Comparison
ShouldApply vs Huntr: Which Comes First?
Huntr is a job search organizer: track applications, tailor resumes, manage follow-ups. ShouldApply is a job scoring engine: paste any listing and get a 0-100 fit score with skill gaps, ghost probability, and salary data. Huntr manages your pipeline. ShouldApply tells you what belongs in the pipeline.
ShouldApply vs Huntr, feature by feature
| Feature | ShouldApply | Huntr |
|---|---|---|
| Core function | Job fit scoring | Job search organization |
| Application tracking | Not yet | Yes (Kanban board) |
| Resume tailoring | AI tailoring (Pro) | AI tailoring |
| Skill depth analysis | L1–L5 | No |
| Ghost detection | Yes | No |
| Contact management | No | Yes |
| Interview prep | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Pricing | Free + $14/mo | Free + paid tiers |
Best combo: Score with ShouldApply, track with Huntr. Apply only to jobs you score 70+.
Where Huntr excels
Huntr supports the full job search loop with less friction than any competitor. Tracking, tailoring, exporting, and follow-ups all happen in one place. The Kanban board is well-designed and the resume export formats are clean. If your primary problem is disorganization across dozens of applications, Huntr is the better day-to-day tool.
Where ShouldApply adds what Huntr can't
Huntr can't tell you if the job is worth applying to. It tracks everything equally: ghost jobs, bad-fit roles, and dream jobs all sit in the same Kanban column. ShouldApply adds a quality layer: a 0-100 score that tells you “this role is a 47 for you, here's exactly why, and here are the 3 skills you'd need to close the gap.” That intelligence before you apply is what prevents wasted applications.
Huntr also has no ghost job detection. You could track 50 applications in Huntr's pipeline and 15 of them might be ghost jobs you'll never hear back from. ShouldApply flags those before they enter your pipeline.
The workflow that works best
- Score jobs in ShouldApply (paste URLs, review scores)
- Only add 70+ scored jobs to your Huntr Kanban board
- Use ShouldApply's “Why Not 100” report to identify what to emphasize in your application
- Track application status, follow-ups, and contacts in Huntr
- Check ShouldApply weekly for new high-scoring matches
Questions about ShouldApply and Huntr
Should I use ShouldApply OR Huntr?
Both, ideally. ShouldApply is your filter (what to apply to). Huntr is your tracker (managing what you've applied to). Using only Huntr means you're tracking applications without knowing if they're worth your time. Using only ShouldApply means you're scoring jobs but not managing the follow-through.
Does ShouldApply plan to add a job tracker?
A lightweight tracker is on the roadmap. But Huntr's tracker is mature and well-built. Our focus is on making the scoring and intelligence layer as strong as possible.
I'm applying to 10 jobs a week. Which tool first?
ShouldApply first. Score those 10 jobs. You might find that only 4-5 are worth your time (the rest are ghost jobs, bad fits, or unrealistic JDs). Then track those 4-5 in Huntr and give each one your best application.
Start with the score.
Free at ShouldApply.