Happlicant vs Crelate: Which software is best?
Is Happlicant a good alternative to Crelate? We've compared both platforms to help you decide which is right for you.
CRM overall score
95%
ATS overall score
98%
Candidate sourcing score
90%
-Quick takeaway
Is Happlicant a good alternative to Crelate?
Crelate positions itself as flexible recruitment software, but many users claim it feels clunky or dated—especially for small agency trying to move fast and stay nimble. Its pricing and setup can be a hurdle for independents, and while its CRM features are solid, the overall experience isn’t tailored to the day-to-day reality of solo operators.
Happlicant, on the other hand, is software for independent recruiters by design. It keeps your pipeline lean, your candidate and client relationships tight, and your admin work minimal. For recruiters who want a CRM for staffing agency work without the extra baggage, Happlicant is a smarter, lighter alternative to Crelate.
Given Happlicant doesn't charge per user, it's perfect for smaller, growing staffing firms that need a powerful yet affordable solution.
-Overview
What is Crelate and is Happlicant a good alternative?
Crelate is a cloud-based ATS and CRM platform, launched in 2012 and designed to serve recruitment and staffing agencies with a unified talent management experience . It combines applicant tracking, candidate and client records, custom workflows, and integrations with calendar, email, and job boards—all within a single system.
Built to scale, Crelate added middle- and back-office functions with “Omni” to support full-cycle operations. Its extensive feature set includes resume parsing, mobile access, custom fields, client portals, and automation tools.
Reviews praise its powerful search and import tools—one recruiter called it the “key to run a full desk twice as fast”. Many users value the responsive development team: “dev team & customer service team are super responsive to questions, requests for help and product features”.
However, users highlight downsides that impact smaller teams: email formatting is “way too clunky” ; CRM filtering is limited and slow; and the mobile app often lacks functionality or crashes .
Pricing can be a significant barrier—plans typically range from $95 to $250+/user/month, with additional fees for setup or advanced features . Users also note inconsistent support—some praise rapid responses, others report long wait times and bot-driven help.
In summary: Crelate offers an impressive feature suite that rivals enterprise ATS+CRM solutions, but its complexity, cost, quirks with email and CRM, and occasional support inconsistencies make it a less-than-perfect fit for solo recruiters or small agencies.
-Look & feel
What is Crelate's user interface like?
How does Crelate platform look and feel compared to Happlicant's?
Crelate: A comprehensive ATS+CRM system rich in features—but can its complexity, cost, and outdated UI serve solo recruiters and small agencies?
-Who's it for?
Who are Happlicant and Crelate designed for?
What type of recruiters typically uses each software?
Crelate primarily targets staffing agencies and recruiting firms that need a fully-featured ATS+CRM capable of scaling across teams and offices.
While solo recruiters and small agencies can use Crelate, the platform is optimized for higher volume, multi-user environments.
Independent recruiters often find its depth—with customizable fields, pipelines, and automation—can be overkill, requiring time to configure and manage.
Its per-user pricing and feature complexity tend to favor established teams rather than individuals needing fast, lean tools.
Happlicant is purpose-built for solo recruiters and small recruitment agencies who want powerful tools without the overhead of bloated enterprise software.
Unlike traditional platforms designed for large teams, Happlicant strips away the complexity and clutter to focus on the workflows that actually matter to independent recruiters—fast sourcing, client collaboration, candidate tracking, and easy automation.
With modern UX, lightweight setup, and relevant features, Happlicant offers the perfect balance of power and simplicity for recruiters who need tools that work with them, not against them.
-Why Happlicant?
3 key reasons to choose Happlicant over Crelate
What are the most common reasons Happlicant's customers switch from Crelate to Happlicant?
Designed for solo & small teams:
Happlicant delivers CRM + ATS simplicity and speed with zero excess complexity. The platform is perfect for one-person recruiters and lean staffing firms who want easy-to-use yet powerful tools.
Customer support & onboarding
Many Crelate users report slow or inconsistent support and bot-driven interactions. Happlicant, by contrast, prioritizes rapid, human-centered onboarding and support for small teams.
Happlicant is more affordable than Crelate
Crelate's per‑user pricing and upcharges can add up quickly. Happlicant offers a **fixed, transparent price** that stays the same even as your team grows—no surprise fees.
-Feature-by-feature comparison
Full comparison between Happlicant and Crelate
Analyzing features side by side, which is the best CRM for independent recruiters?
Feature | Happlicant | Bullhorn |
|---|---|---|
CRM + ATS in one | ✅ | ✅ |
Chrome sourcing extension | ✅ | ✅ |
Fast, accurate & well structured resume parsing | ✅ | ⚠️ (parsing issues reported) |
AI resume auto reformatter | ✅ | ❌ |
Advanced filtering & intuitive search | ✅ | ✅ |
Modern user interface | ✅ | ⚠️ (dated UI, UX quirks) |
Custom fields & workflows | ✅ | ✅ |
Reporting & analytics dashboards | ✅ | ✅ |
Integrated client portals | ✅ | ✅ |
Email sync + mass outreach | 🚧 (Coming soon!) | ✅ |
Affordable, group-bundled pricing | ✅ | ❌ |
Tailor the software to your needs | ✅ (responsive dev) | ⚠️ (limited) |
Free data migration | ✅ | ❌ |
Want to see Happlicant in action?
Crelate’s deep feature set, extensive integrations, and search power can be compelling for larger teams—but its complexity often leads to slow load times, workflow friction, and long onboarding periods.
Solo recruiters and boutique agencies need tools that are fast, intuitive, and affordable—without hidden fees or wasted clicks.
Happlicant was built specifically to streamline recruiting workflows: razor-sharp parsing, clean interface, and modern automation without the bloat.
👉 Book a free Happlicant demo to experience how easily our CRM+ATS fits your workflow and budget—no confusing setup, no surprise charges.
-Pricing breakdown
Pricing comparison: Crelate vs. Happlicant
How does Crelate's pricing compare to Happlicant's pricing?
Last reviewed: June 22, 2025
Per-user licensing:
Startup/Team plans: starts around $95–$110/user/month
Mid-tier / Corporate: ranges from $150 to $250/user/month
Enterprise: can reach $300+/user/month depending on add‑ons and support tiers
Implementation fees: Unknown, possible fees included.
Add-on costs: Premium features (advanced integrations, email sync, custom reporting) often require higher-tier plans or extra monthly fees
Free trial: none clearly advertised; setup may require consultation.
Consult Crelate's website for more info.
Estimated Crelate pricing:
Min: $95+/user/month
Max: $300+/user/month
2 tiers:
1-3 users: $45/month per month for up to 3 users
4+ users: $150/month
Prices including a 55% launch discount!
IMPORTANT: These are total prices, not per user, like most other providers.
Flexibility perks: No long-term contracts, pausable/cancelable anytime, and free credit-card-free trial
Free trial: 14-day free trial
Happlicant pricing:
1-3 users: $45/mo (total price)
4+ users $150/mo (unlimited users)
Why pay for extra seats?!
At Happlicant, we understand that sometimes independent recruiters need to take on contractors for time to time. You should have to pay more for your software!
We don't charge you more for an extra pair of hands.
"Happlicant has been a breath of fresh air, it's easy to navigate and flexible enough to adapt certain features that best represent my recruitment style and workflow. Everything feels intentional and recruiter-focused. The support team is responsive, they schedule regular check-ins and are genuinely open to feedback, which makes a huge difference. It feels like it’s built with us, not just for us."
-Leigh W.
-Customer support
Review of Crelate's customer support
What do people say about the customer support & onboarding of Crelate vs. Happlicant?
Experiences with Crelate support are mixed. Some long‑term users describe the team as "amazing" and appreciate their responsiveness to feature requests getapp.com
However, others report delays with phone and chat support, citing the “chatbot” experience and lack of direct human help. Crystal B. says she "dislikes the amount of time it takes for support to respond" g2.com.
Reviews suggest onboarding can be uneven—some users get one-on-one guidance, while others say the documentation and training are “bare bones” .
Crelate’s support quality seems to depend on timing and user expectations: some get prompt phone responses, others feel tickets drag. Happlicant, being a young company, advertises hands-on onboarding (including 1-on-1 sessions) and actively solicits feedback and new feature requests from users.
Happlicant doesn’t just give you software—we give you real support and real results. Whether you need us to handle the data migration, you're stuck on setup, or just want a second opinion on how to do something, you’ll get fast, thoughtful help.
Because we specialize in solo recruiters and small agencies, you really matter to us. There’s no generic ticketing abyss or outsourced chatbot loop—support is led by people who care deeply about your experience.
Most questions are answered the same day, and customers regularly mention how the team goes above and beyond with proactive ideas, hands-on help, and zero ego.
We want you to feel like you have a partner, not just a vendor.
-Customer reviews
Crelate customers' feedback & online reviews
See what Crelate customers are saying about its strengths & gaps:
Core CRM / ATS Features
Integrated ATS+CRM: Crelate combines an Applicant Tracking System and a Recruiting CRM in one platform. Recruiters can track job pipelines and client/candidate records together. However, some users find Crelate’s CRM capabilities limited. For example, one reviewer noted Crelate “lacks advanced search and sort capabilities” in the CRM – in many views you can only sort lists by date, which hinders finding records capterra.com. Workarounds (static lists, tags) are needed, and one user warned that Crelate’s promise of “unlimited” email outreach was misleading in practice getapp.com.
Data Import/Export: Crelate supports high-volume imports (CSV, parsing resumes, etc.), but exports can be awkward. A user pointed out that data exports come as “raw zip files” which then require manual merging getapp.com. Another noted strict limits on CSV import: only 100 records per sheet, 1,000 per workbook, and similarly capped exports capterra.com. These constraints can slow bulk operations.
User Portal / Mobile: Crelate includes a candidate portal (job board integration) and a mobile app, but these appear to have drawbacks. It automatically syncs your open jobs to job boards (Indeed, Monster, ZipRecruiter, etc. via a built-in portal). The mobile app is considered fairly basic: it allows contact viewing and activity logging, but reviewers warn it shows “limited information compared to the web” and even requires downloading resumes instead of viewing them inline getapp.com. Some users find the mobile experience lacking functionality.
Email & Communication: Although Crelate supports email templates and sequences, the message editor is considered weak. A recruiter noted that emailing within Crelate is “way too clunky regarding formatting…it has driven me crazy” capterra.com. In practice, many users send rich emails from Outlook (with formatting/attachments) and Bcc them into Crelate instead. Likewise, a promised “unlimited email blasts” feature turned out to be capped getapp.com.
CRM Gaps: Several critiques focus on missing CRM features: for example, Crelate does not automatically capture web leads into the system. One reviewer said a core CRM function (lead capture from website forms) was a “big miss” for Crelate, requiring elaborate Zapier workarounds capterra.com. Christian H. noted the client portal (for employer access) is very limited – “Can only allow access to one client” at a time capterra.com. In short, users report that lead-import and client-sharing features are weaker than expected.
Candidate Sourcing & Search
Advanced Search: Crelate provides a powerful full-text/boolean search across the entire database. Recruiters can filter on any field or keyword in a fraction of a second (searching every resume or note). This is often cited as a strength: one user said combining “powerful search functions” with automation “is the key to run a full desk twice as fast” getapp.com. However, even here reviewers note inconsistencies: some fields aren’t searchable in every view, and after certain actions (like logging an activity) lists automatically re-sort by date, breaking the flow capterra.com. Duplicate records was sighted as an issue with data import. These UX quirks can frustrate heavy users.
Chrome Extensions & Integrations: Crelate offers a Chrome extension for one-click sourcing. With it, you can scrape profiles from any website (LinkedIn, social media, job boards) into the database, tagging fields before import. Crelate’s marketplace also integrates with sourcing/enrichment tools – e.g. Interseller (email outreach sequencing) and ZoomInfo (contact data). It has built-in feeds to push new jobs to major boards (Indeed, Glassdoor, Dice, etc.). These features cover most sourcing channels, but some users feel an external resume database (e.g. Monster or Dice resume search) would be useful; in fact one reviewer switched away because Crelate “didn't have a proprietary internal database of candidates” capterra.com.
Integrations & Extensions
Third-Party Apps: Crelate has an extensive integrations marketplace. In addition to the sourcing integrations above, it connects to communication tools (RingCentral phone, email clients), analytics platforms, and various HR business tools. For example, Crelate can sync contacts from ZoomInfo, or use Interseller to run email campaigns.
Data Migration: Many users find switching systems is often cited as painful. One Crelate user said merging old data took can take quite a lot of time.
Learning Curve & Usability
User Experience: Crelate is powerful but not always intuitive. A senior user mentions it's a "sheer learning curve" and you can feel overwhelmed by options capterra.com. Others said it can be “a little confusing with too many clicks” for routine tasks softwareadvice.com. Onboarding docs are good, but day-to-day navigation (e.g. between candidate records and client tasks) is considered cumbersome. Whereas, Happlicant explicitly promotes simplicity (with built-in, easy step-by-step guidance).
-Happlicant's customers
What are recruiters saying about Happlicant?
-Overview
FAQs: Happlicant vs. Crelate
How does Happlicant charge users?
Unlike Crelate’s per-user pricing, Happlicant offers a flat rate: $45 for up to three users and $150 for four or more—no extra fees for teammates or contractors.
Is there a long contract with Happlicant?
Nope—Happlicant is month-to-month. Cancel, pause, or adjust your plan anytime. No lock-in, no cancellation fees.
Can I easily export my Happlicant data if I decide to leave?
Absolutely. Send a note to Support and we’ll export your full dataset cleanly and promptly—no hassle, no hidden fees.
How easy is it to get started with Happlicant compared to Crelate?
Happlicant takes minutes to launch—no demo hoops, no long onboarding cycles. And our team is ready to support you every step of the way.
Can I migrate from Crelate to Happlicant?
Yes—Happlicant offers free white-glove migration from Crelate: candidates, clients, pipelines, resumes, everything included.
Which platform updates more often—Happlicant or Crelate?
Happlicant delivers weekly updates based on user feedback. Crelate's roadmap and releases may be less frequent and often less responsive to smaller teams.
Disclaimer: All the data found in this review is based on research from Crelate's website, popular review sites and interviews with prior customers. Last updated: June 22, 2025.
-Features
