Lever is an applicant tracking system (ATS) that combines traditional recruitment workflow management with CRM-style relationship features — making it the preferred choice for talent acquisition teams who think of recruiting as an ongoing relationship rather than a transactional process. It's used by 5,000+ companies including Netflix, KPMG and McGraw-Hill.
Its key differentiator from pure ATS platforms like Greenhouse is the Talent CRM layer — candidates who aren't the right fit for a current role can be tagged, nurtured and re-engaged for future openings. This dramatically increases the ROI on sourcing investment: instead of losing great candidates because the timing wasn't right, Lever keeps them warm in your pipeline.
Lever's AI features include candidate scoring that surfaces best-fit applicants, pipeline analytics that identify bottlenecks in your hiring process, and diversity reporting that tracks representation at each stage. Its visual pipeline view gives recruiters and hiring managers a clear, real-time picture of where every candidate stands across all open roles.
Key Features
📋
ATS Workflow
Full applicant tracking with customisable hiring stages, scorecards and structured interview kits.
🤝
Talent CRM
Nurture candidates not yet ready to hire — tag, track and re-engage talent for future roles.
🤖
AI Candidate Scoring
Machine learning surfaces best-fit candidates from your applicant pool and talent database.
📊
Pipeline Analytics
Real-time visibility into hiring funnel metrics — identify bottlenecks and improve time-to-hire.
🌍
Diversity & Inclusion
Track representation at every hiring stage and identify where underrepresented candidates drop off.
🔗
Integrations
Connects to LinkedIn, Workday, BambooHR, Slack and 300+ other tools.
Pros & Cons
What we love
Best combination of ATS and CRM in one platform
Talent CRM preserves sourcing investment for future hires
Visual pipeline view is clear and intuitive
Strong diversity and inclusion analytics
Good LinkedIn integration for sourcing
Watch out for
Less powerful than Greenhouse for structured hiring at scale
Reporting less flexible than enterprise ATS platforms
Customer support response times can be slow
Pricing not transparent — requires sales call
Frequently Asked Questions
Greenhouse is better for companies with complex, structured hiring processes and large recruiting teams — its interview kit and scorecard system is more rigorous. Lever is better for companies that prioritise talent relationship management alongside tracking — its CRM layer is superior. Both are strong mid-market ATS platforms; the choice comes down to whether structured hiring or talent pipeline management is your bigger priority.
A Talent CRM (Candidate Relationship Management) works like a sales CRM but for candidates — it lets recruiters maintain relationships with people who weren't hired but might be right for future roles. Without a CRM, most companies lose great candidates because the timing wasn't right. With Lever's CRM, a candidate you meet at a conference or a strong applicant who took another offer stays in your pipeline for the next relevant opening.
Lever is designed for companies with dedicated recruiting teams — typically 100+ employees with at least one full-time recruiter. Small businesses with occasional hiring needs are better served by simpler tools like Workable or even LinkedIn's built-in recruiting tools. Lever's full value comes when you're hiring consistently enough to benefit from pipeline building and advanced analytics.
The best ATS for companies that think about recruiting as relationship-building — Lever's CRM layer means great candidates you can't hire today stay in your pipeline for the right role tomorrow.
Quick Facts
Best forTalent acquisition teams, mid-size companies
PricingCustom pricing
Free planDemo available
Founded2012
Try Lever
Lever combines applicant tracking with CRM-style relationship management — so you're not just processing candidates, you're building a talent pipeline for future roles.