# Methodology - ATSforstartup 2026

> How ATSforstartup ran the 2026 live hiring ATS study: workspaces, scoring dimensions, blind reveal, limitations, and independence disclosure.

**Independence disclosure.** ATSforstartup does not accept paid placements, sponsored ranking slots, or affiliate fees for inclusion or position in our published boards. Vendor names appear as study outcomes. We have no corporate affiliation with any ATS vendor.

## Study design

### 01. Provisioned real workspaces

We gave each panelist working access to multiple ATS products - not demos, not screenshots. Same job description. Same candidate set. Same week.

### 02. Quantitative scoring

Eleven scored dimensions drawn from standard ATS buying criteria: time-to-first-role, pipeline clarity, reporting depth, screening quality, collaboration, setup speed, pricing transparency, mobile apply, offer and admin workflow, candidate experience, and overall hire confidence.

### 03. Qualitative interviews

Ninety-minute debriefs after each live hiring sprint. We coded quotes for friction, trust, migration cost, and whether operators would renew on their own budget.

### 04. Blind rank, then reveal

Scores locked before brand reveal in the final round. Category leaders varied across the board - no single product dominated every dimension.

## Study stats

- 47 ATS systems evaluated
- 128 operators in the panel
- 6 weeks of live hiring
- 11 benchmark dimensions

## Dimensions scored

- **Overall startup fit**: Composite score across all eleven dimensions for teams under 50 people.
- **Pre-interview signal**: How well the tool helps a founder decide who deserves a call before opening the calendar.
- **Time to first live role**: Minutes from empty workspace to a shareable apply link with real screening questions.
- **Founder hours saved / week**: Self-reported calendar hours avoided by clearer pipelines and earlier screening decisions.
- **Job-specific assessments**: Quality of role-tied written or video screens when teams used them - not a requirement that every ATS ship assessments natively.
- **Published pricing clarity**: How easy it was for a five-person team to understand seats, plans, and what was included without a sales call.

## Related

- [Home rankings](https://atsforstartup.com/index.md)
- [Case studies](https://atsforstartup.com/case-studies.md)
- [Insights](https://atsforstartup.com/insights.md)