Brindle Reference Checking vs HiveRef

Brindle Reference Checking automates reference checks for recruitment agencies, from candidate consent through referee follow-up to a completed report. Recruiters set up reusable templates, add candidates, capture consent, and send requests; Brindle sends reminders and returns a structured PDF. Reports organize answers by section and include identity verification, a completion timestamp, an audit trail, and candidate and referee consent. Accounts can have unlimited templates with open, scaled, multiple-choice, and scenario-based questions. Referees respond through a guided web conversation, while recruiters can conduct checks by phone for referees who will not go online. CV templating returns a candidate CV in the agency’s house format and is free on annual plans. Brindle can run alongside ATS products including JobAdder, Bullhorn, FastTrack360, and Astute, but ATS integration is not available. The company says it complies with GDPR and the Australian and New Zealand Privacy Acts, does not train AI on customer data, and retains candidate and reference data for 10 working days after last activity. Annual Foundation starts at $299 a year; monthly Foundation is $499 a month.

HiveRef automates structured employment reference checks for small and medium businesses. Users can turn a job description into a tailored questionnaire, edit it, or start from a template. Automated reminders follow up with referees, who complete mobile-friendly forms that typically take 2 to 3 minutes. Reports provide an AI-assisted summary, integrity signals, a timestamped audit trail, and PDF export. Signals such as IP address, submission timing, email type, and network context are offered for human review; HiveRef says it does not decide whether to hire or reject a candidate. It describes GDPR as its global design baseline and says it reflects Australian Privacy Principles where Australian law applies. Reference data is stored by default in a Sydney-region database. Zapier can trigger automations when checks are created or completed and create pre-filled check links; API access is also available. Plans range from A$4, paid once for a candidate check to monthly subscriptions. Every included check allows up to 10 referee responses, and extra checks cost $4.00 each on every plan.