TalentBait, HeyJobs and Sprad are three different models for the same job: filling frontline roles through social media and online reach. TalentBait sells a fixed-price campaign per role (from €700 for 30 days) spread over up to 15 channels. HeyJobs sells managed packages (HIRE from €400 per job and month) on top of its own network of 4.5 million candidates. Sprad runs Instagram and Facebook ads at ad budget plus 10 % and pre-screens every applicant into an own talent pool. Which one fits depends on whether you rent a campaign, rent reach or build an asset.
TalentBait vs. HeyJobs vs. Sprad in one table
All figures are what the vendors state publicly, as of 3 October 2026. Sprad figures come from our own product description. None of the three publishes a guaranteed number of applicants, and neither do we.
| Criterion | TalentBait | HeyJobs | Sprad Social Recruiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | performance platform, campaign per role | managed packages per role plus candidate network | ad management with an AI Talent Agent |
| Price | from €700 per 30-day campaign, no subscription | HIRE from €400 per job and month (minimum budget €1,200), REACH under €150 per job from 10 roles | ad budget plus 10 %, from €1,000, split across roles |
| Channels | up to 15, among them TikTok, Instagram, Google, WhatsApp, LinkedIn | 50+ channels and 1,000+ websites | Instagram and Facebook today, Google and TikTok follow |
| Pre-screening | 60-second application, screening agent follows up via WhatsApp or email | screening questions, AI interviews with HeyMadita as add-on | Talent Agent via WhatsApp, phone or web, around the clock |
| Who holds the data | states that applicant data belongs to you, EU servers | candidate pool of 4.5 million belongs to HeyJobs | every applicant lands in your own talent pool |
| Term | no minimum term | 3 months recommended | 3 months recommended |
| Based in | Germany, Hamburg | Germany and Austria, Berlin | frontline and shift roles |
The one axis that decides: what do you own afterwards?
Price tables are the obvious comparison, and the weakest one. The three models do not sell the same thing, so €700, €400 and "budget plus 10 %" cannot be lined up directly. The question that separates them is what you hold when the campaign ends.
With HeyJobs you buy results from a network that HeyJobs owns. With TalentBait you buy a campaign, and the vendor states that applicant data is yours, which is a fair position. With Sprad, the campaign is the input and the talent pool is the product: every applicant stays in your pool, so a second nursing or driver vacancy starts with people who already know you. That is the idea behind Talent Base.
TalentBait: fixed campaign price, many channels
TalentBait is the most transparent of the three on price: a published starting price, no subscription and no minimum term. Its strength is the channel mix, up to 15 channels from one job ad, and a 60-second application flow that does not ask for a CV first. The homepage shows logos such as EDEKA Südwest, Hermes, TÜV Nord and Diakonie. What is not public is whether the ad spend sits inside the list price. A May 2024 listing on OMR named €960 to €1,800 per month depending on the role, with nurses in the top tier, and the single review there praised volume but criticised applicants who never answer.
HeyJobs: reach and a managed package
HeyJobs is the best-known name and the widest network of the three. It states more than 5,000 customers, 50+ channels and 4.5 million registered candidates, and employers rate support highly: 6.10 out of 7 on jobboersencheck. The criticism is just as consistent: applicant quality is rated 4.41 out of 7 there, and OMR shows 3.5 out of 5 from three reviews. HeyJobs sells packages, so you do not pick channels freely, and the candidate pool belongs to HeyJobs. HeyJobs also launched an AI interviewer, HeyMadita, on 25 August 2026, as an add-on without a public price.
Sprad: build the pool, pre-screen every applicant
Sprad Social Recruiting runs job ads on Instagram and Facebook, where nurses, tradespeople and drivers spend time every day. An AI Talent Agent pre-screens every applicant via WhatsApp, phone or web before a person spends time. Pricing is the ad budget plus 10 %, from a €1,000 budget that you can split across several roles. Sprad is the newest of the three: it has fewer channels than both others today, and no published customer cases for this product yet.
What one role costs over three months
Take one role over the recommended three months. HeyJobs HIRE comes to 3 × €400 = €1,200 at the minimum budget. TalentBait comes to 3 × €700 = €2,100. With Sprad, a €3,000 ad budget plus 10 % comes to €3,300, and that is ad spend that actually runs.
Read the chart with care. The Sprad figure is the media budget itself plus our fee. For HeyJobs and TalentBait the public list price does not say how much of it becomes ad spend, so the bars compare invoices, not reach. Ask every vendor the same three questions: how much of the price is media budget, what happens to applicant data after the run, and what is pre-screened before the applicant reaches you.
Which model fits you?
- TalentBait fits if you hire one or two roles, want a fixed price, no contract and many channels, and you screen the applicants yourself.
- HeyJobs fits if you hire in Germany or Austria, want one accountable partner and the widest reach, and do not mind that the network is not yours.
- Sprad fits if you hire frontline staff such as nurses, tradespeople or drivers repeatedly, want every applicant qualified over WhatsApp, phone or web, and want the contacts to stay with you. See the pages for healthcare and logistics.
- A mix is realistic for 10+ roles: package reach for volume, an own pool for roles that come back.
For a wider view of what recruiting channels cost, see StepStone costs and prices and, if you also want to compare job boards, StepStone alternatives. Frontline candidates answer on WhatsApp and phone rather than email, which is why pre-screening there matters: read why.
FAQ
Is TalentBait cheaper than HeyJobs?
On the list price for one role, no: HeyJobs HIRE starts at €400 per job and month, TalentBait at €700 per 30 days. But HeyJobs HIRE has a €1,200 minimum budget and a recommended run time of three months, and neither price states how much becomes ad spend. Compare invoices for the same role and run time.
Does TalentBait or HeyJobs own my candidate data?
TalentBait states that applicant data belongs to you and is stored on EU servers. HeyJobs owns the 4.5 million candidate pool, and what happens to your applicants after a run is a contract question. Ask for the answer in writing.
Which is better for nurses and drivers?
All three serve these roles. The more useful question is who pre-screens: if you want applicants qualified before your team spends time, check the screening step of each offer, not only the price.
How much does Sprad Social Recruiting cost?
Ad budget plus 10 %, from a €1,000 budget that can be split across roles, with three months recommended. Budget recommendations are a guide, not a promise of applicants.
Does Sprad also run TikTok and Google?
Not yet. Sprad Social Recruiting runs on Instagram and Facebook today, and Google and TikTok follow.
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.
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.
