Category
ATS
Availability
HQ
New York, United States
Pricing
From $79/user/mo
Free tier
No
Best for
Also in
Capabilities
What is Stardex?
Stardex is an ATS and CRM for executive search firms and contingent recruiting agencies, with a system of record covering candidates, clients, job orders, BD pipeline, and the full interaction history across past searches. A search represents a client retained or contingent engagement to fill a role, carrying stakeholder mapping, confidentiality controls and the candidate pipeline through to placement within that client relationship. Recruiters mainly rediscover candidates already stored in their private database through semantic search, with a Chrome extension enabling outbound LinkedIn sourcing as the secondary way new profiles arrive. Background agents called Dex capture call notes, draft submission write-ups, tag records, track job changes and update the pipeline autonomously. A native MCP server connects Stardex to compatible AI assistants, and won deals convert directly into running searches without re-entering client information.
What are Stardex's key features?
Dex agents capture calls, draft submission write-ups, and update pipeline records.
Client collaboration tracks searches, presentations, and hiring manager feedback.
Semantic search queries notes, tags, work experience, and custom fields in real time.
Custom fields are auto-tagged when a profile is added from LinkedIn.
SOC 2 Type II certified, with API access and full data export included on all plans.
How do staffing agencies use Stardex?
- A new retained search opens and your team starts sourcing from LinkedIn because searching your own database is too slow to be worth it.
- A candidate you interviewed two years ago was a near-miss and you cannot recall the comp expectations, feedback, or reason they did not place.
- Your client asked for a confidential search and your ATS has no way to scope visibility to the partner running it.
- A recruiter wants to query their pipeline through an AI assistant but your ATS has no API or MCP connector to make that possible.
Who is Stardex best for?
- Boutique executive search firms running retained and confidential mandates on semantic database search
- Contingent staffing firms that want database leverage and search-firm speed on faster placement cycles
- Private equity and venture capital firms hiring into their own portfolio from an in-house search function
What are Stardex's pros and cons?
Pros
- Clients and deals are managed in the same platform as candidate tracking, without switching tools.
- AI features run only on your firm own data and are never used to train any shared model.
- Full API access and complete data export are included on every plan at no additional charge.
- Data can be exported at any time as CSV or through the full API.
Cons
- There is no free trial; the vendor offers a fully refundable first two weeks instead.
- Migrating from another ATS needs bulk import or assisted migration run with the Stardex team.
- The top tier is custom-quoted, so the published entry prices do not cover every configuration.
How does Stardex compare to alternatives?
| Feature | Stardex | Ashby | Gem | Loxo | RecruitCRM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | ATS | ATS | ATS | ATS | ATS |
| AI-first | |||||
| API | |||||
| MCP | |||||
| GDPR | |||||
| Best for | Agency | In-House | In-House | Agency | Agency |
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Frequently asked questions about Stardex
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