Our Full Review
Freshteam is Freshworks' HR and recruiting platform, launched in 2017. It started as an ATS and gradually added HRIS features. The recruiting tools remain the strongest part of the platform.
After extensive testing, our verdict: Freshteam is excellent for hiring-focused teams that need solid ATS with basic HRIS. It's not a comprehensive HR platform, but it does recruiting very well at an attractive price.
Who Should Use Freshteam?
- Startups and growing teams hiring frequently
- Existing Freshworks customers (Freshdesk, Freshsales, etc.)
- Companies needing ATS > HRIS — recruiting is priority #1
- Budget-conscious teams — free plan or very low paid tiers
Who Should Look Elsewhere?
- Teams needing comprehensive HRIS — payroll, benefits, advanced analytics
- Performance management focus — dedicated tools are stronger
- Companies not hiring actively — you're paying for ATS features you won't use
- Teams wanting deep reporting — analytics are limited
Applicant Tracking (ATS)
This is Freshteam's core strength:
- Job posting: Multi-board posting (Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, etc.)
- Careers page: Branded, customizable careers site
- Candidate pipeline: Visual drag-and-drop stages
- Resume parsing: Auto-extract candidate details
- Interview scheduling: Calendar integration, automated booking
- Scorecards: Structured feedback from interviewers
- Offer management: Approval workflows, offer letter templates
- Candidate portal: Application status, document uploads
The ATS is genuinely competitive with specialized platforms like Greenhouse (at a fraction of the cost).
Onboarding
Onboarding is surprisingly robust:
- Pre-boarding (before day one)
- Task automation (HR, IT, manager checklists)
- Document collection and e-signatures
- Welcome portal for new hires
- Equipment provisioning tracking
- Buddy assignment
The transition from candidate to employee is seamless. Onboarding experience is smooth.
Core HRIS Features
HRIS functionality is present but basic:
- Employee database: Profiles, custom fields, documents
- Org chart: Visual hierarchy
- Employee self-service: Update info, view documents
- Time off: PTO requests, approvals, balance tracking
- Directory: Searchable employee list
Adequate for basic HR needs. Not as comprehensive as BambooHR or Personio.
Time Off Management
Leave management is functional:
- Multiple leave types
- Accrual policies
- Approval workflows
- Calendar view of team absences
- Balance visibility
Works well for most companies. Advanced accrual scenarios might be limited.
Performance & Goals
Performance features are lightweight:
- Goal setting
- Basic reviews
- Feedback tracking
Fine for simple performance tracking. For sophisticated performance management, use dedicated tools like Lattice or 15Five.
Freshworks Ecosystem
If you use other Freshworks products, integration is seamless:
- Freshdesk: Employee IT tickets
- Freshsales: Sales team hiring and org structure
- Freshservice: IT asset management for onboarding
Single login, unified data. Reduces tool sprawl.
Integrations
Beyond Freshworks, integrations include:
- Calendars: Google Calendar, Office 365
- Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams
- Background checks: Checkr, Sterling
- Job boards: LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor
- SSO: Google, Office 365, Okta
- API: Available for custom integrations
Decent but not as extensive as established HRIS platforms.
Pricing
Freshteam offers a generous free tier:
Free Plan: $0
- Up to 50 employees
- Unlimited job postings
- Applicant tracking
- Interview scheduling
- Onboarding
- Employee database
- Time off tracking
Incredible value for startups.
Growth: $1.20/employee/month (annual)
- Everything in Free
- Custom workflows
- Advanced reporting
- Email support
Pro: $2.40/employee/month (annual)
- Everything in Growth
- Career site customization
- Custom roles & permissions
- Phone support
Enterprise: $4.80/employee/month (annual)
- Everything in Pro
- Dedicated account manager
- IP whitelisting
- Audit logs
- Custom integrations
Example costs:
- 30-employee startup on Free: $0/month
- 100-employee company on Growth: $120/month ($1,440/year)
- 200-employee company on Pro: $480/month ($5,760/year)
Extremely affordable compared to full HRIS platforms.
Support
Support varies by tier:
- Free plan: Email support, knowledge base
- Paid plans: Email and phone support
- Enterprise: Dedicated account manager
Response times are reasonable. Documentation is good.
The Bottom Line
Freshteam excels as a recruiting platform with bonus HRIS features. The free tier is perfect for startups (up to 50 employees), and the paid tiers remain very affordable.
Choose Freshteam if:
- Recruiting is your primary need
- You're already in the Freshworks ecosystem
- You want ATS + basic HRIS without high costs
- You're a startup (<50 employees) and need free tools
Look elsewhere if:
- You need comprehensive HRIS (payroll, benefits, analytics)
- Performance management is a priority
- You're not hiring actively
Freshteam is a recruiting tool that grew HR features, not an HRIS that added recruiting. Know what you're getting, and it's excellent value.