Open Referral vs HireUp

Open Referral8.5Visit HireUp7.5Visit

Higher score Open Referral #4 in Employee Referral Software 8.5/10 Paid ✓ 2 of 2 features Visit Open Referral

vs

HireUp #13 in Employee Referral Software 7.5/10 Paid ✓ 2 of 2 features Visit HireUp

• Open Referral fits best

  Teams seeking affordable automated referrals

• HireUp fits best

  Mobile-first teams running branded campaigns

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Side by side

Feature	Open Referral 8.5/10 Visit ↗	HireUp 7.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.5	7.5
Ranking	#4 in Employee Referral Software	#13 in Employee Referral Software
Best for	Teams seeking affordable automated referrals	Mobile-first teams running branded campaigns
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	€99/mo	—
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web	Web, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Live chat	Email, Phone
Compliance	GDPR	GDPR
Integrations	64+ integrations	1 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Open Referral 2/2 · HireUp 2/2
Referral tracking	✓	✓
ATS integrations	✓	✓
Specs
Referral submission	Web form	Web form
Employee sharing	Multiple	Multiple
Reward management	Automated	Automated
Analytics and reporting	Standard reports	Standard reports
Mobile access	Web	Both
Our review
Pros	Automates eligibility checks, bonus calculations, and payroll exports Syncs candidate status with ATS platforms including Lever and Greenhouse Tracks referral volume, conversion, and cost-per-hire metrics	Branded campaigns with social sharing and referral endorsements Real-time tracking, analytics, KPI reporting, and payment tracking Web, iOS, and Android access with ATS integration
Cons	Browser-based access is limited to the web platform No free plan is available Advanced controls require the €399-per-month Scale plan	No free plan is offered Listed integrations center on applicant tracking systems Commercial continuity may merit ongoing monitoring
Our verdict	Open Referral is a B2B SaaS platform for recruiters and HR teams managing employee referral programs. It covers personalized job-sharing links, one-click referral submission, candidate tracking, ATS synchronization, eligibility rules,… Read the review →	HireUp is an employee referral platform for organizations that want to promote open roles, collect employee referrals, track candidate progress, and measure campaign performance. It is positioned for small and midsize organizations as well… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Open Referral — where it wins

  • Automates eligibility checks, bonus calculations, and payroll exports
  • Syncs candidate status with ATS platforms including Lever and Greenhouse
  • Tracks referral volume, conversion, and cost-per-hire metrics

  Where it doesn't

  • Browser-based access is limited to the web platform
  • No free plan is available
  • Advanced controls require the €399-per-month Scale plan

• HireUp — where it wins

  • Branded campaigns with social sharing and referral endorsements
  • Real-time tracking, analytics, KPI reporting, and payment tracking
  • Web, iOS, and Android access with ATS integration

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is offered
  • Listed integrations center on applicant tracking systems
  • Commercial continuity may merit ongoing monitoring

• Open Referral8.5/10 · Paid

  Focused referral automation with ATS syncing, tracking, and bonus management.

  Visit Open ReferralFull verdict →
• HireUp7.5/10 · Paid

  A mobile-first referral platform with branded campaigns, tracking, incentives, and ATS integration.

  Visit HireUpFull verdict →