Head to head

Carv vs Spark Hire

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

Carv

$60/user/mo

AI interview notes, write-ups, and ATS fill for recruiting agencies. Recruitment Pro is commonly quoted at $60/user/mo; the vendor has no published price grid.

Where Carv fits

  • Recruiting agencies that live on intake calls
  • Desks on Bullhorn, Greenhouse, Lever, or Workable
  • Recruiters drowning in notes and write-ups
  • Teams that will accept AI in the interview workflow

Spark Hire

$249/mo

One-way and live video interviews, with a separate ATS. Video starts at $249/mo billed annually.

Where Spark Hire fits

  • TA teams replacing live first rounds with one-way video
  • SMBs that want video without an enterprise HireVue contract
  • Companies that may grow into Spark Hire's ATS
  • Desks on Greenhouse or Lever that only need the video layer

At a glance

DetailCarvSpark Hire
Starting price$60/user/mo$249/mo
Free tier–No–No
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No✓Yes
Listed underInterviewingInterviewing
CapterraNot enough reviews4.7 from 109 reviews

Where they pull apart

Carv

Stands out: Joins the interview, writes the note, and pushes a candidate presentation back to Bullhorn, Greenhouse, Lever, or Workable.

Watch out: Packaging is demo-led and the product now leans toward agentic volume hiring, so confirm the seat price on a call rather than budgeting from the $60 figure. The five-meeting free plan is a usage cap, not a timed trial.

Not the right fit for

  • Enterprises that need HireVue-style structured video
  • TA teams that will not record interviews
  • Buyers who need a published price grid

Spark Hire

Stands out: Unlimited video interviews at a public $249/month annual start, then a full ATS if you want sourcing and workflows in the same vendor.

Watch out: The ATS (Recruit Pro) starts at $335/month billed annually, not $249. AI resume review and notetaker hours are metered by ATS plan. No free trial is advertised.

Not the right fit for

  • Enterprises standardised on HireVue
  • Buyers who thought $249 included the ATS
  • Teams that cannot ask candidates to record video

Pros and cons

Carv

  • Notes and write-ups that actually land in the ATS
  • Bullhorn, Greenhouse, Lever, Workable, and Teams named
  • Built for agency intakes, not enterprise video exams
  • No published pricing grid
  • Product marketing has shifted toward agentic volume hiring
  • Five-meeting free plan is not a timed trial

Spark Hire

  • Public $249/mo annual start for unlimited video
  • One-way and live in the same product
  • Optional ATS if you want one vendor
  • ATS starts at $335/mo annual, not $249
  • No advertised free trial
  • AI notetaker hours are capped on ATS plans

What each one costs

Carv

$60/user/mo

Free trial of 5 meetings. Recruiter Pro from about $60/user/mo. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 15 Sep 2026

Spark Hire

$249/mo

Video interviewing from $249/mo billed annually. The applicant tracking system is a separate plan from $335/mo. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 18 Sep 2026

Common questions

Is Carv cheaper than Spark Hire?
Carv starts lower, at $60/user/mo against $249/mo for Spark Hire. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try Carv or Spark Hire for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Not the pair you wanted?

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 15 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?