Head to head

Crelate vs Forge AI

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

Crelate

$85/user/mo Free trial

Boutique agency recruiting CRM built around notes, hotlists and email sync. Essentials is $85 per user/month paid annually, with a free trial.

Where Crelate fits

  • Boutique staffing agencies
  • Desks that live in email and hotlists
  • Small teams that want a recruiting CRM rather than a corporate ATS
  • Buyers comparing CATS and Recruit CRM

Forge AI

Sales-quoted

Jane is an AI teammate for staffing firms. She works across ATS, CRM, email, and accounting. Pricing is sales-quoted.

Where Forge AI fits

  • Staffing firms on Bullhorn, Avionte, or JobDiva
  • Desks that want AI to draft BD notes in the recruiter's voice
  • Agencies reconciling contractor hours into QuickBooks
  • Teams willing to connect ATS, CRM, and ledger

At a glance

DetailCrelateForge AI
Starting price$85/user/moSales-quoted
Free tier–No–No
Free trialYesNot on record
MCP server–No–No
Public API✓Yes–No
Listed underATS, CRMLead generation, CRM, Sourcing
Capterra4.5 from 443 reviewsNot enough reviews

Where they pull apart

Crelate

Stands out: Desktop-class notes, hotlists and email sync for small agency desks.

Watch out: No MCP, and the published price is annual billing rather than month to month.

Not the right fit for

  • Corporate in-house talent teams
  • Teams that need MCP

Forge AI

Stands out: One agent that shortlists reqs, drafts client notes, and turns approved hours into invoices.

Watch out: There is no public rate card. Buying is a demo. This is an operator for agencies, not a job-seeker tool.

Not the right fit for

  • Corporate TA teams that are not a staffing firm
  • Buyers who need a printed monthly seat price

Pros and cons

Crelate

  • Hotlists and email sync built for boutique desks
  • Public API
  • Free trial available
  • No MCP
  • Published price is annual billing
  • Not a corporate hiring platform

Forge AI

  • Works across ATS, CRM, and accounting
  • Shortlists onto the req automatically
  • Hours become invoices the same day
  • No public price
  • Demo-only buying
  • Built for staffing firms, not in-house TA

What each one costs

Crelate

$85/user/mo

Essentials is $85 per user per month paid annually and Business is $119 per user per month. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 21 Sep 2026

Forge AI

Sales-quoted

Sales-quoted. No public rate card on the vendor site. Buying starts with a demo. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Crelate or Forge AI for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing. Crelate offers a free trial.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Crelate alternatives All Forge AI alternatives Every ATS tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 21 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?