Keap vs Rippling ATS

Keap

Keap is a CRM and marketing automation platform designed specifically for small businesses and solopreneurs. It combines contact management, email marketing, invoicing, and appointment scheduling in one platform. Keap is ideal for service-based small businesses that want to automate their client follow-up and lead nurturing.

Paid pricing · Get Pricing →

Rippling ATS

Rippling Recruiting is the applicant tracking module within the Rippling platform. It connects recruiting directly to onboarding, payroll, and IT provisioning so that when a candidate is hired, their entire employee setup happens automatically. Rippling ATS is ideal for companies already using Rippling for HR who want a seamlessly integrated recruiting experience.

Paid pricing · Get Pricing →

Pros

• ✓All-in-one platform covering CRM, marketing, and payments
• ✓Strong automation for small service businesses
• ✓Good for automating client follow-up and lead nurturing
• ✓Dedicated small business focus

Cons

• ✗Expensive for what you get compared to alternatives
• ✗Steep learning curve for the automation builder
• ✗Interface feels dated compared to modern CRM tools

Pros

• ✓Seamless connection from hiring to onboarding to payroll — zero manual handoff
• ✓Automatically provisions IT accounts and equipment when a candidate is hired
• ✓Deep integration with the full Rippling platform
• ✓Eliminates duplicate data entry across HR systems

Cons

• ✗Only valuable if you use the full Rippling platform
• ✗Requires custom pricing quote
• ✗Less feature-rich as a standalone ATS compared to dedicated tools like Greenhouse
• ✗Overkill for companies not using Rippling

Best For

Service-based small businesses wanting CRM and marketing automation in one

Best For

Companies using Rippling for HR who want recruiting seamlessly connected to onboarding and payroll