Top Echelon — Independent Software Review

Streamline Your Recruiting Process

Compliance Transparency Index

Grade: A — Score: 95/100

Best For

Not Ideal For

Operational Overview

Top Echelon provides a robust technology platform that integrates various recruiting tools into a single, user-friendly interface. This allows recruiters to manage their workflow seamlessly, leveraging advanced features such as applicant tracking, job posting, and candidate management.

The workflow capabilities of Top Echelon are designed to optimize the recruiting process, enabling teams to collaborate effectively. With features like shared candidate databases and customizable workflows, recruiters can streamline their operations and improve communication within their teams.

However, as with any software solution, there are risks associated with implementation and usage. Organizations must ensure proper training and support to mitigate potential challenges, such as user adoption and data management issues.

Pricing Structure

Standard (Annual): $75/user/month (billed annually)

Standard (Monthly): $89/user/month (billed monthly)

Professional (Annual): $89/user/month (billed annually)

Professional (Monthly): $110/user/month (billed monthly)

TE Network Membership: $150/month + $350 one-time startup fee + 6% brokerage on placements

Alternative Consideration

Consider switching to Bullhorn: Bullhorn offers similar features with a focus on CRM capabilities for recruitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Top Echelon compare to Bullhorn for recruiting agencies?

Top Echelon targets small to mid-sized recruiting agencies (1-20 users) with pricing starting at $75/user/month (billed annually), while Bullhorn is built for larger staffing firms and typically costs significantly more with longer contracts. Top Echelon includes a unique split-placement network (TE Network) that Bullhorn does not offer, connecting 1,000+ recruiters for collaborative placements. Bullhorn has deeper enterprise integrations, VMS connectivity, and a larger third-party marketplace. Agencies that need affordable ATS/CRM with split-placement collaboration tend to favor Top Echelon, while firms with 50+ recruiters needing enterprise-grade automation and reporting lean toward Bullhorn.

How does the Top Echelon split-placement network work?

TE Network connects over 1,000 recruiters across 500+ agencies in the US and Canada. A job order recruiter posts an open position to the network, and candidate recruiters with matching talent submit their candidates. When a placement is made, both recruiters split the fee. Top Echelon charges a 6% brokerage fee on completed placements, plus a $150/month membership fee and a one-time $350 startup fee. The network covers industries including IT, healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services. Members collaborate via the platform, phone, and in-person conferences.

Does Top Echelon offer AI features for recruiting?

Yes. The Professional plan ($89/user/month billed annually, $110/month billed monthly) includes Smart-TE AI, which provides candidate matching and AI-assisted features within the ATS. The Professional plan also adds automated sequencing for multi-step candidate outreach, custom application forms, and API access. These AI and automation features are not available on the Standard plan.

Can Top Echelon integrate with Gmail and Outlook?

Top Echelon integrates with both Google Workspace and Microsoft Outlook. Email integration lets you send messages through your Gmail or Outlook servers directly from the ATS, and those emails log as activities in TE Recruit while still appearing in your Sent folder. Calendar sync pushes interview schedules to Google Calendar or Outlook automatically. You can also attach Google Meet or Microsoft Teams links to events created in the ATS. Both Standard and Professional plans include email and calendar integration.

Which job boards does Top Echelon integrate with?

TE Recruit supports one-click posting to Indeed (via Indeed Apply), ZipRecruiter, Monster, Dice, Careerjet, and free job boards. The platform also integrates with dstribute.io for automated multi-board distribution and OFCCP compliance posting. All plans include job board integrations and a careers page. The Professional plan adds a custom domain for the careers page.

Does Top Echelon support GDPR and CCPA compliance?

Both Standard and Professional plans include built-in GDPR and CCPA compliance tools. Candidates can submit data access, deletion, and opt-out requests directly from the agency's job board. The platform provides configurable privacy policy text, consent tracking, and automated data retention policies. Top Echelon notes that these features facilitate compliance but do not guarantee it, and recommends agencies consult the specific GDPR and CCPA guidelines.

Does Top Echelon offer a free trial?

Yes. Top Echelon offers a 30-day free trial of TE Recruit with no credit card required. The trial provides access to the ATS/CRM features so agencies can test resume parsing, pipeline management, job posting, and email integration before committing to a paid plan. TE Network membership is separate and requires a formal application and approval process rather than a self-service trial.

Can internal HR teams use Top Echelon, or is it only for agencies?

Top Echelon is primarily designed for recruiting agencies, staffing firms, and executive search consultants. The platform's core features (split-placement network, recruiter-to-recruiter collaboration, placement tracking with fee management) are built around the agency workflow. Internal HR departments looking for HRIS integration, onboarding workflows, employee management, or multi-country payroll would be better served by platforms like Greenhouse, Lever, or Workday Recruiting. That said, Top Echelon does market TE Recruit to internal recruiters for basic applicant tracking and candidate management.

AI Visibility Report

How AI agents (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, others) read this review page in the past 7 days. Updated weekly. View Top Echelon AI Visibility Report.