Compare/Head to head

Handshake vs PowerToFly

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

Starting price

Handshake

$450/mo 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

PowerToFly

$499/post/mo

Underrepresented talent community with events alongside jobs. Job posts from $499 a month.

Where PowerToFly fits

Diversity hiring programmes
Teams that need to reach an underrepresented audience
Employers running events as well as advertising
Brand teams building community rather than buying ads

At a glance

Detail	Handshake	PowerToFly
Starting price	$450/mo	$499/post/mo
Free tier	✓Yes	–No
MCP server	–No	–No
Public API	–No	–No
Listed under	Job boards	Job boards

Where they pull apart

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

PowerToFly

Stands out: A community with events, rather than a job post on a general board.

Watch out: Each posting is $499 a month, and it is not a volume-hiring channel.

Not the right fit for

High-volume hourly hiring
Teams that only want a single cheap job post

Pros and cons

Handshake

The default campus network
Early-career focus is the product
Free tier to start on

Not an ATS
Weak for senior hiring
Pro is $450 a month; Enterprise is quoted

PowerToFly

Community and events, not just listings
Built around a specific audience
Works with the major modern trackers

$499 a month per posting
No API or MCP
Not a volume channel

What each one costs

Handshake

$450/mo

Basic is free for posting jobs, with 10 messages a month; promoted jobs are an add-on starting from $34 a day. Pro is $450 per month with 200 messages a month, AI applicant tools, multi-user collaboration and 3 promoted-job days a month. Enterprise is priced through sales on an annual plan. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

PowerToFly

$499/post/mo

A job board posting is $499/month per posting, cancel anytime, with applicants sent to your ATS. Custom pricing for several roles, AI hiring and model training is sales-quoted. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Is Handshake cheaper than PowerToFly?

Handshake starts lower, at $450/mo against $499/post/mo for PowerToFly. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.

Can you try Handshake or PowerToFly for free?

Handshake carries a free tier on our listing.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Handshake alternatives All PowerToFly alternatives Every Job boards tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?