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An ATS price is useful only when the quote states the work it covers. A per-user figure may omit hiring-manager access, active jobs, implementation, storage, modules or an annual commitment. Ask for written answers before comparing a quoted ATS with any other recruiting workflow.

This guide covers applicant tracking, not the full TCO calculation. Put every accepted answer into the recruiting software TCO guide, use the renewal checklist before a contract decision and use the exit checklist for a replacement hand-off.

Ask for the commercial definition

Question	Evidence to request	Stop condition
What is billable?	Plan definition and example invoice	A reviewer, administrator or active job is excluded from the quote
What is included?	Feature and module list for the quoted tier	A required stage, report or workflow needs an unpriced add-on
What is the commitment?	Order form with currency, cadence, tax and auto-renewal date	A monthly price masks annual payment or minimum spend
What is metered?	Limits for jobs, applicants, storage, exports, API and automation	Overage, upgrade or fair-use terms are unavailable
What happens at renewal?	Renewal, downgrade and notice terms	The team cannot identify the decision deadline

Request two separate amounts: the supplier's first-year invoice and the team's internal operating cost. Include migration, configuration, permissions, training, integration work and the time to review reports. A public price can start a question; it cannot establish the cost for your organisation.

Test the quoted workflow

Run one representative role through the exact tier. Confirm application intake, stages, permission levels, a hiring-manager review, an export, a reporting need and the next hand-off. Record what the user can see and what happens when a field, user or volume limit is reached.

Test	Record	Why it matters
Candidate record	Fields, attachments, notes and history	Shows whether the required evidence can be retained
Reviewer access	Role, cost and permission	Prevents a last-minute paid-seat surprise
Integration	Native connection, export or manual process	Distinguishes a product claim from the actual hand-off
Exit	Export format, fee, retention and deletion answer	Prevents a purchase based on assumed portability

Ask your privacy or legal owner about local requirements and contract language; this is general buying guidance, not legal advice.

Keep sourcing separate

Talent Summoner is our product for candidate sourcing and CV ranking. Its candidate-sourcing workflow begins with a role brief; candidate ranking works with supplied CVs. Do not call either workflow an ATS merely because its price appears in a recruiting budget. Check the current pricing page for the product unit and current terms.

Create a one-page decision record with the vendor, tier, source date, billable unit, first-year invoice, internal work, limits, renewal date, export answer and accountable owner. Pause the decision when a required workflow or exit term remains unknown.