Head to head

Glassdoor vs Indeed

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

Glassdoor

PPC / brand ads

Employer brand and jobs in one place, sold as advertising. Reviews drive whether people apply.

Where Glassdoor fits

  • Employer-brand teams
  • Talent teams whose reviews are hurting applications
  • Companies buying jobs and brand advertising together
  • Recruiters competing on reputation

Indeed

PPC / subscription Free tier

The default job board for both free and sponsored listings. You set a budget and pay when candidates engage.

Where Indeed fits

  • Almost every employer buying application volume
  • Teams that already live on sponsored jobs
  • Employers who want organic and paid on one board
  • Small businesses posting without an ATS

At a glance

DetailGlassdoorIndeed
Starting pricePPC / brand adsPPC / subscription
Free tier–No✓Yes
MCP server–No✓Yes
Public API–No✓Yes
Listed underJob boardsJob boards
Capterra4.3 from 215 reviews4.5 from 7,613 reviews

Where they pull apart

Glassdoor

Stands out: Your reviews and your jobs sit on the same page candidates already visit.

Watch out: Advertising spend rather than a licence, and reviews are not something you control.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that only want a cheap job post
  • Agencies buying contact data

Indeed

Stands out: The board candidates actually open, with MCP and an API on top.

Watch out: Pay-per-click spend can outrun a small budget quickly, and it is not your ATS.

Not the right fit for

  • Anyone treating Indeed as their system of record
  • Executive search

Pros and cons

Glassdoor

  • Reviews sit next to your jobs
  • Candidates already use it
  • Brand and jobs on one buy
  • Advertising spend rather than a fixed price
  • No API or MCP
  • You do not control the reviews

Indeed

  • The default candidate destination
  • MCP and API available
  • Free listings plus a sponsored budget
  • Not an ATS
  • Click costs can escalate fast
  • Quality varies with spend

What each one costs

Glassdoor

PPC / brand ads

PPC / brand ads. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Sep 2026

Indeed

PPC / subscription

PPC / subscription. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Glassdoor or Indeed for free?
Indeed carries a free tier on our listing.
Does Glassdoor or Indeed have an MCP server?
Indeed ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 7 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?