Comparisons of Top Programmatic Advertising Platforms - 2025

Programmatic recruitment platforms can be incredibly beneficial for several use cases:

1. Attracting Quality Applicants

These platforms target people who match your criteria using data and AI, so your ads reach the right people where they’re at, be it job boards, social media platforms, or other sites.

As Miriam Scholes shared with us about her experience with Recruitics, the job ad platform helped her team “increase applicant conversion to obtain the necessary and qualified hires” in support of their planned growth and inform many talent acquisition decisions.

2. Enhancing Candidate Experience

Placing the right offers to the right talent at the right place, mobile-optimized career site, and one-click apply are some of the positives job ad tech provides job searchers and passive candidates.

3. Controlling Job Ad Budget

As long as you set a budget for your job ad, the programmatic job advertising platform will stop running the ad once you've received enough applicants. This means you only pay for what you need.

4. Managing Multiple Job Boards

As Erin O’Neil, a Human Resources Specialist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), shared with us, instead of manually posting on multiple sites, programmatic job ad platforms like Talentify help identify and post the ads to several sites at once.

This is particularly great for posting regular jobs in consumer services and other similar industries where churn is high.

5. Handling Ads Across Various Publishers

By centralizing all ad publishers (LinkedIn, X, Facebook, etc.) in one place, programmatic recruitment software streamlines how you manage your job ads.

“Prior to Talentify, we had to individually post job announcements on multiple sites individually. This took a lot of time since we have a lot of turnover,” said Erin.

6. Managing Offline Media Like Billboards

Some platforms even allow you to handle your offline media buys alongside your programmatic ads—perfect for agency users.

Programmatic recruitment software offers a more efficient, data-driven, and cost-effective approach to hiring. This type of HR software also empowers TAs to focus on building relationships with top talent rather than getting bogged down in administrative tasks.

More cost-effective

More automation means less labor costs required. Additionally, when you have enough applicants, ads stop running. In other words, you only pay what you want to spend for the right talent and can reallocate the leftover budget from one job to another as needed.

Better talent acquisition with data-driven recruiting

These platforms leverage data and algorithms to optimize ad performance continuously. Ad performances are also tracked in real-time, so you’re equipped with substantial data and analytics to decide what’s next instead of relying heavily on your gut.

Better ads targeting

You can set specific rules for the type of candidates you're seeking, and the software's algorithms will work to match those criteria. This precision targeting better the odds of attracting the right fit for your roles.

More time efficiency for recruiters

With automation handling many tasks, recruiters can focus more on assessing and relationship-building with candidates rather than administrative duties like posting the same job manually on Indeed, LinkedIn, Facebook, and two dozen, if not hundred more pages.

Programmatic job advertising software isn’t for every company. Here are times when this solution may not be the best fit:

1. You Have a Very Niche Target Audience

If your target audience is extremely specialized or not very active online, programmatic recruitment advertising software might not have the necessary reach or targeting capabilities to effectively reach them (but industry-specific job boards, networking events, or word-of-mouth referrals can be just about right to reach potential candidates).

2. You Have Limited Job Openings

As Kenny Wright founder of Advantage.ai shared in his recent podcast episode, programmatic job ads are built for high-volume hiring.

If you only have a few job openings per year, the setup and management costs associated with programmatic recruitment software may outweigh the benefits. In such cases, leveraging your applicant tracking system (ATS), employee referral software, and talent sourcing tools may be more cost-effective.

3. You Have a Very Tight Budget

Programmatic platforms typically involve fees based on ad spend and sometimes additional subscription fees. If your budget is limited and you cannot afford the platform fees, it may be better to explore free or low-cost job posting options on social media, company career pages, or local community boards instead.

4. You Require Complete Control Over Ad Placements

Programmatic platforms automate ad placements based on algorithms and data. If you require full control over where your ads appear or have specific preferences for certain publishers or platforms, a manual approach to advertising may be more suitable.

5. Your Recruitment Strategy Relies Heavily on Personal Connections

In this case, traditional methods like referral programs, networking, or direct outreach may promise better outcomes than automated advertising platforms.

6. You Do Not Have the Resources for Ad Optimization

Programmatic recruitment tech requires ongoing monitoring and optimization to ensure optimal performance. If you lack the resources or expertise to optimize your campaigns continuously, you may not make the most of these platforms.

7. You’re Hiring for Executive or Specialized Security Roles

Programmatic job advertising software may not offer the same confidentiality and quality level as it does with recruitment methods like direct outreach, fractional CxO, or working with specialized staffing agencies.

Job ad platforms offer many features to improve your overall recruitment marketing efficiency. Here are some of those features:

• Landing page builder: Most platforms we picked in this guide let you build your own career site that includes landing pages to showcase your employer branding and direct interested job seekers to a unique email address or your existing ATS so the process remains seamless for both recruiters and applicants.
• Performance-based model: You only pay when someone interacts with your job ad. Some platforms charge by clicks, while others charge by applicants. 
• Spend tracking: Only pay for what you need. You can set your budget to a specific amount, typically a pay-per-click or pay-per-application. You can also specify how much it’s allowed for particular jobs to ensure your budget is spent where needed.
• Campaign analytics: Keep track of how your campaign is performing with real-time data on the number of views, clicks, applications, and spending for each job ad across the web. You’ll see what’s performing well and what isn’t in real-time to make necessary changes to improve performance.‍
• ATS integration: Connect to your ATS or other human resource software so applicants are automatically delivered to your TAs in their everyday workflow.‍‍
• Social recruiting: Extend the reach of your job ads to the social media platforms your potential hires are using to attract passive candidates. This feature is particularly helpful when a job ad isn’t performing well on job boards.
  

Programmatic recruitment solutions typically charge a percentage of your ad spend, usually between 10 and 20%. 

Additionally, there's often an annual SaaS fee and some potential extra fees such as markup fees, ad tech tax, data management fees, analytics and measurement fees, and fraud prevention costs, depending on the specific vendor and your need.

Calculate the total cost of using programmatic technology by factoring in both the percentage fee and any additional fees. Compare this cost to the potential savings in your overall cost per hire. 

If your hiring volume is medium to high, the upfront costs of adding a programmatic job ad platform to your recruitment process may be significant. Still, the efficiency gains and potential savings over time often justify the investment.

The Cost per Hire Nuance Your Recruiting Team Doesn’t Appreciate

Never come to a vendor demo empty-handed, instead, have your own list of questions covering what you want to know about their programmatic recruitment software (i.e., features, integration capabilities, pricing). Here are some examples to help you get started:

Job Distribution and Reach:

• How many job boards and online channels does your platform have access to for distributing job ads?
• Can you target specific demographics or industries with the job ads?
• Do you support both national and local job advertising?

Ad Campaign Management:

• How easy is it to create and manage multiple ad campaigns simultaneously?
• Can we customize the ad creative and branding to match our company's identity?
• What tools do you offer to optimize ad performance and budgets?

Data and Analytics:

• What data and insights do you provide about ad performance, candidate interactions, and application rates?
• How can we track the effectiveness of different job ads and channels?
• Is there real-time analytics available to monitor campaign progress?

Candidate Targeting:

• Can we define specific criteria for targeting candidates, such as location, skills, experience, and education?
• Is there an option for retargeting candidates who have previously engaged with our job ads?
• How do you ensure that our job ads reach the most relevant candidates?

Integration and Compatibility:

• Can your platform integrate with our existing ATS or other HR software?
• What is the specific process to integrate and how long does that take?
• Do you offer APIs or data feeds for seamless data transfer between systems?
• How does your platform handle data privacy and security?

Budget and Cost Management:

• What is your pricing structure? Is it based on impressions, clicks, or other metrics?
• Are there additional costs, such as setup fees or fees for using certain job boards?
• Can you provide an estimate of the total cost of running specific campaigns?

Optimization Strategies:

• How does your platform optimize ad delivery and placement to achieve better results?
• Do you offer A/B testing capabilities to determine the most effective ad variations?
• Can you provide examples of successful campaign optimization strategies?

Customer Support and Training:

• What level of customer support do you offer during and after implementation?
• Do you provide training resources to help our team effectively use the platform?
• Is there a dedicated account manager to assist with our campaigns?

Success Stories and References:

• Can you share case studies or success stories from companies that have used your platform for programmatic job advertising?
• Are you able to provide references from current clients who can share their experiences?

Once you get your account up and running, you should be able to post your jobs and start getting applications shortly. But you might have to engage with engineers and/or IT to get fully implemented.

Here’s what you can expect from the implementation process.

• Integrating with your ATS usually requires engineering time since most tools in this space offer open or custom API instead of native integrations. Try to understand how much time is required, then give your engineering time a heads-up so you’re all on the same page.
• You might need to share your current contracts with job sites. Platforms might also accept XML or API feeds, as well as ATS or job distributor postings. This can take a lot longer than your ATS integration, given you need these third parties to cooperate.
• Provide regular, comprehensive training for your recruitment team so they can use the platform effectively. This includes understanding how to set up campaigns, select targeting options, and interpret analytics.
  

What is programmatic advertising?‍

Programmatic advertising is an automated method of buying and selling online ads that uses technology and data to target specific audiences more effectively. Instead of manually negotiating with publishers, advertisers use software to purchase ad space in real time, which allows them to reach potential customers based on their online behavior and preferences.

In recruitment, companies can use programmatic ads to display job postings on sites frequently visited by potential candidates. The ads can also tailored based on skills, location, and user behavior to attract qualified applicants.

What are some common hidden fees in programmatic job advertising?

When engaging in programmatic job advertising, aside from agency fees, one would expect to pay markup fees, ad tech tax, data management fees, analytics and reporting services, and fraud prevention costs.

Why use programmatic job advertising platforms?

There are various reasons why you might use a programmatic advertising platform for your job openings. Companies that deal with volume hiring or have tough-to-fill roles typically use programmatic recruitment technology to make their recruiting efforts data-driven, less labor-intensive, and more cost-effective.

How does a programmatic job advertising platform work?

Programmatic advertising leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate the real-time sale of ad space. This process optimizes ad targeting by analyzing data on user behavior and preferences to target ads to the most relevant audiences.

Here’s a closer look at how programmatic job advertising software works:

• Set up your job listing and budget from your ATS, recruiting CRM, or directly through the recruitment advertising software.
• Determine your total campaign budget and cost per click/application.
• Define ad rules based on your ideal candidate profile.
• Initiate the campaign, and the platform takes control.
• The software identifies potential candidates online based on your rules and displays your ad on relevant websites.
• Once your ad reaches its target engagement level, the platform stops running it to avoid unnecessary spending.

What are the different types of programmatic advertising?

There are four main types of programmatic advertising:

• Real-time bidding: Advertisers bid on ad space as it becomes available.
• Private marketplace: Only selected advertisers get access to premium ad space through invitation-only auctions.
• Preferred deals: Advertisers and publishers agree on a set price for ad space before it's available to others.‍
• Programmatic guaranteed: Advertisers and publishers make direct agreements for specific ad placements with guaranteed impressions and fixed prices.

So there you have it—the top programmatic job advertising platforms, along with needed insights to help you find the right solution for your talent acquisition team/agency.

Need further help in shortlisting vendors? Our HR Tech advisors are happy to lend a hand. Book a call with them to get personalized advice (it’s free, by the way).

If you’re just looking around for now, feel free to bookmark this page and return when your team decides to make a purchase. We update our content regularly so you can rest assured what you are and will be reading is the most up-to-date information.

For post-software buyers looking to calculate ROI, you’ll want to compare your cost per hire before and after you start using the programmatic job platform. We have put together some key HRTech ROI calculators you can use to build your own business case.