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The Future of Hiring is Here: iSmartRecruit 2.0 is Now Live!

The Future of Hiring is Here: iSmartRecruit 2.0 is Now Live!

iSmartRecruit 2.0 is Now Live!

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Manatal vs Firefish

Manatal vs Firefish Software: Features & Benefits Comparison

Which tool is the Right Choice?

Quick Summary

Manatal and Firefish are both cloud-based recruitment software tools built to make hiring easier for businesses of all sizes. Manatal has some cool features like AI-generated job postings, social media integration, candidate scorecards, and connections with popular platforms like Gmail, Outlook, and Zapier.

Firefish focuses on providing tools for recruitment marketing, CRM functionalities, and applicant tracking, aiming to attract, engage, and recruit top talent.

We'll also be looking out for a similar tool, iSmartRecruit, an affordable recruitment software solution that is designed to meet the needs of recruitment agencies and small to medium-sized businesses.

Metrics Comparison of Manatal vs Firefish

Manatal
Manatal
Firefish
Firefish
iSmartRecruit
iSmartRecruit
Pricing Starts From

$19

-

Free Trial

Best For HR Teams, Recruitment Agencies, Staffing Firms, Executive Search Firms, Headhunters and Talent Acquisition Teams Recruitment Agencies, Staffing Agencies, Permanent Recruitment Teams, Contract Recruitment Teams, Temporary Recruitment Agencies and Growing Agency Teams Corporate HRs, Mass recruiters, Hiring managers, Employment and recruiting agencies, Executive search firms, Staffing firms, Small businesses and startups
Help Videos

New Release/Updates Weekly / Monthly Monthly Monthly
Trustpilot Score 2.4 4.7 4
Software Suggest Score 5 0 4.7
SaaSWorthy Score 4.9 3.2 4.6
Capterra - Ease of Use 4.7 4.6 4.5
Capterra - Customer Service 4.6 4.7 4.7
Capterra - Features 4.4 4.3 4.6
Capterra - Value for Money 4.5 4.6 4.6
Mobile Application

Capterra Rating
G2 Rating
Manatal

Pricing Starts From $19

Free Trial:

Ease of Use: 4.7

Customer Service: 4.6

Features: 4.4

Value for Money: 4.5

Capterra Rating:

G2 Rating:

Firefish

Pricing Starts From -

Free Trial:

Ease of Use: 4.6

Customer Service: 4.7

Features: 4.3

Value for Money: 4.6

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 Manatal

As of 2026, Manatal is a cloud-based recruitment platform for HR teams, recruitment agencies, headhunters and talent acquisition professionals. It includes applicant tracking, recruitment CRM, candidate sourcing, collaboration tools, reporting, branded career pages and AI-assisted recruitment features.

The platform supports candidate sourcing from job boards, career pages, referrals, LinkedIn and other online channels. Recruiters can use customisable pipelines, Kanban-style views and activity tracking to manage hiring workflows in a more structured way.

Manatal’s newer AI features include AI Candidate Scoring and Matching, multilingual CV parsing, candidate enrichment, AI-generated job descriptions, AI Interviewer, AI Notetaker and MCP Server access for connecting recruitment data with selected AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.

Its pricing is structured across Professional, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus and Custom plans. The Professional plan starts at $15 per user per month on yearly billing, while monthly billing starts at $19 per user per month.

Manatal may be suitable for recruitment teams looking for an ATS and recruitment CRM with sourcing, automation and AI-supported screening features. However, teams should also review its plan-based feature access, customisation needs, user experience, integration requirements and support options before deciding whether it fits their hiring workflow.

pros

Pros

cons

Customisable recruitment pipelines.

cons

Candidate sourcing from multiple job boards and online channels.

cons

Applicant tracking and recruitment CRM in one platform.

cons

AI candidate scoring and recommendations.

cons

Multilingual CV parsing and profile enrichment.

cons

AI Interviewer and AI Notetaker features available.


Vallery O.

"Manatal ATS Review"
The Kanban view makes candidate management so seamless! Great job board integration, I seldom have to source because of the quality applicants I receive. Their pricing is very fair.

Verified Capterra Review

pros

Cons

cons

Some advanced features are available only on higher-tier plans.

cons

Monthly pricing is higher than yearly billing.

cons

Customisation may require setup time for teams with complex workflows.

cons

Some users have reported issues with usability and navigation.

cons

Direct WhatsApp communication may not be available as a native feature.

cons

Teams should check integration, support and feature access before purchase.


Jenn N.

"Read the reviews - Dont waste your time or money"
What they don't tell you is that their system and platform is extremely flawed, nothing really works the way it should and when you ask for support, you are given the run around, asked to go in and do things that just do not make sense,

Verified Capterra Review

Overview of Firefish

Firefish is a recruitment CRM and agency software platform founded in 2010 and headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland. It is built for recruitment agencies that want to manage sales, marketing, candidate engagement and recruitment activity from one connected system.

The platform brings together CRM, applicant tracking, job workflows, communication tools, reporting and recruitment marketing features. Its current positioning focuses on helping agencies connect recruitment data with business development activity, so recruiters can manage candidates, clients, jobs and placements in a more structured way.

Firefish supports permanent, temporary and contract recruitment workflows. Its feature set includes skills and profile searching, native shift scheduling for temp recruitment, contract recruitment management, CV parsing, contact information verification, multi-channel campaign management and real-time analytics.

For 2026, Firefish also highlights AI and automation as part of its core recruitment platform. The updated data includes AI-powered candidate matching, automated job advert writing, recruitment automation, AI agents and data-driven reporting to help agencies review recruiter activity, placement performance and business growth opportunities.

Firefish pricing is now presented as contact-based rather than a fixed public starting price. Plans are shaped around workflow complexity, team size and agency growth priorities, with options for permanent recruitment, perm and contract recruitment, and more complex operations covering permanent, contract and temp workflows.

When reviewing Firefish, agencies should look beyond the headline CRM features and check onboarding fees, data migration requirements, minimum contract terms, upgrade costs, support coverage and data export conditions. These details matter because the final value depends on how closely the selected package matches the agency’s actual recruitment process.

pros

Pros

cons

Recruitment CRM built for agencies.

cons

Supports permanent, temporary and contract recruitment workflows.

cons

Includes AI-powered candidate matching.

cons

Automated job advert writing helps reduce manual content work.

cons

CV parsing and data extraction support faster candidate profile creation.

cons

Real-time analytics and reporting help track recruiter and business performance.


Rachel F.

"Brilliant!"
Firefish is an amazing system, it is perfect for my business needs, it can be altered to support my business specifically plus the customer service is unbelievable

Verified G2 Review

pros

Cons

cons

Pricing is contact-based and not fully visible upfront.

cons

Onboarding and data migration costs may depend on requirements.

cons

Minimum commitment is 12 months.

cons

Future data export requests may carry an additional cost after the first full export.

cons

Additional one-to-one training or consultancy may cost extra.

cons

Teams with complex workflows may need time to configure the platform properly.


Thea B.

"AVOID AT ALL COSTS"
AVOID. Pretend to be a small business that cares for small businesses, but are the total opposite and are currently hiding behind contracts when i've asked for help. System still not fully operational after a month - not worth the migration costs to move from other suppliers with. Am now left in an even worse position than when I was with the dumpster fire that is Vincere/Access, which I didn't think was even possible. Broken process where each department is seperate, zero account management once signed up. Holding my data hostage + no way to get out of the contract despite being in financial difficulties. They would sooner see the business go under as long as they get a paycheque. AVOID AVOID AVOID.

Verified Capterra Review

Features Comparison

Manatal
Manatal
Firefish
Firefish
iSmartRecruit
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?

iSmartRecruit is an affordable recruitment tool tailored to the needs of agencies and small to medium-sized businesses. It provides sophisticated functionalities, including AI-driven resume parsing, multilingual support, automated workflows, and smooth integrations with email and job boards.

The platform's user-friendly interface guarantees a smooth experience, while adaptable pipelines and dashboards accommodate diverse recruitment requirements.

Featuring competitive pricing and a dedication to boosting recruitment efficiency, iSmartRecruit emerges as a top alternative to Manatal and Firefish. You can try iSmartRecruit today with a free trial and streamline your hiring operations.

Our Client Testimonial Speaks Louder Than Words!

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Conclusion

Manatal and Firefish both provide strong recruitment tools, each with special features designed for various company requirements. Manatal utilises AI technology and a wide range of integrations to streamline the hiring process.

Firefish Specialises in recruitment marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), and following applicants through the hiring process to bring in and keep top-tier candidates.

For agencies and small to medium-sized enterprises looking for an affordable yet full-featured recruitment system, iSmartRecruit is an attractive option thanks to its sophisticated capabilities and intuitive design. Try a Free Demo Today!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the key features of Manatal and Firefish?

Manatal offers AI-generated job descriptions, social media enrichment, candidate scorecards, and integrations with various platforms. Firefish provides recruitment marketing tools, CRM functionalities, and applicant tracking to help recruiters attract and engage top talent.

2. Is there a significant difference in pricing between the two?

Yes. Manatal's pricing starts at $15 per user per month, making it more affordable. Firefish's pricing begins at £80 per user per month.

3. Which platform is more suitable for recruitment agencies?

Firefish is explicitly designed for recruitment agencies, offering tools for recruitment marketing and CRM functionalities. Manatal, while versatile, is more suited for general recruitment needs across various company sizes.

4. Why should agencies consider iSmartRecruit over Manatal and Firefish?

iSmartRecruit offers a cost-effective solution with advanced features like AI-powered resume parsing, multilingual support, and Customisable workflows, making it a suitable choice for agencies and small to medium-sized businesses seeking to enhance their recruitment processes.