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Open-Source Applicant Tracking Systems (2027): Free ATS and Candidate-Screening Tools You Can Self-Host

Open-Source Applicant Tracking Systems: Free ATS and Candidate-Screening Tools You Can Host Yourself

An applicant tracking system (ATS) keeps every job opening, CV, interview and offer in one place, so that no good candidate gets lost in an inbox. Hosted ATS products charge per job or per recruiter and keep your candidates' personal data on their servers. An open-source ATS gives you the code: you can run it on your own server for free, change it, and decide where applicant data lives. This guide compares the open-source applicant tracking systems that are still maintained, with their licences, recruiting features, hosted options and latest releases, checked on each project's official site and GitHub in October and November 2026. The earlier version of this article was framed around a product called RecruMatch Candidate Screener; we could not find any official website or product page for it, so this guide covers open-source ATS and candidate-screening tools in general.
Quick answer: for a dedicated open-source ATS and recruiting CRM, use OpenCATS; for the most complete free recruiting app with interviews, offers and onboarding, use Odoo Recruitment (one app free online, LGPL-3 Community code); for recruiting inside a full open-source HR and payroll suite, use Frappe HR or Horilla; for a simple free HR system with a recruitment module, use OrangeHRM Starter; and if you also want CRM and project management in the same app, look at Ever Gauzy or Dolibarr.
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What an Open-Source ATS Does for a Startup

Every tool below covers the same core loop: you publish a job opening, applications arrive with their CVs, candidates move through stages such as screening, interview and offer, and the team leaves notes and feedback on each person. The differences are in depth: a dedicated ATS such as OpenCATS adds a recruiting CRM for agencies, while HR suites such as Frappe HR, Horilla and OrangeHRM carry the new hire straight into employee records, onboarding, leave and payroll. Open source does not mean zero cost: you pay for a server, backups and the time to update it, and you are the one responsible for protecting applicants' data.

Open-Source Applicant Tracking Systems Compared

ToolBest forLicenceRecruiting featuresHosted option (checked Oct 2026)Latest release
OpenCATSA dedicated ATS for agencies and in-house recruitersMPL-2.0Candidates, jobs, submissions, recruiting CRMSelf-host onlyv0.12.0, October 2026
Odoo RecruitmentFull recruiting flow, from job post to new employeeLGPL-3 (Community)Stage pipeline, interview booking, tests, offersOne app free on Odoo Online, unlimited usersActively updated on GitHub
Frappe HRRecruiting inside an HR and payroll suiteGPL-3.0Requisitions, openings, interviews, feedback, offer lettersManaged cloud or self-hostv16.53.0, October 2026
OrangeHRM StarterA simple free HR system with an ATS moduleGPL-3.0Recruitment (ATS) moduleFree Starter cloud or download5.9, June 2026
HorillaA modern HRMS with recruiting and onboardingLGPL-2.1ATS pipeline views, JD to offerCloud $7 per user per month2.2.0, October 2026
Ever GauzyATS next to CRM, HR and projectsAGPL-3.0 (Community)Candidates, interviewsSelf-host or cloudv111.144.0, October 2026
DolibarrSmall firms already using an open-source ERPGPL-3.0Job positions and applicationsSelf-host24.0.2, October 2026
Sources: each project's official website, pricing page, GitHub licence file and release feed, checked October and November 2026. Self-hosting is free, but you pay for the server and your own time.

The Best Open-Source Applicant Tracking Systems in 2027

1. OpenCATS: a dedicated open-source ATS and recruiting CRM

OpenCATS describes itself as a free, community-maintained applicant tracking system and recruiting CRM for teams that want to manage candidates, jobs, submissions and hiring activity without vendor lock-in. Candidates sit in an organised pipeline with their CVs, notes and status history; jobs are your open requisitions; submissions track who you put forward for which role; and the CRM side keeps companies, contacts and follow-ups, which makes it the best fit here for recruiting agencies and staffing firms. According to its licence file, OpenCATS code is under the Mozilla Public License 2.0, while the original CATS code from around 2007 stays under the CATS Public License 1.1a. You host it yourself, and support comes from the community and the documentation. Sources differ on the newest version: GitHub lists v0.12.0, released in October 2026, while the homepage still named v0.11.1 when we checked.

2. Odoo Recruitment: the most complete free recruiting app

Odoo Recruitment shows every job position on one dashboard and every applicant as a card that you drag from stage to stage, or that moves automatically when an activity is done. Applications arrive with the CV and cover letter attached, each stage can send automatic emails, candidates book their interview online with Google Calendar or Outlook sync, custom tests help you screen candidates, and a hired applicant becomes an employee record that starts onboarding. Odoo's app page says Recruitment is free forever with unlimited users, because the first Odoo app is free, hosting and support included; on the Odoo pricing page (default view, euros) this is the One App Free plan on Odoo Online. If you want to self-host, the Recruitment module in Odoo's Community source code is licensed under LGPL-3. The app page describes Odoo's hosted product, so test the Community version before you rely on a specific feature.

3. Frappe HR: recruiting from job requisition to offer letter

Frappe HR calls itself 100% open-source HR and payroll software, and its code is GPL-3.0. Its recruitment module covers the full chain: managers raise job requisitions, staffing plans set vacancies and estimated costs, job openings are published with an optional salary range and a custom application form, applicants are filtered and assigned, interviews are scheduled with automatic reminders, feedback from several interviewers is summarised as ratings, and offer letters use templates with electronic signatures. After the hire, the same system handles onboarding, leave, attendance, expenses, performance and payroll. You can self-host it or use a managed cloud from Frappe. Version 16.53.0 came out at the end of October 2026.
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4. OrangeHRM Starter: free open-source HR with an ATS module

OrangeHRM Starter is the free, open-source edition of OrangeHRM, released under the GNU GPL version 3 or later. Its page lists HR administration, employee management, leave, time tracking, performance reviews, reporting, a mobile app and a Recruitment (ATS) module, and you can use Starter in OrangeHRM's cloud for free or download it and install it on your own Linux or Windows server. The recruitment module is simpler than the dedicated tools above, but for a small team that wants HR records and hiring in one free system it is a solid start. OrangeHRM also sells an Advanced edition with a 30-day free trial; its prices are not on the Starter page. Version 5.9 came out in June 2026.

5. Horilla: an open-source HRMS with recruiting pipelines and onboarding

Horilla is an open-source HRMS under the LGPL-2.1, with its code on GitHub. Its recruitment ATS has pipeline views and covers the hiring flow from job description to offer, and onboarding checklists, document collection and access set-up start on the new hire's first day. Attendance, leave, payroll, performance and analytics sit in the same system. On its homepage, self-hosting is free forever, the managed cloud costs $7 per user per month with the first 30 days free, and Enterprise is custom-priced. Version 2.2.0 came out in October 2026, after a security release in September 2026, so keep a self-hosted instance updated.

6. Ever Gauzy: an ATS inside an open business platform

Ever Gauzy is an open business management platform that combines ERP, CRM, HR management, an applicant tracking system and project management, and its repository lists candidates and candidate interviews among its ATS features. The Community Edition is AGPL-3.0, with separate commercial licences for small business and enterprise use, and you can self-host it or use its cloud. Its site says the platform is built in public and that some parts may be incomplete, so test the recruiting flow before you rely on it. It releases very often; version 111.144.0 came out on 31 October 2026.

7. Dolibarr: a recruitment module in an open-source ERP

Dolibarr is an open-source ERP and CRM under the GPL-3.0. Its Recruitment module manages job position offers and job applications and is included in the standard Dolibarr download. It is not a full ATS, but if you already run invoices, customers and HR in Dolibarr, switching it on gives you a simple hiring list without another tool. Version 24.0.2 came out in October 2026.
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Automated Candidate Screening: What the EU AI Act Says

Many hosted screeners now rank CVs with AI. If you hire in the EU, that matters: the European Commission's AI Act overview (last updated 19 October 2026) lists AI tools for employment, with CV-sorting software for recruitment as its example, among the high-risk uses. Before such systems can be put on the market they must meet strict obligations: risk assessment and mitigation, high-quality training data to reduce discriminatory outcomes, logging, detailed documentation, clear information for the deployer, human oversight, and robustness, cybersecurity and accuracy. According to the same page, the AI Act became applicable on 2 August 2026 with some exceptions, and after the AI Omnibus entered into force on 27 July 2026, the high-risk rules for areas such as employment apply from 2 December 2027.
The open-source tools in this guide are mainly manual pipelines: people read the CVs and move candidates between stages. If you add an AI plugin that scores or filters applicants, check the AI Act obligations first, keep a person in charge of every rejection, and tell candidates how you use their data.

Tools From the Old List That Are Gone, Changed or Not Open Source

The 2025 version of this article listed several tools that no longer belong on an open-source ATS shortlist:
  • RecruMatch Candidate Screener: we could not find an official website or product page for it, so we cannot compare it.
  • CandidATS: its old domain now shows a Quebec job board, so we could not confirm that the open-source ATS is still offered. OpenCATS is the maintained project in the same family.
  • Sentrifugo: its website is still online, but its GitHub code was last changed in April 2017. Use Horilla or OrangeHRM Starter instead.
  • JobberBase: a job board script rather than an ATS, with its last GitHub release in May 2014.
  • Admidio: still maintained, but it is membership management software for clubs and associations, not an applicant tracking system.
  • IceHrm: still maintained and has a recruitment module, but its code is under the Elastic License 2.0, a source-available licence that is not open source in the OSI sense.
  • WebHR: hosted HR software, not open-source code, so you cannot self-host it.
  • MightyRecruiter: its website now redirects to Monster, so the free product as described is no longer offered.

Which Open-Source ATS Should You Choose?

  • You recruit for clients or run a staffing agency: OpenCATS.
  • You want interviews, offers and onboarding in one free hosted app: Odoo Recruitment.
  • You also need payroll and HR records: Frappe HR or Horilla.
  • You want the simplest free HR system with a hiring module: OrangeHRM Starter.
  • You want recruiting next to CRM and project management: Ever Gauzy.
  • You already run Dolibarr: switch on its Recruitment module.

How Founders Use an Open-Source ATS

A startup's first hires rarely need a full recruiting department. Start with one pipeline per role, five or six stages from applied to hired, a short scorecard for interviews and a written reason for every rejection. Write the job description around the problem the person will solve, and ask every interviewer to leave feedback in the ATS on the same day, so decisions rest on notes, not memory. Self-hosting pays off when you handle many applicants or sensitive data and want it on your own server; until then, a free cloud plan of the same open-source tool is fine.
Recruiting tools work best next to the rest of your stack: keep hiring docs and onboarding guides in one of the open-source Notion alternatives, track a talent pool in one of the open-source Airtable alternatives, build a small internal hiring app with the open-source AppSheet alternatives, and plan onboarding tasks with the open-source ClickUp alternatives. To connect your careers page, ATS and team chat, see the open-source Zapier alternatives; for new hires' expenses, the open-source Expensify alternatives. If you hire freelancers for content, our tips for hiring an SEO writer help, and the AI agents for startup founders can take routine admin off your plate. To meet HR tech founders and vendors in person, see the top HR tech startup events. And when you have something to show, turn your hiring story into articles with the F/MS AI SEO Tool so candidates find you in Google and AI assistants.

FAQ About Open-Source Applicant Tracking Systems

What is the best open-source applicant tracking system?

For a dedicated ATS with a recruiting CRM, OpenCATS. For the most complete recruiting flow with interviews, offers and onboarding, Odoo Recruitment. If you also need HR and payroll, Frappe HR or Horilla.

Is there a free open-source ATS?

Yes. OpenCATS, Frappe HR, OrangeHRM Starter, Horilla, Ever Gauzy and Dolibarr can all be self-hosted for free, and Odoo's Recruitment module is LGPL-3 in the Community edition. You pay only for the server and the time to run it.

Which open-source ATS has a free cloud version?

When we checked in October 2026, Odoo offered Recruitment as its free one-app plan on Odoo Online with unlimited users, and OrangeHRM offered Starter on its cloud for free. Horilla's managed cloud costs $7 per user per month after a 30-day free period.

Is OpenCATS still maintained?

Yes. GitHub lists version 0.12.0, released in October 2026, and the project publishes security advisories and community support channels.

Does OrangeHRM's free edition include recruitment?

Yes. OrangeHRM Starter, the free and open-source edition under the GPL v3, lists a Recruitment (ATS) module alongside HR administration, leave, time tracking and performance.

Can an open-source ATS screen candidates automatically?

Odoo Recruitment lets you send custom tests to screen candidates and move applicants automatically after an activity. Ranking CVs with AI is a different matter: the EU lists CV-sorting software for recruitment as a high-risk AI use.

When do the EU AI Act rules for recruitment AI apply?

According to the European Commission's AI Act page, the rules for high-risk AI in areas such as employment apply from 2 December 2027, after the AI Omnibus entered into force on 27 July 2026.

What happened to RecruMatch Candidate Screener?

We could not find any official website or product page for a tool by that name, so this guide covers open-source ATS and candidate-screening tools in general.

Is IceHrm open source?

Not in the OSI sense. Its code is published under the Elastic License 2.0, a source-available licence with restrictions, so we moved it out of the main list.

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About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
2026-11-01 04:53 Top Alternatives