HR AI Index

Index › Function 02 of 6 · October 2026 Edition

October 2026 Edition

Talent acquisition

Finding and hiring: applicant tracking, sourcing, scheduling, interviewing, assessment, screening, recruitment marketing and the AI that now sits in front of all of it. 11 of 13 categories scored, 2 planned.

Standing in talent acquisition

First-choice share across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts, all fourteen models, for the eleven talent acquisition categories scored in the October 2026 Edition.

Talent acquisition

Candidate assessment

Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.

TestGorillaClear leader

76%▲+5Since September 2026: 71% → 76%, +5 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

52%▼−18Since September 2026: 68% → 50%, −18 points. Past the 13-point floor: movement. Read over the models both editions asked.

SHLContested

20%▼−4Since September 2026: 24% → 20%, −4 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

Talent acquisition

Video interviewing

A different leader in every segment

HireflixClear leader

43%▲+6Since September 2026: 38% → 44%, +6 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

Spark HireClear leader

50%▼−6Since September 2026: 55% → 49%, −6 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

HireVueClear leader

66%▼−8Since September 2026: 74% → 66%, −8 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

Talent acquisition

Applicant tracking systems

Mid-market and enterprise share a leader. Small business differs.

Breezy HRContested

27%▼−16Since September 2026: 41% → 25%, −16 points. Past the 13-point floor: movement. Read over the models both editions asked.

GreenhouseContested

40%▼−7Since September 2026: 47% → 39%, −7 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

37%▼−10Since September 2026: 47% → 37%, −10 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

Talent acquisition

Background screening

A different leader in every segment

GoodHireClear leader

41%▲+4Since September 2026: 38% → 41%, +4 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

CheckrContested

31%▼−13Since September 2026: 43% → 30%, −13 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

HireRightContested

27%↗new leaderNew leader since September 2026: HireRight (28%) replaces First Advantage (38% then, 17% now), 11 points clear, inside the 13-point floor.

Talent acquisition

AI recruiting assistants

Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.

ManatalContested

29%▼−1Since September 2026: 25% → 24%, −1 point. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

31%↗new leaderNew leader since September 2026: Manatal (33%) replaces GoPerfect (19% then, 2% now), 31 points clear, past the 13-point floor.

Eightfold AIClear leader

44%▲+12Since September 2026: 32% → 45%, +12 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

Talent acquisition

Job advertising and distribution

Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.

JobTargetContested

24%▲+5Since September 2026: 19% → 24%, +5 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

23%▼−1Since September 2026: 21% → 20%, −1 point. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

AppcastClear leader

43%▲+9Since September 2026: 36% → 45%, +9 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

Talent acquisition

Recruitment marketing and career sites

A different leader in every segment

Workable tiedContested

12%↗new leaderNew leader since September 2026: Workable (12%) replaces 100Hires (20% then, 4% now), 8 points clear, inside the 13-point floor.

TeamtailorContested

23%▲+8Since September 2026: 16% → 24%, +8 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

PhenomContested

35%▼−7Since September 2026: 41% → 35%, −7 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

Talent acquisition

Staffing agency platforms

Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.

Zoho Recruit tiedContested

BullhornClear leader

Talent acquisition

Interview scheduling

Small business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.

CalendlyClear leader

41%▼−23Since September 2026: 62% → 38%, −23 points. Past the 13-point floor: movement. Read over the models both editions asked.

20%▲+1Since September 2026: 21% → 21%, +1 point. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

GoodTimeClear leader

55%▼−5Since September 2026: 56% → 51%, −5 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

Talent acquisition

Technical hiring assessments

Mid-market and enterprise share a leader. Small business differs.

CoderbyteContested

22%↗new leaderNew leader since September 2026: Coderbyte (23%) replaces CoderPad (26% then, 15% now), 8 points clear, inside the 13-point floor.

HackerRankClear leader

17%▼−12Since September 2026: 28% → 16%, −12 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

51%▲+7Since September 2026: 42% → 49%, +7 points. Inside the 13-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.

Talent acquisition

Recruiting CRM and sourcing

A different leader in every segment

ManatalContested

25%↗new leaderNew leader since September 2026: Manatal (22%) replaces Pin (23% then, 18% now), 4 points clear, inside the 13-point floor.

Gem tiedContested

15%↗new leaderNew leader since September 2026: Gem (15%) replaces Lever (20% then, 11% now), 4 points clear, inside the 13-point floor.

SeekOutContested

18%↗new leaderNew leader since September 2026: SeekOut (19%) replaces Beamery (20% then, 9% now), 9 points clear, inside the 13-point floor.

Next in talent acquisition

Planned categories are in the build queue and are scored exactly like every other.

Campus and early-career recruiting plannedEmployee referral programs planned

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