HiveRef automates structured employment reference checks for small and medium businesses. Users can start with a job description to create a tailored questionnaire, make edits, or choose a template. Automated reminders follow up with referees, whose mobile-friendly forms typically take two to three minutes to complete. Reports include 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 provided for human review. HiveRef says it does not make automated hire or no-hire decisions, leaving the decision with reviewers. It says GDPR is its global design baseline and reflects Australian Privacy Principles where Australian law applies; reference data is stored by default in a Sydney-region database. Its Zapier integration can trigger automations when checks are created or completed and generate pre-filled check links, and API access is listed. Plans include a $4.00 AUD one-time candidate check, with monthly subscriptions from $29.00 AUD per month. Each included check allows up to 10 referee responses; extra candidate checks cost $4.00 AUD each on every plan. HiveRef handles employment references, not criminal-record or credit screening.
Who it is for
HiveRef suits office managers, founders, and people and culture leads at businesses without a dedicated HR department. It is for employment reference checks, not criminal-record or credit screening.
What is good
- Creates tailored questionnaires from job descriptions
- Automated reminders follow up with referees
- Reports include audit trails and PDF export
- Connects with Zapier and offers API access
- Included checks allow up to 10 referee responses
What to know first
- Extra candidate checks cost $4.00 AUD each
- Limited to employment reference checks
- Reference data defaults to a Sydney-region database
Verdict
HiveRef combines questionnaire creation, referee follow-up, and review-ready reports for employment checks. Its stated scope excludes criminal-record and credit screening, and reviewers remain responsible for hiring decisions.
HiveRef plans and pricing
All plansCompared on reference check software
- Free plan
- No
- Automated reminders
- Yes
- Custom questionnaires
- Yes
- Reporting dashboard
- Yes
- Reference channels
- API access
- Yes
