HireAra and Distill overlap on CV formatting but sit at different altitudes. HireAra is a candidate presentation platform — formatted profiles, executive one-pagers, trackable links, even candidate microsites — aimed at agencies that treat every submittal as a branded sales document. Distill is a focused formatting and anonymisation engine. Which fits depends on how your agency presents candidates.
TL;DR comparison table
| Feature | HireAra | Distill |
|---|---|---|
| Primary function | Candidate presentation platform | CV formatting + anonymisation |
| Output types | Formatted profiles, one-pagers, spec CVs, cover sheets, candidate websites | DOCX, PDF |
| Intake method | Upload (Word, PDF, LinkedIn), CRM integrations | Email-first, web upload, or API |
| Anonymisation | Not the core focus | Core feature — name, contact, photo, dates |
| ATS/CRM integrations | Bullhorn, Vincere, Mercury, Seven20, Salesforce, JobAdder, Access, Recman | None native; ATS-safe output + API |
| Pricing | Not public — contact sales | Transparent, pay per CV, unlimited users |
| Security posture | ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, GDPR | Zero retention, GDPR; UK/EU processing |
| Target agency | Mid-size to enterprise, CRM-centric | Any size, email- or API-centric |
What HireAra actually does
HireAra formats CVs and builds candidate presentation assets: branded profiles, executive one-pagers, role-specific spec CVs, AI-populated client cover sheets, and even candidate websites with video intros and interview booking. Content distributes through trackable links and deep CRM integrations — Bullhorn, Vincere, Mercury, Seven20, Salesforce, JobAdder, Access, and Recman.
It's a polished, enterprise-leaning product: ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials certified, with a stated commitment that candidate data is never used for AI training. The vendor claims a 20% boost in interview rates and 340% average ROI within 90 days — vendor-published figures, so treat them as marketing rather than independent benchmarks. Pricing isn't public; expect a sales conversation.
What Distill actually does
Distill does one job deeply: turn a messy CV into a clean, branded, ATS-safe document — anonymised if you want it — in about 30 seconds. Forward a CV by email, upload it, or call the API. Output is editable DOCX or PDF, tuned to parse cleanly in the major agency ATSs.
There are no trackable links, microsites, or presentation suites. There's also no sales call: pricing is public, per CV, with unlimited users on every plan. And where HireAra holds candidate data inside its platform (certified and well-governed), Distill deletes every file immediately after processing — zero retention.
Pricing breakdown
This is the starkest difference. HireAra doesn't publish pricing — budgeting means a demo and a quote, and platform suites of this kind typically land as annual contracts. Distill publishes per-CV tiers with a free trial and no sales conversation required. For a 3-person boutique, that difference usually decides it; for a 50-recruiter agency standardising presentation across brands, HireAra's model is normal.
Which agency fits which tool
HireAra fits agencies that:
- Sell candidate presentation as part of their brand — one-pagers, microsites, trackable engagement.
- Live inside Bullhorn, Vincere, Mercury, or Salesforce and want native workflow.
- Have the size and budget for a platform contract.
Distill fits agencies that:
- Need formatting and blind-submittal anonymisation, not a presentation suite.
- Want transparent pricing they can start on today.
- Prefer email or API workflows over another platform login.
- Want zero data retention on candidate files.
FAQ
Q: Is HireAra a direct competitor to Distill? A: They overlap on CV formatting. HireAra then goes broader (presentation assets, engagement tracking); Distill goes deeper on anonymisation and data minimisation. Some agencies would shortlist both; they'd rarely buy both.
Q: Does HireAra anonymise CVs? A: Presentation is its focus, not blind hiring. If anonymised submittals are a compliance requirement, that's the gap Distill is built for.
Q: Why doesn't Distill do one-pagers or candidate websites? A: Deliberate scope. Distill optimises one step — CV in, client-ready document out — which keeps pricing and data handling simple.
Q: What about candidate data? A: HireAra is ISO 27001 certified and states candidate data is never used for AI training. Distill goes a step further structurally: files are deleted immediately after processing.
If you're buying a presentation platform, HireAra is a serious option. If you need CVs formatted and anonymised without a platform contract, try Distill free.