Ashby vs Sage HR — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Ashby starts at $400/mo. Sage HR starts at $5.5/mo. Sage HR is $394.5/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Ashby.
Applicant tracking system (ATS) + recruiting analytics platform, valued $1.5B private. Positioned as the alternative to Greenhouse and Lever for high-growth companies that want serious hiring analytics without enterprise-only pricing. Distinctive for its data-first approach — every hiring pipeline metric is queryable + benchmark-comparable. Foundations from $400/mo ($360/mo annual = 10% off), covering up to 100 employees. Plus + Enterprise custom, typically $30K-120K+/yr. Popular with Series B-D tech companies.
Sage HR (formerly CakeHR) is Sage's cloud HR platform for SMBs. Core HR ~$5.50/employee/mo; add-on modules (Leave, Performance, Timesheets, Shift Scheduling, Recruitment, Expenses) priced separately per employee. 30-day free trial. UK-headquartered.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Ashby monthly | Ashby annual | Sage HR monthly | Sage HR annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid | Foundations / + Expenses | $400 | $360 | $1.5 | $1.5 |
| Mid tier 1 | — / + Performance | — | — | $3 | $3 |
| Mid tier 2 | — / + Shift Scheduling | — | — | $3 | $3 |
| Mid tier 3 | — / + Timesheets | — | — | $3 | $3 |
| Mid tier 4 | — / Core HR + Leave Management | — | — | $5.5 | $5.5 |
| Mid tier 5 | — / + HR Advice Essentials | — | — | $100 | $100 |
| Pro / power | — / + Recruitment | — | — | $200 | $200 |
| Enterprise | Enterprise / — | Custom | Custom | — | — |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Ashby is worth it if… high-growth companies (50-500 hires per year) that outgrew Greenhouse or Lever and need integrated ATS + sourcing + analytics + interviewer scheduling in one tool. Custom pricing scales with headcount and modules.
Sage HR is worth it if… Sage HR is ideal for UK/EU small-to-mid businesses (5-200 employees) that want modular HR without US-heavy pricing tiers.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Ashby over Sage HR if…
Choose Ashby if…
- You're comfortable with Ashby's from $400/mo entry point.
- You match the profile Ashby is built for: high-growth companies (50-500 hires per year) that outgrew Greenhouse or Lever and need integrated ATS + sourcing + analytics + interviewer scheduling in one tool.
- You're building for recruiting.
Choose Sage HR if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $5.5/mo).
- You match the profile Sage HR is built for: ideal for UK/EU small-to-mid businesses (5-200 employees) that want modular HR without US-heavy pricing tiers.
- You need a general-purpose hr & people option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Ashby | Sage HR | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | No |
| Entry price | $400/mo | $5.5/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Per Seat |
| Verification | Pricing under review | Pricing under review |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 27, 2026. Tracked daily.