RecruitScreen vs Spark Hire: focused Australian screening vs the US all-rounder
Spark Hire is one of the longest-running video interviewing platforms — a US suite covering one-way and live interviews, with responses auto-scored against competencies, AI summaries before you watch, and a deep integration list. Plenty of mid-market US teams run their whole interview stack on it.
RecruitScreen doesn’t try to be your interview suite. It replaces one specific, painful step — the first-round phone screen — for Australian teams, with candidate data stored in Sydney, a firm published price in AUD, and the shortlist left to your reviewers.
The short version: Choose Spark Hire if you want live and async interviewing plus automatic scoring in one US-centric platform. Choose RecruitScreen if the job is bulk first-round screening in Australia, done fast, with data kept onshore and the decision kept human.
Side by side
| Spark Hire | RecruitScreen | |
|---|---|---|
| Candidate data residency | No storage location published for the video product; the subprocessor list names AWS without attaching a location | Stored in Sydney, Australia — the default, not a paid region option |
| Retention & deletion | Interviews stored up to 1 year while your subscription is active; deletion is manual and irreversible | Deleted automatically at 12 months, and 30 days after a candidate is archived — set a shorter period at no extra cost |
| Who decides | Auto-scores submissions against competencies and AI-summarises responses before a reviewer watches | Your reviewers. Nothing scores, ranks or shortlists candidates |
| Billing | From US$299/month, or US$249/month billed annually, plus applicable sales tax — published as “starting at” floors rather than firm prices | AUD, GST inclusive, monthly or annual — no FX fees on the company card |
| Free option | No free plan or free trial published | Free forever — one live campaign, no credit card |
| Company & support | US-based (Chicago) | Australian-owned (Indxtree Pty Ltd, ABN 22 699 760 113), Australian business hours |
Spark Hire details are quoted from their own published pages and were last reviewed on 30 July 2026. Pricing and terms change — always confirm on their site. Sources: Spark Hire pricing · Spark Hire FAQ — interview storage · Spark Hire — one-way video interviews · Spark Hire privacy & security policy
Choose Spark Hire if…
- •You want live interview scheduling and one-way screening in one platform.
- •You want responses auto-scored and summarised before a human watches them.
Choose RecruitScreen if…
- •You want the first round fixed this week without a platform rollout.
- •Where candidate video is stored matters to you, your board, or the people you hire for.
- •You want a firm published price in AUD inc. GST, not a “starting at” figure plus sales tax.
- •Unlimited reviewers on your campaigns — and a person, not a model, deciding who gets a call.
Questions people ask
Does RecruitScreen do live interviews? +
No — the live conversation stays yours, on whatever you already use. RecruitScreen makes sure you only book live time with candidates worth it.
Is pricing per seat or per workspace? +
Per workspace, and published as a firm figure. Your plan sets how many team members you can invite, and everyone on the plan can review — so bringing a hiring manager or supervisor in for one intake doesn’t cost extra. Spark Hire’s annual plans also include unlimited users, but the price is published as a “starting at” floor rather than a firm number.
Can I export shortlists for clients? +
Yes — CSV export is available on every plan, including Free, and you can invite your team to review in the app.
Related: why Australian data residency matters · RecruitScreen pricing (AUD) · industry guides