The best AI tools for recruiters
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Ranked on published features, free-plan limits and beginner ease (checked 14 October 2026). We have not benchmarked these tools hands-on, and commissions don’t affect rankings.
Recruiters spend a lot of time on notes, follow-ups and admin rather than talking to people. AI can take a first pass at that work. Here are beginner-friendly tools, with honest notes on consent, privacy and fairness.
Decide in 30 seconds
- Lots of screening calls → Fireflies
- Share interview moments with managers → tl;dv
- Repetitive admin between apps → Make
- Drafting job ads and outreach → ChatGPT, then QuillBot to tighten
Our top picks
Fireflies.ai
Who it’s for: Recruiters running many screening calls who want transcripts, summaries and action items they can search later.
Worth knowing: Free summaries and storage are limited. Obtain recording consent.
Visit Fireflies.ai ↗ (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission)
tl;dv
Who it’s for: Recruiters who want to send hiring managers a two-minute clip instead of a long summary.
Worth knowing: The free plan limits AI notes to 10 meetings and keeps data for up to 3 months. Sign-up uses a Google or Microsoft work account. Get consent before recording.
Visit tl;dv ↗ (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission)
Make
Who it’s for: Agencies and in-house teams who want new applications, notes and follow-ups to flow between apps automatically.
Worth knowing: There is a learning curve, runs use credits and plans are listed in US dollars. Test every scenario before switching it on.
Visit Make ↗ (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission)
ChatGPT
Who it’s for: Recruiters drafting job descriptions, outreach messages and interview questions.
Worth knowing: Answers can sound confident and still be wrong. Check important facts.
QuillBot
Who it’s for: People polishing job ads and emails so they’re clear and concise.
Worth knowing: Rewriting can change meaning. Review it and follow your school or work rules.
Visit QuillBot ↗ (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission)
Side-by-side comparison
| Fireflies | tl;dv | Make | ChatGPT | QuillBot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main job | Interview notes | Interview video and clips | Admin automation | Drafting | Rewording |
| Free option | Free plan | Free plan | 1,000 credits/month | Free plan | Free plan |
| Watch out for | Consent and data retention | Consent; AI notes cap on free | Test before switching on | Bias and invented details | Meaning drift |
Pricing
| Tool | Free | Entry paid |
|---|---|---|
| Fireflies | Free plan | Pro: US$10/seat/month billed annually |
| tl;dv | Free plan | Pro: €18/seat/month billed annually |
| Make | 1,000 credits/month | Core (priced by credits; check Make’s site) |
| ChatGPT | Free plan | Go: US$8/month; Plus: US$20/month |
| QuillBot | Free plan | Premium: AU$12.49/month billed annually |
Prices checked on 14 October 2026 from official pricing pages (fireflies.ai/pricing, tldv.io/app/pricing (EUR), make.com/en/pricing, chatgpt.com/pricing and quillbot.com/premium (AUD)). Prices are shown as listed, in US dollars (USD), euros (EUR) and Australian dollars (AUD). Australian prices, GST and app-store pricing can differ, and plans change often, so confirm on the provider’s site before you pay.
How to get started
Pick the task that eats most of your week: interview notes, job ads or admin.
Try one free plan on a real but low-stakes task, with candidate consent where recording.
Check every AI output for accuracy, tone and fairness before it reaches a candidate or client.
Agree simple team rules on what candidate data may go into AI tools.
How we chose
We picked tools that save time on common recruiting tasks, have a free option and don’t need technical setup. We used official pricing and feature pages. This is editorial guidance, not a hands-on benchmark.
Interview notes: Fireflies or tl;dv
Fireflies (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission) joins Zoom, Meet and Teams interviews from your calendar and produces a transcript, summary and action items, searchable across all your calls. That helps when you’re comparing candidates weeks later. tl;dv (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission) records the video too, so you can clip the moment a candidate answered a key question and send it to the hiring manager. Both have free plans; tl;dv’s gives AI notes for 10 meetings. See Fireflies vs tl;dv.
Admin automation: Make
Make (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission) connects the apps you already use. A simple first scenario: when a candidate fills in your application form, add a row to a spreadsheet, send them an acknowledgement email and post a message in your team chat. The free plan includes 1,000 credits a month, with scheduled runs at most every 15 minutes. See how to use Make.
Job ads and outreach: ChatGPT and QuillBot
ChatGPT is quick at first drafts of job ads, outreach messages and structured interview questions. Give it the real requirements and ask it to avoid jargon and unnecessary requirements. Then use QuillBot (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission) or your own edit to tighten the wording. Check that nothing invented, such as a benefit or salary, slipped in.
Fairness: keep decisions human
Don’t let AI rank, reject or score candidates on its own. AI can reflect bias in its training data, and Australian anti-discrimination laws still apply to your hiring decisions. Use AI for notes and drafting, and make the judgement yourself using consistent criteria.
Consent and privacy
Tell everyone when a meeting or call is recorded and get their consent. Recording and surveillance laws vary between Australian states and territories, and the Privacy Act may apply to personal information you collect. Check where each tool stores recordings and transcripts, who can access them and how long they’re kept, and delete what you no longer need.
Who these tools aren’t for
- Recruiters who can’t get candidates’ consent to record interviews.
- Teams wanting AI to make or rank hiring decisions automatically.
- Agencies whose client contracts restrict where candidate data may be stored, until they’ve checked each provider.
Our verdict
Use Fireflies or tl;dv for interview notes, Make for admin, and ChatGPT plus QuillBot for job ads and outreach. See also the best AI tools for small business and the best AI meeting note-takers.
Frequently asked questions
What AI tools do recruiters use?
Common choices are AI note-takers like Fireflies or tl;dv for interviews, automation tools like Make for admin, and assistants like ChatGPT for job ads and outreach.
Can I record candidate interviews with AI?
Only with the candidate’s consent. Recording laws vary between Australian states and territories, and privacy obligations may apply.
Is it legal to use AI to screen candidates?
Anti-discrimination laws still apply. Keep decisions human, use consistent criteria and get legal advice for automated screening.
Are there free AI tools for recruiters?
Yes. Fireflies, tl;dv, Make, ChatGPT and QuillBot all have free plans with limits.
Can AI write job ads?
It can draft them quickly. Check every requirement, benefit and salary detail yourself, and remove unnecessary requirements.
Which is better for interviews, Fireflies or tl;dv?
Fireflies for searchable notes across many interviews; tl;dv for sharing video clips with hiring managers.
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Prices are shown as marked: US dollars (US$), euros (€) and Australian dollars (AU$). Australian GST and currency conversion may apply. Confirm the final price at checkout.