# Careerleaf Pricing 2026: $300/mo + Up to $5,000 Setup

> Careerleaf's plans cost $300 to $549 a month, plus $750 to $5,000 to set up. Every plan, every add-on, and the sales cap most people miss. Checked Oct 2026.

Table of contents

Careerleaf publishes its prices, and the monthly fee is not the number that matters. The setup fee is: $750, $850 or $5,000 depending on the plan. Then there is a limit of 10, 20 or 50 "direct sales" a month, a term the pricing page never defines.

I broke down all four Careerleaf plans and the 25 add-ons on the pricing page. Then I compared year one with alternatives that publish their prices.

**Kardow is my company and a Careerleaf competitor. It appears once, near the end, with its weaknesses.**

## Careerleaf pricing: TL;DR

1.  [Monthly](#how-much-does-careerleaf-cost-in-2026): $300 (Publisher), $349 (Classic), $549 (Community); Corporate is quoted
2.  [Setup fee](#how-much-does-careerleaf-cost-in-2026): $750, $850 or $5,000, one time, on every published plan
3.  [Year one](#how-much-does-careerleaf-cost-in-2026): $4,350 to $11,588, before add-ons
4.  [Direct sales](#what-does-direct-sales-per-month-mean-at-careerleaf): every plan limits them to 10, 20 or 50 a month, and the page never defines the term
5.  [Add-ons](#what-do-the-careerleaf-add-ons-cost): Google for Jobs, single sign-on and integrations cost extra, and the Publisher plan cannot add Google for Jobs at all
6.  [Trial](#what-is-careerleaf): none listed, only a demo

## What is Careerleaf?

Short answer

Careerleaf is job board software for associations, publishers and employers, and it costs $300 a month plus a $750 setup fee to start. The catch: every plan limits "direct sales" each month, and the pricing page doesn't define the term.

Checked October 19, 2026 against careerleaf.com/pricing.

Careerleaf was founded in 2011 and moved into job board software in 2014, according to its About page. Its features page lists Salesforce, AgileCRM, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager and SkyPrep integrations. What the pricing page does not say is the contract length, a trial, or what happens when you reach the sales limit. It also looks dated: one add-on still says "Coming in 2022" and the footer says Copyright 2023, so ask for a current quote before you budget. For a table of every platform side by side, see [job board software pricing, compared](/articles/job-board-software-pricing).

## How much does Careerleaf cost in 2026?

As of October 2026, Careerleaf charges $300 to $549 a month for its three published plans, plus a one-time setup fee of $750 to $5,000. The fourth plan, Corporate, is white-labelled and quoted, with every feature custom.

| Plan | Monthly | Setup fee | Year one | Direct sales a month |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Publisher | $300 | $750 | $4,350 | 10 |
| Classic | $349 | $850 | $5,038 | 20 |
| Community | $549 | $5,000 | $11,588 | 50 |
| Corporate | Quote | Quote | Quote | Custom |

Read from careerleaf.com/pricing on October 19, 2026. Year one is the setup fee plus twelve months, before add-ons. From year two the plans cost $3,600, $4,188 or $6,588 a year.

Taken Oct 19, 2026 Careerleaf's own pricing page. The setup fee and the direct sales line sit under every plan.

The plans differ in more than limits. Here is what each one includes, as Careerleaf's feature table lists it.

| Feature | Publisher | Classic | Community | Corporate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Published jobs | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | Custom |
| Email alerts a day | 500 | 500 | 1,500 | Custom |
| Candidate profiles | None listed | 500 | 2,000 | Custom |
| Direct sales a month | 10 | 20 | 50 | Custom |
| Product and pricing control, promotions, invoicing | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Applicant tracking system | Add-on | Included | Add-on | Included |
| White-label, WordPress CMS, data migration | No | No | No | Yes |

Careerleaf's own wording for Publisher is a platform for job search and display pay-per-click advertising. Stripe, e-commerce, backfill options, a helpdesk and a free integrated CRM and email marketing tool are on all four plans.

Taken Oct 19, 2026 Careerleaf's feature table. Community, the second most expensive plan, has no tick for the applicant tracking system that Classic includes.

## How I tested this pricing

I read every line of the pricing page, including the limits under each plan and the add-on table. Then I added setup fees and common add-ons to get a real first-year number.

-   **Year-one cost**: setup fee plus twelve months
-   **Add-ons**: what you pay extra for an ATS, Google for Jobs, single sign-on and integrations
-   **Limits**: jobs, email alerts, candidate profiles and direct sales per plan
-   **Gaps**: what the page does not say, such as contract length and a trial

$750 to $5,000 one-time setup fee on every published plan

10 to 50 "direct sales" a month the page never defines the term

25 paid add-ons on the pricing page setup fees and monthly fees

## What does "direct sales per month" mean at Careerleaf?

Every published plan lists a number of direct sales per month: 10 on Publisher, 20 on Classic and 50 on Community. It is one short line in a list of limits, and the pricing page never says what counts as a direct sale or what happens when you pass the number.

If it means paid job posts, a Publisher board can sell 10 a month. At $200 a post, that is a ceiling of $2,000 a month, against a $300 plan. The pricing page doesn't say, so before you sign, ask Careerleaf in writing:

1.  **What counts**: job posts only, or renewals, upgrades and packages too?
2.  **What happens past the limit**: are sales blocked, billed extra, or does the board move up a plan?
3.  **Whether it resets**: monthly on a calendar basis, or on your billing date?

## What do the Careerleaf add-ons cost?

Careerleaf lists 25 add-ons, each with a one-time setup fee and sometimes a monthly fee. These are the ones that change the year-one number most.

| Add-on | Setup (one time) | Monthly | Available on |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Employer ATS | $500 | $50 | Publisher and Community; included in Classic and Corporate |
| Google for Jobs | $550 | None listed | Classic and Community; included in Corporate; not offered on Publisher |
| Membership database single sign-on | From $550 | None listed | Classic, Community and Corporate |
| Marketing integration (Mailchimp, Act-on, ActiveCampaign, AgileCRM) | From $1,500 | $10 per 1,000 contacts | Classic and up |
| Data migration | $750 per data table, plus $100 per 1,000 records | None listed | Classic and up |
| Multi-lingual site | $2,600 | None listed | All plans |
| Background check or video interview integration | $550 each | None listed | Classic and up |
| reCAPTCHA sign-up protection | $550 | None listed | Classic and up |
| WordPress content management | $500 | $20 | All plans; included in Corporate |
| Job scraping | $250 | $22 | All plans |
| Careerleaf Reach (paid traffic campaigns) | $0 | From $1,000 | All plans |

Read from careerleaf.com/pricing on October 19, 2026. Two examples: Publisher with the applicant tracking system is $5,450 in year one. Classic with Google for Jobs ($550) and Google Analytics ($100) set up is $5,688.

Taken Oct 19, 2026 The add-on table, first half. The first row still says "Coming in 2022". Google for Jobs has no tick under Publisher.

Taken Oct 19, 2026 The add-on table, second half.

Taken Oct 19, 2026 The footer of the same page.

## Best for job search and display ads: Careerleaf Publisher

Best fora site that mainly wants job search and display advertising, and sells few job posts.

### Publisher: what is it?

Careerleaf calls Publisher "an easy to use platform for job, search and display pay per click advertising". It is $300 a month plus a $750 setup fee, so $4,350 in year one. It includes 2,000 published jobs, 500 email alerts a day and 10 direct sales a month.

Its feature list has e-commerce and Stripe, but not product and pricing control, promotions or invoicing, which start at Classic. Adding the applicant tracking system costs $500 setup plus $50 a month, which brings year one to $5,450.

Pros

-   The lowest Careerleaf price, with the setup fee published.
-   Stripe, e-commerce and a free CRM and email tool included.

Cons

-   10 direct sales a month.
-   No candidate profiles, product and pricing control, promotions or invoicing.
-   The Google for Jobs add-on is not offered.

Bottom line

Pick it if you mainly want job search and display advertising. If you sell job posts and want to control prices, compare Classic.

## Best for career sites with candidates: Careerleaf Classic

Best fora board that wants candidate profiles and an applicant tracking system included.

### Classic: what is it?

Careerleaf describes Classic as "a no frills job and sales platform". It is $349 a month plus an $850 setup fee, so $5,038 in year one. It adds 500 candidate profiles, the applicant tracking system, product and pricing control, promotions, invoicing and 20 direct sales a month.

Pros

-   The applicant tracking system is included.
-   Product and pricing control, promotions and invoicing included.
-   The lowest plan that can add Google for Jobs.

Cons

-   Limited to 20 direct sales a month.
-   Google for Jobs, at $550, costs extra.
-   No white-label: that is Corporate only.

Bottom line

The plan most buyers should compare against. Add the add-ons you need before you decide.

## Best for large associations: Careerleaf Community

Best forassociations, chambers of commerce and communities with many members and job alerts.

### Community: what is it?

Careerleaf says Community is "designed for associations, chambers of commerce and communities". It is $549 a month plus a $5,000 setup fee, so $11,588 in year one. It includes 1,500 email alerts a day, 2,000 candidate profiles and 50 direct sales a month.

One oddity: the applicant tracking system is listed as an add-on here, while the cheaper Classic plan includes it.

Pros

-   The highest published limits.
-   Built for associations and member communities.

Cons

-   $5,000 before launch.
-   The applicant tracking system is an add-on.

Bottom line

Only worth it if you need the higher limits and an association-sized build.

## Best for publishers who want no setup fee: Kardow

Best fora news site or newsletter that sells job posts and wants no setup fee.

### Kardow: what is it?

Kardow is hosted job board software for publishers and newsletters, with job imports, employer checkout and your own branding.

I built Kardow to run Emplo.ca, a 22,000-member job community in Canada's capital region. There is no setup fee on any plan. A done-for-you launch service is optional: free on Pro and Scale, and $299 one time on Starter. Kardow's plans limit import credits, team seats and email volume, not how many job posts you sell, and it takes 0% of your sales. Pro is $2,148 in year one on monthly billing, or $1,608 if you pay for the year up front, less than half of Careerleaf Classic at $5,038.

Kardow connects to other tools through Zapier and, on Pro, the API. It has no prebuilt Salesforce or SkyPrep connector, and its applicant pipeline has five stages rather than a full ATS.

### Key features

-   **No setup fee**: the launch service is optional, and free on Pro and Scale
-   **White-label from Pro**: hide the Kardow branding
-   **Candidate and employer profiles from Pro**: included in the plan
-   **0% revenue share**: you keep every sale
-   **Job imports**: relevant jobs from day one

Pros

-   No setup fee and a 14-day free trial.
-   White-label branding, API access and candidate profiles from the Pro plan.

Cons

-   No prebuilt Salesforce or SkyPrep connector: you use Zapier or the API.
-   Applicant tracking is a five-stage pipeline, built for light hiring rather than a full ATS.

Pricing

Starter $79/mo

Pro $179/mo

Year one, Pro, billed monthly Twelve months at the monthly rate, no setup fee $2,148

Year one, Pro, billed yearly If you pay for the year up front $1,608

Source: [Kardow pricing page](/pricing).

Bottom line

Pick Kardow if you sell job posts to readers: no setup fee, no cap on posts sold. If your workflow depends on a prebuilt Salesforce connector, check that first. More options: [Careerleaf alternatives](/alternatives/careerleaf).

## When is Careerleaf the better choice?

Fair is the point

Careerleaf is the better choice if you need its Salesforce, SkyPrep, background-check or video-interview integrations, or want a team to set up your board and its add-ons for you. Its Corporate plan also gives you a white-labelled board with a WordPress CMS and data migration included. If you sell fewer than 10 posts a month, the Publisher limit will not touch you.

## Careerleaf and its alternatives at a glance

| Tool | Year one | Setup fee | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Kardow Pro (billed monthly) | $2,148 | None | Publishers and newsletters |
| Careerleaf Publisher | $4,350 | $750 | Job search and display ads |
| Careerleaf Classic | $5,038 | $850 | Career sites with candidate profiles |
| Careerleaf Community | $11,588 | $5,000 | Large associations |
| JBoard Basic | $1,788 | None | Staffing agencies and import-heavy boards |
| Niceboard Core | $4,788 | None | Associations, non-profits and universities |

Careerleaf, JBoard and Niceboard pricing pages read October 19, 2026, with monthly billing selected. Kardow from [our pricing page](/pricing). Year one is twelve months at the entry plan plus any setup fee, before add-ons.

## How do I switch from Careerleaf?

1.  **Check your notice period**: ask Careerleaf in writing, since its pricing page states no contract length.
2.  **Export your data**: jobs, employers and candidate profiles.
3.  **Redirect your job URLs**: so Google for Jobs traffic follows you, and keep the markup valid on the new board (see [JobPosting schema for Google for Jobs](/articles/job-posting-schema-google-for-jobs)).
4.  **Tell repeat employers**: send them the new posting link on launch day. If listings drop out of Google afterwards, [fixing Google for Jobs schema errors](/articles/fix-google-for-jobs-schema-errors) covers the usual causes.

## Frequently asked questions

How much does Careerleaf cost?

Careerleaf costs $300 to $549 a month for its three published plans, plus a one-time setup fee of $750 to $5,000, so year one runs $4,350 to $11,588 before add-ons. Its fourth plan, Corporate, is quoted.

Does Careerleaf have a setup fee?

Yes, on every published plan, charged once: $750 for Publisher, $850 for Classic and $5,000 for Community. Corporate is quoted. Add-ons cost extra, for example Google for Jobs at $550 and an applicant tracking system at $500 plus $50 a month.

What does "direct sales per month" mean at Careerleaf?

It is the monthly limit on sales a board can make: 10 on Publisher, 20 on Classic and 50 on Community. Careerleaf's pricing page lists the number but does not define the term, so ask in writing what counts as a direct sale and what happens past the limit.

Does Careerleaf include Google for Jobs?

Only as a paid add-on. Google for Jobs setup is $550 one time on the Classic and Community plans, it is included on Corporate, and it is not offered on Publisher.

Does Careerleaf offer a free trial?

No free trial is listed. Its Publisher and Classic plans link to a demo, and its Community and Corporate plans link to more information.

What is the best Careerleaf alternative?

For a publisher or newsletter that sells job posts, Kardow: $2,148 for year one on Pro with no setup fee. For associations that need a custom build, Careerleaf Community. For associations whose members must sign in with their association login, compare platforms that list single sign-on: Careerleaf sells it as an add-on from $550 one time, Cavuno lists it on every plan and Niceboard on its custom plan.

Is Careerleaf worth it?

Yes, if you want a team to configure your board and you need integrations such as Salesforce or SkyPrep. If you expect to sell more than 10 to 20 job posts a month, ask about the direct sales limit before you sign.

## Launch your jobs section without a setup fee.

A branded job board with employer checkout and imported jobs. No setup fee on any plan, and 0% of your job sales.

14-day free trial. No setup fee.

[Start your free trial](https://app.kardow.com/auth/sign-up)

Written by

Simon Gingras

Founder, Kardow

Simon Gingras co-founded Emplo.ca, which grew into a 22,000-member job community in Canada's capital region, then built Kardow to run it.

[View profile](/author/simon-gingras) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-gingras/)

## Keep reading

[Job Board Software Pricing: All 30 Platforms ComparedPublished rates for 30 job board platforms, the setup fees most comparisons leave out, and the three vendors that will not quote a price without a sales call.Job Board Industry](/articles/job-board-software-pricing)[Best Job Board Software in 2026: 30 Platforms ComparedCompare 30 job board software platforms in 2026 with pricing, trials, AI-powered options, and enterprise features to find the right fit for your niche.Job Board Industry](/articles/best-job-board-software)[JobBoard.io vs SmartJobBoard: $449/mo vs No Public PriceJobBoard.io is $449/mo ($5,388 in year one). SmartJobBoard publishes no price: a revenue share or annual fee, by quote. Compared side by side.Competitor Comparisons](/articles/jobboard-io-vs-smartjobboard)[Careerleaf alternativesThe platforms people compare Careerleaf with, and why they switch.Alternatives](/alternatives/careerleaf)[Niceboard alternativesPricing and tradeoffs for the association-focused option.Alternatives](/alternatives/niceboard)[JBoard alternativesPricing and tradeoffs for the high-volume import option.Alternatives](/alternatives/jboard)[Job board software for publishersHow news sites and newsletters run a paid jobs section.Use case](/use-cases/publishers)[How Kardow pricing comparesThree public plans, from $79 a month.Pricing](/pricing)

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Payments, sign-in, job backfilling and analytics are built in from day one.

-   Live in under 10 minutes
-   14-day free trial on every plan
-   No setup fee, 0% platform fee

[Start your free trial](https://app.kardow.com/auth/sign-up)