HeyJobs and Sprad solve the same problem in two different ways: HeyJobs rents you reach across 50+ channels and its own pool of 4.5 million candidates, Sprad builds you an own talent pool from Instagram and Facebook ads and pre-screens every applicant with an AI Talent Agent. HeyJobs is the stronger name and the wider network in Germany and Austria. Sprad is the better fit if you hire frontline staff, want every applicant qualified over WhatsApp, phone or web, and want the contacts to stay with you after the campaign ends.
HeyJobs vs. Sprad in one table
The table compares what both vendors state publicly, as of 3 October 2026. HeyJobs figures come from its pricing page and company claims, Sprad figures from our own product description.
| Criterion | HeyJobs | Sprad Social Recruiting |
|---|---|---|
| Model | performance recruiting, managed packages per role | ad management with an AI Talent Agent |
| Price | HIRE from €400 per job and month (minimum budget €1,200), REACH under €150 per job from 10 roles | ad budget plus 10 %, from a €1,000 budget, split across roles |
| Channels | 50+ channels and 1,000+ websites, among them Google, Meta, TikTok and Xing | Instagram and Facebook today, Google and TikTok follow |
| Pre-screening | screening questions, AI interviews with HeyMadita as add-on (price not public) | AI Talent Agent via WhatsApp, phone or web, around the clock |
| Who owns the pool | HeyJobs (4.5 million registered candidates) | you, every applicant lands in your own talent pool |
| Recommended run time | 3 months | 3 months |
| Market | Germany and Austria, German-language | frontline and shift roles |
What is the real difference?
The question is not which tool shows more ads. It is what you own when the campaign is over. With HeyJobs you buy a budget that the platform spends across its channels and its candidate network. The applicants reach you, the network stays with HeyJobs. If you cancel, the next vacancy starts again at zero reach.
Sprad turns the same logic around. Each ad pays into your own talent pool. The applicant who was a good fit for one nursing role but not available yet is still in your pool when the next role opens. The second vacancy does not need new reach, only a message to people who already know you. That is the idea behind Talent Base.
Where HeyJobs is stronger
A fair comparison starts with the points where HeyJobs is ahead, and there are several.
- Brand and trust. HeyJobs states more than 5,000 customers and shows logos such as ALDI Nord, Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Post DHL and REWE Group. Sprad Social Recruiting is new and has no published customer cases yet.
- Reach. A candidate network of 4.5 million registered people and 50+ channels reach people that two social networks do not. For roles where Instagram and Facebook are not the right place, this matters.
- Managed service. Employer reviews praise support and onboarding: on jobboersencheck, support is rated 6.10 out of 7.
- Breadth. HeyJobs covers ten industries, from healthcare to public service to media and IT, and offers case studies with hard numbers.
- Size. A Series B of 47 million USD and about 300 employees mean a vendor that will still be here in five years.
If you hire in Germany or Austria, want one accountable partner for a single urgent role, and do not care who owns the candidate network, HeyJobs HIRE is a legitimate choice.
Where Sprad is stronger
- Applicant quality through pre-screening. The most frequent criticism of HeyJobs on the employer side is applicant quality: jobboersencheck rates it 4.41 out of 7 (633 ratings), the weakest category, and OMR reviewers describe the quality as mediocre. Sprad's Talent Agent asks the must-have questions over WhatsApp or phone before a human spends time. HeyJobs has launched an AI interviewer, HeyMadita, on 25 August 2026, but only as an add-on without a public price.
- Own talent pool. Every applicant stays with you. A second role in the same region is cheaper in reach, because the people are already known.
- Transparent price. Ad budget plus 10 %, no fee per role. You see what goes into ads and what the service costs.
- Built for frontline roles. Nurses, tradespeople, drivers and warehouse staff scroll Instagram and Facebook every day and rarely have a CV ready. Application by phone in minutes and screening that fits blue-collar roles are the starting point, not an add-on.
Price comparison with a worked example
List prices are not directly comparable, because HeyJobs does not state how much of its package price is media spend. The following is simple arithmetic from the listed prices, not a benchmark and no promise of applicants.
| Scenario | HeyJobs (listed price) | Sprad (budget + 10 %) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 role, 3 months | HIRE: 3 × €400 = €1,200 (equals the minimum budget) | €1,000 budget + 10 % = €1,100 |
| 5 roles, 3 months | HIRE: 5 × 3 × €400 = €6,000 | €5,000 budget + 10 % = €5,500 |
| 10 roles | REACH: under €150 per job (period not stated) | €10,000 budget + 10 % = €11,000, or less with a smaller budget |
Two cautions. The HeyJobs headline reads "from €400 instead of €1,200" and is labelled an offer for new customers, renewal prices are not stated. And a bigger ad budget does not guarantee more applicants, on either side. For Sprad, the budget recommender on the product page is a guide, not a promise. More on typical cost models is in our guide to job board costs and on the pricing page.
What employers and reviewers say
Independent ratings on the employer side are thin, so we show what exists with its basis.
- jobboersencheck: 5.56 out of 7 from 633 ratings, 93 % recommend. Support rated 6.10, applicant quality 4.41 (retrieved 30 September 2026).
- OMR Reviews: 3.5 out of 5 from only three reviews, with remarks such as "results not convincing" and "mediocre application quality".
- Trustpilot: 4.5 out of 5 from 106 reviews, but mostly written by job seekers, not employers, so it says little about the buyer experience.
Sprad Social Recruiting has no independent employer ratings yet. We will not claim any. Ask both vendors for references from your industry and region, and for the cost per qualified applicant they achieved there.
Which one fits you?
- Choose HeyJobs if you hire in Germany or Austria, want a managed package, value brand and network reach, and fill roles across many industries.
- Choose Sprad if you hire nurses, tradespeople, drivers or warehouse staff, want every applicant pre-screened, and want a pool that grows with each campaign. See how this works for healthcare and logistics.
- Use both if you run ten or more roles and want HeyJobs REACH for volume while Sprad builds the owned pool for recurring roles.
Frequently asked questions
Is HeyJobs worth it for frontline roles?
It can be, especially for a single urgent role in Germany. The recurring criticism is applicant quality and the fixed package logic. Ask for a reference from your industry and check what the pre-screening includes before you sign.
Who owns the candidates at HeyJobs?
The pool of 4.5 million registered candidates belongs to HeyJobs. What happens to applicant data after your campaign ends is a contract question, so ask for it in writing.
Is Sprad cheaper than HeyJobs?
It depends on the number of roles and the budget. For one role, the listed prices are close, as the worked example shows. The bigger difference is what you keep: with Sprad, applicants stay in your own pool.
Does Sprad also use TikTok and Google?
Not yet. Sprad Social Recruiting runs on Instagram and Facebook today, Google and TikTok follow.
What does the Talent Agent do?
It pre-screens every applicant via WhatsApp, phone or web, around the clock, and hands qualified candidates to your team or your applicant tracking system.
Sprad Social Recruiting in short
Sprad Social Recruiting runs job ads on Instagram and Facebook, where nurses, tradespeople, drivers and other frontline workers spend time every day. An AI talent agent pre-screens every applicant via WhatsApp, phone or web. Every applicant lands in the employer's own talent pool, so the relationships stay with the employer instead of a platform. Pricing is ad spend plus 10 %, from a €1,000 budget that can be split across roles. See how Sprad Social Recruiting works.
More on social recruiting
- HeyJobs pricing 2026: packages, minimum budget and real costs
- Performance recruiting explained: what it is, costs and when it works
- Recruiting on Instagram: job ads, stories and reels that get applicants
- WhatsApp recruiting: let candidates apply and get pre-screened via WhatsApp
- The complete social recruiting guide
Jürgen Ulbrich
Jürgen Ulbrich has more than a decade of experience in developing and leading high-performing teams and companies. As an expert in employee referral programs as well as feedback and performance processes, Jürgen has helped over 100 organizations optimize their talent acquisition and development strategies.
