Compare/Alternatives

SHL alternatives

4 tools our write-ups put next to SHL, with starting price, free tier, MCP and API side by side.

SHL from Sales-quotedAPI

Closest alternatives

The short answer

Criteria : Another assessment specialist with a free trial and a lighter buying process. From Sales-quoted
HireVue : Video interviews plus assessments if interviewing matters as much as testing. From Sales-quoted
iMocha : Skills testing focus if SHL's psychometrics go beyond what you need. From Sales-quoted
TestGorilla : Self-serve test catalog if a sales process is the blocker. From $215/mo

Why people look past SHL

There is no self-serve plan. Buying runs through sales, and rollout is usually a scoped program rather than a quick setup.

What we noted

No published price
Enterprise buying process
Heavier rollout than self-serve tools

Not the right fit for

Startups that want a self-serve monthly plan
Buyers who need a published price

Worth keeping in mind: One of the broadest assessment portfolios in the market, with more than 80 ATS integrations.

SHL alternatives compared

Tool	Free tier	From	MCP	API	Head to head
SHL (the one you are on)	–No	Sales-quoted	–No	✓Yes
Criteria Another assessment specialist with a free trial and a lighter buying process.	–No	Sales-quoted	–No	✓Yes	Head to head
HireVue Video interviews plus assessments if interviewing matters as much as testing.	–No	Sales-quoted	–No	–No	Head to head
iMocha Skills testing focus if SHL's psychometrics go beyond what you need.	–No	Sales-quoted	–No	✓Yes	Head to head
TestGorilla Self-serve test catalog if a sales process is the blocker.	✓Yes	$215/mo	–No	–No	Head to head

What each one does differently

Criteria

Sales-quoted 14 day free trial API

Why it comes up: Another assessment specialist with a free trial and a lighter buying process.

Stands out: Cognitive, personality, emotional intelligence, risk, and skills tests on one platform, with video interviews in the same suite.

Watch out: All three packages are sales-quoted. AI proctoring, the AI interview agent, and AI scoring are paid upgrades, and Develop is a separate add-on.

Best for

HR teams adding validated pre-hire tests
Companies that want cognitive plus personality tests
Teams that want tests and video interviews together

Read the Criteria write-up SHL vs Criteria

HireVue

Sales-quoted

Why it comes up: Video interviews plus assessments if interviewing matters as much as testing.

Stands out: Video interviews and validated assessments in one enterprise suite.

Watch out: No published price, and it is far heavier than a small team needs for async video.

Best for

Enterprise talent teams standardising video interviews
Teams that need assessments before an onsite
High-volume employers that cannot run live first rounds

4.5 on Capterra from 50 reviews

Read the HireVue write-up SHL vs HireVue

iMocha

Sales-quoted API

Why it comes up: Skills testing focus if SHL's psychometrics go beyond what you need.

Stands out: One skills platform serving both talent acquisition and learning teams, not only pre-hire tests.

Watch out: No public price per test or seat. Buying starts with a discovery call and a custom demo or pilot.

Best for

Enterprises moving to skills-first hiring
L&D teams mapping internal skills
TA leaders screening technical roles

Read the iMocha write-up SHL vs iMocha

TestGorilla

$215/mo Free tier

Why it comes up: Self-serve test catalog if a sales process is the blocker.

Stands out: A large test library with anti-cheating measures and a genuine free plan.

Watch out: The jump from Core to Plus is steep, and it is tests rather than video interviewing.

Best for

Teams that want evidence before a live interview
Organisations on the major applicant trackers
Buyers replacing an enterprise assessment module

4.1 on Capterra from 267 reviews

Read the TestGorilla write-up SHL vs TestGorilla

Common questions

What is the best SHL alternative?

It depends on what sent you looking. We compare 4 alternatives to SHL: Criteria, HireVue, iMocha and TestGorilla. Each one's "Why it comes up" line says what it does differently, and the table above shows all 4 on price, free tier, MCP and API.

Is there a free alternative to SHL?

Yes. TestGorilla carries a free tier on our listing, so you can try the product without a card. Free tiers are capped, so check the limits against your volume before you move a team across.

What is the cheapest SHL alternative?

Of the published starting prices here, TestGorilla is lowest at $215/mo. Starting price is the entry plan, not the seat count you will end up on, so read the plan table on each listing.

Keep looking

Back to the SHL write-up Every Assessments tool we list Search the whole directory

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