softgarden
softgarden: applicant tracking and multiposting from Berlin, for recruiting teams of any size
softgarden is an applicant tracking system (ATS) with integrated recruitment marketing, multiposting and onboarding that covers the recruiting process from job ad to hire. The GDPR-compliant solution from Germany targets organisations of every size and industry, from single recruiting teams to multi-tenant enterprise structures with several brands or locations. Source: softgarden, pricing, https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026.
softgarden e-recruiting GmbH, based in Berlin, formed in February 2014 through the merger of HR New Media GmbH, operator of 1000jobboersen.de, with softgarden GmbH, originally founded in Saarbrücken in 2003. Commercial register data shows 51 to 250 employees; the vendor states more than 2,000 organisations use softgarden. Source and status: softgarden, pricing, https://www.softgarden.com/preise/; webvalid.de, company profile; checked 10 September 2026.
Scheduling and video interviews. Your own calendar can be connected, and appointment invitations are sent synchronised straight from the system. Candidates can be invited to a video interview from inside the recruiting tool, and the mobile app allows working on the move — offline as well, according to the vendor. Source and status: https://softgarden.com/de/recruiting-software/, accessed 10 September 2026.
What softgarden covers day to day
The core is a classic applicant tracking system: email communication, calendar, to-dos, notes, team comments and video interviews work identically across Core and All-in-One according to the vendor. On top sits a career page with SEO-optimised job ads and templates, plus multiposting to more than 1,200 job boards including the German Federal Employment Agency.
AI is built in at several points: candidate screening, job-ad drafting, candidate communication and interview questions — a basic version in Core, full in All-in-One, marketed by the vendor as "transparent, not a black box."
For measuring results, softgarden reports on inbound channels plus recruiting KPIs and funnel reports, including time-to-hire, as a basic version in Core and in full in All-in-One with custom reports and data exports. Reach comes from multiposting to over 1,200 job platforms including Google and social media channels.
Add-ons such as an employer review and feedback tool, chat recruiting (formerly its recruiting chatbot), an employee referral programme, agency access for external recruiters, and an onboarding solution are bookable extras in both tiers, not automatically included. Personal onboarding support, internal approval workflows, assessments, individual media budgets and multi-tenant capability for several locations or brands are exclusive to All-in-One. Source: softgarden, pricing and plans, https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026.
| Module or capability | Status | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant tracking (ATS), email communication, calendar, team comments, video interviews | included in Core and All-in-One | Core functions are identical across both tiers according to the vendor. |
| Career page, SEO-optimised job ads, multiposting to over 1,200 job boards | included in Core and All-in-One | Core covers five, All-in-One 20 simultaneously published jobs; further jobs cost extra according to the vendor. |
| AI support for applicant screening and communication | included in Core and All-in-One | AI for job-ad text is a basic version in Core, full in All-in-One. |
| Personal onboarding, internal approval workflows, assessments | All-in-One only | Not included in Core; onboarding support during rollout is a bookable extra in Core. |
| Multi-tenant capability (multi-location/multi-brand), advanced access control | All-in-One only | Built for complex organisations with several locations or brands. |
| API access, custom interfaces, HR system integrations | optional, bookable in All-in-One only | Standard integrations are included in both tiers; API access is only optional in All-in-One per the comparison table. |
| Employer reviews, chat recruiting, referral programme, onboarding solution, agency access | add-on (bookable) in both tiers | These modules are not automatically part of either tier's base price according to the pricing page. |
Source and status for the feature overview: softgarden, pricing and plans, Core vs. All-in-One comparison, https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026.
Pricing: Core is public, All-in-One is individual
softgarden currently prices its entry tier, Core, from 199 euros per month plus VAT, with at least five simultaneously published jobs. The All-in-One tier is priced exclusively on request and targets organisations with several locations or brands publishing at least 20 jobs at once. Source and status: softgarden, pricing and plans, https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026.
Sources disagree here: OMR Reviews listed four tiers at check time, Start from 199, Pro from 399, Elite from 799 euros, plus an individual Enterprise tier. The vendor's own, more current pricing page names only two tiers, Core and All-in-One. Since the vendor's page is the primary, more recent source, this profile uses the two-tier model; an earlier version of this profile also cited 99 euros per month, no longer confirmed by any checked source.
| Pricing or contract element | Publicly verified status | Source and status |
|---|---|---|
| softgarden Core | From 199 euros per month plus VAT, at least five simultaneously published jobs included. | softgarden pricing, https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026. |
| softgarden All-in-One | Individual pricing, at least 20 simultaneously published jobs included. | softgarden pricing, https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026. |
| Add-ons (employer reviews, chat recruiting, referral programme, onboarding solution) | Bookable in both tiers; module price not public. | softgarden pricing, https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026. |
| API access and custom interfaces | All-in-One only, optional there; price not public. | softgarden pricing, https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026. |
| Minimum contract term | Not stated on the reviewed pages. | softgarden pricing, https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026. |
| Earlier pricing figure (outdated) | From 99 euros per month per an older source; no longer confirmed by the current pricing page. | softgarden, checked 10 September 2026 against the current pricing page. |
In practice: Core suits teams with up to five parallel open roles and no multi-tenant needs. Anyone needing more roles, several brands, or an API connection ends up at All-in-One and an individual quote that should be requested in writing with a full module list.
Privacy, AI use and reviews
softgarden advertises hosting in Germany, ISO certification and, according to the vendor, a fully GDPR-compliant solution including a data processing agreement. That is a starting point for a privacy review, but it does not replace checking the actual subprocessor list with your own legal team or works council.
On AI, softgarden emphasises transparency over black-box automation: AI supports applicant screening, job-ad text, candidate communication and interview-question generation, but is said not to replace the human decision. How far individual AI features go differs between Core and All-in-One, for instance for job-ad text generation.
User reviews are largely positive. On OMR Reviews, softgarden stands at 4.4 out of 5 stars from 207 reviews, and on Capterra at 4.6 out of 5 stars from 124 verified reviews. Usability, customer service and the ATS-plus-media combination are praised; at least one review calls the price comparatively high while still recommending the tool. Source: OMR Reviews, https://omr.com/de/reviews/product/softgarden; Capterra, https://www.capterra.com/p/132021/Softgarden/reviews/; checked 10 September 2026.
Departments, hiring managers and works councils: roles and approvals inside softgarden
softgarden frames recruiting explicitly as teamwork rather than an HR-only task: for every open role, companies can "set up recruiting teams to involve every decision-maker from day one." In line with that, the vendor states it does not cap user numbers: "No — we believe recruiting is teamwork. That's why we don't limit the number of users, and we don't charge for new ones either." By the vendor's own account, that gives departments and hiring managers free seats rather than additional licensed slots. Source and accessed: softgarden, recruiting software and applicant management, https://softgarden.com/de/recruiting-software/ and https://softgarden.com/de/bewerbermanagement-software-ats/, accessed September 10, 2026.
The rights model behind this is a "role configurator": administrators decide what access each user group gets, with documented examples such as department heads with access to their own job data, HR staff with expanded reporting rights, or site managers restricted to local applications only. The marketing site adds a broader claim of "individual rights and roles — including for the works council." Source and accessed: softgarden Support, "What can each user role do?", https://support.softgarden.de/de/articles/319143-welche-moglichkeiten-haben-die-einzelnen-benutzer-rollen, accessed September 10, 2026.
For scoring itself, softgarden offers a fast thumbs-up-or-down call on "whether the candidate should be invited to interview," plus "scorecard ratings with individual weightings," backed by comment and chat functions. For formal sign-off there is a generic approval process: any approver must simply hold "the 'release applicant' permission," and the process "is universal and can be used for any kind of approval — regardless of the works council," including hiring managers or department heads. Separately, staffing requests can be submitted by any user whose role carries the matching permission; they route automatically to the responsible approvers, who decide via an emailed link. Source and accessed: softgarden Support, "Release applicant (works council approval)" and "Staffing requests overview", https://support.softgarden.de/de/articles/500416-wie-funktioniert-die-betriebsrats-freigabe-und-wozu-kann-diese-funktion-noch-genutzt-werden and https://support.softgarden.de/de/articles/624404-stellenanforderungen-im-uberblick-erstellung-freigabe-und-verwaltung, accessed September 10, 2026.
| Role | Typical rights per vendor | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Department head / hiring manager | Access to their own job's data, can rate via thumbs or scorecard. | Example role from the role configurator; no separate price stated for this access. |
| HR department | Expanded reporting rights, can manage approval flows and roles. | Central administrative role in the system. |
| Site manager | Restricted to local applications only. | Example of granular, limited visibility rather than full access. |
| Works council | Can be set as the approver inside the universal release process. | One of several possible approver roles, not exclusive to the works council. |
| External recruiters (headhunters) | Own access via a separate headhunter module. | Not an internal department seat but a standalone, extra-cost module. |
The real limit shows up between the marketing claim and the pricing tier: the general "no user limit" statement appears on the recruiting page without tying it to Core or All-in-One, while the pricing page explicitly assigns an "internal approval structure for applications" only to the pricier All-in-One tier. Whether that restriction covers every department approval or only more complex, multi-step configurations is not resolved consistently across the pages reviewed and should be clarified before signing. Support documentation also states that customizing the approval process carries extra cost, even though the base function is described as a free add-on.
The most relevant softgarden alternatives compared
The right alternative depends on whether you need a pure ATS or a broader HR suite with integrated recruiting. A specialised ATS with strong multiposting is not an equivalent substitute for a full HR suite with a personnel file and time tracking, and the reverse is also true.
| Provider | Target size and product type | Country or language context | Pricing statement | Strength | Boundary | Source and status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personio Recruiting | Recruiting app within a broader HR suite with Core HR, time and payroll. | Germany, DACH focus. | Recruiting as an app in Small, Medium or Large for 5, 25 or unlimited jobs; price not public. | Seamless connection to a full HR core system. | Buying recruiting alone still means buying an entire HR suite. | https://support.personio.de/hc/de/articles/11149358090653, checked 10 September 2026. |
| Recruitee (Tellent) | Pure ATS focused on hiring-team collaboration. | International, European provider. | Three tiers (Start, Advance, Optimize), tiered by headcount since 2024; no public price, annual contract mandatory. | Modern interface, internationally oriented, collaborative pipeline view. | No price visible without a quote; add-ons like SMS or WhatsApp billed separately. | 100hires.com and trustradius.com, Recruitee pricing overview, checked 10 September 2026. |
| d.vinci Bewerbermanagement | ATS for mid-market and larger organisations, priced by employee count. | Germany, German-language. | From 785 euros per month, at least 9,420 euros per year, unlimited users and applications included. | One of the few providers in this comparison with a publicly stated starting price. | Annual billing only, no monthly payment option according to the vendor. | d.vinci pricing, https://www.dvinci.de/preise/, checked 10 September 2026. |
| rexx systems Bewerbermanagement | Recruiting module within a modular HR suite with Core HR and talent management. | Germany, multilingual, cloud or on-premise. | Individual quote, no public price; free multiposting to selected boards included in the module. | Choice of cloud or on-premise, AI Hiring with CV parsing and an AI score. | Support runs exclusively through a ticket system according to existing reviews. | https://www.rexx-systems.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026. |
| Teamtailor | Recruiting software and ATS focused on candidate experience and employer branding. | International, over 13,000 companies in more than 90 countries according to the vendor. | Individual quote, no public amount on the pricing page. | Unlimited job postings and users, more than 250 features. | No HR core system of its own for personnel files, time or payroll. | https://www.teamtailor.com/en-us/pricing/, checked 10 September 2026. |
The comparison shows: d.vinci is the only direct ATS competitor here with a public price, Personio and rexx systems matter when recruiting joins a broader HR suite, Recruitee competes on team collaboration, and Teamtailor competes on candidate experience and branding.
An original calculation: licence cost per hire on softgarden Core
From the one public price point, 199 euros per month for Core, a metric can be derived that softgarden itself does not publish: licence cost per hire. Annual Core licence cost is 12 times 199 euros, or 2,388 euros. Dividing by hires per year shows how strongly recruiting volume affects licence economics. This deliberately excludes media budgets, add-ons and implementation effort, since no public pricing basis exists for those.
| Assumption or lever | Original calculation | Decision use |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Core licence cost | 12 × 199 euros = 2,388 euros | Starting point for every further metric, based on the one public price. |
| Licence cost per hire at 10 hires a year | 2,388 euros / 10 = 238.80 euros per hire | At low volume, each hire carries a high licence share. |
| Licence cost per hire at 20 hires a year | 2,388 euros / 20 = 119.40 euros per hire | Doubling volume halves the licence share per hire. |
| Licence cost per hire at 40 hires a year | 2,388 euros / 40 = 59.70 euros per hire | At this volume, Core's five-job limit often becomes the real constraint, not price. |
| Moving to All-in-One | Individual quote, not included in this calculation | Worth checking once more than five jobs are open at once or multi-tenant capability is needed. |
The takeaway: Core's licence economics improve the more hires run through the system per year, as long as the five-job limit is not exceeded. Once more jobs are open simultaneously, the calculation shifts to All-in-One and a price that cannot be quantified publicly.
Decision matrix: which situation fits which provider?
| If your situation is this | Primary fit | Why, and what to verify before contract |
|---|---|---|
| Up to five roles open at once, one location, multiposting and a solid ATS need to launch quickly. | softgarden Core | Publicly priced from 199 euros per month; check whether add-ons like employer reviews are really needed. |
| Several locations or brands, more than 20 open roles, and API connectivity are required. | softgarden All-in-One | Individual quote with multi-tenant capability; clarify module list and API scope in writing. |
| Recruiting should become part of a full HR suite with personnel files, time and payroll. | Personio or rexx systems | Both offer recruiting as a module of a larger suite; compare the total proposal, not just the module. |
| A publicly stated starting price matters more than media expertise from one provider. | d.vinci Bewerbermanagement | From 785 euros per month, but annual billing only; check total annual cost upfront. |
| International teams and modern, collaborative pipeline views are the priority. | Recruitee | No public price; request a quote based on headcount and add-ons. |
| Candidate experience and employer branding should be central, independent of the HR core system. | Teamtailor | Over 250 features according to the vendor; test the handover to an existing HRIS technically. |
softgarden limits that matter before deciding
First, only Core is publicly priced; All-in-One always requires an individual quote with no indication of scale. Second, key add-ons such as employer reviews, chat recruiting and the referral programme remain separately bookable even in All-in-One rather than being automatically included. Third, API access is only optional even in the pricier All-in-One tier, not standard. Fourth, Core is capped at five simultaneously published jobs, forcing organisations with occasional demand spikes to move to an individual quote early. Fifth, at least one user review calls the price comparatively high, even while rating the tool worthwhile overall.
These limits are not a blanket argument against softgarden; they determine whether the platform fits the situation. softgarden is plausible for organisations wanting a specialised, media-strong ATS with German hosting that can live within Core's five-job limit. A broader HR suite may be the better choice when recruiting is only part of a larger HR process.
softgarden FAQ
How much does softgarden cost?
softgarden Core costs from 199 euros per month plus VAT for at least five simultaneously published jobs. All-in-One, for more jobs, several locations or API access, is priced individually. Status: https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026.
What is the difference between softgarden Core and All-in-One?
Core covers the ATS, career page and multiposting core functions from five jobs. All-in-One adds at least 20 jobs, multi-tenant capability for several locations or brands, personal onboarding support, internal approval workflows, assessments and optional API access. Status: https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026.
Is softgarden GDPR-compliant?
softgarden advertises hosting in Germany, ISO certification and a GDPR-compliant solution including a data processing agreement. The actual subprocessor list should still be checked separately. Status: https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026.
How does softgarden use artificial intelligence?
AI supports applicant screening, job-ad text, candidate communication and interview questions according to the vendor. AI for job-ad text is a basic version in Core and full in All-in-One. Status: https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026.
What company size is softgarden for?
The vendor targets organisations of every industry and size and states more than 2,000 customers. Core fits single recruiting teams with up to five open roles, All-in-One fits multi-tenant structures with several locations. Status: https://www.softgarden.com/preise/, checked 10 September 2026.
What are the main softgarden alternatives?
d.vinci is the alternative with a publicly stated starting price; Personio Recruiting and rexx systems Bewerbermanagement matter when recruiting should become part of a broader HR suite; Recruitee and Teamtailor compete internationally on collaboration and candidate experience respectively. Status: see alternatives table, checked 10 September 2026.
How does softgarden perform in user reviews?
On OMR Reviews, softgarden stands at 4.4 out of 5 stars from 207 reviews, and on Capterra at 4.6 out of 5 stars from 124 verified reviews. Usability and customer service are praised, while price is occasionally described as high. Status: https://omr.com/de/reviews/product/softgarden and https://www.capterra.com/p/132021/Softgarden/reviews/, checked 10 September 2026.
HR Software Provider is listed in the following categories:
More information
Assessment
Features
Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Comprehensive ATS that streamlines the recruitment process from job posting to hiring, including resume parsing and candidate management.
Career Page Builder
Allows creation of branded career pages optimized for search engines to attract and convert candidates.
Multiposting
Enables job postings across over 1,200 job boards, increasing reach and visibility.
Employee Referral Program
Facilitates employee referrals with individual rewards and success reporting.
Employer Reviews
Automatically collects and publishes reviews from candidates and employees to enhance employer branding.
Onboarding Module
Supports the onboarding process for new hires, ensuring a smooth transition into the company.
Mobile App
Provides a mobile application for hiring managers to manage recruitment processes on the go.
Video Interviewing
Offers integrated video interviewing capabilities to streamline the interview process.
Reporting and Analytics
Provides advanced reporting tools to analyze recruitment metrics and improve processes.
Compliance and Data Protection
Ensures GDPR compliance and robust data protection measures.
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