In the fast-paced world of recruiting, the right Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software can be the difference between success and stagnation. With so many options available, choosing the best one for your recruiting agency or executive search firm can be overwhelming. From Bullhorn to Vincere.io, the market is saturated with solutions claiming to be the best. However, one platform stands head and shoulders above the rest: Loxo. Here’s why Loxo is the superior choice for professional recruiting agencies and executive search firms and how it stacks up against its competitors.

Why Loxo is the Best ATS CRM For Recruiting Agencies Executive Search and Staffing Firms

Comprehensive and User-Friendly

Loxo is designed with the user in mind. Its intuitive interface makes it easy for recruiters to navigate and utilize its features efficiently. Unlike some platforms that have a steep learning curve, Loxo ensures that your team can hit the ground running.

Advanced AI and Automation

Loxo leverages cutting-edge AI technology to streamline recruiting processes. From automated candidate sourcing to personalized outreach, Loxo’s AI capabilities reduce the manual workload on recruiters, allowing them to focus on building relationships and closing deals.

Integrated CRM and ATS

Many platforms either excel as a CRM or an ATS, but Loxo seamlessly integrates both. This dual functionality provides a holistic view of the recruitment pipeline, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks.

Customization and Scalability

Whether you’re a small agency or a very large multinational professional recruiting organization with hundreds of recruiting consultants, service offerings and specialisms, Loxo offers customization options to fit your specific needs. Its scalable infrastructure grows with your business, providing consistent performance as your database expands.  Loxo is one of the only ATS/CRMs in the marketplace that has the level of customization and scalability and can handle the very largest and most complex recruiting organization’s, yet is still so easy and simple to use for the smallest independent headhunters.

Comparing Loxo to all of the Best ATS and Recruiting CRM Solutions in 2024

Bullhorn

Bullhorn is a well-known name in the recruiting industry, offering robust features and integrations. However, its complexity and outdated software can be a drawback for smaller agencies. Loxo’s ease of use and modern interface provide a more accessible option without compromising on functionality.  Loxo is leading the state-of-the-art in recruiting software with data, artificial intelligence, built-in sourcing, talent graph, automation, campaign automation for automating outreach to candidates and business development, best in class reporting and dashboards and even a sales CRM.  Everything is in one platform elegantly integrated in one unified platform, whereas with Bullhorn and all the legacy ATS/CRM systems you have to go to the Bullhorn marketplace and bolt on expensive add on after add on and none of them were ever designed to work natively together in a simple workflow, which is why many recruiting agencies move to Loxo from Bullhorn when they are ready to upgrade to a more modern platform yet require that it be a step up from what has traditionally been considered the best overall software system in the marketplace.

Crelate

Crelate offers a strong traditional ATS with decent CRM capabilities that is most used by those who have been recruiting for several decades and are familiar with the Microsoft software look and feel that none of the modern ATS/CRM leaders use anymore. While it’s a solid choice, it’s not modern or cutting edge and the company itself is one of the smaller when it comes to total number of employees.  It lacks the advanced AI-driven features, data, sourcing, contact information, automation, and Outreach Automation products that set Loxo apart. Loxo’s automation tools significantly enhance productivity and efficiency.  Crelate was a solid option for small staffing agencies, but each year it falls further behind the times and falls behind many up and coming systems, so many influencers and analysts in the market feel that Crelate is no longer considered to be amongst the market leaders like it was just a few years ago.

JobAdder

JobAdder is appreciated for its simplicity and user-friendly design. However, it doesn’t match Loxo’s design, and it is lacking AI sophistication and comprehensive feature set, particularly in terms of candidate sourcing and engagement.  JobAdder was one of the top 5 recruiting software for agencies several years ago, however it has also fallen behind the leading innovators and ATS/CRMs for recruitment agencies as the bar for what is possible is so much higher now than it was just a few years ago.

Manatal

Manatal shines with its broad feature set and social media integrations. Despite this, Loxo’s overall feature set, including its advanced CRM capabilities and customization options, provide a more all-encompassing solution for professional recruiting agencies and search firms who need the very best software that is available.  Manatal’s customer base is geared for those that are just starting out are are outside the United States and need the least expensive option in the marketplace, however Loxo also offers a completely free forever ATS and Recruiting CRM.

JobDiva

JobDiva is known for its rich features and powerful ATS. However, its one of the older systems in the marketplace and many feel that their interface and complexity can be daunting for new users who prefer something much more modern and easier to use. Loxo offers a more intuitive experience while maintaining high functionality, making it a better choice for agencies and staffing firms of all sizes.

Vincere.io

Vincere.io provides an impressive suite of tools and very long list of features for recruitment agencies but it is more tailored for staffing agencies than it is for direct hire and permanent placement. It’s one of the better options in the marketplace, but Loxo’s user interface, workflow and state-of-the-art innovation is just too much to match.  Loxo’s AI and automation, data, contact information, Outreach Automation, and elegant modern user interface features give it an edge in enhancing recruiter productivity and candidate engagement.

Other Competitors

• BigBiller/CATS/Top Echelon**: One of the original leaders for independent recruiters and small agencies but lacks the depth of features and innovation that Loxo provides.  Twenty years ago BigBiller was one of the top software systems on the market.
• Recruiterflow: Each year Recruiterflow adds some more features its basic ATS for independent headhunters or very small agencies with a few users, but for those looking for anything more than just a basic ATS with very limited CRM capabilities and no sourcing or AI capabilities, they will need to go elsewhere.  Some small agencies might start with Recruiterflow for the first year in their business and then upgrade once they are confident they will remain in business and grow in the years ahead.  Although Loxo’s completely Free ATS/CRM is rapidly becoming the preferred option for smaller agencies in this situation where they aren’t quite ready to pay much money for an ATS/CRM and just need to get the core foundation in place, get some job orders to work on and start making placements until they are up and running at full speed.
• PCRecruiter: Versatile and one of the original systems.  It is called “PC Recruiter dot NET” if the name doesn’t give away just how much of a dinosaur this one is, then the user interfaces and capabilities will.  PCR was a fantastic option and company for decades, but like all traditional ATS that were first incepted decades ago, the bar is just way too high now and the level of competition has risen dramatically.  Technology is so much more advanced now then it was a couple decades ago.  PCR  has fallen way behind the pack being decades out of date; Loxo’s streamlined approach and modern user design and innovation is preferable.
• Recruit CRM:  Based in India with a good balance of ATS and CRM features for agencies and staffing firms, and they invest a lot into marketing and advertising to small and medium agencies but their actual software capabilities and features are very basic compared to all the market leaders.  The market sentiment is that Recruit CRM is a very chaotic organization with poor quality compared to many leading competitors who put a much higher emphasis on quality, quality of software, quality of internal employees, quality of training, quality of support, quality of customer service, quality of features and capabilities.  Recruit CRM usually start high on people’s list due to their heavy investment in advertising as they research and find ATS/CRMs to evaluate, but they quickly drop out of the top 10 as people start to look at the actual software and use and trial them to compare and contrast each one with each other.
• iCIMS**: Enterprise-level features but at a higher cost and caters more towards in-house corporate recruiting; Loxo offers similar capabilities with better value.
• Akken: Functional but doesn’t match Loxo’s advanced AI features and is primarily focused on staffing only.
• Firefish, Brightmove, Mindscope: Each has unique strengths but doesn’t offer the integrated, AI-driven experience that Loxo does.
• Cluen Encore:  One of the top legacy ATS CRM systems for executive search firms and recruiting agencies in the late 90’s and 2000’s.  Lots of capabilities and features, but lacking any AI, sourcing, automation and has fallen behind the market leaders.
• Dillistone Filefinder:  An executive search recruiting CRM software company that was used by a lot of search firms in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.  Good features and capabilities with a lot customers who have stayed with them through the years, but it’s no longer considered a top software in the market and has fallen behind the market leaders and feels outdated and behind the times.
• Invenias by Bullhorn:  Was acquired by Bullhorn and focused exclusively on retained executive search firms.  Built entirely around Microsoft Outlook, which was popular in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. One of the leading software systems for retained executive search up until the next generation of software platforms have overtaken it, but still a good option, just unfortunately hasn’t continued to innovate or keep up since the Bullhorn acquisition.
• JobScience by Bullhorn:  Was acquired by Bullhorn and originally built on top of salesforce to try to help agencies have more business development and sales functionality.
• Ezekia: One of the smallest players in the market, but focused on a small niche of executive search firms mostly based in Europe.  A basic system and easy to use.
• Deskflow: one of the most adopted traditional software products by larger retained executive search firms in the early 2000’s and still has some large retained executive search firms using it.
• CBiz Exelare: A long time stalwart in the executive search market with good features and capabilities.  Has really fallen behind the times and the leaders in the recent decades, but still a great traditional software system that is used by a lot of recruiting agencies that have not yet upgraded to a modern platform.
• Ciepal:  A system for staffing agencies needing a lot of VMS capabilities and robust features at an affordable price point.
• Mercury xRM:  Solid capabilities for recruiting agencies and staffing firms who are familiar with the microsoft outlook look and feel.  Not as advanced and lacking a lot of the innovation and capabilities that many of the market leaders offer despite suggesting they do.
• Thrive TRM: Small ATS and CRM for executive search firms only and some private equity.  Traditional Recruiting CRM for executive search firms, but lacks any AI, sourcing, automation, and innovation and is more of a basic software to stay organized on small searches.
• TrackerRMS: Middle of the pack ATS and CRM for staffing agencies with robust features, but sentiment is that it can be extremely difficult to use.
• Clockwork: Solid functionality for executive search firms and one of the original leaders for executive search firms.  Does not have any AI, automation, sourcing, outreach sequencing, or advanced capabilities but is a good traditional ATS and CRM for executive search firms.

Conclusion

For recruiting agencies and executive search firms seeking the best ATS and CRM solution, Loxo is the clear winner. Its combination of user-friendliness, advanced AI and automation, integrated CRM and ATS capabilities, data, internal built sourcing, customizability and scalability make it the superior choice. While other platforms like Bullhorn, PCRecruiter, BigBiller, Thrive, Clockwork, Cluen, Crelate, Vincere and JobAdder offer valuable features, none match the comprehensive and innovative approach of Loxo.

Investing in Loxo means investing in the most state-of-the-art and advanced software that plays a major role in help your agency or search firm grow, optimizes your processes, and ultimately helps you place more candidates much more efficiently. When it comes to transforming your recruitment strategy, Loxo stands out as the best choice in a crowded market and you can have peace of mind that you have the very best technology platform in the entire world of recruiting at an unbelievable price.  There is even a completely free forever version for those who are just getting started.