Compare/Head to head

Cosign vs Work at a Startup

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

Starting price

Cosign

Free Free tier

Cosign is a free a16z network of endorsed startup talent, curated lists and startup jobs. Recruiters hiring for startups get warm context on who is worth calling and a mutual-interest Would Hire signal, plus a free API and MCP server, but it covers the startup world only and has no recruiter seats or exports.

Where Cosign fits

  • Recruiters hiring for venture-backed startups
  • Finding engineers and operators with peer endorsements
  • Warm, mutual-interest outreach to passive talent
  • Teams that want startup talent search inside Claude or ChatGPT

Work at a Startup

Free Free tier

Work at a Startup is Y Combinator's own job platform for the companies it has funded. YC publishes no employer price and lists it as a founder benefit. It only fits YC portfolio companies hiring engineers and early team members.

Where Work at a Startup fits

  • YC-funded startups
  • Founders hiring early engineers
  • Startups willing to show salary and equity
  • Teams hiring founding or first employees

At a glance

DetailCosignWork at a Startup
Starting priceFreeFree
Free tier✓Yes✓Yes
MCP server✓Yes–No
Public API✓Yes–No
Listed underSourcing, Job boardsJob boards, Sourcing

Where they pull apart

Cosign

Stands out: Profiles carry endorsements from named people saying what someone actually did, which is the context a reference call usually gives you. The Would Hire signal only opens a chat when interest is mutual, so outreach starts warm, and the official MCP server lets you search people and jobs from Claude or ChatGPT.

Watch out: Coverage is limited to startups and tech, and the product is new. Many profiles are assembled by AI from public information before the person joins, so details can be wrong. There is no Boolean search, contact data, export or ATS sync, so it is a discovery and warm-intro tool rather than a sourcing database.

Not the right fit for

  • Volume hiring outside tech
  • Teams that need emails, phone numbers or exports
  • Agencies that need ATS or CRM sync

Work at a Startup

Stands out: Every employer on the site is a YC company, and listings show salary and equity ranges alongside the YC batch. Candidates use one profile across hundreds of startups, and founders can reach out to them directly. YC also promotes roles through its own events and expos.

Watch out: You must be a YC-funded company to post, so it is not an option for most employers. YC publishes no employer pricing page or feature list, so details of the recruiter tools are not public.

Not the right fit for

  • Companies outside the YC portfolio
  • Enterprise or high-volume hiring
  • Non-startup employers

Pros and cons

Cosign

  • Completely free, including the API and MCP
  • Named, attributed endorsements on profiles
  • Mutual-interest signals keep outreach warm
  • Startup and tech coverage only
  • AI-built profiles can be inaccurate
  • No contact data, export or ATS sync

Work at a Startup

  • No published cost for YC companies
  • Salary and equity shown on listings
  • Candidates choose startups on purpose
  • Closed to non-YC companies
  • No public employer feature or pricing page
  • Audience skews to startup-minded candidates

What each one costs

Cosign

Free

Cosign is free. a16z runs it as a free product and lists no paid plans, seats or credits. The public directory API needs no key, and the member MCP server is free with a Cosign account. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 2 Nov 2026

Work at a Startup

Free

Y Combinator does not publish a price for employers. Work at a Startup is listed among the benefits YC founders receive, and access is limited to YC-funded companies, so there is no plan a non-YC company can buy. Candidates join for free. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 26 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Cosign or Work at a Startup for free?
Cosign and Work at a Startup carry a free tier on our listing.
Does Cosign or Work at a Startup have an MCP server?
Cosign ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Cosign alternatives All Work at a Startup alternatives Every Sourcing tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 2 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?