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Binary vs Greenhouse
Looking for a Greenhouse alternative? Binary is an AI-first ATS for startups with a free plan, flat pricing and MCP included. Greenhouse is an enterprise-grade, highly structured platform with custom-priced Core, Plus and Pro tiers and an MCP in open beta, built for bigger teams.
Last updated October 2026
Side-by-side comparison
Binary
GreenhousePrimary target market
Startups and small-to-mid-sized teams that want an AI-first ATS and to start hiring fast without heavy setup.
Mid-market and enterprise organisations with complex, high-volume hiring processes.
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.
Guided implementation with dedicated onboarding; setup typically takes weeks.
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.
AI is now in the core product: the Core tier includes AI Notetaker and Talent Matching, with more AI on Plus and Pro, plus partner AI apps in the marketplace.
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.
Greenhouse MCP is in open beta on the Core, Plus and Pro tiers. Site Admins choose which endpoint categories are read or write, so it can create notes, move applications, update records and submit scorecards when enabled.
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.
Quote-based with no public pricing, priced on headcount and billed annually across Core, Plus and Pro tiers. Third-party estimates put a small team at roughly $6,500 a year (about $550 a month); Greenhouse does not publish this figure. No free plan.
User experience
Fast, modern and minimal, built for speed with keyboard-driven workflows.
Powerful and highly structured, with depth suited to larger, process-heavy teams.
Hiring forms
Highly customisable, interactive forms with live widgets and resume autofill, plus rich job descriptions with images and YouTube embeds.
Standard, reliable application forms; richer media via integrations.
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; video interviewing comes through partner apps in the marketplace.
Candidate screening
AI screening that scores every candidate against your criteria with a reasoning per criterion, plus a superfast review mode with keyboard shortcuts.
Structured screening with scorecards and configurable stages, plus Talent Matching to surface fits from your database.
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 partners in the marketplace rather than a built-in assignments tool.
Analytics
AI-powered analytics that let you ask questions of your data and build custom reports.
Comprehensive, enterprise-grade reporting and dashboards.
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.
Mature scheduling with broad calendar support (Google and Microsoft), structured scorecards and the AI Notetaker.
Integrations
LinkedIn, Google Calendar, Slack and any MCP client (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor), plus a Slack AI agent that works like an added teammate.
Extensive integration marketplace with hundreds of pre-built connections, Slack notifications and the beta MCP.
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, Indeed and niche boards.
Sourcing
Sourcing via a Chrome extension that works on LinkedIn and other common websites, and bulk import of candidates into any live job.
Full sourcing suite with prospecting, campaigns and a built-in CRM.
Mobile support
A polished, mobile-optimised experience that includes full access to the AI agent on the go.
Dedicated mobile app for reviewing and moving candidates on the go.
Greenhouse 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.
GreenhouseQuote-based with no public pricing, priced on headcount and billed annually across Core, Plus and Pro tiers. Third-party estimates put a small team at roughly $6,500 a year (about $550 a month); Greenhouse does not publish this figure. 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 Greenhouse if…
- You're an enterprise with complex, high-volume hiring workflows.
- Built-in offer letters and a full sourcing suite are core to your process.
- You need Microsoft calendar support and an extensive integration marketplace.
- Advanced compliance tooling such as OFCCP reporting is a requirement.
- You want dedicated onboarding, a named customer success manager and admin-governed MCP.
Both are capable applicant tracking systems. The best fit comes down to your team size, budget and how much configuration you need.
Other Greenhouse alternatives
Weighing more than two options? These are the Greenhouse 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. Ashby
Deep, configurable and AI-rich from $400/mo. Binary gives startups an AI agent and MCP free, with flat plans from $49.
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 Greenhouse alternative for startups
- A free plan and flat tiers from $49 a month, instead of a custom quote billed annually.
- MCP included on every plan with interview write actions, rather than a beta your Site Admin has to scope.
- Live and hiring in minutes with self-serve setup, not an implementation measured in weeks.
- AI screening with per-criterion reasoning, AI Skills and a Slack agent included with monthly credits.
Mid-contract with Greenhouse? Those months are free on Binary.
The months left on your Greenhouse 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 Greenhouse alternative?
Binary is a popular Greenhouse alternative for startups and small-to-mid-sized teams that want an AI-first ATS with a free plan and flat, public pricing instead of a custom enterprise quote. Teams start hiring in minutes without a sales call, screen candidates with AI that explains every score, and run hiring from Claude or ChatGPT through an MCP server that is included on every plan. It offers a modern, fast experience at a more accessible price point than enterprise-focused tools.
What does Greenhouse do better than Binary?
Greenhouse is a mature enterprise ATS with an extensive integration marketplace, robust compliance tooling (including OFCCP reporting), dedicated customer success and onboarding, and now a solid AI layer with Notetaker and Talent Matching in its Core tier. Organisations with complex, high-volume hiring and many existing HR systems often benefit from that depth and governance.
Can I migrate from Greenhouse to Binary?
Yes, and switching mid-contract costs you nothing extra. Pick any Binary annual plan and the months left on your Greenhouse subscription become free months, so you only pay for the rest of the year. Migration takes about 48 hours: import your Greenhouse 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 Greenhouse have an MCP server?
Yes, in open beta. Greenhouse MCP is available to Site Admins on the Core, Plus and Pro tiers. Admins enable read or write scopes per endpoint category, so it can be read-only or allowed to create notes, move applications, update candidate records and submit scorecards. 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.
How does the pricing of Binary and Greenhouse 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. Greenhouse is quote-based across Core, Plus and Pro, priced on headcount and billed annually, with no free plan. Greenhouse does not publish prices; third-party estimates for a small team are around $6,500 a year, or about $550 a month, rising with headcount. For most teams, Binary is the more cost-predictable option.
Try Binary today.
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