HeyJobs vs Adway for Recruiting Agencies in 2026
Discover why Adway outperforms HeyJobs in social recruiting, offering better candidate quality, cost efficiency, and seamless ATS integration.
HeyJobs vs Adway for Recruiting Agencies
Adway outperforms HeyJobs for recruiting agencies by delivering 36% better quality of hire, 59% faster time-to-fill, and seamless ATS integration that HeyJobs lacks. While HeyJobs offers basic applicant tracking at $700/month, Adway's social-first approach reaches passive candidates across multiple channels, generating €194 return for every €1 spent.
At a Glance
• Adway reduces cost per application by 54% compared to traditional methods while improving candidate quality by 36%
• HeyJobs lacks API access, creating manual workflow bottlenecks for agencies managing multiple client ATS platforms
• OnePartnerGroup achieved 115% growth in completed assignments within six months of implementing Adway
• Adway reaches both passive (70%) and active (30%) candidates through social channels, accessing talent pools job boards cannot reach
• Agencies using Adway report 23X ROI through automated social recruiting campaigns versus HeyJobs' fixed monthly pricing model
Recruiting agencies weighing HeyJobs vs Adway can't afford guesswork. This head-to-head shows where each platform lands on quality of hire, cost efficiency, and speed-to-value so agencies pick a tech partner, not another vendor.
Why does this comparison matter for recruiting agencies?
Recruiting leaders face mounting pressures in 2026, from meeting CEO-driven growth targets to overcoming resource constraints and talent shortages. With 78% of recruiting leaders facing stagnant or shrinking budgets, every technology decision carries weight.
Social media now tops the usage list for recruiting strategies. More than 55% of organizations use it to connect with potential candidates. Yet usage alone doesn't guarantee results. The gap between adopting social channels and actually improving fill rates comes down to the technology powering those campaigns.
HeyJobs positions itself as applicant tracking software with programmatic job distribution across 50+ channels. Adway takes a different approach, focusing on AI-driven social recruiting technology that targets passive candidates where they spend their time.
For agencies operating on thin margins, the difference matters. One platform optimizes job board spend. The other builds talent pools that keep pipelines filled between active searches.
Which recruiting metrics actually matter?
Before comparing platforms, agencies need a clear scorecard. Here are the four metrics that separate profitable recruitment operations from money pits:
| Metric | What It Measures | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Quality of hire | How well new hires perform and integrate | Predicts client satisfaction and repeat business |
| Time to hire | Days from candidate entry to offer acceptance | Directly impacts placement speed and revenue |
| Cost per hire | Total investment required to fill a position | Determines margin on every placement |
| Source attribution | Which channels deliver successful hires | Guides budget allocation decisions |
AI and automation now unlock real-time insights that transform these metrics from lagging indicators into actionable intelligence. Platforms that automate analytics see measurably better outcomes than those relying on manual tracking.
Research shows 75% of open roles fill within 60 days. Agencies consistently beating that benchmark gain competitive advantage with clients who need speed without sacrificing candidate quality.
How does Adway outperform HeyJobs on reach and candidate quality?
The core difference between these platforms comes down to where they find candidates and how they engage them.
Adway's Social Apply feature helps agencies capture better candidates faster, without candidates ever leaving their social feed. One-click applications via social media remove friction that kills conversion rates on traditional job boards.
With 4.8 billion active social media users globally, the reach advantage is substantial. More importantly, companies prioritizing a social-first approach see a 20% increase in candidate engagement compared to traditional methods.
Adway delivers measurable quality improvements:
The platform reaches both passive (70%) and active candidates (30%), appealing to 100% of the potential workforce. This matters because passive candidates, those not actively job hunting, often represent the highest-quality talent available.
Key takeaway: Adway's social-first architecture accesses talent pools that job board-dependent platforms simply cannot reach.
What are HeyJobs' limitations in an agency workflow?
HeyJobs offers solid fundamentals for organizations with straightforward hiring needs. However, several limitations create friction for agencies operating at scale.
The most significant gap: HeyJobs does not offer an API. For agencies juggling multiple ATS platforms across different clients, this creates manual work that erodes margins. Every candidate record requires manual transfer. Every campaign needs separate configuration.
User reviews reflect this constraint. On OMR Reviews, HeyJobs scores 5.2 out of 10 for meeting requirements, despite earning 8.6 for ease of use. The platform works well within its boundaries but struggles when agencies need flexibility.
Pricing also limits scalability. HeyJobs starts at $700 per month for basic access, with costs escalating based on role types. For agencies running high-volume campaigns across multiple clients, these fixed costs compound quickly.
By contrast, Adway seamlessly integrates with any ATS and CRM. The plug-and-play architecture means campaigns can go live without IT involvement or extended implementation timelines.
Real-world results: Case studies and analyst recognition
Theory matters less than outcomes. Here's what agencies and employers have achieved with Adway.
OnePartnerGroup, a Swedish recruitment and staffing company with 3,000 employees across 50+ cities, faced a common challenge: scaling social recruiting without manual processes eating into profitability. After implementing Adway, they scaled from 100 to 2,000+ campaigns within six months.
The result: 115% growth in completed assignments.
"With reliable data and better insights about our target groups, we are more proactive than ever," says Jane Bergman, Employer Branding Manager at OnePartnerGroup. "We get the automated platform and strategic advisory, all at once."
ELITS, an IT consultancy specializing in infrastructure and Cloud technologies, achieved a 200% higher fill rate at half the cost. Their Recruitment Manager, Linus Berglund, noted: "We now have always-on advertising with engagement metrics off the charts, and our talent pipeline is constantly filled."
These results haven't gone unnoticed by industry analysts. Adway holds Core Leader status in the 2026 Fosway 9-Grid for Talent Acquisition, marking the fourth consecutive year of recognition in Talent Attraction and Engagement.
Implementation, pricing transparency, and ROI outlook
Speed-to-value separates platforms that deliver from those that drain resources during extended implementations.
Adway's integration approach stands out. The platform connects with any ATS and CRM, automating ad distribution across Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, Reddit, and Discord. For agencies, this means reaching candidates across every relevant channel without managing multiple platform logins.
HeyJobs' $700/month starting point provides basic functionality but lacks the API access needed for seamless workflows. Implementation requires more manual configuration, and the absence of integration options means ongoing operational overhead.
The ROI comparison favors Adway significantly. Published metrics show agencies achieving €194 return for every €1 spent. One staffing firm achieved 23X ROI after scaling social media advertising from 7% to 100% of roles.
Fresh 2026 benchmarks from Appcast show apply rates climbing to 6.1% across recruitment marketing channels, a 35% increase from January to December 2025. Platforms that automate optimization capture this improvement. Those requiring manual adjustment lag behind.
For transparency on costs, both platforms provide visibility into cost per hire. However, Adway's consumption-based model aligns spend with results, while HeyJobs' fixed monthly fees apply regardless of campaign performance.
Choosing the right social recruiting partner
The talent acquisition landscape continues evolving. As IDC notes, new markets are emerging for candidate CRM, experience management, and AI-backed dynamic matching. Platforms built for yesterday's workflows won't capture tomorrow's opportunities.
For agencies evaluating their next technology investment, the decision framework is straightforward:
Choose HeyJobs if: You operate primarily in Germany and Austria, have simple integration needs, and prioritize ease of initial setup over long-term scalability.
Choose Adway if: You need seamless ATS integration, want to reach passive candidates through social channels, and prioritize quality of hire alongside placement speed.
Adway offers automated job ad distribution with optimization for individual vacancy campaigns. The platform builds landing pages that improve candidate experience and increase placement likelihood.
Ready to see the difference? Explore how Adway works for recruiting agencies scaling their social recruiting efforts.
Key takeaways
For agencies that live or die by fill-rate and ROI, the data points to a clear conclusion.
HeyJobs delivers basic applicant tracking with programmatic distribution across 50+ channels. It works for organizations with straightforward needs and limited integration requirements.
Adway delivers measurably better outcomes across every metric that matters:
- Quality of hire improves by 36%
- Time-to-hire drops by 59%
- Cost per application falls by 54%
- ROI reaches €194 for every €1 spent
As one G2 reviewer summarized the experience: "Simple, reliable, and efficient. We're a small team. Adway gives us the help we need to succeed. Their experience covers where we lack experience."
The choice between these platforms isn't about features on a comparison chart. It's about whether your agency wants a vendor or a technology partner that drives measurable improvements in the metrics that matter most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key differences between HeyJobs and Adway?
HeyJobs focuses on programmatic job distribution across multiple channels, while Adway emphasizes AI-driven social recruiting targeting passive candidates, offering seamless ATS integration and better candidate quality.
How does Adway improve quality of hire compared to HeyJobs?
Adway's social-first approach and AI-driven technology lead to a 36% boost in quality of hire by engaging passive candidates directly in their social feeds, unlike HeyJobs which relies on traditional job boards.
What are the cost implications of using Adway versus HeyJobs?
Adway offers a consumption-based pricing model that aligns costs with results, reducing cost per application by 54%, whereas HeyJobs has fixed monthly fees starting at $700, which can escalate based on role types.
How does Adway integrate with existing recruitment systems?
Adway seamlessly integrates with any ATS and CRM, automating ad distribution across major social channels, which reduces manual work and speeds up campaign deployment.
What real-world results have agencies achieved with Adway?
Agencies using Adway have reported significant improvements, such as a 115% growth in completed assignments and a 23X ROI, thanks to its automated social recruiting capabilities.
Sources
- https://adway.ai/attract-1
- https://www.softwareworld.co/software/heyjobs-reviews/
- https://lp.adway.ai/onepartnergroup-case-study
- https://www.gartner.com/en/human-resources/topics/hr-recruiting-strategy
- https://shrm.org/in/topics-tools/research/2025-talent-trends/recruiting-strategies
- https://jobscore.com/articles/recruiting-metrics
- https://www.metaview.ai/resources/blog/recruitment-analytics-metrics
- https://www.deel.com/blog/recruitment-metrics/
- https://adway.ai/solutions
- https://content.adway.ai/insights/adway-ai-recruitment-social-media-2025
- https://lp.adway.ai/contingent-staffing?hsCtaTracking=af4cfb20-bcba-4f7e-aa6c-9763818b1924%7C34132876-bf53-4a09-97f5-6903d92f6591
- https://omr.com/en/reviews/product/heyjobs
- https://adway.ai/integrations
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- https://www.fosway.com
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