Compare/Head to head

BambooHR vs Folks ATS

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

Starting price

BambooHR

$250/mo

Small-business HRIS that often doubles as the first ATS. Per-employee plans start at $10, with a $250/mo floor for companies of 25 or fewer.

Where BambooHR fits

  • US small businesses buying a first HRIS
  • Teams that want a light ATS in the same product
  • HR teams running onboarding after the offer
  • Buyers comparing against Gusto or Namely

Folks ATS

CA$99/mo

Applicant tracking system built in Canada for small and mid-sized businesses and recruitment agencies. Jobs post to LinkedIn, Indeed, Jobillico and other Canadian boards, AI matchmaking ranks applicants against each role, and all recruiting data is hosted in Canada. The Essential package starts at CA$99/mo and works with or without the Folks HR platform.

Where Folks ATS fits

  • Canadian SMBs that want recruiting data hosted in Canada
  • Quebec employers hiring in French and English
  • Teams posting to Canadian job boards such as Jobillico
  • Companies already using Folks HR or Canadian payroll

At a glance

DetailBambooHRFolks ATS
Starting price$250/moCA$99/mo
Free tier–No–No
MCP server✓Yes–No
Public API✓Yes–No
Listed underBenefits administration, HR compliance, HRIS, Onboarding, Time & attendanceATS
Capterra4.6 from 3,558 reviews4.6 from 112 reviews

Where they pull apart

BambooHR

Stands out: HRIS plus a light applicant tracker and onboarding in one small-business login.

Watch out: The $250 figure is the small-company flat rate, not a per-employee price. Bills scale with headcount above that.

Not the right fit for

  • High-volume hiring that needs a dedicated ATS
  • Global employer-of-record buyers

Folks ATS

Stands out: Recruiting data stays on Canadian servers, which matters for employers with local privacy obligations, and it posts to Canadian boards such as Jobillico, Isarta and CareerBeacon that US ATSs often skip. Folks runs in French and English and hands new hires to Canadian payroll systems such as Nethris and EmployeurD.

Watch out: Only the Essential package has a published price, and it is in Canadian dollars; Premium and Agency are quoted. Resume parsing and the LinkedIn sourcing plug-in need Premium, parsing is capped at 200 resumes a month, and the board list leans Canadian, so US-only hiring teams get less from it.

Not the right fit for

  • US-only hiring teams
  • Buyers who need every plan priced up front
  • High-volume teams parsing more than 200 resumes a month

Pros and cons

BambooHR

  • Clear per-employee pricing with a small-company floor
  • HRIS plus a light ATS
  • Public API
  • MCP server is still in beta
  • Outgrown quickly by high-volume hiring
  • Costs climb with headcount

Folks ATS

  • Recruiting data hosted only in Canada
  • Posts to Canadian boards such as Jobillico and Isarta
  • Works stand-alone or with Folks HR and payroll
  • Only the entry package has a published price
  • Resume parsing and LinkedIn sourcing need Premium
  • Board coverage leans Canadian

What each one costs

BambooHR

$250/mo

Companies with 25 employees or fewer pay a flat monthly rate starting at $250. Above 25 employees, Core is $10, Pro $17 and Elite $25 per employee per month, with automatic volume discounts. Payroll, benefits administration and time tracking are add-ons. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Folks ATS

CA$99/mo

The Essential package starts at CA$99/mo and covers applicant tracking, posting to LinkedIn, Jobillico and Indeed, bulk text and email, custom workflows, a career page, interview scheduling with Microsoft and Google calendars, 25+ reports and candidate matchmaking. The Premium package adds the LinkedIn sourcing plug-in, resume parsing for up to 200 resumes a month, unlimited job postings, locations and career pages, and premium support. An Agency package adds a built-in CRM for recruitment firms. Premium and Agency prices are quoted, no USD price is published and no free trial is listed. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 9 Nov 2026

Common questions

Is BambooHR cheaper than Folks ATS?
Folks ATS starts lower, at CA$99/mo against $250/mo for BambooHR. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try BambooHR or Folks ATS for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.
Does BambooHR or Folks ATS have an MCP server?
BambooHR ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?