Applicant Tracking System UK

Something as simple as where your recruitment software is based can really impact your overall recruitment success.

The way the US recruits is very different to the way the UK recruits. With customers operating in over 50 countries, we’ve experienced the differences first-hand.

So why should UK companies buy their applicant tracking software from a UK-based vendor?

1) Regional understanding

Most ATS vendors that aren’t based in the UK/Europe (but who are selling into the UK market) aren’t investing the time and effort that’s needed to make their product suitable for the local market.

The UK is typically a small market for them and it’s not just as simple as retrofitting their solution into the UK either—those distinct differences need to be nailed from the outset.

The reality: Your team gets frustrated with their new ATS, and qualified candidates don’t get the experience they were expecting from you.

2) Compliance

UK-based ATS software will be more proactive about maintaining compliant systems for UK data regulation because we’re based here too. You can learn more about how we keep our customers’ data safe here.

3) Support

Vendors that aren’t UK-based, but who sell into the UK market, often aren’t able to invest as much into providing support in the UK as they would if the UK was their primary market.

This means that the support that’s provided, coupled with the time zone differences, is far less than what many UK companies would hope for.

The reality: At best, the support experience is slow and doesn’t reflect what you’re paying.

At worst, when you do finally speak to somebody, they’re not in a position of authority and don’t understand the way your business works, the market you’re recruiting into, or the recruitment management challenges you’re facing that are unique to the UK.

Most of the features you’ll find in any applicant tracking system will be useful to UK recruitment teams. But there are a some applicant tracking system features that organisations in the UK will find particularly helpful:

• Data protection tools: Functionality that makes compliance with local data protection regulations like the GDPR easier.
• Diversity and inclusion tools: Features like equality monitoring that are tailored to UK best practice around diversity and inclusion.
• Candidate experience features: Customisable careers page that includes employer brand content. Integrations with regional job boards (in addition to Indeed, LinkedIn, etc.) to connect with the UK’s best applicants. Automated interview scheduling and communications to save time and keep applicants engaged.  
• Integrations: UK-based applicant tracking software is more likely to integrate well with other HR tools that are popular in the UK for a more user-friendly experience for talent acquisition and HR teams. 

Because many applicant tracking systems have been designed and built in the US, with the US market in mind, the features they offer are automatically geared towards the US way of recruiting.

That’s not always a bad thing, but it’s something to consider when evaluating applicant tracking software for a UK organisation.

Pinpoint and other applicant tracking software providers that are based in the UK sell globally, but because their first customers were in the UK their feature set is often skewed to help UK recruiters.

Choosing a UK-based ATS ensures better alignment with local compliance requirements (like GDPR), more relevant support, and platform features that reflect the structure of UK-based hiring teams.

An ATS built for the UK market understands regional nuances—like multi-brand hiring, EU/UK data policies, and user expectations.

Absolutely. Whether you’re hiring across multiple offices, regions, or brands, Pinpoint’s ATS UK platform allows you to customise workflows, permissions, and branding for each hiring stream—all while maintaining centralised control and visibility.

Our Applicant Tracking Software UK is fully GDPR-compliant, with built-in tools for consent management, role-based permissions, and data retention policies. It’s designed to meet the compliance expectations of IT, legal, and procurement teams in UK organisations.