With over 350 million unique visitors per month, Indeed lets you reach a monumental range of potential candidates through its recruitment advertising network. It has a built-in applicant tracking system (ATS) that enables you to manage your job postings, source candidates, review resumes, and schedule interviews. Job postings are free, but you can also pay to advertise your listings or hold hiring events.
Indeed got an overall score of 4.48 in our roundup of the best recruitment software, earning scores of 4 and above in all criteria. Its stellar ease of use and reporting features make it best for small businesses and recruiters—especially those that aren’t looking for location-dependent roles.
Indeed Overview
Pros
- Over 350 million unique visitors; 225 million resumes
- Built-in ATS
- Free plan
- Indeed Assessments evaluates candidates’ on-the-job skills and qualities
Cons
- Free job posts don’t get as much traction
- Free plan does not include branded job posting
- Comprehensive plans are expensive
Supported Business Types | Small businesses looking for skilled or unskilled workers; on-location or remote; national and international |
Free Trial | Free job postings |
Pricing |
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Standout Features |
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Ease of Use | Easy-to-use interface; help section; mobile-friendly |
Customer Support | By contact form only |
Who Indeed Is Best For
Businesses of all sizes have used Indeed to hire employees, as it provides immediate access to millions of resumes. Indeed is simple to learn and easy to use and provides hiring managers with quick access to qualified candidates. Setting it up only takes a few quick clicks.
In short, Indeed is best for:
- Small businesses: You can post an unlimited number of jobs for free on Indeed, with the option of paying to promote them. It’s a top recommendation in our guides on the best free job posting sites and best job posting sites.
- Recruiters: By posting a job for their client on Indeed, a recruiter can instantly have access to countless qualified resumes. Most applicant tracking systems integrate easily with Indeed, giving you access to its mammoth resume base and free or sponsored job posting. In addition, the hiring events are a great way to do bulk recruiting for one or more clients.
- Location-independent companies: Indeed allows you to access potential employees in any location, including those looking for remote work. This gives you access to a larger pool of more qualified candidates, ensuring that you don’t miss out on the perfect hire because you were looking in the wrong location.
When to Use an Alternative
- You need to diversify your workforce quickly: While Indeed has a large base of candidates, diversity recruiting is not its focus. Check out our top recommended diversity job boards for options that will help you recruit specific demographics.
- Companies that need high-quality, white-collar workers quickly: Although Indeed has a large number of candidates, they’re not always the most qualified for certain roles, especially those that require unique skill sets. Some candidates apply to different jobs without considering if it’s a good fit. Consider ZipRecruiter, which gives you access to a large number of job boards, including some career-specific ones, or LinkedIn, which connects a large network of professionals that you can both passively and actively recruit. Learn more about these in our in-depth ZipRecruiter review and LinkedIn review to see which fits your needs.
Top Indeed Alternatives
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
Best for | Growing companies that want to post to multiple job boards | Recruiters and executive-level positions | Entry-level jobs |
Monthly fees from | $299 (daily fee starting at $16 per post) | $29.99 Post 1 job free | $279 (daily fee starting at $12 per post) |
Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Check out our guide to the best recruiting software for small businesses.
Indeed offers several solutions for recruiters of varying needs and budgets. With Indeed, you can post job listings for free or sponsor them at a pay-per-application scheme to attract more applicants. However, to contact applicants and search resumes, you need a subscription.
It also offers a unique platform that uses technology to automate the hiring process. Check the table below for the different Indeed packages.
Features | Free | Sponsored | Indeed Resume | Indeed Hiring Platform** |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Monthly Fees | None | Varies by job | $120 or $300* | Contact Indeed |
Job Posting | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
Sponsored Job Posting | - | ✓ | - | - |
Resume Searching | - | - | ✓ | - |
Email Reminders to Candidates | - | - | ✓ | - |
Direct Message Candidates | - | - | ✓ | - |
Hiring Insights | - | - | ✓ |
*Get a 20% discount on annual billing.
**This tool uses technology to automate the hiring process from job posting to interviewing candidates straight from Indeed.
After creating an employer account, you can start posting a job for free. Your job listing will appear in the general search results and are most visible within three days after posting. After this period, the listing will move further down the list. Indeed, however, doesn’t allow users to repost the same listing within a short period of time. Read our guide to maximizing your Indeed job postings to help attract the best candidates.
Since Our Last Update: The Indeed pricing scheme for sponsored ads has changed from pay-per-click (PPC) to pay-per-application.
Indeed-sponsored job listings show up when certain general criteria are met. If you want to get more granular, you can use their targeted ads service.
Sponsored ads are now paid by qualifying applications. (Source: Indeed)
A sponsored listing is paid per application. You pay a fixed price per application and only for the applications you decide are qualified. You agree on the price upfront, but prices vary depending on job title, location, and number of active seekers. You determine if you want to pay until you close the job or until you reach the number of applicants that you set. Then Indeed calculates the cost per application for you to confirm.
For you to contact potential candidates, you need to have a subscription to Indeed Resume. This subscription provides employers with a certain number of contacts per month and access to set up resume alerts.
You can choose from two types of subscriptions:
- Standard: $120 monthly for up to 30 contact credits per month, unlimited searches, candidate matching
- Professional: $300 monthly for up to 100 contacts per month, plus bulk contacts, advanced candidate filters, SMS notifications (with candidate approval)
This is a paid service similar to using a recruiter, in that you can have Indeed promote, screen, and set up candidate interviews for a given day. You pay by interview; contact Indeed for pricing.
Indeed’s features make it easy to find and contact potential employees. Its core function is simple—connect job seekers with the right opportunities.
It takes just a few minutes to set up a free Indeed employer account. Doing so gives you quick access to free job postings, should you need them.
Post your jobs for free with Indeed. (Source: Indeed)
Sponsored job listings are prominently displayed on relevant search results.
(Source: Indeed)
Indeed has thousands of job ads, so if you want to stand out, sponsored ads give you an edge. It says that over 97% of employers get quality-matched candidates when they sponsor a job. Not only does sponsoring a job get you on the top of the list for job search results, but they appear more often and for longer in candidate searches. In addition, Indeed will send you a list of candidates whose resumes fit your job criteria.
You can set your budget and pay only for those applications that you accept for consideration. Indeed gives you 72 hours to decide on an application. This is a welcome change to its pricing strategy, as one complaint businesses have for job boards is that they get a lot of unqualified applicants.
Another way to ensure a great match is with pre-employment tests. Different from screener questions, pre-employment testing covers skills and knowledge. Available tests are subject to change but can include communication skills, word processing, math skills, time management, or leadership.
Most tests take around 10 minutes for the candidate to complete. They are designed by a team of Industrial/Organizational (I/O) psychologists and other experts; thus, they cannot be edited or customized.
Indeed’s resume search offers a wide number of filters. (Source: Indeed)
With over 245 million candidate resumes on Indeed, you have a lot of options. Indeed offers two plans for resume searches, which determine the number of candidates you can contact per month. The search function includes distance from your location, job titles, work experience, and more. You can also filter by when a resume was last updated; this gives you more recent data but may exclude candidates whose information has not changed.
Indeed Recruiter also has a Chrome extension, so you can get notifications on your browser when candidates message you or a new resume pops up that may interest you.
Indeed makes connecting with candidates easy. When you see a resume you like, you can message that person directly on Indeed’s platform.
It offers email templates and automated emails for rejections, acknowledging receipt of an application, or more. You can also schedule an interview directly with the candidate using the platform. Its intuitive software will allow you to suggest times to the candidate and, when they make a selection, automatically schedule that time for the interview.
While Indeed does not have traditional background screening (like for a criminal record), Indeed’s Hiring Events has advanced screening tools for such things as internet speed, experience, and licenses and certifications (in particular states).
We found Indeed to be a highly functional job board. It lost some points because it doesn’t really have a communications tool for discussions among hiring teams; rather, you need to make and store notes.
With Indeed’s built-in ATS, you can track candidates from application to rejection or hire. You can leave notes, schedule interviews, and make sure you don’t miss the perfect candidate.
Indeed’s applicant tracking system helps you stay on top of hiring. (Source: Indeed)
Indeed offers job posters the ability to add screener questions to the job posting. When an applicant applies for your job, the system will ask them the screening questions. These questions may include:
- Are you in the same location as the company?
- Are you authorized to work in the United States?
- Do you meet the minimum qualifications?
You can add your own questions, too, but be careful that your questions are compliant with employment laws. Check out the most common illegal questions to avoid.
This is a free service; all it costs is time. You start by claiming your company page, then add your logo and a company description, pictures, and links.
If you have any current job listings, even free listings, your company page will display those. Job candidates can also follow your company page to stay updated on your brand. Like Glassdoor, company pages also allow employee and candidate reviews. This is important because potential employees will look to see what current and potential employees say about your company. You can and should reply to any reviews.
If you need to hire a lot of people quickly, then Indeed Hiring Events might be just what you need. Indeed Hiring Events are dedicated days for interviews, like a one-company job fair online. Indeed advertises the event on Indeed, Glassdoor, and its Trusted Media Network.
You can set up automations for screening and scheduling applicants, interview the best through Indeed, and make hires right away. Using your job criteria and qualifications, Indeed will screen potential candidates and schedule interviews for you. The interview process will be hosted by Indeed’s video interview technology.
Indeed offers multiple reports, from application performance to invoices and billing. In addition, it has a hiring insights report that provides data on the labor market itself including trends, mobile use, salary, common employers, and unemployment statistics. You can customize reports by manipulating filters or download data to analyze more deeply.
Since Our Last Update: You cannot contact Indeed Customer Service by phone or mail. There’s a contact form instead.
- Intuitive user experience
- Quick and easy setup
- Comprehensive how-to guides
- Detailed applicant tracking
- Guided job postings and company page creation
Indeed is incredibly easy to use. Its intuitive interface walks you through posting a job, giving you specific sections to add highlights of the role, and it has over 1,200 templates to get you started. Every feature Indeed offers makes for a positive user experience.
The only learning curve you might need to overcome depends on the Indeed plan you choose. If your plan includes resume searching and you’ve never searched for resumes on a job board before, learning how to get the most accurate results can be a hurdle. But it’s a minor hurdle and can be quickly overcome.
Indeed reviews are mixed between job seekers and hiring authorities. Indeed has a strong user satisfaction score—4.8 out of 5, averaged over multiple third-party review sites—as well as having a huge number of reviews. The Indeed customer service score was a little lower, with a pretty even split between 5 out of 5 and 3 out of 5 for recent reviews. However, very few people voiced complaints or compliments about customer support.
| What Users Like | What Users Don’t Like |
|---|---|
| Easy-to-use interface | Low-quality entry-level candidates |
| High-quality candidates | Not enough search/filter tools |
| High volume of candidates | Simplistic, dated website |
| Great reviewing capabilities | “Local” function does not always work |
People praise the easy-to-use interface. The biggest complaint concerned getting unqualified job candidates but Indeed is always innovating new ways to combat that. (Paying for sponsored ads by qualifying applications is a great example.) Job users complained that the “local jobs only” tool sometimes brought up jobs states away.
At the time of publication, Indeed reviews earned the following scores on popular user review sites:
- Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 stars based on more than 7,000 reviews
- G2: 4.3 out of 5 stars based on about 500 reviews
- TrustRadius: 7.1 out of 10 stars based on about 140 reviews
How We Evaluated Indeed
We used our matrix for best recruiting software, with updated scores for this review. Click through to see the details of each score.
15% of Overall Score
When looking at pricing, we considered a wide range of businesses, from those needing the occasional job post to staffing companies or businesses in a growth surge. Thus, we rated for free plans, affordable monthly plans, and occasional plans for small businesses.
20% of Overall Score
This score covered job boards, basic applicant tracking, background and pre-employment tests, resumes, and communication.
20% of Overall Score
These are the tools that make posting jobs and evaluating candidates easier: templates, feedback and collaboration, and extra features like social posting or video interviewing.
15% of Overall Score
Even the most thorough research cannot replace the experiences of real-world users. We turned to popular review sites like Capterra and G2 for user feedback on the application and customer support.
10% of Overall Score
All the software provided basic reports, so the make-or-break was customizability.
20% of Overall Score
We considered interface, customer support, online guides, and mobile apps.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Indeed a trusted website?
Yes. Indeed has been around since 2004. It has strong reviews by employers and job seekers. While it does not list its security certifications (like PCI/DSS), it does assert that it has protections in place. In addition, it offers privacy tools for candidates, like an Indeed-generated email address. It does not encrypt communications, however.
It works to stop phishing and scam job posts, with tools for reporting suspected scams.
Is Indeed good for finding employees?
Indeed reaches 93% of US job seekers—over 350 million unique visitors. It does not list stats for free job posts but says its sponsored ads result in a 97% success rate for finding a qualified candidate.
Do employers see Indeed reviews?
Yes, but they may not see who wrote the review. Reviewers can ask to remain anonymous, so you will not be able to see their application, employment history, or privacy information.
How long does it take a job post to go live on Indeed?
Per Indeed, it can take 24-48 hours for a job post to go live, although it can be faster.
Bottom Line
Indeed is a great option for finding new employees. With over 350 million job seekers checking its job board, your company is likely to find the right person for the job on Indeed. What you see is what you get with Indeed—setup is simple and pricing is clear. Not only can your business find the right hire for your next open position, but you can do it quickly and cost-effectively with Indeed. Sign up for your free Indeed for Employers account today.
