Indeed vs. Glassdoor | How to Choose for Job

Glassdoor was founded in 2007 as a site that collects and displays company reviews, salary information, etc. It was acquired by Japanese Recruit Holdings (Owner of Indeed), but it has continued to operate as an independent subsidiary.

Now, both platforms serve as crucial tools in the modern job market – Indeed focuses more on job search, and Glassdoor is more company insight-focused, though there is significant overlap in their user bases. Then, what are the key differences between Indeed and Glassdoor? Here in this post, we will compare Indeed vs. Glassdoor in detail. So you can learn how to choose one of them, or how to utilize both for your career success.

What is Indeed and How Does it Work

From Indeed official website, you will see that job search is the main function for job seekers. No matter whether you are a fresh graduate, a professional seeking career change, a part-time work seeker, or a remote work seeker, you can type job title/keywords/company/location to search for a job. Indeed shows a job list according to your keyword, and then you can filter by work types, posted date, pay, etc., and apply.

Besides, you can type the company name or job title to find companies or browse companies by industry to check the company information, including reviews, salaries, jobs, reasons to join them, etc. Finding jobs by salary is also available. You can browse top-paying jobs by industry.

For employers to hire the right person, Indeed allows you to post a job directly, make connections with better visibility, find quality applicants with screening tools, and interview anywhere. With a controlling budget and personalized pricing, employers can choose flexible ways to get Indeed services for employers.

What is Glassdoor

While Glassdoor is stronger in emphasis on company reviews, salaries, and workplace culture. If you want to research a company and workplace transparency, Glassdoor is a better site. In this community-focused place, you can explore bowls or conversations related to their industries, including reviews, ratings, salary data, job listings, etc. And you can create a post, or like, comment, and share posts to network with others. Glassdoor helps job seekers connect with professionals and establish real-time conversations with employers.

Besides, under the Jobs tab, you can search for a job and apply directly. The Companies tab enables you to filter by company location, industry, job title, rating, and size. Then you can check its information, follow or review it.

For employers, Glassdoor allows you to manage your employer brand, attract talent, and engage with potential candidates. It offers tools for responding to reviews, posting jobs, showcasing company culture, analyzing competitors, and accessing recruitment analytics to optimize hiring strategies and maintain a positive employer reputation.

Indeed vs. Glassdoor Key Differences

Therefore, Indeed and Glassdoor serve complementary roles in the job market ecosystem. This part will list key differences, which make each platform better suited for different aspects of the job search process.

Aspect	Indeed	Glassdoor
Primary Focus	• Job search and listings • Transaction-oriented platform • Direct job matching	• Company insights and transparency • Community-oriented platform • Workplace culture information
Core Features	• Advanced job search filters • Direct job posting • Employer screening tools • Basic company information • Job-based salary data	• Detailed company reviews • Workplace culture insights • Community discussions • Salary comparisons • Company rating system
User Engagement	• Direct job applications • Simple search-and-apply process • Employer-candidate matching	• Social networking features • Community discussions • Post/comment/share capabilities • Real-time employer conversations
Platform Purpose	• Primary: Job matching • Secondary: Company info	• Primary: Company research • Secondary: Job search
Target Users	• Active job seekers • Hiring managers • HR professionals • Recruiters	• Company researchers • Career planners • Current employees • Employer brand managers
Main Value	Finding and applying to jobs quickly	Understanding company culture and workplace

Except for the overall key differences, we will focus on detailed comparisons like using purposes. If you are searching for a job or hiring talents, what are the similarities and differences? Keep reading below.

Indeed vs. Glassdoor Job Searching

For users focused on the job search aspect of both platforms, Indeed appears to be more streamlined for the actual job search and application process, while Glassdoor offers more depth in company research and workplace insights. A more comprehensive comparison includes job search capabilities and tools, different filtering options, etc.

Aspect	Indeed	Glassdoor
Job Search Features	• Larger job database • More direct job postings • Easy one-click apply • Job Alerts • Resume upload and creation • Salary calculator • Company reviews • Mobile app for job search	• Fewer job listings • Many redirects to company sites • More detailed job descriptions • Interview reviews and questions • Benefits reviews • Work-life balance insights • Company comparison tools
Search Filters	• Location • Salary range • Job type (full-time, part-time) • Experience level • Remote options • Date posted • Company ratings	• Location • Company size • Industry • Company rating • Easy apply options • Salary estimate • Job function
Application Process	• Streamlined application process • Direct applications • Quick apply feature • Save jobs feature • Application tracking	• Often redirects to company websites • More steps in application process • Detailed company information during application • Interview process insights

Indeed vs. Glassdoor Employers

Many employers use both platforms: Indeed for active recruitment and Glassdoor for employer branding and reputation management. Their different strengths which are often complementary rather than competitive are listed below:

Aspect	Indeed	Glassdoor
Job Posting Options	• Free basic job postings • Sponsored job posts (pay-per-click) • Featured employer options • Flexible budget control • Cost per application/click pricing	• Paid job postings only • Bundled with employer branding solutions • Subscription-based pricing • Package deals with company profiles
Candidate Screening	• AI-powered screening tools • Skills assessment tests • Custom screening questions • Automated candidate ranking • Virtual interview tools	• Basic application filtering • Less robust screening tools • Focus on candidate engagement
Employer Tools	• Job posting platform • Applicant screening • Flexible pricing options • Interview management • Budget control	• Brand management • Review response system • Culture showcase • Competitor analysis • Recruitment analytics
Cost	• Pay-per-click model • Flexible spending options • Budget control tools • Free basic postings available	• Subscription-based pricing • Annual contracts common • Package pricing • Higher initial investment
Job Posting Quality	• Mix of direct postings and aggregated listings • More current job postings • Regular updates • Better verification of job posts	• Some outdated listings • More third-party redirects • Fewer direct postings • Focus on established companies

Indeed vs. Glassdoor Salary Information

Next, we’d like to make a comparison that specifically focuses on salary-related features of Indeed and Glassdoor, highlighting the unique approaches each platform takes to salary information. First, salary data sources may vary. Indeed focuses more on current market rates from active job listings. Glassdoor emphasizes comprehensive historical and user-reported data. Check more differences below:

Aspect	Indeed	Glassdoor
Salary Data Source	• Actual job postings • Employee reported salaries • Company-reported data • Recent hire reports	• Anonymous employee reviews • Current/former employee reports • Interview candidates • Third-party data partnerships
Update Frequency	• Real-time updates from job posts • Monthly aggregation • Rolling 12-month averages	• Continuous user submissions • 90-day review period • Historical trends maintained
Salary Tools	• Salary trend tracker • Career salary progression • Local pay rates • Industry comparisons	• Know Your Worth™ tool • Career path planning • Benefits evaluator • Personalized salary calculator
Data Granularity	• Job title specifics • Location-based variations • Industry sectors • Company size factors	• Years of experience • Education level impact • Skills premium data • Department benchmarks

Should I use Indeed or Glassdoor?

Based on the comparison, use Indeed for active job searching and quick applications, while using Glassdoor for company research and culture insights. Or you can combine both to get complementary results.

Q&A

Which site is better than Indeed?

LinkedIn is often considered superior to Indeed because it offers professional networking, direct recruiter connections, industry insights, and job opportunities while maintaining a strong professional community and verified company profiles. But they both serve important insights for different needs.

Is Indeed owned by Glassdoor?

No, Indeed and Glassdoor are owned by different companies. Indeed is owned by Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. (a Japanese firm), while Glassdoor has been owned by Recruit Holdings since 2018 – they share the same parent company with an independent operation mode.

Is Glassdoor or ZipRecruiter better?

You can choose ZipRecruiter for active job searching and quick applications with AI matching. Use Glassdoor to research company culture, salaries, and reviews before accepting offers. They serve different primary purposes.

Conclusion

Indeed is a global employment website that serves as a job search engine, allowing job seekers to find openings and employers to post positions across various industries worldwide. Glassdoor is a platform where employees anonymously review companies, share salaries, and discuss workplace culture, while job seekers can research employers and find job opportunities. This post compares Indeed vs. Glassdoor from key differences, for job searching and employers, and detailed salary information. You can review both of them again and choose according to your needs.

If you are searching for job search alternatives, Jobright.ai is an emerging AI tool to help you get the most matching jobs.