Choosing an ATS in 2026: 12 selection criteria for recruitment teams

Why choosing an ATS in 2026 has become more complex

Choosing an ATS in 2026 is more complex, because recruitment software now touches far more than just vacancies and candidates. Systems process personal data, support contract management, and run entire processes. That's why GDPR-proof recruitment software, the EU AI Act for ATS platforms, and sector compliance certifications for staffing agencies play a major role in your final choice.

On top of that, systems rarely operate entirely on their own. Integrations with HR systems, such as payroll or HRIS platforms, are often essential. As a result, your choice has a direct impact on finance, HR and IT. If these don't line up properly, you end up with manual work, or errors creep into the data. That's why choosing an ATS in 2026 is a strategic decision, and has long stopped being a simple tool choice.

Choosing an ATS in 2026 starts with a structured selection process

A good approach starts with insight. Map out your current process and see exactly where it goes wrong. Think of duplicate data entry, long turnaround times, or unclear communication with candidates. This insight forms the basis for your ATS selection criteria.

Involve different teams in the process, such as HR, recruitment, IT and finance. Everyone looks at different risks, after all. Then use one fixed demo case with every supplier. Ask the same questions everywhere and assess the answers in a comparable way. This makes the differences between systems visible, and stops you choosing purely on gut feeling.

Always dig deeper on ATS implementation too. How long does this take, what do you need to handle yourself, and what does support look like? This largely determines whether a system will actually work successfully within your organisation once it's live.

The 12 most important criteria when choosing an ATS in 2026

1. GDPR and data management

GDPR-compliant recruitment software requires clear control over your data. You need to know exactly where data is stored, how long you keep it, and who has access to it. Good logging is also essential so actions can be traced back afterwards.

Demo question: How do you guarantee GDPR compliance, and where is the data stored?

2. AI and regulation

AI is increasingly used for matching and smart recommendations. Under the EU AI Act, you need to be able to explain exactly how an ATS's automated decisions come about. Transparency and adjustability are therefore crucial.

Demo question: How do you make AI decisions transparent and auditable?

3. ID verification and personal data

Sensitive data, such as national ID numbers, require extra strict security measures. Permissions need to be watertight, so that only authorised people have access to this information.

Demo question: How do you protect this kind of sensitive personal data?

4. Sector checks

In sectors such as healthcare and education, extra checks are required, including professional registration checks. Not every ATS supports this specific functionality by default.

Demo question: Which external registrations can be checked automatically?

5. Staffing certification and logging

For agencies, a recognised staffing compliance certification (in the Netherlands, this is the NEN 4400 standard) is often a hard requirement. You need to be able to show flawlessly what was changed in the system, and by whom. This calls for a complete, watertight audit trail.

Demo question: How does the logging work, and can we use this directly for audits?

6. Pay agreements and contract management

If you choose an ATS with support for sector collective pay agreements, the system needs to process phases, pay rates and contract types without errors. Mistakes here lead directly to financial risk for the organisation.

Demo question: How does the system support collective agreement rules in day-to-day practice?

7. Contractor risk

Regulation around self-employed contractors changes fast, and varies by country. A good ATS helps you flag risk early, based on the assignments and contracts entered into the system.

Demo question: How does the system specifically help identify contractor-related risk?

8. Multiposting

Vacancies need to be visible quickly across multiple channels. So check carefully which job boards are connected by default, and how the results are measured.

Demo question: Which sourcing channels are integrated by default?

9. Integrations with HR systems

Strong ATS integrations with payroll and HRIS platforms result in significantly less manual work. Native connections are usually a lot more stable than working with manual exports.

Demo question: How do the integrations work, and how often does the data sync?

10. Assessments and video

External tools for assessments and video interviews need to connect seamlessly with your system. The results should appear directly and automatically in the relevant candidate profile.

Demo question: How exactly are assessment results linked?

11. Candidate experience

The candidate experience within your ATS shapes how applicants experience your hiring process. Think of how easy it is to apply on mobile, clear communication, and the shortest possible turnaround times.

Demo question: What does the candidate journey look like, from the first application to the final decision?

12. Data migration and implementation

Switching to new software requires solid preparation. Old data needs to be thoroughly cleaned up and critically assessed. Good guidance during the migration process is therefore essential.

Demo question: How do you support the data migration and the eventual implementation?

Choosing an ATS in 2026 by organisation type

The right choice depends heavily on your type of organisation. Corporate teams typically focus on smooth collaboration with hiring managers and detailed reporting. In our article on how corporate recruiters approach this, you can read how process and systems come together successfully.

Agencies and staffing firms, on the other hand, focus on speed, successful placements and margin. Here, staffing compliance certification and collective agreement rules play a much bigger role. For these organisations, CRM functionality is often a crucial part of the ATS.

SMEs are mainly looking for simplicity. Fast implementation and clear costs tend to matter more here than complex customisation options. So how you weigh the various criteria differs considerably by organisation.

Where an ATS stops when choosing an ATS in 2026

An ATS primarily manages candidates and the underlying hiring processes. For personal outreach, teams typically use additional tools. With our module for creating personal LinkedIn messages faster, we support targeted communication without replacing the ATS.

That's why it's important to define upfront exactly what you solve within the ATS and what falls outside it. By comparing tools and ways of working, you get a clear picture of how the different solutions work together optimally within your recruitment process.

Common mistakes when choosing an ATS in 2026

Many teams get fixated on the features on offer and pay too little attention to their own process. As a result, the systems they buy don't actually fit well in practice. AI is sometimes deployed blindly, without real insight into the decisions it makes, which brings real risk with it. Data migration also often gets too little attention, so old mistakes get carried over unchecked into the new environment. And user adoption is regularly underestimated, even though this ultimately determines whether a system is actually used successfully.

Practical checklist for choosing an ATS in 2026

Use this practical checklist during supplier demos and give each item an objective score. This makes the differences between systems immediately visible, and lets you compare them more easily.

• GDPR and data management
• AI transparency
• Personal data and security
• Sector checks
• Logging and compliance
• Collective agreement support
• Contractor risk
• Multiposting
• Integrations
• Assessments
• Candidate experience
• Data migration and implementation

Note down your findings carefully for each supplier. Would you rather go through this together? You can discuss your ATS decision with us, so we can work out together what fits your organisation best.

From selection to daily use

Once you've made the final choice, the real work begins. Train your recruiters and hiring managers so everyone follows exactly the same process. Set clear working instructions and, after a few months, measure whether the intended goals are actually being met. In our practical examples from recruitment teams, you can see exactly how other teams successfully improve their approach based on what they've learned.