Compare/Head to head

CodeSignal vs HackerRank Chakra

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

Starting price

CodeSignal

$79/mo

Skills assessments and AI interviewers on a credit meter. Hire Build is $79/mo billed annually, or $99/mo monthly.

Where CodeSignal fits

  • Small teams making first technical hires on Build
  • Growing orgs that need GTM assessments on Grow
  • Companies that want AI interviewers plus live tech screens
  • Enterprises that need SSO, RBAC, and validated content on Pro

HackerRank Chakra

$79/mo Free trial

HackerRank's AI interviewer for technical roles. It opens a real codebase in a live canvas with an AI coding assistant, watches how the candidate plans and builds, then asks follow-up questions to see whether they can defend what they shipped. Chakra comes with HackerRank plans, which start at $79/mo billed annually for 60 candidate attempts.

Where HackerRank Chakra fits

  • Engineering teams that want one AI round instead of a recruiter screen plus a take-home
  • Hiring AI engineers, forward deployed engineers and AI product managers
  • Teams already on HackerRank that want to test how candidates work with AI tools
  • Companies worried about candidates using interview cheating tools

At a glance

DetailCodeSignalHackerRank Chakra
Starting price$79/mo$79/mo
Free tier–No–No
Free trialNot on recordYes
MCP server✓Yes✓Yes
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underAssessmentsAI interviewing, Assessments, Interviewing
Capterra4.6 from 48 reviewsNot enough reviews

Where they pull apart

CodeSignal

Stands out: One credit pool for certified assessments and role-based AI interviewers, with Grow adding basic ATS hooks.

Watch out: Build includes 60 annual credits, or 5 a month on monthly billing. Extra credits are $20 each. ATS integrations and API access start on Grow.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that only need a free coding-practice product
  • Buyers who need ATS integrations on the cheapest Hire plan

HackerRank Chakra

Stands out: Most AI interviewers only talk. Chakra hands the candidate a real repository and an AI assistant, judges how well they use it, and ties every score to a moment in the transcript or the code. HackerRank says one Chakra session can replace the recruiter screen, take-home and engineer follow-up, and that candidates rated its 500,000+ beta interviews 4.8 out of 5.

Watch out: There is no Chakra-only price: it comes inside HackerRank plans that cap candidate attempts, with extras at $20 each. Its sample interviews are all engineering and AI product roles, so it is not built for non-technical hiring. On HackerRank's plans, ATS integrations start on Pro and the API and MCP are Enterprise only.

Not the right fit for

  • Non-technical or high-volume hourly hiring
  • Teams that want a standalone AI interviewer without a HackerRank plan

Pros and cons

CodeSignal

  • Public Hire prices with annual 20% off
  • AI interviewers included on Build, not only Pro
  • Hosted MCP server plus API and webhooks
  • Build is light on credits (60/year or 5/month)
  • ATS integrations and API start on Grow
  • Pro plan is quote-only

HackerRank Chakra

  • Tests real work in a codebase with AI tools, not algorithm puzzles
  • Every score is linked to evidence in the transcript or code
  • Flags cheating apps, second devices and extra faces on camera
  • No standalone price; it comes inside HackerRank plans
  • Built for technical and AI roles only
  • ATS integrations start on Pro; API and MCP are Enterprise only

What each one costs

CodeSignal

$79/mo

Hire Build is $79/mo billed annually ($948/year, 60 credits) or $99/mo billed monthly (5 credits a month). Grow is $479/mo annual or $599/mo monthly. Pro is custom; extra credits are $20 each. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

HackerRank Chakra

$79/mo

Chakra is included in HackerRank plans rather than sold on its own. Starter is $79/mo billed annually ($948/year) with 60 candidate attempts. Pro is $419/mo billed annually ($5,028/year) with 360 attempts and adds ATS integrations. Extra attempts are $20 each; Enterprise is sales-quoted. A free trial is offered. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Is CodeSignal cheaper than HackerRank Chakra?
CodeSignal starts lower, at $79/mo against $79/mo for HackerRank Chakra. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try CodeSignal or HackerRank Chakra for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing. HackerRank Chakra offers a free trial.
Does CodeSignal or HackerRank Chakra have an MCP server?
CodeSignal and HackerRank Chakra ship 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?