Internly vs. Handshake
September 2, 2026 · 5 min read
These two solve different halves of the same problem. Handshake is the career platform your university (probably) partners with — a network where employers come looking for students. Internly is an app that finds internships you qualify for and submits the applications for you. Yes, we make Internly. Here's the comparison we'd want if we were choosing.
At a glance
| Internly | Handshake | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Swipe-to-apply internship app | University career network |
| Who applies | Internly does, from your profile | You do, form by form |
| Access | Anyone, any school, 20+ countries | Best with a partner university (US-centric) |
| Exclusive listings | No | Yes — some roles target your school only |
| Events & career fairs | No | Yes |
| Mobile experience | Built mobile-first | Secondary to the website |
| Application tracking | Statuses + replies in one inbox | Within Handshake postings only |
| Price | Free (1 apply/day) · Pro for volume | Free for students |
Where Handshake genuinely wins
Warm demand. Employers on Handshake chose to recruit students — sometimes specifically from your school. When a recruiter posts a role for "juniors at your university," your odds there beat any open listing on the internet. If your career center is active, the fairs, info sessions, and on-campus interviews are real advantages no standalone app can copy.
It's free. Your tuition already paid for it. There is no reason not to have a profile.
Where Internly wins
Someone actually does the applying. Handshake hands you a listing; you still face the employer's form — resume upload, questions, account creation, repeat. On Internly a right swipe is the application: your profile answers the standard questions, and applications go out from a dedicated Internly email address so every reply, interview invite, and rejection lands in one tracked inbox.
It works the same for everyone. Handshake's value depends on your school's partnership and how active your career center is — community college students and international students often find a ghost town. Internly's deck doesn't care where you're enrolled, and it works in 20+ countries with listings translated into your language.
Volume without burnout. Getting an internship is a numbers game (here's the math). Sending 50 applications through forms is a part-time job; swiping through 50 matched roles takes an evening.
The verdict
Use both — they don't overlap. Check Handshake weekly for school-exclusive roles and events; run Internly daily for application volume everywhere else. If you only have energy for one and your career center isn't strong, Internly gets you to more submitted applications per hour of effort than anything else we know of.
Try the swipe-to-apply side
Free to start — one application a day, matched to your profile.
Download Internly