Last updated: October 2026. Written by the Curriculo team.
The best Manatal alternative for most agencies is Curriculo ATS: free forever Starter, Pro is $50, and scored shortlists with no per-seat fees. Keep Manatal when per-user pricing and board volume fit. Compare ten options below, as of Oct 2026.
Comparison guide, updated June 2026
Manatal is cheap and fine for agencies, but its AI matches keywords rather than reading what candidates actually did, and the price is per user. If that is not cutting it, this guide explains why teams switch and ranks the ten best alternatives. Prices are current as of October 2026 and re-checked each quarter.
In one sentence
If you want smarter AI than Manatal at a price that does not climb per user, Curriculo ATS is the best switch for most teams: Starter free forever, then Pro is $50 for unlimited people, and its AI reads what candidates actually accomplished and explains each score, instead of matching keywords. The other nine below fit specific needs, and we say which.
Cheap AI vs smart AI (the real difference)
Manatal's headline is its $15/user/month billed annually on Manatal pricing, checked Oct 2026. The catch is in the AI. Manatal's AI is assistive: it matches keywords and makes suggestions, but it does not truly read what a candidate did. So a strong applicant who phrased things differently can still slip down the list, the same weakness as old-school keyword screening.
Smart AI works differently. It reads the achievement, "shipped the system that cut costs 30 percent," and scores the person on the outcome, not the wording. That is what Curriculo ATS does, with a written AI summary of the fit. The $15 looks cheap until you realize the AI is not doing the hard part, and that you pay it per user as your team grows.
Why teams look for a Manatal alternative
Keyword-level AI. It assists rather than truly evaluates, so it can miss good candidates who use different words.
Per-user pricing. Cheap per seat, but it adds up every time a teammate joins your hiring.
Built for agencies. Manatal leans toward recruiting-agency workflows. In-house teams often want something tuned to hiring for themselves.
At a glance
Alternative Best for Starting price Free plan
Curriculo ATS Smart AI, flat price Free, then Pro is $50 flat ($50 ) Yes, forever
Zoho Recruit Value, Zoho users $25/user/mo Limited free
JazzHR Simple and budget-friendly $75/mo No
Workable Templates and ease $299/month on Workable pricing, checked Oct 2026 Trial only
Recruitee Collaborative hiring Custom quote Trial only
BambooHR Hiring plus HR in one Quote-based No
Ashby Analytics-driven teams Custom quote No
Greenhouse Structured hiring at scale Custom quote No
Lever Sourcing-heavy CRM hiring Custom quote No
Breezy HR One role at a time, free Free tier, then $157/mo Yes, one job
Prices are list prices as of October 2026 and exclude setup fees and add-ons.
1. Curriculo ATS, best smart-AI alternative to Manatal
If you are leaving Manatal because the AI is not pulling its weight, this is the upgrade. Curriculo ATS reads every resume and curriculo ATS scores every candidate from 0 to 100 against your job, with a written AI summary of the fit. It ranks on real outcomes, not keyword overlap. You get smarter screening and you stop paying per user, because it is one flat price for your whole team.
Starter is free forever, then Pro is $50 for unlimited jobs and people. Setup is about 15 minutes, and it is built for teams hiring for themselves, not for running an agency.
Best for: in-house teams that want genuine outcome-based AI at a flat price. Trade-off: it is built for hiring your own team, not managing many client roles like an agency CRM.
Start free, no credit card
2. Zoho Recruit, best value
Zoho Recruit sits near Manatal on price at $25/recruiter/month billed annually on Zoho Recruit pricing, with a deeper feature set and AI candidate ranking, especially handy if you use other Zoho apps. Like Manatal, it charges per user.
Best for: value seekers and Zoho users. Trade-off: per-user pricing.
3. JazzHR, best simple budget pick
JazzHR is cheap and straightforward at $1,000/yr on JazzHR pricing, charged per company rather than per user, which can work out cheaper than Manatal as your team grows. Light on AI, so you review more yourself.
Best for: simple, predictable budget hiring. Trade-off: little AI screening.
4. Workable, best for templates and ease
Workable is an easy all-in-one with a deep template library, starting at $299/month on Workable pricing, checked Oct 2026, with paid add-ons. A step up in price and polish from Manatal, with AI added on rather than central.
Best for: teams that value templates and ease. Trade-off: pricier, add-ons extra.
5. Recruitee, best for collaborative teams
Recruitee is friendly and built for hiring as a group, Custom quote on Recruitee. More in-house-team-oriented than Manatal, at a higher price.
Best for: teams that hire together. Trade-off: mid-range cost.
6. BambooHR, best for hiring plus HR
BambooHR pairs an ATS with a full HR platform, covering hiring, onboarding, and compliance. Pricing is quote-based. Good if you want to consolidate tools.
Best for: hiring and HR together. Trade-off: the ATS is one part of a bigger suite.
7. Ashby, best for analytics-driven teams
Ashby is a modern, reports-first ATS Custom quote. A big step up from Manatal in both power and price, for teams that hire often enough to use the analytics.
Best for: data-minded teams. Trade-off: heavier and pricier.
8. Greenhouse, best for structured hiring at scale
Greenhouse is the gold standard for structured hiring at larger companies, starting Custom quote with per-seat fees. For teams growing well beyond Manatal's size.
Best for: large, structured teams. Trade-off: enterprise price.
9. Lever, best for sourcing-heavy teams
Lever blends an ATS with a candidate relationship manager for teams that actively source. Pricing is Custom quote on Lever pricing. Best if outbound sourcing is central.
Best for: sourcing-led hiring. Trade-off: opaque pricing.
10. Breezy HR, best free tier for one role
Breezy HR has a genuine free plan for a single open job. Startup is $157/mo on annual pricing on Breezy HR pricing, checked Oct 2026. Handy when you are hiring just one person and want zero cost.
Best for: one role, no budget. Trade-off: free plan caps at one job.
Our pick for most teams leaving Manatal
If you are leaving Manatal because the AI only matches keywords and the per-user price keeps climbing, start with Curriculo ATS. Its AI reads real outcomes and explains every score, and it is one flat price for your whole team. New to comparing tools? Read what an ATS is, or compare the best ATS for startups and best ATS for small business.
Try Curriculo ATS free
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Manatal?
For most teams, Curriculo ATS is the best Manatal alternative: Starter free forever, then Pro is $50 for unlimited people, and its AI Curriculo ATS scores every candidate from 0 to 100 against your job, with a written AI summary of the fit. Zoho Recruit is the closest match on price.
Why do people switch away from Manatal?
Mostly the AI and the pricing model. Manatal's AI is assistive and keyword-based rather than truly evaluating candidates, and it charges per user, so the cost grows with your team. It also leans toward recruiting agencies rather than in-house hiring.
Is Manatal's AI any good?
It is helpful for suggestions and basic matching, but it is assistive, not a true evaluator. It can miss strong candidates who describe their work in different words. Tools like Curriculo ATS score on stated outcomes and explain each score, which catches more of the right people.
Is there a flat-price alternative to Manatal?
Yes. Curriculo ATS Pro is $50 for unlimited users, so the price does not climb as your hiring team grows, unlike Manatal's per-user model. There is also a free plan to start.
Will I lose my data if I leave Manatal?
No. Most modern tools import your candidates, jobs, and pipeline stages directly, and Curriculo ATS supports importing your data so you keep your hiring history. Most teams finish migrating in under a day. Manatal is a per-user ATS popular with agencies, and low-star reviews most often cite support, contracts, and export limits. This service is the definition of a ROACH MOTEL. When I asked to cancel the subscription and get a refund for the month I had already paid, they told me it was impossible Zoho Recruit is a capable ecosystem ATS, and low-star reviews most often cite a steep learning curve and support gaps. We were oversold on on things that the system could do It's the most difficult software to navigate When contacting customer support, they may or may not respond and the product itself is very basic without a lot of good reporting options. Individual opinions from low-star samples, not a verdict for every buyer.What users complain about (selected)
Manatal
n=24
Trustpilot review, Mar 2025
Trustpilot review, Dec 2025Zoho Recruit
n=31
Capterra review, Sep 2025
Capterra review, Jun 2024
Capterra review, Jul 2022
Who should pick Curriculo on this list
You should shortlist Curriculo ATS when you want free forever Starter, Pro is $50, and scored shortlists without a Custom quote wait. Curriculo ATS scores every candidate from 0 to 100 against your job, with a written AI summary of the fit. Keep the enterprise or suite options on this list when their specialty is the must-have for your team.
Sources
- Curriculo pricing, checked Oct 6, 2026
- AI candidate ranking
- Best free ATS
- Manatal pricing, checked Oct 6, 2026
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