Last reviewed: 5 October 2026. Every fact about Spott below comes from Spott's own website and documentation, read on that date and listed at the end. Marvin publishes this guide, so treat our section as a vendor's description.
TL;DR
- Spott is a well-built, AI-first recruitment CRM from Leuven, Belgium, with an MCP server, a mobile app, five interface languages and prices published openly.
- For a contract desk, its documentation shows three limits: timesheets are logged by the agency (contractors cannot submit their own yet), invoices are drafts finished in Xero, and the client portal shares shortlists, not timesheets.
- In outreach, only email steps send automatically; LinkedIn and WhatsApp steps become manual tasks.
- Marvin keeps the contractor's timesheet, the client's signature and the invoice in the CRM, and sends LinkedIn and WhatsApp steps automatically. It costs more than Spott per user, and it is not built for hourly temps.
What Spott does well
Spott went through Y Combinator in Winter 2025 and is based in Leuven. On its own pages and documentation, it offers:
- an ATS and CRM with full Boolean search, structured filters and AI that turns a plain-text request into filters;
- an MCP server (OAuth) that connects Claude or ChatGPT to your Spott data;
- an iOS and Android app to search the database, read meetings and transcripts, manage tasks and capture notes, which Spott describes as a companion "not a full mobile version" of the desktop platform;
- an interface in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Dutch and German, since March 2026;
- a Company Portal where clients can view candidates, leave comments and request an interview;
- e-signature through DocuSign (a DocuSign account is required);
- ISO 27001: its pricing and security pages say "Spott is ISO 27001 certified".
What Spott does better than Marvin
- A lower price per user. For UK visitors, Spott Core is £109 and Pro £139 per user per month billed annually. Marvin Pro is £129 and Suite £169 billed annually, with a 12-month minimum term on every plan, including monthly billing.
- More interface languages, and a mobile app.
- A Xero integration: Spott pushes draft invoices to Xero. Marvin drafts and issues invoices itself and exports them to CSV for your accountant.
- ISO 27001 certification, according to Spott.
Where a contract desk will notice the difference
Timesheets: who fills them in
Spott's documentation answers the question directly: "Can contractors submit their own timesheets? Not yet. Timesheets are logged, submitted and approved by your team in Spott." Your team approves once the client has signed off, by whatever means the client used.
In Marvin, each contractor has a personal space (People) where they fill in one monthly timesheet in days and half-days, even across several assignments, request time off, submit expenses and upload their own invoice.
Client sign-off
Spott's Company Portal is built for shortlists: clients view candidates, comment and request interviews. Its documentation does not describe timesheet approval in the portal.
In Marvin, the client contact named on the assignment signs off each timesheet from a secure link, without an account. The agency can require a one-time code by email, and every signature is stored with a snapshot of what was signed. Read the full workflow in our guide to timesheet software for recruitment agencies.
Invoicing
Spott "sends each invoice to Xero as a draft, ready for your finance team to review, approve and send from Xero". In Marvin, Cash drafts the client invoice once the month's timesheets are approved (approved days multiplied by the day rate, with rechargeable expenses on a separate line), and you issue and email it from Marvin. Perm placement fees, including fees split into instalments, are invoiced in the same app.
LinkedIn and WhatsApp outreach
In Spott campaigns, "The only fully automated step is: Email"; LinkedIn and WhatsApp steps create a task for the recruiter. In Marvin, email, LinkedIn (invitations, messages, profile visits) and WhatsApp steps are sent automatically from the recruiter's own connected accounts, within daily limits.
Multi-posting
Spott connects to Broadbean and idibu, and "Your multiposting subscription is with the provider, not with Spott". Marvin's multi-posting is included in its plans, with a cap of 3 job ads per user on Pro and 5 on Suite, and it does not cover UK job boards today.
Spott and Marvin, side by side
| What you need | Spott | Marvin |
|---|---|---|
| Contractor fills in their timesheet | Not yet: logged by the agency | Yes: monthly, days and half-days, in their own space |
| Client signs off the timesheet | Not in the Company Portal; agency approves after sign-off | Secure link without an account, signature stored with a snapshot |
| Client invoice | Draft sent to Xero, finished in Xero | Drafted, issued and emailed from Marvin |
| LinkedIn and WhatsApp in sequences | Manual tasks | Sent automatically |
| Client portal | Yes (Company Portal: shortlists, comments, interview requests) | Yes: Board, in the Suite plan |
| MCP server | Yes | Yes, in every plan |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android | No native app |
| Interface languages | English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German | English, French, Spanish |
| UK payroll (PAYE, RTI) | No | No |
| Price, per user/month, billed annually | Core £109, Pro £139, plus enrichment credits | Pro £129, Suite £169; 12-month minimum term |
Contract or temp: be precise about your desk
"Contract and temp" covers two different businesses. Marvin fits contractors and interim managers on a day rate, often through their own limited company or an umbrella company. It does not record hourly timesheets, schedule shifts, run PAYE or RTI payroll, or decide IR35 status. If most of your workers are hourly temps paid through PAYE, you need a pay and bill tool: see our Timesheet Portal alternative for what such a tool covers, and our umbrella company PAYE rules guide for what has changed since April 2026.
For the wider market, read Best recruitment CRM for UK agencies (2026) and the Bullhorn Back Office alternative. The contract picture as a whole is covered in contract and temp recruitment software, and the rules for supplying contractors in our agency workers guide.
Test it on one of your contractors
Book a demo and we will run one of your real assignments through Marvin: the contractor's timesheet, the client sign-off and the invoice.
Sources
All read on 5 October 2026.
- Spott: pricing, security, interface languages (March 2026 update)
- Spott documentation: campaigns, Xero invoicing and timesheets, Company Portal, multi-posting, DocuSign, mobile app, MCP, candidate search
- Y Combinator company profile
Frequently asked questions
Does Spott handle contractor timesheets?
Spott tracks contract placements, and timesheets are logged, submitted and approved by the agency in Spott. Its documentation says contractors cannot submit their own timesheets yet. Approved timesheets are sent to Xero as draft invoices, which your finance team reviews, approves and sends from Xero.
Are LinkedIn and WhatsApp steps automated in Spott campaigns?
According to Spott's documentation, the only fully automated campaign step is email. LinkedIn and WhatsApp steps create a task in the recruiter's task list, to be done manually. In Marvin, email, LinkedIn and WhatsApp steps are sent automatically from the recruiter's own connected accounts.
How much does Spott cost in the UK?
On 5 October 2026, Spott's pricing page showed UK visitors Core at £109 and Pro at £139 per user per month billed annually, or £129 and £169 billed monthly, with enrichment credits on top. In US dollars, Core was $139 and Pro $199 billed annually. Multi-posting runs on your own Broadbean or idibu subscription.
How much does Marvin cost?
Marvin Pro, which includes missions, timesheets and invoicing, costs £129 per user per month billed annually or £149 billed monthly. Suite, which adds Scout (AI sourcing), Note (AI interview notes) and Board (client portal), costs £169 billed annually or £199 billed monthly. Both plans have a 12-month minimum term, including on monthly billing.
Is Marvin suitable for hourly temp desks?
No. Marvin records timesheets in days and half-days, does not schedule shifts and does not run PAYE or RTI payroll. It suits contractors and interim managers on a day rate. Hourly temp desks need a pay and bill tool.
