When it comes to choosing a video interview platform, most pricing pages read like a maze. Flat fees, per-interview charges, freemium plans, enterprise-only quotes...it’s hard to compare apples to apples. But if you're a hiring manager trying to balance budget with scale, transparency with power, the stakes are high. And the differences are real.
We analyzed the pricing models of 15 major video interview platforms. Here’s what we learned.
Why pricing models matter more than prices
You can’t just look at sticker price. Some tools price per interview. Others limit usage by number of users, active jobs, or candidates. A few bundle video features into an ATS. And many save their full functionality for enterprise contracts.
The result? Small and mid-sized businesses either overpay for features they don’t need or outgrow cheap plans that force them to upgrade fast.
Truffle’s pricing model: all features, clear tiers, no surprises
Truffle takes a radically simple approach: every plan includes the full feature set: AI-powered interview summaries, integrations with 50+ ATS/HR tools, branded experiences, and flexible question types. You only pay based on usage volume (jobs and interviews), not features or user count.
Here’s how the plans break down:
You can start with a 7-day free trial. No feature gating, no onboarding fees, no opaque pricing calculators. And unlike many competitors, you can estimate your monthly bill in under a minute.
How Truffle compares to other popular platforms
Let’s put it side by side with some major players:
Spark Hire
• $299–$499/month base pricing
• Includes live + one-way interviews
• All plans are unlimited interviews—but annual contracts are required to unlock unlimited jobs and users
• AI assessments only available in top tier
Takeaway: Spark Hire's flat unlimited usage sounds appealing; until you realize you’re locked into higher-tier pricing just to unlock core team collaboration or job management functionality.
HireVue
• Starts around $35,000/year
• Enterprise-only, no self-serve plans
• Strong for Fortune 500s needing scheduling, assessments, and compliance
• Not ideal for SMBs with limited hiring needs
Takeaway: HireVue has great tech, but unless you're managing thousands of hires annually, the ROI doesn’t work.
Willo
• Annual plans start at $187/month
• Charges by number of monthly candidate responses
• Missing deeper AI functionality or enterprise-grade workflows
Takeaway: Affordable for very small teams. But once you're running multiple jobs or need flexible interview volume, the value starts to narrow.
Hireflix
• Flat-fee pricing, all plans include unlimited usage
• Starts at $75/month (billed annually)
• No AI, minimal customization
Takeaway: Excellent simplicity. But lacks advanced screening, analytics, or support for growing teams.
The three traps most pricing models fall into
After reviewing every platform, three patterns emerged:
1. Feature gating to force upgrades
Many platforms only unlock AI features, branding, or team collaboration at higher tiers. Truffle includes all features; even in its Starter plan.
2. Unpredictable usage costs
Jobma, HireVue, and VidCruiter offer custom quotes or pay-per-use pricing that make budgeting hard. Truffle posts transparent per-interview overages so you can project accurately.
3. Annual lock-in required for value
Tools like Spark Hire or Willo heavily discount annual plans but limit usability on monthly ones. Truffle keeps functionality consistent across billing cycles.
Who gets the most value from Truffle?
Truffle is one-way video interview software built specifically for small HR teams and founders at lean businesses who need to quickly build ranked shortlists from high-volume Easy Apply applications without enterprise complexity or budgets.
Small recruiting teams get the most value when they need:
- Transparent pricing at $99-129/month; not $35K+ enterprise solutions with sales processes
- AI candidate summaries and match analysis that help you quickly build ranked shortlists from day one
- Manager-ready insights that busy founders can trust without dedicated recruiting staff
- 10-minute setup with no sales calls, contracts, or hidden enterprise fees
For solo recruiters, operations leads, retail managers, healthcare teams, restaurant owners—anyone managing 50+ applications per role without large hiring teams—Truffle helps you quickly build ranked shortlists while staying cost-effective and stress-free.
Final verdict: what “best pricing” really means
The best pricing model isn’t just cheap, it’s:
1. Transparent
2. Predictable
3. Scalable
4. Feature-complete
5. Fair
Truffle checks all five. And in a market crowded with asterisks, hidden fees, and upgrade nudges, that makes it a rare breed.
