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*The $75 Sponsored Job credit offer is only available for new accounts in the US that post a job and expires one year after account creation. Upon expiration of the credit, users are charged based on Sponsored Job budget. Terms, conditions, and quality standards apply **Indeed data, worldwide

Free vs Sponsored Jobs on Indeed

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When posting a job on Indeed, you’ll have the option to post for free[1] or sponsor (pay to post) your job to get better visibility, attract more of the right candidates and unlock other useful hiring tools.

But which one is right for your company and the roles you’re hiring for? This post breaks down the differences between free job postings vs Sponsored Jobs on Indeed to help you decide.

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Quick intro: Free vs Sponsored Jobs

There are two types of job postings on Indeed: free and paid job postings (also known as Sponsored Jobs).

Free vs sponsored job comparison chart. Left side reads: Free job. Your job is shown in relevant job seeker search results. Screener questions. Job skills tests (Indeed Assessments). Virtual interviewing (Indeed Interview). Recruitment dashboard to easily manage jobs and candidates all in one place. Job post performance data. Labor market data & trend reports (Hiring Insights). Integration with your external ATS. Right side reads: Sponsored Job. Your job is shown in relevant job seeker search results. Screener questions. Job skills tests (Indeed Assessments). Virtual interviewing (Indeed Interview). Recruitment dashboard to easily manage jobs and candidates all in one place. Job post performance data. Labor market data & trend reports (Hiring Insights). Integration with your external ATS. Increased job post visibility - 2X more impressions per day. Jobs stay live until you pause them (or until your application goal is met). Post the same role statewide, nationwide or in multiple locations. Get quality candidates right when you post and invite them to apply (Instant Match). Fill your roles quickly - 2X times faster to first hire.

*Terms, conditions, quality standards and usage limits apply
**Indeed data, based on average (US)
***Indeed data, based on median (US)

Both of these job listings appear on Indeed in relevant job seeker search results and candidates can apply on nearly any device. With both free and Sponsored Jobs, you’ll also get access to your Employer Dashboard, where you can easily manage jobs and candidates all in one place.

So what’s the difference between free job posts vs Sponsored Jobs on Indeed? Free job postings fall back in job seeker search results as new jobs are posted. Since 9.2 million jobs are added each month on Indeed, free job postings can lose visibility quickly. Free job posts on Indeed are also automatically paused after 30 days, versus a paid post that stays live until you choose to pause it (or until your application goal is met).

Sponsored postings, on the other hand, appear more often and for longer in search results than non-sponsored jobs and don’t require reposting after 30 days. This makes it more likely that your jobs will be seen by the candidates you’re looking for. In fact, Sponsored Jobs have 2.0x as many impressions per day than non-sponsored jobs.[2] Sponsored Jobs also come with other exclusive hiring tools and benefits that can help you attract the right candidates faster.

What is a free job posting?

Most jobs can be posted for free on Indeed. When you post a free job, it will appear in general search results but will lose visibility over time. A free job posting can be a great option to start out with, since it comes with hiring tools like:

  • Screener questions: Ask questions that immediately qualify or disqualify your applicants — e.g., Do you have a valid [license type]? Mark a screener question as a deal breaker if it’s a must-have requirement and we’ll filter for only the candidates that meet those requirements. Learn more about adding screener questions to your job post.
  • Job skills tests (Indeed Assessments): Choose from premade topic-specific assessments from general skills to role-specific tests. Topics include typing, customer service, cognitive ability, etc. Using Indeed Assessments reduces an employer’s time to hire by 12% on average.[3] Learn more about adding assessments to your job post.
  • Virtual interviewing (Indeed Interview): Conduct live virtual interviews with candidates whenever and wherever you both have time to connect. Interviewing is all done through Indeed and there are no apps to download or links to manage. Learn more about virtual interviewing on Indeed.
  • Employer Dashboard: Manage the status of applications, see who’s completed assessments, manage your job posts and much more. Learn more about your free Employer Dashboard.
  • Responsive Employer Badge: An icon highlighting you as an employer that is highly responsive to applications from job seekers. Learn more about the Responsive Employer Badge.

How to post a job for free on Indeed

To post a job for free on Indeed, sign up for an Indeed employer account and click the “Post a Job” button, or ​​click here. Add important information to your job posting, like job title, location and a detailed job description. If you need help writing a great job description check out our job description guide.

When you’re done creating your job posting, click “Confirm” and your free job will be posted. Afterwards, you’ll have the option to sponsor your job, which you can skip.

Check out How to Post a Job on Indeed: Employer Guide for more details.

What is a Sponsored Job?

A Sponsored Job is a paid job posting. Sponsoring your job makes it appear more often in job seeker search results than a free listing. This can make a significant impact on hiring. In fact, employers are 4.5x more likely to make a hire when sponsoring.[4]

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A Sponsored Job comes with everything a free post comes with, plus other advanced hiring tools and benefits that can help you compete for great talent. With a Sponsored Job, you’ll also get:

  • Better job post visibility: Sponsored Jobs have more staying power in job seeker search results than non-sponsored jobs. That means you’re more likely to receive the quality applicants you’re looking for. Indeed data shows that Sponsored Jobs deliver 30% more applicants on average than non-sponsored jobs.[5]
  • Only pay for quality applications: When you add screener questions to your job post and set one or more of these questions as “deal breaker” requirements, you’ll only pay for applications that meet these requirements. We give you 72 hours to reject unwanted applications before you’re charged. Learn more about pricing on Indeed.
  • Matched Candidates: See a list of candidates whose resumes on Indeed fit your job description immediately after you pay to post.[6] When someone stands out, invite them to apply. Candidates you invite to apply through Indeed’s matching technology are 3x more likely to apply to your job than those who only see it in search.[7] Learn more about how matched candidates works.

Check out our Sponsored Jobs FAQs for more details.

How to post a Sponsored Job on Indeed

View Transcript [PDF]

To sponsor your job, post a job directly on Indeed or from your career site or ATS. After adding your job description and other job details, we’ll show you the price per application* for your specific job title and location. We’ll help you decide which jobs to promote and how to budget. Post your job to get started.

posting a job on indeed

You can also upgrade any of your free job posts to a Sponsored Job at any time from your Employer Dashboard. Just click “Sponsor Job” on the right-hand side of the job you want to sponsor.

*not available to all users

Should you post for free or sponsor your job?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself when deciding whether or not to sponsor a job:

  • How quickly do you need to hire? If you need someone fast, you may need the optimal visibility a Sponsored Job provides.
  • How many people do you want to hire for the job opening? The more openings you have, the more applications you’ll likely need.
  • Is it a hard-to-fill position? Roles that require specialized skills (e.g., nurses, software engineers, managers) can benefit from the added visibility that comes with a Sponsored Job.
  • Are you hiring in a competitive market? If you live in an area with a smaller pool of candidates or if there are a large number of companies in your area vying for that talent, sponsoring can help you stand out.
  • Do you already have a good job description and job title? If your free job posting isn’t bringing in the right candidates, try optimizing your job description. Find out exactly what job seekers are looking for in a job description or check out this article to improve your job descriptions. If you’re still not receiving the right applications, try sponsoring your job to get it in front of your ideal candidates.

Free vs Sponsored Jobs FAQs

How much does it cost to sponsor a job on Indeed?

The cost to sponsor a job depends on your specific hiring needs. We take into account the local market conditions in your area, as well as the job title and location for your job post to determine pricing. These factors influence the price per application at the specific moment you decide to sponsor your job. You’ll always see the price upfront before sponsoring and can easily adjust the total number of applications you’d like to receive to meet your budget.

Check out our article Indeed Pricing: Job Posting Costs for more information.

Can sponsoring a job improve time-to-hire?

Yes, Indeed data show that Sponsored Jobs are 2x times faster to first hire than non-sponsored jobs.[8]

How many jobs can you post for free on Indeed?

There is no exact limit to the number of free jobs you’re allowed to post on Indeed unless it’s determined that you’re using your account incorrectly.

What jobs can you not post for free?

Indeed may require certain jobs to be sponsored in order to verify the legitimacy of the job and/or the employer, to prevent abuse of the free to post system, to improve our services or for any other reason in Indeed’s sole discretion.

For example, we may require you to sponsor the following types of jobs: part-time roles, identical jobs posted in multiple locations, jobs posted with a confidential or generic company name, jobs that are commission only, hard-to-fill jobs, jobs posted by a staffing agency, recruitment process outsourcer, or other recruitment-based company, and any other jobs as determined by Indeed.

See Indeed’s terms and conditions for more information.

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Recommended Resources

Indeed Pricing: How Paid Job Posts Work

Job Posting Guide: How to Prep and Post Your Job

Things to Consider Before Posting Your Job

*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.