Compare/Head to head

Juicebox vs The Cognitive

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

Starting price

Juicebox

$99/mo Free tier Free trial

Fits sourcers who want PeopleGPT over a large index instead of Boolean. Free plan exists; paid Starter is $99/seat/mo annual. Agents are a $199 add-on.

Where Juicebox fits

  • Sourcers who hate Boolean
  • Agencies on a few seats
  • Teams pushing shortlists into Greenhouse or Ashby
  • Desks that want MCP on paid plans

The Cognitive

$99/mo Free trial

The Cognitive does both halves of early-stage recruiting: AI sourcing with verified contact reveals, and live two-way AI video interviews that return scorecards with a quote behind every rating. Interviews start at $99/mo for 15 and sourcing at $99/mo for 1,200 credits, and a 7-day free trial covers both. It suits SMB and mid-market teams and agencies that want to source and screen in one pipeline.

Where The Cognitive fits

  • Staffing and recruitment agencies screening high applicant volumes
  • SMB and mid-market teams that want sourcing and first-round interviews in one tool
  • Teams hiring across time zones that need interviews run evenings and weekends

At a glance

DetailJuiceboxThe Cognitive
Starting price$99/mo$99/mo
Free tier✓Yes–No
Free trialYesYes
MCP server✓Yes✓Yes
Public API–No–No
Listed underSourcingAI interviewing, AI screening, AI sourcing

Where they pull apart

Juicebox

Stands out: Natural-language search plus a Chrome extension and 50+ ATS connectors.

Watch out: The Agents add-on costs extra on top of the seat price.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that need Juicebox to be the ATS
  • Buyers who only want a cheap email finder

The Cognitive

Stands out: The interviewer is live and two-way rather than a one-way recording: it picks each follow-up in the moment from the candidate's resume and earlier answers, and every score links to the exact quote and timestamp. Sourced candidates flow straight into interviews, and a 22-tool MCP server lets Claude create roles and read interview feedback.

Watch out: Interviews and sourcing are separate products with separate plan credits that refresh monthly and do not roll over, so running both starts at about $198/mo. ATS integration is only included on Sourcing Max, Interviews Pro and Max, Business and Enterprise plans. The MCP endpoint is set up per account by request, not self-serve.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that only need a contact-data lookup tool
  • Buyers who want one combined plan instead of two separate subscriptions
  • Small teams that need ATS sync on a low tier

Pros and cons

Juicebox

  • Starter is $99/seat/mo on annual billing
  • Free plan for limited searches
  • Named ATS list including Ashby and Greenhouse
  • Agents cost $199 per agent per month extra
  • MCP is on paid plans, not the free seat
  • Monthly Starter is $119, not $99

The Cognitive

  • Live two-way interviews with adaptive follow-ups
  • Every score tied to a quote and timestamp
  • Published prices and a free start with no card
  • Sourcing and interviews billed as separate products
  • ATS integration only on higher tiers
  • Unused credits expire each cycle

What each one costs

Juicebox

$99/mo

Free plan with limited searches. Starter is $99/seat/mo billed annually ($119 monthly) with unlimited searches and 500 contact credits. Growth is $179/seat/mo annually ($199 monthly) with 1,500 contact credits and up to 5 seats. Business is custom and annual only. Juicebox Agents are an add-on at $199 per agent a month. Confirm current plans on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

The Cognitive

$99/mo

The Cognitive sells two products separately, each billed monthly or yearly at 17% off. AI Interviews: Starter $99/mo ($984/yr) for 15 interviews, Growth $299/mo for 50, Pro $499/mo for 100 and Max $999/mo for 225, plus seat-based Team at $199/seat/mo (3 seats minimum) and Business at $299/seat/mo (10 seats minimum). Interview top-ups run from 5 to 500 interviews.

AI Sourcing runs on credits: Starter $99/mo ($990/yr) for 1,200 credits, Growth $199/mo for 2,800, Pro $299/mo for 4,500 and Max $499/mo for 8,000, plus Team at $149/seat/mo and Business at $249/seat/mo. Each person a search shows costs 1 credit, an email reveal 4 and a phone reveal 12, charged only when the reveal succeeds. Plan credits refresh monthly and do not roll over; top-up credits carry over. ATS integration comes with Sourcing Max, Interviews Pro and Max, Business and Enterprise. Enterprise is custom. Every new workspace gets a 7-day free trial with 2 AI interviews and 100 sourcing credits, no card needed. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Is Juicebox cheaper than The Cognitive?
Juicebox starts lower, at $99/mo against $99/mo for The Cognitive. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try Juicebox or The Cognitive for free?
Juicebox carries a free tier on our listing. Juicebox offers a free trial. The Cognitive offers a free trial.
Does Juicebox or The Cognitive have an MCP server?
Juicebox and The Cognitive ship a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

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