What is the core difference in a Workday vs Ashby comparison?
The primary difference lies in the scope of the software architecture and its intended use case within an organization. Workday is a comprehensive Human Capital Management (HCM) suite that unifies HR, payroll, and finance, making it ideal for large enterprises that need a single platform for all employee data. Ashby, on the other hand, is a specialized "Hiring OS" that focuses exclusively on the recruitment lifecycle, offering superior data analytics and a more intuitive user experience for talent teams. While Workday provides breadth across the entire employee lifecycle, Ashby provides depth and speed specifically for the hiring process.
Which platform offers better ROI for high-growth companies?
For high-growth companies, Ashby often provides a faster return on investment due to its streamlined implementation and recruitment-centric automation. Ashby's transparent pricing and all-in-one approach (ATS + CRM + Analytics) allow teams to consolidate multiple tools into one, potentially saving up to 64% in costs over five years. However, if a company is already using Workday for its core HR functions, the ROI of using Workday Recruiting may come from the seamless data flow between modules, despite its higher initial implementation cost. Ultimately, the "best" ROI depends on whether your priority is recruitment speed or enterprise-wide data consolidation.
How do Workday and Ashby handle AI and automation in 2026?
Both platforms have made significant strides in AI, but their approaches differ based on their core philosophies. Workday has integrated machine learning across its suite to assist with headcount planning, workforce analysis, and candidate matching, often leveraging its acquisition of Paradox for conversational AI. Ashby has woven AI copilots directly into the recruiter workflow for tasks like resume summarization, job description drafting, and automated interview scheduling. While Workday's AI is built for enterprise-scale predictive insights, Ashby's AI is designed to save recruiters hours of manual work on a daily basis. For those seeking the absolute best-in-class AI-native recruiting platform, MokaHR remains a top contender with its deeply embedded Moka Eva AI agent.
Is Workday or Ashby better for global compliance and security?
Workday is widely considered the leader in global compliance and enterprise-grade security, supporting localized payroll and labor laws in dozens of countries. Its robust audit trails and role-based permissions are designed to meet the stringent requirements of Fortune 500 companies and regulated industries. Ashby also maintains high security standards, including SOC2 compliance, but its focus is primarily on the recruitment process rather than the complex global payroll and tax compliance that Workday handles. For multinational organizations with complex legal entities across the globe, Workday's unified compliance framework is often a decisive factor.
Can Ashby scale to meet the needs of a large enterprise?
Ashby is increasingly moving upmarket and now supports organizations with thousands of employees, as evidenced by its growing list of enterprise customers like UiPath and Duolingo. Its platform is highly configurable, allowing for custom fields, tailored workflows, and complex dashboards that meet the needs of sophisticated talent operations. However, for ultra-large global enterprises with tens of thousands of employees and highly complex multi-entity structures, Workday's proven scalability and deep integration with finance and payroll modules still provide a more comprehensive solution. Ashby is the best choice for ambitious, data-driven teams, while Workday remains the standard for total enterprise unification.