SHL wrote the textbook. You just need to hire a bookkeeper.
SHL is the grandest name in occupational assessment: the OPQ personality questionnaire, Verify cognitive tests, situational judgement, coding simulations and video interviews, used by the largest employers on earth. Prices are by demo, or through a small online store. springhire is the version for a team hiring one role at a time: seven personality inventories, eleven cognitive tests, 200+ skills tests and an AI-scored video round in one link, from $39 a month.
Facts and pricing last verified on September 3, 2026.
The funny comparison
A day in the life, with each tool
Slightly unfair, entirely accurate. Every line is true as of the verified date.
| Moment | SHL | springhire |
|---|---|---|
| Finding the price | Book a demo. | $39. On the page. |
| Personality questionnaire | The OPQ. Thirty-two scales, decades of norms. | Big 5, DISC and five more, scored and explained in the report. |
| Typical buyer | Global head of talent assessment. | The founder, on a Tuesday. |
| Skills test with the personality read | Yes, across a suite of products. | Yes, in the same link. |
The cost comparison
What it costs to start
SHL does not publish prices. This is what each side asks of you before you can screen a single candidate.
SHL
Enterprise pricing by demo. A Buy Online store sells some assessments individually.
No free plan listed.
springhire
Starter plan, 50 credits a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time. Yearly saves 20%.
Free plan: 10 assessment credits a month, every tool, no card.
Compared as of September 3, 2026. SHL does not publish plan pricing; its site offers a demo and an online store for individual assessments. springhire prices are on its pricing page.
The feature comparison
Who has more of what
Grey grows left for SHL, magenta grows right for springhire. Then every feature, row by row.
Each row is scaled to its own larger value. The numbers are the real counts.
| Feature | SHL | springhire |
|---|---|---|
| Published pricing | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Quote | $39/mo |
| Free plan | No | 10 credits every month |
| Personality | OPQ, MQ | 7 inventories incl. Big 5, DISC |
| Cognitive | Verify G+ | 11 tests |
| Skills and simulations | Coding simulations, JFA | 200+ skills tests |
| Video interviews | Yes | Yes, AI scored, included |
| Self-serve signup | Partial, via online store | Yes |
Personality and ability
SHL
The OPQ and Verify G+ are among the most researched instruments in the field, with deep norms and reports for many purposes.
springhire
Seven self-report inventories and eleven cognitive tests, built for screening. Randomized items, instant scoring, plain-language reports. Not normed instruments.
Skills, simulations and video
SHL
Job-focused assessments, situational judgement, coding simulations and video interviews across a broad enterprise catalogue.
springhire
200+ skills tests in 16 categories, situational judgement tests, and a one-way video round with transcription and AI scoring, in one link.
Buying
SHL
Demo, proposal, contract. Some assessments purchasable individually online.
springhire
Free, $39, $99 or $169 a month, cancel any time.
Conclusion
Both are good. They are good for different people.
Pick SHL if you need audit-grade, normed instruments and a global assessment programme with consulting behind it. Pick springhire if you want a sound personality and ability read on a shortlist, next to a skills test and a video round, for $39 a month with no procurement.
Pick SHL if
- You need normed, validated instruments for defensible, high-stakes selection.
- You assess globally at scale with consulting and integration support.
- You have procurement and a budget cycle for a quoted contract.
Pick springhire if
- You want to screen a shortlist this week.
- You want personality, ability, skills and video in one report.
- You want $39 a month, not a programme.
Facts and pricing last verified on September 3, 2026. If SHL changes a price, tell us and we will fix this page.
