Reviews
Hands-on HR & recruiting tool reviews
Each review is a single tool tested in depth: I create a real account, build a working workflow, screenshot what happens, and report at least one metric I measured myself. You get tested pricing, what the tool is best for, and where it falls short, rather than a paraphrase of the vendor's marketing page.
Reviews go beyond feature lists. Until a tool has been tested hands-on, its page says "review in progress" rather than showing a fabricated score. Affiliate links are disclosed above every recommendation and never change the verdict.
How the scores work
Scores are out of 10 and appear only after I've tested a tool on my own account; until then the page shows "review in progress" instead of a number. Pricing is always dated: each review states the figures I verified at the time — from inside my own account where possible, or from the vendor's published price list, with the capture date named on the page. If you'd rather start from a shortlist than a single tool, the ranked picks live in the best-tools round-ups, and the wider automation map is in the guides.
- Global payroll & EOR
Deel review (2026): EOR pricing, real costs & verdict
Deel review (tested 8/10): the widest EOR and global-payroll coverage in one login, with published pricing. Powerful but pricey, and real cost tops $599.
- ATS & recruiting
Tellent (formerly Recruitee) review (2026): tested hands-on
Tellent (formerly Recruitee) tested on a real trial: published job, Kanban pipeline, analytics and 200+ integrations. Scores 8/10; pricing stays demo-gated.
- ATS & recruiting
Breezy HR review: free-plan visual ATS for in-house teams
Breezy HR review: a genuinely free, flat-priced visual ATS that auto-posts to 50+ job boards, but gates AI scoring and the API to paid extras. Tested 9/10.
- Payroll & HR
Gusto payroll review (2026): pricing, real cost & verdict
Gusto payroll review (tested 8/10): full-service US payroll, light HR, and what Gusto really costs on its base-plus-per-person pricing. Strong, but US-only.
- ATS & recruiting
Manatal review: AI applicant tracking system for SMBs & agencies
Manatal review: strong, fast AI sourcing at an SMB price, but it gates automation, API and SSO to the top plans. Tested 9/10.