Rippling vs. SmartSearch ATS

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Rippling
Score 8.4 out of 10
N/A
Rippling gives businesses one place to run HR, IT, and Finance. It brings together all of the workforce systems that are normally scattered across a company, like payroll, expenses, benefits, and computers. This enables users to manage and automate every part of the employee lifecycle in a single system. For example, when onboarding a new employee, Rippling can take a new hire from anywhere in the world and set up their payroll, corporate card, computer, benefits, and even third-party…
$8
starting price per user, per month
SmartSearch ATS
Score 6.6 out of 10
N/A
SmartSearch is a web-based talent acquisition and staffing management software. Features include job posting to job boards and social media outlets, resume parsing, and automated workflow. SmartSearch advertises robust customer service and implementation assistance.N/A
Pricing
RipplingSmartSearch ATS
Editions & Modules
Recommended
$8.00
starting price per user, per month
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
RipplingSmartSearch ATS
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsFor additional pricing details visit the Rippling pricing page.
More Pricing Information
Features
RipplingSmartSearch ATS
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
Rippling
8.0
550 Ratings
2% above category average
SmartSearch ATS
-
Ratings
Employee demographic data7.9365 Ratings00 Ratings
Employment history8.0383 Ratings00 Ratings
Job profiles and administration8.3443 Ratings00 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.8.3374 Ratings00 Ratings
Organizational charting8.0464 Ratings00 Ratings
Organization and location management8.3394 Ratings00 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)7.3297 Ratings00 Ratings
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Rippling
8.5
594 Ratings
6% above category average
SmartSearch ATS
-
Ratings
Pay calculation8.6515 Ratings00 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment8.2319 Ratings00 Ratings
Benefit plan administration8.8539 Ratings00 Ratings
Direct deposit files9.0521 Ratings00 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management8.5356 Ratings00 Ratings
Reimbursement management8.0295 Ratings00 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
Rippling
8.9
511 Ratings
10% above category average
SmartSearch ATS
-
Ratings
Approval workflow9.1488 Ratings00 Ratings
Balance details9.0448 Ratings00 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment8.7308 Ratings00 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
Rippling
8.8
634 Ratings
8% above category average
SmartSearch ATS
-
Ratings
View and generate pay and benefit information9.2596 Ratings00 Ratings
Update personal information9.3623 Ratings00 Ratings
View company policy documentation8.8498 Ratings00 Ratings
Employee recognition8.2300 Ratings00 Ratings
View job history8.8421 Ratings00 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
Rippling
7.8
231 Ratings
1% above category average
SmartSearch ATS
-
Ratings
Tracking of all physical assets7.8231 Ratings00 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
Rippling
8.2
256 Ratings
8% above category average
SmartSearch ATS
-
Ratings
Report builder8.0249 Ratings00 Ratings
Pre-built reports7.9234 Ratings00 Ratings
Ability to combine HR data with external data8.6199 Ratings00 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
Rippling
8.7
420 Ratings
8% above category average
SmartSearch ATS
-
Ratings
New hire portal8.8412 Ratings00 Ratings
Manager tracking tools8.7293 Ratings00 Ratings
Performance and Goals
Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Product A and Product B
Rippling
8.6
163 Ratings
5% above category average
SmartSearch ATS
-
Ratings
Corporate goal setting8.8138 Ratings00 Ratings
Individual goal setting8.6145 Ratings00 Ratings
Line-of sight-visibility8.2139 Ratings00 Ratings
Performance tracking8.7143 Ratings00 Ratings
Performance Management
Comparison of Performance Management features of Product A and Product B
Rippling
8.6
191 Ratings
8% above category average
SmartSearch ATS
-
Ratings
Performance plans8.3166 Ratings00 Ratings
Performance improvement plans8.3156 Ratings00 Ratings
Review status tracking9.0165 Ratings00 Ratings
Review reminders9.1180 Ratings00 Ratings
Multiple review frequency8.5148 Ratings00 Ratings
Succession Planning
Comparison of Succession Planning features of Product A and Product B
Rippling
9.1
150 Ratings
14% above category average
SmartSearch ATS
-
Ratings
Create succession plans/pools9.0124 Ratings00 Ratings
Candidate ranking9.2131 Ratings00 Ratings
Candidate search9.2137 Ratings00 Ratings
Candidate development9.1128 Ratings00 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
Rippling
8.7
170 Ratings
12% above category average
SmartSearch ATS
3.4
17 Ratings
80% below category average
Job Requisition Management9.2130 Ratings3.017 Ratings
Company Website Posting8.4126 Ratings3.017 Ratings
Publish to Social Media8.8117 Ratings1.013 Ratings
Job Search Site Posting8.8118 Ratings1.017 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention8.2120 Ratings10.016 Ratings
Applicant Tracking8.6125 Ratings3.017 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts8.9154 Ratings5.513 Ratings
Customized Application Form00 Ratings9.016 Ratings
Resume Management00 Ratings1.017 Ratings
Candidate Search00 Ratings3.017 Ratings
Collaboration00 Ratings1.015 Ratings
Task Creation and Delegation00 Ratings1.014 Ratings
Email Templates00 Ratings1.016 Ratings
User Permissions00 Ratings1.016 Ratings
Reporting00 Ratings8.016 Ratings
Best Alternatives
RipplingSmartSearch ATS
Small Businesses
Patriot Software
Patriot Software
Score 9.0 out of 10
Recruit CRM
Recruit CRM
Score 9.5 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.5 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.3 out of 10
Vibe HCM
Vibe HCM
Score 4.4 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
RipplingSmartSearch ATS
Likelihood to Recommend
8.1
(673 ratings)
6.0
(31 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.1
(6 ratings)
3.0
(18 ratings)
Usability
8.4
(670 ratings)
8.2
(10 ratings)
Availability
9.1
(1 ratings)
10.0
(2 ratings)
Performance
9.1
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.1
(603 ratings)
7.4
(8 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.1
(1 ratings)
6.0
(3 ratings)
Product Scalability
9.1
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
RipplingSmartSearch ATS
Likelihood to Recommend
Rippling
We are a very small business (11 employees when we are at "capacity"). Rippling allows us to accommodate all of our employment types (hourly, salary, contract), and makes it easy. There are a few things that I have found that seem to be better suited for a much larger company (e.g. company credit cards, expense reimbursement, etc.), but we just use what we need and what works for us. Rippling has made many aspects of management much easier, and it's interactive and kind of fun.
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Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
I think our environment has stretched SmS and their capabilities (positively) but we have grown together and developed an enormously capable system together that is now very well integrated into our business. For doing applicant tracking, requisition management and offer management that has really been strong. I think we can partner together and build some better analytics and reporting capabilities that would be better suited for our business.
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Pros
Rippling
  • Clean UI - there is no ambiguity about what function each button will perform.
  • Very easy to navigate. It is not difficult to find what is being looked for.
  • Single location for multiple functions. This is great for me as there is one central hub for all professional admin matters. Saving me valuable time that I can better spend on more pressing work matters.
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Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
  • The search functions are outstanding. It is the reason we originally went with SmartSearch many years ago. The ability to do very simple or complex searches gives the recruiting staff great flexibility in how they look for and narrow down candidates.
  • The hire and onboarding traks allow us to create very specific processes we want our staff to follow to insure a consistent and repeatable result. I can create traks that can be very general or traks that literally provide emails and reminders to all of the players (recruiters, managers, candidates, etc...) every step of the way. This is particularly helpful where we have customers who have extremely stringent contractual guidelines that must be followed.
  • Support. Their customer support is second to none. We always joke that they are our favorite vendor to deal with.... Anytime we have an issue or question. They are there to walk us through it. The training is on target and the staff has always been friendly and more than eager to help make us successful with the tool.
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Cons
Rippling
  • The immediate learning curve of working with workflows and recipes
  • Building Reports from scratch can be fairly tedious and time consuming. Not streamlined because of having to drill down click by click.
  • I am still mystified by all of the formulas that can be used to make custom reports. Rippling is robust and it takes a lot to learn what it can really do.
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Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
  • SmartSearch has a steep learning curve if you want to extensively use the features like automated tasks and the report writer
  • Technical support is spotty and sometimes very frustrating, they don't respond for weeks at a time.
  • SmartSearch user interface is old and has far less ability to customize the interface than other tracking systems
  • SmartSearch has virtually no ability to connect directly with other software and allows now other software to connect in - so no Microsoft Flow, no Zapier, no mail parser, etc. and since Smart Search capabilities are limited, not being able to integrate it with other platforms easily is unfortunate.
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Likelihood to Renew
Rippling
Rippling continues to innovate and amaze me with their new innovations and features. Product feedback is taken seriously so I always give it whenever I can and end up seeing results. Rippling is the new wave of HRIS that cannot compare against others in the industry just due to the fact they are super user friendly!
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Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
I believe over the past 30 or so pages (or so it seems), you have every reason for my business to continue as a SmartSearch ATS client and user. The support is off the charts great the few times I need them (generally not even once per year). My business has been a client since 2004. That should say it all.
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Usability
Rippling
Rippling stands out with its dependable, transparent, and intuitive platform for HR management. It simplifies tasks like managing team details, payroll, and benefits, making them straightforward and efficient. This user-friendliness has been a game-changer for companies like Noticed, where it streamlined employee onboarding and Open Enrollment. Their features combine to create a positive and stress-free experience for HR professionals and employees alike. Rippling's focus on user-friendliness makes it a clear choice for companies seeking a streamlined and efficient HR solution.
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Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
There are so many facets of SmartSearch, that to know everything about it is nearly impossible. While it is mainly straight forward, there is a lot. After using the program for a while, you become pretty comfortable with the basics and can start adding some of the other features.
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Reliability and Availability
Rippling
I like that the availability in using Rippling at any given time is useful to me. Getting on the site freely when I need gives me security of knowing that I can be in control of viewing health insurance and hours information. I have yet to get any errors in using the Rippling app.
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Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
My license for SmartSearch goes back to 2004. It has always been available for me - don't remember a single time it was not available in all of those years.
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Performance
Rippling
Rippling's performance has been great, no errors or glitches yet so far. I am confident that Going from one page to the next and all its complexity usage does not lag or times out, it works effectively and efficiently. While using Rippling and other apps it does not tend to slow it down, works great. No complaints.
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Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Rippling
Rippling is always very supportive. I do wish there were tutorials, better support forms, and other features before being asked to reach out to the support email. My interactions with the people at Rippling have always been helpful and positive!
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Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
Once you get the 1 person on the phone they are very knowledgeable and tend to solve the problem. The issue is there are not enough resources to handle all the clients. Their primary clients are "recruiting firms" and I think that is where most of the their support resources go
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Implementation Rating
Rippling
No answers on this topic
Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
Using the basic functions of SmartSearch is an easy implementation. But consider carefully what your organization needs to really drive placements. Because we only did a basic implementation first, we were caught off guard when later trying to implement more functions and realizing that the capabilities were limited or were difficult to learn and implement and realizing that tech support was not going to be consistent.
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Alternatives Considered
Rippling
Proof was much more convoluted and not easy to maneuver. Also all the platforms could not relate to each other and so nothing was streamlined in its approach. Also things seemed to lag and was not very up to date when it needed to be. I feel rippling has simplified their processes
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Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
Functionally, SmartSearch is not on the same page as ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter as a platform is much more geared toward helping applicants and is essentially a glorified resume database. SmartSearch offers so much more in terms of features and abilities, that would not really be appropriate to try and compare the two. Similarly, the overall use of SmartSearch is an apples and oranges comparison to LinkedIn Talent. LinkedIn is great for sourcing and attracting talent, but in terms of tracking candidates all the way through a hiring process and tracking a heavy volume of job orders across a variety of states and locations, the two just don't really compare.
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Scalability
Rippling
I can go on here and see all my hours and pto plus health benefits. I like to have the work handbook handy to refer to legal things. How to work my role within it's limits. Being able to put in my hours and view when they are approved is a huge benefit for me.
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Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Rippling
  • The organization of information increased the business efficiency
  • Employee can search for themselves, leaving HR to do the things they need to be productive
  • Access 24/7 thru mobile app allows employee to function when they have the opportunity leaving the normal work hours for other business.
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Advanced Personnel Systems (SmartSearch)
  • That's easy - they have helped us grown and make more money. The core element of their technology (e.g. the ability to search for, identify and contact candidates is excellent).
  • They are a business partner and do their very best to help us succeed.
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ScreenShots

Rippling Screenshots

Screenshot of Rippling Dashboard: Employees' home for their payroll, benefits, documents, devices, expenses, and apps.Screenshot of Rippling Payroll: Runs payroll in 90 seconds. Pays employees and contractors around the world. Automatic tax filing.Screenshot of Rippling Benefits Administration: Management of employees' Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, FSA, HSA, and commuter benefits.Screenshot of Rippling Single Sign-On: Employees can access all of their SaaS apps in one click from their Rippling dashboard.Screenshot of Rippling’s Time & Attendance platform integrates with the rest of the product suite so that when employees clock in, their approved hours automatically synced with payroll and accounting systems.Screenshot of Rippling Mobile Device Management: To manage employees' computers and devices 100% remotely.