BNI is the best-known referral organization in the world, and Central Indiana has plenty of chapters, including several in and around Carmel and Fishers. If you want a referral group, you should look at it seriously. Hive is newer, smaller and built for a narrower audience. This post puts the two side by side so you can pick the room that fits where you are in your career.
What do Hive and BNI have in common?
Both are built on one idea: the people who know you best send you the most business, so a small, committed group that meets regularly beats a big room of strangers.
- One seat per industry. BNI chapters allow one person per professional specialty. Hive holds one seat per industry in each colony. In both, the person next to you is a partner, not a competitor.
- Referrals are the point. Members are expected to give and receive referrals, and both groups track them.
- Showing up matters. Both expect real attendance. A protected seat only works if you use it.
How do Hive and BNI compare?
| Hive Network | BNI | |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting rhythm | Monthly colony meeting, about 75 minutes | Weekly chapter meeting, typically around 90 minutes |
| Who it is for | Young professionals in the growth stage of their careers: business owners, sales professionals, realtors, lenders, advisors | Business owners and professionals at any age or career stage |
| Group size | Colonies built around 25 members, capped at 30 | Chapters commonly run 20 to 50 members |
| How you join | Online application with a personality assessment, then an interview with Hive leadership | Visit a chapter, then apply; the chapter's membership committee reviews applications |
| Cost | $600 a year, or $700 a year paid monthly (2027 membership) | Annual fee set by region, commonly about $540 to $700 in the US, plus a one-time application fee and the cost of meals; terms run one or two years |
| Beyond the meeting | A members-only directory across every Hive colony in the region, masterclasses with outside speakers and industry leaders, social events like pickleball tournaments, and discounts through partnerships with companies built for young professionals | One-to-ones and chapter-level training; relationships outside your own chapter take separate effort |
| Where | Colonies in Carmel, Fishers, Southside and Westfield, with Downtown and Noblesville planned to relaunch in 2027 | Independent chapters across Central Indiana inside a global organization |
Central Indiana's published rate is a $249 application fee plus $1,141 for the first year (bni-indiana.com).
Is Hive just a referral group?
No. BNI is built almost entirely around the weekly meeting and tracking referral numbers, which is exactly what it is good at. Hive treats referrals as one part of a bigger picture: your whole career and the life around it.
- A bigger network to pull from. Every member gets a directory across all of Hive's colonies in the region, not just their own room, so you are not limited to the people in one weekly meeting when you need an introduction.
- Real development, not just pitches. Hive brings every colony together for masterclasses taught by outside speakers and industry leaders who teach actual skills, not just referral training.
- Life-on-life, not just a room every morning. Social events, including things like pickleball tournaments, build relationships and prospecting in a more natural setting than a weekly breakfast meeting.
- Perks built for young professionals. Hive partners with companies built for this stage of career to bring members discounts and affiliate perks you will not find through a BNI chapter.
Weekly or monthly: which rhythm is right for you?
This is the biggest practical difference. A weekly meeting builds familiarity fast and puts you in front of the same people about 50 times a year. It also costs roughly four mornings or lunches a month. Hive's monthly colony meeting asks for far less time on the calendar, and members fill the gaps with one-on-one coffees and events. If your week is packed with showings, client calls and closings, a monthly meeting you never miss can be worth more than a weekly meeting you keep skipping.
Open to everyone or built for your stage?
BNI chapters often include long-tenured professionals with established books of business. That is a real advantage if you want referrals from people further along than you. Hive is deliberately built for people in the growth stage of their careers, who want peers at the same stage, who are building something and who care about long-term relationships over quick card swaps. Hive is not a training ground for people still testing a new field. It is for people who are all in.
Open visit or application-only?
BNI lets you visit a chapter and then apply. Hive is application-only: an application, a personality assessment and an interview with Hive leadership. If your industry seat in a colony is taken, you can join that colony's waitlist or look at another colony. You can also ask to sit in on a colony meeting as a guest before you apply.
What results has Hive produced?
As of October 2026, Hive had 76 active members, 157 referrals passed and $234,166 in closed business, all logged in the Hive member portal. Those figures cover January to October 2026, and results vary widely from member to member.
We publish our numbers because referral group claims are easy to make and hard to check. When you compare any two groups, ask each one, Hive included, for the same three things: members, referrals passed and closed business, plus the dates they cover.
Which one should you choose?
Choose BNI if:
- You want a weekly rhythm and the accountability that comes with it.
- You value a large, established global system and members at every career stage.
- A chapter near you has your category open and meets at a time you can always make.
Choose Hive if:
- You are a young professional in the growth stage of your career and want a room of peers.
- A monthly meeting plus coffees and events fits your calendar better than a weekly one.
- You want a vetted, application-only room in Carmel, Fishers, Southside or Westfield.
Some professionals belong to both. Before you do, check each group's rules on overlapping memberships and make sure your seats do not conflict.
Is Hive Network part of BNI?
No. Hive Network is an independent referral networking group founded in Central Indiana. It is not affiliated with BNI.
Does Hive meet weekly like BNI?
No. Each Hive colony meets once a month for about 75 minutes. Members add one-on-one coffees and optional events between meetings.
How much does Hive cost compared with BNI?
Hive membership for 2027 is $600 a year, or $700 a year paid monthly. BNI fees are set by region and usually include an annual fee, a one-time application fee and meal costs, so ask the chapter you are visiting for current figures. Central Indiana's published rate is a $249 application fee plus $1,141 for the first year (bni-indiana.com).
Can I visit Hive before applying?
Yes. You can request to sit in on a colony meeting as a guest. Hive shares the meeting address once your request is accepted.
What if my industry seat is already taken?
You can join that colony's waitlist or apply to a different colony where the seat is open.
Does Hive do anything besides referral meetings?
Yes. Members get a region-wide directory across every colony, masterclasses and speaker events that bring colonies together, social events like pickleball tournaments, and discounts through partnerships with companies built for young professionals.
Next step: Request to visit a colony as a guest at /colonies, or apply at /apply. Questions: info@hivenetworkofficial.com. Instagram: @jointhehive_.
