Compare/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.

Starting price

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 4 Nov 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 4 Nov 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 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?