vs
Binary vs Ashby
Looking for a Ashby alternative? Both are AI-first platforms with an MCP server. Binary starts free with flat plans from $49 a month and self-serve setup; Ashby starts at $400 a month on Foundations and adds deeper configuration, compliance and analytics for later-stage teams.
Last updated October 2026
Side-by-side comparison
Binary
AshbyPrimary target market
Startups and small-to-mid-sized teams that want an AI-first ATS and to start hiring fast without heavy setup.
Scaling and later-stage companies that want a deep, all-in-one platform and have the team to configure and maintain it.
Onboarding & setup
Self-serve and instant, so most teams are live and hiring within minutes. Switching mid-contract? The months left on your old ATS become free months on any Binary annual plan, and you can be migrated in 48 hours.
More configuration up front to unlock its depth, with guided onboarding that typically takes longer to roll out.
AI features
An AI-native ATS: an AI agent that screens, searches and reports, AI Skills (saved prompts you call with "/"), AI-generated jobs and forms, custom analytics, daily briefs and a Slack AI agent.
A strong AI set: the Ashby AI Assistant, custom AI agents, AI-assisted application review against your criteria, a Slack assistant and an AI notetaker. Some AI usage is credit-based, and AI needs to be enabled for your organisation.
MCP & AI agents
A built-in AI agent in the app, plus an MCP server on every plan, including Free. Both have the same read and write actions: screen candidates, import data, create jobs and manage interviews, from inside Binary or from Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Grok or Cursor.
Has an MCP server in open beta (since June 2026), available on all Ashby plans. Read tools plus limited writes: create a candidate, add a note, move a stage, add to a job.
Pricing
Flat, public pricing with a free-forever plan: Free / $49 / $149 / $299 a month (billed yearly) for unlimited users, jobs and candidates on every plan, with AI credits included and no per-seat fees.
Mostly quote-based, priced on headcount and billed annually. Foundations starts at $400 a month for up to 100 employees, with 10% off on annual billing; no free plan.
User experience
Fast, modern and minimal, built for speed with keyboard-driven workflows.
Powerful and data-dense, with deep configurability and controls suited to larger teams that want fine-grained control.
Hiring forms
Highly customisable, interactive forms with live widgets and resume autofill, plus rich job descriptions with images and YouTube embeds.
Structured, configurable application forms within a broader recruiting suite.
Video questions
Built-in video questions on any hiring form, on every plan. Candidates record answers in the browser; the AI transcribes and scores them with the resume. The fastest way to cut through AI-written text answers.
Not built into application forms; async video runs through assessment and video-interview integrations.
Candidate screening
AI screening that scores every candidate against your criteria with a reasoning per criterion, plus a superfast review mode with keyboard shortcuts.
Highly structured screening with configurable stages, advanced scorecards and AI-assisted application review for consistent evaluation at scale.
Assignments & take-homes
Built-in assignments: send take-home forms individually or in bulk, track submissions and let AI review the answers. 100 a month free, unlimited on Business and up.
Take-home tests run through assessment integrations rather than a built-in assignments tool.
Analytics
AI-powered analytics that let you ask questions of your data and build custom reports.
Very deep, highly customisable analytics and reporting, with advanced dashboards aimed at data-driven hiring teams.
Interview scheduling & feedback
See every interviewer's open slots, schedule or send booking links on Google Calendar, and collect structured feedback. 3 schedules a month free, unlimited on Business.
Advanced scheduling with options beyond self-scheduling, such as complex panel and multi-stage coordination, across Google and Microsoft calendars.
Integrations
LinkedIn, Google Calendar, Slack and any MCP client (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor), plus a Slack AI agent that works like an added teammate.
Broad integration ecosystem with an open API, granular permissions and access controls, a Slack assistant and the MCP server.
Job boards
A built-in careers page on every plan, and one-click LinkedIn job posting on the Business plan and up.
Post to a wide range of job boards directly, including LinkedIn and Indeed.
Sourcing
Sourcing via a Chrome extension that works on LinkedIn and other common websites, and bulk import of candidates into any live job.
Built-in sourcing and a candidate CRM with prospecting and nurture campaigns for higher-volume outbound.
Mobile support
A polished, mobile-optimised experience that includes full access to the AI agent on the go.
Mobile-friendly access for reviewing and moving candidates on the go.
Ashby pricing vs Binary pricing
Binary- Free$0
Unlimited jobs, candidates and team members, AI agent, Slack agent, MCP, careers page, candidate messaging, Chrome extension, 3 interview schedules and 100 assignments a month, 30 GB, $1 AI credits a month
- Starter$49/mo
Duplicate detection, basic analytics, admin settings, 10 interview schedules and 1,000 assignments a month, 100 GB, $10 AI credits a month plus add-on credits
- Business$149/mo
LinkedIn job posts, unlimited interview scheduling, interview feedback, unlimited assignments, 500 GB, $25 AI credits a month
- Pro$299/mo
Free data migration, onboarding, early access to new features, priority support, unlimited storage, $100 AI credits a month
Prices per month, billed yearly (save 25%). Monthly billing is $69 / $199 / $399. No per-seat fees on any plan. See full pricing.
AshbyMostly quote-based, priced on headcount and billed annually. Foundations starts at $400 a month for up to 100 employees, with 10% off on annual billing; no free plan.
Which one is right for you?
Choose Binary if…
- You're a startup or small-to-mid-sized team that wants to start hiring today.
- You want an AI-first ATS with an AI agent, a Slack agent and MCP included on every plan, not sold as add-ons.
- You want to run hiring from Claude or ChatGPT, with write actions like scheduling interviews.
- You want video questions on your forms to get past AI-written text answers, without a separate video tool.
- You prefer flat, public pricing with a free-forever plan and paid plans from $49 a month, with no per-seat fees.
- You'd rather self-serve than sit through demos and annual contracts.
Choose Ashby if…
- You're a scaling or later-stage company that needs deeper configuration and is ready to invest in setup.
- You need advanced compliance, granular permissions and access controls across a larger org.
- You want very deep, customisable analytics and complex panel scheduling.
- You're comfortable with annual contracts from $400 a month and credit-based AI usage.
Both are capable applicant tracking systems. The best fit comes down to your team size, budget and how much configuration you need.
Other Ashby alternatives
Weighing more than two options? These are the Ashby alternatives startups most often shortlist alongside Binary, each with its own comparison.
1. Binary
AI-first ATS with an AI agent, video questions and an MCP server on a free-forever plan; paid plans from $49/mo, flat.
2. Greenhouse
Enterprise structure and compliance at a custom annual price. Binary is the free-to-start, AI-first pick for startups.
3. Lever
ATS plus sourcing CRM on a custom annual quote; MCP connector still coming soon. Binary includes MCP free.
4. Workable
Broad suite with 200+ job boards from $299/mo; AI sold in credit packs, no MCP. Binary includes both free.
5. Teamtailor
Employer-branding powerhouse with included AI and an MCP, on a quote-based 12-month contract. Binary starts free.
See all 17 on the comparison hub, with price, free plan, AI agent and MCP support in one table.
Why Binary is the best Ashby alternative for startups
- A free-forever plan and flat tiers from $49 a month, against a $400 a month floor and annual contracts.
- MCP with write actions for interviews (check slots, schedule, reschedule, cancel) on every plan; Ashby’s beta MCP writes are limited to notes, stages and candidates.
- Self-serve setup in minutes instead of a configuration project.
- AI screening, AI Skills and the Slack agent included with monthly credits on Free, with no org-level AI enablement step.
Mid-contract with Ashby? Those months are free on Binary.
The months left on your Ashby subscription become free months of Binary on any annual plan, so you only pay for the rest of the year. Migration takes about 48 hours: import your export yourself, ask the AI agent to do it, or on Pro let our team move your jobs, candidates and history for you. Live roles keep moving while you do it.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Binary a popular Ashby alternative?
Binary is a popular Ashby alternative for startups and small-to-mid-sized teams that want an AI-first ATS without the $400 a month floor, annual contract and configuration project. Binary covers the core hiring workflow, AI screening, interview scheduling, assignments, a candidate database and AI analytics out of the box, with an AI agent, Slack agent and MCP server included on every plan, including Free. Teams can start hiring in minutes and move to flat plans from $49 a month as they grow.
What does Ashby do better than Binary?
Ashby is a deep, all-in-one platform built for scale. It offers more advanced configuration, compliance and access controls, complex panel scheduling, very granular analytics, and a mature AI set with custom agents and AI-assisted application review. Later-stage companies with larger teams and more complex processes often need that depth, and Ashby is built to support it, though it comes with a higher price point and annual contracts.
Can I migrate from Ashby to Binary?
Yes, and switching mid-contract costs you nothing extra. Pick any Binary annual plan and the months left on your Ashby subscription become free months, so you only pay for the rest of the year. Migration takes about 48 hours: import your Ashby export yourself in minutes, ask your AI agent to do it through the MCP server, or on the Pro plan let our team migrate your jobs, candidates and history for you. Start on the free plan today and send support@binary.so your contract end date when you are ready to switch.
What AI features does Binary have?
Binary is an AI-first ATS. An AI agent screens candidates against your criteria with a reasoning for each one, searches your whole candidate database, builds custom reports and sends daily briefs of what needs attention. AI Skills let you save your screening rubric or any prompt and call it with "/" in chat. A Slack AI agent works alongside your team. The MCP server gives Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Grok or Cursor the same read and write actions as the in-app agent, so you can import candidates, create jobs, screen in batches and schedule interviews from whichever assistant you prefer. All of it is included on every plan, including Free, with monthly AI credits rather than paid add-ons.
Does Binary support video questions in applications?
Yes, on every plan. Add a video question to any hiring form and candidates record their answer in the browser, no separate tool or scheduling needed. The AI transcribes each answer and scores it alongside the resume against your criteria, so you hear how someone actually thinks instead of reading another AI-written paragraph. More teams are adding one or two video questions for exactly that reason.
Does Ashby have an MCP server?
Yes. The Ashby MCP Server launched in open beta in June 2026 and is available on all Ashby plans. It exposes read tools and a limited set of writes: create a candidate, add a note, move a stage and add to a job. Binary includes an MCP server on every plan, including Free, with read and write actions: screen candidates in batches, import data, create jobs and schedule, reschedule or cancel interviews from Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Grok or Cursor. The same actions are available in Binary's built-in AI agent, so you get them without connecting an external assistant at all. The difference is less whether MCP exists and more what it costs to get in: Binary’s MCP is on a free plan, Ashby’s starts at $400 a month.
How does the pricing of Binary and Ashby differ?
Binary has flat, public pricing with a free-forever plan: Starter at $49, Business at $149 and Pro at $299 a month (billed yearly) for unlimited users, jobs and candidates, with AI credits included and no per-seat fees. Ashby is mostly quote-based, priced on headcount and billed annually, with Foundations starting at $400 a month for up to 100 employees and 10% off on annual billing, and no free plan. For most teams under a few hundred people, Binary is the more transparent and cost-predictable option.
Compare Binary with…
Try Binary today.
Trusted by 600+ startups
