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Recruiting technology

The complete guide to Lever ATS

Let’s dive in—with some honesty—into what Lever gets right, what it doesn’t, and how it stacks up in today’s hiring landscape.
February 8, 2026
Table of contents

    The TL;DR

    Lever positions itself as a hybrid ATS+CRM built for mid-sized teams, excelling at nurturing passive candidates and maintaining long-term talent pipelines—not just processing applicants.
    Its standout value is day-to-day hiring execution: easy-to-tweak workflows, clean collaboration (shared scorecards/feedback), and practical metrics like speed-to-hire and diversity tracking, even if analytics aren’t best-in-class.
    The trade-offs are real: premium, non-transparent pricing; limited flexibility in templates/reports; potential slowdowns in high-volume scenarios; and integration gaps—making it a risky fit for budget-strapped, highly customized, or heavy-throughput hiring orgs.

    Recruitment is hard. You’re juggling deadlines, budget constraints, and the never-ending quest to find the perfect candidate.

    Lever ATS wants to be your lifeline, promising to simplify everything from employment application forms to nurturing candidates over the long haul.

    Does it deliver? Let’s dive in—with some honesty—into what Lever gets right, what it doesn’t, and how it stacks up in today’s hiring landscape.

    What is Lever ATS?

    Lever is more than a traditional ATS. It’s a hybrid—part ATS, part CRM (candidate relationship management).

    If you're someone who likes keeping tabs on potential hires long before they're ready to apply, this tool is worth considering.

    It’s designed to track candidates from first interaction to onboarding, offering workflows that fit both active and passive recruitment strategies. It's not quite small business hiring software and is build with mid-sized businesses in mind.

    Why teams look at Lever

    Lever’s a bit like a Swiss Army knife for hiring. It’s flexible, powerful, and comes with a lot of digital recruitment tools, though not every feature will fit your team perfectly.

    If you’re focused on long-term talent pipelines or diversity metrics, Lever shines. But—and there’s always a but—it’s not perfect.

    Use cases worth mentioning:

    1. Scaling hiring for rapidly growing teams
    2. Building and nurturing long-term candidate relationships
    3. Tracking diversity efforts without extra spreadsheets

    What makes Lever stand out

    Lever’s CRM-like features mean you can keep tabs on passive candidates who aren’t job hunting yet. Maybe you met someone at a conference, loved their energy, but didn’t have an opening. Lever helps you stay connected so you can circle back when the timing’s right. Customers also mention:

    Custom workflows without headaches:

    Tailoring your hiring process is straightforward here. You can tweak stages to match how your team works without needing an IT degree.

    Collaboration that’s not clunky

    Hiring is a team sport, and Lever’s shared scorecards and feedback tools make it easier for everyone to stay on the same page (literally).

    Metrics that matter

    From speed-to-hire to diversity tracking, Lever provides insights to help you tweak your strategy. It’s not the most in-depth analytics tool out there, but it’ll cover most of your bases.

    Lever pricing

    Lever does not share pricing publicly on its website. Based on user reports across review platforms, it's positioned as a premium option that may be a stretch for smaller teams with tight budgets.

    Where Lever stumbles

    Let’s not sugarcoat things. Lever has a few areas where it falls short:

    Price tags that sting

    Lever isn’t cheap, and for smaller teams, it might feel like a stretch.

    Limited customizations

    While workflows are flexible, templates and reports don’t offer as much wiggle room.

    Performance under pressurse

    When handling massive volumes of candidates, some users report slower performance.

    Integration gaps

    Lever works with many tools, but not all. If you’re using niche or legacy platforms, double-check compatibility.

    How to get the most out of Lever

    Here are some tips from existing customers.

    Treat it like a CRM

    Segment your candidates. Keep those pipelines warm with personalized check-ins. Lever’s strongest suit is helping you stay in touch over the long haul, so use it.

    Watch your metrics

    Lever’s data can reveal bottlenecks and show where your sourcing efforts are paying off. Keep an eye on diversity metrics to ensure your hiring stays inclusive.

    Lean on the team tools

    Encourage hiring managers to use scorecards and feedback options. Decisions get clearer when everyone’s input is in one place.

    Monitor performance

    If you’re scaling fast, keep tabs on how Lever handles the load. Regularly audit its performance to ensure it keeps up.

    Burning questions about Lever

    Is it small-business friendly?

    It depends. If you value CRM features, it’s a great fit. If you’re on a tight budget, the cost could be a sticking point.

    How does it help with diversity?

    Lever’s analytics let you track metrics throughout the hiring process. It’s a solid start for teams focused on building inclusive pipelines.

    Can it play nice with other tools?

    Mostly. Lever integrates with many popular platforms, but not all. Double-check if your current systems are supported.

    Wrapping it up

    Lever ATS is a solid option for teams that value relationship-driven recruitment and need an intuitive platform to manage their hiring process. Its strengths lie in CRM capabilities, flexible workflows, and basic analytics.

    That said, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Budget constraints, high-volume hiring needs, or advanced customization requirements might push you to explore other options.

    Know your team’s priorities, test the tool, and make sure Lever fits your hiring playbook before diving in.

    Other ATS reviews

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    Rachel Hubbard
    Rachel is a senior people and operations leader who drives change through strategic HR, inclusive hiring, and conflict resolution.
    Author
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