ZipRecruiter vs. Indeed

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*Content includes branded mentions of our sponsor ZipRecruiter.

Employers today are challenged with finding quality hires from a continually expanding pool of candidates. Job posting sites are meant to streamline this process; however, with so many options available, finding the best fit for your company can be difficult.

In this article, we compare two prominent players in the job posting arena: ZipRecruiter and Indeed. Both platforms provide comprehensive solutions for employers seeking to attract top talent. We’ll delve into their key features, pricing structures and candidate pools to help you make an informed decision.

Table of Contents

• ZipRecruiter vs. Indeed: Key differences
• What is ZipRecruiter?
• What is Indeed?
• ZipRecruiter vs. Indeed: Which is the better job site?

ZipRecruiter vs. Indeed: Key Differences

What is ZipRecruiter?

ZipRecruiter is an online job marketplace and recruitment platform that serves as a bridge between employers and job seekers. Founded in 2010, the company operates one of the leading job search and posting sites in the U.S. — more than 1,000,000 employers have used ZipRecruiter to hire, and millions of consumers have used the site for job hunting.

This matching process uses AI-powered algorithms to help connect users with more promising applicants.

How ZipRecruiter works

ZipRecruiter streamlines the hiring process by providing employers with the tools to create detailed job listings and set criteria for candidate matching. After creating an account, you can begin posting job listings by detailing the job title, description, requirements and location.

Employers can use one of the platform’s more than 500 job description templates to quickly create listings with minimal effort. Listings are shared across over 100 job boards to increase visibility.

Once a job listing is posted, ZipRecruiter uses machine learning technology to match openings with suitable candidates. This is based on a number of factors, including applicant skills, job titles, years of experience, recency of titles, location, resume length and application rate.

Employers can further enhance their search by accessing ZipRecruiter's resume database, which allows a proactive outreach to job candidates who align with their criteria.

Lastly, the platform's Applicant Tracking System (ATS) aids employers in organizing and managing candidate applications, streamlining communication and facilitating a seamless hiring workflow.

ZipRecruiter’s key features

Here are some of ZipRecruiter's most notable features.

• Job posting: Employers can post detailed job openings on the platform and set preferences to attract qualified candidates. ZipRecruiter will automatically distribute listings to multiple online job boards, social networks and other platforms.

• Candidate matching and searching: ZipRecruiter uses advanced algorithms to match job postings with relevant candidates. Employers can also search the platform’s extensive database of resumes to find candidates who meet their specific criteria.

• Applicant Tracking System (ATS) integrations: ZipRecruiter’s ATS allows employers to track candidate progress, communicate with applicants, schedule interviews and make hiring decisions — all from within the platform.

• Customizable job templates and screening questions: Employers can choose from ZipRecruiter's extensive list of job description templates to speed up the listing process. They can also add screening questions to their job postings to gather additional information from applicants and filter out candidates who do not meet their criteria.

• Analytics and reporting tools: ZipRecruiter offers analytics and reporting tools that allow employers to track the performance of their job postings. Users can monitor metrics such as the number of views, applications and successful hires to assess their recruitment efforts.

• Mobile accessibility: ZipRecruiter’s mobile app allows employers to manage job postings, review applications and communicate with candidates on the go.

ZipRecruiter pros and cons

ZipRecruiter’s biggest advantage over other job posting sites is its ease of use and candidate reach. The platform casts a wide net when users post a new job, sharing listings across its network of more than 100 job boards. There’s also the option of paying an additional fee to share your listing on high-traffic job sites like LinkedIn.

The main disadvantages of ZipRecruiter have to do with its pricing. The service exclusively operates on a subscription-based model, and its four-day free trial only allows employers to post a single listing. Also, ZipRecruiter doesn’t advertise plan prices on its website: Users will need to create an account and share a job listing to get rates for its plans.

How to sign up for ZipRecruiter

Follow the steps below to get started on ZipRecruiter as an employer:

• Visit the ZipRecruiter website: Navigate to the ZipRecruiter website (www.ziprecruiter.com), hover over “Employers” on the top right and click on “Create Employer Account” to proceed to the sign-up page.

• Fill out the sign-up form: Create an employer account by providing a corporate email address, your company name and a password.

• Enter your company information: Fill in the required fields with information about your company, including its industry, size and location. You may also provide contact details such as your phone number to facilitate alerts.

• Verify your email address: After completing the sign-up form, ZipRecruiter will send you a verification email. Open the email and click on the verification link to confirm your email address and activate your account.

• Complete your profile: Once your account is activated, you will be prompted to complete your employer profile by providing additional information about your company and the types of jobs you're hiring for. This step is optional but can help ZipRecruiter better match you with suitable candidates.

What is Indeed?

Indeed is one of the most popular job search sites in the world, with a database of more than 245 million resumes. The company is an aggregator, meaning it fetches job listings from company career pages, job boards, staffing firms and other online sources. It then promotes these listings to its vast audience of over 350 million unique monthly visitors.

How Indeed works

Indeed’s matching and hiring platform can help simplify the recruitment process and find quality candidates faster. Employers can create job posts with a description, requirements and a location, which are then displayed to millions of job seekers. You can also set a budget for “sponsored listings,” which boast increased visibility and may attract even more candidates.

After a job seeker sends in an application, employers can monitor the hiring process from start to finish through Indeed’s integrated ATS. In addition to keeping track of the job application process, this system facilitates communication with candidates and even allows for scheduling virtual interviews.

Indeed also offers access to a vast resume database where employers can search for and contact potential hires directly. This allows them to find candidates who match their criteria, such as specific skill sets, work experience and educational background.

Indeed’s key features

Below are some of the key features of Indeed for employers:

• Job posting: Employers can post openings on Indeed's platform with details such as the job’s title, requirements and salary information. Employers can also sponsor job listings, increasing their visibility and attracting more candidates by prominently displaying them in search results.

• Extensive resume database: Indeed's extensive resume database allows employers to search for and contact potential candidates directly using filters to narrow down search results based on location, experience, skills and education.

• Company pages: Employers can create and customize company pages to showcase their brand, company culture and open positions. These pages can help employers provide potential hires insight into their organization and values.

• Employer branding solutions: Indeed offers employer branding solutions, including targeted advertising, employer branding campaigns and sponsored content, to help companies promote their brand and attract qualified candidates.

• Analytics and insights: Indeed provides employers with analytics and insights to track the performance of their job postings and recruitment campaigns and optimize their hiring strategy. Users can monitor metrics such as views, clicks, applications and applicant sources.

Indeed pros and cons

Indeed’s large talent pool and pricing model are the platform’s main two advantages over its competitors. Employers have access to a great number of job candidates from diverse backgrounds and skill sets thanks to the platform’s vast user base. Search filters help narrow down an otherwise overwhelming number of candidate profiles based on specific criteria.

In addition to a 14-day free trial, the company offers a range of pricing options. For example, you can choose to pay for a subscription or per-job post. Monthly and yearly plan prices are clearly advertised, as are the number of hires per year and contacts per month allowed per plan.

Unfortunately, due to Indeed's sponsored job posts, basic (or “free”) job posts may suffer from reduced visibility. This is because sponsored jobs have priority in the platform’s search results, meaning that free ones are often pushed back as more paid listings appear.

How to sign up for Indeed

To sign up for Indeed as an employer, simply follow the steps below:

• Visit Indeed's website: Go to Indeed’s company website (www.indeed.com) and click on “Employers/Post Job” at the top-right corner of the page.

• Open an account: On the Indeed for Employers page, click on “Post a job,” which will prompt you to input an email address in order to create your employer account.

• Provide business information: After enabling two-factor authentication via phone or app, you'll be asked to provide your first and last name, your company’s name and the number of employees in your business.

• (Optional) Post a job listing: Indeed will direct you to create a job post after you provide your business information. However, you can skip this step and go to your account dashboard instead if you aren’t ready to create a listing yet.

ZipRecruiter vs Indeed: Which is the better job site?

Whether ZipRecruiter or Indeed is the better job posting site will depend on the specific needs and preferences of the employer.

ZipRecruiter offers a more streamlined, user-friendly experience, making it easy for employers to navigate and manage their job postings. Its subscription-based pricing model lacks transparency, but provides employers with predictable costs and unlimited job postings, making it an attractive option for businesses with high-volume hiring needs.

Indeed boasts a larger candidate pool and global reach, and its sponsored listings allows employers to pay for improving only the performance of specific job posts. Moreover, Indeed's comprehensive analytics and reporting tools enable employers to track the performance of their listings and optimize recruitment strategies more effectively.

If you still aren’t sure which of the two is the best fit for your company’s hiring needs, take a look at our list of the 6 Best Job Posting Sites for Employers, which include CareerBuilder, Monster, Glassdoor and other popular platforms.