ApplyDone vs FlexApply (2026)
Both are human, done-for-you application services built for F-1, OPT, STEM OPT and H-1B candidates, and at both a person does the work, not a bot. They differ on how you pay, how many applications go out and how sponsors are checked. Here is an honest side by side, with details taken from each company's own site.
Short answer: pick ApplyDone if you want one simple plan, $199 a month with a target of 20 to 35 applications per active search day, a free review of your search before you pay, and no fee after you are hired. Pick FlexApply if you want to test the work on 20 applications for $49 first, want every employer checked against Department of Labor H-1B filings, or want recruiter outreach and internal referrals.
Side by side
| ApplyDone | FlexApply | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | One monthly plan, month to month | One-time plans, or a monthly Placement plan you can cancel any time |
| Smallest purchase | $199 for one month | $49 for 20 applications |
| Plans | ApplyDone Managed Search, $199 a month | $49 for 20, $149 for 100, $249 for 250, or $200 a month with unlimited applications |
| Free first step | A free search review before you pay | No free review. The $49 trial is the small first step |
| Who does the work | Trained people | A human team |
| Volume | A target of 20 to 35 applications per active search day, not a guaranteed minimum | Set by plan: 20, 100, 250 or unlimited |
| Resume | Rebuilt for each posting from your real experience | Tailored to each job on every plan |
| Cover letters | Not listed on its site | A real cover letter with each application |
| H-1B sponsor check | Roles checked against the sponsorship needs in the brief you approve | Every employer checked against Department of Labor H-1B data, on every plan including the trial |
| Recruiter outreach and referrals | Not listed on its site | From the $249 plan up |
| Record of the work | Job link, resume version and submission confirmation for each application | A tracking report on every plan, weekly from the $149 plan up |
| Fee after you are hired | None. It says it never takes a share of your salary | Placement plan only: a share of your monthly base salary for the first 12 months, set during onboarding. None on one-time plans |
| Refunds | Full refund if work has not begun. After that generally none, with a partial refund possible if it materially fails to deliver | None, which is why the $49 trial exists |
| Outcome promise | None made | None |
ApplyDone details are from its own site, applydone.one, and FlexApply prices from flexapply.org/pricing, both read October 14, 2026. Prices change, so confirm on each site before you pay.
What a month costs
ApplyDone is $199 a month, with no fee after you are hired. The FlexApply Placement plan is $200 a month, so the monthly cost is about the same, but FlexApply also charges a placement fee after you accept an offer at a company it applied to or referred you into: a share of your monthly base salary for the first 12 months, set during onboarding. If you want to pay only for the work and nothing after, ApplyDone's plan fits that, and so do FlexApply's one-time plans ($49 to $249, no fee after you are hired).
When ApplyDone is the better pick
- You want one monthly price and no fee after you are hired.
- You want a high daily volume target.
- You want a free review of your search before you pay.
- You want a saved confirmation and resume version for every application.
When FlexApply is the better pick
- You want to see the work on 20 applications for $49 before paying more.
- You want each employer checked against its H-1B filing record, not only matched to your brief.
- You want a cover letter with each application, or recruiter outreach and internal referrals.
- You would rather buy a fixed number of applications than a month of work.
- You want your search kept private.
What neither one can promise
Neither service promises interviews, offers or an H-1B, and both say so. A fair way to judge them is a small first step. ApplyDone's free review tells you whether it can support your search. The FlexApply trial shows 20 real applications: which roles were picked, how your resume was tailored, and a report of every submission. Comparing more services? See how to choose a job application service.
Common questions
Is FlexApply cheaper than ApplyDone?
To start, yes. The FlexApply trial is $49 for 20 applications, and ApplyDone's one plan is $199 a month. Month to month they cost about the same, $199 for ApplyDone and $200 for the FlexApply Placement plan, but the Placement plan adds a placement fee after you accept an offer, and ApplyDone charges no fee after you are hired.
Which is better for OPT students, ApplyDone or FlexApply?
Both are built for F-1, OPT, STEM OPT and H-1B candidates. ApplyDone sells one monthly plan with a high daily volume target and no placement fee. FlexApply checks every employer against Department of Labor H-1B filings and starts with a $49 trial. Pick ApplyDone for simple monthly volume, and FlexApply if you want sponsor filtering and a small first step.
Does ApplyDone charge a placement fee?
No. ApplyDone says it never takes a share of your salary. FlexApply charges a placement fee only on its Placement plan, after you accept an offer. Its one-time plans have no fee after you are hired.
Do ApplyDone and FlexApply use real people?
Yes. ApplyDone says trained people tailor your resume and submit each application. At FlexApply, a person picks the roles, tailors the resume and submits each application.
See the work on 20 applications first
$49 trial: 20 applications, each with a tuned resume and a real cover letter.
FlexApply wrote this comparison and is not affiliated with ApplyDone. ApplyDone is a trademark of its owner. Check both companies yourself before you pay.