Gem isn't the best option for every team. Replacing it isn't a matter of picking another sourcing tool and moving the same searches across, either. A freelance recruiter needs speed and predictable costs; an agency juggling several clients needs to keep projects separate, get phone numbers and emails, and run follow-ups without duplicating work; an enterprise team may put integrations, governance, analytics and permissions first.
Pressure in the Spanish market explains why this decision matters. In 2025, 75% of companies reported difficulty finding the profiles they needed, down from 78% in 2024, according to the data collected in ManpowerGroup's talent shortage study. In transport, logistics and automotive, the problem reached 84% of companies. In that context, comparing features alone leads to incomplete decisions.
The choice should start from the bottleneck: search quality, technical profiles, contact enrichment, outreach, market intelligence, analytics, ATS integration, cost transparency, GDPR compliance and migration effort. It's also worth separating two different moves: replacing a system, and adding a specialised layer on top of it.
HeyTalent belongs in the second category. It can work as a layer for intelligent sourcing, AI filtering, enrichment and outreach alongside an ATS such as Teamtailor, Viterbit or Workable, without replacing it. This list ranks the Gem alternatives by the problem they solve, not by how many modules they stack up.
1. HeyTalent
HeyTalent answers a specific bottleneck: turning profile searches into a prioritised, contactable list without bringing in yet another heavyweight CRM. It extracts public profiles, mainly from LinkedIn, using Boolean searches and AI suggestions. From there you can apply advanced filters, look up contact emails and phone numbers, and run personalised sequences.
How useful it is depends on how you configure the filtering. A recruiter can create variables to rank profiles against their own criteria — spotting an advanced or bilingual level of English, say, or classifying academic and professional backgrounds. Those signals are there to organise a list, not to make automatic decisions about a person. In sensitive processes, human review is still necessary.
When it makes sense
For a small or mid-sized agency, HeyTalent brings extraction, filtering, enrichment and outreach into a single flow. A headhunter working several technical roles can swap manual lists for prioritised, contactable candidates while keeping the main pipeline in their ATS. In Talent Acquisition, it can complement the ATS on hard searches and cut down the mix of extensions, spreadsheets and email tools.
The platform states on its website that it delivers up to 60% more speed in the first month, a response rate of 2.5x through sequences and follow-ups, and savings of up to 5x versus LinkedIn Recruiter. These are the product's own commercial claims, so it's worth validating them with a test on the buyer's own roles and profiles. The information is available on the official HeyTalent site.
The quarterly-billed plans are Recruiter at €109 a month with up to 2,000 candidates a month; Agency at €214 a month with up to 5,000; and Ultra at €599 a month with up to 14,000. HeyTalent's page also lists an annual option with roughly a 15% discount. The plans include unlimited users and variables, email and phone lookup, unlimited exports and an AI copilot. Some LinkedIn connection-with-note campaigns may require LinkedIn Premium Business.
Cost should be compared per contactable shortlist, not per number of modules. An agency should test a representative vacancy and measure valid candidates, usable data and replies before replacing or extending its stack.
2. hireEZ
hireEZ, formerly Hiretual, is aimed at teams that want to consolidate outbound sourcing, CRM, automations and analytics into one broad platform. Its semantic search lets you express a need in terms of skills, experience and adjacencies rather than relying purely on rigid Boolean strings. For hard-to-fill roles, that approach can surface nearby profiles when job titles vary between companies or markets.
The platform also pairs email and phone enrichment and verification with workflows connected to the ATS or CRM. That combination matters for an agency running different clients that needs a repeatable sequence from identification through follow-up. Conversion analytics help separate activity volume from campaign results.
hireEZ's cost isn't published as a standard rate. The buyer has to request commercial information and check which features are included, what limits apply to enrichment and how usage is billed per team or organisation. That lack of a visible price makes it harder to compare total cost against a more modular sourcing tool.
Its breadth can also become a limitation. A generalist recruiter may only need to find candidates and contact them, yet end up configuring an environment with more complexity than they use. The security controls and compliance documentation on offer are useful for B2B purchasing, though it's worth reviewing the specific data-processing terms that apply in Spain.
If the priority is cutting down on tools, hireEZ deserves a technical demo. If the priority is starting fast with costs that are easy to model, compare the real scope of each module first.
For an assessment focused more on how it sits against other vendors, see this comparison of hireEZ alternatives. The official platform is available at hireEZ.
3. SeekOut
SeekOut fits best with teams that need advanced searches by skills, lookalike profiles and professional adjacencies. Instead of stopping at exact matches, it lets you explore similar career paths and clone reference profiles. That helps an enterprise team opening a new job family before it has settled on every title, target company or search term.
Its packages are organised around capabilities such as Recruit Core, Sourcing and Full Funnel. The structure lets you size the scope to small or large teams, though pricing isn't published and requires a demo. Negotiation should cover more than seat count: ask about engagement, reporting, ATS and CRM integrations, credits and exports.
Its real edge over Gem
SeekOut stands out when the problem isn't only contacting candidates but widening the definition of talent. A team hunting scarce specialists can start from the profile of someone already succeeding in the role and find professionals with similar skills or career paths. Its engagement and reporting features measure the work that follows, not just the number of results returned.
The trade-off is an advanced UX. To get value from it, the team needs to agree on how searches are built, how matches are interpreted and how diversity or fit criteria are documented. An agency that only needs to capture contacts for one vacancy could end up paying for depth it never uses.
The comparison of SeekOut alternatives is a useful way to contrast its approach with tools geared more towards extraction, enrichment and automation. The vendor's commercial information is at SeekOut.
4. AmazingHiring
AmazingHiring is built for a specific problem: finding technical talent when LinkedIn doesn't show enough signal about someone's professional ability. The tool aggregates and indexes footprints from repositories, Q&A spaces, technical competitions and other sources alongside LinkedIn. For an IT recruiter, that means being able to assess technical context before investing time in outreach.
Search combines Boolean operators with semantic capabilities. It also ships an extension and sourcing best-practice material, which helps a team standardise how it searches for engineering, data or cybersecurity profiles. The advantage isn't replacing the hiring manager's judgement — it's adding signals a social profile may not explain.
Its scope is less interesting for non-technical profiles. A staffing firm covering administration, customer service and logistics will probably get little from a tool centred on developers' digital footprints. A headhunter specialised in software, on the other hand, can cut the time spent combing through multiple communities and technical pages.
Rates aren't published, so the comparison has to focus on coverage by market, signal quality, export limits and whether you can obtain contact data. You should also check whether the tool solves contact or needs a second layer for enrichment and outreach. The vendor's site is AmazingHiring.
5. Findem
Findem doesn't compete on returning more results. Its approach turns career histories into signals for discovering candidates and relating them to hiring needs. That makes it a better fit for strategic Talent Acquisition, executive search and workforce planning than for a one-off high-volume search.
The platform brings in market intelligence, talent maps and analytics to connect sourcing activity with outcomes. An in-house team can use it to understand where a scarce profile is concentrated, which career paths repeat and how to steer a hiring strategy before opening many individual searches. That perspective answers a question Gem and other operational tools don't always cover: how the target market is actually shaped.
The cost of market intelligence
More depth demands more adoption. Recruiters have to agree on definitions of fit, interpret signals derived from career history and connect findings to hiring decisions. For an agency with an urgent vacancy, that work can be excessive when the goal is to build a candidate list and launch a campaign the same day.
Findem works with enterprise pricing and private offers, including sales-led or AWS Marketplace purchase. Before signing, a buyer should ask for a demo based on their own geography and job families, not a generic presentation. They should also check whether the system delivers actionable contact or only intelligence for planning.
See the comparison of Findem alternatives to separate market intelligence, sourcing and outreach. Product information is at Findem.
6. Fetcher
Fetcher sits in a more operational position. It combines AI-assisted search and screening with curated lists, email sequences and automated follow-ups. That mix suits generalist recruiters who alternate between inbound and outbound candidates depending on how hard the role is.
A team can use it to speed up the first screen, build an initial list and launch a campaign without assembling every step by hand. Its integrations with ATSs, Slack and email keep the recruiter close to the tools they already use. The campaign dashboard helps review which messages generate activity and where the process leaks.
Quality will depend on two variables the buyer has to test: the quality of the available data and the precision of the instructions used to search. A quickly generated list is no substitute for validating titles, location, seniority or permission to make contact. For an agency, a poor initial selection can waste more time on irrelevant replies than the automation saves.
Fetcher doesn't publish standard pricing and requires a conversation with sales. Ask for a clear explanation of limits, exports, integrations and campaign usage before comparing offers. It's a reasonable option for simple flows, but it can fall short if you need very specific AI variables, phone data or a per-organisation cost model. The vendor is at Fetcher.
7. HireSweet
HireSweet brings a European perspective to outbound recruiting. It combines a light CRM and ATS for managing pipeline and campaigns with a candidate marketplace and external RPO-style services. For a startup or a small agency, that structure can shorten time to launch without demanding a long implementation.
Its appeal in Spain lies less in global breadth than in its sensitivity to the European context and to GDPR. Data processing should always be reviewed with your privacy lead, but working with a European vendor can simplify conversations about residency, processes and documentation. It doesn't remove the need to review the legal basis, the transparency of your messaging and how opt-outs are handled.
Who it's a logical option for
An agency still managing opportunities in spreadsheets may find value in its light CRM. A company that needs external support at a specific stage can explore the RPO marketplace. In both cases, check how the tool coexists with the main ATS and whether the team will end up maintaining two pipelines.
Data coverage can be narrower than that of global providers. That matters when an agency works international profiles or very specific markets. Prices aren't listed publicly either, so ask for a trial using the locations and sectors the business actually works in, not a demo built on easy-to-find profiles.
HireSweet can be a practical European alternative for small and mid-sized teams, but it isn't necessarily the best contact layer for a recruiter who already has a solid ATS. Its site is HireSweet.
8. ContactOut
ContactOut solves a narrower problem than Gem: getting emails and phone numbers from LinkedIn profiles and turning a search into a real chance of making contact. Its Chrome extension works on individual profiles, while bulk enrichment starts from profile URLs. It also includes a basic email campaign module.
For a freelancer or an agency that already has its sourcing system, it can work as a data layer. The recruiter keeps Boolean search in LinkedIn or in their usual tool and uses ContactOut to try to complete the information before starting outreach. That avoids buying a full suite when the main need is to make contact outside InMail.
The limit is how much accuracy varies by market. A wrong phone number or email can add clean-up work and affect how the agency is perceived. Before scaling, test samples of Spanish profiles, check the rate of usable data and define how records are deleted when someone asks not to be contacted.
Plans and pricing often require a conversation and aren't always public. Ask for clarity on credits, renewals, exports and per-user usage. ContactOut is a good fit when the flow already exists and the enrichment layer is missing, but it doesn't replace a platform that also filters candidates and automates sequences. The product is available at ContactOut.
9. Loxo
Loxo appeals to agencies that want to consolidate ATS, CRM, sourcing and outreach in one environment. Its people search engine, the talent graph, is paired with candidate management and multichannel email, phone and SMS campaigns. The goal isn't to add a tool to the stack but to reduce the number of systems the team has to maintain.
A full-service agency may value that integration, because the recruiter works from search through communication and follow-up in one common flow. There's also a free entry point and plans that scale towards enterprise options, though advanced features and certain credits may be reserved for higher tiers. Real cost will depend on which channels and capabilities each team needs.
Consolidating doesn't always mean improving
Loxo can reduce tool fatigue, but it also concentrates more processes in a single platform. If the agency already uses Teamtailor, Viterbit or Workable and is happy with its ATS, it should weigh the cost and effort of migrating against adding a specialised sourcing layer. Migrating data, permissions, templates and processes can consume more resources than keeping two well-connected systems.
Sourcing quality and coverage can vary by niche. A trial should include local profiles, passive candidates and hard roles, not just bulk searches. It's also worth verifying which credits are included at each tier and what happens when you hit the limit.
For agencies that do want a unified suite, Loxo is worth considering. For teams looking to improve only search and contact, it may be too broad. The official site is Loxo.
10. LinkedIn Recruiter
LinkedIn Recruiter remains the reference point for searching inside the LinkedIn ecosystem. It offers advanced filters, saved searches, collaborative projects and InMail for making contact without leaving the professional network. For teams already working there daily, the learning curve is low and coverage of active profiles is an operational advantage.
Its model also explains why many recruiters look for alternatives to Gem or to LinkedIn Recruiter. Licensing is organised by seats or packages and prices vary with the negotiation. An agency should analyse whether every recruiter needs a full licence, or whether it can combine a sourcing tool, contact data and an ATS to spread the work.
Its place in a hybrid stack
LinkedIn Recruiter is strong at discovery inside the network, but it depends on self-declared data and on the InMail channel. A team that needs phone numbers, emails, external sequences or custom AI filters can add complementary tools. The official LinkedIn Recruiter pricing page is the way to start the commercial conversation, though the final figure will depend on the package.
The decision doesn't have to be binary. An agency can keep LinkedIn Recruiter for certain strategic searches and use another platform for volume, enrichment and outreach. An in-house team can reserve licences for senior recruiters and use an additional layer to research markets or prepare lists.
The risk is paying for duplication. Before you renew, separate the tasks only LinkedIn solves from those other tools can handle with less dependence on the seat and on InMail.
Comparison: 10 Gem alternatives
| Product | Key features | Experience / Usability | Value proposition / Differentiator | Target audience | Pricing / Scalability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HeyTalent | Real-time extraction (LinkedIn), contact email and phone lookup, customisable AI variables, automated outreach | End-to-end flow, unlimited users, easy for recruiters, priority support on higher plans | Tighter lists, higher response rate, savings versus LinkedIn, GDPR compliance | Freelance recruiters, agencies, growing TA teams | Recruiter €109/mo (up to 2k), Agency €214 (5k), Ultra €599 (14k); unlimited users and variables, annual discount |
| hireEZ (Hiretual) | Semantic search by skills, enrichment and verification, CRM/workflows, analytics | ATS integrations, powerful but with a learning curve | Consolidates sourcing + CRM + analytics, good matching on technical roles | Technical TA teams, mid-market/enterprise companies | Custom pricing (contact sales) |
| SeekOut | Search by skills/adjacencies, profile cloning, engagement, reporting | Very powerful for enterprise, may require training | Excellent for hard roles and diversity with contextual AI | Small to enterprise teams, searches for scarce talent | Scalable packages; pricing by demo/sales contact |
| AmazingHiring | Technical footprint indexing (GitHub, StackOverflow, Kaggle), extension, Boolean/semantic search | Excellent for tech profiles, less applicable to non-tech | Visibility of technical signals hard to see on LinkedIn alone | Tech recruiters, IT companies and technical startups | Custom pricing; not public |
| Findem | Signals derived from career histories, market intelligence, talent maps, analytics | Strategic focus, steeper adoption curve | Connects sourcing with outcomes; useful for workforce planning and executive search | Strategic TA, executive search, workforce planning | Enterprise / private offer (sales/AWS Marketplace) |
| Fetcher | AI for screening, email sequences and automated follow-ups, ATS integrations | Easy to use for generalist recruiters, metrics dashboard | Speeds up initial search and first contacts | Generalist recruiters, SMB teams | Private pricing; contact sales |
| HireSweet | Light CRM/ATS, RPO marketplace, fast rollout with a European focus | Recruiter-centred experience, GDPR sensitivity | European alternative focused on fast placements | Startups, teams in Europe/Spain | Pricing not published; demo and sales contact |
| ContactOut | Chrome extension that reveals emails/phones, bulk enrichment, basic campaign module | Very quick to deploy, simple to use | Direct access to contacts outside InMail, useful as a contact layer | Freelancers, teams complementing LinkedIn | Varied plans; often requires sales contact |
| Loxo | People search engine, integrated ATS/CRM, multichannel campaigns and automations | Consolidates the stack, reduces the number of tools | All-in-one suite for full-service agencies and teams that want to centralise | Agencies, small/mid-sized teams | Plans from free tier to enterprise; advanced features on higher plans |
| LinkedIn Recruiter | Advanced filters, saved searches, collaborative projects, InMail | Very familiar to LinkedIn users, high coverage | Native access to the largest base of professional profiles | Generalist and corporate recruiters | Seat/package licensing; variable, negotiated pricing |
The right alternative depends on your bottleneck
The best Gem alternative isn't the one with the most features — it's the one that removes the work slowing your processes down. If the problem is producing tight shortlists, getting contact details and automating the first approach without changing ATS, HeyTalent is the closest fit. Its position as a sourcing layer means you keep Teamtailor, Viterbit or Workable and add profile extraction, AI filtering, enrichment and sequences.
hireEZ and SeekOut make more sense for teams looking for a broad platform with AI, workflows, engagement and integrations. They are natural candidates for Talent Acquisition departments with mature processes and the capacity to absorb a fuller implementation. The question isn't only what they can do, but how much you'll pay for features your recruiters will use every week.
For technical recruiting, AmazingHiring offers signals closer to a candidate's actual work. That advantage loses weight outside IT. Findem addresses a different level of decision: market intelligence, talent maps, executive search and workforce planning. It isn't the logical choice for an agency that needs to fill an urgent vacancy with contact data and a sequence ready to send.
Fetcher fits simple search, screening and campaign flows. ContactOut is more specific and works as an enrichment layer for teams that have sourcing covered. HireSweet is interesting for startups, small agencies and European teams that value a light rollout and an approach close to the European privacy context. Loxo stands out when an agency wants to consolidate ATS, CRM, sourcing and outreach, though that consolidation can require a deeper migration.
The Spanish market is reason enough to compare these options carefully. In 2024, InfoJobs recorded 2,447,457 vacancies and more than 4,060,366 people applying to offers, according to the data published in the LinkedIn and employment statistics for Spain compiled by Waalaxy. That volume doesn't mean every tool performs equally in every sector. Local coverage, contact quality and the ability to personalise outreach matter more than a long list of integrations.
Use this four-step migration guide:
- Audit your current searches and sequences: identify which queries generate useful candidates, which filters are applied manually and which follow-ups repeat.
- Export and clean your data: remove duplicates, separate active candidates from old contacts and document the origin and the permission that applies to each record.
- Test a representative vacancy: pick a hard role in your business, with real location and seniority. Avoid validating a tool with a search that's too easy.
- Measure the whole process: compare time to shortlist, cost per usable contact and response rate. Add the human review effort and the ATS integration work.