Custom recruitment software development for the layer your ATS doesn't cover
We build client submission portals, timesheet-to-invoice reporting and Bullhorn/JobAdder API work that bolts onto the ATS you already run — not a replacement platform you migrate onto and retrain your desk against.
Most agencies should buy an ATS. We're one of the few builders that says so.
Generic dev shops sell "custom recruitment software" without distinguishing what an agency needs from what an employer's ATS does. They're not the same product. We run a staffing desk ourselves — bill/pay-rate spreads, margin tracking and client submission formatting are workflows we operate weekly, not requirements gathered secondhand.
Agency-side software is not an employer-side ATS
The distinction that determines whether a build will actually fit.
| Employer-side ATS | Agency-side recruitment software | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it serves | One company, hiring for itself | Many concurrent clients, each billed differently |
| Core object | The requisition | The placement — bill rate and pay rate, tracked as a spread |
| Money flow | Not modelled — HR owns comp separately | Margin, timesheets and invoicing are core, not bolted on |
| Candidate lifecycle | Closes when the req is filled | Redeployed across engagements after a placement ends |
| External interfaces | Internal hiring managers | Client submission formats and VMS portals |
What we build
The layer agencies bolt onto Bullhorn, JobAdder, Crelate — or an escape hatch off OpenCATS.
Client submission portals
A branded portal where clients review and approve submittals in their own format — instead of your desk reformatting the same candidate into five spreadsheets a week.
Timesheet-to-invoice & margin reporting
Timesheets that flow straight into invoices, with bill/pay-rate spread and margin visible per placement and per client — reporting most ATS platforms treat as an afterthought.
VMS integrations
Submission and timesheet sync against client vendor management systems (Fieldglass, Beeline and custom portals), so recruiters stop re-keying the same data twice.
Bullhorn / JobAdder / Crelate API work
Custom fields, workflow automation and two-way sync built against the Bullhorn REST API, JobAdder API or Crelate API — extending the platform you already pay for.
OpenCATS migration & escape hatch
A path off a stalled, unpatched OpenCATS instance — migration into a supported platform, or a purpose-built replacement scoped around the data you actually use.
Multi-tenant recruitment CRM builds
For the narrow set of agencies where no off-the-shelf platform fits — a full agency-side build with multi-client billing and redeployment logic from day one.
Why build this with a staffing firm, not a generic dev shop
Chetu, Perception System and Fulminous have never run a recruiting desk. We have.
We operate the workflows we build
Bill/pay-rate spreads, margin tracking and client submission formatting are things our own desk does daily, through our staffing lines — not requirements translated secondhand.
We'll tell you when not to build
We sell contract staffing too, so recommending you stay on Bullhorn or JobAdder costs us nothing — the opposite incentive to a dev shop whose only product is the build.
Fixed-scope discovery before a build starts
Architecture, integration list and estimate agreed before development begins — the same discovery-first process behind every custom software engagement we run.
Built to bolt on, not rip and replace
Bullhorn, JobAdder and Crelate API work extends the platform you already pay for. We're not selling a migration off software that already works.
IP transfers to you at delivery
Code ships into your repositories and ownership transfers under the engagement contract — no vendor lock-in on what you commissioned.
How a build runs
We scope the gap first — including whether it's worth building for at all.
Scope the gap
We map what your ATS already does well against what you're currently patching with spreadsheets or manual work — and tell you honestly if the gap is worth building for.
Architecture & integration plan
API access, data model and integration points (Bullhorn, JobAdder, Crelate, VMS) confirmed before a line of code, alongside a fixed estimate.
Iterative build
Two-week increments against your actual submission formats and rate structures, with a working system you can test against real client data throughout.
Ship & hand over
Production deployment, documentation and a clean handover — or an ongoing support arrangement if you'd rather we keep it running and patched.
What drives the cost
We don't publish a rate card for this work — the range is too wide to be useful. These are the variables that actually move the number.
Integration count
Each ATS, VMS or accounting system you connect to adds discovery, auth handling and ongoing maintenance surface.
Parsing accuracy target
Resume and timesheet parsing that needs to hit a high accuracy bar costs meaningfully more than a best-effort implementation.
Compliance surface
GDPR, SOC 2 or sector-specific credentialing requirements (healthcare, government) add audit trail, access-control and data-residency work.
Multi-tenancy
A single-client tool is a fraction of the cost of a platform built to isolate data across multiple client organisations from day one.
For orientation only: RaftLabs publishes $140k–$230k for an agency-software MVP over 14–18 weeks and $260k–$420k for a full platform, while GoHire puts a complete build past $700k. Those are their numbers, not ours — and they price a whole platform, which is rarely what an agency actually needs. We scope your build against the drivers above before quoting anything.
Related services
If this isn't quite the fit, one of these probably is.
Custom software development
The general track for .NET, React, Java and SAP builds — for work outside the recruitment stack.
Contract staffing
Need developers to build this in-house instead? Screened contractors who start in days.
IT recruitment
Hiring a permanent RevOps or recruitment-ops engineer instead of commissioning a build? Start here.
Frequently asked questions
Should we build custom recruitment software, or just buy Bullhorn, JobAdder or Crelate?
Most agencies should buy. Off-the-shelf platforms cover core sourcing, submittals and reporting for a fraction of what a custom build costs. Building only makes sense for a specific gap those platforms don't model — a bespoke bill/pay-rate structure, a client submission format they can't replicate, or a workflow you're already running manually. If that's you, we'd rather build the missing piece than sell a full platform replacement.
What does a custom recruitment software build cost?
It depends on integration count, parsing accuracy target, compliance surface and whether the build is multi-tenant — we scope those drivers before quoting rather than working off a rate card. For orientation, RaftLabs publishes $140k–$230k for an agency-software MVP and $260k–$420k for a full platform, and GoHire puts a complete build past $700k — their figures, not ours. Those price a whole platform, though. A single bolt-on onto the ATS you already run lands far below that.
How long does a build take?
A single bolt-on — a client portal, a timesheet-to-invoice pipeline, one VMS integration — usually runs 6–10 weeks from discovery to launch. A full multi-tenant CRM is a 4–6 month build. We confirm a real timeline once integrations and compliance surface are scoped.
Can you integrate with Bullhorn, JobAdder or the ATS we already use?
Yes. We build against the Bullhorn REST API, the JobAdder API and Crelate's API directly — custom fields, two-way sync and automation that extends the platform you're already paying for. If you're on OpenCATS, we also handle migration off it.
Who owns the IP once the build ships?
You do. Code is delivered into your repositories and IP ownership transfers to you under the engagement contract — the same terms as our general custom software work.
What happens to maintenance after launch?
Take the handover — documentation and a clean repo — and run it yourself, or keep us on for an ongoing support arrangement covering patches, ATS API changes and hosting.
Do you build full ATS platforms from scratch?
Rarely, and only when the multi-tenant logic genuinely doesn't fit anything on the market. Most engagements are narrower — a bolt-on layer against an ATS you keep running. If a full build is what you need, we'll say so during scoping.
Have a gap your ATS doesn't cover?
Tell us what you're patching with spreadsheets today. We'll scope the gap honestly — including telling you if you should just buy something instead.
Scope a build