Compare/Head to head

E4S vs Handshake

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

Starting price

E4S

£69/job

E4S fits UK employers hiring students, school leavers and graduates for part-time, seasonal, internship and graduate scheme roles. A standard listing costs £69, dropping to £40 each in a 10-pack, and CV database unlocks are £1.50 per candidate. Featured and Top Job upgrades cost £180 and £245, while campaign bundles and email or university reach are quoted. It suits hospitality, events, retail and graduate recruiters who want a student audience rather than a general UK board.

Where E4S fits

  • UK seasonal and summer hiring
  • Part-time student staff
  • Internship and placement programmes
  • Graduate and school leaver schemes

Handshake

Quote-based Free tier

University recruiting and early-career talent, with a free tier for employers.

Where Handshake fits

  • University recruiting teams
  • Early-career programmes at large employers
  • Talent teams filling intern and graduate roles
  • Campus teams already working in Handshake

At a glance

DetailE4SHandshake
Starting price£69/jobQuote-based
Free tier–No✓Yes
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No–No
Listed underJob boards, SourcingJob boards

Where they pull apart

E4S

Stands out: It has run since 2000 as a board built only for students and young jobseekers, from Christmas and summer work to graduate schemes. Pay-per-unlock CV search at £1.50 a candidate lets small employers search without a database subscription.

Watch out: Prices for campaigns, newsletters, e-shots and university portal posting are not published, so larger packages need a quote. The audience is UK students and early careers, so experienced or specialist hires are a poor fit.

Not the right fit for

  • Senior or experienced hires
  • Hiring outside the UK
  • Employers wanting a free job post

Handshake

Stands out: The campus network students already use, so the pipeline is there before you are.

Watch out: It is a supply channel, not a tracker, and it is weak for senior hiring.

Not the right fit for

  • Senior professional hiring only
  • Agencies buying contact data

Pros and cons

E4S

  • Low entry price of £69 per listing
  • Pay-per-unlock CV database
  • Audience built around students and graduates
  • Campaign and email prices not published
  • UK only
  • No free job posting option

Handshake

  • The default campus network
  • Early-career focus is the product
  • Free tier to start on
  • Not an ATS
  • Weak for senior hiring
  • Paid employer pricing is quoted

What each one costs

E4S

£69/job

E4S publishes its main employer prices in GBP. A standard job listing is £69, with bundles of 3 for £186, 5 for £250 and 10 for £400, and listings can be used at any time. Each standard listing includes screening questions and custom formatting. CV database candidate unlocks cost £1.50 each or £10 for 10. Upgrades include a Featured Listing at £180, a Top Job at £245 with a premium company profile and homepage spot, and a Homepage Featured listing with logo at £25. Eight-week Candidate Capture Campaigns, newsletter inclusion, sponsored social posts, targeted e-shots, university portal posting and content page branding are priced on request. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Oct 2026

Handshake

Quote-based

Quote-based. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try E4S or Handshake for free?
Handshake carries a free tier on our listing.

Not the pair you wanted?

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 19 Oct 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?