Hiring the right talent is the top priority for businesses looking to grow.  However, a study by ManpowerGroup found that 90% of hiring managers struggle to source skilled candidates. To overcome this challenge, many businesses are turning to applicant tracking systems (ATS) to streamline their recruitment processes.

However, with so many ATS options available, choosing the right one requires thorough evaluation. Zoho Recruit and Bullhorn are well-known solutions, each designed for different business needs. Zoho Recruit is ideal for startups and corporate human resource (HR) teams, while Bullhorn caters to staffing firms and large enterprises.

This Zoho Recruit vs Bullhorn comparison will examine key features of each platform, including applicant tracking, automation, onboarding tools, and pricing, to help you make an informed decision. 

Zoho Recruit Vs Bullhorn: At A Glance

Features 

Zoho Recruit 

Bullhorn 

Applicant Tracking System  

Offers AI-powered candidate matching, multi-channel sourcing, automated screening, and integrated behavioral assessments 

Focuses on integration with 300+ partner technologies for flexibility but lacks AI-driven candidate matching of Zoho Recruit 

Automation And AI 

Utilizes AI for screening workflows and engagement via chatbots 

Leverages extensive data points to automate recruiter tasks and improve sales intelligence and workflow efficiency 

Onboarding 

Integrates with Zoho People for streamlined data transition from candidate to employee status 

Provides tools for e-signing documents and integrates with third-party vendors for customized onboarding processes 

Pricing 

Starts at $0 (Forever Free plan); Paid plans begin at $30/user/month 

Starts at $99/user/month for ATS; other plans require a custom quote 

What Is Zoho Recruit?

Zoho Recruit is an applicant tracking system and candidate relationship management (CRM) platform designed to streamline the talent acquisition process for in-house and staffing agencies. Over 8,000 businesses trust this platform to manage job openings, track candidates, and handle hiring tasks automatically.  

Not only that, but Nucleus research ranked Zoho Recruit as a leader in talent acquisition for its ability to keep candidates engaged and prevent drop-offs, which is a major challenge in hiring.  

Standout Features Of Zoho Recruit

  • Resume Extractor: This feature allows recruiters to parse candidate details directly from web pages like LinkedIn and import them into their database with a single click, ensuring seamless sourcing 
  • Drag And Drop Interface: The intuitive drag and drop interface lets recruiters build custom workflows effortlessly, enabling them to automate hiring stages, assign tasks, and streamline recruitment processes 
  • Semantic Search: Zoho Recruit’s advanced ‘Semantic Search’ matches job descriptions with the most relevant candidates, filtering applicants based on skills, experience, and job role for faster, data-driven hiring 
  • Built-In Offer Letter: The platform provides built-in offer letter templates, allowing recruiters to send personalized, professional offers instantly without the need for third-party integration 

Pros And Cons Of Zoho Recruit

Pros  

  • It sends automatic email and WhatsApp messages to keep candidates updated on every step of the hiring process 
  • Users appreciate its ‘Career Page’ option for providing a branded space for job postings 
  • It allows recruiters to save and monitor hashtags and keywords across social media platforms to track trends 

Cons 

  • The system does not provide desktop alerts for email tracking, requiring users to manually check the system for open and click statuses   
  • New users struggle with the system’s complexity due to lack of support pages and resources  

What Is Bullhorn?

Bullhorn is a cloud-based recruiting software designed to streamline the hiring process by providing tools for sourcing, applicant tracking, and onboarding. By using this software, businesses like AMN Healthcare have improved their recruitment, with 18% more candidate matches, 14% more placements, and nearly 20% higher recruiter productivity. 

The software has also earned the trust of over 10,000 staffing companies globally, proving its value in making recruitment and candidate management more efficient.  

Standout Features Of Bullhorn

  • Broad Integration Support: The software integrates with 300+ vetted partner technologies, including third-party applications, job boards, and recruitment tools. This extensive integration network allows recruiters to create a fully customized recruitment tech stack, reducing manual data entry and improving workflow efficiency 
  • 24/7 Customer Service: The platform ensures recruiters get round-the-clock support with a highly responsive team that resolves queries quickly to prevent delays and disruptions  
  • Desktop Notification For Email Tracking: This feature provides instant desktop alerts when emails are opened or clicked, enabling HR admins to follow up in real time and maintain effective communication with candidates and clients  

Pros And Cons Of Bullhorn

Pros  

  • Provides the ability to record the notes for each hiring discussion, keeping track of important details 
  • The system regularly introduces new features, improving overall performance and functionality 
  • High-standard customer support with quick and thorough responses  

Cons 

  • The system does not support LinkedIn integration  
  • Retains old data that must be manually deleted to avoid interference with current priorities  

Zoho Recruit Vs Bullhorn: Key Feature Comparison

Applicant Tracking System

Zoho Recruit provides multi-channel candidate sourcing, allowing recruiters to post job listings across multiple platforms, including job boards, career sites, and employee referrals. The system also includes AI-powered candidate matching, resume parsing, and behavioral assessment, which helps identify the best talent quickly.

Recruiters can also automate repetitive tasks such as resume screening, rejection emails, and interview reminders to save time.

Bullhorn, while offering job posting capabilities, lacks AI-assisted candidate matching like Zoho Recruit. However, it integrates with more than 300 partner technologies, giving users flexibility in connecting with third-party job boards and recruitment tools.

What sets it apart is its ability to combine ATS and CRM functionality, giving recruiters a complete view of candidates and clients. This is particularly useful for recruitment agencies handling multiple job placements simultaneously.

Winner: Zoho Recruit wins this round as it provides a more streamlined and automated approach to hiring. While Bullhorn offers strong integration capabilities, it requires additional tools to match the same level of efficiency.

Automation And AI

Zoho Recruit focuses on AI-powered candidate sourcing and automated screening workflows, helping recruiters quickly find and rank candidates based on key job criteria. Features like AI-driven ‘Candidate Matching’ and behavioral assessments enhance hiring accuracy, while chatbots keep candidates engaged. These automation tools significantly reduce manual workload and streamline recruitment.

Bullhorn, on the other hand, offers a more extensive AI-driven recruitment lifecycle by leveraging over 22 billion data points to refine candidate-job matching. Instead of AI-driven candidate selection like Zoho Recruit, Bullhorn’s AI focuses more on recruiter efficiency and business intelligence.

The system automates communication workflows and recruiter tasks, helping companies discover job opportunities faster and manage large-scale hiring processes.

Winner:Bullhorn takes the lead with its data-driven AI approach, making it ideal for agencies managing high-volume hiring. Its ability to automate recruitment workflows gives agencies a strategic advantage.

Onboarding

Zoho Recruit simplifies onboarding by integrating directly with Zoho People, allowing recruiters to transition successful candidates into employees with minimal effort. This integration eliminates redundant data entry and ensures that HR teams can manage employee records, time tracking, and other functions from a single platform.

It also provides structured hiring metrics, such as time-to-hire and quality-of-hire, helping recruiters track and optimize their processes. However, its onboarding experience relies heavily on Zoho People, meaning businesses using other HR management systems may not experience the same integration benefits.

In contrast, Bullhorn enables candidates to complete onboarding tasks, including signing state and federal documents like I-9 e-Verify, without switching between multiple portals. Additionally, the platform integrates with third-party vendors, allowing companies to build a fully customized onboarding process.

However, while it offers a smoother experience for candidates and recruiters, it lacks built-in HR functionalities like employee record management, requiring businesses to rely on additional software for post-hire processes.

Winner: This section ends in a tie. Zoho Recruit is ideal for companies already using Zoho People, while Bullhorn is better suited for businesses that don’t mind using separate HR tools for onboarding.

Pricing

Zoho Recruit offers a separate pricing plan for Corporate HRs and Staffing agencies, ensuring businesses get the features they need based on their recruitment model. A 15-day free trial is available for both plans. The plans are:

For Corporate HRs

  • Free: $0
  • Standard: $30/recruiter/month
  • Enterprise: $60/recruiter/month

For Staffing Agencies

  • Forever Free: $0
  • Standard: $30/user/month
  • Professional: $60/user/month
  • Enterprise: $90/user/month

Meanwhile, Bullhorn offers two pricing structures: Bullhorn Platform and Bullhorn Recruitment Cloud. Most of its plans operate on a custom pricing model, except for Bullhorn ATS under the Bullhorn Platform, which starts at $99.

Winner: Although Bullhorn offers custom pricing for scalability, Zoho Recruit wins this round with its more affordable and transparent pricing, making it ideal for small to mid-sized businesses.

Final Verdict: Which Recruitment Software Wins?

Based on the comparison, Zoho Recruit stands out for its AI-powered applicant tracking and transparent pricing, while Bullhorn excels in automation, recruiter efficiency, and large-scale hiring capabilities. That means each platform has its strengths depending on business needs. 

If you need affordable, AI-driven candidate matching, structured hiring processes, and built-in HR integrations, Zoho Recruit is the better option. However, if your focus is on high-volume recruitment and seamless CRM-ATS functionality, Bullhorn is the stronger choice. 

Ultimately, the best choice depends on your company’s recruitment priorities. If neither fully meets your needs, consider alternatives like iCIMS Software or Lever ATS, which offer different strengths in talent acquisition and workflow automation.