Compare/Head to head

Pin vs Via

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

Starting price

Pin

$99/mo Free tier Free trial

Suits recruiter desks that want an agent to source and send first-touch on open reqs. Pin sits beside your ATS, not in it. Paid seats start at $99/user/mo billed annually.

Where Pin fits

  • In-house TA running several open reqs
  • Agencies that want agent loops per client
  • Desks that already have an ATS of record
  • Teams connecting Claude or ChatGPT via MCP

Via

Quote-based

Via is a London hiring service founded in 2025 that promises 5 pre-vetted, interview-ready candidates within 24 hours of a role going live. It charges a flat monthly fee per job slot on a 12-month term, with no placement fee and a free first role. It fits employers filling finance, sales, HR, operations and admin roles.

Where Via fits

  • Companies hiring finance, sales and operations staff
  • Employers replacing agency fees with a flat subscription
  • Teams that want a short vetted list instead of an applicant pile

At a glance

DetailPinVia
Starting price$99/moQuote-based
Free tier✓Yes–No
Free trialYesNot on record
MCP server✓Yes–No
Public API–No–No
Listed underSourcingAI screening, Sourcing, AI sourcing

Where they pull apart

Pin

Stands out: Hosted MCP plus an agent that sources and sequences against the req.

Watch out: ATS export is an add-on, not part of the base seat.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that need Pin to be the ATS
  • Buyers who only want a contact finder

Via

Stands out: The subscription is built on swappable job slots, so one slot can cover a sales hire one month and a finance hire the next. Scoring uses fixed, shareable weights with a senior recruiter approving every shortlist, which Via documents against UK GDPR Article 22 and the EU AI Act. Via says it has 100k candidates on the platform.

Watch out: Published prices are in pounds sterling, and most customer quotes on the site come from London, so US buyers need a quote. Plans lock in for 12 months and auto-renew. Coverage is limited to business support functions, so skilled trades, healthcare and frontline roles are outside its scope.

Not the right fit for

  • Frontline, healthcare or trades hiring
  • Buyers who want month-to-month terms
  • Teams that want a self-serve ATS

Pros and cons

Pin

  • Public start at $99/user/mo billed annually
  • Hosted MCP on the vendor domain
  • Free plan with try-for-free, no card
  • ATS integration is an add-on, not default
  • No public REST API
  • Contact credits are metered on paid seats

Via

  • Shortlist of 5 candidates within 24 hours
  • No placement fee on any plan
  • Documented scoring rules and human review
  • No US dollar pricing published
  • 12-month auto-renewing term
  • Limited to business support roles

What each one costs

Pin

$99/mo

From $99/seat/mo (Solo, billed annually). Professional from $135/seat/mo annual ($179 monthly). Free plan available. Business is custom. Confirm current plans on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Sep 2026

Via

Quote-based

Via does not publish US dollar pricing. Plans are sold per live job slot on a 12-month term invoiced monthly: Growth covers one slot, Scale covers three, and Enterprise is priced on hiring volume with a named account manager. A slot can be swapped to a new role as often as needed, and no placement fee is charged on any plan. The first role is free with no card required, covering permanent and fixed-term hiring. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 28 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Pin or Via for free?
Pin carries a free tier on our listing. Pin offers a free trial.
Does Pin or Via have an MCP server?
Pin ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

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?