Research
Best AI interviewing software for small and mid-sized companies (2026)
Reviewed October 18, 2026 · Written by Markus R. Lacher
Aeviya makes one of the products on this list. This guide compares products using each vendor's public product pages. It is not an independent performance test.
The short answer
The best AI interviewing software for a small or mid-sized company depends on one question: who should run the first interview?
- If you want the AI to run it, look at Aeviya, HireVue, HeyMilo, Alex (Apriora), or Sapia.ai.
- If you want candidates to record answers that your team watches later, look at Spark Hire, Willo, Truffle, or VidCruiter.
- If people already run your interviews and you want better notes and scorecards, look at Metaview or BrightHire.
- If your bottleneck is texting candidates and scheduling, look at Paradox.
- If you are buying a company-wide talent system, Eightfold fits, though it is built for enterprises.
For SMBs without a full-time recruiter, the practical deciding factors are usually published pricing, setup effort, and whether the tool connects to the ATS you already use.
How we compared these tools
We looked at five things for each product, using the vendor's own public pages, reviewed October 12–18, 2026.
- Who runs the interview: The AI live, the candidate on their own recording, or a human with AI assistance.
- Interview formats: Text, phone or voice, or video.
- Scoring and review: What the hiring team sees and who makes the decision.
- ATS workflow: Ready-made connectors versus an API, MCP, or file export.
- Pricing transparency: Whether prices are published or quote-only.
Product pages change often. Confirm current features and prices with each vendor before you buy.
Comparison table
| Tool | Who runs the first interview | Formats | Published pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aeviya | AI conducts it | Text, phone, video | Yes. First job free (about 100 interviews), $1,500 per additional job, $500 per finalist, Professional $1,199/mo | Interviewing every applicant and getting a ranked shortlist, on a set budget per job |
| HireVue | AI (AI Interviewer) | Two-way voice; video also offered | Quote | Teams that also want HireVue's assessments and video products |
| HeyMilo | AI | Voice, video; SMS, form, and résumé screening | Quote | Teams that need SMS or form screening and a supported ATS sync |
| Alex (Apriora) | AI | Live two-way interview, plus résumé screening | Quote | Identity and fraud checks, scheduling, and ready-made Workday, Greenhouse, and Lever connectors |
| Sapia.ai | AI (structured text chat) | Text chat, mobile-first; optional video question | Quote | High-volume roles where a text-only chat on a phone is enough |
| Eightfold | AI Interviewer within a larger platform | Video, audio, text | Enterprise quote | Company-wide talent systems, including internal mobility |
| Spark Hire | Candidate records (one-way); live video also offered | Video | Check current plans | Teams that want to watch recorded video and use Spark Hire's ATS connectors |
| Willo | Candidate records | Video, text, audio, objective questions, file upload | Self-serve and enterprise plans | Recorded answers reviewed against a scoring Blueprint |
| Truffle | Candidate records | One-way video or audio, résumé match | Yes. Credit plans from $49/mo | Low-cost, self-serve recorded screening |
| VidCruiter | Candidate records; live video also offered | Video | Quote | Enterprise suites with scheduling and reference checks |
| Metaview | Your team (AI takes notes) | Captures video, phone, and in-person interviews | Quote | Notes and ATS scorecards from interviews people already run |
| BrightHire | Your team (AI assists); BrightHire Screen for first rounds | Human interviews with recording | Quote | Planning, recording, and coaching later-round interviews |
| Paradox | Conversational assistant (Olivia) | Chat or text qualification, video interviewing | Quote | High-volume texting, applications, and interview scheduling |
AI that conducts the interview
Aeviya
Aeviya interviews every qualified applicant by text, phone, or video, with the AI asking the questions. It scores each answer against the criteria you set for that job and gives you a ranked shortlist, with the evidence behind each score. Your team decides who moves forward.
- Best for: SMBs and growing teams that want every applicant interviewed, not just the top résumés, and a predictable cost per job.
- Pricing: The first job has no job fee and includes about 100 AI interviews. Additional jobs are $1,500. Each finalist you activate for human review is $500 ($400 on Professional). Professional is $1,199/month, and Enterprise is custom.
- Know before you buy: There is no ready-made Greenhouse, Workday, or Lever connector. ATS data moves through the Partner API, through the MCP connector for ChatGPT, Claude, and Copilot, or by résumé upload and CSV export. MCP connector
- Learn more: How Aeviya works · Pricing examples
HireVue
HireVue's AI Interviewer runs two-way voice interviews and scores them against a rubric with explanations. HireVue also sells video interviewing and separate assessment products.
- Best for: Teams that want interviews and assessments from one large vendor.
- Pricing: Contact sales.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. HireVue · HireVue AI Interviewer
HeyMilo
HeyMilo runs voice and video interviews and also offers SMS, form, and résumé screening. Candidates get scores backed by transcripts and screening reports. HeyMilo also documents an MCP server.
- Best for: Teams that need SMS or form screening plus sync with one of HeyMilo's supported ATSs.
- Pricing: Request a quote.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. HeyMilo · HeyMilo
Alex (Apriora)
Alex is presented as a single AI recruiter that screens résumés, runs live two-way interviews, checks identity (including a live selfie), flags fraud, and schedules. It lists Workday, Greenhouse, and Lever among its supported ATS connectors.
- Best for: Teams that want identity verification and ready-made ATS write-back.
- Pricing: Ask for a proposal.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. Alex · Alex platform
Sapia.ai
Sapia.ai's Chat Interview is a structured text conversation that candidates finish on a phone, on their own time. Answers are scored against role competencies, and the hiring team gets a ranked shortlist. Candidates receive a personality profile and coaching tips, which Sapia.ai says are not shared with the employer.
- Best for: High-volume roles where a text-only, mobile chat is the right experience.
- Pricing: Ask for a proposal.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. Sapia.ai · Sapia.ai Chat Interview
Eightfold
Eightfold is a talent intelligence platform. Its agents include an AI Interviewer (video, audio, or text), a companion for human interviews, and a candidate agent that works across SMS, WhatsApp, web, and voice.
- Best for: Larger organizations buying a company-wide talent system. It is usually more than an SMB needs for first-round interviews.
- Pricing: Enterprise.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. Eightfold · Eightfold talent agents
One-way (recorded) interviews
Spark Hire
Candidates record one-way video answers on their own schedule, and Spark Hire also offers live video. Optional AI transcribes answers, summarizes them, and scores competencies. Invites can go out by link, SMS, or CSV.
- Best for: Teams that want to watch recorded video and use Spark Hire's existing ATS connectors.
- Pricing: Check current plans.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. Spark Hire · Spark Hire one-way video
Willo
Candidates answer on their own time by video, text, audio, objective questions, or file upload. Willo Insights compares answers with a scoring Blueprint your team defines, and your team decides who goes on to a live interview.
- Best for: Teams that want recorded responses reviewed against a defined rubric.
- Pricing: Self-serve and enterprise options.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. Willo · Willo video interview software
Truffle
Truffle combines résumé match scores, assessments, and one-way video or audio answers, each scored against a rubric with the reasoning shown.
- Best for: Very small teams that want low-cost, self-serve recorded screening.
- Pricing: Credit plans start at $49/month. A completed one-way interview uses 5 credits, and a résumé screen uses 1.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. Truffle · Truffle pricing
VidCruiter
Candidates record pre-recorded video answers that hiring teams review with scorecards, AI notes, and shared ratings. VidCruiter also sells live video, scheduling, and reference checks as part of a larger suite.
- Best for: Teams that want on-camera screening plus reference checks in one enterprise suite.
- Pricing: Quote, depending on modules.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. VidCruiter · VidCruiter pre-recorded interviews
AI for interviews your team runs
Metaview
Metaview joins interviews your team already runs, whether on video, by phone, or in person. It writes notes, clips, and summaries, and can fill scorecards in Greenhouse, Ashby, Lever, Workday, and others.
- Best for: Teams whose interviews already happen with people, where the gap is notes and follow-through.
- Pricing: Ask for a proposal.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. Metaview · Metaview interview notes
BrightHire
BrightHire supports the interviews your team runs with interview plans, live guides, recording, notes, scorecards, and coaching. BrightHire Screen is a separate first-round AI interviewer that also flags fraud signals.
- Best for: Improving how hiring managers run later rounds.
- Pricing: Ask for a proposal.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. BrightHire · BrightHire
Conversational hiring assistants
Paradox
Paradox's assistant, Olivia, handles job search, applications, qualification questions by chat or text, interview scheduling, video interviewing, offers, and onboarding. Scheduling is one of its core products.
- Best for: High-volume hourly hiring, where the bottleneck is texting candidates and booking interviews.
- Pricing: Ask for a proposal.
- Compare: Aeviya vs. Paradox · Paradox
What AI interviewing costs: a worked example
Take a company filling one customer support role with about 100 applicants that wants 5 finalists for human interviews:
- Aeviya, first job: $0 job fee + 5 finalists = $2,500
- Aeviya, each additional job: job fee + 5 finalists = $4,000
- Credit-based tools like Truffle: monthly plan plus credits used (5 per completed one-way interview). Check the current credit pools.
- Quote-only vendors (HireVue, HeyMilo, Sapia.ai, Paradox, and others): ask each one to price this same role and volume so the quotes are comparable.
How to choose
- Decide who runs the first interview: the AI, the candidate on their own recording, or your team.
- Check your ATS. If you need a ready-made Greenhouse, Workday, or Lever connector on day one, confirm the vendor has one for your ATS. If an API, MCP, or CSV handoff is fine, your options widen.
- Price one real role. Use the same role and applicant volume for every demo and quote.
- Review a sample report. Ask to see the questions, the transcript, and how each score is explained.
- Confirm human oversight and compliance. Make sure a person makes the final decision. If you hire in New York City, ask about bias audits under Local Law 144.
Frequently asked questions
What is AI interviewing software?
AI interviewing software runs or supports job interviews with AI. Some products have the AI conduct a live text, voice, or video interview. Others collect recorded answers for a person to review, and some assist human interviewers with notes and scorecards.
Which AI interviewing software is best for small businesses?
For small businesses without a dedicated recruiter, look for published pricing, fast setup, and AI that conducts the interview itself. Aeviya (pay per job and finalist) and Truffle (credit plans from $49/month) publish prices. Spark Hire and Willo suit teams that prefer to watch recorded video.
Is AI interviewing the same as one-way video interviewing?
No. In a one-way video interview, candidates record answers to fixed questions and a person reviews them later. In an AI-conducted interview, the AI asks the questions, often follows up, and scores the answers. Aeviya, HireVue's AI Interviewer, HeyMilo, and Alex conduct interviews. Spark Hire, Willo, Truffle, and VidCruiter focus on recorded answers.
Does AI make the hiring decision?
In the products reviewed here, vendors say people make the final decision. The AI interviews, scores, or summarizes candidates, and the hiring team chooses who moves forward.
Can AI interviewing software work with my ATS?
Usually, yes, but how varies. Alex, Spark Hire, HeyMilo, and Metaview advertise ready-made ATS connectors. Aeviya connects through its Partner API, an MCP connector, or résumé upload and CSV export.