HeyJobs vs Adway: Which Social Recruiting Tool Wins?

Adway outperforms HeyJobs with 54% lower cost-per-application and 59% faster time-to-hire through AI-driven social recruiting that reaches passive candidates across nine platforms. While HeyJobs serves German-speaking markets well with 4,700+ clients, Adway's Core Leader status in Fosway's 9-Grid and consumption-based pricing delivers measurable ROI for global enterprise deployments.

At a Glance

Adway achieves 33% higher quality per hire compared to industry benchmarks, while HeyJobs doesn't publish quality metrics
HeyJobs reports 4.6/5 candidate satisfaction but focuses primarily on DACH region markets
Consumption-based pricing with Adway eliminates fixed subscription costs that HeyJobs requires through annual contracts
Adway connects with any ATS across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and five other platforms for omnichannel reach
Independent validation shows Adway as Fosway Core Leader for four consecutive years versus no analyst recognition for HeyJobs
Real customer results include 381% more applications and €194 return per €1 spent with Adway's automated approach

Choosing the right social recruiting tool matters more than ever in 2026. With 55% of organizations now using social media to connect with candidates, TA teams need technology that delivers quality hires, not just application volume. This head-to-head comparison between Adway and HeyJobs breaks down exactly what each platform offers and where each falls short.

The talent acquisition landscape has fundamentally shifted. One in four U.S. employees were recruited by another organization in the past three months alone, up from 19% in 2015. Digital tools and remote work have opened the floodgates for both candidates and employers.

Social media platforms now connect recruiters with a global talent pool, breaking geographical barriers that once limited hiring options.

But volume without precision creates its own problems. Organizations must refine their recruiting efforts to appeal to and quickly establish connections with online job seekers, or risk losing top talent to competitors who move faster.

The stakes extend beyond filling roles. Your employer brand lives or dies on social platforms. Engaging content builds trust with passive candidates long before they consider a job change. Poor execution, on the other hand, damages your reputation and increases cost-per-hire.

Five-segment illustration symbolizing Fosway 9-Grid evaluation criteria

How we compared Adway and HeyJobs

This comparison uses the Fosway 9-Grid methodology, Europe's leading independent vendor analysis framework for HR and talent solutions. The 9-Grid evaluates suppliers across five dimensions:

Potential: Solution scope and sophistication
Performance: Market results and customer advocacy
Presence: Enterprise customer base and market footprint
Total Cost of Ownership: Full implementation and operating costs
Trajectory: Current market momentum

We also drew on Gem's 2026 Recruiting Benchmarks Report, which analyzed over 165 million applications and 1.2 million hires. These benchmarks provide context for evaluating both platforms against current market standards.

Quality of hire serves as the north star metric throughout this comparison. Reach and impressions measure visibility, while engagement measures interaction. But only quality of hire tells you whether your recruiting actually works.

HeyJobs at a glance: strengths and gaps

HeyJobs has built a solid reputation in the German-speaking market. The platform claims to bring together smart sourcing, conversational SMS, and AI voice/video interviews to transform candidate engagement. With 4,700+ satisfied clients, including 8 of the top 10 largest employers in Germany and Austria, they have proven market traction in their home territory.

The platform's candidate satisfaction scores are notable. HeyJobs reports an average candidate satisfaction score of 4.6/5, highlighting conversational AI that adapts to candidate responses rather than forcing rigid one-way video interviews.

However, several gaps emerge on closer inspection:

| Area | HeyJobs Limitation |
|------|--------------------||
| Third-party recognition | No Fosway 9-Grid placement or comparable analyst recognition |
| Published ROI metrics | No publicly available cost-per-hire or quality improvements |
| ATS integrations | Limited information on integration breadth and depth |
| Geographic coverage | Primarily focused on DACH region |
| Pricing transparency | Subscription tiers with annual billing requirements rather than usage-based models |

The platform does offer free webinars on topics like ChatGPT for recruiting, earning positive reviews from attendees. But educational content alone doesn't translate to measurable hiring outcomes.

Key takeaway: HeyJobs works well for German-speaking markets but lacks the independent validation and published performance data that enterprise buyers need for global deployments.

Adway approaches social recruiting differently, focusing on reaching passive candidates before they start actively job hunting. The platform uses AI-driven targeting to engage untapped talent pools, boosting quality of hire through social media rather than competing for the same active job seekers everyone else targets.

The numbers tell a compelling story:

54% lower cost-per-application
33% higher quality per hire
72% diversity lift
Trusted by 200+ brands including PwC, KPMG, and Adecco

Adway has earned recognition as a Core Leader in the 2025 Fosway 9-Grid for Talent Acquisition for four consecutive years. This independent validation from Europe's leading HR analyst firm confirms strong market and customer performance at enterprise scale.

Full-funnel automation & AI

Adway's automation eliminates manual campaign management entirely. The platform streamlines the application process with AI-driven candidate screening, letting candidates apply directly from their social feed in as little as 30 seconds.

Social Apply captures candidates without them ever leaving their social feed. One-click applications via social media with 100% source attribution ensure every qualified applicant is tracked correctly.

The platform reaches candidates across Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, Reddit, and Discord. This omnichannel approach meets candidates where they actually spend time rather than forcing them to job boards.

Smart Profile and Smart Scorecards automate the heavy lifting:

AI-generated, role-specific screening questions
Automatic candidate profile creation from social data
Data-driven assessments that streamline decision-making
Mobile-first, CV-free applications

"Our storytelling in all job and employer branding ads now reflects who we are as an organisation, and our candidates see that from the first touchpoint!" notes one enterprise customer on Adway's platform.

How do Adway and HeyJobs compare on cost, time-to-hire & quality of hire?

The metrics reveal a significant performance gap between these platforms.

Metric	Adway (Published)	HeyJobs (Published)
Cost-per-application reduction	54%	Not disclosed
Time-to-hire improvement	59%	Not disclosed
Quality of hire lift	36%	Not disclosed
ROI	€194 return per €1 spent	Not disclosed
Independent analyst recognition	Fosway Core Leader (4 years)	None

For context, ELITS cut recruitment marketing spend by 50% while achieving 5x more applications per vacancy using Adway. That translates to real budget impact for TA teams under pressure to do more with less.

The industry benchmark for social media recruitment shows 70% lower cost than traditional recruiting methods. Adway's published results significantly outperform even these already-strong benchmarks.

HeyJobs serves over 100,000 job placements annually, demonstrating volume capability. But without published quality metrics, it's impossible to evaluate whether those placements translate to successful hires who stay and perform.

Side-by-side illustration contrasting consumption and subscription pricing models

Which pricing model delivers better ROI?

Pricing philosophy reveals a fundamental difference in how these platforms approach customer value.

Consumption-based pricing charges customers based on actual usage rather than flat subscription fees. This model aligns costs with value received, making it attractive for businesses with variable hiring needs.

Adway uses consumption-based pricing, meaning you pay for results rather than access. This approach eliminates the waste inherent in subscription models where you pay the same amount whether you hire 5 people or 50.

HeyJobs and similar platforms typically use subscription tiers with annual billing based on 12-month contracts. This creates risk for buyers: you're locked into paying whether the platform delivers or not.

The evidence supports consumption pricing's effectiveness. 80% of customers report better alignment with the value they receive under usage-based models, according to Bain & Company research. Companies using this approach have seen higher revenue growth and retention compared to traditional subscription models.

For TA teams, consumption-based pricing means:

Lower risk during slow hiring periods
Automatic scaling during peak seasons
Direct connection between spend and outcomes
Easier budget justification to finance teams

Real-world wins: what customers say

Customer results tell the story better than feature lists.

Nexer Recruit, a Swedish recruitment firm specializing in IT and tech talent, achieved remarkable results with Adway:

"381% more applications with Adway automated recruitment marketing."
Nexer Recruit Case Study, Adway

One-third of their tech applications now come through Adway, with time-to-hire shortened by 24%.

Ocab, a Swedish property damage restoration company, transformed their hiring for hard-to-fill sanitation technician roles. Using Adway, they saw 33% more quality hires per vacancy and 65% faster time-to-hire. Applications jumped from 5 to over 120 per vacancy.

G2 reviewers consistently highlight Adway's partnership approach:

"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. We see Adway as a partner and that's the way we like to cooperate."
Karin F., Recruiting Manager, G2 Review

HeyJobs customers praise their webinars and educational content, with a 4.7 Google rating. However, these reviews focus primarily on learning experiences rather than measurable hiring outcomes.

Decision framework: when Adway is the clear choice

Adway makes the most sense when your priorities include:

ATS integration matters: Adway connects with any ATS and CRM, ensuring seamless workflow integration
Passive candidate access: You need to reach talent before they start actively searching
Quality over volume: You're optimizing for hire quality, not just application counts
Budget predictability: Consumption-based pricing aligns with variable hiring needs
Global reach: You operate beyond the DACH region
Proven ROI: You need documented results to justify technology investments

Organizations must refine their recruiting efforts to appeal to and quickly establish connections with online job seekers. Adway's automation and AI targeting make this possible at scale without adding headcount.

Unlock new talent pools with AI and automation by booking a demo with Adway. See exactly how the platform would work with your ATS and hiring workflows.

Key takeaways

This comparison reveals clear differences between Adway and HeyJobs:

Independent validation: Adway holds Core Leader status in the Fosway 9-Grid for four consecutive years. HeyJobs has no comparable analyst recognition.
Published ROI: Adway documents 54% lower cost-per-application, 59% faster time-to-hire, and €194 return for every €1 spent. HeyJobs does not publish comparable metrics.
Pricing alignment: Consumption-based pricing ensures you pay for outcomes. Subscription models create fixed costs regardless of results.
Integration depth: Adway connects with any ATS and covers nine major social platforms. HeyJobs focuses primarily on the German-speaking market.
Quality focus: Adway's AI targets passive candidates and screens for quality. Volume without qualification creates more work, not better hires.

For TA teams serious about improving quality of hire while reducing cost and time-to-hire, Adway delivers the proven results and transparent pricing that modern recruiting demands. Explore Adway's solutions to see how social recruiting technology can transform your talent acquisition outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main differences between Adway and HeyJobs?

Adway focuses on AI-driven targeting to engage passive candidates, offering lower cost-per-application and higher quality hires. HeyJobs, while strong in the German-speaking market, lacks independent validation and published performance metrics.

How does Adway's pricing model benefit TA teams?

Adway uses a consumption-based pricing model, charging based on actual usage rather than flat subscription fees. This aligns costs with value received, offering flexibility during variable hiring periods and ensuring you pay for outcomes.

What independent recognition has Adway received?

Adway has been recognized as a Core Leader in the Fosway 9-Grid for Talent Acquisition for four consecutive years, confirming its strong market and customer performance at an enterprise scale.

How does Adway improve quality of hire?

Adway uses AI-driven targeting to reach passive candidates and automate candidate screening, resulting in a 33% higher quality per hire and a 72% diversity lift, according to published metrics.

What are the integration capabilities of Adway?

Adway integrates seamlessly with any ATS and covers nine major social platforms, ensuring a smooth workflow integration and broad candidate reach.