platforms is necessary as it can help you expand your reach and accelerate the opportunities of finding the right candidates. The software is linked to multiple job portals & social media platforms. This can help you in posting a single job requirement for different job portals & social media platforms with a few clicks, saving your time and money.

Storing and Sorting Applications

After the candidates apply, or the recruiters enter the applications into the software, the system stores all the applications in a centralized database. The system also sorts the applications as per the job requirements set by the recruiters. Every applicant tracking system has a specific method of sorting applications. Some software stores the applicant’s data into the database and can use it later to determine if the candidate can be hired to the organization.

Sharing Applications

Using the software, you can easily collaborate with your team members and share resumes with them to work together throughout the entire hiring process. You can even assign different roles to the software users with access permissions and help team members participate in selecting the right candidate. 

Scheduling Interviews

After sorting the applications, you are require to schedule interviews for the selected candidates. ATS system can help you with this job too. Whether it is scheduling interviews, or conducting online tests, communicating with the candidates becomes quite easy with software.

Onboarding Process

Once the hiring process is over, onboarding selected candidates in a professional manner is also required. The tasks of sending a welcome email and other important information about the company can be done through ATS systems. These software also offer functions to introduce new candidates to your company by adding resources pages.

Reports and Analytics

Your hiring process is complete. But, do you know from which platform did you receive the maximum applications or how much was the cost per hire? These questions can be answered using the software. The reports generated from the software can help you make informed decisions while hiring for future job requirements in the company.

Below is the list of the top 8 free and open source ATS software that can help you in adapting the best one for your business.

Comparison Chart of The Top 8 Free and Open Source Applicant Tracking System

the top 8 free and open source applicant tracking software

The Top 8 Free and Open Source Applicant Tracking Software

#1 OpenCATS

OpenCATS is a free and open-source system with versatile features. It is completely customizable and can be used by small to enterprise-level businesses for their recruitment processes. Being self-hosted by the owners, this software can provide high-end control over data security and critical information. The community of developers is there to support in case of any problem relating to customization or change in functionality is required.

opencats
(Source: OpenCATS)

Key Features

  • Extremely easy to use
  • Allows internal and external recruiting
  • Enables skill-based tagging
  • Can manage candidates and clients both
  • Facilitates company branding
  • Can be used web-based or local
  • Helps in storing resumes in a systematic manner
  • Customizable dashboard
  • Easily add contacts, job orders, candidates and company
  • Quick search feature
  • Multi lingual

If you have already used OpenCATS, please feel free to share your reviews here.

#2 Ejobsitesoftware

EjobsiteSoftware is open-source software that helps companies deploy a well-featured job board or job site with a custom homepage quickly and easily. It helps employers in searching for the right candidates and at the same time helps job seekers to look for the right job opportunities matching their skills. It provides versatile customization options helping its users to meet their requirements seamlessly. It offers a huge number of benefits to job seekers, admins, employers, marketing and HR professionals.

(Source: Ejobsitesoftware)

Key Features

  • Helps employers in viewing the applicants’ profiles
  • Facilitates tracking, qualifying, rating, and viewing the hiring status of the candidates
  • Can edit the applicant's current status
  • Helps in scheduling interviews
  • Enables selecting candidate
  • Easy customizations
  • Job seeker dashboard with multiple KPIs
  • Inbuilt interview and assessment capabilities
  • Resume builder, screening, extraction and management
  • Continuous candidate tracking
  • Automated correspondence
  • Support social media sharing
  • Mobile app support

If you have already used Ejobsitesoftware, please feel free to share your reviews here.

#3 TalentHire 

TalentHire is a robust applicant tracking software presented by CEIPAL. It helps in improving the hiring process, starting from posting vacancies to hiring candidates. It is built on an open-source architecture providing high-end scalability to businesses of all sizes. It helps companies in executing quick hiring, onboarding, and workforce management process. This software is used by small to medium-sized companies in different sectors like IT, healthcare, education, etc.


(Source: Talent Hire)

Key Features

  • Manages job requisitions
  • Publishes jobs on integrated platforms with a single click
  • It can integrate with 30+ job boards
  • Facilitates searching, screening, & selecting candidates easily
  • Enhanced data security with the two-way verification
  • Manages all information in a streamlined manner
  • Includes CRM features
  • Follows the electronic process to make the onboarding process easier

If you have already used TalentHire, please feel free to share your reviews here.

#4 SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruit provides an ATS system known as SmartStrart meant for enterprises requiring streamlining the entire hiring process. Starting from tracking, screening, and evaluating candidates to collaborating with hiring teams, SmartRecruit helps at each level to automate jobs and make them easier.


(Source Smart Recruiters)

Key Features

  • Helps in gaining insights over a huge number of applications
  • Accelerates the hiring decisions as it enables team members to collaborate effectively
  • Helps in standardizing the candidate evaluation criteria, keeping hiring decisions transparent, resulting in improvement of quality of hire
  • Extends offer letters to the selected candidates
  • Ensures compliance in terms of hiring and documentation
  • Leverages the best recruitment technology providing the best candidate experience

If you have already used SmartRecruiters, please feel free to share your reviews here.

#5 CandidATS

CandidATS is a free and open source applicant tracking system to efficiently manage and track the hiring process from job posting to onboarding. Features like field level security, access control, roles, profiles, etc., makes it a perfect choice for recruiters agencies and businesses who are looking for a secured ATS. The software comes with extensive modules to easily manage activities, candidates, dashboards, job orders, etc. 

canditats

(Source: CandidATS)

Key Features

  • AI integration to improve efficiency
  • HR mode to quickly access candidate database
  • Keyword and boolean search 
  • Inline editing and pipeline management
  • Multi-company recruitment services
  • Interview scheduling
  • Send notifications to recruiter when Client assigned
  • In-built email composer and templates for instant communication
  • Data backup and restore

If you have already used CandidATS, please feel free to share your reviews here.

#6 Mitratech Trakstar

Mitratech Trakstar is a free applicant tracking software system that also offers premium candidate sourcing, interview scheduling, offer management, collaborative hiring, reports and career site management features. From candidate profiling and interview scheduling to evaluation and assigning offer letters, Mitratech Trakstar streamlines every aspect of the talent acquisition process to attract and hire eligible candidates. In addition, features like easy to use interface, one click posting to the best job boards, recruitment automation, centralized communication, etc., makes the entire hiring process efficient and hassle free.

Mitratech

(Source: Mitratech Trakstar)

Key Features

  • Automated resume screening and sorting
  • Customizable hiring workflows
  • Automated notifications & email templates
  • Bulk opening and candidate management tools
  • Easily filter, search, tag and organize candidates
  • Customize each stage of the recruitment process
  • Mobile friendly jobs widgets
  • Customizable resume and applicant tracking reports

If you have already used Mitratech Trakstar, please feel free to share your reviews here.

#7 Zoho Recruit

Zoho Recruit is an all-in-one talent acquisition and recruitment software with robust ATS and CRM functionalities. It offers scalable and customizable hiring tools that enable the HR department to efficiently hire eligible candidates for the open job roles. Both staffing agencies and internal HR teams are leveraging Zoho Recruit to automate their hiring functions, easily communicate with applicants and evaluate their results. Advanced analytics and reporting features are also available in Zoho Recruit that helps HR managers make better decisions for optimizing the hiring process. Features like premium job boards, social recruiting, resume management, talent pipeline, reporting dashboards, etc., makes it a perfect fit for streamlining the talent management process.

zoho ui(Source: Zoho recruit)

Key Features

  • One click posting to 75+ job boards 
  • Mobile application support
  • AI-candidate matching
  • Candidate review and interview feedback forms
  • Custom dashboard and reporting
  • Can integrate with other Zoho and Google apps
  • Career site development and integration with existing platforms
  • Resume extractor and Outlook parsing
  • Advanced data protection with field-level security and data sharing rules

If you have already used Zoho Recruit, please feel free to share your reviews here.

#8 Folk Flow

Folk Flow is a free ATS  with a huge set of HR-related features to ensure seamless talent sourcing, management and onboarding. HR departments widely use this free tool to eliminate manual spreadsheet-based tracking, resume parsing and data management.  For staffing agencies, this applicant tracking tool comes equipped with features to easily centralize the recruitment process, track hiring status, schedule interviews and coordinate with applicants, without any friction.

folk flow iui

(Source: Folk Flow)

Key Features

  • Real-time status tracking
  • Instant notifications and alerts
  • Career page linking to business website
  • Shareable URL for job descriptions
  • Ability to create customized application forms
  • Email notifications templates
  • Auto-interview scheduling

If you have already used Folk Flow, please feel free to share your reviews here.

The above list of software is beneficial for you in selecting the one that best suits your business. If you are still in a dilemma about which one to select, you can go through the below mentioned list of top applicant tracking software with advanced functionalities to help you streamline your hiring process.

List of Top Applicant Tracking Software Commonly Used

Here is a list of top applicant tracking software with advanced functionalities to help you streamline your hiring process. Selecting one from these premium ATS systems could be one of the most critical investments for your business when it comes to efficient hiring.

Lever Hire

Launched in 2012, Lever Hire is another top-notch ATS with advanced applicant tracking system, and analytics capabilities for businesses to easily attract, engage and hire new candidates. With 5000+ customers worldwide, the software offers customizable dashboard views, talent analytics, custom reports, pipeline performance analysis, requisition management, real-time visibility and tracking and many more features to make the recruitment process more smooth. This best recruiting software for SMBs can also integrate with 300+ integrations such as background checks platforms, assessment solutions, HCM/HRIS software, etc., for seamless hiring and onboarding functions. The software comes in two versions - cloud-based, and Enterprise for which the pricing is made available upon request.

Paycom

Paycom is an employee-driven HR software with cutting-edge applicant tracking functionalities to hire, onboard and retain talent. It is popular due to its intuitive interface, automated job posting, centralized data, tag-based search, EEOC and OFCCP compliant reports, enhanced background checks and onboarding integrations, email templates, offer letter customization, etc. In addition, the software supports Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook Calendar for easy interview scheduling. With 25 years of innovation, Paycom is well-recognized today as the most-efficient ATS to automate and streamline HR and payroll-related activities.

ApplicantStack

ApplicantStack is a simple and powerful applicant tracking system for hassle-free employee onboarding. From retail and healthcare to construction, businesses of all sizes and types can use this tool to automate job posting, find updated references, efficiently create and manage jobs, schedule interviews, notify candidates, track hiring task completion, centralize paperwork, e-sign documents and do many more hiring related tasks. ApplicantStack is available for a 14-day free trial, after which the paid pricing starts from $29 per month. 

BambooHR

Founded in 2008, BambooHR is a modern applicant tracking tool that helps businesses find and hire the right candidates with a hassle-free and smooth hiring experience. This easy-to-use ATS comes with an excellent set of features to communicate with candidates, evaluate results, add custom permissions, automate alerts, centralize candidate data, identify bottlenecks, customize offer letter templates, post and share jobs in a few clicks and perform many more hiring functions with ease. In addition, this HR software is also in compliance with both Android and iOS support to monitor and track the hiring process on-the-go. The software comes with exceptional round-the-clock service to help users manage the tool efficiently.

Greenhouse

Greenhouse is a prominent applicant tracking software to improve candidate experience, equitable hiring, and overall recruitment process. Features like sourcing automation, elegant UI/UX, automated 1:1 messages and bulk campaigns, scalable workflows, e-signature, global rejection rules, updated organizational-level permissions, tailored email templates, data-driven reporting & insights, etc., make it a preferred choice for staffing agencies, startups, early stage businesses and scaling companies. This all-in-one ATS seamlessly integrates with HRIS, job distribution portals, sourcing platforms, screening tools, analytics, candidate experience and many more 3rd party platforms to ensure smooth talent acquisition. 

ClearCompany

Another great applicant tracking software is ClearCompany, which is widely used by startups, SMBs, healthcare, non-profits, retail, big enterprises, etc., for talent maximization, productivity improvements, positive onboarding, and time efficiency in the hiring process. The AI-enhanced applicant tracking software uses video, texting and scheduling technology for a better hiring process. It also offers robust automation features to help recruiters unlock a new level of performance, productivity and efficiency. A few notable features of this tool include the ClearCompany Sourcing engine, recruiting campaign automation, career site chatbot, text recruiting suite, video interview, scheduling automation, etc. 

Conclusion

Recruitment into a company or getting a good amount of admissions in the education sector is considered one of the most challenging tasks. An efficient application tracking software can help in overcoming this challenge. Having talented and qualified candidates on board is highly significant for all organizations. The software can help in sorting out relevant applications and selecting the best candidates.

The automation of monotonous tasks associated with hiring people and admissions facilitates recruiters and admission managers to spend their time on many productive tasks benefiting the organizations.  

We hope that the above mentioned applicant tracking software suits your requirements. If you are looking for more features and functionalities, you can go through the complete list of applicant tracking software, which can help you make a wise decision.

Have you used any of the software? Just don’t forget to leave your valuable review here. 

If you are looking for software in other categories as well, browse all software categories.

Also, stay tuned for updates as we keep on adding the latest software in all the categories regularly. 

Jemimah Rodriguez
Jemimah Rodriguez

Jemimah Rodriguez is a content marketing specialist having 8+ years of experience in content writing, SEO, and social media optimization. At present, she is working with GoodFirms – a reliable platform helping businesses in selecting right Software Companies & Products. For further information, you can get in touch with her on [email protected]

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