We compare 9 recruitment platforms used in India, including CareerCtrl Recruit, Zoho Recruit, Keka Hire and Darwinbox: what each is best for, key features, pricing, pros and cons.
The best recruitment software in India depends on who is hiring. For growing companies and recruitment agencies that want a focused, affordable applicant tracking system (ATS), CareerCtrl Recruit, Zoho Recruit and Manatal are strong choices. Companies already on an HR suite often pick Keka Hire or Darwinbox. Agencies that live in outreach and client CRM look at Recruit CRM, and global or enterprise teams compare Workable and Greenhouse.
Below, we compare 9 recruitment platforms used by Indian employers: what each is best for, key features, pricing and the pros and cons. Pricing and trial details come from each vendor's own website in October 2026 and change often, so confirm current prices before you buy. Disclosure: CareerCtrl Recruit is our product.
Best recruitment software in India at a glance
| Software | Best for | Starting price | Free trial |
|---|
| CareerCtrl Recruit | Growing companies and agencies in India | On request | Free demo |
| Zoho Recruit | SMBs and Zoho users | Free plan; paid per recruiter | 15 days |
| Keka Hire | Teams using Keka HR and payroll | Quote-based | Available |
| Darwinbox | Large enterprises | Quote-based | No |
| Naukri RMS | Employers hiring through Naukri | Contact Naukri | No |
| Manatal | Agencies and SMBs on a budget | From USD 15/user/month | 14 days |
| Recruit CRM | Recruitment and staffing agencies | From $95/user/month | 30 days |
| Workable | SMBs hiring internationally | From $299/month | 15 days |
| Greenhouse | Mid-size and enterprise tech companies | Quote-based | No |
1. CareerCtrl Recruit
Image: © Mylas Technologies (CareerCtrl)CareerCtrl Recruit is an applicant tracking system for growing companies and recruitment agencies in India. It covers the full path from job post to hire in one workspace, with an agency mode for clients and shortlists.
CareerCtrl Recruit — Best for: Growing companies and recruitment agencies in India
Key features:
- AI job description writer
- Resume parsing for 50 resumes at a time, and CSV import of up to 5,000 rows
- Duplicate detection and merging
- Fixed hiring pipeline with match scores on skills, experience and location
- Self-scheduling interviews and scorecards
- Agency workspace: client profiles, shortlists of up to 50 with prior-submission checks, placements by client
Pricing: On request. Free trial: Free demo with your own roles
Pros:
- Built for Indian hiring teams and agencies
- Agency and in-house hiring in one product
Cons:
- No public pricing yet
- Newer product with a smaller integration list
2. Zoho Recruit
Image: © Zoho CorporationZoho Recruit is a widely used ATS from Zoho with editions for in-house teams and staffing agencies, and it fits naturally with other Zoho apps.
Zoho Recruit — Best for: SMBs and mid-size HR teams, especially Zoho users
Key features:
- Sourcing, resume management and job board posting
- Branded careers site and employee referrals
- Hiring pipeline, assessments and interview scheduling
- AI candidate matching and workflow automation (Enterprise)
- 50+ integrations
Pricing: Free plan with 1 active job; paid plans billed per recruiter (INR billing available). Free trial: 15 days
Pros:
- A real free plan to start
- Works well with the rest of Zoho
Cons:
- Active-job limits per recruiter on each plan
- Advanced automation only on the top plan
3. Keka Hire
Image: © Keka TechnologiesKeka Hire is the recruitment module of Keka, the Indian HR and payroll platform, so hiring flows straight into onboarding and employee records.
Keka Hire — Best for: Indian SMBs and mid-market companies using Keka HR
Key features:
- AI job descriptions and posting to job boards and a career site
- Kanban hiring pipeline and dashboards
- AI resume parsing and built-in skill tests
- Interview scheduling and panel feedback, including on mobile
- E-sign offer letters and pre-boarding linked to core HR
Pricing: Quote-based. Free trial: Available (length not published)
Pros:
- Connected to HR, payroll and onboarding
- Built for Indian companies
Cons:
- No public pricing
- Most valuable if you also use the Keka suite
4. Darwinbox
Image: © Darwinbox Digital SolutionsDarwinbox is an enterprise HR platform whose recruitment module handles large-scale, campus and lateral hiring for big employers.
Darwinbox — Best for: Large enterprises with high-volume hiring
Key features:
- Bulk, campus, lateral and high-volume hiring
- AI screening and ranking
- Requisition approvals and interview scheduling
- Job board and assessment integrations
- Hand-off of hires into onboarding and core HR
Pricing: Quote-based
Pros:
- Full HR suite, so hiring flows into HR records
- Handles very large hiring volumes
Cons:
- No public pricing
- Heavier setup; too much for small teams
5. Naukri RMS
Naukri RMS (Recruitment Management System) from Info Edge connects hiring workflows to Naukri, India's largest job portal.
Naukri RMS — Best for: Employers that already hire heavily through Naukri
Key features:
- One platform for sourcing and applications
- Private, searchable candidate database
- Configurable ATS with process automation
- Collaboration with hiring stakeholders
- Reports and analytics
Pricing: Contact Naukri for pricing
Pros:
- Close to the Naukri ecosystem
- Indian vendor
Cons:
- No public pricing or trial
- Limited public product documentation
6. Manatal
Image: © ManatalManatal is a budget-friendly ATS and recruitment CRM with AI recommendations, popular with agencies and smaller in-house teams.
Manatal — Best for: Recruitment agencies and SMBs on a budget
Key features:
- Posting to many job boards, careers page and Chrome extension
- Kanban ATS plus a CRM for agencies
- AI candidate recommendations, scoring and profile enrichment
- AI interviewer for first-round screening
- Analytics dashboards
Pricing: From USD 15 per user per month, billed annually. Free trial: 14 days, no card needed
Pros:
- Low entry price with public pricing
- Strong AI and agency CRM features
Cons:
- Priced in USD, plus tax
- Entry plan caps jobs and candidates
7. Recruit CRM
Image: © Recruit CRMRecruit CRM is built for recruitment and staffing agencies, combining an ATS with client CRM and multichannel outreach.
Recruit CRM — Best for: Recruitment and staffing agencies
Key features:
- ATS and CRM with a drag-and-drop pipeline and resume parser
- AI matching and AI agents for formatting and submissions
- LinkedIn sourcing and outreach sequences
- No-code workflow automation and many integrations
- Job board posting and branded career pages
Pricing: From $95 per user per month. Free trial: 30 days
Pros:
- Designed around agency workflows
- Long free trial
Cons:
- Expensive per seat for small Indian agencies
- Priced in dollars
8. Workable
Image: © Workable SoftwareWorkable is a well-known global ATS with AI sourcing and screening, now sold together with HR features.
Workable — Best for: SMBs and mid-size companies hiring internationally
Key features:
- AI sourcing across a large profile database
- AI screening and shortlisting
- Posting to 200+ job boards
- Scorecards, interview kits and self-scheduling
- Offer letters with e-sign
Pricing: From $299 per month for the smallest company size. Free trial: 15 days, no card needed
Pros:
- Polished AI sourcing and screening
- Transparent public pricing
Cons:
- Flat monthly fee is high for Indian SMBs
- Higher plans need annual payment
9. Greenhouse
Image: © Greenhouse SoftwareGreenhouse is the benchmark for structured hiring at mid-size and enterprise companies, especially global tech teams.
Greenhouse — Best for: Mid-size and enterprise companies that want structured hiring
Key features:
- Structured interview kits and scorecards
- Sourcing and candidate CRM
- AI interview notes and first-round tools
- Candidate fraud and identity checks
- Reporting, SSO and hundreds of integrations
Pricing: Quote-based, depends on hiring volume
Pros:
- Best-in-class structured hiring
- Very large integration ecosystem
Cons:
- No public pricing
- Enterprise-focused, with heavier setup
What is recruitment software?
Recruitment software helps employers attract, track and hire candidates. The core is an applicant tracking system (ATS): it collects applications from every source, turns resumes into searchable profiles, moves candidates through hiring stages, schedules interviews and reports on progress. Read more in what is an applicant tracking system.
Job portal vs ATSAn ATS (recruitment software)
- Manages candidates from every source
- Shared pipeline for the whole team
- Interviews, feedback and offers
- Reports on your hiring
A job portal alone
- Brings in applicants from one site
- Status lives in inboxes and sheets
- No shared view for hiring managers
- Little reporting on your process
Key features to look for
Must-have recruitment software features- Resume parsing and bulk import
- A clear hiring pipeline with drop reasons
- Duplicate candidate detection
- Interview scheduling and scorecards
- Role-based access for hiring managers
- Candidate search and match scores
- Reports on pipeline, sources and time to hire
- Data security and export, important under India's DPDP Act
How to choose the right recruitment software
Choosing in six steps- Map how you hire today — Roles per month, recruiters, hiring managers and candidate sources.
- Name your three biggest problems — Lost candidates, slow feedback, duplicates or no reports.
- Shortlist three tools — Use the table above to match tools to your size and budget.
- Demo with a real role — Walk one open job from posting to offer in each tool.
- Check pricing at your real volume — Per user, per job or per company size, in INR or USD.
- Pilot before you commit — Run two weeks on live roles with your team.
Book a demo: Book a 30-minute walkthrough. We'll set up one of your open jobs and show the pipeline, scheduling and reports.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best recruitment software in India?
It depends on your team. Growing companies and agencies often choose a focused ATS such as CareerCtrl Recruit, Zoho Recruit or Manatal. Companies on an HR suite use Keka Hire or Darwinbox. Agencies focused on outreach consider Recruit CRM, and global or enterprise teams compare Workable and Greenhouse.
Is there free recruitment software in India?
Yes. Zoho Recruit has a free plan with one active job, and several tools offer free trials of 14 to 30 days. Free plans suit very small teams; most growing teams move to a paid plan.
What is the best recruitment software for agencies in India?
Agencies need client profiles, shortlists clients can review and checks against duplicate submissions. CareerCtrl Recruit, Recruit CRM, Manatal and Zoho Recruit's staffing edition are built with agencies in mind. See our guide to recruitment agency software.
How much does recruitment software cost?
Public prices range from free plans to about USD 15 per user per month at the low end and a few hundred dollars a month for full suites. Many enterprise tools are quote-based. Always compare at your real number of recruiters and jobs.
What is the difference between an ATS and a job portal?
A job portal such as Naukri or LinkedIn brings in applicants. An ATS manages the applicants you get from every source, from screening to offer.
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