Big Biller, the applicant tracking system built by Top Echelon, has been a staple among independent recruiters and small staffing agencies since 1988. If you’re researching it today, here’s the first thing you need to know: the Big Biller name was officially retired in September 2024. The product now operates under the brand “TE Recruit,” but the software, the team, and the core functionality remain the same. It is not discontinued; it is rebranded.
With over 3,500 customers and 30,000 recruiters having used the platform, TE Recruit (formerly Big Biller) occupies a specific niche: it’s an affordable, no-frills ATS and CRM combination built for contingency recruiters, retained search firms, and small staffing agencies. It won’t compete with enterprise platforms on automation depth or analytics sophistication. But for firms with 1 to 15 users who need a clean candidate database, solid resume parsing, and reliable customer support without paying Bullhorn prices, it remains one of the strongest options in the market.
We’ve tracked this product for years, analyzed hundreds of verified user reviews, and studied the platform’s evolution through the rebrand. Here’s our full assessment.
What Is Big Biller (Now TE Recruit)?
Top Echelon, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Canton, Ohio. The company originally built its reputation on a split-placement recruiting network (now called TE Network), which connects independent recruiters to share job orders and candidates. Big Biller launched as the company’s standalone ATS and CRM product, designed to give small recruiting firms the same core tools that enterprise agencies use, at a fraction of the cost.
In September 2024, Top Echelon consolidated its branding, renaming Big Biller to “TE Recruit.” The product continues to be actively developed, with blog updates and feature releases documented through at least April 2026. The platform targets recruiting firms, staffing agencies, executive search firms, and high-volume search operations across verticals including healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, life sciences, and education. Top Echelon was previously a subsidiary of Patriot Software Inc., though the current ownership structure is private.
Big Biller (TE Recruit) Key Features
Resume Parsing and Candidate Management
The platform automatically parses resumes into structured fields: contact information, work experience, skills, and education. This eliminates manual data entry and populates candidate profiles in seconds. Users can upload resumes in bulk, and the system supports duplicate checking and record merging to keep the database clean. Verified users consistently cite this as one of the platform’s strongest capabilities, particularly for firms managing databases of several thousand candidates. The parsing accuracy is comparable to what you’d find in higher-priced competitors, though some users report occasional misclassification of non-standard resume formats.
Full-Text and Radius Search
The search engine supports full-text queries across the entire candidate database, plus zip code and radius-based searching for location-sensitive roles. This is useful for staffing firms filling local positions, though several users have noted that the search tool can struggle with title variations. If a candidate lists “Software Developer” and the search is for “Software Engineer,” you may need to run multiple queries or use creative keyword strategies. This is a known limitation that competitors with AI-powered semantic search handle more gracefully.
Hot Lists and Pipeline Management
Hot lists function as curated candidate shortlists. Recruiters can group candidates by job order, skill set, client, or any custom criteria and quickly access them without re-searching. The pipeline management system features custom stages, a drag-and-drop interface, and real-time status updates. Users describe this as a “file cabinet” approach: organized, intuitive, and efficient for managing multiple open requisitions simultaneously. For recruiters juggling 10 to 20 active searches, this feature keeps workflows manageable.
Email Marketing and Communication Tools
Built-in email tools support mass outreach campaigns, drip sequences, and individual candidate communication. The Professional tier includes up to 10,000 emails per account per month. Email templates are customizable, and the platform includes email parsing to automatically log communications against candidate records. However, email integration with external clients (particularly Outlook) is a recurring pain point in user feedback. Several reviewers describe the setup process as cumbersome, and syncing issues have frustrated users who rely heavily on their existing email workflows.
Job Posting and Career Pages
One-click job posting distributes openings to multiple job boards simultaneously. The platform also supports career page creation, allowing firms to embed job listings directly on their websites. Social media sharing to LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter is included. While this covers the basics well, firms that need deep job board analytics or programmatic job advertising will find the feature set thin compared to dedicated job distribution tools.
Automations and Sequencing
Available on the Professional tier, automations allow recruiters to set trigger-based actions: auto-send emails when a candidate reaches a pipeline stage, schedule follow-up sequences, and automate routine administrative tasks. This is a relatively newer addition to the platform and addresses a gap that users had flagged for years. The automations are functional but not as sophisticated as what you’d find in platforms like Bullhorn or Crelate, which offer more complex conditional logic and multi-branch workflows.
Chrome Browser Extension
The Chrome extension enables one-click candidate importing from websites, LinkedIn profiles, and other online sources directly into the TE Recruit database. For recruiters who source heavily from the web, this saves significant time versus manual copy-and-paste entry. It’s a small feature that punches above its weight in daily recruiter workflows.
AI Tools
The vendor’s current website references AI tools as part of the platform, though specific capabilities and limitations are not detailed in available documentation. This appears to be a recent addition aligned with broader industry trends. We recommend confirming exactly what AI features are included (candidate matching, resume screening, content generation, etc.) directly with the vendor before purchasing based on this capability.
Big Biller (TE Recruit) Pricing and Plans
Top Echelon’s current pricing page does not publicly display specific dollar amounts and instead directs potential customers to start a free trial or request a demo. However, based on information from multiple third-party listings, we can provide a reasonable pricing estimate. These figures should be confirmed directly with the vendor, as they may have changed with the rebrand.
| Detail | Standard Plan | Professional Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price (Annual Billing) | ~$67-$70/user/month | ~$89/user/month |
| Monthly Price (Month-to-Month) | ~$89/user/month | ~$110/user/month |
| ATS and CRM Features | Yes | Yes |
| Resume Parsing | Yes | Yes |
| Email Integration | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | Standard | 100 GB |
| Emails per Account/Month | Limited | 10,000 |
| Automations | No | Yes |
| Custom Forms and Questionnaires | No | Yes |
| Advanced Reporting | No | Yes |
| Bi-weekly Backups | No | Yes |
| Setup Fees | None | None |
| Training and Onboarding | Included | Included |
| Free Trial | 30 days | 30 days |
Some third-party sources list starting prices as low as $59.50/user/month on annual billing, so there may be volume discounts or promotional pricing for multi-user teams. One older pricing model listed $60/month for the first user and $20/month per additional user, though this structure appears to have been replaced. No free version is available, but the 30-day trial does not require a credit card.
Compared to competitors, TE Recruit’s pricing is notably aggressive. Bullhorn, the dominant enterprise ATS, typically starts around $99/user/month and can climb significantly with add-ons. PCRecruiter and Crelate fall in a similar range to TE Recruit but often require higher minimums for full feature access. For a solo recruiter or a three-person agency, TE Recruit represents one of the lowest-cost options that still delivers legitimate ATS and CRM functionality.
Integrations
The TE Recruit Marketplace lists over 30 integrations. Key native integrations include:
- Job Boards: ZipRecruiter, Careerjet, PostJobFree
- Background Checks: Verified First, Checkr
- Video Interviewing: Spark Hire
- Data Enrichment: ZoomInfo, Swordfish AI, hireEZ
- Collaboration: CoRecruit (Quil)
- Email and Calendar: Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Calendar), Microsoft Outlook
- Staffing Operations: Bilflo
- Outreach: SourceWhale
- Assessment: GoPerfect
- Recruiting Websites: Recruiters Websites
- Insurance: HireGuard
The integration ecosystem is functional but modest compared to platforms like Bullhorn, which offers hundreds of marketplace integrations. Notably absent from public documentation is a general-purpose API for custom integrations, as well as connections to middleware platforms like Zapier or Make. If your firm relies on tools not listed in the marketplace, confirm with the vendor whether custom integration options exist before committing.
Customer Support
Customer support is, without exaggeration, the single most praised aspect of this product across hundreds of user reviews. The support team is US-based (Canton, Ohio) and available via phone, email, and live chat during business hours (Monday through Friday, starting at 8 AM ET). Multiple users report receiving responses on weekends as well, though this is not guaranteed.
Training resources are comprehensive and included at no additional cost with every subscription. The vendor offers daily live training sessions Monday through Friday, weekly webinars, a monthly “Training Tuesday” deep-dive session, and a self-service help center with documentation. New users receive onboarding assistance as part of their subscription.
User feedback on support quality is overwhelmingly positive. Reviewers frequently describe the support team as “world class,” “fantastic and always there,” and “extremely responsive.” One recurring theme is that support staff actually understand recruiting workflows, not just the software. This makes troubleshooting faster and more relevant than the generic support experiences common with larger vendors. With a 4.7/5 customer service rating across hundreds of verified reviews, TE Recruit’s support is a genuine competitive advantage, particularly for firms without dedicated IT staff.
Pros and Cons
Based on our analysis of hundreds of verified user reviews and a thorough evaluation of the platform’s capabilities, here is what stands out as genuine strengths and real weaknesses of Big Biller (TE Recruit).
Pros
- Exceptional US-based customer support rated 4.7/5 across hundreds of reviews; staff understands recruiting workflows, not just the software
- Affordable pricing for small agencies, significantly undercutting enterprise competitors like Bullhorn with no setup fees and included training
- Intuitive interface with a gentle learning curve; 95% positive user sentiment across 500+ verified reviews
- Effective resume parsing and candidate database management that handles bulk uploads, duplicate checking, and record merging well
- Access to the TE Network split-placement community, a unique differentiator no other ATS offers natively
- Comprehensive onboarding with daily live training sessions, weekly webinars, and a help center all included at no extra cost
Cons
- Search functionality struggles with title variations and requires multiple queries; lacks AI-powered semantic search found in newer competitors
- Email integration setup, particularly with Outlook, is frequently described as cumbersome by users
- Reporting and analytics are limited on the Standard plan and still lag behind enterprise competitors even on the Professional tier
- Automation capabilities are newer and less sophisticated than what Bullhorn, Crelate, or newer ATS platforms offer
- Integration marketplace, while functional with 30+ partners, is modest compared to enterprise ATS ecosystems
- The 2024 UI redesign drew complaints from long-time users about productivity loss and workflow disruption
Who Should Use Big Biller (TE Recruit)?
Best fit: Independent recruiters, boutique recruiting agencies, and small staffing firms with 1 to 15 users. If you’re running a contingency, retained, or executive search practice and need an affordable ATS/CRM that handles the fundamentals well, this product was built specifically for you. Firms in healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and education recruiting are particularly well-served based on the vendor’s vertical focus.
Also a good fit: Recruiters migrating from spreadsheets or basic contact management tools who need a proper ATS for the first time. The learning curve is gentle, onboarding support is included, and the pricing is approachable enough that a solo recruiter can justify the investment.
Recruiters who value the split-placement model should also consider TE Recruit, as the optional TE Network connects independent recruiters for revenue sharing on placements. This is a unique differentiator that no other ATS offers natively.
Not a good fit: Corporate HR teams and in-house talent acquisition departments. This product was designed for agency recruiters, and its workflows, terminology, and feature set reflect that focus. Companies with more than 20 recruiters or those needing advanced analytics, complex automation workflows, or extensive third-party integrations will likely outgrow the platform. If you need payroll integration, applicant self-service portals beyond basic career pages, or AI-driven candidate matching with deep configurability, look at larger platforms like Bullhorn, Greenhouse, or iCIMS instead.
Big Biller (TE Recruit) Alternatives
Bullhorn
Bullhorn is the enterprise standard for recruiting and staffing agencies. It offers deeper automation, more extensive integrations (hundreds of marketplace partners), and more sophisticated analytics. However, it comes at a significantly higher price point (typically $99+/user/month) and has a steeper learning curve. Choose Bullhorn if your firm has 15+ recruiters, needs enterprise-grade reporting, or requires integrations with VMS platforms and large staffing ecosystems. Choose TE Recruit if Bullhorn’s complexity and cost outweigh its benefits for your team size.
Crelate
Crelate targets growing mid-sized agencies and offers strong workflow customization, a modern interface, and good automation tools. It’s priced similarly to TE Recruit’s Professional tier. Users who switched from Crelate to TE Recruit have cited Crelate’s weaker customer support as a motivating factor. Choose Crelate if you’re scaling from 10 to 50+ users and need more sophisticated automation. Stick with TE Recruit if hands-on support matters more than feature depth.
PCRecruiter
PCRecruiter is a veteran in the agency ATS space, particularly strong for compliance-heavy industries (government contracting, healthcare staffing). It offers more granular control over data fields and compliance tracking. Some users have described PCRecruiter’s interface as dated compared to TE Recruit. Choose PCRecruiter if regulatory compliance is a primary concern. Choose TE Recruit if you prioritize ease of use and a cleaner interface.
JobAdder
JobAdder is a cloud-based ATS popular in Australia and the UK, now expanding in the US market. It offers a more modern interface, stronger job board integrations, and better mobile functionality. However, it lacks the split-placement network that TE Recruit offers through TE Network. Choose JobAdder if you operate internationally or prioritize mobile recruiting. Choose TE Recruit if you’re US-based and value the split-placement community.
Recruit CRM
Recruit CRM is a newer entrant that combines ATS and CRM with a modern UI, Kanban-style pipeline management, and strong automation at a competitive price point. It appeals to agencies that want a fresh, visually intuitive experience. Choose Recruit CRM if interface design and modern UX are priorities. Choose TE Recruit if you prefer a proven, established platform with decades of recruiting-specific development and a strong support team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Big Biller discontinued?
No. Big Biller was rebranded to “TE Recruit” by Top Echelon in September 2024. The product, features, and development team remain the same. The software is actively maintained and updated, with new features and blog content published through at least 2026.
How much does Big Biller (TE Recruit) cost?
The vendor’s current pricing page does not display exact dollar amounts. Based on third-party sources, the Standard plan starts around $67 to $70/user/month on annual billing ($89 month-to-month), and the Professional plan starts around $89/user/month annually ($110 month-to-month). Contact Top Echelon directly for current confirmed pricing, as rates may have changed with the rebrand.
Does TE Recruit offer a free trial?
Yes. Top Echelon offers a 30-day free trial. Based on historical references, no credit card is required to start the trial. A free demo is also available.
What is the TE Network, and is it included?
The TE Network is a split-placement recruiting network that connects independent recruiters to share job orders and candidates, splitting placement fees. It is a separate product from TE Recruit (the ATS/CRM) and has its own pricing. However, the two products integrate closely, and many TE Recruit users also participate in the network.
Does TE Recruit integrate with Outlook and Gmail?
Yes. The platform offers deep integration with both Google Workspace (Gmail and Google Calendar) and Microsoft Outlook for email and calendar syncing. That said, multiple users have reported that the email integration setup process can be cumbersome, particularly with Outlook. Once configured, the sync generally works, but expect some initial friction during setup.
Is there a mobile app?
The vendor’s website references mobile accessibility, and the platform is cloud-based and accessible via mobile browsers. However, a dedicated native mobile app has not been confirmed in current documentation. Users who need full mobile functionality should verify this directly with the vendor during the trial period.
What size company is TE Recruit best for?
TE Recruit is purpose-built for small to mid-sized recruiting firms, typically with 1 to 15 users. Solo recruiters, boutique agencies, and small staffing firms are the primary audience. Larger firms (20+ recruiters) or corporate HR teams with in-house talent acquisition needs will likely find the feature set too limited for their requirements.
The Bottom Line
Big Biller, now TE Recruit, does not try to be everything to every recruiter. It’s a focused, affordable ATS/CRM built for small agency recruiters who need a reliable candidate database, solid resume parsing, functional email tools, and pipeline management without the complexity or cost of enterprise platforms. It delivers on that promise consistently, and its customer support is genuinely among the best we’ve seen in the ATS category.
The product’s weaknesses are real but predictable for its price point: reporting capabilities lag behind larger platforms, search functionality could be smarter, email integration setup frustrates some users, and the automation and AI features are still maturing. If your firm is growing quickly and expects to need advanced analytics or complex multi-step automations within the next year, you may outgrow TE Recruit sooner than you’d like.
For the recruiter or small agency owner who needs a straightforward, well-supported ATS that won’t break the budget, TE Recruit remains a top-tier choice. The 30-day free trial makes it easy to evaluate without risk. If you’re currently using spreadsheets, a dated ATS, or paying too much for Bullhorn features you don’t use, TE Recruit deserves serious consideration.
