VerifyRef
Pay-per-check email reference checks with AI sentiment analysis, plus one-way video interviews, surveys and a free AI talent pool. No subscription.
From $33/5 credits Free trial MCP server API
Visit VerifyRef (opens in a new tab) Follow VerifyRef updates
Bottom line
Reference checking for HR teams and recruitment agencies that hire in bursts: you buy credits instead of a subscription, and each credit sends a structured email questionnaire to up to five referees and returns an AI sentiment report. Packs start at $33 for 5 credits, credits never expire and 3 are free to start.
Stands out for: No monthly fee at all, which is rare in reference checking, and one credit wallet also pays for one-way video interviews and employee surveys. It is one of the few reference check tools with a hosted MCP server, so an AI agent can rank candidates from the free talent pool and launch a check without a person clicking through.
Watch out for: Checks run by email only, with no phone or SMS referee option. There are no one-click ATS connectors yet: Bullhorn, Zoho Recruit, SAP and others are wired up through the REST API, webhooks or Zapier, and a no-code sync is still on a waitlist. It is a young Australian product with no Capterra rating yet.
Overview
VerifyRef is a reference checking platform from Datalinc, based in Sydney, Australia. It is aimed at HR departments, staffing firms and recruitment agencies, with pages for health and aged care, government, not-for-profit and real estate hiring.
A check starts with a questionnaire built from templates or your own questions, using five question types. VerifyRef emails the candidate for consent, then invites each referee, sends reminders and collects the answers. Every completed check comes back with an AI sentiment breakdown, themes such as leadership, teamwork and reliability, and a PDF report. One credit covers up to five referees.
Around the checks sits a talent pool that costs nothing to use: upload PDF or DOCX resumes and AI pulls out skills, certifications, work history and references, writes a profile summary, and ranks the pool against any job description with match scores. Reference scores flow back into each profile, and a check can be launched from a profile in one click.
The same credits pay for one-way AI video interviews, where an AI host reads your questions and the candidate records up to 60 seconds per answer, and for employee and exit surveys with AI theme analysis. Credits are shared across a team, and teammates work from one dashboard.
For developers there is a REST API with webhooks and a hosted MCP server at verifyref.com/api/mcp, with sandbox keys that send no emails and use no credits. ATS connections are built with that API: the docs give mappings for Bullhorn, Zoho Recruit and SAP SuccessFactors, and a one-click sync to more ATSs is on a waitlist. Credit packs run from $33 for 5 to $465 for 100.
Who it's for
Best for
- Small HR teams and agencies that only check references a few times a month
- Recruiters who want reference checks and one-way video screens on one bill
- Teams building AI agents that need to run reference checks over MCP
- Health, aged care and other regulated hiring that needs written, consented references
Not ideal for
- Teams that need phone or text message reference checks
- Buyers who want a native, no-code ATS integration today
Key features
Email reference checks. Candidate consent first, then a structured questionnaire to up to 5 referees per credit, with automatic reminders and a PDF export.
AI sentiment analysis. Every completed check gets a positive, neutral and negative breakdown, themes such as leadership and reliability, and red flags.
One-way video interviews. An AI host reads your questions and candidates record a 60-second answer to each, reviewed per question in the dashboard.
Free AI talent pool. Upload PDF or DOCX resumes, get structured profiles and summaries, and rank the pool against a job description with match scores.
AI features
| What the AI does | Plan |
|---|---|
| Sentiment, theme and red-flag analysis on every completed reference check | All credit packs |
| Parses resumes into structured talent pool profiles with AI summaries | Free |
| Ranks the talent pool against a job description with match scores and reasoning | Free |
| AI-hosted one-way video interviews, one credit each | All credit packs |
Only features named in the vendor's own documentation. Anything sold separately is marked as an add-on.
MCP server
https://verifyref.com/api/mcp
Hosted MCP server at https://verifyref.com/api/mcp with Bearer API keys (sandbox keys send no emails and use no credits), plus an npm stdio bridge for hosts without remote MCP. Tools cover the talent pool, job matching, creating and reading reference checks and buying credits. Video interviews and surveys are REST only for now.
Setup steps and live status MCP Directory Check your stack in the MCP readiness checker
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| 5 credits | $33 | $6.60 per credit, never expire |
| 20 credits | $119 | $5.95 per credit |
| 50 credits | $265 | $5.30 per credit |
| 100 credits | $465 | $4.65 per credit |
Pay as you go with credits that never expire, shared across reference checks, video interviews and surveys. 5 credits cost $33 ($6.60 each), 20 credits $119 ($5.95 each), 50 credits $265 ($5.30 each) and 100 credits $465 ($4.65 each). One credit covers one reference check with up to 5 referees, or one video interview; surveys and exit interviews use 1 credit per 2 recipients. The talent pool is free. New accounts get 3 free credits with no card. Custom pricing above 100 credits a month. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.
Checked 7 Nov 2026. Vendors change prices without notice.
Is VerifyRef expensive?
VerifyRef starts at $33/5 credits. We list 14 reference checks tools in total. 0 have a free tier, and those with a public price typically start around $10 a month.
- 9 quote-based
- 0 free tier
- 5 public price
Worked out automatically from every reference checks listing, so it updates as the directory changes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No subscription; credits never expire and 3 are free to start
- Hosted MCP server and REST API with a sandbox mode
- Reference checks, video interviews and surveys from one credit wallet
Cons
- Email only, no phone or SMS reference checks
- No native ATS connectors yet; integrations need the API or Zapier
- Young product with no Capterra rating yet
Integrations
REST API Webhooks Zapier
What's new at VerifyRef
No updates logged yet. Follow VerifyRef and we will email you when it announces something new or its starting price changes.
Follow VerifyRef
Get an email when VerifyRef ships a new feature, posts release notes or changes its starting price. Only when something changes, and you can stop in one click.
How VerifyRef compares
See all VerifyRef alternatives, with what each one does differently and a head to head for every pairing.
| Tool | Free tier | From | MCP | API | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VerifyRef (this tool) | – | $33/5 credits | ✓ | ✓ | |
 Xref Reference checks with built-in fraud detection on a subscription from $70/mo, if you check references every week and want native ATS connectors. | – | $70/mo | – | ✓ | Compare |
 HiPeople Pay per candidate from $6, with skills surveys alongside reference checks, if you want assessments in the same flow. | – | $6/candidate | – | – | Compare |
 Referoo Collects references by email, phone or SMS with a 14-day trial, if referees will not answer an email questionnaire. | – | Sales-quoted | – | – | Compare |
Xref$70/mo API
Reference checks with built-in fraud detection on a subscription from $70/mo, if you check references every week and want native ATS connectors.
HiPeople$6/candidate
Pay per candidate from $6, with skills surveys alongside reference checks, if you want assessments in the same flow.
ReferooSales-quoted
Collects references by email, phone or SMS with a 14-day trial, if referees will not answer an email questionnaire.
Your next step
Shortlisting VerifyRef?
Still deciding? Ask an AI assistant about VerifyRef.
ChatGPT (opens in a new tab)Claude (opens in a new tab)Grok (opens in a new tab)
Frequently asked questions
What is VerifyRef?
Is VerifyRef free?
Does VerifyRef have an MCP server or API?
Is VerifyRef your product? Add the Listed on Work Insiders badge
Put this on your site so buyers can read an independent write up. It links to this page.
More about the badge: workinsiders.com/badge. Something wrong in this listing? Tell us.