Head to head

Manatal vs Zoho Recruit

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

Manatal

$15/mo 14 day free trial

Affordable ATS for small businesses and agencies with AI match scores, a Chrome extension and an API, from $15/user/mo on annual billing.

Where Manatal fits

Small in-house teams
Boutique agencies
Desks that live in Chrome while sourcing
Buyers who want AI match without enterprise pricing

Zoho Recruit

$25/mo Free tier 15 day free trial

ATS for teams already inside Zoho. Free tier, with paid plans from around $25/user/mo on annual billing.

Where Zoho Recruit fits

Companies already paying for Zoho
Small in-house talent teams
Small agencies that want a free tier
Teams that need parsing and job boards without enterprise pricing

At a glance

Detail	Manatal	Zoho Recruit
Starting price	$15/mo	$25/mo
Free tier	–No	✓Yes
Free trial	14 day free trial	15 day free trial
MCP server	✓Yes	✓Yes
Public API	✓Yes	✓Yes
Listed under	ATS, CRM	ATS, CRM
Capterra	4.6 from 141 reviews	4.5 from 1,282 reviews

Where they pull apart

Manatal

Stands out: A $15 per-user start with AI ranking and browser capture included.

Watch out: MCP is Enterprise Plus only, and monthly billing is $19 rather than $15.

Not the right fit for

Small teams that need MCP below the top tier
Teams that refuse annual billing

Zoho Recruit

Stands out: Zoho CRM sync plus a genuine free tier at a low per-user price.

Watch out: Employee licences are sold in separate packs, so the recruiter seat is not the whole bill.

Not the right fit for

Enterprises outside the Zoho estate

Pros and cons

Manatal

Low published per-user price
14-day trial with no card
Chrome extension included

MCP restricted to the top tier
Monthly billing costs more
Light on enterprise reporting

Zoho Recruit

Genuine free tier
Low annual per-user price
Zoho CRM sync for companies already in-suite

Employee licences sold separately
Weaker fit outside the Zoho estate

What each one costs

Manatal

$15/mo

From ~$15/user/mo. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Sep 2026

Zoho Recruit

$25/mo

From ~$25/user/mo. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Sep 2026

Common questions

Is Manatal cheaper than Zoho Recruit?

Manatal starts lower, at $15/mo against $25/mo for Zoho Recruit. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.

Can you try Manatal or Zoho Recruit for free?

Zoho Recruit carries a free tier on our listing. Manatal offers a 14 day free trial. Zoho Recruit offers a 15 day free trial.

Does Manatal or Zoho Recruit have an MCP server?

Manatal and Zoho Recruit 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 7 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?