RQ

RQ is a referral-management platform built for UK professional-services firms, from solo practices to multi-office groups. It suits teams that need introductions, consent, fees and partner relationships handled in a traceable process. The main trade-off is that its most valuable reporting, integration and fee controls sit outside the free offer.

Overview

RQ brings referral capture, workflow management, relationship records and outcome measurement into one system. Its specialist focus is a better match for accountants, financial advisers, solicitors, corporate finance advisers and wealth managers than a generic referral-program tool, particularly where compliance and fee sharing matter.

The platform was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in London. RQ says it supports FCA, ICAEW DPB and SRA requirements, with consent capture, fee disclosures and audit trails, and retains compliance records for six years. Onboarding normally takes two to three weeks and includes configuration, training, Outlook deployment and dedicated support.

Key features

Structured referral workflows record client consent, delivery, outcomes, approvals and timestamps. That gives firms a defensible history for each introduction instead of relying on scattered email threads. Multi-type referrals and form capture support different referral scenarios, while custom rewards and payout management allow firms to reflect their own arrangements.

Fee-sharing management records fixed or percentage agreements, calculates amounts from referral outcomes and tracks payments. It is useful when introductions have a direct commercial settlement, although it is a paid feature rather than part of the free core plan.

Analytics cover referral volume, lifecycle status, conversion rates, revenue attribution, relationship performance and team activity. RQ also centralises introducer histories, relationship health and partner performance, making it possible to review both individual referrals and the strength of the wider partner network.

Compass is a guided client-discovery tool intended to uncover needs and turn them into referral opportunities. The Outlook add-in captures referrals from desktop, web and mobile Outlook and can be deployed centrally through Microsoft 365 administration. Detection occurs locally in the browser; email content is sent to RQ only after a referral is explicitly submitted.

Listed integrations include HubSpot, intelliflo Office, Plannr, Xero, Microsoft 365 and Outlook, Pipedrive and Zoho CRM. Salesforce and Zapier are marked as coming soon, while API access is offered for custom integrations. The Plannr connection requires both an RQ Professional plan and an active Plannr subscription. RQ says its ISO 27001:2022 certification covers the delivery systems, data processing and storage, access controls, incident management and business continuity.

Pricing

RQ Core (ICAEW member firms)

This plan costs nothing for ICAEW member firms and includes core referral management. It is a sensible starting point for eligible practices that need basic referral control, but advanced reporting, Compass, fee-sharing management and integrations are paid features, so it will not cover a data-led or highly connected operation.

Paid plans

Paid plans use custom pricing that scales by firm size. They are the route for firms needing the excluded analytics, discovery, fee and integration capabilities, but a buyer must contact RQ to establish the actual cost. RQ also offers a free trial, making an eligibility and workflow check possible before committing.

Platforms

RQ is offered through an API, browser extension and web application. That combination supports browser-based work, Outlook referral capture and bespoke connections, rather than limiting the product to a single desktop environment.

Who it's for

RQ is aimed at UK accountants, financial advisers, solicitors, corporate finance advisers and wealth managers. Solo practitioners can use the core workflow, while larger and multi-office firms are more likely to benefit from relationship reporting, team activity measures, central Outlook deployment and API connectivity. Firms outside UK professional services, or those wanting a consumer-style referral campaign, should look for a different emphasis.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Auditable referral process: consent, approvals, timestamps, delivery and outcomes stay together.
• Fee-to-outcome tracking: fixed or percentage agreements, calculations and payments are handled in the same workflow.
• Professional-services compliance focus: stated FCA, ICAEW DPB and SRA support, six-year record retention and ISO 27001:2022 certification address governance concerns.
• Useful connection options: Outlook deployment, listed CRM and practice-system integrations, plus an API for custom work.

Cons

• Free tier is narrow: only eligible ICAEW member firms receive it, and reporting, Compass, integrations and fee sharing require payment.
• Paid cost is opaque: pricing varies by firm size and requires a sales enquiry.
• Some integration dependencies remain: Plannr needs both the Professional plan and a separate active Plannr subscription; Salesforce and Zapier are not yet available.
• Onboarding is not instant: the typical two-to-three-week setup suits planned rollouts better than an immediate self-serve launch.

Alternatives

Browse the broader Referral Management Software directory when you want to compare referral tools beyond UK professional-services workflows.

Fieldified is a better fit when scheduling, invoicing and CRM are as important as referrals, with Android and iOS apps and a $49-per-month Basic plan billed for five users.

Choose GrowSurf for affiliate programmes with a free option, a 3% success fee and capacity for up to 1,000,000 participants, rather than compliance-led professional referrals.

ReferralHero suits teams seeking a free-forever tier for up to 25 subscribers with PRO features and branding, while its $199 PRO plan removes that ceiling.

Mention Me is an alternative for AI-powered, multi-channel referral experiences focused on customer acquisition and retention.

Referral OS is for organisations that prefer an open-source, self-hosted referral system.

RefRef offers cloud or open-source deployment for programmes, participants, rewards and affiliate management.

Extole is aimed at merchants, with a free option restricted to current customers under $10 million in revenue.

PartnerPortal.io fits partner operations needing explicit limits such as five partners and ten leads on its free plan, or 100 partners and 1,000 leads on Professional.

Verdict

Choose RQ if your UK professional-services firm needs a controlled referral lifecycle, auditable compliance records and fee-sharing visibility tied to partner relationships. Look elsewhere if you need transparent pricing, a broad consumer referral campaign platform or a genuinely full-featured free plan.