CEIPAL vs Firefish
Two recruitment CRMs compared on pricing, features, and fit, so you can shortlist with confidence.
✓Pricing verified against vendor pagesData reviewed July 4, 2026How we research →
By Ramin Assemi, B2B SaaS marketer and former Head of Content at Close.comPublished Updated
CEIPAL
AI staffing OS: ATS, VMS & workforce management in one
Best for: High-volume IT and contract staffing firms that need ATS and VMS in one system
✓Unified ATS, VMS, and workforce management aimed at high-volume IT and contract staffing
✓AI ranking and bulk sourcing built for heavy requisition loads
✕Pricing is quote-based; the low third-party figures circulating are unverified
✕Breadth of the suite makes for a steeper learning curve
Firefish
Recruitment CRM with built-in marketing for UK agencies
Best for: UK agencies that treat their website and brand as a candidate channel
✓Recruitment marketing (website CMS, campaigns, engagement tracking) built in
✓Outstanding UK-based support reputation
✕Rigid contract lengths reported by customers
✕Some job board integrations are paid extras
Our verdict
Choose CEIPAL if…
- ✓You're in rpo providers, a segment Firefish doesn't focus on
- ✓You're in high-volume hiring, a segment Firefish doesn't focus on
- ✓You're in contract & temp staffing, a segment Firefish doesn't focus on
- ✓You run temp or contract desks and need pay & bill in the platform
Choose Firefish if…
UK agencies that treat their website and brand as a candidate channel. See the feature table below for where it differs from CEIPAL.
Feature-by-feature
| Feature | CEIPAL | Firefish |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ✓ | ✓ |
What would it cost your team?
| Est. monthly cost, entry tier | 5 seats | 20 seats | 50 seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| CEIPAL (reported) | Custom quote | Custom quote | Custom quote |
| Firefish (reported) | £400/mo | £1,600/mo | £4,000/mo |
Estimated from each vendor's published entry-tier price as of July 4, 2026; real quotes vary with plan tier, add-on modules, and contract terms. See how we label pricing confidence.
Frequently asked questions
How do CEIPAL and Firefish pricing compare?
CEIPAL uses custom quote-based pricing and does not publish list prices (reported, reviewed July 4, 2026). Firefish pricing starts at £80/user/mo (reported, reviewed July 4, 2026).
What does CEIPAL cost?
CEIPAL uses custom quote-based pricing and does not publish list prices (reported, reviewed July 4, 2026). Quote-based: CEIPAL does not publish seat pricing on its site. Third-party aggregators cite an entry figure around $24/user/mo, but that is unverified against any official page and modules (VMS, workforce management) are priced separately (Jul 2026).
What does Firefish cost?
Firefish pricing starts at £80/user/mo (reported, reviewed July 4, 2026). Vendor site is quote-led; Capterra reports Basic £80, Professional £90, Enterprise £105 per user/mo (Capterra, Oct 2025). Contract terms not verified; some job board integrations cost extra.
Which is rated higher, CEIPAL or Firefish?
CEIPAL is rated higher: 4.6/5 on G2 versus 4.4/5 for Firefish.
Who is CEIPAL best for, and who is Firefish best for?
CEIPAL: High-volume IT and contract staffing firms that need ATS and VMS in one system. Firefish: UK agencies that treat their website and brand as a candidate channel.