Compare/Head to head

AssessFirst vs SHL

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

AssessFirst

€499/mo

AssessFirst predicts job, manager and team fit from short personality, motivation and reasoning tests, and adds AI phone screens and spoken skills tests. One subscription starts at €499 a month with unlimited users, priced in euros and finalised with sales. It suits mid-size and large employers hiring in Europe or across several countries.

Where AssessFirst fits

  • Employers hiring across Europe or in several languages
  • Teams that want manager and team fit, not just job fit, before an offer
  • HR teams using the same tests for hiring, internal mobility and development
  • Companies with many hiring managers who need unlimited user seats

SHL

Sales-quoted

Enterprise talent assessments: personality, cognitive, skills, coding simulations, and AI video interviews. Quote-based.

Where SHL fits

  • Global TA teams running assessment programs
  • I/O psychology-led hiring processes
  • Enterprises that buy through a formal RFP
  • Companies replacing a patchwork of tests

At a glance

DetailAssessFirstSHL
Starting price€499/moSales-quoted
Free tier–No–No
MCP server–No–No
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underAssessments, AI screening, Succession & internal mobilityAssessments

Where they pull apart

AssessFirst

Stands out: It scores fit with the specific manager and team, not only the role, and lets you train its models on your own top performers. SWIPE takes about five minutes on a phone, and VOICE grades spoken hard skills and CEFR language level in 40+ languages in under three minutes. User licences are unlimited on every subscription.

Watch out: Prices are published in euros only, and the final figure depends on a token volume agreed with sales. ATS integration is a paid add-on, not part of the base plan. Data is hosted in Europe. Outcome figures on the site, such as 50% lower turnover, are the vendor's own.

Not the right fit for

  • US buyers who need published USD pricing before a demo
  • Teams that only need coding or job-specific skills tests

SHL

Stands out: One of the broadest assessment portfolios in the market, with more than 80 ATS integrations.

Watch out: There is no self-serve plan. Buying runs through sales, and rollout is usually a scoped program rather than a quick setup.

Not the right fit for

  • Startups that want a self-serve monthly plan
  • Buyers who need a published price

Pros and cons

AssessFirst

  • Predicts manager and team fit, not only job fit
  • Unlimited user licences on the subscription
  • Spoken skills and language testing in 40+ languages
  • Pricing in euros only, final price set by sales
  • ATS integration is a paid add-on
  • Outcome statistics are vendor claims

SHL

  • Very broad assessment catalog
  • Connects to more than 80 ATS platforms
  • Covers hiring and development
  • No published price
  • Enterprise buying process
  • Heavier rollout than self-serve tools

What each one costs

AssessFirst

€499/mo

AssessFirst sells one subscription from €499 a month, with unlimited user licences and a shared pool of assessment tokens that stays valid for up to 60 months. The price per token falls as volume rises, and the final price is agreed with a sales expert based on your yearly hiring volume. ATS integration, a competency framework, Attract and a care programme are paid add-ons. Prices are published in euros only. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 28 Sep 2026

SHL

Sales-quoted

Sales-quoted. No public rate card on the vendor site. Pricing is scoped by volume, roles, and languages, usually as an enterprise program. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try AssessFirst or SHL for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Not the pair you wanted?

All AssessFirst alternatives All SHL alternatives Every Assessments tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 28 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?