10 Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Retail Brands in 2025

About 99% of all Fortune 500 companies depend on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) for hiring. Many report reducing their hiring time by 60%.

With the right system, retail recruiters can sort resumes in minutes, collaborate efficiently with store managers, and identify the best-fit candidates.

In this guide, we’ve researched, reviewed, and ranked the 10 best Applicant Tracking Systems for retail brands in the US in 2025. Plus, we shared best practices for ATSs to maximize results and insights to help you choose the right platform for your business.

Top 10 Applicant Tracking Systems for Retail

We researched the hiring needs of retail brands in the US. Then, we reviewed and ranked the top 10 ATS solutions. These solutions manage high-volume applications and seasonal demands. Each solution includes features, pros, and cons.

1. Skima AI

Skima AI is a retail-focused AI applicant tracking system designed for high-volume and faster hiring. Its secure AI models streamline job posting, resume parsing, AI-powered search, candidate matching, outreach automation, and more. It helps retail recruiters fill roles quickly.

You can also integrate Skima AI seamlessly with existing ATS, HR, and workforce management systems. This makes it one of the most effective applicant tracking systems for retail.

You can explore the platform with a 14-day free trial without a credit card.

Skima AI Features

Automatically Extracts and Organizes Data from Resumes
Applicant Tracking and Candidate Pipeline Management
Resume Tagging Capabilities
AI Search Algorithm Trained on Millions of Resumes
AI Chat-Based Search with AI Candidate Matching
Skill Evidence Detection
Secure in-house AI models with No External APIs
Integrates with Existing ATS and HR Software Seamlessly
On-premises Deployment Option
Enterprise-Grade Security and Compliance

Pros of Skima AI

AI Search Engine: Skima AI features an AI search that helps recruiters find top candidates. It scans thousands of profiles and shows the best matches in seconds, complete with AI scores and explanations.
AI-Driven Matching: Skima AI uses deep learning to quickly match the best candidates to your job description. This streamlines screening, making it easy, fast, and effective, which reduces time-to-hire.
Automation Capabilities: It automates job posting, resume parsing, screening, interview scheduling, and candidate outreach. This frees up recruiters to focus on strategic decisions.
Seamless Integration: Skima AI easily integrates with existing ATS systems, making recruitment smoother. It also connects with payroll and HR systems, providing a hassle-free experience.
Reliable Customer Support: Several users have praised Skima AI’s support team for being quick and helpful. This enhances their overall experience with the platform.

Cons of Skima AI

Initial Learning Curve: Although the system is effective, recruiters may need a short period to adjust to the advanced AI hiring features. However, training and demo sessions are available to help with the transition.

2. Workday Recruiting

Workday Recruiting is an advanced ATS within the Workday HCM platform. This is designed for multi-location and high-volume hiring. It offers a strong solution for big retail brands in the US.

Additionally, it streamlines everything from job postings to compliance management while integrating seamlessly with HR, payroll, and onboarding systems. For retailers managing frequent seasonal surges across hundreds of stores, Workday provides both scalability and compliance confidence.

Workday Recruiting Features

Centralized job requisition creation, approval, and posting across multiple job boards.
AI-powered candidate matching, skill recommendations, and automated workflows.
Branded career pages with mobile-optimized candidate experiences.
Interview scheduling, collaborative feedback tools, and offer management.
Advanced analytics on time-to-hire, sourcing performance, and diversity.
Built-in compliance and audit features (EEO, OFCCP, data privacy)
can equal or exceed the first-year license, making it a heavy investment for enterprise-scale retailers.

Pros of Workday Recruiting

Enterprise-Scale Hiring: Workday Recruiting scales effortlessly for multi-location and seasonal retail hiring, making it ideal for large U.S. retailers.
Seamless HR Integration: Fully integrated with HR, payroll, and workforce management systems, ensuring smooth data flow across operations.
Advanced Analytics: Provides in-depth reporting on time-to-hire, sourcing performance, and diversity, helping retail brands make data-driven decisions.
Branded Candidate Experience: Offers branded, mobile-friendly portals that enhance candidate engagement and reflect a retailer’s brand identity.
Compliance Management: Built-in tools for EEO, OFCCP, and data privacy help retailers stay compliant while hiring at scale.
Centralized Recruiting Operations: Consolidates requisitions, candidate pipelines, and hiring workflows into one system, reducing inefficiencies for large retail teams.

Cons of Workday Recruiting

High Cost: Premium pricing and contracts starting at $250,000+ make it less practical for mid-sized retailers.
Complex Implementation: Lengthy setup and a steep learning curve can delay deployment compared to lightweight ATS options.
Extra Costs for Features: Some capabilities, like SMS campaigns, require additional investment.
Less Intuitive Interface: The user interface feels outdated compared to modern, standalone ATS tools.
Slow Upgrades: Retail users report that updates and new feature rollouts can be slower compared to newer ATS competitors.
Resource Intensive: Requires significant IT involvement and internal resources for deployment and ongoing maintenance, which smaller retail HR teams may struggle with.

3. iCIMS Recruiting

iCIMS is a top-tier applicant tracking system (ATS). It helps retail brands handle both high-volume and specialized hiring.

With AI-powered automation and candidate experience tools, it streamlines job postings, resume screening, candidate engagement, onboarding, and analytics, making it suitable for mid-sized to large U.S. retail organizations.

iCIMS Features

Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Candidate Experience Management (CXM)
Career Site Builder
Onboarding & Digital Assistant
Video Interviewing
AI-Powered Hiring Tools
Text Engagement
Integrations

Pros of iCIMS

Comprehensive Recruitment Suite: Combines ATS, CXM, onboarding, and career site management in one platform, reducing the need for multiple tools.
Customizable Workflows: Enable branded career sites and flexible automation to meet retail-specific hiring needs.
Advanced Analytics: Real-time insights into time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, and candidate engagement for data-driven decisions.
Seamless Integrations: Connects with numerous third-party HR and communication tools for smooth operations.
Enhanced Candidate Experience: Branded, mobile-friendly portals with AI job recommendations improve engagement.
Global Reach: Supports SMS, social media, and multilingual outreach to attract diverse talent.

Cons of iCIMS

Non-Transparent Pricing: Costs are undisclosed, making budgeting difficult for smaller retailers.
Outdated User Interface: Some users find the platform less intuitive compared to modern ATS tools.
Complex Navigation: AI tools and automation require learning and may slow adoption for new users.
High Complexity: Best suited for mid-to-large enterprises; smaller retailers may find it over-engineered.
Limited Advanced AI Features: Lacks AI-powered resume parsing and automated campaigns available in newer ATS like Skima AI.
Implementation Demands: Setup and configuration require significant IT and HR resources.

4. Jobvite

Jobvite is a cloud-based recruitment platform. It helps mid-sized to large businesses streamline hiring. It combines a powerful applicant tracking system (ATS) with recruitment marketing, onboarding tools, and smart analytics.

This integration helps manage each stage of the hiring process effectively. Its tools are designed for high-volume recruiting. They improve candidate engagement and provide useful insights.

Jobvite Features

Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Recruitment Automation
High Volume Hiring
Career Page Hosting
Recruitment Marketing & CRM
Onboarding Assistance
AI-Powered Candidate Matching
Text & Multi-Channel Engagement
Reporting & Analytics
Integrations with HR Tools, Job Boards & AI Platforms

Pros of Jobvite

AI-Powered Candidate Matching: Matches candidates to job postings using AI, reducing manual screening time.
Advanced DE&I Features: Supports bias-free recruitment and promotes workplace diversity.
Job Broadcasting Tools: Enables posting to multiple job boards simultaneously.
Automated Workflows: Streamlines resume screening, interview scheduling, and follow-ups.
Integration with HR Tools: Connects with payroll, HRIS, and performance systems for seamless data flow.
Mobile-Friendly Interface: Recruiters can manage hiring anytime, anywhere.
Customizable Reports: Provides insights on hiring trends, applicant sources, and recruitment performance.

Cons of Jobvite

Pricing isn’t Transparent: Requires contacting sales for a quote; difficult to compare upfront.
No Free Trial: Businesses cannot test the platform before committing.
Steep Learning Curve: Feature-rich UI may require training for new users.
Limited Flexibility for Smaller Businesses: Customization options are more suited to mid-to-large enterprises.
Advanced Features Cost Extra: Some AI tools and integrations are not included in base plans.

5. BambooHR

BambooHR is an all-in-one HR and applicant tracking system (ATS). It’s built for small to medium-sized businesses. It streamlines recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and employee data management on one platform.

Also, it makes hiring easy with its ATS. It automates workflows and offers self-service portals for employees. Its reporting and analytics tools give insights into key HR metrics,

BambooHR Features

Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Onboarding & Offboarding
HR Data & Reporting
Payroll & Time Tracking
Employee Database & Self-Service
AI Assistant

Pros of BambooHR

Automated HR Workflows: BambooHR automates recruitment, onboarding, and HR tasks, saving time and reducing manual effort.
Centralized Employee Database: Stores all employee and candidate information in one place for easy access and management.
Customizable Performance Management: Enables managers to track goals, feedback, and evaluations effectively.
Mobile Accessibility: BambooHR’s mobile app allows HR teams to manage tasks anytime, anywhere.
Wide Integrations: Connects with 125+ apps, including Slack, Checkr, and Indeed, for seamless HR and recruitment operations.

Cons of BambooHR

Extra Costs for Advanced Features: Some functionalities, like enhanced reporting or automation tools, may incur additional fees.
Limited Benefits Administration: Benefits management is still developing and may require supplemental solutions.
Lacks Advanced AI for Recruiting: The ATS doesn’t offer AI-driven resume parsing or intelligent candidate matching, limiting high-volume hiring efficiency.

6. SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruiters is an AI-powered recruiting platform designed for high-volume enterprise hiring. It combines applicant tracking, recruitment marketing, onboarding, and analytics to streamline the entire hiring process.

It also automates candidate screening, scheduling, and communications, creating a seamless process. Plus, its Real-time dashboards provide insights into key metrics.

SmartRecruiters Features

AI-Powered Hiring Assistant
Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Candidate Relationship Management (CRM)
Dynamic Scheduling
Integration Ecosystem
Mobile Accessibility

Pros of SmartRecruiters

Scalable High-Volume Hiring: SmartRecruiters handles large seasonal and multi-location recruitment efficiently, ideal for retail brands.
Enhanced Candidate Experience: Mobile-friendly interface and transparent application updates improve engagement and satisfaction.
Automation of Recruitment Tasks: AI-driven screening, scheduling, and communication reduce manual administrative work.
Seamless Integrations: Connects with HRIS, background checks, assessments, and other third-party tools for smooth workflows.
Advanced Analytics: Real-time dashboards track diversity, sourcing ROI, and overall hiring efficiency.
Collaborative Hiring: Teams can share feedback, rate candidates, and make hiring decisions together.

Cons of SmartRecruiters

Limited Customization: Workflow, reporting, and job ad templates have some restrictions for brands with unique processes.
Integration Challenges: Connecting with certain third-party systems can be complex for some users.
Learning Curve: The breadth of features may require training for users unfamiliar with modern ATS tools.
Reporting Limitations: Exporting data and creating custom reports can be less intuitive compared to competitors.

7. Greenhouse

Greenhouse is an ATS and hiring platform that helps retail brands streamline recruitment. It offers features like applicant tracking, CRM, talent rediscovery, and job advertising tools.

Greenhouse automates workflows and team collaboration, helping your hiring team stay in sync. Its reporting tools provide insights into key metrics such as time-to-hire and candidate sources.

Greenhouse Features

Talent Sourcing
Scalable Workflows
Candidate Experience
Interviewing & Decision-Making
Bulk Outreach Campaigns

Pros of Greenhouse

Great Collaboration Tools: Teams can leave detailed notes, rate candidates, and schedule interviews easily, reducing back-and-forth emails.
Powerful Analytics: Provides insights on time-to-hire, sourcing effectiveness, and the best-performing job boards.
Diversity Focus: Anonymized resumes and diversity tracking support fair hiring and inclusion goals.
Seamless Integrations: Works with over 500 tools, including Slack, LinkedIn, BambooHR, and Workday.
User-Friendly Design: Modern layout makes posting jobs and tracking candidates simple, even for non-technical users.

Cons of Greenhouse

Limited Automation: Lacks advanced AI-driven automation like resume parsing and candidate matching, increasing manual work.
Restricted Customization: Pipeline stages and workflows can feel rigid compared to more flexible ATS platforms.
High Cost for Small Teams: Pricing is high for startups and small businesses.
Slow Customer Support: Some users report delayed responses, especially for smaller clients.
Complex Setup: Initial implementation can be resource-intensive for smaller HR teams.

8. Lever

Lever is a talent acquisition platform. It helps retail brands attract, engage, and hire the best candidates. It provides applicant tracking, AI analytics, recruitment automation, and customizable workflows. These tools enhance teamwork and make hiring easier.

Lever also centralizes candidate data, supports high-volume hiring, and integrates with major HR systems.

Lever Features

Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
AI Interview Intelligence
Recruitment Analytics
Recruitment Automation
High-Volume Hiring

Pros of Lever

Automated Communication Tools: Send timely outreach via pre-built templates, leading to a significant decrease in the administrative workload for teams.
User-Friendly Interface: A clean, intuitive design enhances user experience, leading to greater adoption rates among candidates and hiring teams alike.
Candidate Scheduling & Management Automation: Streamlines interview scheduling and applicant management, ensuring a smoother experience for all involved.
DEI Tools & Dashboards: These resources monitor diversity metrics and promote fair, inclusive hiring practices.
Advanced Candidate Filtering: Helps managers find ideal candidates efficiently with customizable criteria tailored to specific job requirements.

Cons of Lever

Limited Onboarding: Requires a third-party HRIS for more advanced onboarding and employee training processes, limiting the platform's built-in capabilities.
Expensive API Fees: Integrating multiple systems can incur significant costs, creating budget constraints for organizations.
Integration Challenges: Some users have experienced difficulties when attempting to link Lever with various external HR tools, leading to inefficiencies.
Limited Customization & Scalability: The platform may not adequately accommodate the diverse needs of large enterprises dealing with complex hiring workflows.

9. Bullhorn

Bullhorn is a cloud-based ATS and CRM platform designed to streamline recruitment for retail brands. It offers applicant tracking, resume parsing, candidate management, onboarding tools, and advanced reporting to optimize hiring workflows.

Plus, its Customizable dashboards, mobile accessibility, and centralized data management help teams manage candidates and client relationships effectively.

Bullhorn Features

Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Candidate Sourcing & Management
Reporting & Analytics
Customizable Workflows
Mobile Accessibility
Onboarding Automation

Pros of Bullhorn

User-Friendly Interface: The intuitive design enables recruiters to navigate seamlessly, enhancing their overall productivity.
Customizability: Tailor workflows, dashboards, and integrations to align perfectly with specific business requirements.
Mobile Accessibility: Manage candidates and recruitment tasks from anywhere, ensuring flexibility in their operations.
Efficient Applicant Tracking: Centralized data and reporting simplify pipeline management, making it easier to make informed decisions.
Comprehensive Database Management: Integrates candidate and client data from multiple sources. creating a unified and easily accessible database for users

Cons of Bullhorn

High Cost: The pricing can be quite high, especially challenging for small businesses or startups with limited budgets.
Learning Curve: Extensive features and customization options may require comprehensive training.
Customer Support: Some users report slow response times and inconsistent support. leading to frustration.
Integration Challenges: Difficulties with some third-party integrations can affect workflows.
System Downtime: Users have reported occasional outages, which can significantly impact overall productivity and workflow continuity.Cons of Bullhorn

10. Pinpoint

Pinpoint is a cloud-based ATS designed for organizations with complex, multi-location hiring needs, and its analytics and reporting tools deliver insights into key metrics, such as time-to-hire, source effectiveness, and recruiter activity.

Plus, it helps retail HR teams streamline workflows, enhance candidate experience, and maintain brand consistency across stores and corporate offices.

Pinpoint Features

Branded Career Sites
Job Requisition & Position Management
Candidate Relationship Management (CRM)
Team Collaboration Tools
Advanced Analytics & Reporting
Automation & AI Workflows
Mobile Accessibility.

Pros Of Pinpoint

User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design makes it easy for retail recruiters and store managers to adapt with minimal training.
Scalable for High-Volume Hiring: Handles large-scale recruitment across multiple retail locations efficiently.
Enhanced Candidate Experience: Branded, mobile-friendly career sites and transparent communication improve candidate engagement.
Customization Options: Flexible workflows, templates, and sites tailored to retail employer branding.
Strong Collaboration: Enables seamless communication across stores, district leaders, and central HR teams.

Cons of Pinpoint

Reporting Limitations: Custom reporting and data exports are less intuitive compared to enterprise platforms.
Candidate Communication Tracking: Lacks a clear overview of correspondence without opening individual profiles.
Integration Depth: Some integrations may require extra configuration or lack full functionality.
Onboarding Module: Functional but less robust than specialized onboarding solutions.
Advanced Automation: Automation is solid but less sophisticated than AI-first competitors.
Might Be Excessive for Small Retailers: Best suited for mid-to-large chains, not small businesses with minimal hiring needs.

Once you’ve identified the right ATS platforms for retail, the next step is learning the best practices to achieve real hiring success.

Applicant Tracking System Best Practices for Retail Recruiters

Retail recruitment often involves hiring challenges like high-volume applications, which makes efficiency and consistency critical. An ATS can bring structure to this process, but the real value comes from how recruiters use it day to day.

Here are the 7 best practices that retail recruiters find most impactful:

1. Keep Your Pipeline Clean

An ATS is only as strong as its data. Archive outdated job postings, merge duplicate profiles, and clean up old candidate records. For retail, this avoids confusion during peak hiring seasons and ensures accurate reporting across all stores.

2. Define Role Scorecards Before Sourcing

Retail roles vary from sales associates to warehouse staff. Building scorecards with must-haves, nice-to-haves, and dealbreakers ensures consistent evaluations across locations and shifts, reducing bias and improving fit.

3. Standardize Interviews

Structured interviews, where every candidate answers the same questions with clear rubrics, are proven to improve the quality of hire. Embedding these templates into your ATS keeps store managers aligned and ensures fair hiring.

4. Simplify the Application Process

Retail applicants often apply via mobile while on the go. Long applications lead to high drop-off rates. Keep applications short, mobile-friendly, and no forced account creation to reduce drop-offs and increase completed submissions.

5. Set SLAs to Stay Competitive

Set clear service-level agreements with your HM. For example, review resumes within 24 hours, schedule interviews within 48 hours. This keeps you ahead in competitive labor markets where top candidates accept offers quickly.

6. Automate Admin Where It Counts

Use automation for interview reminders, rejection emails, and offer updates. In the retail industry, candidates apply in bulk; timely communication shows professionalism while saving recruiters hours of manual work.

7. Track the Entire Funnel

Measure every step of applications, interviews, offers, and hires across each store or region. Breaking data down by role or location helps spot bottlenecks and optimize hiring campaigns for seasonal or high-volume needs.

After learning the best practices, the next challenge is making sure you choose an ATS that aligns with your retail hiring goals.

How to Choose the Best ATS for Retail Brands

Retail hiring is challenging; brands often need to recruit at scale and fill frontline roles quickly. Selecting the right ATS can help to attract talent efficiently.

To help you, we have made a research-backed guide of the best applicant tracking software for recruiters. Below are 5 practical and detailed steps to find the ATS that will deliver the best ROI:

1. Define Your Retail Hiring Goals and Budget

Start by clarifying your priorities. Are you looking to reduce turnover in hourly roles, streamline seasonal hiring, or improve collaboration between store managers and HR? Identify which process consumes the most time: resume screening, scheduling, or onboarding.

Once your goals are clear, set a realistic budget. Remember, the ROI of an ATS comes from faster hiring, reduced dependency on staffing agencies, and lower attrition rates. Retailers report significant time savings from using ATS tools.

2. Put Candidate Experience First

Retail candidates often apply on the go, so mobile-first design is non-negotiable. Look for systems that offer one-click apply, mobile-optimized forms, and transparent status updates. A seamless process reduces drop-offs and ensures you don’t lose quality applicants to competitors with simpler applications.

3. Prioritize Automation and Integrations

Retail hiring is high-volume and time-sensitive. Choose an ATS that automates repetitive tasks like resume parsing, interview scheduling, and bulk candidate communications. Platforms like Skima AI help recruiters save up to 25% of their time per role.

and also ensure that it integrates with your existing systems, HRIS, payroll, background checks, and job boards. This keeps your workflows connected and eliminates manual errors.

4. Check Compliance, Security, and Reporting

Retail brands often operate across multiple states, so compliance is critical. Look for features like EEO reporting, audit trails, and certifications like SOC 2 or ISO.

Robust reporting is also important. The ATS should track metrics throughout the entire funnel: applications, interviews, offers, and hires. This helps you identify bottlenecks and enhances efficiency across locations.

5. Test the ATS with Real Retail Roles

Never rely only on a vendor demo. Instead, run a 7–14 day trial with live retail roles, such as store associates or warehouse staff. Test whether it reduces your time-to-hire, improves candidate flow, and makes collaboration easier between store managers and recruiters.

Several ATS platforms offer free trials, making it easier to validate ROI before committing. Skima AI is one of those; you can start a 14-day free trial without even adding a credit card.

Research Methodology

To create this list of the Best ATS Systems, we followed a clear and transparent selection process. Our evaluation combined industry research, market benchmarks, and feedback from retail recruiters and HR leaders who regularly hire on a Large scale.

Here’s how we shortlisted the top ATS platforms for retail hiring:

Adoption and Market Presence: We prioritized ATS platforms widely adopted in the retail industry and proven across multi-location hiring. Retail brands manage many roles in stores, warehouses, and HQ. So, platforms that are popular in high-volume industries score higher.
Core Features and Innovation: Retail hiring requires speed and scalability. We looked at essential features like job board integrations, mobile-first applications, interview scheduling, and onboarding tools. We looked at innovations like AI-powered candidate matching and automation. These tools help retailers manage seasonal and high-turnover hiring more efficiently.
Candidate and Recruiter Experience: For retail, candidate experience is critical; frontline candidates often apply on mobile and expect quick updates. We evaluated platforms on mobile-friendliness, ease of use, branded career sites, and communication tools that enhance both candidate and recruiter workflows.
Data, Reporting, and Compliance: We prioritized ATS systems that provide strong compliance support (EEO, SOC2, GDPR) along with real-time reporting dashboards to help track hiring funnel performance and improve decision-making.
Value for Money: Since retail brands frequently balance tight budgets with high-volume hiring needs, we assessed ROI carefully. Platforms that deliver faster hiring, reduce agency dependence, and improve retention without excessive costs ranked higher on our list.

Summary

For retail brands, an applicant tracking system is no longer optional; it’s essential for staying competitive in an environment. The right ATS can simplify complex workflows, improve the candidate experience for frontline workers, and give hiring managers data-driven insights to make faster decisions. However, not every platform delivers on all fronts, and that is often where recruiters feel the gap.

This is where Skima AI ATS stands out. It combines the reliability of a traditional ATS with advanced AI capabilities tailored for retail hiring. Features like automated outreach campaigns, skill-based matching, resume parsing, and mobile-first applications help retail brands fill roles quickly.

Retailers looking to modernize their hiring can use and experience the AI magic in their ATS with Skima AI's 14-day free trial without the need for a credit card.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is an ATS for retail brands?

An ATS for retail brands is a hiring platform that helps manage high-volume and multi-location recruitment. It centralizes applications, automates workflows, and allows HR teams and managers to evaluate candidates for filling roles.

2. How do ATS systems work in retail?

An ATS collects applications from job boards, career sites, etc., then parses resumes and filters candidates by skills, making it easier for recruiters to shortlist retail staff quickly.

3. Which is the best ATS for retail brands in the US?

The best ATS for retail depends on your hiring volume and budget. Skima AI has AI-powered features like automated outreach, skill-based matching, mobile-first applications, and resume parsing. It’s helps retail employers hire at large scale while saving time and reducing turnover.

4. Why do retail brands use applicant tracking systems?

Retail brands rely on ATS software to manage large applicant pools and keep hiring consistent across locations. Automation speeds up tasks like interview scheduling and candidate communication, and also provides insights into time-to-hire.

5. Can an ATS improve the candidate experience in retail hiring?

Yes. For retail brands, candidate experience is key to attracting frontline talent. An ATS improves the process by offering quick mobile applications, timely updates, and structured workflow.