Handshake
University recruiting and early-career talent.
From $450/mo Free tier
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Bottom line
University recruiting and early-career talent, with a free tier for employers.
Stands out for: The campus network students already use, so the pipeline is there before you are.
Watch out for: It is a supply channel, not a tracker, and it is weak for senior hiring.
Overview
Handshake is university recruiting and early-career talent. Campus programmes run here because the students already have accounts, which is the whole point: you are joining a network rather than building one.
Teams pick it for intern and graduate hiring. There is a free tier for employers, and Pro is $450 a month. It sits alongside your ATS rather than replacing it.
Who it's for
Best for
- University recruiting teams
- Early-career programmes at large employers
- Talent teams filling intern and graduate roles
- Campus teams already working in Handshake
Not ideal for
- Senior professional hiring only
- Agencies buying contact data
Key features
Campus. Campus hiring programs and early-career pipelines.
Early career. Early-career hiring workflows and campus funnels.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Free | Post jobs, 10 messages a month |
| Pro | $450/mo | 200 messages a month, 3 promoted-job days |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | Annual plan, custom promotions |
Basic is free for posting jobs, with 10 messages a month; promoted jobs are an add-on starting from $34 a day. Pro is $450 per month with 200 messages a month, AI applicant tools, multi-user collaboration and 3 promoted-job days a month. Enterprise is priced through sales on an annual plan. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.
Checked 4 Nov 2026. Vendors change prices without notice.
Is Handshake expensive?
Handshake starts at $450/mo. We list 95 job boards tools in total. 24 have a free tier, and those with a public price typically start around $249 a month.
- 21 quote-based
- 24 free tier
- 54 public price
Worked out automatically from every job boards listing, so it updates as the directory changes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The default campus network
- Early-career focus is the product
- Free tier to start on
Cons
- Not an ATS
- Weak for senior hiring
- Pro is $450 a month; Enterprise is quoted
Integrations
Workday Greenhouse SAP SuccessFactors
What's new at Handshake
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How Handshake compares
See all Handshake alternatives, with what each one does differently and a head to head for every pairing.
| Tool | Free tier | From | MCP | API | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | ✓ | $450/mo | – | – | |
| | ✓ | PPC / subscription | ✓ | ✓ | Compare |
| | ✓ | $135/seat/mo | – | – | Compare |
| | – | Quote-based | – | – | Compare |
| | – | Sales-quoted | – | – | Compare |
PPC / subscription Free tier MCP API
Broad demand if the role is not campus-only.
$135/seat/mo Free tier
Startup tech talent if the hire is early-career at a startup.
Quote-based
The default graph if campus is only one source.
Sales-quoted
Tech employer brand plus jobs outside campus.
Your next step
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Frequently asked questions
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