Now in public alpha
“Know anyone good?”
You always do.
Now it pays.
Knowbull turns the introductions you already make into paid referrals. We handle the fee conversation, the paperwork and the payout — you just make the call.
Free for referrers · You keep 90% · Paid out via Stripe
Hey — we're hiring a senior engineer and striking out. Know anyone good?
Sarah · your old boss · 9:42 am
You recommended Priya Sharma —
Senior Engineer at Loam & Co
Placement confirmed
Paid direct to your bank · Stripe
You've been paid in beers, favours and “I owe you one” for long enough.
When a friend, former boss or client asks “know anyone good?”, your answer already influences hiring decisions. The hard part isn't the recommendation — it's the money conversation afterwards. Knowbull has that conversation for you.
The best person for the role usually isn't on LinkedIn and isn't “open to opportunities”. They're quietly employed elsewhere — and the only reason they'd move is that someone they trust asked. No recruiter can make that call. You can.
You already know if this is you
- You're the one leadership quietly asks when they need someone good.
- You know people who'd be perfect — but they'd never apply cold.
- You've made introductions like this before. For free.
Not for recruiters. Not for job hunters. For the people in between.
of referred candidates go straight from application to interview — from just 1% of application volume. Ashby Talent Trends · 38M applications, 2021–24
“Most great companies in tech have been built by personal referrals.”
— Sam Altman
Hannah recommends Steven.
The whole thing, start to payout. Hannah's effort: one form and one phone call. Prefer the actual screens? Walk through the demo.
01
Hannah recommends
One form: the role, the person, and her fee. Two minutes, no negotiation.
New referral
Role Head of Ops — Loam & CoCandidate Steven ParkYour fee $2,00002
Steven gets a personal invite
Not a job board blast — an email that leads with Hannah's name and a secure link to share his details.
From: Knowbull
Subject: Hannah thinks you'd be great for this
Hi Steven — Hannah Reeve recommended you for Head of Ops at Loam & Co…
03
The fee is agreed first
Loam & Co sees the fee before any candidate details. No surprises, no invoices out of nowhere.
AgreedReferral terms
Placement fee $2,000.00PayableOn hireGuarantee 30 days04
They talk directly
Interviews happen without Hannah in the middle. She just watches the status move — reminders are automatic.
Status InterviewingDay 12 · second interview booked · nudge sent automatically
05
Steven's hired. Hannah's paid.
Loam & Co pays through Stripe. After the 30-day guarantee, 90% goes straight to Hannah's bank.
Payout$1,800.00Stripe transfer → Hannah's bank · no invoice needed
Everyone sees the same number. That's what keeps it honest.
Your candidate knows it's a paid referral. The employer agrees the fee before any names are shared. And you never send an invoice — Knowbull does, so the money side never touches the relationship.
That transparency is what protects your recommendation: nobody wonders what was said behind their back, and your trust score is built from the employer's feedback in the open. A quiet fee would taint it. A visible one can't.
The candidate knows · The employer agrees first · Knowbull sends the invoice
Simple. Transparent. No bull.
Candidates and referrers never pay. Employers only pay when they hire. Most referrers set their fee at $1,500–$5,000 — in line with what companies already pay for internal referral bonuses.
For referrers
Free
- Join & recommend$0
- Your referral feeyou set it · $1.5k–$5k typical
- Platform cut10%, on success only
- Payoutdirect via Stripe
You keep90%
For employers
Pay on success
- Upfront cost$0
- Fee visibilityagreed before intro
- Processing2.95%
- Guaranteepayment held 30 days
Candidates frompeople they trust
Fair questions.
When do I get paid?
When your candidate passes 30 days in the role, the employer’s fee is released and 90% of it lands in your bank account via Stripe. No invoicing, no chasing.
What if they’re not hired?
Nothing happens. No fees, no obligations, no hard feelings — the introduction just didn’t work out this time.
Does everyone know about the fee?
Yes. The employer agrees the fee before any names are shared, and your candidate knows it’s a paid referral. Everyone sees the same numbers — that’s the point.
Is my data secure?
Candidate details are only shared after the employer agrees to terms, and all payments run through Stripe. We never sell or scrape contact data.
What’s a normal fee?
You choose, but most referrers set $1,500–$5,000 — roughly what companies already pay for internal referral bonuses, and a tenth of what an agency would charge for the same hire.
Do I pay tax on referral fees?
Referral income is generally taxable, like any other income. We’re not tax advisors — check with your accountant about how to declare it in your situation.
More questions? [email protected]
The next time someone asks —
say yes, properly.
The next person your boss asks about is probably someone you know.
No referral in hand today? That's normal — signing up takes two minutes, and we'll be ready when the next "know anyone good?" lands. Or walk through a sample referral first.
Start recommending