RQ

RQ is referral software for UK professional-services firms that want client introductions handled as accountable business workflows. It best suits firms where consent, fee-sharing and introducer relationships need to be tracked together. Its specialist toolkit is compelling, but advanced features require custom-priced plans.

Overview

RQ connects referrals with compliance records, payment tracking and relationship management. That makes it a more natural fit for accountants, advisers and solicitors managing business introductions than for companies running consumer or affiliate referral campaigns.

The free offer is restricted to ICAEW member firms and provides core referral management only. Firms that need reporting, integrations, Compass or fee-sharing management should expect to pay, with pricing based on firm size.

Key features

Structured workflows capture client consent and track referral delivery and outcomes, with approvals and timestamps forming an audit trail. RQ says its built-in compliance support addresses FCA, ICAEW DPB and SRA requirements, including consent and fee disclosures; it retains compliance records for six years. Those safeguards matter for regulated firms that need to account for how introductions were made and handled.

Fee-sharing tools record fixed or percentage agreements, calculate amounts based on referral outcomes and track payments. This ties the introduction to its financial result, rather than leaving fee reconciliation to a separate process. Fee-sharing management is a paid feature, however, so it is not part of the free starting point.

Dashboards report referral volume, lifecycle status, conversion rates, revenue attribution, relationship performance and team activity. RQ also centralises introducer histories, relationship health and partner performance, giving firms a way to assess the quality of their referral network as well as its size. Compass adds guided client discovery intended to surface needs that could become referral opportunities.

The Outlook add-in captures referrals from desktop, web and mobile Outlook, and Microsoft 365 administrators can deploy it centrally. RQ says referral detection happens locally in the browser; email content is sent to its servers only when a referral is explicitly submitted. The integration list includes HubSpot, intelliflo Office, Plannr, Xero, Microsoft 365 and Outlook, Pipedrive, and Zoho CRM. Salesforce and Zapier are coming soon, while custom integrations can use API access. Plannr requires both an RQ Professional plan and an active Plannr subscription.

RQ says it is ISO 27001:2022 certified, covering the systems and infrastructure used to deliver the platform, data processing and storage, access controls, incident management and business continuity. Onboarding typically takes 2–3 weeks and includes configuration, training, Outlook deployment and dedicated support. That is a substantial setup commitment, but the guided deployment should suit firms implementing a shared referral process rather than an individual tool.

Pricing

RQ Core (ICAEW member firms): free. This plan is limited to ICAEW member firms and includes core referral management. Advanced reporting, Compass, fee-sharing management and integrations are paid features, making Core a narrow entry point for firms that only need the central referral workflow.

Paid plans: custom pricing. Pricing scales by firm size, so firms should contact RQ for a quote. The Professional plan is required for the Plannr integration, along with an active Plannr subscription. RQ offers a free trial, but no trial length or renewal terms are provided here.

Platforms

RQ is available as an API, browser extension and web platform. Its Outlook add-in spans desktop, web and mobile Outlook, with central deployment through Microsoft 365 administration.

Who it's for

RQ is designed for accountants, financial advisers, solicitors, corporate finance advisers and wealth managers, from solo practitioners to multi-office firms. It is most persuasive for teams that need to document consent, monitor introducer performance and account for fee-sharing in one referral operation. A solo practitioner who only needs basic referral capture may find the paid-feature boundary and onboarding effort harder to justify.

Pros and cons

• Pros: A traceable workflow links consent, approvals, delivery and outcomes, supporting firms that need accountable referral records.
• Pros: Fixed and percentage fee arrangements, outcome-based calculations and payment tracking connect referrals to revenue administration.
• Pros: Outlook capture, integrations and API access give firms several routes to bring referrals into the platform.
• Cons: The free plan is limited to ICAEW member firms and excludes reporting, Compass, integrations and fee-sharing management.
• Cons: Paid pricing is custom and scales by firm size, so teams cannot assess the cost from a published rate.
• Cons: Onboarding typically takes 2–3 weeks, which is a meaningful implementation commitment for a small firm seeking a quick-start tool.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Referral Management Software.

GrowSurf is worth considering for affiliate programs: its free plan includes five programs and up to 1,000,000 participants, with a 3% success fee and no monthly subscription.

ReferralHero offers a free plan capped at 25 subscribers, with PRO features and ReferralHero branding; choose it if a small subscriber limit is acceptable for a free start.

Fieldified may suit firms seeking scheduling, invoicing, CRM and reporting in its free plan, subject to usage limits, rather than RQ’s specialist referral controls.

Mention Me is an alternative for teams seeking multi-channel referral experiences alongside customer acquisition and retention capabilities.

Referral OS is an open-source option for teams that want to review, modify and self-host their referral software.

RefRef offers a free cloud plan with unlimited programs and participants, reward automation and affiliate management; it is a better fit for those needs than RQ’s professional-services focus.

PartnerPortal.io may fit teams that want a partner portal, with its free plan capped at five partners, 10 leads, 10 resources and one team member.

Phreesia Referral Management is an alternative for organizations considering Phreesia’s intake platform, offered at no cost through spring 2027, with customized pricing beginning May 1, 2027.

Verdict

Choose RQ if your UK professional-services firm needs referrals to carry a documented compliance trail, fee-sharing records and measurable relationship performance. Its strongest advantage is bringing those specialized tasks into one workflow; look elsewhere if you need transparent paid pricing, a broad free tier or a fast, self-directed setup.