Head to head

Ashby vs Rocket

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Ashby

$400/mo

All-in-one ATS plus analytics for growth teams. Foundations starts at $400/month for up to 100 employees, with 10% off annual.

Where Ashby fits

Growth-stage talent teams
Companies that want analytics without a second tool
Desks that want MCP on hiring data
Teams comparing Ashby against Greenhouse

Rocket

Sales-quoted

Startup recruiting firm for contingency, executive search, and embedded desks. Fees are a quote on first-year compensation.

Where Rocket fits

Seed and growth startups hiring IC and GTM roles
Founders who need a VP or first finance hire
Companies that want an embedded recruiter, not an ATS
Teams willing to pay a retained or contingency fee

At a glance

Detail	Ashby	Rocket
Starting price	$400/mo	Sales-quoted
Free tier	–No	–No
MCP server	✓Yes	–No
Public API	✓Yes	–No
Listed under	ATS, CRM	Sourcing
Capterra	4.4 from 15 reviews	Not enough reviews

Where they pull apart

Ashby

Stands out: Scheduling, CRM, reporting and analytics in one ATS, with a hosted MCP.

Watch out: The $400/month floor is real, and the higher tiers go back to a sales conversation.

Not the right fit for

Agencies that need a staffing CRM
Buyers who cannot start at $400/month

Rocket

Stands out: Operator-led recruiters plus an internal AI sourcing model, sold as a service, not a self-serve login.

Watch out: This is an agency, not recruiting software. Contingency still takes a retainer. You pay a percent of first-year pay.

Not the right fit for

Buyers shopping for recruiting software
Teams that will not pay a percent of salary

Pros and cons

Ashby

Analytics inside the ATS rather than a separate product
Hosted MCP plus API
Published entry price

$400/month floor
Higher tiers are quote-only
Priced on headcount, not recruiter seats

Rocket

Contingency, search, and embedded models
Built for startup IC and exec hires
Internal AI used by human recruiters

Not software. You buy a recruiting firm
Fees are a quote on compensation
Contingency still has an upfront retainer

What each one costs

Ashby

$400/mo

Foundations is $400 a month for companies with up to 100 employees, billed monthly, with 10% off for an annual commitment. Plus (101 to 1,000 employees) and Enterprise are custom-priced. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Rocket

Sales-quoted

Sales-quoted. Fees are a percentage of first-year compensation with an upfront retainer. Contingency: retainer plus remainder on hire. Executive search: retained milestones. Embedded: monthly retainer by scope. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Ashby or Rocket for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Does Ashby or Rocket have an MCP server?

Ashby ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Ashby alternatives All Rocket alternatives Every ATS tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 19 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?