Overview

HiveRef organizes employment reference checks from questionnaire through report, with email as its reference channel. It is a focused choice for teams that need repeatable reference collection; it is not a criminal-record or credit-screening service. Its reports assist reviewers, but HiveRef says hiring decisions remain the responsibility of people rather than an automated hire-or-no-hire system.

HiveRef says GDPR is its global privacy design baseline and that it reflects Australian Privacy Principles where Australian law applies. Reference data is stored in a Sydney-region database by default. That default matters to organizations weighing data location requirements, while the stated privacy approach is relevant to teams handling candidate information.

Key features

Questionnaires and reminders

A user can paste a job description to generate a tailored questionnaire, edit the result, or begin with a template. Automated reminders follow up with referees, and mobile-friendly forms typically take two to three minutes to complete. This combination can reduce manual coordination for office managers and founders, though the workflow centers on email rather than multiple reference channels.

Reports and integrity signals

Reports bring together 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 give human reviewers context to examine; they are not presented as an automated hiring decision. The reporting is useful for a documented review process, but reviewers remain accountable for interpreting it.

Automation and support

Zapier can trigger automations when checks are created or completed and create pre-filled check links. The integration documentation covers API-key authentication and endpoints for hooks, check lists and prefilled check wizards, making it more practical for teams that want to connect reference checks to existing workflows. HiveRef also says it aims to respond within one business day and that customers speak with someone who built the product.

Pricing

HiveRef has a free plan and a free trial, alongside usage-based and monthly options. Every included candidate check permits up to 10 referee responses; extra checks cost $4.00 each on every plan. That response cap is important for roles where a team routinely requests more than ten references.

Plan	Price	Allowance and fit
Pay as you go	4.00 AUD per once	$4 per candidate check, covering one candidate and up to 10 referees; credits never expire. A good match for occasional hiring without a recurring subscription.
Core	29.00 AUD per month	8 candidates/month and 2 users. It suits a small team with modest, steady hiring, but leaves less room for volume or additional seats.
Growth	49.00 AUD per month	20 candidates/month and 4 users. This raises both hiring capacity and team access over Core.
Scale	98.00 AUD per month	50 candidates/month and unlimited users. The higher allowance and open seat count suit a larger or more collaborative team.
Velocity	298.00 AUD per month	160 candidates/month and unlimited users. It is aimed at substantially higher check volume; teams with lower needs may not use the larger allowance.

Monthly plans trade unused capacity for a recurring allowance, while pay as you go credits do not expire. Extra checks are charged at $4.00 each on all tiers, so teams near their monthly ceiling should account for overages.

Platforms

HiveRef supports Android, iOS and web, and offers API access. The mobile-friendly referee forms complement those options for respondents, while the documented API and Zapier integration give teams a route to workflow automation.

Who it's for

HiveRef is best suited to office managers, founders and people and culture leads at small or medium businesses without a dedicated HR department. It is a sensible fit when the need is structured employment references, reminders and reviewable reports. Organizations seeking criminal or credit screening, or a hiring decision made automatically, should choose a different kind of service.

Pros and cons

Pro: Job-description-based questionnaires, templates and automated reminders help lean teams standardize requests without relying on manual follow-up.
Pro: Audit trails, PDF reports and integrity context support a documented human review.
Pro: Pay-as-you-go credits never expire, and higher monthly plans increase candidate capacity without imposing a user cap.
Con: Each check covers no more than 10 referee responses, and additional candidate checks cost $4.00 each.
Con: Email is the sole reference channel, and the product does not cover criminal-record or credit screening.
Con: Data is stored in Sydney by default, which may not fit every organization's regional requirements.

Alternatives

Choose Xref Engage if your organization already has an active Xref Enterprise subscription and wants a paid option available on Android, iOS and web; it requires that enterprise subscription and carries an additional cost.

Credibled is worth considering when an API sandbox for testing without real checks is useful, or when its NGO reference check priced at 4.50 CAD per once fits the requirement. VerifyRef is another credit-based option: its 5 Credits plan is 33.00 USD per once and its 20 Credits plan is 119.00 USD per once, with credits that never expire.

RefNow offers a credit-based model with bulk discounts and subscriptions; one credit covers up to 10 references for one candidate. The Reference Checker may suit teams that want email and SMS reminders, with its Single Users (monthly) plan at 40.00 GBP per month per user. VITAY is another option to compare.

Jointl is a freemium alternative with an Ultra plan at 99.00 USD per month or 999 USD billed annually. Referoo is another paid alternative to consider.

For a broader comparison, see Reference Check Software.

Verdict

HiveRef is a strong fit for a small or medium business that needs structured employment references, automated chasing and reports that keep a human reviewer in control. Its flexible pay-as-you-go credits and higher-volume monthly tiers accommodate different hiring rhythms. Look elsewhere if your process needs more than 10 referee responses per candidate, screening beyond employment references, or a data location other than Sydney by default.

	HiveRef	SkillSurvey
Free trial	Yes
Paid from	A$29/mo
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, Web	Web
Free plan	No
Automated reminders	Yes
Custom questionnaires	Yes
Reporting dashboard	Yes
Reference channels	email	mixed
API access	Yes
ATS integrations		Yes

HiveRef vs SkillSurvey

HiveRef

SkillSurvey