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HackerEarth’s strong assessment coverage may be hard to replace if technical screening is your main need. The pricing page starts at $99, but flags credit caps and unlisted overages that make total cost harder to judge. Candidate privacy is another reason to review the setup: in one Reddit thread, an interview candidate questioned Smart Browser permissions for disk, screen and audio access. We’d start with HackerRank or Criteria for assessments; the other picks make more sense if you want a broader recruiting system.
01Why people leave HackerEarth
Credit costs are hard to forecast
The pricing page flags credit caps and unlisted overages, so the $99 starting price may not tell you what your team will spend.
Candidate privacy questions
In one Reddit thread, a candidate raised concerns about Smart Browser requests for full disk access and screen and system-audio recording.
You need more than assessments
If your priority is an ATS, recruiting CRM or hiring automation, several alternatives focus on those workflows instead of assessment coverage.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Technical assessments
HackerRankHackerRankHackerRank is the closest fit here if you still need technical hiring assessments but want to compare another provider. Its listed starting price is $165 and it has a free plan. The pricing page highlights AI-fluency assessments and pair-programming interviews, making it relevant for teams hiring developers rather than teams shopping for a general ATS.
Trade-off: Attempt caps and mixed candidate feedback remain points to check.
5.9/10from
$165/mofree plan - Assessments and interviews
CriteriaCriteriaCriteria is worth comparing if you want assessments alongside interviews, or expect to use hiring tools for employee development too. Those capabilities make it a closer match to HackerEarth than an ATS-only platform. Pricing is not published on the vendor's site, so request a quote and confirm the available assessment and interview options before comparing costs.
Trade-off: Pricing is quote-based, and candidate concerns remain a consideration.
5.4/10from
Custom - ATS and recruiting CRM
CATSCATSCATS fits teams whose reason for leaving is that assessments do not cover enough of the recruiting process. It combines an ATS with a recruiting CRM and supports candidate-stage workflows. The pricing page starts at $95. It is a broader recruiting-workflow option, not a like-for-like technical assessment replacement, so confirm how your team will handle screening.
Trade-off: It shifts the focus from assessment coverage to recruiting workflows.
6.5/10from
$95/mo - Recruiting analytics
AshbyAshbyAshby suits teams that want to consolidate recruiting tools or add built-in recruiting analytics rather than replace HackerEarth’s assessments one-for-one. The pricing page gives a starting price of $360 and describes it as a bundled recruiting stack. It may fit an organization already using an ATS that wants analytics, but check the plan limits before budgeting.
Trade-off: Larger-plan prices are not published on the vendor's site.
6.0/10from
$360/mo - ATS and candidate CRM
LeverLeverLever is a candidate if your team wants an ATS and recruiting CRM together, or needs passive-candidate pipelines, hiring analytics and AI. Those are broader hiring needs than HackerEarth’s assessment focus. The pricing page does not give a public price, so get a quote and compare the actual package with the assessment tools your hiring process still requires.
Trade-off: No public price or relevant Reddit feedback is supplied.
6.2/10from
Custom - Hiring automation
ParadoxParadoxParadox is a better fit when the reason to switch is automating tasks across multiple hiring stages, not finding another technical assessment platform. The pricing page describes broad recruiting automation and notes that it can sit alongside an existing system of record. Ask for pricing and limits in writing before treating it as a budgetable alternative.
Trade-off: Pricing and limits are unpublished on the pricing page.
6.2/10from
Custom
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 HackerEarth HackerEarth (current) | 7.0 | $99/mo | No | Teams hiring technical candidates |
| HackerRank HackerRank | 5.9 | $165/mo | Yes | Teams assessing AI fluency |
| Criteria Criteria | 5.4 | Custom | No | Teams combining assessments and interviews |
| CATS CATS | 6.5 | $95/mo | No | Recruiters needing ATS and CRM together |
| Ashby Ashby | 6.0 | $360/mo | No | Teams consolidating recruiting tools |
| Lever Lever | 6.2 | Custom | No | Teams combining ATS and recruiting CRM |
| Paradox Paradox | 6.2 | Custom | No | Organizations automating hiring tasks |
Questions people ask
What is the closest HackerEarth alternative for technical assessments?
HackerRank is the clearest direct comparison in this list. The pricing page names technical hiring, AI-fluency assessments and pair-programming interviews as use cases, with a $165 starting price and a free plan. It also flags attempt caps and mixed candidate feedback, so check the limits before comparing it with HackerEarth.
Why are candidates concerned about HackerEarth Smart Browser?
One Reddit thread describes an interview candidate questioning the app’s requests for full disk access, screen access and system-audio recording. That is an individual report, not proof of a general security issue. Teams should review the permissions and explain the assessment setup to candidates before requiring an install.
Which alternative is a full recruiting platform rather than an assessment tool?
CATS combines an ATS and recruiting CRM, while Ashby is listed as a bundled recruiting stack with analytics. Lever combines ATS and recruiting CRM features, and Paradox focuses on recruiting automation. These options address broader hiring workflows; the pricing page do not establish them as direct substitutes for technical assessments.