The CATS Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about CATS in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
CATS
The Insider’s Guide
Applicant tracking and recruiting CRM with a single per-user plan
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among hiring and applicant tracking tools, read from CATS’s own pages.
Made by Top Echelon Software, LLC · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from CATS’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on CATS’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 88 of the 101 other hiring and applicant tracking tools we grade
CATS is an applicant tracking system aimed at small hiring teams and professional recruiters. It combines a candidate and client database, customizable workflows, a careers page and job posting, and a recruiting browser extension. The pricing page lists one plan, billed per user, with a free 30-day trial.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about CATS, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Workflows, careers pages and posting integrations need building before use.
- 1
Best for an ATS for small recruiting agencies
Data migration is an extra charge, texting is US and Canada only, and the page doesn't say what billing term the price assumes.
- 2
Paid plans start at $89 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $89 per user / month (billing period not stated).
- 3
You can try it first
Free 30-day trial
- 4
It runs on Web
Web, with a browser extension too.
- 5
Custom workflows
Build the hiring pipeline stages your team uses, with multiple workflows for different teams or job types and automation triggered by status changes.
- 6
Candidate and client CRM
Keeps contacts, clients and candidates in one database with mass edit, a duplicate checker and custom fields.
- 7
Sourcing extension
Chrome and Firefox extensions parse candidate data from sites such as LinkedIn, Monster and CareerBuilder into the database.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 88 of 101
That is against the other hiring and applicant tracking tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace CATS you would be making jobs posted to dozens of job boards at once, which takes an agreement with each board. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
CATS at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $89 per user / month (billing period not stated)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free 30-day trial
- Runs on
- Web, Browser extension
- Made by
- Top Echelon Software, LLC
- Category
- Hiring & Applicant Tracking
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for an ATS for small recruiting agencies
CATS is an ATS and candidate CRM for recruiters, at $89 per user a month with a 30-day trial. Data migration is an extra charge, texting is US and Canada only, and the page doesn't say what billing term the price assumes.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $89 per user a month against a $95 middle price for hiring tools, inside the middle of the range. The page does not say which billing period it assumes. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A free 30-day trial and no free plan. The page we read does not say whether a card is needed. |
| Features | B | Custom workflows, candidate and client CRM, a sourcing extension, careers pages, scheduling, texting and reporting. No gap in the core job shows on the listing. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Workflows, careers pages and posting integrations need building before use. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web and a browser extension, with LinkedIn, Monster, CareerBuilder and WordPress. No phone or desktop app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who CATS is for
- Fits if you are a small recruiting agency that wants candidates and clients in one tool
- Works for recruiters who source from LinkedIn with a browser extension
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you have several recruiters, at $89 per user a month with the billing basis not shown
- Watch out: moving data from an old system costs $500 on an annual plan or $1,000 on a monthly one
- Watch out: SMS texting is listed for the US and Canada only
- Skip it if you want a free plan; after the 30-day trial it is paid only
Good to know
Good for
- Small hiring teams that want a lower-cost applicant tracking system
- Recruiting and staffing firms that need a client and candidate database
- Teams moving from another ATS that want help with data migration
Worth knowing
- The pricing page shows one per-user price and does not say whether it assumes monthly or annual billing.
- Data migration from an old system is a separate charge: $500 on an annual plan or $1,000 on a monthly one, per the migration page.
- SMS texting is listed for the US and Canada only.
- The terms of service name Top Echelon Software, LLC as the provider.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$89
A month to start, for each person
CATS is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $89 per user / month (billing period not stated).
The page does not say which billing period it assumes.
Pro
$89
per user / month (billing basis not shown)
Careers page or jobs widget, workflow, meeting scheduler, SMS texting, calendar and email sync. Shown beside a crossed-out $110.
Trying it first
Free 30-day trial
Read from catsone.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Web and Browser extension
Applicant tracking and recruiting CRM with a single per-user plan. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, sales pipeline, workflow automation, reports, applicant tracking, job board posting.
Custom workflows, candidate and client CRM, a sourcing extension, careers pages, scheduling, texting and reporting.
- Custom workflows
- Build the hiring pipeline stages your team uses, with multiple workflows for different teams or job types and automation triggered by status changes.
- Candidate and client CRM
- Keeps contacts, clients and candidates in one database with mass edit, a duplicate checker and custom fields.
- Sourcing extension
- Chrome and Firefox extensions parse candidate data from sites such as LinkedIn, Monster and CareerBuilder into the database.
- Careers pages and posting
- A customizable careers page or an embeddable jobs widget, multiple career portals and auto-publishing of jobs.
- Scheduling and texting
- A meeting scheduler for candidates and clients, 2-way calendar and email sync, and SMS texting in the US and Canada.
- Screening and reporting
- Knockout questions, scorecards, dashboards and reports, plus an API and webhooks for connecting other tools.
Where it runs
- Web
- Browser extension
What it works with
- Monster
- CareerBuilder
- WordPress
CATS is made by Top Echelon Software, LLC.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
88/101
Other hiring and applicant tracking tools it is graded above
CATS's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 88 of the 101 other hiring and applicant tracking tools we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on features (B, above 75 of 101) and worst on ease of use (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $89 a month for each person, against a middle price of $99 for the category: 19 of the 42 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 102 hiring and applicant tracking tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. CATS’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 12 of 101
- CFree plan and trialAbove 73 of 101
- BFeaturesAbove 75 of 101
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 101
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 39 of 101
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 43 hiring and applicant tracking tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. CATS is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace CATS you would be making jobs posted to dozens of job boards at once, which takes an agreement with each board. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.4 is higher than 88 of the 101 other hiring and applicant tracking tools we grade. It costs $1,068 a year.
What you could make
- Applicant tracking, sales pipeline and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Jobs posted to dozens of job boards at once, which takes an agreement with each board.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- Hooks into the device itself: widgets.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. CATS’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Top Echelon, Recruit CRM, JazzHR, Bullhorn and Crelate
The 5 tools CATS is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Top Echelon
Free trial · from $79/mo
ATS and recruiting CRM for recruiting agencies and staffing firms.
- CATS also covers sales pipeline.
- 2.2GPA
Recruit CRM
Free trial · from $95/mo
ATS and client CRM for recruitment agencies, with AI agents.
- Only Recruit CRM lists iOS and Android apps.
- CATS also covers sales pipeline and reports.
- Recruit CRM also covers time tracking and AI agents.
- 2.0GPA
JazzHR
From $1,000/yr
Applicant tracking for small businesses at a flat yearly price.
- Only CATS lists a browser extension.
- CATS also covers sales pipeline.
- 1.8GPA
Bullhorn
From $99/mo
ATS, CRM and AI recruiting software for staffing agencies.
- Only CATS lists a browser extension.
- CATS also covers sales pipeline.
- 2.2GPA
Crelate
Free trial · from $85/mo
Applicant tracking and recruiting CRM for staffing and search firms.
- Only CATS lists a browser extension.
- Only Crelate lists iOS and Android apps.
- CATS also covers sales pipeline, workflow automation and reports.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is CATS free?
No, CATS is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free 30-day trial.
How much does CATS cost?
CATS lists one plan. Pro: $89 per user / month (billing basis not shown).
What platforms does CATS work on?
CATS is available on Web. It also has a browser extension.
Does CATS have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. CATS is listed for Web.
Does CATS have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. CATS is listed for Web.
Is CATS open source?
CATS is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does CATS have an API?
Yes. CATS offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does CATS integrate with?
CATS's listing names LinkedIn, Monster, CareerBuilder and WordPress. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes CATS?
CATS is made by Top Echelon Software, LLC.
What are the alternatives to CATS?
The closest alternatives to CATS in our directory are Top Echelon, Recruit CRM, JazzHR, Bullhorn and Crelate.
How does CATS compare with other hiring and applicant tracking tools?
CATS's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 88 of the 101 other hiring and applicant tracking tools we grade, and level with 8.
Is CATS good value for money?
ToolGPA grades CATS C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $89 a month for each person, against a middle price of $99 for the category: 19 of the 42 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of CATS?
To replace CATS you would be making jobs posted to dozens of job boards at once, which takes an agreement with each board.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from CATS’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from CATS's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Top Echelon Software, LLC. Prices change, so check catsone.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- CATS, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/cats-ats
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "CATS: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/cats-ats
Know someone choosing between hiring and applicant tracking tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/cats-ats/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded hiring and applicant tracking tools after CATS, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Hiring & Applicant Tracking Insider's GuideEvery one of the 102 hiring and applicant tracking tools we grade, compared
- Manatal Insider's GuideLow-cost per-user ATS and recruitment CRM with AI candidate matching2.8 GPA
- Breezy HR Insider's GuideFlat-priced applicant tracking with a free one-job plan2.6 GPA
- JOIN Insider's GuideMultiposting and applicant management priced per open job2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what CATS’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. CATS is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Top Echelon Software, LLC. Prices and plans change: check catsone.com before you buy.