Arctic Shores

Arctic Shores is a task-based psychometric assessment platform for employers evaluating candidates and developing existing staff. It suits talent-acquisition teams that want behavioural evidence, configurable assessments and interview support rather than a simple questionnaire. The main trade-off is a contact-for-pricing buying process and a web-centred workflow, despite broad device and integration coverage.

Overview

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Manchester, Arctic Shores observes how candidates behave while completing interactive tasks. Its stated scope covers recruitment and staff development, with assessment types spanning cognitive, personality, behavioral and job fit. The approach is designed to reveal potential through task performance instead of relying solely on answers to conventional questions.

Employers can connect results to their hiring process through candidate reports, campaign dashboard scores and interview guides. Business psychologists and programme managers can help define success criteria, shape interview processes and interpret campaign data, while separate candidate and technical support is provided.

Key features

Task-based measurement

Interactive tasks generate behavioural observations, giving recruiters a different lens from a question-led test. Arctic Shores measures Personality and Workplace Intelligence, which it describes as its answer to Cognitive Ability. This is a good fit when teams want evidence about how people approach tasks; organisations requiring traditional, question-based cognitive testing should check that the method matches their selection model.

Assessment design and analysis

Recruiters can create assessments with drag-and-drop tools, choose psychologist-designed assessments or ask Arctic Shores’ team to assist. Custom assessments and benchmarking support programmes that need role-specific criteria or comparisons across campaigns. That flexibility benefits larger or more specialised hiring programmes, but it also puts responsibility on the buyer to define useful success measures.

Candidate reports, dashboard scores and interview guides help carry results into interviews instead of leaving them as an isolated screening score. Branding controls can align the assessment presentation with an employer’s identity. Candidates receive instant feedback reports and round-the-clock user support, which can reduce friction during a campaign.

Integrations and security

Native connections are listed for Greenhouse, SmartRecruiters, Teamtailor, Tribepad, Willo and Eploy. Where an ATS marketplace connection is unavailable, a standard API offers another route into an existing hiring stack. Arctic Shores says it is ISO 27001 certified, complies with GDPR, UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and encrypts data at rest with AES-256. Its infrastructure is hosted in geographically redundant AWS locations in Ireland.

Pricing

The Arctic Shores assessment platform has custom pricing; buyers are directed to contact the team for a demo and pricing details. There is no published free plan, trial term, seat allowance or usage quota to use as an initial cost benchmark. This model is more appropriate for employers planning a supported assessment programme than for small teams that need to start self-serve with a predictable monthly bill.

The custom-priced plan includes cognitive, personality, behavioral and job-fit assessment types, plus custom assessments, API access and benchmarking. Those capabilities can justify a sales-led purchase for organisations running multiple roles or campaigns, while buyers with a single low-volume vacancy may find the qualification process harder to compare with fixed-price tools.

Platforms

Arctic Shores lists Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and web support, as well as an API. Candidate guidance covers Windows and Mac desktop or laptop devices and iOS and Android phones or tablets, subject to supported browser and operating-system versions. This range accommodates mixed candidate hardware, while the API and ATS integrations support employer-side workflows.

Who it's for

The product is aimed at talent-acquisition teams and employers hiring or developing current and potential staff. It is particularly suitable for organisations that value behavioural assessment, need several assessment types, or want custom design, benchmarking and interview materials in one programme. It is less suitable for buyers who require transparent public pricing, a free starting tier or a narrowly focused coding-screening product.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Interactive tasks measure observed behaviour rather than only self-reported or question-based answers.
• Pro: Drag-and-drop creation, psychologist-designed options and expert assistance cover different levels of in-house assessment expertise.
• Pro: Custom assessments, benchmarking and API access support tailored, multi-campaign hiring operations.
• Pro: Reports, dashboard scores and interview guides connect assessment output to subsequent decisions.
• Pro: Candidate support, instant feedback and broad desktop/mobile compatibility address practical participation issues.
• Con: Custom pricing makes budget comparison difficult before speaking with the company.
• Con: No published free plan, trial, seat limit or quota gives smaller teams no clear low-risk entry point.
• Con: The task-based method may not suit organisations committed to conventional question-led assessments.

Alternatives

CodeSignal is the better choice for skills-path learning and practice with a free Individuals plan and Android, iOS, web and API access.

HackerEarth Assessments suits teams wanting a freemium testing product with a Free plan capped at five test invites, three interview invites and two admins, across Linux, macOS, web and Windows.

TalentClick offers a free basic account, free trial and web/API access for organisations that need a limited introductory assessment allowance.

TestGorilla is preferable when fixed pricing and a free monthly allowance matter: its Free plan includes 10 credits per month, five essential skills tests and one full-access seat, while Core is $142.00 per month billed annually.

TestUP is a web-only alternative with a free tier, unlimited mini tests and email support, though its FREE plan includes zero credits and charges $25 per additional credit.

HackerRank is a stronger fit for coding-focused screening, with a Starter plan at $165.00 per month billed annually, one user, 120 attempts per year and a charge for extra attempts.

Mercer | Mettl offers customised assessments and pay-as-you-go purchasing for employers seeking that commercial model.

SHL is another paid assessment platform with Android, iOS and web support.

For broader comparisons, see the Talent Assessment Software and Pre-Employment Assessment Software lists.

Verdict

Choose Arctic Shores when your organisation needs several assessment types, behavioural task data and the ability to customise, benchmark and connect results through an API. Its reporting, interview guidance and specialist support strengthen a structured hiring programme. Look elsewhere if you need published pricing, a free or trial plan, or a conventional skills test that can be bought and deployed with minimal sales involvement.