Built by Someone Who Couldn't Afford the Alternatives
I'm Ryan. Father of three, survivor of seven failed businesses, and I'm tired of watching entrepreneurs waste money on overpriced software.
The Seven Failures That Led to This
I've started seven businesses. Five failed spectacularly. One barely broke even. One (this one) is still going.
Want to know what killed most of them? It wasn't bad ideas. It wasn't lack of hustle. It was death by a thousand subscriptions. death by a thousand subscriptions.
The Breaking Point
2019. Business #5. A recruiting agency.
I needed an ATS to manage candidates. Simple, right? Wrong.
I was recruiting for small businesses like mine. My clients couldn't afford to pay me enough to justify $500/month in software costs.
So I used spreadsheets. Google Sheets. Email folders. Chaos.
I lost candidates. I double-booked interviews. I looked unprofessional. The business failed.
The Realization
Late 2022. Business #6. Building tech for small businesses.
I kept seeing the same pattern: Great software exists. Small businesses can't afford it. They use terrible workarounds. They lose to bigger competitors who can afford the tools.
The recruitment software industry is especially guilty. They charge $300-$500/month for software that costs maybe $5/month to run per user. They claim it's because of "premium features" and "enterprise support."
Bullshit.
The Decision
January 2023. After midnight. Kids asleep. Wife thought I was crazy.
I decided to build what I needed back in 2019: A full-featured ATS that costs what it actually costs to run, plus a tiny margin.
No VC funding. No pressure to grow revenue 10x every year. No "premium tiers" to upsell you into.
Just honest software at an honest price: $1/month.
Our Mission: Make Recruitment Tools Accessible
Every small business, startup, and solo recruiter deserves access to the same tools that Fortune 500 companies use.
Not a "lite" version. Not a trial with missing features. The actual tools.
Ryan Recruit exists to level the playing field. We believe:
- Software should cost what it costs to run (plus a small margin for improvements)
- Pricing should be transparent (no hidden fees, no surprise charges)
- Features shouldn't be held hostage (you get everything, not a crippled "starter" plan)
- Canceling should be easy (one click, no retention team)
Forever Pricing
Sign up today at $1/month? That's your price forever. No price increases for existing customers. Ever.
No Feature Tiers
Everyone gets every feature. No "professional" or "enterprise" plans. No upsells. $1 gets you everything.
Radical Transparency
We publish our costs, our margins, our roadmap. You deserve to know where your money goes.
Customer First
No investors to please. No growth targets to hit. Just customers to serve. You come first, always.
What We Stand For
Honesty Over Hype
No marketing BS. No inflated claims. Just honest tools at honest prices. We charge you what the software actually costs instead of 500x markup.
Accessibility Over Profit
Everyone deserves great tools, not just companies with venture capital. We prioritize access over maximum profit.
Simplicity Over Features
We build what you need, not what looks good in a pitch deck. Every feature gets tested with real recruiters.
Privacy Over Data Mining
Your candidate data is yours. We don't sell it, mine it, or monetize it. We make money from subscriptions, not data.
The Math Behind $1/Month
People ask me all the time: "How do you make money at $1/month?" Fair question. Here's the honest answer:
What Your $1/Month Covers
The Secret: Smart Technology + Volume
We keep costs low by:
- Modern infrastructure: Cloud-native architecture that scales efficiently
- Automation: No sales team, no account managers, no bloat
- Smart AI: AI handles job descriptions, screening questions, repetitive tasks
- Volume: 1,000 customers at $1 = $1,000/month in revenue (minus $830 in costs)
We don't:
- Pay sales commissions
- Rent expensive offices
- Attend recruitment conferences
- Buy Super Bowl ads
- Chase venture capital
All that savings goes to you. That's how $1/month works.
"We show our math because we have nothing to hide"
Small Team. Big Mission.
We're not building a 500-person company. We're building sustainable software with a tiny, talented team.
Ryan
Founder & CEO
"The one who couldn't afford the alternatives"
Seven failed businesses taught me what small businesses actually need. Former recruiter. Current dad.
Lead Developer
Engineering
"The one who makes it work at scale"
Building efficient, scalable systems that keep costs low and performance high.
Customer Success
Support
"The one who actually answers emails"
Fast, friendly support because your time matters as much as ours.
You?
Open Position
"The one who wants to build something honest"
We're growing slowly and intentionally. If you believe in accessible software and honest pricing, let's talk.
Who Uses Ryan Recruit
Startups
2-10 person teams who need to hire fast without breaking the bank
Small Businesses
Established companies tired of paying $500/month for basic ATS features
Recruiting Agencies
Solo and small agency recruiters managing multiple clients
HR Departments
Internal recruiters at small-to-medium companies
Remote Teams
Distributed companies hiring across time zones and countries
Trades & Services
Construction, plumbing, electrical companies hiring skilled workers
The Journey So Far
January 2023
The Idea
Ryan decides to build the ATS he wished existed in 2019. First line of code written at 11:47 PM.
March 2023
First Beta User
Sarah from TechStart Inc. becomes our first customer. Still with us today.
June 2023
Launch
Public launch. 47 customers in the first week. No paid advertising, just word of mouth.
September 2023
100 Customers
Hit 100 paying customers. Officially profitable. Still $1/month.
December 2023
500 Customers
End year with 500+ customers. $500/month in revenue. Living the dream.
March 2024
1,000 Customers
Cross 1,000 customer milestone. Launch mobile app. Still no investors.
Today
1,200+ Customers
Helping 1,200+ recruiters hire better people. Still $1/month. Still independent.
Future
You Join Us?
Help us prove that honest software at honest prices can win.
Questions? Email Ryan Directly
No ticket systems. No chatbots. No phone trees. Just email Ryan directly.
ryan@ryanrecruit.comUsually responds same day. Often within hours.