Can you do reference checks without a monthly fee?
Yes. Pay 99p per reference or less, buy credits when you need them, and pay nothing in the months you do not hire.
Can you do reference checking with no monthly fee?
Yes. RefAssure charges per reference instead of a subscription: 99p each on a 10 pack, falling to 80p on a 250 pack. Your first reference is free when you sign up and confirm your email, with no card needed. There is no monthly fee, no contract and no per-user fee, credits never expire and no VAT is added.
What you pay, and what you do not.
No monthly fee
You buy credits when you need them. A month with no hiring costs nothing.
No contract
Nothing to sign up to for a term and nothing to cancel. Use it when it suits you.
No per-user fee
Invite the whole team. Everyone works from the same shared credits.
Credits never expire
Buy a larger pack for a lower rate and use it at your own pace.
When does pay per reference beat a subscription?
A subscription is a fixed cost. Pay per reference is a variable one. The right choice depends on how steady your hiring is.
A quick way to compare
Divide any monthly fee you are quoted by 99p. A £50 monthly fee, for example, would buy about 50 references at 99p each, and you pay it every month whether you hire or not. If you send fewer references than that in a typical month, pay per reference costs less. If your volume swings with the seasons, credits that never expire smooth out the peaks and troughs.
Who it suits
- Employers who hire a few people a year and do not want a standing cost
- Agencies and temp desks with busy and quiet seasons
- Growing teams that do not want to pay for each new user
- Anyone who wants to try reference checking software before committing
When a subscription might suit you better
If you need DBS, right to work or other screening checks from the same supplier, a bundled platform may be worth a subscription. RefAssure focuses on references and employment history. For DBS and right to work, see our guides to DBS checks and right to work checks.
What one credit includes
One credit is one reference. It covers signed candidate consent, the request to the referee, the chasing (5 emails and up to 2 texts over 12 days) and the signed PDF report with a full audit trail.
Subscription vs pay per reference.
| Typical subscription | RefAssure credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | A fixed fee every month | None. Pay for references you send |
| Quiet months | Same fee as busy months | Nothing to pay |
| Commitment | Varies by supplier | No contract |
| Extra users | May be charged per seat | Unlimited, included |
| Unused allowance | May not roll over | Credits never expire |
| VAT | Check the quote | No VAT added |
Start without a card.
Sign up
Create an account and confirm your email. Your first reference is free, with no card needed.
Add a candidate
Enter the candidate and their referees. It takes a couple of minutes.
Let it run
The candidate signs consent online, then RefAssure sends and chases each referee.
Top up when needed
Buy credits from £9.99 for 10 when you want more. They never expire.
No monthly fee questions
More in the full FAQs.
Is there really no monthly fee?
Yes. RefAssure has no subscription. You buy credit packs from £9.99 and use one credit per reference. If you send nothing, you pay nothing. See all packs on the pricing page.
What happens to credits I do not use?
They stay on your account. Credits never expire, so there is no pressure to use them by a certain date.
Is the first reference free?
Yes. When you sign up and confirm your email, your first reference is free and you do not need to add a card.
Is VAT added on top?
No VAT is added. The pack prices are final.
Is chasing included in the price?
Yes. One credit covers the request, the reminder emails and texts, and the signed PDF report. Read how the chasing works in how it works.
Is there a minimum spend?
The smallest pack is 10 credits for £9.99. There is no minimum monthly spend and no contract.
Related guides
No subscription. Just references.
Your first reference is free. Then from 80p, with credits that never expire.