At a glance

Ashby Deel
Best for Fast-growing companies wanting an all-in-one recruiting platform Companies hiring internationally without entities
Starting price Custom Free
Free tier — ✓
Open source — —
Free tier available — ✓
Open source — —
ATS ✓ —
Analytics ✓ —
CRM ✓ —
Compliance — ✓
Contractors — ✓
EOR — ✓
Global Payroll — ✓
Scheduling ✓ —

Ashby

Strengths

  • Includes ATS as a core feature, purpose-built for hr & recruiting workflows
  • Includes CRM as a core feature, purpose-built for hr & recruiting workflows
  • Focused toolset keeps the interface clean and easy to navigate
  • Includes analytics alongside the core feature set — fewer separate tools needed

Weaknesses

  • No free tier, so you can't try it without committing to a paid plan
  • Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
  • Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in hr & recruiting
  • Mobile experience lags behind the desktop version in features and polish

Deel

Strengths

  • Includes Global Payroll as a core feature, purpose-built for hr & recruiting workflows
  • Includes Compliance as a core feature, purpose-built for hr & recruiting workflows
  • Free for contractors — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
  • Includes eor alongside the core feature set — fewer separate tools needed

Weaknesses

  • Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
  • Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
  • Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in hr & recruiting
  • Mobile experience lags behind the desktop version in features and polish

The bottom line

Pricing: Both Ashby and Deel are free. You can try both without spending a dollar.

Feature gaps: Ashby offers ATS, Analytics and CRM that Deel lacks. Deel brings Compliance, Contractors and EOR that Ashby does not have.

Team fit: Ashby is geared toward mid-size teams teams, while Deel is aimed at any size teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Where each tool shines: Ashby's biggest strengths are: includes ats as a core feature, purpose-built for hr & recruiting workflows. includes crm as a core feature, purpose-built for hr & recruiting workflows. Deel's biggest strengths are: includes global payroll as a core feature, purpose-built for hr & recruiting workflows. includes compliance as a core feature, purpose-built for hr & recruiting workflows.

Watch out for: With Ashby, users commonly note that no free tier, so you can't try it without committing to a paid plan. With Deel, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.

Choose Ashby if...

  • You need a tool built for fast-growing companies wanting an all-in-one recruiting platform
  • You specifically need ATS and Analytics
  • You care about includes crm as a core feature, purpose-built for hr & recruiting workflows
  • Your team size fits the mid-size teams profile Ashby is designed for

Choose Deel if...

  • Your profile matches its sweet spot: companies hiring internationally without entities
  • You specifically need Compliance and Contractors
  • You care about includes compliance as a core feature, purpose-built for hr & recruiting workflows
  • Your team size fits the any size profile Deel is designed for
  • The free tier works for you: free for contractors

Looking for more options?

Related comparisons

Explore more