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AI
AI-POWERED RECRUITMENTBuilt to hire faster, smarteriSmartRecruit 2.0AI Agents New in 2.0Autonomous agents that source candidates, run research, and surface key insights — with zero manual effort. Your always-on recruiter.
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Solutions
WHO IT'S FORSolutions built for every teamAgenciesExecutive Search Firms
Retained Search, Executive Search, in-house Executive Search
Professional RecruitmentDirect hire, permanent and contingent recruitment agencies
Staffing AgenciesTemporary and Contract staffing positions
RPO CompaniesRecruitment on behalf of other organisations
CorporateIn-HouseCorporate and internal talent acquisition
StartupStartup agencies or corporate willing to hire people
High Volume RecruitingHire more people in less time
Customer Review
Ilona H.Co-Founder★★★★★
"iSmartRecruit is one of the most flexible ATS out there. User-friendly layout, the support team is fantastic, easy customisations are available, and the price is very affordable."Explore Words of Trust 🤝
Quick Summary of Cluen
Cluen is an executive search CRM and recruitment database provider established in 1990 and based in New York City. Its main platform, Encore, is designed for executive search consultants, legal recruiters, in-house talent acquisition teams, government bodies, universities and venture capital or private equity firms.
Encore helps search teams manage relationships, historical data, candidate records, client information, communication activity and business development opportunities from one recruitment database. The platform is positioned for relationship-led search work rather than high-volume applicant tracking.
For 2026, Cluen’s newer positioning focuses on relationship intelligence, workflow automation and AI-supported compliance. Encore can surface past touchpoints, warm introductions and client-candidate dynamics, helping recruiters work with more context during executive search assignments.
The platform also highlights automated follow-ups, reminders and task routing to reduce manual administration. Its compliance support includes AI features for consent tracking, audit trails and data privacy workflows, while the company also states that Encore is GDPR compliant and works with any email programme.
Cluen may suit firms that need a specialist executive search database with relationship tracking, compliance support and long-term client history. Buyers should still review pricing visibility, interface modernisation, integration needs, support scope and whether Encore’s workflow matches their current search process before committing.
| Supported Countries | Global |
|---|---|
| Languages Supported | English |
| On-premise/Self-Hosted Option | |
| Cloud Option | |
| Mobile Application | |
| New Release/Updates | Every alternate month |
| Support Hours | Business Hours |
| Live Support | |
| Chatbot Support | |
| Setup Support | |
| Training | |
| Dedicated Account Manager | |
| Help Center | |
| Help Videos | |
| Freemium | |
| Free Trial | |
| Open API | |
| Competitors | iSmartRecruit, Invenias, Talentis Global, FileFinder, Loxo, Manatal, Bullhorn, Ezekia, Clockwork Recruiting, Recruit CRM |
Cluen Reviews
| Trust Pilot Score | 0 |
|---|---|
| SaaSWorthy Score | 0 |
| Software Suggest Score | 0 |
| Capterra - Ease of Use | 0.0 |
| Capterra - Customer Service | 0.0 |
| Capterra - Features | 0.0 |
| Capterra - Value for Money | 0.0 |
| Capterra Rating | |
| G2 Rating | - |
Pros
Purpose-built for executive search and relationship-led recruitment.
Encore supports executive search consultants, legal recruiters and in-house talent teams.
Helps manage historical data, client relationships and business development activity.
Relationship intelligence can surface past touchpoints and warm introductions.
Workflow automation supports reminders, follow-ups and task routing.
AI-supported compliance features cover consent tracking and audit trails.
Mike J.
"Encore is a great way to recruit new talent"
I use Encore when looking to hire new talent. It's a excellent way to keep track of every candidate and organize all the information. It's a very simple system of keeping track of finding and hiring new talent.
Cons
Public pricing is not clearly available.
Interface and usability may feel dated for some users.
Teams should check integration requirements before purchase.
May be more suitable for executive search than general recruitment workflows.
Implementation and configuration may require support for complex databases.
Buyers should review support scope, data migration and contract terms carefully.
Jill M.
"Behind the times"
This product is quite behind their competitors and it feels like an old "DOS" computer as compared to other like products. It is also extremely slow and lacking many desirable features.
Cluen Features
| Assessment Management | Candidate Profiles | Candidate Tracking | Careers Page | Collaboration Tools | Email Management | Employee Database | Employee Profiles | Internal HR | Interview Scheduling | Recruiting Firms | Recruitment Management | Reference Checking | Resume Parsing | Resume Storage |
Cluen Alternatives
 iSmartRecruit
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 Cluen
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| Pricing Starts From |
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| Ease of Use | 4.5 | 0.0 |
| Customer Service | 4.7 | 0.0 |
| Features | 4.6 | 0.0 |
| Value for Money | 4.6 | 0.0 |
| Capterra Rating | ||
| G2 Rating |
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Cluen Encore used for in 2026?
Cluen Encore is used as an executive search CRM and recruitment database for managing candidates, clients, relationships, communication history and business development activity. It suits relationship-led search teams, but firms needing a more modern ATS and CRM workflow may also compare iSmartRecruit.
2. Is Cluen suitable for high-volume recruitment?
Cluen is more suitable for executive search, legal recruitment and relationship-based hiring than high-volume recruitment. It focuses on long-term candidate and client history, while teams managing wider applicant pipelines and daily recruitment operations may find iSmartRecruit more practical.
3. What relationship intelligence features does Cluen offer?
Cluen highlights relationship intelligence features that help recruiters surface past touchpoints, warm introductions and client-candidate dynamics. These can support executive search work, but teams wanting relationship tracking along with ATS, CRM, automation and easier usability may also consider iSmartRecruit.
4. Does Cluen support compliance and data privacy workflows?
Yes, Cluen states that Encore supports GDPR compliance, consent tracking, audit trails and AI-supported compliance workflows. This can help search firms manage sensitive candidate data, but buyers should still check implementation, support and workflow flexibility before choosing.
5. What should buyers check before choosing Cluen in 2026?
Buyers should check Cluen’s pricing visibility, interface usability, integration needs, data migration, support scope and contract terms. Since some users mention dated usability, teams wanting a more flexible and user-friendly recruitment platform should also review iSmartRecruit.
6. What is the best Cluen alternative in 2026?
iSmartRecruit is one of the best Cluen alternatives for executive search firms, recruitment agencies, staffing teams and in-house hiring teams. It offers ATS, recruitment CRM, automation, collaboration and candidate management in one platform, making it a stronger option for teams needing broader recruitment workflows.
