HiPeople vs Referoo:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Referoo had more branded searches than HiPeople among reference checking software worldwide. Referoo had about 2,900 branded searches, while HiPeople had 1,900. Referoo made up 18% of all reference checking software searches we track, and HiPeople accounted for 11.8%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about reference checking software, HiPeople appeared in all five answers and Referoo in none.
Who do people search for more?
Referoo, about 53% more searches than HiPeople
Who does AI mention more?
HiPeople, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
HiPeople, the only one of the two named
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Top reference checking software in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, HiPeople appeared in all five answers. Referoo did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- HiPeople5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Xref5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Checkmate4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Crosschq3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
RefNow3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
SkillSurvey2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Zinc1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Checkster0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Referoo0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about reference checking software
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which reference checking software should we use for hiring?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best reference checking software platforms?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best automated reference checking software for a growing company?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“reference check software”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“reference checking software”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 22, 2026.
Is HiPeople or Referoo more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for HiPeople and Referoo by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine reference checking software we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Referoo, HiPeople. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Zinc | Checkster | Referoo | Crosschq | HiPeople | SkillSurvey | RefNow | Xref | Checkmate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 18.1% | 15% | 18.1% | 15% | 15% | 10% | 5.5% | 2.4% | 1.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 19.8% | 16.4% | 19.8% | 11% | 16.4% | 6.8% | 6% | 2.7% | 0.96% |
| Dec 2025 | 19.4% | 15.3% | 15.3% | 12.9% | 19.4% | 8.1% | 5.8% | 2.6% | 1.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 20.2% | 16.7% | 16.7% | 13.3% | 16.7% | 9.1% | 5% | 1.2% | 0.98% |
| Feb 2026 | 20.5% | 17% | 20.5% | 13.4% | 13.4% | 7.1% | 5.1% | 1.8% | 1.2% |
| Mar 2026 | 18.3% | 18.3% | 18.3% | 15.2% | 12% | 8.2% | 5.6% | 3% | 1.1% |
| Apr 2026 | 19.1% | 19.1% | 15.8% | 15.8% | 12.5% | 8.6% | 4.7% | 3.2% | 1.1% |
| May 2026 | 19.1% | 23.8% | 15.8% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 6.6% | 4.8% | 3.9% | 0.92% |
| Jun 2026 | 19.1% | 19.1% | 19.1% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 8.6% | 4.7% | 3.2% | 1.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 23.2% | 23.2% | 15.5% | 12.2% | 12.2% | 6.4% | 3.8% | 2.5% | 0.9% |
| Aug 2026 | 22.7% | 22.7% | 15.1% | 12% | 12% | 8.2% | 3.7% | 2.5% | 1.1% |
| Sep 2026 | 22.3% | 18% | 18% | 11.8% | 11.8% | 9.9% | 4.5% | 3% | 0.87% |
How has the HiPeople and Referoo comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: HiPeople took it in December 2025, Referoo took it in February 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, HiPeople’s share of searches among reference checking software worldwide moved from 15% to 11.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.4K to 1.9K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Referoo’s share of searches among reference checking software worldwide moved from 18.1% to 18%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 2.9K.
How did search popularity change for reference checking software worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Referoo gained share of searches among reference checking software worldwide, from 15.1% to 18%.
HiPeople’s share of searches among reference checking software worldwide has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 12.5% to 11.8% in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using HiPeople’s and Referoo’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among reference checking software
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