🎉 Try Brindle free: 200 references and 200 CVs, free for 90 days. No card. Start free

Brindle next to Xref, Referoo, Checkmate, and RefNow

An honest comparison, including where one of these is the better fit than Brindle.

Start free

(200 references + 200 CVs free for 90 days. No card)
or take the 2-minute Free Assessment

The comparison at a glance

Who each platform is built for, how it prices, and how it treats unused references.

Built for

ANZ recruitment agencies, best for temp & labour hire, 10+ placements per month per consultant

Corporate HR, in-house hiring

Broad-market HR & agencies

Enterprise compliance, regulated industries

International, multi-jurisdiction

Pricing model

Flat monthly, sized to placement volument

Per-check

Rollover

Unused references roll over within the contract year

No rolling allowance

Credits don't expire, but no rolling allowance

Built for different desks

Brindle is built for ANZ recruitment agencies that place at volume, and it fits temp, labour hire, and contract desks best. The others were built for a different buyer, corporate HR, enterprise compliance, and one-off permanent hires, and adapted from there.

None of them is wrong. A corporate HR team running five permanent hires a quarter has different needs from an agency running 30 placements a week. Per-check pricing works for the first. It breaks the second.

Flat monthly vs per-check

The pricing model decides whether you reference every placement or ration to the senior roles.

$599

Brindle Growth: 240 references a month

$7,800*

The same volume at per-check rates of $15 to $50

$3 to $7

Brindle's effective cost per reference at typical use

*$7,800 is the midpoint of a $3,600 to $12,000 range (240 references at published per-check rates of $15 to $50). We show a range, not a figure per platform, because published rates vary widely.

When a per-check platform is the better choice

Brindle isn't built for everyone. Here's where another platform fits better.

Corporate HR, low hiring volume

Per-check (Xref, Referoo) fits. Flat monthly pays off across dozens of placements a month.

Deep, bespoke exec-search references

Xref's reference depth suits this. Brindle runs fast, standard cycles at volume.

Regulated-industry compliance

Checkmate covers the ANZ compliance checks Brindle doesn't do.

Fewer than 10 placements a month

Per-check probably wins on cost. Brindle's flat plans pay off at steady volume.

Reference checking across jurisdictions

RefNow's global footprint suits this. Brindle is built for ANZ.

Full vetting beyond references

Brindle runs references and CVs. Police, credit, and ID checks need a dedicated platform.

Common questions

How did you decide on these four?

These are the per-check reference platforms that come up most in conversations with ANZ prospects. Using a different one? Get in touch and we'll add it.

Why show a price range, not each platform's price?

Published per-check rates vary widely, from around $15 to $50 and up. We show the range rather than pin a figure to a platform. Brindle's flat pricing is fully transparent on the Pricing page.

Are you affiliated with any of these platforms?

No commercial relationship with Xref, Referoo, Checkmate, or RefNow. This comparison is independent, based on public information from each platform's website and marketing.

What if I'm already using one of these?

Run a side-by-side. Use Brindle for your next 200 references during the Free Trial (no card) and compare completion rate, turnaround, and effective cost against what you see today. The comparison comes from your own placements, not our marketing.

What if my situation isn't in the "better choice" list?

Get in touch. That list covers the cases we see most often, not every case. We'll tell you honestly whether Brindle fits before you start a trial.

Is this comparison going to change?

Yes. As competitors update their pricing, market, or product, this page updates. Last updated: 28 May 2026.