Kit vs Ashby: Different tools for different stages.
Ashby is a powerful operating system for high-growth companies. Kit is a focused hiring platform for startups who want simplicity over configurability.
Who should choose what?
Choose Kit if you're:
- A startup with 5-50 people hiring your first 10 employees
- Tired of enterprise software requiring manuals
- Looking for AI-native tooling (MCP built-in)
- Want everything included (scheduling, magic links)
- Prefer simplicity over extreme customization
Choose Ashby if you're:
- High-growth company (100+ employees) with recruiting ops
- Need advanced analytics and custom report building
- Require 200+ integrations (HRIS, assessments, background checks)
- Want CRM for proactive sourcing with email sequences
- Have complex scheduling needs (Super Days, multi-day loops)
- Need SOC 1 Type 2 compliance for enterprise sales
What makes Ashby special
Ashby is famous for three things: visual operations, deep analytics, and scheduling automation.
Visual Pipeline Operations
Unlike list-based ATS views, Ashby's visual boards make bottlenecks obvious at a glance. Drag a candidate between stages and workflows trigger automatically. Recruiting ops teams love this because pipeline health is instantly visible.
Why this matters: When you're managing 50+ active roles, visual clarity prevents candidates from slipping through cracks.
Custom Report Builder
Ashby's report builder rivals Tableau. You can slice data by any dimension, create calculated fields, and drill down into any chart. It's not pre-canned reports—it's exploratory analysis for recruiting data.
Why this matters: Board meetings and exec reviews need custom metrics. Ashby lets recruiting leaders answer 'Why?' questions, not just 'What?' questions.
Chrome Extension + CRM Workflow
Browse LinkedIn, click the extension, and the profile flows into Ashby instantly—with duplicate checking showing if you've already contacted them. Pair this with email sequences that send from your CEO's address (SOBO) for higher reply rates.
Why this matters: Passive candidate sourcing is the bottleneck for senior roles. Ashby turns hours of copy-paste into seconds.
What Kit does well
Four areas where Kit's startup focus makes a difference.
AI-Native with MCP
Built from day one for AI assistants (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini). Model Context Protocol integration isn't bolted on—it's foundational.
Your AI can manage your entire hiring pipeline through natural conversation. No copy-pasting between tools.
Zero-Friction Candidate Experience
Magic links eliminate account creation. Candidates click once and they're in. No passwords, no friction.
3x higher completion rates. Candidates actually finish what they start.
Scheduling Built-In
Interview scheduling is included, not an add-on. No Calendly or ModernLoop subscription needed.
Everything in one place. AI knows your calendar. Candidates book through their portal.
Role-Specific Workflows
GitHub repos for devs, portfolio reviews for designers, video recordings for remote roles. Each role gets the right evaluation.
Candidates aren't forced through generic forms. They show their work the way they actually work.
What Kit doesn't have
We're transparent about where Ashby has capabilities Kit lacks.
200+ Integrations
Ashby integrates with every HRIS (Workday, BambooHR, Rippling), assessment tool (CodeSignal, HackerRank), and background check provider. Kit has ~5 integrations.
Will we add this? Maybe. We're focusing on core workflows first, not chasing integration counts.
Advanced CRM & Sourcing
Ashby has a Chrome extension for LinkedIn, automated email sequences, and deep talent pool management. Kit has basic talent pool and resume extraction.
Will we add this? Partially. We'll add sourcing features but won't replicate Ashby's full CRM depth.
Custom Report Builder
Ashby lets you build SQL-like queries for any metric. Kit has pre-built analytics dashboards.
Will we add this? Unlikely. Pre-built analytics cover 90% of startup needs. Building a BI tool isn't our focus.
Complex Scheduling Automation
Ashby handles Super Days, multi-day interview loops, and load balancing across interviewer pools. Kit handles basic scheduling and calendar sync.
Will we add this? Partially. We'll improve scheduling but won't match Ashby's enterprise-level complexity.
SOC 1 Type 2 Compliance
Ashby has both SOC 1 Type 2 (financial reporting) and SOC 2 Type 2. Kit has SOC 2 Type 2 only.
Will we add this? If customers need it. SOC 1 is rare for startups but critical for selling to Fortune 500 companies.
Philosophy differences
These tools reflect different worldviews about how hiring should work.
Kit: Unified simplicity
One interface, AI-first, battle-tested templates, built for occasional hiring. We believe startups don't need an 'operating system'—they need a tool that works out of the box. You're hiring 5-10 people a year, not 500. The software should reflect that reality.
Ashby: Configurable operating system
Replace entire recruiting stack, custom workflows, enterprise compliance, built for recruiting ops teams. Ashby believes that high-growth companies need extreme flexibility to handle scale. If you're hiring 100+ people a year, that configurability pays off.
Pricing reality check
Kit
$6-12/seat/month
Starter: $6/seat | Growth: $12/seat
- Everything included
- Unlimited applications
- Scheduling built-in
- AI integration
- Magic links
Ashby
~$400/month Foundations, seat-based Plus/Enterprise (pricing not public)
- Foundations: $400/month base
- Plus/Enterprise: Elevated seats
- Per-seat pricing for hiring managers
- Advanced analytics
- 200+ integrations
If you're replacing Ashby + CRM + Scheduler, Ashby might be cost-neutral. If you just need an ATS, Kit is significantly cheaper.
Switching from Ashby?
You'll love Kit if:
- Overwhelmed by Ashby's complexity, use <20% of features
- Smaller team that grew out of startup plan
- Want AI integration that actually works
Stay with Ashby if:
- Rely on Chrome extension for sourcing
- Need custom reports and dashboards
- Have 200+ hires per year, need recruiting ops depth
Data portability: Ashby has excellent export. Kit imports CSVs. Switch takes 1-2 weeks, not months.
Try Kit free for 14 days.
No credit card required. If it's not the right fit, that's okay—at least you'll know.
Still not sure? Email us at [email protected] and we'll help you decide.