Best CRMs for recruiting agencies
Recruiting runs two pipelines at once: clients who need hires, and candidates who need jobs. We compared how each tool handles that split.
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Close wins for winning new clients: calling firms to land new searches, with a dialer built for volume. Airtable wins for an agency that wants client and candidate pipelines linked together, without forcing either into a one-pipeline CRM.
The short answer
- Close starts at $9/user/month (Solo, annual). It adds a Power Dialer on Growth and a Predictive Dialer on Scale, built for calling firms at volume, per close.com/pricing.
- Airtable's free plan lets you build linked tables for clients and candidates, in any shape you like. It charges only for users who can edit, per airtable.com/pricing.
- Attio's free plan (up to 3 seats) has AI tools and an MCP server. It's a fair place to start your client pipeline, per attio.com/pricing.
Recruiting agency tool options compared
| Tool | Starting price | Handles dual pipeline? | Built for calling? | Best for | Not for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Close | $9/user/mo (Solo, annual) | No, single pipeline | Yes, dialer features on every tier | Winning new client searches | Tracking candidates next to clients in one tool |
| Attio | Free (up to 3 seats) | No, one pipeline, but easy to adapt | No dedicated dialer | A small agency's client-side pipeline at no cost | A high-volume candidate pipeline that needs ATS tracking |
| Airtable | Free ($0) | Yes, you build linked client and candidate tables | No dedicated dialer | An agency that wants both pipelines built and linked | An agency that wants a dialer or a ready-made CRM on day one |
Figures checked on close.com/pricing, attio.com/pricing and airtable.com/pricing, September 2026.
How each one actually fits recruiting's shape
Close
Close fits the half of recruiting that looks like outbound sales: calling and emailing firms to win new searches. Its dialer and AI prospecting agent are built for volume. It has no candidate tools, so most agencies pair it with a separate tool for candidates. Not for: keeping the candidate pipeline in the same system.
Airtable
Airtable fits recruiting's real shape best: two linked pipelines, not one. You build the client table, the candidate table and the links between them. That takes setup work, but the result matches how recruiting runs. Not for: an agency that wants a working CRM on day one without building it first.
Attio
Attio is a fair, low-cost pick for the client side, with AI tools and an MCP server even on the free plan. It doesn't cover candidate tracking, so most agencies pair it with another tool for that. Not for: an agency that wants one tool for both sides.
How to choose
Choose Close if your growth comes from calling firms to win new searches, from $9 per user per month. Choose Airtable if you want client and candidate pipelines linked in one place and are happy to build the setup yourself, starting free. Choose Attio if you want a free CRM for your client side with AI tools and an MCP server, for up to 3 seats.
If candidate volume is where you're stuck, add a dedicated applicant tracking system with resume parsing and hiring stages next to the CRM you pick.
Questions
- Is a general CRM good enough for recruiting, or do I need an ATS?
- None of the three here is an applicant tracking system (ATS). They work well for the sales side of recruiting: client accounts and placements. A high-volume candidate pipeline, with resume parsing and set hiring stages, usually needs an ATS next to the CRM.
- Why would a recruiting agency use Airtable instead of a CRM?
- Recruiting has two linked pipelines, clients and candidates, and a one-pipeline CRM doesn't always fit that. Airtable's tables and views let you build both sides and link them. You build that setup yourself.
- Does Close fit a recruiting agency's sales motion?
- Yes, for winning new clients. Close is built for outbound calls and email at volume, which fits the work of calling firms to win new searches. It has no candidate tracking built in.
- What's the cheapest starting option?
- Attio's free plan covers up to 3 seats. That's a fair start for a small firm's client pipeline, before you add a tool for candidates.