Best Workable Alternatives for UK & EU Businesses in 2025
Workable is a comprehensive all-in-one recruiting software with AI-powered features, popular among mid-market companies globally. However, many UK businesses find the per-job pricing expensive at scale, and UK support can be slow during peak times. This guide explores the best alternatives that offer better value, UK-focused support, and more transparent pricing while delivering the recruitment functionality you need.
Last updated: January 2026
Why Look for Workable Alternatives?
While Workable offers robust recruiting features, several factors drive businesses to explore alternatives:
- Expensive Per-Job Pricing: At 49+ per job, costs can escalate quickly for companies hiring at scale or across multiple positions.
- Generic AI Results: The AI features sometimes produce generic recommendations that require significant manual refinement.
- Complex Compliance Setup: Setting up compliance workflows for UK/EU requirements can be complicated and time-consuming.
- Slow UK Support: Customer support response times can be sluggish during UK business hours due to time zone differences.
- Feature Overload: Many small to medium businesses find Workable's extensive feature set overwhelming for their simpler needs.
These challenges highlight the need for alternatives that balance functionality with cost-effectiveness and local support.
What to Look for in a Workable Alternative
When seeking a Workable alternative, prioritise these key features:
- Transparent Pricing: Clear, predictable pricing models that don't penalise you for hiring success.
- UK-Focused Support: Local customer support during UK business hours with regional expertise.
- Simple Compliance: Native GDPR compliance without complex configuration requirements.
- Intelligent AI: AI features that provide genuinely useful insights rather than generic suggestions.
- Scalable Features: Functionality that grows with your business without overwhelming smaller teams.
- UK Job Board Integration: Seamless integration with UK-specific job boards and local recruitment channels.
The 7 Best Workable Alternatives
Marxel
is an AI-powered recruitment platform specifically designed for UK and EU businesses, offering intelligent screening at transparent prices.
Best for: Companies wanting AI-powered recruitment without per-job pricing.
Key features: - AI-powered CV screening (4 intelligent categories) - Native GDPR compliance - Transparent pricing model - UK job board integrations
Pricing: Free tier (25 CVs/month), Starter £49, Pro £149
Pros: - No per-job pricing - unlimited jobs - Fast AI screening (200 CVs in 4 minutes) - UK-based support and compliance - Transparent, predictable pricing
Cons: - Newer platform with smaller community - Focuses on screening rather than full recruiting suite
Verdict: Perfect for businesses wanting efficient, cost-effective recruitment with intelligent AI screening.
JazzHR
provides comprehensive recruiting features with customisable workflows at a fraction of Workable's cost.
Best for: Teams needing customisation without high per-job costs.
Key features: - Custom hiring workflows - Team collaboration tools - Extensive integrations - Flat-rate pricing
Pricing: From £39/month (unlimited jobs)
Pros: - Much cheaper than Workable - No per-job pricing - Highly customisable
Cons: - Requires setup time - Limited AI capabilities
Verdict: Excellent for teams wanting Workable's functionality at a much lower, predictable cost.
Recruitee
offers collaborative hiring with strong employer branding, though still premium-priced.
Best for: Teams prioritising employer branding and collaboration.
Key features: - Advanced employer branding - Team collaboration tools - Analytics and reporting - Customisable career sites
Pricing: From €199/month
Pros: - Excellent employer branding features - Strong collaboration tools - No per-job pricing
Cons: - Still expensive (though cheaper than Workable) - Learning curve for advanced features
Verdict: Good for companies needing advanced branding features without Workable's per-job costs.
#### Breezy HR Breezy HR focuses on visual, intuitive recruitment management with solid features at reasonable pricing.
Best for: Teams wanting simplicity without sacrificing functionality.
Key features: - Visual hiring pipelines - Video interviewing - Team collaboration - Automation tools
Pricing: From £49/month
Pros: - Very user-friendly interface - Good feature set for the price - No per-job pricing
Cons: - Limited advanced analytics - Basic AI capabilities
Verdict: Great for teams wanting core recruiting features without Workable's complexity and cost.
SmartRecruiters
offers enterprise-grade features with comprehensive recruiting capabilities.
Best for: Larger companies needing enterprise-level functionality.
Key features: - Enterprise recruiting suite - Advanced analytics - Global compliance tools - AI-powered features
Pricing: Custom pricing
Pros: - Enterprise-grade features - Strong compliance capabilities - Advanced AI and analytics
Cons: - Custom pricing can be expensive - Complex for smaller teams
Verdict: Suitable for large organisations needing enterprise features with better UK support than Workable.
Greenhouse
provides structured hiring platform with strong analytics and compliance features.
Best for: Data-driven companies with structured hiring processes.
Key features: - Structured interviewing - Advanced analytics - Compliance tracking - Integration ecosystem
Pricing: Custom pricing
Pros: - Excellent analytics and reporting - Strong structured hiring approach - Good compliance features
Cons: - Expensive custom pricing - Complex setup process
Verdict: Best for established companies prioritising data-driven, structured recruitment.
#### Zoho Recruit Zoho Recruit offers basic recruiting functionality within the Zoho ecosystem at affordable pricing.
Best for: Budget-conscious businesses using Zoho products.
Key features: - Basic ATS functionality - Zoho ecosystem integration - Automation tools - Affordable pricing
Pricing: From £25/user/month
Pros: - Very affordable - Good Zoho integration - No per-job pricing
Cons: - Limited advanced features - Basic AI capabilities
Verdict: Budget-friendly option for basic recruiting needs, especially for existing Zoho users.
Comparison Table
| Tool | Pricing Model | Starting Price | GDPR Native | UK Support | AI Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marxel | Monthly/CVs | Free tier | Yes | Yes | Excellent |
| JazzHR | Monthly flat | £39/month | Partial | Partial | Basic |
| Recruitee | Monthly flat | €199/month | Partial | Yes | Good |
| Breezy HR | Monthly flat | £49/month | Partial | Partial | Basic |
| SmartRecruiters | Custom | Custom | Yes | Yes | Excellent |
| Greenhouse | Custom | Custom | Yes | Yes | Good |
| Zoho Recruit | Per user | £25/month | No | No | Basic |
Who Should Stick with Workable
Workable remains valuable for specific use cases. Companies with high hiring volumes that can absorb the per-job costs while benefiting from its comprehensive feature set will find value. Large enterprises with dedicated recruiting teams can leverage its extensive functionality and integration ecosystem. If you're already heavily invested in Workable's workflows and integrations, and the per-job pricing fits your budget, staying with Workable might make sense. Teams that need the full recruiting suite and have budget flexibility will continue to benefit from its comprehensive approach.
Who Should Choose Marxel
Marxel is ideal for UK and EU businesses that want intelligent recruitment without the high costs and complexity of Workable. It's perfect for companies hiring regularly across multiple positions who want to avoid escalating per-job costs. Teams processing 50-200 CVs per role will appreciate Marxel's AI-powered screening that delivers results in minutes rather than hours. If you prioritise GDPR compliance, UK support, and transparent pricing over extensive feature sets, Marxel provides the right balance of efficiency and value.
Switching from Workable: What to Expect
Transitioning from Workable involves exporting candidate and job data, which is typically straightforward via their export features. The migration timeline usually ranges from 3-5 weeks, depending on data complexity and chosen alternative. Common challenges include preserving custom workflows and maintaining integration continuity. Many alternatives, including Marxel, offer dedicated migration support to help transfer data and recreate essential workflows. Cost savings can be substantial - switching from Workable's per-job model to flat-rate alternatives can reduce recruiting costs by 50-70% for active hiring companies.
How to Choose the Right Alternative
Selecting the right Workable alternative depends on your specific priorities:
- Cost Reduction: Marxel or JazzHR offer significant savings with flat-rate pricing models.
- AI Focus: Marxel excels in intelligent CV screening and candidate matching.
- Enterprise Features: SmartRecruiters or Greenhouse provide comprehensive enterprise functionality.
- Simplicity: Breezy HR or Marxel offer streamlined interfaces requiring minimal training.
- Brand Building: Recruitee provides superior employer branding capabilities.
Consider your hiring volume, budget constraints, and feature priorities when making your decision.
Conclusion
While Workable offers comprehensive recruiting features, many businesses achieve better value with alternatives that provide transparent pricing and UK-focused support. Whether choosing Marxel for AI-powered efficiency, JazzHR for customisation, or other alternatives for specific needs, the right choice depends on balancing your feature requirements with budget realities and local support needs.
Feature Comparison
| Platform | Starting Price | UK GDPR Native | UK Job Boards | UK Support | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MarxelYOU ARE HERE | Free tier available | Yes | Yes | Yes | ✓ |
| Workable | Varies | Partial | Partial | Partial | — |
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