Compare/Head to head

TrueUp vs Work at a Startup

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

Starting price

TrueUp

12%/hire

Tech job marketplace plus TrueUp Talent intros. Employer hires via TrueUp Talent cost 12% of first-year base salary.

Where TrueUp fits

  • Listed tech companies hiring engineers and PMs
  • Startups that want intros without a 25% agency fee
  • Teams already on Ashby, Greenhouse, or Lever
  • Employers who will wait for mutual-interest matches

Work at a Startup

Free Free tier

Work at a Startup is Y Combinator's own job platform for the companies it has funded. YC publishes no employer price and lists it as a founder benefit. It only fits YC portfolio companies hiring engineers and early team members.

Where Work at a Startup fits

  • YC-funded startups
  • Founders hiring early engineers
  • Startups willing to show salary and equity
  • Teams hiring founding or first employees

At a glance

DetailTrueUpWork at a Startup
Starting price12%/hireFree
Free tier–No✓Yes
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No–No
Listed underJob boards, SourcingJob boards, Sourcing

Where they pull apart

TrueUp

Stands out: Warm intros only after both sides confirm interest, at 12% instead of a classic 20-35% fee.

Watch out: Only companies already on TrueUp can apply, and they need a Trajectory Score of 60-plus or venture backing.

Not the right fit for

  • Companies that are not already on TrueUp
  • Teams that need an ATS rather than a talent channel

Work at a Startup

Stands out: Every employer on the site is a YC company, and listings show salary and equity ranges alongside the YC batch. Candidates use one profile across hundreds of startups, and founders can reach out to them directly. YC also promotes roles through its own events and expos.

Watch out: You must be a YC-funded company to post, so it is not an option for most employers. YC publishes no employer pricing page or feature list, so details of the recruiter tools are not public.

Not the right fit for

  • Companies outside the YC portfolio
  • Enterprise or high-volume hiring
  • Non-startup employers

Pros and cons

TrueUp

  • Talent fee is 12% of first-year base
  • Intros only after mutual interest
  • Named Ashby, Greenhouse, and Lever fit
  • Only companies already on TrueUp qualify
  • Trajectory Score 60-plus or VC backing
  • Not a full ATS or recruiting CRM

Work at a Startup

  • No published cost for YC companies
  • Salary and equity shown on listings
  • Candidates choose startups on purpose
  • Closed to non-YC companies
  • No public employer feature or pricing page
  • Audience skews to startup-minded candidates

What each one costs

TrueUp

12%/hire

TrueUp Talent is 12% of first-year base salary for hires sourced through Talent. The public job board is free for members. TrueUp AI is listed as unlimited roles. Only companies already on TrueUp can apply, with a Trajectory Score of 60+ or venture backing. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Work at a Startup

Free

Y Combinator does not publish a price for employers. Work at a Startup is listed among the benefits YC founders receive, and access is limited to YC-funded companies, so there is no plan a non-YC company can buy. Candidates join for free. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 26 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try TrueUp or Work at a Startup for free?
Work at a Startup carries a free tier on our listing.

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