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BrightMove vs CATS: Which ATS Fits Your Team?
Which tool is the Right Choice?
Quick Summary
Choosing between BrightMove and CATS (CatsOne) usually comes down to what kind of recruitment operation you're running. BrightMove is a customisable ATS and CRM built for staffing firms, RPOs and PEOs, priced a Standard plan starting around $125 per user per month, with Advanced and Enterprise tiers priced on request, and its reputation rests on its large resume database network and PEO-branded ATS option. That said, a notable share of user reviews describe stability issues and inconsistent candidate application experiences on mobile.
CATS (CatsOne) takes a different route: it's a web-based ATS built for professional recruiters, agencies and corporate hiring teams priced around $99 per user per month billed monthly, or $69 per user per month billed annually, with a free single-position Bootstrap plan and a 7-day free trial, and teams tend to choose it for affordable, transparent pricing with no hidden fees and a genuinely free entry tier. The trade-off is that it currently has no public API, and some reviewers note lighter reporting depth and search precision at higher candidate volumes.
Before committing to either platform, it's worth looking at iSmartRecruit as well, since it brings AI-driven applicant tracking, recruiting CRM and multilingual candidate engagement together under one roof.
Metrics Comparison of BrightMove vs CATS
 BrightMove
|
 CATS
|
 iSmartRecruit
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing Starts From |
$125 |
$89 |
|
| Free Trial |
|
|
|
| Best For | RPO Companies, Staffing Agencies and HR Professionals | Small Business Hiring Teams, Professional Recruiters, Construction, Engineering, Education, Energy, Executive Search, Finance, Healthcare, and Manufacturing | Corporate HRs, Mass recruiters, Hiring managers, Employment and recruiting agencies, Executive search firms, Staffing firms, Small businesses and startups |
| Help Videos |
|
|
|
| New Release/Updates | Monthly | Annually | Monthly |
| Trustpilot Score | 3.8 | - | 4 |
| Software Suggest Score | - | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| SaaSWorthy Score | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.6 |
| Capterra - Ease of Use | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.5 |
| Capterra - Customer Service | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| Capterra - Features | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.6 |
| Capterra - Value for Money | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 |
| Mobile Application |
|
|
|
| Capterra Rating | |||
| G2 Rating | |||
| Profile Overview | View Profile | View Profile | Get a Demo |
BrightMove
Pricing Starts From $125
Free Trial:
Ease of Use: 4.4
Customer Service: 4.4
Features: 4.2
Value for Money: 4.4
Capterra Rating:
G2 Rating:
CATS
Pricing Starts From $89
Free Trial:
Ease of Use: 4.3
Customer Service: 4.3
Features: 4.1
Value for Money: 4.3
Capterra Rating:
G2 Rating:
iSmartRecruit
Pricing Starts From: Get Quote
Free Trial: Get a Trial
Ease of Use: 4.5
Customer Service: 4.7
Features: 4.6
Value for Money: 4.6
Capterra Rating:
G2 Rating:
Overview of BrightMove
BrightMove is an ATS software from the United States. It was started in 2005. It helps staffing agencies, RPOs, and in-house recruitment teams manage hiring in one system.
BrightMove lets teams post jobs, applicant tracking, and recruiter communication candidate search tools in one place. It combines applicant tracking with CRM tools so recruiters can find and contact people more easily. It also manages the full recruitment lifecycle in real time.
Some useful features include automated emails, candidate scoring, advanced search, and recruitment analytics. BrightMove connects with LinkedIn, Gmail, and other tools. It works on the web and mobile, which is helpful for remote teams.
BrightMove has many helpful features and can be used by growing teams. But some users say the design looks a bit outdated. It may also take time to learn if you want to use advanced features. It works best for teams that need more control and automation. Small teams may want a simpler option.
Pros
User-friendly interface.
Powerful candidate sourcing tools.
Customisable workflows.
Cloud-based system.
Verified User in Information Technology and Services
"Affordable and Customizable"
I have found BrightMove to be highly customizable, especially when compared to a higher priced ATS. You can run standard and customized reports.
Cons
Interface can feel outdated.
Limited automation.
Occasional system slowness during high-traffic usage periods.
Mobile app functionality is basic.
Verified Reviewer
"I have used BrightMove for almost four years"
The application process for our candidates have not been the best. They system is not compatible for all users and candidates have had trouble trying to apply using their phones at times. There seems to be glitches every now and then in the application process.
Overview of CATS
For recruiters reviewing it in 2026, CATS is positioned as an applicant tracking system and recruiting software platform built to support automated recruiting through a customisable and easy-to-use interface. Its current website presents CATS as a system for teams that want to manage recruiting activity, candidate information and hiring workflows in one applicant tracking platform.
The platform highlights recruitment features such as meeting scheduling, SMS texting for the US and Canada, two-way calendar and email sync, a recruiting browser extension, custom access levels and sponsored job postings. These features suggest a practical ATS focused on helping recruiters organise communication, candidate sourcing, scheduling and day-to-day hiring tasks.
CATS appears suitable for recruitment teams and professional recruiters that need configurable applicant tracking software rather than a very basic hiring tool. Its website also promotes a free trial, giving buyers a way to test the platform before committing to a paid subscription.
CATS’ pricing page shows pricing at USD 89 per user per month, with a free trial option available. Buyers should still review the live pricing page carefully to confirm billing terms, included features, user costs, SMS availability, job posting options, integrations and any add-ons before making a final comparison.
However, teams should carefully assess CATS’ per-user pricing, setup needs, customisation depth, regional SMS availability, calendar and email sync fit, sourcing workflow, support expectations and long-term scalability before deciding whether it is the right applicant tracking system for their recruitment process.
Pros
Responsive and friendly customer support.
Useful features include statuses, customisable fields and archiving.
User-friendly workflow with job posting and email integration.
CV parsing and candidate search support recruiter productivity.
Customisable workflows and HRIS integration are available.
Task automation can help reduce routine administration.
Miguel G.
"Good experience."
User friendly. Very good applicant tracking. Control Panel very helpful. I can see CATS calendar integrated with microsoft outlook. Great understanding with linkedin.
Cons
Reporting features may be limited or harder to locate for some users.
Advanced data export formats should be checked before purchase.
Support response consistency has received mixed feedback.
CV forwarding and email integration may require workflow testing.
Loading speed can vary depending on usage and setup.
Automated skills selection may not meet every team’s screening process.
James G.
"8 Year CATS User"
Very clunky and slow at times. Does not offer any integrations that are helpful. I use it for dissemination of my jobs. It is one step above an excel spreadsheet.
Features Comparison |
BrightMove
|
CATS
|
iSmartRecruit
|
|---|---|---|---|
| API | |||
| Activity Dashboard | |||
| Activity Tracking | |||
| Alerts/Notifications | |||
| Applicant Tracking | |||
| Application Management | |||
| Approval Workflow | |||
| Assessment Management | |||
| Billing & Invoicing | |||
| Boolean Search | |||
| Built-in ATS | |||
| CRM | |||
| Calendar Management | |||
| Campaign Analytics | |||
| Campaign Management | |||
| Candidate Management | |||
| Candidate Profiles | |||
| Candidate Sourcing | |||
| Candidate Tracking | |||
| Careers Page | |||
| Chatbot | |||
| Collaboration Tools | |||
| Commenting/Notes | |||
| Compliance Management | |||
| Compliance Tracking | |||
| Configurable Workflow | |||
| Contact Database | |||
| Content Management | |||
| Customisable Branding | |||
| Customisable Forms | |||
| Customisable Reports | |||
| Customisable Templates | |||
| Data Import/Export | |||
| Document Management | |||
| Electronic Signature | |||
| Email Management | |||
| Email Marketing | |||
| Email Templates | |||
| Employee Database | |||
| Employee Onboarding | |||
| Employee Referral Management | |||
| For Recruiting Agencies | |||
| For Small Businesses | |||
| For Staffing Agencies | |||
| Full Text Search | |||
| HR Management | |||
| Internal Chat Integration | |||
| Internal HR | |||
| Interview Management | |||
| Interview Scheduling | |||
| Job Application Management | |||
| Job Board Software | |||
| Job Management | |||
| Job Posting | |||
| Job Requisition | |||
| Job Tracking | |||
| Lead Management | |||
| Marketing Automation | |||
| Matching Engine | |||
| Mobile Access | |||
| Multi-Channel Marketing | |||
| Onboarding | |||
| Pipeline Management | |||
| Pipeline Reports | |||
| Question Library | |||
| Real-Time Analytics | |||
| Real-Time Reporting | |||
| Recruiting Firms | |||
| Recruitment Management | |||
| Reference Checking | |||
| Reminders | |||
| Reporting & Statistics | |||
| Reporting/Analytics | |||
| Resume Database | |||
| Resume Parsing | |||
| Resume Search | |||
| Resume Storage | |||
| SMS Messaging | |||
| Scoring | |||
| Search/Filter | |||
| Self Service Portal | |||
| Skills Assessment | |||
| Social Media Integration | |||
| Social Recruiting | |||
| Status Tracking | |||
| Tagging | |||
| Talent Acquisition | |||
| Talent Pool | |||
| Task Management | |||
| Temporary Staffing | |||
| Third-Party Integrations | |||
| Workflow Management |
Find the perfect features for your hiring needs!
Why iSmartRecruit is Best?
Comparing BrightMove and CATS (CatsOne) is a reasonable starting point, but iSmartRecruit is worth adding to the shortlist, especially for agencies that want a single platform covering applicant tracking, recruiting CRM and AI-driven automation. Its AI Agents, generative AI and conversational AI extend well beyond the automation depth either BrightMove or CATS (CatsOne) offers by default.
iSmartRecruit also supports multilingual candidate engagement and offers reporting and compliance tools built into the same system as the ATS, rather than bolted on separately. For teams comparing BrightMove's pricing against CATS (CatsOne)'s, it's a reasonable alternative to evaluate. Start a free trial today.
Our Client Testimonial Speaks Louder Than Words!
Our Client Testimonial Speaks
Louder Than Words!
Easy-to-use ATS with powerful candidate management, client-based job organization, and flexible reporting—ideal for consulting and recruitment firms.
Great candidate management system, good technical support with competitive pricing
Very well customisable system for a very good pricing
We have been running this solution for over a month and it has all the user features you could need from a recruitment side through to talent pipelining. After 3 years of researching solutions, I am happy to finally have found a best staffing software that gives you what you need!
Excellent. Product works very well and meets our needs. Support and development staff were knowledgeable and helpful.
With automation workflows and visibility on the candidate journey, we were able to reduce our time-to-hire by 57% and cost per hire by 49%. Candidates are having a positive experience with us, and it's because of iSmartRecruit's AI Recruitment Software.
Our Client Testimonial Speaks Louder Than Words!
Easy-to-use ATS with powerful candidate management, client-based job organization, and flexible reporting—ideal for consulting and recruitment firms.
Great candidate management system, good technical support with competitive pricing
Very well customisable system for a very good pricing
We have been running this solution for over a month and it has all the user features you could need from a recruitment side through to talent pipelining. After 3 years of researching solutions, I am happy to finally have found a best staffing software that gives you what you need!
Excellent. Product works very well and meets our needs. Support and development staff were knowledgeable and helpful.
Conclusion
In the end, BrightMove and CATS (CatsOne) solve slightly different problems for recruitment teams. BrightMove works well for organisations that want its large resume database network and PEO-branded ATS option, and CATS (CatsOne) is a better match for teams built around affordable, transparent pricing with no hidden fees and a genuinely free entry tier.
For teams that want a more complete, AI-powered alternative to both, iSmartRecruit combines applicant tracking, recruiting CRM, multilingual engagement and automation in one platform. Book a free demo to see how it compares.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the main difference between BrightMove and CATS (CatsOne)?
BrightMove is a customisable ATS and CRM built for staffing firms, RPOs and PEOs, while CATS (CatsOne) is a web-based ATS built for professional recruiters, agencies and corporate hiring teams.
2. How does BrightMove pricing compare to CATS (CatsOne)?
BrightMove runs from around $125 per user/month. CATS (CatsOne) runs $69-$99 per user/month. Exact costs vary by team size, so it's best to request a quote from either vendor.
3. Which platform offers stronger AI capabilities?
BrightMove offers candidate scoring and automated email tools, without a distinct AI-branded feature set. CATS (CatsOne) offers AI-assisted resume parsing and search, without a dedicated AI-branded suite. Neither goes as deep on AI automation as platforms built specifically around AI Agents and generative AI.
4. Who is BrightMove best suited for?
BrightMove is generally best suited to staffing firms, RPOs and PEOs that want a large resume database and PEO-branded deployment option.
5. Who is CATS (CatsOne) best suited for?
CATS (CatsOne) is generally best suited to small to mid-sized recruiting businesses that want an affordable, easy-to-learn ATS.
6. What do users say about BrightMove and CATS (CatsOne)?
Feedback on BrightMove is mixed on Capterra, with 68% of negative reviews citing frequent glitches and slowdowns. Feedback on CATS (CatsOne) is roughly 81% “great” on SelectHub across 329 reviews and 4.4 out of 5 on GetApp.
7. Is iSmartRecruit a reasonable alternative to BrightMove and CATS (CatsOne)?
Yes. iSmartRecruit combines applicant tracking, Recruiting CRM, AI Agents, generative AI and multilingual candidate engagement in one platform, making it a practical alternative for teams comparing BrightMove and CATS (CatsOne) that want broader AI automation and flexible, quote-based pricing.
