Xref Review: Is It The Right Reference Check Software For Your Team?
Best for SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise
Free Trial Available
GDPR
SOC 2Xref offers custom pricing plan
Airbus
KPMG
Xero
ATMTrusted by teams including Airbus
Overview
Pricing
Features
Buyer feedback
Alternatives
Customers
Media
Security & Compliance
Support
FAQ
Blogs
What is Xref?
Xref is an innovative new reference check software that allows users to quickly collect, organize, and analyze data on candidates. A recruiter who is tired of outdated paper methods of conducting reference checks, this Software-as-a-Service platform will help to do things faster and better than ever before
Pricing
Xref offers custom pricing plan
Free Trial available
Best For
Suited for solo users, small teams, SMBs, and enterprise
Security & Compliance
SOC 2GDPRSSO & MFA supported
Data residency:Global
Xref Software Demo
Xref was reviewed internally using user feedback, in-house testing, and market research to assess its performance, reliability, and user experience. Learn how we review products and our evaluation process.
Who should consider Xref
- Use cases
- Recruitment agencies, Corporate HR departments, Staffing firms
- Team types
- Recruiters, HR managers
- Company size
- 51-500 employees, 500+ employees
- Workflow style
- Simple and streamlined
- Setup complexity
- Low
Why teams choose Xref
Seamless integration with applicant tracking systems reducing manual effort
User-friendly interface for both administrators and candidates
Automated reminders ensuring timely completion of reference checks
Is Xref right for you?
Best for streamlined, automated reference checks in mid-to-large recruitment teams.
Choose Xref if
- You need seamless integration with applicant tracking systems to reduce manual work
- You want automated reminders to ensure timely completion of reference checks
- You prefer a simple, user-friendly interface for both recruiters and candidates
Consider alternatives if
- You require highly flexible or self-service questionnaire customization options
- You are a small business or individual with a limited budget seeking low-cost solutions
What buyers should know before shortlisting Xref
Xref works best for mid-market and enterprise recruiting teams that need structured reference checks at scale. Before shortlisting, verify that the platform's question customization covers your specific hiring criteria—the default templates are generic and require setup time.
Check whether your ATS (Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, etc. ) has a native integration or if you'll need to manually upload candidate lists; API connections exist but aren't universal.
Pricing scales with volume, so confirm the per-reference cost against your hiring velocity—teams checking 50+ candidates monthly see better unit economics than those doing ad-hoc checks. Key limitations to test in a demo: referees must complete checks via email or portal link, which adds 2–5 days to your timeline if they're slow to respond.
The fraud-detection flags are rule-based (checking for inconsistencies in answers and response patterns), not AI-powered, so they catch obvious red flags but miss sophisticated fabrication. Login requirements for internal users are frequent if your team accesses reports across multiple devices or browsers—single sign-on (SSO) is available on higher-tier plans only.
Verify that your data retention and compliance needs (GDPR, CCPA) align with Xref's policies before committing, as deletion requests can take time to process. Xref charges per reference checked, not per candidate, so a single candidate with three referees costs three units.
If your hiring process typically requests four or more references per hire, budget accordingly. The platform doesn't offer bulk discounts for annual commitments, only monthly or pay-as-you-go pricing.
Test the report export format (PDF, CSV) against your internal documentation workflow to ensure it integrates with your hiring records system.
Xref pros and cons
- Xref pros
Seamless integration with applicant tracking systems reducing manual effort
User-friendly interface for both administrators and candidates
Automated reminders ensuring timely completion of reference checks
- Xref cons
Limited flexibility in editing or creating questionnaires
Pricing perceived as expensive compared to similar tools
Ready to try it?
Get started with Xref
Start your free trial — no credit card required.
Still comparing?
See how it stacks up
Compare Xref side-by-side with top Reference Check Software alternatives.
What is the pricing of Xref?
Xref uses custom pricing — plans are tailored to your team size and needs. Contact them for a quote.
Xref Pricing Plans
Weighing your options?
Not sure if Xref fits your budget?
Xref reviews and ratings
Buyer sentiment
Users generally praise Xref for its ease of use, automation, and integration capabilities, though some express concerns about pricing and limited questionnaire flexibility.
What buyers like
- Ease of use
- Automation of reminders
- Integration with applicant tracking systems
Common complaints
- Limited questionnaire customization
- Pricing concerns
Are you using Xref?
What users are saying
AU
Anonymous User
02/14/24
"Longstanding user/client of xref"
What do you like best about Xref? The platform is so user-friendly for both administrators and candidates. The ref check itself saves our team so much ...
Read more
AU
Anonymous User
02/08/24
"KIPP SoCal Review"
What do you like best about Xref? The integration to our applicant tracking system. I move someone to the XREF stage, and the forms are automatically ...
Read more
AU
Anonymous User
02/08/24
"It is ridiculously easy to use and user friendly"
What do you like best about Xref? The fact that I send the link to a candidate and they are responsible for filling everything in and confirming that ...
Read more
AU
Anonymous User
11/14/23
"Works well but could make some improvements"
What do you like best about Xref? The opt in option for references who may be interested in work opportunities themselves The integration with our ATS ...
Read more
AU
Anonymous User
11/14/23
"Works well but could make some improvements"
What do you like best about Xref? The opt in option for references who may be interested in work opportunities themselves The integration with our ATS ...
Read more
DC
Douglas C
11/08/23
"it's a great way to conduct references if you are short on time."
What do you like best about Xref? Easy to use. great support. Bulk references if you are dealing with volume. Great way to check the progress of ...
Read more
- See if Xref fits your business
- Real pricing — no sales pressure
- A demo or quick answers, your call
Step 1 of 4
How big is your team?
We tailor recommendations to companies your size.
What are the features of Xref?
A two-way connection between a recruiting tool and the applicant tracking system that serves as the system of record for candidates, requisi…
Sends the request for a reference out on the system's own initiative once a candidate supplies their referees' contact details, rather than…
Data privacy is a critical feature of any software that deals with sensitive information. It refers to the protection of personal and confid…
Fraud detection is a crucial feature that is used in software programs to identify, prevent, and mitigate fraudulent activities. This featur…
The General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR is a regulatory framework that establishes standards for acquiring and processing personal da…
Multi-language support is a software feature that enables users to access and interact with the program in multiple languages. This feature…
A question library is a feature that allows users to create and organize a collection of questions. It is designed to streamline the process…
Survey Builder is a powerful tool that allows users to create customized surveys to gather valuable feedback from customers, employees, and…
Xref security and data handling
Key compliance certifications and security features for IT and security teams evaluating Xref.
Certifications
Security features
Developer & data
Alternatives to Xref
Xref Customers
Airbus
KPMG
Xero
ATM
Xref Support Options
Frequently Asked Questions About Xref
Common questions buyers ask before choosing Xref.
Xref is a Reference Check Software. Xref offers Automated Reference Requests, Fraud Detection, Data Privacy, GDPR Compliance, ATS Integration and many more functionalities.
Xref is a strong fit if: You need seamless integration with applicant tracking systems to reduce manual work; You want automated reminders to ensure timely completion of reference checks. Consider alternatives if: You require highly flexible or self-service questionnaire customization options; You are a small business or individual with a limited budget seeking low-cost solutions.
Buyers commonly note the following limitations of Xref: Limited flexibility in editing or creating questionnaires; Pricing perceived as expensive compared to similar tools; Login process requiring a code can be cumbersome for frequent users.
Some top alternatives to Xref includes SkillSurvey Reference, Refty, Referoo, HiPeople and PloyRef.
Xref offers Free Trial, Quotation Based pricing models
The starting price is not disclosed by Xref. You can visit Xref pricing page to get the latest pricing.
Ready to try it?
Get started with Xref
Start your free trial — no credit card required.
About the reviewer
Rajat Gupta is the founder of Spotsaas. Over the past two years, he has reviewed 2,000+ tools across CRM, HR, AI, and finance — applying hands-on product research and a background in commerce and the CFA program to evaluate software through a business and ROI lens. His goal: help teams make software decisions they won't regret.
Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].