Head to head

HireHive vs softgarden

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

HireHive

$119/mo

Irish-built small-business ATS with GDPR-native defaults, a job editor and self-scheduling, from around $119/mo.

Where HireHive fits

  • European small businesses
  • Teams that want GDPR-native defaults
  • Small in-house hiring with self-scheduling
  • Buyers comparing European trackers

softgarden

€199/mo

German-market in-house ATS with career sites and multi-posting, from €199/mo.

Where softgarden fits

  • German in-house talent teams
  • Austrian in-house talent teams
  • German-speaking mid-market employers
  • Teams that need multi-posting plus a career site

At a glance

DetailHireHivesoftgarden
Starting price$119/mo€199/mo
Free tier–No–No
MCP server–No–No
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underATSATS, Recruitment marketing
Capterra4.6 from 34 reviews4.6 from 124 reviews

Where they pull apart

HireHive

Stands out: A GDPR-native small-business tracker with self-scheduling, built in Ireland.

Watch out: No MCP, and it is aimed at small in-house teams rather than agencies.

Not the right fit for

  • US agencies
  • Enterprise selections

softgarden

Stands out: The German and Austrian in-house default, with a published euro starting price.

Watch out: Anything beyond the core plan moves to custom pricing, and there is no MCP.

Not the right fit for

  • US agencies
  • Teams that need MCP

Pros and cons

HireHive

  • GDPR-native by design
  • Self-scheduling included
  • Public API
  • No MCP
  • Small feature set next to bigger trackers
  • Not built for agencies

softgarden

  • Published €199 core price
  • Career site plus multi-posting
  • Public API
  • No MCP
  • Custom pricing above core
  • Not a US agency tool

What each one costs

HireHive

$119/mo

From ~$119/mo. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Sep 2026

softgarden

€199/mo

From €199/mo. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 17 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try HireHive or softgarden for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

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?