Sova vs. Talogy: Head-to-Head Comparison for High-Volume Recruitment

The Volume Hiring Budget Trap

Volume hiring creates a budget trap with per-candidate pricing. Application volumes fluctuate based on employer brand strength, labour market conditions, and role attractiveness, factors outside your control. When a graduate programme attracts 2,100 applicants instead of the forecasted 400, recruitment teams face an impossible choice: assess everyone and exhaust the annual budget by April, or screen 1,700 candidates by CV alone and risk discrimination claims from unexplained rejections.

Per-candidate pricing hides this tax on your success. Traditional test publishers built per-candidate business models in an era when roles attracted dozens of applications. Modern volume hiring generates hundreds or thousands of applicants per position, and assessment vendors profit from your popularity while you explain cost overruns to your CFO.

For recruitment operations managers running early careers programmes, contact centre hiring, or retail recruitment at scale, platform architecture and pricing structure matter more than specific test items. This guide compares how Sova and Talogy handle the operational realities of assessing thousands of candidates without breaking your budget or drowning your team in administrative tasks.

At a Glance: Core Platform Differences

The Core Difference: Unified Platform vs. Assessment Aggregator

How Talogy Became an Assessment Supermarket

Talogy acquired 16 companies between 2017 and 2022, bringing together PSI Talent Management, Cubiks, Caliper, JCA Global, Performance Assessment Network, Select International, and ten other established assessment companies under one brand. This created a massive library of tests spanning decades of psychometric research.

The challenge with aggregation: you inherit multiple platform architectures. According to Talogy's communications, "the user interface of some of our platforms will be updated to reflect the Talogy brand including our Cubiks Online platform, PSI True Talent platforms, Apollo, PSI Hub, Caliper Portal, and SelecTrak platforms." Multiple platforms create different login experiences, varying integration capabilities, and fragmented candidate data depending on which legacy tool you deploy for each role.

If you need one specific test (say, the Caliper Profile for senior leadership assessment), Talogy's library delivers proven instruments with decades of validation research. But if you run volume hiring where 800 candidates complete assessments monthly, juggling multiple legacy systems creates the tool sprawl you hired a platform to eliminate.

How Sova Built for Operational Unity

Sova's assessment platform consolidates psychometric tests, video interviews (one-way recorded and two-way Microsoft Teams-integrated), and virtual assessment centres into a single codebase. One login. One candidate profile. One data export.

When Vodafone evaluated platforms, they wanted to consolidate the 60 assessments and 4 platforms in use. They chose Sova because the unified architecture delivered:

• One login instead of juggling multiple publisher portals
• One candidate profile aggregating psychometric, video, and assessment centre data
• One data export eliminating CSV reconciliation across systems

Their recruitment team feedback confirmed operational benefits:

"Feedback on the recruitment journey has been really, really, positive. Candidates feel more connected to Vodafone. They are kept informed, they can contact us at the touch of a button, they can really see how the questions reflect what we are looking for." - Aidan McCarthy

Sova's blended assessment approach lets you combine cognitive reasoning, personality profiling, and job simulation exercises while maintaining a single candidate record. For teams managing early careers assessment centres (traditionally 200+ candidates completing group exercises, case studies, and interviews over two days), this unity transforms logistics from nightmare to workflow.

The Content Flexibility Question

Both platforms support third-party content. Sova allows you to import your own assessments or integrate with publishers including Pearson, Hogan, and even Talogy where appropriate. You can "pick elements off-the-shelf, import your own content or have new content designed that is relevant to your organisation and roles available."

Talogy offers its vast internal library built through acquisitions. The Cubiks cognitive ability tests, PSI technical skills assessments, and Caliper personality profiling provide decades of established norms and validation data.

The practical difference: Sova delivers content through a unified candidate experience regardless of publisher. Talogy delivers content through the legacy platform where that test originated, potentially fragmenting your workflow.

Pricing Models: Unlimited Candidates vs. Per-Assessment Fees

The Tax on Your Success

Traditional assessment pricing works like a taxi meter. Every candidate who completes a test adds cost. Per-assessment models compound cost pressure in volume hiring. When you assess thousands of candidates for early careers programmes, contact centre roles, and seasonal retail hiring, every additional applicant increases your total spend. A 30% increase in application volume driven by improved employer brand or labour market shifts produces a corresponding 30% cost increase without warning, forcing mid-year budget conversations with your CFO.

Per-candidate pricing creates a perverse incentive: you narrow your funnel artificially to control spend. You screen 80% of applicants by CV before paying for assessments, reintroducing the exact bias that scientific hiring was meant to eliminate. You miss hidden talent from non-traditional backgrounds because you cannot afford to test them.

The Unlimited Model for Volume Hiring

Sova's pricing framework operates on a success-aligned model where engagement starts with a baseline estimation for your anticipated hiring volume and candidate pool scale, then adjusts dynamically based on actual utilisation and hiring outcomes rather than charging per assessment. Your investment remains stable whether 2,000 or 4,000 candidates apply for your graduate programme because cost scales with hiring success, not application count.

This pricing structure transforms your hiring strategy from "how few can we test?" to "who should we assess?" Budget predictability means you can evaluate all applicants using validated instruments rather than reverting to CV screening that introduces bias and reduces quality.

According to Vodafone's case study, "our commercial model was central to their decision making. Unlike other assessment platforms, an unlimited subscription with us is not constrained by software licenses or assessment credits." They assess thousands of candidates annually across multiple markets without cost surprises or mid-campaign budget renegotiations.

One recruitment operations manager explains the practical impact:

"Very easy to use system. Looks professional and feedback has shown a very good candidate experience. Provide a high level of security of data which is very important to my client." - Gillian M. on G2

The same reviewer notes a pricing consideration: "The increase in cost has led to us not being awarded a contract due to price." This highlights an important reality: Sova's model works when you hire at volume (200+ annually). For organisations making fewer than 50 hires per year, per-candidate pricing might cost less.

Budget Predictability and CFO Conversations

Your CFO cares about three things: total cost of ownership over three years, cost per hire trends, and surprise expenses. Success-aligned models simplify these conversations because you present a single annual figure regardless of application fluctuations driven by labour market conditions outside your control. However, user feedback suggests the per-candidate model creates cost barriers for organisations with limited budgets, and the structure still ties total expenditure to application volume rather than hiring outcomes.

Candidate Experience: Mobile-First Journeys vs. Traditional Testing

What Candidates Complete

Talogy's assessment library spans cognitive ability tests (numerical, verbal, logical reasoning through Cubiks), personality profiling (P.A.P.I. with 44-162 items), and situational judgment tests built by PSI and other legacy publishers. These instruments carry strong validation research built over decades. The candidate experience reflects traditional testing design: time-constrained cognitive modules, lengthy personality inventories, and platform interfaces varying by which specific Talogy tool the employer selected.

Sova's blended assessment approach combines shorter cognitive tests, image-based personality questionnaires, situational judgment scenarios, and video responses into one mobile-optimized journey. Candidates complete everything in a single session without switching platforms.

Mobile Accessibility and Inclusion

Sova's candidate preparation hub answers the question every applicant asks: "Can I complete assessments on my phone?" The platform confirms "our assessments are compatible on a mobile, tablet or laptop, so you can use whichever device you feel most comfortable with."

WCAG 2.2 accessibility compliance means candidates adjust text size, font style, contrast, and colour themes without disclosing disabilities. This matters for graduate and early careers hiring where Gen Z candidates expect mobile-first experiences.

When Sky implemented Sova, they achieved "69% increase in assessment completion (51% to 86%), 80% uplift in video interview completion (31% to 56%), and 90% candidate satisfaction." The unified mobile experience eliminated the friction of logging into three separate systems.

Preparation Reduces Anxiety

Assessment anxiety drives abandonment. Candidates who do not know what to expect are more likely to start a test at midnight and abandon it halfway through when they encounter unfamiliar question formats.

Sova's preparation resources show candidates practice questions and explain what each assessment measures before they begin. This transparency improves completion rates while maintaining test validity because candidates understand expectations without seeing actual test items.

Talogy's preparation materials vary by specific tool and client implementation. The decentralised structure of acquired platforms means preparation experiences differ depending on whether you are taking a Cubiks, Caliper, or PSI assessment.

Admin Efficiency: Automated Workflows vs. Manual Management

The 35-Hour Admin Tax

Traditional assessment processes consume recruitment team capacity through manual tasks:

1. Export candidate list from ATS (15 minutes)
2. Upload to assessment platform via CSV, troubleshoot errors (20 minutes)
3. Send bulk invitation emails that often land in spam (45 minutes)
4. Chase candidates who started but did not complete tests (3 hours weekly)
5. Export assessment results, import scores back to ATS manually (2.5 hours)
6. Update candidate statuses individually (4 hours for 200 candidates)
7. Create hiring manager reports by copying data into presentations (3 hours)

Total: 35-40 hours weekly during peak hiring periods for a team managing 500+ active candidates.

One Sova customer describes the relief:

"I really appreciate how Sova's talent assessment platform has helped our organisation to streamline our recruitment process and identify the best candidates for our team. The platform's skills testing, psychometric testing, and video interviewing capabilities have been particularly useful." - faraz a on G2

Native ATS Integration That Actually Works

Sova's integration approach connects directly to your ATS through native connectors for Workday, Greenhouse, SAP SuccessFactors, iCIMS, and SmartRecruiters. "Invite candidates to your assessments, track results, and automate progression through your hiring stages within Workday ATS through native integration."

The automation works like this:

1. Candidate applies via your ATS
2. Workflow triggers assessment invitation automatically
3. Candidate completes assessment
4. Scores push to their ATS profile within minutes
5. Predefined rules advance candidates scoring above threshold to video interview stage automatically
6. Hiring managers see results in the ATS dashboard they already use daily

Greenhouse's integration documentation confirms "Sova's integration with Greenhouse Recruiting allows you to add Sova assessments directly to a job's interview plan through native connector." No CSV exports. No manual status updates. No double data entry.

"SOVA provides candidates with an analytical and logical assessment that goes beyond what recruiters can judge from a CV alone. It also aids candidates in building their personality." - Nagma S. on G2

Talogy's integration capabilities exist but vary across their legacy platform ecosystem. The consolidated brand manages multiple backend systems that may require different technical implementations depending on which assessment tool you deploy.

Compliance and Validity: Defensible Data at Scale

Scientific Foundations

Both platforms deliver assessments grounded in organisational psychology and psychometric research. Talogy inherited validation libraries from established publishers including Cubiks (founded 2000), Caliper (founded 1961), and PSI (founded 1946). Decades of criterion validation research support their instruments.

Sova partners with established publishers including Pearson and Hogan while our team of organisational psychologists develops proprietary content. The platform's assessments demonstrate meaningful relationships with job performance outcomes based on research-backed validation methodologies, though individual prediction accuracy varies based on role requirements, organisational context, and implementation approach.

Legal Defensibility

When your Legal team asks "can you defend this process in a tribunal?", they want three things: evidence the assessment measures job-relevant competencies, proof you monitored for adverse impact on protected groups, and documentation showing you followed scientific best practices.

Sova's compliance framework includes ISO 27001 certification (information security management), GDPR compliance with EU data residency via AWS London and Dublin, and annual adverse impact reporting for high-volume clients processing 1,000+ assessments annually.

"Sova has responded quickly to queries and requests, which is not always found in larger vendors. Their platform is easy to navigate and self-explanatory and provides a seamless candidate experience. Their tools are robust and inclusive." - Natalie H. on G2

Talogy's compliance credentials vary by product line due to their acquisition structure. Organisations should request specific documentation regarding ISO certifications, data residency options, and adverse impact reporting capabilities for the particular Talogy tools they plan to implement.

Virtual Assessment Centres: The Operational Transformation

Eliminating In-Person Event Costs Through Virtual Delivery

Traditional early careers assessment centres require substantial investment when you factor in venue hire, assessor travel, candidate travel reimbursements, catering, and overnight accommodation for 60-80 finalists attending multi-day events.

Sova's Virtual Assessment Centre module replicates group exercises, case study presentations, role-play simulations, and competency-based interviews through video technology. "Candidates can join from anywhere, using any device" while "assessors can access assessment materials and connect with candidates via live two-way video."

Microsoft Teams Integration

Microsoft Teams connectivity means candidates join video sessions using your existing collaboration infrastructure. Assessors score exercises in real-time using competency rubrics built into the platform, with scores aggregating automatically for final decision-making.

The transformation goes beyond cost savings. Virtual delivery expands your talent pool because candidates from Scotland, Northern Ireland, or international locations who previously could not afford two days away from work and family can now participate fully.

When to Choose Sova?

Choose Sova When You Need

Operational efficiency at scale: You assess 500-5,000 candidates annually and your team spends 30+ hours weekly on assessment administration. Sova's unified platform with native ATS automation addresses your primary constraint: time.

Budget predictability: Per-candidate costs force you to screen applicants by CV before testing them (reintroducing bias), or surprise application spikes blow your budget. Unlimited pricing removes the financial penalty for attracting more talent.

Unified candidate experience: You run early careers programmes combining cognitive tests, personality assessments, video interviews, and virtual assessment centres. Delivering everything through one mobile-optimised platform improves completion rates while simplifying operations.

UK/EU compliance focus: You need ISO 27001 certification, GDPR compliance with EU data residency, and annual adverse impact reporting as standard features rather than enterprise add-ons.

What Talogy Brings to the Table?

Talogy can make more sense when an organisation relies on very specific, long-established assessment instruments. If a particular tool with decades of norms or industry-specific validation is a hard requirement, access to those legacy assessments may outweigh the flexibility of newer platforms.

It can also be a practical choice for organisations with low hiring volumes or deeply embedded assessment processes. When hiring fewer than around 50 candidates per year, per-assessment pricing may be more economical than subscription-based platforms, and teams already trained on existing tools may see limited return from switching systems and retraining assessors.

The Question That Decides

Ask yourself: what constrains your hiring quality more, access to one specific test, or the operational burden of managing thousands of candidates across fragmented systems?

If the answer is operational burden, budget unpredictability, or admin time, Sova's architecture solves your actual problem. If the answer is "we need the Caliper Profile specifically and nothing else will do," Talogy delivers that instrument.

For most volume hiring teams managing graduate programmes, contact centres, retail recruitment, or early careers schemes, the constraint is operational, not scientific. You do not lack good assessment content. You lack time, budget predictability, and integrated workflows.

Ready to compare your current assessment costs against unlimited candidate models? Book a demo with the Sova team to see the platform in action, or explore detailed pricing frameworks tailored to your hiring volume.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Sova Integrate with Workday and Greenhouse?
Yes. Native connectors for Workday, Greenhouse, SAP SuccessFactors, iCIMS, and SmartRecruiters push assessment scores directly to candidate profiles and trigger automated workflow steps.

Can I use Talogy Assessments on the Sova Platform?
Sova is content-agnostic and partners with publishers including Pearson, Hogan, and others. You can import third-party content or commission custom assessments.

How Does Unlimited candidate Pricing Work for Enterprise Contracts?
Sova's engagement framework establishes a baseline estimation that scales proportionally based on your actual hiring volume, candidate pool evaluation size, and scope requirements. The model aligns cost with hiring success rather than penalizing application volume or charging per assessment seat.

What Compliance Certifications Does Sova Maintain?
ISO 27001 certification, CyberEssentials, GDPR, CCPA, and Australian Privacy Act compliance with annual third-party security audits.

Key Terminology

Adverse Impact: Employment practices showing statistically significant differences in pass rates between protected groups (typically measured as >20% disparity), creating legal defensibility requirements under UK Equality Act 2010 and US Title VII.

Unified Platform: Single integrated system consolidating multiple assessment functions (psychometric testing, video interviews, virtual assessment centres) with shared candidate profiles and unified data architecture.

Native ATS Integration: Direct technical connection between assessment and applicant tracking systems allowing real-time data synchronization, automated candidate progression, and embedded scoring without CSV exports.

Virtual Assessment Centre: Online delivery of traditional assessment centre exercises (group discussions, case studies, role-plays, interviews) via video technology, maintaining scientific validity while eliminating venue and travel costs.

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