When organisations evaluate pre-hire assessment tools, TestGorilla and ThriveMap often appear on the shortlist. Both platforms aim to help employers make faster, fairer hiring decisions, but they take very different approaches.
TestGorilla offers a large test library of over 350 ready-made assessments covering skills, cognitive ability, and personality. ThriveMap, by contrast, focuses on job simulation assessments that mirror the actual role, either bespoke or built through its Smart Assessment Builder.
If you’re weighing up TestGorilla against ThriveMap, this guide provides a side-by-side comparison to help you decide which is the best fit for your hiring needs.
| Feature | ThriveMap | TestGorilla |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment type | Job simulations and realistic role-based tasks | 350+ test library (cognitive, personality, coding, SJTs, etc.) |
| Candidate experience | Engaging, immersive simulations; objective scoring | Multiple choice, essay, and video Qs; less engaging for high-volume |
| Customisation | Fully bespoke or Smart Assessment Builder; AI-generated video, branded backgrounds | Add your logo, colours, intro/outro videos; test library customisation |
| Scoring | Objective 0–100% fit score vs applicant pool | Percentile scores, credits system; essay/video Qs scored subjectively |
| Validation | Ecological validity (direct role link) | Psychometric QC (28-step process, SME-reviewed tests) |
| Reporting | Candidate URL reports with detailed breakdowns, withdrawal/dropout data | PDF/XLSX/CSV reports; team notes and ratings |
| Pricing model | Transparent annual subscription. unlimited candidate use | Free, core ($142/mo+), Plus (custom); credit-based invites/evaluations |
| Best suited for | Mid-size & enterprise, high-volume entry-level & frontline hiring | Startups/SMEs, skills-based or low-volume technical hiring |
TestGorilla is a fast-growing assessment platform aimed at simplifying candidate screening for startups and SMEs. Their product centres on a large library of 350+ ready-made tests, covering:
🧠 Cognitive ability
🗣️ Language skills
🧑🤝🧑 Personality and culture
⚖️ Situational judgement
💻 Programming, software, and coding skills
Employers can combine library tests with their own custom questions (essay, video, or multiple choice) to tailor an assessment to a role. Reports are generated in shareable formats (PDF, XLSX, CSV), and users can add notes and ratings to aid decision-making.
📚 Wide variety of off-the-shelf skills tests
⚡ Quick to set up and start using
💰 Free tier and lower-cost entry pricing for small businesses
While TestGorilla works well for many SMEs, there are challenges when it comes to high-volume, enterprise-level hiring:
🗂️ Generic test library: Tests measure abstract traits or skills, not the actual tasks of a specific job.
😕 Candidate experience: Assessments are mostly multiple choice, with optional essays or videos. These can feel less engaging and are harder to score objectively at scale.
⚖️ Subjectivity: Essay and video responses are difficult to score consistently, which risks introducing bias into hiring.
💳 Credit-based pricing: TestGorilla operates on a credit system (1 credit to invite, 3 credits to evaluate). This model can be difficult to budget for high-volume recruitment.
🏢 Limited realism: While tests are vetted through a 28-step QC process, they aren’t tailored to the unique role or work environment of the hiring organisation.
ThriveMap is a specialist provider of realistic job assessments. Instead of relying on libraries of pre-built tests, ThriveMap designs simulations that mirror the actual role.
🎥 Immersive “day in the life”: Candidates go through an immersive “day in the life” of the role, experiencing real tasks and scenarios.
🛠️ Fully bespoke assessments: Designed in partnership with ThriveMap’s team.
⚡ Smart Assessment Builder: Lets clients create tailored assessments quickly and easily.
📝 Interactive question types: Assessments include over a dozen interactive question types, including AI-generated short-form video.
📊 Objective scoring: Candidates receive an objective 0–100 % fit score, benchmarked against the actual applicant pool.
🔗 Detailed, shareable reports: Reports include insights on dropout points, withdrawal reasons, and attribute-level performance.
✅ Realism + objectivity: This approach provides both job realism and objectivity, reducing bias while giving candidates a realistic preview of the role.
A library of 350+ skills, personality, and psychometric tests. Employers mix and match to build an assessment.
No test libraries. Every assessment starts with the actual tasks of the role, either fully bespoke or tailored through Smart Assessment Builder.
👉 ThriveMap focuses on predicting success in your specific job, not just testing abstract traits.
30–60 minutes on average, mainly multiple choice. Essays and video responses can add time and subjectivity.
Engaging, simulation-based assessments; often as short as 7 minutes for entry-level roles. Always role-appropriate in length.
Add logo, colours, and intro/outro videos. Limited to cosmetic branding.
Fully customisable; include AI-generated video, branded environments, background images to reflect the workplace.
Percentile scores, easy-to-share PDF/XLSX/CSV reports. Essays and video answers require subjective review.
Objective fit score (0–100%), benchmarked against real applicants. Reports track dropout points, withdrawal reasons, and attribute breakdowns.
Tests undergo a 28-step quality control process with psychometricians and SMEs. Consistency across library tests is strong, but content may not directly map to job performance.
Ecological validity — assessments replicate the real job environment, offering clearer legal defensibility and stronger predictive power.
Free plan ($0) – limited tests. Core ($142/month billed annually) – 400+ credits per year, full test library access. Plus (custom pricing) – integrations, custom test building, video interviews. Credit-based system (1 credit invite, 3 credits evaluate).
Transparent annual subscription, unlimited use for defined roles. Easier to budget for high-volume hiring.
A large retail employer initially used TestGorilla’s off-the-shelf assessments for entry-level store roles. However, assessments focused on generic cognitive ability and personality traits rather than the day-to-day realities of the job. Candidate drop-off remained high, and hiring managers felt the results didn’t predict performance accurately.
Switching to ThriveMap provided candidates with a realistic job preview, showing the demands of the role and work environment. This allowed unsuitable candidates to self-select out and gave hiring teams more confidence in shortlisting.
The result: improved candidate experience, reduced dropout rates, and stronger alignment between new hires and the realities of the job.
Both TestGorilla and ThriveMap help employers screen candidates more effectively, but they serve different markets:
