Atlas vs CATS
Two recruitment CRMs compared on pricing, features, and fit, so you can shortlist with confidence.
✓Pricing verified against vendor pagesData reviewed September 22, 2026How we research →
By Ramin Assemi, B2B SaaS marketer and former Head of Content at Close.comPublished Updated
Atlas
AI-native "CRMx" that writes the record from your calls and email
Best for: Agency desks — perm, executive search and contract — that want capture and automation instead of CRM data entry
✓Automatic capture is the real differentiator: calls, email and meetings land on the record without anyone typing a note, with transcripts, summaries and actions attached to the right person and company (G2 reviewers, Mar–Aug 2026; vendor site, Sep 2026)
✓Reviewers who ran Bullhorn and Vincere before it single out support response times as the best they've used (G2, Jul 2026)
✕Contract billing, not pay & bill: GP, invoice and payment status are tracked and pushed to Xero, but that link runs one way, there is no payroll, and timesheet capture is not described anywhere Atlas publishes — a desk that pays contractors needs that machinery elsewhere (Atlas team, Sep 2026)
✕Contact enrichment costs a tier up (Premium is $200/user/mo against Basic's $150, paying monthly) and WhatsApp is a paid per-seat add-on (Atlas pricing page and Atlas team, Sep 2026)
CATS
Straightforward, customizable ATS for small agencies
Best for: Small agencies wanting simple, affordable applicant tracking
✓Deep customizability of fields and workflows
✓Simple, centralized candidate management
✕Clunky, dated interface
✕Weak third-party data integration
Our verdict
Choose Atlas if…
- ✓You're in executive search firms, a segment CATS doesn't focus on
- ✓You're in contract & temp staffing, a segment CATS doesn't focus on
- ✓You want workflow automation working out of the box
- ✓AI matching and assistance are on your must-have list
Choose CATS if…
- ✓Your team sources through LinkedIn every day
- ✓Multi-job-board posting is core to how you fill roles
Feature-by-feature
| Feature | Atlas | CATS |
|---|---|---|
| ATS + CRM core | ✓ | ✓ |
| Email/inbox sync | ✓ | ✓ |
| LinkedIn / Chrome extension | ~ | ✓ |
| Multi-job-board posting | ~ | ✓ |
| Built-in candidate sourcing | ~ | ~ |
| Workflow automation | ✓ | ~ |
| AI matching & assistance | ✓ | – |
| Reporting & analytics | ✓ | ~ |
| Temp back-office (pay & bill) | ~ | – |
| Open API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile app | ~ | – |
IncludedPartial or paid add-onNot available
What would it cost your team?
| Est. monthly cost, entry tier | 5 seats | 20 seats | 50 seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas (official) | $150/user/mo (12-mo term)flat | $150/user/mo (12-mo term)flat | $150/user/mo (12-mo term)flat |
| CATS (official) | $89/user/mo (term not stated)flat | $89/user/mo (term not stated)flat | $89/user/mo (term not stated)flat |
Estimated from each vendor's published entry-tier price as of September 22, 2026; real quotes vary with plan tier, add-on modules, and contract terms. See how we label pricing confidence.
Frequently asked questions
How do Atlas and CATS pricing compare?
Atlas pricing starts at $150/user/mo (12-mo term) (official, reviewed September 22, 2026). CATS pricing starts at $89/user/mo (term not stated) (official, reviewed September 22, 2026).
What does Atlas cost?
Atlas pricing starts at $150/user/mo (12-mo term) (official, reviewed September 22, 2026). Every Atlas plan is a 12-month commitment; there is no monthly contract. Paying monthly on that term, Atlas Basic is $150/user/mo and Atlas Premium, which adds Contact Enrichment, is $200/user/mo. Paying the year upfront drops those to $125 and $165, 12 months for the price of 10. Agencies of ten or more desks are quoted per agency. WhatsApp is a paid per-seat add-on on either tier (Atlas pricing page, Sep 2026; WhatsApp add-on from the Atlas team, Sep 2026).
What does CATS cost?
CATS pricing starts at $89/user/mo (term not stated) (official, reviewed September 22, 2026). One published plan, CATS Pro, at $89/user/mo shown against a struck-through $110, plus a $500 data migration fee. The pricing page does not say whether $89 is a monthly or an annual rate, so the billing term is unconfirmed. The older $69 figure that third-party sites still quote no longer applies (vendor pricing page, Sep 2026).
Which is rated higher, Atlas or CATS?
Atlas is rated higher: 4.9/5 on G2 versus 4.2/5 for CATS on G2.
Who is Atlas best for, and who is CATS best for?
Atlas: Agency desks — perm, executive search and contract — that want capture and automation instead of CRM data entry. CATS: Small agencies wanting simple, affordable applicant tracking.