Lever Review
4.3(2081)ATS + native CRM for sourcing-led TA teams (Employ)
Lever (an Employ brand) pioneered ATS-plus-CRM for in-house teams, and its passive-talent nurture remains the draw. Reviews and analyst signals point to a platform in defensive mode against Greenhouse's rigor and Ashby's analytics.
By Ramin Assemi, B2B SaaS marketer and former Head of Content at Close.comPublished Updated
Lever pricing
Custom quote: pricing 'scales based on your team size and hiring needs' per the vendor's FAQ; every plan includes ATS, CRM, analytics, and integrations. No public seat or headcount tariff (vendor pricing page, Jul 2026).
- Free trial
- No
- Free tier
- No
- Min. seats
- Not published
- Billing
- Not published
Pricing data: Official (published by the vendor).
Pros
- ✓NurtureKit CRM built natively into pipelines for passive talent
- ✓Visual candidate boards and flexible scheduling
- ✓300+ marketplace integrations
Cons
- ✕AI roadmap lags Greenhouse and Ashby
- ✕Reporting customization limited at scale
- ✕Losing mid-market momentum (left out of the 2025 Gartner MQ)
Features
| 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
Compare Lever
Lever: frequently asked questions
How much does Lever cost?
Lever uses custom quote-based pricing and does not publish list prices (official, reviewed July 4, 2026). Custom quote: pricing 'scales based on your team size and hiring needs' per the vendor's FAQ; every plan includes ATS, CRM, analytics, and integrations. No public seat or headcount tariff (vendor pricing page, Jul 2026).
Does Lever offer a free trial?
No. Lever offers neither a free trial nor a free tier, so expect a demo-led sales process.
Is Lever an ATS or a CRM?
Lever is a combined ATS + CRM platform: applicant tracking and candidate/client relationship management in one system.
Who is Lever best for?
Mid-market teams where outbound sourcing and nurture drive hiring. We rank it for in-house talent acquisition.
What are the main drawbacks of Lever?
The criticisms that come up most: AI roadmap lags Greenhouse and Ashby; Reporting customization limited at scale; Losing mid-market momentum (left out of the 2025 Gartner MQ).
What are the best Lever alternatives?
Based on segment overlap and review ratings, the closest alternatives: Manatal, Gem, iSmartRecruit, Pinpoint. Full list: https://recruitmentcrm.com/alternatives/lever.