Both Talentis and Encore by Cluen are purpose-built platforms for executive search and relationship-driven recruiting. Both products are designed to help firms manage candidates, clients, assignments and long-term relationships, but they differ significantly in their approach to candidate discovery, talent mapping, executive search workflows and recruiter productivity.
This comparison examines the key areas executive search firms typically consider when selecting executive search software.
| Feature | Talentis | Encore by Cluen |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Search CRM | Yes | Yes |
| Assignment Management | Yes | Yes |
| Client Relationship Management | Yes | Yes |
| Executive Candidate Management | Yes | Yes |
| Access to 800M+ Public Professional Profiles | Yes | No |
| AI-Powered Candidate Discovery | Yes | Yes |
| Talent Mapping | Yes | Yes |
| Business Development Tools | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Outlook Integration | Yes (Unified modern web framework) | Yes (Dual frameworks: desktop COM add-ins & server-side mapping) |
| Support for both Classic Outlook and New Outlook | Yes | Yes (Classic supported via desktop extensions; New Outlook/Web supported via platform-independent cloud mapping) |
| Chrome / Edge Extension | Yes (Native proprietary extension) | Yes (Supported via Cluen LinkedIn tool and integrated extensions like NIXZ / Noon.ai) |
| True, web-based Cloud Saas | Yes (Unified modern web app) | Yes (Modern browser-based CRM) |
| Identical functionality on both Windows and Mac | Yes (Built fully as a modern, unified web application across all operating systems) | Yes for core CRM (The browser workspace is identical, but local Outlook plugin features are limited to Windows users) |
| Automated data enrichment | Yes (Native to the Talentis platform via its proprietary executive search index) | Yes (Delivered via ecosystem integrations like NIXZ, Noon.ai, and specialized sector feeds) |
Access to executive talent is what separates top-performing search firms from the rest of the market.
Both platforms support executive search workflows, but they take a different approach to candidate discovery.
| Area | Talentis | Encore by Cluen |
|---|---|---|
| Search across public professional profiles | Yes: 800M+ profiles | No |
| Candidate discovery | AI-powered search | AI-powered insights |
| Talent mapping | Yes | Yes |
| Passive candidate identification | Yes | Yes |
| Market research | Yes | Yes |
Executive search firms need to identify talent that may not already exist within their database.
Talentis combines AI-powered search capabilities with access to more than 800 million public professional profiles, helping recruiters uncover prospective candidates across the wider executive talent market.
Encore focuses strongly on relationship intelligence, historical recruiter knowledge and search insights stored within the platform.
“Talentis helps me find, attract, and secure talent by uncovering hidden candidates and providing their contact details. The search function is so powerful – I am finding talent I could not find before!” – Steve Mallison-Jones, Founder, Le Caché Trouvé (USA)
For firms that prioritise broad market coverage and continual candidate discovery, Talentis offers a compelling advantage.
Advantage: Talentis
Relationship management sits at the heart of retained executive search.
| Area | Talentis | Encore by Cluen |
|---|---|---|
| Executive search CRM | Yes | Yes |
| Candidate relationship tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Client management | Yes | Yes |
| Contact history | Yes | Yes |
| Assignment management | Yes | Yes |
| Business development tracking | Yes | Yes |
This is an area where both platforms perform particularly strongly.
Encore has built its reputation around preserving historical relationship data, managing long-term professional networks and surfacing valuable relationship intelligence across searches.
Talentis also places a strong focus on relationships, while combining CRM functionality with sourcing, talent discovery, candidate research and executive search workflows.
Modern executive search increasingly relies on visibility into leadership teams, industry structures and executive talent pools.
| Area | Talentis | Encore by Cluen |
|---|---|---|
| Organisation mapping | Yes | Yes |
| Talent mapping | Yes | Yes |
| Executive team research | Yes | Yes |
| Competitive intelligence | Yes | Yes |
| Public profile discovery | Yes (Native / Built-in) | Yes (Via partner & browser integrations) |
Both Talentis and Encore provide strong talent mapping and market intelligence capabilities that help executive search firms understand leadership markets, map organisations and identify executive talent.
The key difference is not whether candidate information can be discovered, but how that discovery takes place.
Talentis provides public profile discovery natively within the platform, while Encore supports similar outcomes through browser tools, integrations and its broader executive search ecosystem.
“Talentis gives us that visibility. In a single search, we can see newly sourced candidates alongside the relationships and networks we have already built, without having to manually enter data.” – Dr. Jörg Heil, Owner, xaverius (Germany)
Both platforms support executive search firms conducting market research, executive team analysis and talent mapping. Firms should consider whether they prefer a more integrated, all-in-one approach or a platform that leverages a wider ecosystem of executive search tools.
Executive search firms need to communicate clearly with clients throughout the search process.
| Area | Talentis | Encore by Cluen |
|---|---|---|
| Client reports | Yes | Yes |
| Shortlists | Yes | Yes |
| Longlists | Yes | Yes |
| Branded deliverables | Yes | Yes |
Both platforms provide the reporting and client communication capabilities expected of modern executive search software.
Encore promotes client-ready reporting, AI-assisted reporting capabilities and executive search reporting workflows.
Talentis similarly supports branded reports, longlists, shortlists and client deliverables within an executive-search-focused environment.
“I love that I can generate a client report quickly and efficiently with minimal effort.” – Steve Mallison-Jones, Founder, Le Caché Trouvé (USA)
Features matter, but so do customer satisfaction, usability and support.
Talentis is developed by Ikiru People, which currently holds an Excellent 4.9/5 Trustpilot rating based on more than 900 customer reviews, making it one of the most highly reviewed providers in the recruitment technology sector.
Talentis also enjoys strong ratings on G2, where users frequently reference productivity improvements, candidate sourcing functionality, ease of use and customer support.
Encore receives positive customer feedback and testimonials on the Cluen website, particularly around relationship management, executive search workflows and responsiveness of the support team. However, publicly available third-party review volume appears significantly lower.
Read Talentis support reviews on Trustpilot
As of October 1, 2026, Encore by Cluen has no reviews on Trustpilot and no reviews on G2.
Software demonstrations provide a snapshot of functionality, but independent reviews often reveal how a platform performs over the long term.
Executive search firms should consider customer feedback, support quality, onboarding experiences and overall satisfaction alongside product features when evaluating software platforms.
“Talentis has dramatically increased productivity.” – Helen Thomas, Principal, Odgers (Ireland)
“Our team has experienced a significant uplift in productivity and user satisfaction.” – James Young, Managing Partner, Morgan Young (Australia)
Executive search firms need technology that helps consultants spend less time on administration and more time on candidate engagement, client interaction and revenue-generating activities.
Both Talentis and Encore aim to reduce manual effort and improve recruiter productivity through automation and workflow management.
Executive recruiters often spend significant amounts of time updating databases, researching candidates, maintaining records and managing search processes.
Encore promotes workflow automation, relationship intelligence and AI-powered insights to help firms work more efficiently.
Talentis combines candidate sourcing, talent mapping, executive search CRM functionality and automated data enrichment natively within a single platform. Encore supports similar objectives through a combination of platform capabilities and ecosystem integrations.
Firms should consider whether they prefer an all-in-one approach or a broader technology ecosystem when evaluating the two products.
“Talentis has been a true game changer – we no longer have to manually input data (work history, education etc) – it is generated and captured instantly by Talentis.” – Helen Thomas, Principal, Odgers (Ireland)
Firm size and maturity can play an important role when selecting executive search technology.
| Requirement | Talentis | Encore by Cluen |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate candidate coverage | Yes | More network-driven |
| Free trial | Yes | Demo-led approach |
| Free onboarding | Yes | Not publicly promoted |
| Candidate discovery from Day 1 | Yes | More dependent on existing relationship data |
| Ease of adoption | Very strong | Strong |
Start-up and boutique firms often need technology that delivers value quickly while helping consultants maximise productivity.
Talentis allows firms to begin sourcing, researching and managing executive talent immediately while benefiting from free onboarding and rapid deployment. Established firms may also find value in the platform’s ability to consolidate sourcing, CRM, talent mapping and executive search workflows in a single environment.
“We are a small executive search firm and Talentis helps us be more productive. It helps us identify, track and place candidates more quickly which means we better serve our clients.” – Steve Edwards, Managing Director, Spirit Executive (UK)
Advantage: Talentis for ease of adoption and suitability for growing executive search firms.
Both Talentis and Encore by Cluen are specialist executive search software platforms with strong relationship management, reporting and executive search capabilities.
Encore remains a respected platform among relationship-driven search firms. Its strengths lie in relationship intelligence, historical search data, introductions, referrals and long-term relationship management.
Talentis takes a more integrated approach. It combines executive search CRM functionality, AI-powered candidate sourcing, access to more than 800 million public professional profiles, talent mapping and automated data enrichment within a single executive search platform.
For executive search firms seeking broader candidate discovery, integrated sourcing, talent mapping, reduced manual administration and rapid time-to-value, Talentis may offer the stronger overall proposition.
Yes. Both Talentis and Encore by Cluen are purpose-built executive search software platforms designed to support retained and executive search firms.
Encore focuses heavily on relationship intelligence, introductions, referrals and long-term relationship management. Talentis combines executive search CRM functionality with AI-powered sourcing, talent mapping and access to more than 800 million public professional profiles.
Both Talentis and Encore by Cluen support executive search workflows, but Talentis provides broader public-profile discovery and candidate sourcing capabilities.
Yes. Talentis is particularly well suited to boutique and growth-oriented executive search firms seeking modern executive search software with integrated sourcing and talent mapping.
Yes. Talentis supports organisation mapping, executive team research, market mapping and competitive intelligence workflows.
Yes. Talentis offers a personalised demonstration, free trial and onboarding support, allowing executive search firms to experience the platform and assess whether it is the right fit before committing. Book your Talentis demonstration today!