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Anna Baluch is a freelance writer from Cleveland, Ohio. She enjoys writing about a variety of health and personal finance topics. When she's away from her laptop, she can be found working out, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her family. Connect to her on LinkedIn.
Kelly Main is a Marketing Editor and Writer specializing in digital marketing, online advertising and web design and development. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she is a Columnist at Inc. Magazine.
Anna Baluch is a freelance writer from Cleveland, Ohio. She enjoys writing about a variety of health and personal finance topics. When she's away from her laptop, she can be found working out, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her family. Connect to her on LinkedIn.
Kelly Main is a Marketing Editor and Writer specializing in digital marketing, online advertising and web design and development. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she is a Columnist at Inc. Magazine.
With over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
With over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
Managing Editor, SMB
Reviewed
Updated: Apr 6, 2024, 7:31pm
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
Employees are your greatest assets. Fortunately, you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to recruit them. There are several free job boards that can connect you to talented, passionate employees who have the knowledge, experience and dedication to steer your business toward success. Here’s a look at the best free job posting sites available today.
Indeed is known as the top job site with over 250 million visitors every month. It lets you post jobs for free or sponsor jobs to expand your reach. Even if you go the free route, you can incorporate Indeed Assessments, which are job skills tests that can help you home in on the right candidates. You’ll also be able to conduct live virtual interviews without any fancy apps or technology through Indeed Interview.
Free job postings as well as low-cost sponsored posts
No cost to use assessments and job skills test
Unlimited free postings aren’t available for every job-type
High competition
Best for sourcing blue-chip candidates
Ladders
Starting price
$599 per job post, $299 per month or $239 per month when billed annually
Number of free job postings
1 per month
Applicant tracking
Via integration
$599 per job post, $299 per month or $239 per month when billed annually
1 per month
Via integration
Editor's Take
Ladders is a job search site geared toward experienced professionals in the U.S. and Canada. Ladders provides recruiters access to its vast candidate database to fill mid-level to executive-level positions that pay at least $100,000 per year. You can choose to purchase a Promoted Jobs package of up to 10 promoted jobs and one free job post per month or subscribe to one of its Sourcing plans. While the Lite Access plan includes saved searches and a Dedicated Customer Success contact, you’ll have to upgrade for extras, such as a dedicated customer success manager, ATS integration and live chat support.
Niche job posting site to attract well-qualified candidates
Attract more candidates with salary transparency
Has a prebuilt database of professionals
It’s not designed for lower-paid or entry-level roles
Pricing for premium plans is far more expensive than leading competitors
Best for recruiting recent graduates
Handshake
Starting price
Free
contact Handshake for pricing on the Premium partnership
Number of free job postings
Unlimited
Applicant tracking
Via integration
Free
contact Handshake for pricing on the Premium partnership
Unlimited
Via integration
Editor's Take
Handshake is ideal if you’d like to recruit college students. With Handshake, you can post jobs and sign up for virtual career fairs for free. The platform also allows you to manage and promote virtual interviews. If you’d like, you may pay for the Premium partnership, which can allow you to source better candidates, enhance your employer brand, check in at events, receive analytics and more.
Attract recent graduates and fill entry-level roles
Designed for hiring remotely with built-in virtual interviews
Get more applicants by attending virtual career fairs
It’s not ideal for hiring experienced candidates
Must pay for job posting analytics
Best for student jobs
Learn4Good
Starting price
Free
$59 to $199 for a paid plan
Number of free job postings
20 listing credits over six months
Applicant tracking
No
Free
$59 to $199 for a paid plan
20 listing credits over six months
No
Editor's Take
Learn4Good is an educational website with job opportunities for students. Through its free employer plan, you’ll receive 20 listing credits you can use over a six-month period. The site will send you job applications via email or phone in real time. If you use up your 20 listing credits, you’ll need to wait until your six-month period is up so you can renew the free plan. You can also upgrade to a paid job plan at any time and receive anywhere from 50 to 1,000 credits.
SimplyHired is a job aggregator that shares on over 100 job sites. While you can post jobs for free, you’ll have to pay to contact any candidates you believe are qualified. Whenever you receive an application, you’ll see a résumé, cover letter and answers to your screening questions, but the applicant name and contact details will be hidden. Pricing for candidate reveal starts at $4.99 and depends on factors including job title, location and demand.
Create one job posted that gets listed on over 100 job sites
Unlimited free job postings
Built-in application tracking
While it’s free to post a job, employers must pay to contact applicants
Best for finding freelancers
Guru
Starting price
Free
2.9% handling fee per invoice
Number of free job postings
Unlimited
Applicant tracking
No
Free
2.9% handling fee per invoice
Unlimited
No
Editor's Take
Guru is a job posting website that can help you find writers, programmers, web developers and other freelance job seekers. It’s similar to other freelance platforms in that it lets you post jobs, hire freelancers, complete the work and pay your hires in one, convenient place. You can post jobs on Guru for free but will have to pay a handling fee of 2.9% per invoice. If you use e-check or wire transfer, you’ll receive a full refund of the fee.
Pros & Cons
Geared towards finding freelancers
Pay nothing when using e-check or a wire transfer
Unlimited job postings for free
While it’s free to post a job, there’s a 2.9% handling fee which can get expensive
LinkedIn is a professional networking site with over 830 million members in more than 200 countries and territories. You can post one free job and use the platform to filter and manage your candidates. To promote your job and ensure it appears in search results and receives the most exposure, you’ll need to follow LinkedIn’s pay-per-click model and add a daily or total budget. The cost of each click will be based on your job location and competition.
Get your job listing in front of millions of potential candidates
Completely free job postings
Affordable pay-per-click options to increase job posting visibility
Limited to one free job posting at a time
With so many job postings, there’s a lot of competition
Best for startups
Wellfound
Starting price
Free
$149 per month for the Recruit Essentials plan
Number of free job postings
Unlimited
Applicant tracking
Yes
Free
$149 per month for the Recruit Essentials plan
Unlimited
Yes
Editor's Take
Wellfound (formerly AngelList) is a great option if you’re looking to hire for your startup, as it has over 8 million job seekers who are interested in working for brand-new businesses. The free Starter plan lets you post as many jobs as you want. You can also message candidates, create a profile for your business and use the tracking system without paying a penny. The Recruit Essentials plan starts at $149 per month and includes extras such as advanced applicant filters and custom application screening questions.
Pros & Cons
Ideal for connecting with candidates who want to work for a startup
Unlimited free job postings
Share information about your business to give candidates more insights
Paid plans are expensive
Niche audience may mean fewer applicants
Best for teams on a budget
PostJobFree
Starting price
Free
$29 to $399 per month for the Premium Membership
Number of free job postings
Ten per day
Applicant tracking
No
Free
$29 to $399 per month for the Premium Membership
Ten per day
No
Editor's Take
PostJobFree has been around since 2007 and distributes job posts on other websites and job boards such as Talent.com, MyJobHelper.com and Jooble.org. You can post ten jobs per day and use the résumé database for free. If you opt for the Premium Membership, you’ll receive each candidate’s full contact information so you can call or email them directly and enjoy unlimited résumé views.
Hubstaff Talent is worth considering if you’d like to hire remote employees, such as graphic designers, software developers and marketing professionals. You can post as many jobs as you’d like for free and will receive applications with candidate contact information and reasons why they’re a good fit. Hubstaff Talent offers paid products such as Hubstaff for time tracking and reporting as well as Hubstaff Tasks for project management that you might want to explore as you grow.
Pros & Cons
Ideal for filling remote positions
Unlimited free job listings
Easily track and contact applicants
It’s not as popular as some of the other leading free job posting sites
Bottom Line
With many reputable free job posting sites, you can find great candidates without spending a penny. We encourage you to try a few of the sites we mentioned above so you can determine the best one for your particular business, needs and preferences. For additional job posting sites, check out where to post jobs to help you find your next hire.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best free job posting site?
Free job posting sites vary greatly. The best one depends on your hiring needs, company size and priorities. Overall, the best free job posting sites include Indeed, LinkedIn and SimplyHired.
How do I write a job post?
A job post should include information about your business and the roles and responsibilities of the position. Be sure to use clear, concise language and promote any perks or benefits that will attract quality candidates. For more information, check out our job description format and example.
Which is better: Indeed or LinkedIn?
Indeed and LinkedIn are two of the most popular job posting sites in the world, with millions of visitors each day. However, while the two can help you find your next hire, they’re not without their differences. For example, while Indeed is a job board, LinkedIn is a social network. Get the complete breakdown of Indeed vs. LinkedIn to decide which site is best for your needs.
How long is a job post active on Indeed?
Job posts, whether free or sponsored, remain on the site until you pause, close or remove the job post. Meanwhile, free posts generally only appear at the top of search results for two to three days after posting. After that, they fall farther down the search results and may not be visible to many job seekers.
What criteria should organizations consider when deciding on a recruiting software tool?
When choosing recruiting software, consider overall pricing, how well the platform scales, how easy it is to use and whether its features align with your specific hiring requirements. Most recruitment software comes with a free trial so that you can check out the platform before you invest in it.
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Anna Baluch is a freelance writer from Cleveland, Ohio. She enjoys writing about a variety of health and personal finance topics. When she's away from her laptop, she can be found working out, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her family. Connect to her on LinkedIn.
Kelly Main is a Marketing Editor and Writer specializing in digital marketing, online advertising and web design and development. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she is a Columnist at Inc. Magazine.
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