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Selection Lab pricing: cost per candidate vs Harver, Talogy & HireVue

Most assessment platforms don't publish a per-candidate rate. What they publish (if anything) is a starting price, an annual subscription tier, or a prompt to request a quote. That opacity makes it genuinely difficult for HR leaders and CHROs to compare costs across platforms like Selection Lab, Harver, Talogy, and HireVue before entering a sales process.

This article builds an auditable methodology for estimating effective cost per candidate across different hiring volumes, applies it to worked scenarios at 500, 5,000, and 25,000+ applicants per year, and places those estimates alongside third-party starting-price benchmarks for Harver, HireVue, and Talogy. The goal is a framework you can reuse with actual quote data from any vendor.

The formula and methodology

"Cost per candidate" sounds simple. In practice, it depends on how you define the denominator and which cost components you include.

For this article, the denominator is assessed candidates per year (applicants who completed at least one assessment stage). The formula is:

Effective cost per candidate = (Annual subscription fee + variable assessment spend + prorated onboarding) / assessed candidates per year

The key variables are:

  • Annual applicants: total applications received
  • Completion rate: percentage of applicants who complete at least one assessment stage
  • Assessment stages reached: pre-screen only vs. pre-screen + hard-skills test vs. full multi-stage flow
  • Per-candidate or per-credit overage rate: charged when assessed volume exceeds any included allocation
  • One-time onboarding/implementation cost: amortized over 12 or 24 months depending on contract length
  • ATS integration fees: included in the base package or charged separately

Two pricing mechanics are modeled throughout:

  1. Subscription with included volume: a fixed annual fee covers a defined number of assessments; usage above that triggers a per-candidate or per-credit overage rate.
  2. Pure per-candidate / credit model: no fixed subscription; each completed assessment is charged at a unit rate, sometimes discounted through prepaid bundles.

Competitor figures in this article come from third-party software review sources (GetApp Canada, SoftwareAdvice GB, Sova Assessment blog, and similar) and are used only to compute an implied effective cost per candidate at the stated scenario volume. They are not official published rate cards.

Selection Lab pricing: what's public and what to request

Selection Lab's public pricing page (selectionlab.com/pricing-form) contains no numeric tiers, no per-candidate rates, and no published price bands. The page routes buyers to a custom quote workflow. That's standard practice for a platform that sells modular, role-based assessment bundles configurable by assessment mix, ATS integration, and contract length.

What drives the quote for Selection Lab specifically:

  • Contract term (typically 12 or 24 months)
  • Annual subscription fee and what volume of assessed candidates that covers
  • Per-candidate or per-credit overage rate above included volume
  • Assessment modules included (SmartChat intake, pre-screen, hard-skills tests, video assessment, personality profiling, structured interview guides)
  • ATS integration scope (native connectors vs. custom API work)
  • Onboarding and implementation fee (if applicable)

Quote checklist to make the math defensible. Before modeling your own $/candidate, request these six data points from any vendor:

  1. Annual subscription fee (or monthly equivalent)
  2. Included candidate/assessment volume
  3. Per-candidate overage rate above included volume
  4. One-time implementation / onboarding fee
  5. ATS integration fee (if separate from subscription)
  6. What stages are included up to the interview handoff (and whether each stage consumes a credit)

With those six numbers, the formula above produces a defensible estimate.

Scenario A: 500 applicants per year (small to mid-size hiring)

Assumptions:

  • Annual applicants: 500
  • Completion rate: 75% (375 candidates reach at least the pre-screen stage)
  • 100% receive pre-screen; 60% (225) receive a hard-skills assessment
  • Onboarding fee: $2,000 (amortized over 24 months = $1,000/year)
  • Placeholder subscription: [S] per year with [V] included candidates

Sub-scenario A1 (low overage): Subscription covers 400+ candidates; no significant overage.

Cost component Amount Annual subscription [S] Variable overage (0 candidates above included) $0 Prorated onboarding $1,000 Total annual cost [S] + $1,000 Assessed candidates 375 Implied effective cost per candidate ([S] + $1,000) / 375

At a hypothetical subscription of $6,000/year, that produces an implied $18.67/candidate. At $9,000/year, it's $26.67/candidate. Replace [S] with your quoted figure.

Sub-scenario A2 (overage applies): Subscription includes 250 candidates; 125 candidates at an overage rate of, say, $15/candidate.

Cost component Amount Annual subscription [S] Overage (125 × $15) $1,875 Prorated onboarding $1,000 Total annual cost [S] + $2,875 Implied effective cost per candidate ([S] + $2,875) / 375

At $6,000/year subscription, that's approximately $23.67/candidate.

Scenario B: 5,000 applicants per year

Assumptions: same assessment mix; completion rate 75% = 3,750 assessed candidates; onboarding $5,000 amortized over 24 months = $2,500/year.

The key dynamic at this volume is that a fixed annual subscription fee is spread across far more candidates, so the implied per-candidate cost drops materially even if overage applies to a portion of volume.

Cost component Amount Annual subscription [S] Overage (assume 750 candidates above included volume at $10/candidate) $7,500 Prorated onboarding $2,500 Total annual cost [S] + $10,000 Assessed candidates 3,750 Implied effective cost per candidate ([S] + $10,000) / 3,750

At a subscription of $20,000/year, that's approximately $8.00/candidate. Subscription-dominated pricing rewards volume: a $6/candidate improvement compared to Scenario A is common as fixed costs dilute across a larger base.

The practical breakeven question is: at what assessed volume does paying overage per candidate become cheaper than upgrading to a higher subscription tier? Request both figures during the quote process and run the comparison directly.

Scenario C: 25,000+ applicants per year (enterprise)

Assumptions: 25,000 applicants; completion rate 70% (17,500 assessed) and 90% (22,500 assessed); onboarding $15,000 amortized over 24 months = $7,500/year.

Sensitivity to completion rate matters at this scale:

Completion rate Assessed candidates Implied cost/candidate (at $60,000/year total spend) 70% 17,500 $3.43 90% 22,500 $2.67

A 20-percentage-point difference in completion rate shifts implied cost per candidate by roughly $0.76 at a $60,000 total spend level. For enterprise programs where candidate dropout is a known risk, Selection Lab's reported 27% reduction in drop-offs (March 2025, Selection Lab Main Deck 2026) has a direct effect on implied cost per candidate: fewer incomplete assessments mean the fixed spend is distributed across more completions, reducing $/candidate.

At enterprise volumes, Harver and HireVue operate exclusively on custom annual contracts. Use only starting-benchmark figures for comparison, not implied per-candidate math from published rate cards that don't exist.

Implied effective cost per candidate: platform comparison

The table below uses third-party starting-price benchmarks as inputs. All figures in the "implied effective $/candidate" column are illustrative estimates based on stated starting prices divided by a fixed assumed volume. They are not published rate cards.

Platform Pricing visibility Starting benchmark (source) Assumed volume Implied effective $/candidate Notes Selection Lab Quote-based; no public rate card Requires sales quote 500 / 5,000 / 25,000 See scenarios A/B/C above Modular; includes SmartChat, ATS integration, and full funnel automation Harver Quote-based ~$5,000/year (GetApp Canada, SoftwareAdvice GB, 2026) 500 ~$10.00 implied Enterprise tiers significantly higher; $5K is a reported minimum HireVue Quote-based / enterprise ~$35,000/year (Hirevire, SoftwareAdvice GB, InterviewFlowAI, 2026) 500 ~$70.00 implied Enterprise-oriented; video interview focus; add-ons increase cost Talogy Per-candidate + quote for enterprise ~$50/candidate for standard assessments (Sova blog, Feb 2026) 500 ~$50.00 per completed assessment Pay-as-you-go and prepaid bundles available; enterprise programs are quote-based

All figures assume no ATS integration surcharge and no module add-ons beyond the stated base. Implementation, integration complexity, and assessment mix can shift true effective cost significantly upward for any platform.

How to choose between pricing models

Volume predictability is the first filter. If your hiring volume is stable year-over-year, a subscription model with included volume offers budget certainty. If volume fluctuates, a per-candidate or credit model (like Talogy's standard tier) may be more economical in low-volume years, but scales less favorably at high volume.

Assessment depth is the second filter. A platform that covers the full selection funnel from intake through structured interview guide (as Selection Lab does) may carry a higher per-candidate cost than a single-stage test tool, but the relevant comparison is total recruitment cost, not assessment cost alone. Selection Lab reports 15 minutes saved per applicant (December 2025) and 21% lower early turnover in the first six months (January 2024). Those outcomes reduce post-hire costs that don't appear in a platform invoice.

Before signing with any vendor, get answers to these five questions:

  1. How many candidates are included in the annual subscription, and at which assessment stages?
  2. What is the per-candidate or per-credit overage rate when included volume is exceeded?
  3. What completion rate does your included volume assume, and what happens if completion is lower?
  4. Are ATS integration and onboarding included, or priced separately?
  5. If a candidate abandons the process partway through, is a credit consumed?

The answers to those five questions, plugged into the formula at the top of this article, will produce a defensible and comparable cost-per-candidate estimate for any platform you're evaluating.

To receive a personalized cost-per-candidate model for Selection Lab based on your actual hiring volume and assessment mix, request a quote through selectionlab.com/pricing-form and ask the sales team to map the quote output to the formula and scenarios outlined here.

FAQ

Can game-based assessments promote diversity in the hiring process?

Yes, game-based assessments can support diversity by focusing on skills and behaviors rather than traditional criteria like résumés, which may contain unconscious biases. This gives candidates from diverse backgrounds a fairer chance to demonstrate their potential.

What is a game-based assessment?

A game-based assessment is a method that uses game mechanics to evaluate a candidate’s skills, competencies, and personality traits. While playing these games, candidates are assessed on aspects like problem-solving, cognitive ability, and behavior under pressure in an interactive way.

What are the advantages of game-based assessments?

Game-based assessments offer a more engaging and interactive experience for candidates, which can lead to a more positive perception of the hiring process—especially among certain groups. For employers, they provide deeper insights into both cognitive and behavioral traits, which traditional tests may miss. They also reduce the chance of socially desirable answers, as candidates tend to respond more authentically in a game environment.

How reliable are game-based assessments compared to traditional tests?

When well-designed, game-based assessments can be just as reliable—or even more reliable—than traditional tests. They assess a wide range of behaviors and cognitive abilities in a dynamic setting. However, the quality of these assessments varies greatly, so careful evaluation is essential.

How does a game-based assessment work?

Candidates participate in interactive games designed to measure specific skills and behaviors. Evaluation goes beyond just the final score—it also considers how the candidate makes decisions, handles challenges, and responds to different scenarios. These insights reveal underlying thought processes and behavioral patterns.

Are game-based assessments scientifically validated?

The main drawback is that many game-based assessments are relatively new and have not yet been extensively researched by independent academics. Providers often cite their own research, which is rarely externally validated. Without independent studies, the reliability of these assessments remains uncertain—something to keep in mind when selecting one.

How can game based assessments contribute to a better candidate experience

This can vary significantly by audience. The playful, interactive nature of game-based assessments can lower stress levels for some candidates compared to traditional tests. However, research shows that certain groups, especially those over 35, may find them more stressful. Men also tend to rate the experience more positively than women.

Can you practice game-based assessment?

You can familiarize yourself with the style of games used, but it’s difficult to "practice" for them in a traditional sense. These assessments are designed to measure natural reactions and authentic behavior, so repeated practice typically has less effect on performance than with traditional tests.

Will game-based assessments replace traditional tests in the future?

It’s likely that game-based assessments will become more common in hiring processes, but they probably won’t fully replace traditional tests. Both approaches have value and can complement each other depending on the role and the company’s needs.

How are the results of a game-based assessment analyzed?

Results are analyzed based on predefined criteria such as problem-solving ability, reaction time, and behavior under pressure. Advanced algorithms collect and interpret this data to provide a reliable, objective evaluation of a candidate’s strengths.

What kind of skills do game-based assessments measure?

They assess a wide range of abilities, including problem-solving, adaptability, decision-making under pressure, teamwork, and emotional intelligence. Depending on the design, they may also evaluate cognitive skills like memory, attention, and pattern recognition.

How long does a game-based assessment take?

Typically, these assessments last between 15 and 60 minutes, depending on the game’s complexity and the number of skills being tested. They’re usually shorter and more engaging than traditional assessments, making for a smoother candidate experience.

Are game-based assessments suitable for all roles?

They are especially effective for roles that require flexibility, creativity, problem-solving, and strong interpersonal skills. For highly technical or specialized roles, additional assessments may be needed to measure specific knowledge.

What’s the difference between a game-based and a gamified assessment?

A gamified assessment adds game-like elements (such as points or rewards) to a traditional test to increase engagement. A game-based assessment, on the other hand, is a standalone game designed specifically to evaluate certain competencies. The game itself is the primary evaluation tool, not just an enhancement.

FAQ

How can I improve my company’s retention rate?

The retention rate can be improved by investing in employee development and satisfaction. This includes offering training, career opportunities, and recognition for their contributions. A culture of open communication and attention to work-life balance can also contribute to higher retention. Additionally, offering competitive compensation and involving employees in decision-making can strengthen loyalty.

What are the benefits of growth opportunities for employee retention?

Growth opportunities can promote employee retention by giving staff a sense of direction and motivation. When they have the chance to learn and develop professionally within the company, they feel valued, which increases their loyalty. This can prevent them from leaving to seek better opportunities elsewhere. kunnen het behoud van personeel bevorderen door medewerkers een gevoel van richting en motivatie te geven. Wanneer zij de kans krijgen om te leren en zich professioneel te ontwikkelen binnen het bedrijf, voelen zij zich gewaardeerd, wat hun loyaliteit vergroot. Dit kan voorkomen dat ze vertrekken om elders betere kansen te zoeken.

What are the key factors that influence employee retention?

Key factors that influence employee retention include salary and benefits, opportunities for professional development, work-life balance, company culture, and the relationship with supervisors. Employees tend to stay longer when they feel valued, challenged, and supported in their work environment.

Why is employee retention so important for organizations?

Employee retention is important because it helps reduce recruitment and training costs for new employees, and it contributes to retaining knowledge and experience within the organization. High retention also ensures continuity within teams, leading to a more stable company culture, higher customer satisfaction, and improved business outcomes.

Which recruitment strategies help improve retention?

Recruitment strategies that can improve retention include identifying candidates who align with the company culture, using assessments to evaluate soft skills, and providing transparency about role expectations during the hiring process. Employees who feel connected to the organization and have clarity about their role are more likely to stay longer.

How can a good onboarding process contribute to higher retention?

An effective onboarding process can contribute to higher retention by helping new employees quickly adapt to their role, the company culture, and expectations. By providing support and clear information from the start, their engagement is increased, and the likelihood of them leaving early due to feelings of being overwhelmed or lacking guidance is reduced.

What is the role of company culture in retaining employees?

Company culture plays a crucial role in employee retention. When employees feel heard, valued, and connected to the values and norms of the company, they are more likely to stay. A positive culture that fosters collaboration, respect, and personal growth can significantly enhance employee motivation and satisfaction.

How can leadership and management style influence retention?

Leadership and management style have a significant impact on retention. Leaders who inspire, support, and coach their team can increase employee engagement and satisfaction. Offering autonomy and trust can lead to higher loyalty, while inefficient or negative management styles can contribute to dissatisfaction and increased employee turnover.

What is the importance of recognition and rewards for employee retention?

Recognition and rewards play an important role in employee retention by showing staff that their work is valued. This can increase their motivation and loyalty. In addition to financial rewards, compliments, promotions, and other forms of recognition can also contribute to satisfaction and retaining employees.

What role does work-life balance play in improving retention?

A balanced work-life balance plays an important role in increasing retention. By reducing stress and improving job satisfaction, employees are more likely to stay with the company. Initiatives such as flexible working hours, remote work options, and respect for personal time can contribute to this balance.

What does increasing retention mean within a company?

Increasing retention within a company means implementing strategies to keep employees with the organization for longer. This can be achieved by improving job satisfaction, offering growth opportunities, and fostering a positive and supportive company culture.

How do I measure the success of my retention strategy?

The success of a retention strategy can be measured by tracking retention rates and turnover rates, and by gaining insights from exit interviews. Additionally, employee satisfaction surveys and feedback from performance evaluations can provide valuable information about the effectiveness of the strategies applied.

What are the costs of a low retention rate?

A low retention rate can bring significant costs, such as increased expenses for recruiting and training new employees. Furthermore, the loss of experienced staff can lead to lower productivity, reduced knowledge transfer, and a negative impact on company culture.

How can I increase employee engagement?

To increase employee engagement, involve them in decision-making processes, regularly ask for their feedback, and recognize their contributions. Offering development opportunities and maintaining transparent communication can also contribute to greater engagement.

How can technology help improve employee retention?

Technology can be a tool for improving employee retention by facilitating communication, feedback, and development. By using online platforms for training, recognition, and evaluation, companies can create a more engaged and satisfied workforce.

FAQ

How long does it take to complete the tool?

Less than 10 minutes. You’ll answer 30 guided questions and get a summary of what to look for in your next assessment platform.

Can this checklist help me compare assessment providers?

Yes. By clarifying what matters most to your team, it makes comparing providers' features, pricing, and strengths much easier and more strategic.

How can I use this checklist if I’m not doing a formal RFI?

It’s equally valuable for internal evaluations, exploring new tools, or improving your current hiring process even if you’re not issuing an RFI or RFQ.

What should I look for in a modern assessment tool?

Prioritize platforms with user-friendly design, mobile compatibility, strong analytics, ATS integrations, and inclusive features like neurodiversity support.

What types of assessments should I consider in 2025?

Leading tools combine cognitive testing, situational judgment tests (SJTs), behavior assessments, and predictive AI to evaluate candidates more holistically.

Who should use an assessment checklist?

HR professionals, hiring managers, and procurement teams evaluating pre-selection solutions, especially those comparing AI-powered or compliance-driven assessment platforms.

How does this checklist help with RFIs and RFQs for assessments?

The checklist helps you define your exact requirements so you can confidently draft or respond to Requests for Information (RFI) or Requests for Quotation (RFQ) for assessment tools.

What is an assessment tool in hiring?

An assessment tool evaluates candidates’ skills, behaviors, and fit during the recruitment process. It helps improve hiring decisions and streamline pre-selection.

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Assistent accountant

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Backoffice medewerker

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Bakker

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Barista

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Barman

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Bedrijfscontroller

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Bedrijfs IT

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Beroepsduiker

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Biomedisch ingenieur

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Biomedisch wetenschapper

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Boekhouder

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Cardiovasculair chirurg

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Cateringmanager

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CEO

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Chef

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Cloud architect

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Elektricien

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Landbouwinspecteur

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Leraar

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Personeelsmanager

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Project manager

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Reclame- en promotiedirecteur

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Reclametekstschrijver

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Timmerman

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Selection Lab pricing: cost per candidate vs Harver, Talogy & HireVue

Compare Selection Lab's pricing models and cost per candidate vs Harver, Talogy & HireVue. See worked scenarios at 500, 5,000 & 25,000+ applicants.
Joeri Everaers
COO
September 29, 2026
Read time: Approx
8 minutes

Most assessment platforms don't publish a per-candidate rate. What they publish (if anything) is a starting price, an annual subscription tier, or a prompt to request a quote. That opacity makes it genuinely difficult for HR leaders and CHROs to compare costs across platforms like Selection Lab, Harver, Talogy, and HireVue before entering a sales process.

This article builds an auditable methodology for estimating effective cost per candidate across different hiring volumes, applies it to worked scenarios at 500, 5,000, and 25,000+ applicants per year, and places those estimates alongside third-party starting-price benchmarks for Harver, HireVue, and Talogy. The goal is a framework you can reuse with actual quote data from any vendor.

The formula and methodology

"Cost per candidate" sounds simple. In practice, it depends on how you define the denominator and which cost components you include.

For this article, the denominator is assessed candidates per year (applicants who completed at least one assessment stage). The formula is:

Effective cost per candidate = (Annual subscription fee + variable assessment spend + prorated onboarding) / assessed candidates per year

The key variables are:

  • Annual applicants: total applications received
  • Completion rate: percentage of applicants who complete at least one assessment stage
  • Assessment stages reached: pre-screen only vs. pre-screen + hard-skills test vs. full multi-stage flow
  • Per-candidate or per-credit overage rate: charged when assessed volume exceeds any included allocation
  • One-time onboarding/implementation cost: amortized over 12 or 24 months depending on contract length
  • ATS integration fees: included in the base package or charged separately

Two pricing mechanics are modeled throughout:

  1. Subscription with included volume: a fixed annual fee covers a defined number of assessments; usage above that triggers a per-candidate or per-credit overage rate.
  2. Pure per-candidate / credit model: no fixed subscription; each completed assessment is charged at a unit rate, sometimes discounted through prepaid bundles.

Competitor figures in this article come from third-party software review sources (GetApp Canada, SoftwareAdvice GB, Sova Assessment blog, and similar) and are used only to compute an implied effective cost per candidate at the stated scenario volume. They are not official published rate cards.

Selection Lab pricing: what's public and what to request

Selection Lab's public pricing page (selectionlab.com/pricing-form) contains no numeric tiers, no per-candidate rates, and no published price bands. The page routes buyers to a custom quote workflow. That's standard practice for a platform that sells modular, role-based assessment bundles configurable by assessment mix, ATS integration, and contract length.

What drives the quote for Selection Lab specifically:

  • Contract term (typically 12 or 24 months)
  • Annual subscription fee and what volume of assessed candidates that covers
  • Per-candidate or per-credit overage rate above included volume
  • Assessment modules included (SmartChat intake, pre-screen, hard-skills tests, video assessment, personality profiling, structured interview guides)
  • ATS integration scope (native connectors vs. custom API work)
  • Onboarding and implementation fee (if applicable)

Quote checklist to make the math defensible. Before modeling your own $/candidate, request these six data points from any vendor:

  1. Annual subscription fee (or monthly equivalent)
  2. Included candidate/assessment volume
  3. Per-candidate overage rate above included volume
  4. One-time implementation / onboarding fee
  5. ATS integration fee (if separate from subscription)
  6. What stages are included up to the interview handoff (and whether each stage consumes a credit)

With those six numbers, the formula above produces a defensible estimate.

Scenario A: 500 applicants per year (small to mid-size hiring)

Assumptions:

  • Annual applicants: 500
  • Completion rate: 75% (375 candidates reach at least the pre-screen stage)
  • 100% receive pre-screen; 60% (225) receive a hard-skills assessment
  • Onboarding fee: $2,000 (amortized over 24 months = $1,000/year)
  • Placeholder subscription: [S] per year with [V] included candidates

Sub-scenario A1 (low overage): Subscription covers 400+ candidates; no significant overage.

Cost component Amount Annual subscription [S] Variable overage (0 candidates above included) $0 Prorated onboarding $1,000 Total annual cost [S] + $1,000 Assessed candidates 375 Implied effective cost per candidate ([S] + $1,000) / 375

At a hypothetical subscription of $6,000/year, that produces an implied $18.67/candidate. At $9,000/year, it's $26.67/candidate. Replace [S] with your quoted figure.

Sub-scenario A2 (overage applies): Subscription includes 250 candidates; 125 candidates at an overage rate of, say, $15/candidate.

Cost component Amount Annual subscription [S] Overage (125 × $15) $1,875 Prorated onboarding $1,000 Total annual cost [S] + $2,875 Implied effective cost per candidate ([S] + $2,875) / 375

At $6,000/year subscription, that's approximately $23.67/candidate.

Scenario B: 5,000 applicants per year

Assumptions: same assessment mix; completion rate 75% = 3,750 assessed candidates; onboarding $5,000 amortized over 24 months = $2,500/year.

The key dynamic at this volume is that a fixed annual subscription fee is spread across far more candidates, so the implied per-candidate cost drops materially even if overage applies to a portion of volume.

Cost component Amount Annual subscription [S] Overage (assume 750 candidates above included volume at $10/candidate) $7,500 Prorated onboarding $2,500 Total annual cost [S] + $10,000 Assessed candidates 3,750 Implied effective cost per candidate ([S] + $10,000) / 3,750

At a subscription of $20,000/year, that's approximately $8.00/candidate. Subscription-dominated pricing rewards volume: a $6/candidate improvement compared to Scenario A is common as fixed costs dilute across a larger base.

The practical breakeven question is: at what assessed volume does paying overage per candidate become cheaper than upgrading to a higher subscription tier? Request both figures during the quote process and run the comparison directly.

Scenario C: 25,000+ applicants per year (enterprise)

Assumptions: 25,000 applicants; completion rate 70% (17,500 assessed) and 90% (22,500 assessed); onboarding $15,000 amortized over 24 months = $7,500/year.

Sensitivity to completion rate matters at this scale:

Completion rate Assessed candidates Implied cost/candidate (at $60,000/year total spend) 70% 17,500 $3.43 90% 22,500 $2.67

A 20-percentage-point difference in completion rate shifts implied cost per candidate by roughly $0.76 at a $60,000 total spend level. For enterprise programs where candidate dropout is a known risk, Selection Lab's reported 27% reduction in drop-offs (March 2025, Selection Lab Main Deck 2026) has a direct effect on implied cost per candidate: fewer incomplete assessments mean the fixed spend is distributed across more completions, reducing $/candidate.

At enterprise volumes, Harver and HireVue operate exclusively on custom annual contracts. Use only starting-benchmark figures for comparison, not implied per-candidate math from published rate cards that don't exist.

Implied effective cost per candidate: platform comparison

The table below uses third-party starting-price benchmarks as inputs. All figures in the "implied effective $/candidate" column are illustrative estimates based on stated starting prices divided by a fixed assumed volume. They are not published rate cards.

Platform Pricing visibility Starting benchmark (source) Assumed volume Implied effective $/candidate Notes Selection Lab Quote-based; no public rate card Requires sales quote 500 / 5,000 / 25,000 See scenarios A/B/C above Modular; includes SmartChat, ATS integration, and full funnel automation Harver Quote-based ~$5,000/year (GetApp Canada, SoftwareAdvice GB, 2026) 500 ~$10.00 implied Enterprise tiers significantly higher; $5K is a reported minimum HireVue Quote-based / enterprise ~$35,000/year (Hirevire, SoftwareAdvice GB, InterviewFlowAI, 2026) 500 ~$70.00 implied Enterprise-oriented; video interview focus; add-ons increase cost Talogy Per-candidate + quote for enterprise ~$50/candidate for standard assessments (Sova blog, Feb 2026) 500 ~$50.00 per completed assessment Pay-as-you-go and prepaid bundles available; enterprise programs are quote-based

All figures assume no ATS integration surcharge and no module add-ons beyond the stated base. Implementation, integration complexity, and assessment mix can shift true effective cost significantly upward for any platform.

How to choose between pricing models

Volume predictability is the first filter. If your hiring volume is stable year-over-year, a subscription model with included volume offers budget certainty. If volume fluctuates, a per-candidate or credit model (like Talogy's standard tier) may be more economical in low-volume years, but scales less favorably at high volume.

Assessment depth is the second filter. A platform that covers the full selection funnel from intake through structured interview guide (as Selection Lab does) may carry a higher per-candidate cost than a single-stage test tool, but the relevant comparison is total recruitment cost, not assessment cost alone. Selection Lab reports 15 minutes saved per applicant (December 2025) and 21% lower early turnover in the first six months (January 2024). Those outcomes reduce post-hire costs that don't appear in a platform invoice.

Before signing with any vendor, get answers to these five questions:

  1. How many candidates are included in the annual subscription, and at which assessment stages?
  2. What is the per-candidate or per-credit overage rate when included volume is exceeded?
  3. What completion rate does your included volume assume, and what happens if completion is lower?
  4. Are ATS integration and onboarding included, or priced separately?
  5. If a candidate abandons the process partway through, is a credit consumed?

The answers to those five questions, plugged into the formula at the top of this article, will produce a defensible and comparable cost-per-candidate estimate for any platform you're evaluating.

To receive a personalized cost-per-candidate model for Selection Lab based on your actual hiring volume and assessment mix, request a quote through selectionlab.com/pricing-form and ask the sales team to map the quote output to the formula and scenarios outlined here.