# Firefish — Recruiting Firefish by Firefish Software Ltd holds a panel rating of 2/5 from 6 AI judges (category median 2.5/5), as of 2026-11-03. Provenance: provenance unknown; sovereignty: not determined. - Vendor: Firefish Software Ltd (https://www.firefishsoftware.com) - Category: [Recruiting](https://whats-best.ai/software/recruiting.md) - Provenance (editorial classification): provenance unknown - Canonical page: https://whats-best.ai/software/recruiting/firefish - Alternatives: https://whats-best.ai/software/recruiting/firefish/alternatives ([markdown](https://whats-best.ai/software/recruiting/firefish/alternatives.md)) - Data as of: 2026-11-04 · evaluated 2026-11-03 · oldest source captured 2026-11-03 **AI-generated.** Every score, rationale and verdict here is written by a panel of AI judges from public evidence — an analysis, not a hands-on test. Every fact quotes the vendor page it was read from. No score can be bought. How scores are made: https://whats-best.ai/methodology ## At a glance - Vendor: Firefish Software Ltd - Headquarters: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 3 Nov 2026 - Data hosting: Default not stated; pages mention Netherlands [S2] - Free plan: Yes, per the vendor’s own page [S6] ## The panel's verdict Firefish Software Ltd is a recruitment CRM the vendor describes as built for UK recruitment agencies, supporting contract, temporary and permanent desks, with AI, automation and email sequencing. Scores are highest on AI screening control (5 to 6): the published AI policy names Microsoft Azure OpenAI as processor, commits to human oversight, states candidate data trains no models, and classifies the vendor as a deployer of limited-risk systems under the EU AI Act. Job distribution follows at 4 to 6 on multiposting to all UK and Ireland StepStone boards and an Indeed Direct Apply sync. Pricing transparency is the weakest (0 to 2): Basic, Professional and Enterprise packages are named, the StepStone integration is stated as free on all of them, we found no other public price, and buying routes through a 15-minute call. Applicant data governance runs low (2 to 4), with no public information on deletion deadlines or consent expiry. Sovereignty splits the judges (4 to 6) between stated EU-only hosting on Microsoft Azure (Netherlands, Ireland) and a contracting entity not established on the captured pages. **Speaks for it:** - The published AI policy names Microsoft Azure OpenAI as the AI processor, states candidate data is not used to train models, and commits to human oversight over AI-influenced decisions. - Multiposting to all UK and Ireland StepStone boards and an Indeed integration syncing live jobs with Direct Apply and pre-screen questions are documented in operational detail. - Hosting is stated on named Microsoft Azure regions — Netherlands primary, Ireland secondary — with EU-only residency and a published data processing agreement. - An open API with published documentation, an integrations marketplace with certified partners, and a route for third parties to request integrations are public. - New candidate data from job boards triggers a GDPR workflow on entry to the CRM, and candidates set and manage their own communication preferences. **Held against it:** - We found no public price for the Basic, Professional or Enterprise packages (talent pools sit behind Professional); the only stated price is the free StepStone integration, and the offered route is a 15-minute call. - We found no public information on automatic deletion of rejected applicants, consent expiry for talent pools (which the pages describe as adding candidates automatically), or a log of who viewed an applicant file. - AI matching ranks and scores candidates the moment a job is created, and we found no public information on the reasoning shown to the recruiter, informing candidates, or excluding protected attributes. - We found no public information on handover of hired candidates to a named HR or payroll system, single sign-on, or e-signature. - The captured pages do not establish the contracting entity's jurisdiction, and we found no published subprocessor list with locations beyond Azure OpenAI. **Best for:** - You run a UK or Ireland recruitment agency posting to StepStone and Indeed and want applications flowing directly into one CRM. - You want a CRM whose AI position is documented before your own review — provider named, EU AI Act role stated as a deployer of limited-risk systems, human oversight committed. - You run permanent, temp and contract desks together and want shift scheduling, advanced rates and timesheets in one system. - Your team builds its own tooling and can work from a documented open API and a marketplace of certified partners. **Avoid if:** - You must budget before a sales conversation — the pages name three packages without figures and route buying through a 15-minute call. - You are liable for deleting rejected applicants on a set deadline — the pages describe candidates being added to talent pools automatically, and we found no public information on deletion deadlines or consent expiry. - Your procurement requires an EU-established contracting entity and a published subprocessor list — ask the vendor: the public pages we read do not show it - You must show a works council or auditor who moved which candidate and why — ask the vendor: the public pages we read do not show it ## Scores by judge and criterion Scores out of 5, each judge scoring independently against the published rubric (v2). "n/r" = not rated: the vendor publishes no price, or the judge found no public information on that criterion. | Criterion | The Talent Acquisition Lead | The Employer Branding Manager | The Data Protection Officer | The Works Council Advocate | The HR IT Integrator | The Skeptic | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Applicant management & hiring workflow | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | | Multiposting, career page & candidate experience | 2.5/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 2.5/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | | Retention, deletion & talent-pool consent | 1.5/5 | 1/5 | 1.5/5 | 1.5/5 | 2/5 | 1.5/5 | | AI screening transparency & control | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 2.5/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | | HR handover, integrations & API | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2.5/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | | European sovereignty | 2/5 | 2.5/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | | Pricing transparency | 1/5 | 1/5 | 0.5/5 | 0.5/5 | 0/5 | 0.5/5 | | **Weighted verdict** | **2/5** | **2/5** | **2/5** | **2/5** | **2/5** | **2/5** | ### The judges - **The Talent Acquisition Lead** (v1.0): Fills sixty roles a year across three locations with a team of two. Wants pipelines hiring managers actually use, scorecards that make a decision defensible, and multiposting that reaches the German boards without a separate login. Unmoved by a match score she cannot explain to a candidate. - **The Employer Branding Manager** (v1.0): Owns the career page and the job-ad budget. Wants a career site that works on a phone, applications without an account, and cost per applicant per channel rather than a logo wall of job boards. Reads a pricing page for what a posting on StepStone actually adds to the bill. - **The Data Protection Officer** (v1.0): Answers for thousands of CVs from people who never chose the vendor. Wants deletion that runs on the stated date after rejection, talent-pool consent that expires, a subprocessor list that names the CV parser and the AI provider, and an access log over every applicant file. - **The Works Council Advocate** (v1.0): Sits on the Betriebsrat, which co-determines selection guidelines and questionnaires. Asks what any ranking evaluates, whether it can be switched off, who sees which applicant, and whether an internal candidate's file leaks into their personnel record. No answer, no agreement. - **The HR IT Integrator** (v1.0): Has to connect the ATS to the HR system, the calendar and identity. Wants a documented API, SSO that is not an enterprise upsell, and a hire that arrives in Personio or SAP with its documents rather than as a PDF someone retypes. Judges integrations by who maintains them. - **The Skeptic** (v1.0): Has read "DSGVO-konform" and "AI-powered matching" on every page in this category. Reads instead for the deletion deadline that is actually configured, the AI feature that can actually be turned off, and what the invoice does when a job goes out to three paid boards. ## European sovereignty — proven facts Built only from facts on the vendor's own pages; a dimension we could not prove is left open, never scored as zero. Headline: not determined. | Dimension | Finding | Points | Source | |---|---|---|---| | Legal entity | Not determined | — | — | | Hosting location | Not determined | — | — | | Hosting options | Not determined | — | — | | Open source | Not determined | — | — | | Data processing agreement | Not determined | — | — | | Transfer impact assessment | Not determined | — | — | ## Key facts Each fact is the vendor's own statement, cited to the source page it was read from ([S*n*] → Sources). **Compliance** - AI act role: deployer · limited risk [S8] - AI policy scope: AI policy aligned with EU AI Act, last updated September 2025 [S8] - Azure standards: ISO 27001 · HIPAA · FedRAMP · SOC 1 · SOC 2 · Australia IRAP · UK G-Cloud · Singapore MTCS [S2] - Azure uptime SLA: 99.9 [S2] - Background checks: every 4 years · Disclosure Scotland [S2] - Compliance hub: yes [S3] - Cyber essentials: yes [S2] - Cyber essentials certificate number: e1d8895-568d-4d7a-9117-86294b777808 [S2] - Data transfer safeguards: yes · yes [S2] - Documents: Trust & Data Security · Terms of Service · Privacy & Cookie Policy · Data Processing Agreement · Compliance Hub · AI Policy [S1] - DPA available: yes [S3] - DPA available: A Data Processing Agreement is listed in the footer under Legal [S5] - DPA available: yes [S1] - DPA available: Data Processing Agreement is published on the site [S7] - Encryption at rest: AES-GCM 256-bit [S2] - Encryption in transit: 1.3 (1.2 fallback) · sha256RSA 2048-bit [S2] - EU AI act: yes [S2] - Penetration testing: annual · yes [S2] - Remote access MFA: yes [S2] **Data** - AI training exclusion: no [S8] - Backup frequency: weekly and before system updates [S2] - Backup retention: 28 · 35 [S2] - Export retention: 5 [S2] - Import retention: 60 · 5 [S2] - Incremental backup: 3x weekly [S2] - Replication: yes · 6 · 3 [S2] - Transaction backup: 30 [S2] - Transfer method: HTTPS · SMB 3.0 [S2] **Hosting** - AI processing environment: Firefish-controlled Azure environments [S8] - Azure: Microsoft Azure [S2] - Data processing third parties: only on explicit client request [S2] - Regions: West Europe (Netherlands) · EU only · North Europe (Ireland) [S2] **Integrations** - API docs: API Documentation is offered (footer link) [S5] - API docs: yes [S4] - API docs: yes [S1] - API docs: yes [S2] - API documentation: yes [S3] - API documentation: yes [S10] - API documentation: yes [S9] - Categories: All · Job Boards · BD / Marketing · Communications · Pay & Bill · Services / Networks · Analytics · AI & Automation · Coming Soon [S10] - Certified partners: Integrations with Certified Partners [S10] - Marketplace: yes [S8] - Open API: yes [S10] - Question in faq: job boards · email · back-office tools [S1] - Third party developer: Third parties can request to integrate their software with Firefish [S10] **Legal** - AI policy: yes [S9] - Company name: Firefish Software · 2025 [S1] - Company name: Firefish Software · 2025 [S9] - Copyright entity: Firefish Software, 2025 [S3] - Data processing agreement: yes [S4] - Data processing agreement: yes [S9] - Documents available: Trust & Data Security · Terms of Service · Privacy & Cookie Policy · Data Processing Agreement · Compliance Hub · AI Policy [S2] - Entity: Firefish Software, copyright 2025 [S5] - Third party AI liability: no [S8] - VAT number: 984027013 [S6] - VAT number: 984027013 [S3] - VAT number: 984027013 [S4] - VAT number: VAT Number: 984027013 [S5] - VAT number: 984027013 [S1] - VAT number: 984027013 [S7] - VAT number: 984027013 [S10] - VAT number: 984027013 [S9] - VAT number: 984027013 [S2] - VAT number: 984027013 [S8] **Pricing** - Stepstone integration free: Basic · Professional · Enterprise · 0 · yes [S6] - Talent pools plan requirement: Talent pools require the Professional plan (upgrade call-to-action) [S7] **Product** - Addon modules: Websites · Hiring Manager Portal · Candidate Portal · Marketplace [S3] - Addon modules: Websites · Hiring Manager Portal · Candidate Portal · Marketplace [S4] - Addon modules: Add-on modules: Websites, Hiring Manager Portal, Candidate Portal, Marketplace [S5] - Addon modules: Websites · Hiring Manager Portal · Candidate Portal · Marketplace [S1] - Addon modules: Websites · Hiring Manager Portal · Candidate Portal · Marketplace [S9] - AI agents claimed metrics: 300 [S9] - AI agents overview: Firefish AI Agents automate repetitive recruiter tasks: data enrichment, matching, content generation [S9] - AI capabilities: candidate-job matching · record summarisation · data enrichment · email sync · task automation · database activity to placements [S1] - AI features: job advert generation · CV parsing · SEO suggestions · no [S8] - AI human oversight: yes [S8] - AI matching parsing: AI-powered matching and parsing [S3] - AI matching ranking: AI Matching scans database when job created, ranking and scoring candidates [S3] - AI support agent: yes · yes [S8] - Analytics capabilities: real-time performance visibility · benchmarking and forecasting · channel attribution [S1] - Candidate onboarding: Onboard and place compliant candidates at scale, covering compliance documentation, candidate preferences and communications [S4] - Compliance pay reporting: Full compliance, pay, and reporting [S3] - Content agent: Content Agent generates job adverts, marketing copy and website content from CRM data [S9] - Contract desk: yes [S1] - Contract matching: AI Matching ranks contractors when job is created [S3] - Contract workflow features: Match in Seconds · Automate Compliance · Automate Contracts & Pay · Management Dashboard · Track & Report Revenue [S3] - Core description: Recruitment CRM with AI, automation and email sequencing [S1] - Core modules: AI & Automation · Business Development · Analytics · Search & Match · Conversations · Job Workflows [S4] - Core modules: AI & Automation · Business Development · Analytics · Search & Match · Conversations · Job Workflows [S1] - Data restore rto: 2 · 30 [S2] - Datacentre recovery time: 48 [S2] - Dei data: DE&I data collection: ask the right information, keep candidate data secure, measure database diversity [S4] - Enhanced password policy: 8 chars min + 3 of 4 character types · Superuser [S2] - Enrichment agent: Enrichment Agent auto-fills verified phone numbers and work emails, syncing in seconds [S9] - Indeed CRM capture: Applications, CVs and candidate details flow directly into Firefish CRM [S5] - Indeed direct apply: Indeed Direct Apply applications flow straight into Firefish CRM [S5] - Indeed integration: Firefish offers an Indeed ATS Integration that syncs live jobs, captures applications into the CRM, and updates advert data automatically [S5] - Indeed job sync: Adverts created in Firefish are automatically synced with Indeed; jobs can be updated and closed automatically [S5] - Indeed screening questions: Pre-screen questions on adverts, candidate answers captured from Indeed applications [S5] - Indeed source tracking: Applicant source data tracked [S5] - Indeed status updates: Integration shares applicant status updates with Indeed [S5] - Insight agent: 20 · 300 [S9] - Job alerts: Automated tailored Job Alerts matched to candidate profile criteria [S4] - Match AI: yes [S1] - Match percentages example: 87 · 82 · 72 [S1] - Match percentages example: 87 · 82 · 72 [S9] - Matching agent: Matching Agent continuously analyses jobs and candidate profiles to highlight relevant matches; works across active and passive candidates [S9] - MFA: Microsoft Authenticator · Google Authenticator · yes [S2] - Modules addon: Websites · Hiring Manager Portal · Candidate Portal · Marketplace [S2] - Modules core: AI & Automation · Business Development · Analytics · Search & Match · Conversations · Job Workflows [S2] - Other modules: Other modules include AI Agents, Business Development, Analytics, Conversations, Search and match, Job Workflows [S5] - Password policy: 8 [S2] - Perm workflow features: Find the Right Candidates · Build Rich Profiles · Present Professionally · Manage Interviews & Offers · Permanent Reporting [S3] - Permanent desk: yes [S1] - Preference management: Candidates can set, update and manage their own preferences; automated communications are GDPR compliant [S4] - References: Recruiters can request references that are pulled into candidate profiles [S4] - Registration process: Structured candidate registration process ensuring candidates enter CRM placement-ready [S4] - Self service document upload: Candidates self-upload compliance and right-to-work documentation to their profile [S4] - Shift scheduler: Shift scheduler and contract management tools that reduce admin [S3] - Skills agent: Skills Agent analyses employment history to identify and level-rate skills; powers skill-based searching and segmentation [S9] - Specialties: permanent · contract · temporary · logistics · tech · construction [S1] - Specialties: Permanent Recruitment · Contract Recruitment · Temporary Recruitment · Logistics Recruitment · Tech Recruitment · Construction Recruitment [S2] - Stepstone atsi apply: StepStone ATSi Apply partnership enables automatic transfer of application data from StepStone into Firefish [S6] - Stepstone candidate data sync: Candidate application data pulled directly from StepStone into Firefish without manual entry [S6] - Stepstone cv field update: CV information from StepStone applications updates empty fields in candidate records [S6] - Stepstone GDPR workflow: New candidate data from job boards triggers a GDPR workflow on entry to the CRM [S6] - Stepstone multiposting: Firefish multi-posts job adverts to all UK and Ireland StepStone job boards from within Firefish [S6] - Talent pools auto assignment: yes · automatic candidate addition to talent pools with notifications [S7] - Talent pools dynamic segmentation: yes · dynamic talent pools for candidate segmentation and engagement [S7] - Talent pools filters: location · job type · contract end-date [S7] - Talent pools placement uplift claim: users with talent pools make 45% more placements on average [S7] - Talent pools sms campaigns: yes · SMS campaigns targeted at talent pool members [S7] - Target audience: Integration is aimed at recruitment agencies [S5] - Target market: UK · contract · temporary · permanent [S1] - Temp matching: AI matching, skills and certification search, and location filters for temp matching [S3] **Subprocessors** - Azure openai: Microsoft Azure OpenAI Services · AI feature processing [S8] **Support** - Demo call: 15 [S1] - Status page: yes [S2] - Uptime monitoring: Uptime Robot [S2] 3 more facts on the canonical page: https://whats-best.ai/software/recruiting/firefish ## Questions ### Is Firefish European? Not determined: the vendor’s pages as captured do not say where Firefish is based. ### Where does Firefish store data? The default storage location for customer data is not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 3 Nov 2026. The vendor’s pages mention Netherlands as hosting location, per [the vendor’s page captured 3 Nov 2026](https://whats-best.ai/evidence/17630). ### Does Firefish have a free plan? Yes. Firefish has a free plan, per [the vendor’s page captured 3 Nov 2026](https://whats-best.ai/evidence/17655). ### What are the best alternatives to Firefish? As of 3 Nov 2026, the panel rates [Recruitee (3.5/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/recruiting/recruitee), [Pinpoint (3.5/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/recruiting/pinpoint) and [softgarden (3.5/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/recruiting/softgarden) highest among the other 31 Recruiting products evaluated. Ratings that look equal are rounded to half stars; the order uses the unrounded rating, then the name. The highest-rated European alternative is [Recruitee](https://whats-best.ai/software/recruiting/recruitee) (EU-Made). Ratings are the AI panel’s opinion, formed from public evidence: [how scores are made](https://whats-best.ai/methodology#ordering). The full list, with European products first: [Firefish alternatives](https://whats-best.ai/software/recruiting/firefish/alternatives). ## What this page leaves out - 2 integrations facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material. - 2 product facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material. - 1 compliance fact could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and was left out of this page and of the panel’s material. - 1 legal fact could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and was left out of this page and of the panel’s material. - 1 subprocessors fact could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and was left out of this page and of the panel’s material. - 3 sovereignty dimensions could not be confirmed on the vendor’s own pages and are shown as unknown. ## Sources - [S1] Vendor page: https://www.firefishsoftware.com (checked 2026-11-03) - [S2] Security / trust page — found from the homepage: https://www.firefishsoftware.com/trust (checked 2026-11-03) - [S3] Applicant management & hiring workflow — found from sitemap: https://www.firefishsoftware.com/core-modules/job-workflows (checked 2026-11-03) - [S4] Applicant management & hiring workflow — found from sitemap: https://www.firefishsoftware.com/product/candidate-onboarding-portal (checked 2026-11-03) - [S5] Multiposting, career page & candidate experience — found from sitemap: https://www.firefishsoftware.com/integrations/indeed (checked 2026-11-03) - [S6] Multiposting, career page & candidate experience — found from sitemap: https://www.firefishsoftware.com/integrations/stepstone (checked 2026-11-03) - [S7] Retention, deletion & talent-pool consent — found from sitemap: https://www.firefishsoftware.com/existing-customers/talent-pools (checked 2026-11-03) - [S8] AI screening transparency & control — found from sitemap: https://www.firefishsoftware.com/artificial-intelligence-policy (checked 2026-11-03) - [S9] AI screening transparency & control — found from sitemap: https://www.firefishsoftware.com/core-modules/ai-agents (checked 2026-11-03) - [S10] HR handover, integrations & API — found from sitemap: https://www.firefishsoftware.com/product/integrations (checked 2026-11-03) - [S11] HR handover, integrations & API — found from sitemap: https://www.firefishsoftware.com/api-terms (checked 2026-11-03) --- Cite as: whats-best.ai, "Firefish — Recruiting", AI panel analysis, as of 2026-11-04. https://whats-best.ai/software/recruiting/firefish Corrections: https://whats-best.ai/correct/1487?target=page