Compare/Head to head

Graduate-jobs.com vs Handshake

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

Starting price

Graduate-jobs.com

Quote-based

Graduate-jobs.com fits UK employers and graduate recruitment agencies hiring for graduate schemes, entry-level roles and internships. It combines job posts, weekly job emails and a CV database that the site says holds 382,000+ published graduate CVs. There is no public price list: fees are set in each client's contract and exclude VAT. It is a self-serve advertising board, not a recruitment agency.

Where Graduate-jobs.com fits

  • UK graduate scheme and internship campaigns
  • Graduate recruitment agencies searching CVs
  • Employers hiring entry-level staff with a degree
  • Media buyers running graduate attraction campaigns

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

DetailGraduate-jobs.comHandshake
Starting priceQuote-basedQuote-based
Free tier–No✓Yes
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No–No
Listed underJob boards, SourcingJob boards

Where they pull apart

Graduate-jobs.com

Stands out: Employers can search and contact graduates directly through a CV database rather than only waiting for applications. The service terms include a refund if your vacancy has not reached graduate job seekers within 14 days.

Watch out: Prices are not published, so you need a quote before you can compare cost. A standard post runs for 21 days unless you pay for a longer period, and renewals are charged at the normal rate.

Not the right fit for

  • Experienced or senior hires
  • Hiring outside the UK
  • Buyers who need a published price before committing

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

Graduate-jobs.com

  • Searchable CV database of UK graduates and undergraduates
  • Weekly job-by-email matching to members
  • 14-day refund if the vacancy does not reach job seekers
  • No published prices
  • Standard posts run only 21 days unless extended
  • Audience limited to UK graduate and entry-level talent

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

Graduate-jobs.com

Quote-based

Graduate-jobs.com does not publish prices and quotes on request. Its service terms say job posts, display adverts, banners and CV search are supplied for the fees set out in each client's contract, a standard job post stays live for 21 days or the agreed paid period, rates exclude VAT and invoices are due within 30 days. If the site does not show your vacancies to graduate job seekers, it offers a refund when you contact it within 14 days. Access is free for candidates. 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 Graduate-jobs.com or Handshake for free?
Handshake carries a free tier on our listing.

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