14 Best Employee Recognition Vendors (We’ve Tested Over 40)
We tested 43 employee recognition platforms in total, 14 options convinced us they were the best. Here are detailed comparisons and reviews of each.
Best Employee Recognition Software
Whether it’s peer-to-peer or top-down and bottom-up recognition, reward and recognition programs can handle it all via personalized messages, custom peer-nominated awards, automated milestone celebrations, and more.
We picked 43 of the most promising vendors in the market and put them to the test. Our favorites are effective in their own right. Whether you’re looking for the top employee recognition platforms for your small business or global company, this guide has all the best options for every type of organization.
To choose the best employee recognition program companies, our experts conducted demos with all tested vendors, tried each option themselves from different user roles, and gathered input from those who use these tools day in, day out. In short, we follow strictly our HR Tech vetting methodology.
We have rated each tool’s performance on a multitude of factors, and the following three were considered the most important for this software type:
- Peer-to-peer recognition: The best employee recognition software empowers your team members to recognize one another for wins, project completions, or simply being awesome colleagues. This feature is often enhanced with functions like automated reminders, nominations, or voting, and the ability to share recognition across other platforms like Slack, Teams, and LinkedIn.
- Custom recognition options: Besides predefined alerts for known milestones like start dates and birthdays, best-in-class employee recognition software should give you some freedom to add a personal touch by tailoring recognition program ideas to specific recipients.
- Reporting and analytics: Sophisticated reporting and analytics capabilities are a hallmark of top recognition platforms. They help you monitor the effectiveness of your recognition program and give you insights into engagement, recognition trends, and participation rates.
Noticing these key criteria are similar to those of employee rewards systems? Good eyes! It’s no coincidence, though, because the best employee recognition software usually excels in the rewards too.
Motivosity
Nectar
C.A. Short Company
Terryberry
Bucketlist
Awardco
Guusto
Cooleaf
Connecteam
AdvantageClub.ai
Matter
WorkTango
Bonusly
Mo
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Motivosity
Motivosity helps you take employee experience to a new level via its mobile-friendly solution that incorporates straightforward recognition features, advanced reporting plus goal tracking, and eNPS into a single platform.
PROS
- Amazing user experience with mobile-friendly apps, straightforward functionalities, and easy third-party integrations with major communication tools like Slack and Teams.
- A free, basic version of their software is available for small companies.
- Free trials are offered for all paid subscriptions.
- Peer recognition with shout-outs are easy to quick to give.
- The built-in analytics provide insights on attrition risks, top performers, and coaching needs.
- Employees can access this system from their phones, desktop, and apps they are in at work such as Teams/Slack
- One platform that combines rewards, recognition, employee engagement, and more
- Built in reporting with insights around potential attrition, most recognized employees, managers that need coaching, etc.
CONS
- Several users felt constrained by the fixed monthly budget for giving recognitions. They wanted the ability to add more funds.
- Performance management features like 1:1s and coaching have been entirely removed.
- The platform lacks controls over peer recognition point distribution, allowing potential favoritism or uneven allocation.
- Only has dollar (not points) based rewards. Their research shows dollars is more effective, but many companies want points.
- Some users claimed sometimes it can be a bit buggy connecting to Slack to notify people that an appreciation came through.
- It would have broadened the number of gift card options for users to choose from.
- There could have been an easier way to integrate the software with swag stores. For now, you have to transfer funds to a card and then link that card with the swag store, which slows down a bit the process to cash in funds.
Motivosity takes employee recognition to the next level with its innovative peer-to-peer platform. We’ve given it a try and liked how easy it is to send shout-outs. We also liked how all shout-outs are posted on a customizable homepage, showing appreciation in real-time across the organization.
Motivosity's ThanksMatters digital cards empower employees to redeem their received recognition for Amazon gift cards, restaurant vouchers, or anything that appeals to them. The custom company store and integration with hundreds of vendors take care of all the logistics.
You can also use Motivosity to incentivize company-wide initiatives. We’ve found it easy to create custom badges and awards. It also does not forget about service milestones and birthdays. Individual gifts and peer celebrations through comments make employees feel valued on their special days.
With its modern, peer-driven recognition and seamless administration, Motivosity offers the complete package. It empowers employees, reinforces company values, and fosters a positive culture. If you’re looking to drive engagement and show appreciation, we think Motivosity is a great bet.
A&W, Bosch, KPMG, Chick-fil-A, and Toyota are some of the companies that use Motivosity.
Motivosity offers its Recognition and Rewards package at $4 per employee per month. This plan encompasses a variety of tools for internal communication, rewards, awards, milestones, social connection features, and more. For a detailed breakdown of features available with each pricing tier, please visit Motivosity's pricing page.
Best For
Companies of all sizes can benefit from Motivosity to boost team morale and engagement, especially those looking for top-notch peer-to-peer recognition software.
I use Motivosity on a daily basis, as it is a part of my routine and habit. Here are some key workflows I use it for:
Every morning, I check the social feed to see the recognitions that my colleagues and managers have sent and received. I like to read the comments and reactions, and join the conversation by adding my own.
Throughout the day, I send and receive recognitions, points, and badges for the work that I do and the work that others do. I try to align the recognitions with our core values and goals, and be specific and sincere in my messages.
Every week, I redeem my points for gift cards, perks, or donations. I like to treat myself or others with something that I or they enjoy, or support a cause that is cared about.
Every month, I review the analytics and reports that Motivosity provides. I like to see the impact of recognition on my performance, engagement, and retention. I also like to see the trends, patterns, and insights of the recognition and rewards activities.
Some of the main reasons why I like Motivosity are:
It helps me feel appreciated and valued by my colleagues and managers for my work and contributions.
It allows me to redeem my points for gift cards, perks, or donations that I enjoy or care about.
It integrates with my other tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and ADP making it easy to access and use.
My organization bought Motivosity because we wanted to improve our employee engagement and retention. We had a problem with low morale, high turnover, and lack of recognition among our staff. We needed a tool that could help us create a culture of appreciation and motivation in our workplace.
I have personally used Motivosity for about six months, and I have seen a positive change in our workplace culture. I feel more appreciated and valued by my colleagues and managers. I also enjoy recognizing and rewarding others for their work. I think Motivosity is a great employee engagement platform that helps us achieve our goals and grow as a team.
Some of the main ways that Motivosity can improve or I wish it were different are:
It could offer a free trial for the upper tiers, so that potential customers can evaluate the features and benefits of the platform before purchasing.
It could improve the Android app, so that it is more stable and reliable, and has the same functionality and user experience as the iOS app.
It could provide more direct support options, such as chat, phone, or email so that customers can get faster and better assistance for their questions, issues, or feedback.
Motivosity is different from its competitors in a couple of ways. Here are some of the main differences and how it stacks up:
Motivosity has a unique feature called MVTV, which is a live stream of recognition that can be displayed on TVs, monitors, or screensavers. This feature enhances the visibility and impact of recognition in the workplace. I have not seen this feature in any other platform, and I think it is a great way to celebrate and inspire employees.
Motivosity has a flat pricing model that charges per user per month regardless of the number of users. This makes it easy to budget and scale the platform as the organization grows. Most of the other platforms have tiered pricing models that charge different rates based on the number of users or features. I prefer Motivosity's pricing model because it is affordable, transparent, and easy to use.
Employee engagement software is a type of tool that helps organizations measure and improve the engagement and satisfaction of their employees. When buying this type of tool, people should think about the following criteria:
The tool should offer features and functionality that match the organization's goals and needs for employee engagement. The tool should also be easy to use, customize, and scale.
It should have a high user adoption and feedback rate which means that most of the employees who are invited to use the tool actually use it regularly and provide feedback on their experience. This indicates that the tool is engaging, fun, and valuable for the employee.
Lastly, the tool should have a transparent and affordable pricing model that fits the organization's budget and expectations. The tool should demonstrate a clear and positive return on investment (ROI), which means that the tool helps the organization achieve its desired outcomes, such as improved performance, retention, and culture.
I have noticed two ways in which Motivosity has changed or evolved over time to meet users needs:
It has introduced new features and functionality to enhance the user experience and provide more value to the customers. For example, some of the recent additions are MVTV, a live stream of recognitions that can be displayed a number of ways; ThanksMatters Card which is a Visa card that allows users to use their Motivosity Bucks anywhere Visa is accepted; and 1 on 1's, a tool that helps managers and employees have effective and meaningful conversations.
Motivosity has expanded the integrations and partnerships to make it easier for users to access and use the platform from different platforms and tools. For example, some of the recent integrations and partnerships are Microsoft Teams, a chat and collaboration tool that allows users to send and receive recognitions, points and badges from within the app; Covver, a swag provider that allows users to redeem their points for branded merchandise; and Sweeteners, a perk provider that allows users to redeem their points for discounts and deals.
Motivosity is suitable for teams of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises, across various industries and sectors. It is especially beneficial for remote or hybrid teams, as it helps them stay connected, engaged, and motivated.
Motivosity might not be a good fit for users or organizations that:
Prefer more customization and flexibility for the recognition and rewards features, such as creating their own badges, points, or gift cards.
Require more direct support or contact options from the Motivosity team, such as chat, phone, or email, for their questions, issues, or feedback.
Nectar
Nectar really impressed us with its peer recognition program, which is so flexible and fun to work with. We also had a great time testing out multiple features of the platform, and our favorites were value-based shoutouts, customized challenges, and Amazon redeemable rewards.
PROS
- Extensive rewards, including personalized options.
- AI-powered internal communication tool with drag-and-drop editor and announcement templates.
- Consistently delivers user-requested features and product enhancements.
- A points-based system encourages peer-to-peer recognition.
- Discounts for companies with 500+ employees.
- Regularly introduces new features and enhancements to its products.
- Volume discounts available for organizations with 500+ employees.
- You pay for the rewards that are claimed. Points and allowances that remain unused won’t cost you a dime.
CONS
- There are no free trials at this time.
- The reward options are centered around gifts/gift cards, not experiences.
- It no longer discloses its pricing. A $4,000 minimum annual commitment is required.
- The priced plans are not available to start off as a self-service process. You’d have to book a demo and pay to access some of the premium features.
- The rewards selection could feel limited to some teams, especially those looking for more experiences in offer.
- No longer offer a free plan.
Nectar offers a robust yet easy-to-use solution for peer-to-peer recognition that is aligned with company values. We like how its points-based system empowers all employees, not just managers, to reward coworkers' accomplishments and behaviors.
Peer-to-peer shoutouts are shared for everyone to see via a centralized feed. As for rewards, we’ve found Nectar’s catalog to be quite comprehensive, covering several options like Amazon purchases, gift cards, charitable donations, and company swag. Employees can quickly redeem their recognition points for rewards they value. Alongside peer bonuses, Nectar supports performance-based rewards and spot bonuses from managers.
The employee recognition platform company also offers wellness features and impactful new capabilities like network analysis, which provide HR teams with visibility into cross-team recognition patterns. As a distributed team ourselves, we found the newly added internal communication tool absolutely a delight to foster transparency and help everyone stay informed.
When looking at pricing models, however, we found Nectar’s $4,000 minimum annual commitment to be higher than some competitors like Awardco’s $2,500. Compared to our last review update, it no longer discloses its pricing. And unlike Guusto or Connecteam, Nectar doesn’t provide a free trial, which makes it even harder for smaller organizations to give them a go.
Nectar is used by many recognizable brands, including Redfin, Golden State Warriors, Major League Baseball, and SHRM.
Nectar offers three pricing plans with an annual commitment of $4,000. While the recognition program vendor continues to provide three options—Plus, Premium, and Custom—it no longer publicly shares its pricing information. However, based on our research, the starting price may range from $5 to $6 per monthly employee when billed annually.
Best For
Nectar’s recognition and rewards platform is perfect for midsized companies (50-2,000 employees).
We use nectar for staff and management to reward employees exceptional work with points. Also, it is useful in terms of keeping employees connected with each other and interested in each other's work by allowing them to engage in a way similar to social media. It also was helpful for management to see areas of staff success that otherwise may go unseen, which was particularly helpful in things like formal evaluations. Since staff could comment on each other's posts, it allowed ongoing positive interaction daily to engage with teammates, learn more about each other and collaborate. It also was helpful for management to incentivize positive behaviors via tangible rewards.
I liked how it dramatically improved morale in a short time by giving tangible rewards to staff that felt stronger than just a thank you. Also, the way it connected the staff to each other and fostered collaboration and teamwork was great. I think it improved our retention too, and diminished some of the conflicts we used to see by creating a better sense of community.
We used it for 2 years. When many employees had to go remote due to covid, we were concerned about a lack of engagement and a lack of connection amongst team members. Introducing this tool improved both. It allows team members to interact and reward each other for excellent work, or for going the extra mile. It helped motivate staff to take on tasks and volunteer as they could see it was noticed and the benefits were more tangible than just a thanks. Also, it eliminated the need for staff to approach management or HR to request things like a small thank you gift and having to deal with the budgets involved. So, it has made keeping everyone connected to each other, to the company, and enthusiastic about their work much easier.
Not everyone was a fan and some staff members felt it had the potential to be a bit like a popularity contest and that the competitions it sometimes inspired were not helpful. Some managers were concerned it was too much like social media and could be a distraction. The analytics and reports could have been more in depth.
I think nectar is better than some similar tools in that its interface is really fun for staff and easy to use. I have used two such programs, and preferred nectar mainly because I saw a lot of engagement from the staff and it required very little instruction to get people up to speed on its use.
Does it make sense for the company to invest in these kinds of rewards, as it is an added cost. Also, it is important to have participation, and ideally that should be voluntary, so people should assess if this tool seems to match the culture of the company and would be well received by staff. Also, there is the possibility for some competition, which can be healthy and positive, but people should consider that and be aware and ready to discuss if staff are concerned.
The company seems to have improved its education and sharing of ideas with its users over time.
Remote companies who are concerned about employee connection, engagement and recognition will benefit. I think a young workforce in particular enjoy this kind of tool, and are used to the social media-like aspects.
I think not all older workers may enjoy it. Also, companies where a lot of the employees are very highly compensated and advanced professionals may not be as interested in these kinds of rewards and interactions.
C.A. Short Company
If your organization values a guided implementation, highly customized programs, and a partner who helps you refine your recognition strategy over time, we think C.A. Short is a compelling option. It’s particularly strong for companies that are more traditional and in-office, and it’s refreshing to see a recognition system that places as much importance on human connection as it does on technology.
PROS
- Provides high-touch, concierge service, handling platform customization and program setup.
- Supports digital and physical peer-to-peer recognition, including eCards and on-the-spot recognition cards.
- Robust customization options for tailored milestone programs and reward structures.
- Strong customer support ensures hands-on onboarding, ongoing assistance, and program adjustments.
- Reporting and analytics offer valuable insights into employee engagement trends.
- The rewards and recognition programs are coded to fully match each customer’s needs.
- Combines digital (peer-to-peer eCards, social feed-style recognition) and physical recognition (on-the-spot recognition cards.)
- Dedicated account managers, customer service reps, and an implementation team.
CONS
- The interface feels outdated compared to more modern and visually appealing alternatives like Nectar or Guusto.
- Reporting relies on Power BI, requiring users to leave the platform to access analytics rather than having built-in, real-time insights.
- Lacks direct integrations with major HR systems like Workday or BambooHR.
- The UI is not as modern as some competitors.
- Changes to the system require communication with support rather than self-service configurations.
- Reporting relies on Power BI rather than being embedded within the platform.
C.A. Short Company's employee recognition software offers a unique, high-touch experience that stands out in an industry dominated by sleek, self-service platforms. While the product itself has a somewhat dated look and lacks some modern bells and whistles, the company's deep commitment to personalized service makes it an excellent fit for organizations that prefer a more hands-on approach.
Another highlight of our experience was the peer-to-peer recognition tool. C.A. Short integrates both non-monetary and monetary recognition. It also supports eCards and social recognition in the “Rec Room” (their version of a social feed). Interestingly, unlike many recognition systems that rely entirely on digital shoutouts, this platform even allows for physical “on-the-spot” recognition cards that employees can hand out in person. We can imagine how companies seeking a system that feels more intentional rather than transactional would value this feature.
We also appreciate the vendor’s approach to customization—they take the time to code each platform to a client's specifications. This includes everything from designing personalized career milestone programs to configuring reward structures based on a company's values. It’s quite manual and, therefore, requires more back-and-forth with their support team, but it also removes much of the administrative burden from HR teams and makes the system work so well for organizations that want a guided, concierge-style implementation rather than a DIY software experience.
In terms of reporting and analytics, the platform provides good visibility into how employees interact with recognition programs over time. During testing, we were able to track how frequently employees were being recognized and compare engagement levels across departments and locations. One drawback, though, is that reporting is currently powered by Power BI and requires users to leave the platform to access these insights. C.A. Short has assured us that full integration is on their roadmap, but for now, this extra step may be a hurdle for those looking for real-time, in-app analytics.
One limitation we noticed is the lack of direct connections with major HRIS vendors like Workday and BambooHR. While C.A. Short does offer automated secure sFTP folders for data integration, which eliminates manual data imports, this approach may not be as familiar to most HR professionals as a self-service native integration option.
Although the software itself is functional, as briefly mentioned at the beginning, its interface doesn’t feel as modern or intuitive as some competitors such as Nectar or Guusto. That said, C.A. Short makes up for these shortcomings with a strong customer service team that is deeply involved in onboarding, ongoing support, and program adjustments.
C.A. Short Company's client list includes Dollar General, Penske, Sysco, Tractor Supply, Old Dominion Freight Line, and Sunbelt Rentals.
C.A. Short Company does not offer a free trial and has custom pricing.
Best For
C.A. Short Company is best for companies that value personalized service, hands-on support, and fully customized recognition programs, even if it means a more manual setup process. Businesses seeking a guided implementation rather than a DIY approach will also likely benefit the most from C.A. Short’s offering.
Terryberry
Terryberry is one of the most feature-rich platforms for corporate recognition programs. With over 100 years of experience, they have a comprehensive offering that covers recognition, rewards, wellness, and feedback, making them an excellent choice for mid-sized and large global companies based in the US, Canada, and the UK.
PROS
- Comprehensive employee engagement features in one tool, including peer-to-peer recognition, global reward fulfillment, wellness tracking, and surveys.
- One of the widest selections of rewards we’ve seen, including merchandise, gift cards, company swag, travel experiences, and custom-crafted awards.
- Advanced analytics that measure the impact of recognition on employee sentiment, helping organizations refine their engagement strategies.
- They recently expanded their rewards catalog to include Amazon Business, giving U.S. employees even more ways to be recognized with meaningful, practical gifts.
- Multi-language support and accessibility features tailored for hybrid and deskless workforces.
- Highly configurable options for HRIS integrations.
- Customized physical goods as employee rewards
- Wide range of employee engagement features, including rewards, incentives, and a wellness tracker.
- Customer support and account management at Terryberry are quite good. Their reps stand out for being very responsive and attentive, which is evidenced by some of the client testimonials we read.
- The implementation process, while six weeks long, is quite comprehensive, and you get tons of help along the way. For instance, the last two weeks consist of internal and customer testing, as well as user training.
CONS
- The platform design could benefit from a more modern and sleek interface.
- While integrations are strong, there is no open API yet; however, this is on the development roadmap for the near future.
- No free trial is available at this time.
- While Terryberry is easy to use, its design could look more modern and sleek.
- No open API, but on the roadmap for the end of 2023.
- No free trial at the moment.
Terryberry offers one of the most comprehensive employee recognition solutions available today. Their platform covers all aspects of recognition, including service awards automation, peer-to-peer recognition, and a global rewards catalog. With the recent addition of advanced analytics, the platform now measures the impact of recognition on employee sentiment, offering valuable insights that help companies enhance engagement strategies.
During a recent 2024 demo, we noticed that Terryberry’s "Be Recognized" platform effectively supports recognition automation while preserving a personal touch through customizable communications, social features, and symbolic awards. The platform’s value-tagging capabilities reinforce company culture by tying recognition moments to organizational values. This feature particularly stood out during our tests, as it allows organizations to ensure that recognition aligns with their core mission.
We had a conversation with their product team, which highlighted the platform’s flexibility in accommodating various workflows. The manager dashboard provides visibility into recognition participation, allowing leaders to identify employees who may need more engagement. We found that managers can also use AI-driven recommendations to enhance the quality of recognition messages, a feature that HR leaders we consulted appreciated for its practicality and ease of use.
During our demo, we observed how the platform integrates wellness programs and survey tools. The "Be Heard" surveys allow organizations to measure employee engagement and sentiment, providing actionable insights. This integration helps companies address potential burnout among key contributors, a feature that stood out in our evaluation of the platform’s holistic approach to engagement.
For companies with hybrid or deskless workforces, we found Terryberry’s mobile-friendly features and options for printable certificates and offline recognition displays particularly useful. This ensures that recognition can reach employees regardless of their work environment, maintaining a consistent culture of appreciation.
Additionally, Terryberry’s legacy in custom symbolic awards remains a unique differentiator. We explored their ability to create bespoke awards, such as pins, rings, and trophies, which add a meaningful and personal touch to recognition programs.
Terryberry serves over 40,000 clients worldwide, including notable names like Tesco, Epsilon, General Motors, and Trilogy Health.
Terryberry offers flexible pricing models tailored to each company’s needs. Their basic subscription plans start at approximately $3 per employee receiving an award. To get an accurate quote, it's best to contact their sales team directly.
Pricing factors include:
- Subscription costs are based on the selected features.
- One-time setup fees.
- Annual administration fees are calculated by total employee headcount and reward redemptions.
Best For
Terryberry is best suited for mid-market organizations in the US, Canada, and UK with hybrid or deskless workforces. It’s particularly valuable for companies seeking to automate milestone recognition while maintaining a personal and value-driven approach to engagement.
I utilized Terryberry several times a week to set up recognition programs aligned with our company values and goals. Reviewing nominations and approving awards was a regular task, ensuring fairness and recognizing employee achievements. Tracking employment milestones and communicating with employees about their accomplishments and events was also crucial. Periodic surveys were conducted to gather employee feedback, and I frequently analyzed reports and analytics to identify trends and further engage employees.
The creation of rewards programs was straightforward, making it easy to align them with company values. The peer-to-peer "wow" program successfully encouraged employees to recognize one another, fostering a positive and engaging work environment. The wellness program was well-received by staff, indicating its success. Excellent customer service and the user-friendly app, especially for field employees not frequently at desks, were significant advantages.
Our organization was concerned about the high employee turnover rate, with exit interviews often highlighting a lack of morale due to employees feeling unseen and unrecognized. Increasing salaries as a reactionary measure to prevent departures did not effectively address the underlying issue of employees feeling unappreciated. We were also worried about engagement levels and the resulting dip in productivity from disengaged employees. Despite trying numerous team-building exercises and management retraining, the problem persisted. Terryberry seemed to offer a solution by providing ongoing recognition, encouraging exceptional work, boosting productivity, and reducing turnover by enhancing morale. I have personally used it for six months.
The many choices available for employees was somewhat overwhelming, potentially leading to decision fatigue and wasted time. The tool's integration with other HR systems could be smoother, and customization options were not as flexible as desired, particularly concerning integration with external programs.
Compared to other tools I've used, Terryberry stands out for its user-friendly interface and exceptional customer service. It focuses less on gamification, favoring a points system over cash rewards, which aligns better with our goal of providing added rewards rather than extra compensation. This approach seems more appropriate for recognition software.
It's essential to consider whether your employees are likely to adopt and appreciate this tool. High-income professionals with demanding roles may show less interest in the rewards, so understanding your staff's preferences is crucial. Implementation is straightforward, but launching the program requires commitment. Additionally, be mindful of potential issues like perceived favoritism and have strategies ready to address them.
Terryberry has enhanced its mobile app, making it more accessible for employees regardless of their location. Improvements to the interface's navigation have also made the tool more user-friendly over time.
Terryberry is well-suited for remote or geographically dispersed workforces, industries with high turnover at the entry-level, large companies, and any organization looking to boost employee engagement, especially in roles that are repetitive or routine. This tool can help employees feel more recognized and engaged.
For very small organizations with fewer than 20 employees, Terryberry might not be as effective due to a small pool of participants and potential repetition of rewards. Additionally, highly compensated employees with very busy roles may not find as much value in the type of rewards offered.
Bucketlist
We were drawn to Bucketlist because of its diverse recognition and reward options, including peer-to-peer recognition, customizable rewards, and an intuitive web and mobile experience that enables easy team engagement and continuous appreciation. Importantly, the platform provides dedicated support to all plan users, a feature not offered by many vendors.
PROS
- Intuitive interface on both desktop and mobile for easy navigation.
- Flexible peer recognition system with optional approval settings.
- Wide variety of rewards, including gift cards, donations, and experiences. Customizable reward options also available.
- Dedicated onboarding and account managers for all plans.
- Vast number of rewards available, some users have even mentioned that it’s hard to pick one
- The Bucketlist team has been known for adding customer suggestions to their product roadmap and delivering on them
- When it comes to pricing, they offer to match another offer if you find a better price elsewhere
CONS
- No option to go back when browsing GIFs for shoutouts.
- Somewhat limited experiential reward options compared to cash-based incentives.
- One-time setup fee and monthly per-employee charge may be costly for smaller teams.
- Only available in English
- Little information is available as to the particularities of their concierge service for experience rewards.
One of the first things we noticed when testing Bucketlist was how user-friendly the platform is. Whether on desktop or mobile, navigating the system felt intuitive for both administrator and employee users.
Employees could send recognition messages (or “shoutouts”) to peers, attaching tokens that could later be redeemed for rewards. We liked that companies could choose whether the recognitions required approval or not since this offers a nice balance between spontaneity and structured oversight.
The rewards marketplace was another strong selling point. Employees can redeem points for a wide variety of rewards, including digital gift cards, charitable donations, and experiential rewards. Moreover, the system allows administrators to add additional gift cards that align with company culture and employee preferences. We found this particularly helpful, as it gives organizations more control over their incentive programs.
Having a straightforward UI is great, but having a designated expert who walks you through the process and helps customize features takes it to another level. And we loved that Bucketlist offers just that. Every plan includes a dedicated onboarding manager and a dedicated account manager, a level of service that many recognition platforms lack. Whether it’s tailoring recognition settings, configuring approval workflows, or tweaking reward options, the extra support made the user experience feel smooth and stress-free.
While Bucketlist offers many strengths, we did encounter some challenges. More specifically, searching for GIFs when sending shoutouts was a bit frustrating, as there’s no way to go back to a previous option if you scroll past one you like. This might sound minor, but in practice, it slows down the experience and makes it feel a bit clunky.
Though Bucketlist’s cash-based incentives and gift cards were plentiful, we couldn’t help but feel the experiential rewards catalog is somewhat limited. Many companies are moving toward experience-based rewards, so it would be great to see Bucketlist expand its options in this area.
Lastly, pricing could be a barrier for smaller teams due to the system’s one-time setup fee and monthly per-employee charge. While the high level of customization and customer support helps justify the cost, businesses with fewer than 200 employees looking for a low-cost option might find Connecteam and Matter better alternatives.
500+ companies, including RBC, Chick-fil-A, and Danone.
Bucketlist plans cost around $2-4 per employee per month, plus a one-time setup fee and an annual fee.
Best For
Bucketlist is a strong choice for midsized and large companies looking for a simple, flexible, and highly customizable recognition program.
Our experience has been fantastic. We have a direct account manager who we speak with regularly and we work together to make any changes necessary. If we need help, I know I can reach out to them and will get a response very quickly. it is easy to create and have your account approved.
I appreciate several features of Bucketlist. The activity feed allows me to easily track the recognition others receive. The platform’s user-friendliness is impressive, and the customizable marketplace caters to our specific requirements. I also enjoy exploring the leaderboard and celebrating people’s achievements. Bucketlist’s customizability enables the platform’s look to mirror our brand and image. The web-based interface resembles a typical internet or intranet page.
Among various platforms, none matched the level of customization that Bucketlist provides for our company's Culture, Values, and Reward structure. Additionally, their service, which includes building our system and a hands-on approach during the launch, was unparalleled compared to others. Comparable features at a more budget-friendly price.
I have used the tool for three years and found the system working efficiently. Being able to share positive stories about colleagues’ good deeds in a way that doesn’t embarrass them but is accessible to all members of the company—especially those who wouldn’t typically hear about individual daily acts of kindness—is invaluable. In my experience, this recognition, whether through points or not, fosters a sense of appreciation and well-being.
Bucketlist could enhance its platform by introducing a few key features. Firstly, allowing users to save their location preferences would eliminate the need to repeatedly filter redemption options by location.
Secondly, a comprehensive recognition history page would be valuable, displaying all recognitions received by an individual.
Lastly, when a customer service query is raised, providing a reference number or saving a copy of the query would facilitate efficient follow-up, especially if customer support response times were not as prompt.
Although my suggestion may seem less enthusiastic, I still want to discuss it. When I search for 'Bucketlist' on Google, I encounter numerous unrelated results, with very few relevant to the features that Bucketlist provides. In my opinion, improving the SEO would help Bucketlist stand out in Google search results, making it more accessible.
I appreciate the user-friendly experience. The entire process, from sending recognition to redeeming points, is straightforward to navigate. I also enjoy the playful details like GIFs and emojis, which add a touch of whimsy and meaning to the words and points awarded.
It is easy to customize and use for all businesses and personal use. It is cheap and has no effects of overwhelming. We all want to give recognition and encouragement to our fellow teammates, and this makes it so easy while putting them in a running feed so that everyone can share in the positivity and motivation.
The admin page has been customized in many colors and this has changed many things.
Software companies
Software engineers
Awardco
Awardco goes further than the average recognition platform. It packs a social feed, peer-to-peer appreciation, and extensive international reward options. It also allows employees to create memory books, boxes, and more for a personal touch.
PROS
- Features like the public feed and AwardCodes make recognition simple, effective, and inclusive.
- Intuitive user interface available in 16 different languages.
- It easily integrates with commonly used software like Slack, Microsoft Teams, HRIS systems, and HubSpot.
- Amazon Business integration, huge reward catalog for a multitude of countries.
- The platform is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese.
CONS
- No free trial is offered.
- Awardco only works with Amazon Business for gift cards.
- A few users reported that prices on some rewards are high or inflated compared to retail prices.
- Rewards delivery is delayed at times.
- Actual pricing is not publicly available, so getting started won’t be a quick and self-service process like with other companies in the space.
- With Awardco, digital and physical gift cards are ineligible for refunds.
- Only Amazon-delivered products are available from Awardco. Goods sold by third-party vendors on Amazon are not available.
- The Awardco mobile app is only available as a Progressive Web Application, not from the App Store or Google Play, which might be less intuitive for some users.
Awardco makes it easy to recognize anyone in your organization for living your values, achieving goals, or simply for being awesome employees. In our testing, it was easy to choose who to recognize, for what, and why.
We’ve also liked the social component, featuring all given recognition on a public feed for everyone to see. Awardco also facilitates remote employee recognition through integrations with communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams. This boosts engagement further, bringing recognition to platforms your employees already use.
We appreciate Awardco's inclusive approach to recognition. Their newly released feature, AwardCodes, makes it possible to give recognition offline to employees without regular computer access so they aren’t left out of any appreciation efforts.
Managers provide customized award codes, which employees later scan to receive their rewards. The codes work for any employee, anywhere, anytime while still enabling tracking and security.
Another thing that caught our attention is Awardco’s service anniversary features. Its level of gift creativity and personalization is something we’ve not seen on other platforms. Employees can create Digital MemoryBooks which collect teammate contributions into a cherished keepsake for coworkers celebrating milestones.
The employee recognition vendor also has curated gift packages called Bonus Boxes that staff can put together and ship right to the doors of their coworkers to make their day.
Awardco has over 3 million users including staff at companies like Percepta, Paramount, Hertz, Pacific Life, and Aptive.
Awardco offers two main plans for small and medium businesses.
- Lite provides basic automation for things like service awards, birthdays, and reporting. It establishes a foundation for employee recognition and costs $2,500 per year.
- Go includes everything in Lite plus additional features like peer-to-peer recognition, manager recognition, value-driven rewards, and budget oversight. It is more robust for employee appreciation and costs $4,000 annually.
- Custom for enterprises with more complex requirements.
Best For
Awardco’s comprehensive offering makes it an excellent employee recognition program for fast-growing, multinational companies.
We use Awardco for recognizing our employees for anniversaries with the company, birthdays. And personal anniversaries. We also allow supervisors to go in a recognize high performers.
- It keeps track of and sends gift cards for employee birthdays.
- It lets us supervisors highlight high performers.
- It makes employees feel recognized and us to gift them a small gift of appreciation.
Our office subscribed to Awardco to help with our retention issue. Although we had a good culture, talent is still hard to retain in this market and we wanted our employees to feel appreciated and want to continue working here.
There really is not much we dislike. This is the only service we have seen that’s been able to boost morale the way it has.
I am not sure of any competitors in this market
If you’re looking to boost employee moral this is a great tool and we have seen a big trend upward in our retention. We were hesitant at first to spend money on an award system but we are glad we did.
I’m not sure of any changes since we have started using it.
This is great for any company that has more than 30 or 40 employees and would like to recognize employees
Small business that you could easily track what Awardco tracks, or a company not wanting to spend money on employee recognition.
Guusto
We love that Guusto’s employee recognition software pays special attention to companies with frontline, deskless employees. With print-out, web-based, mobile reward redemption options, no one is left out of your appreciation efforts, even if they don’t have an email address or a desktop.
PROS
- Straightforward recognition system that works great for hourly or field employees.
- Mobile apps for Android and iOS allow use on phones.
- Only reward givers pay a subscription fee - unlimited recipients can be added for free.
- Partnership with One Drop Foundation donates clean water with gifts.
- International reward options expanded to over 4,000.
- They partnered with the One Drop Foundation to donate 1 day of clean drinking water for every gift sent.
- All gift cards are actually digital, meaning there’s no plastic waste. This also makes it a very remote-friendly product.
- Guusto is not a points program. All the gifts within the platform are real dollar value.
- As of early 2023, their global rewards options have grown to the thousands.
- In the process of becoming more international, gift redemptions can now be done in almost any currency within the regions they operate in.
CONS
- You can only fund accounts with USD or CAD credit, though gifts can be redeemed in many currencies.
- Essential and Premium plans have monthly minimums of $200 and $560, respectively.
- Accounts can only be funded with USD or CAD
Guusto’s innovative and easy-to-use platform supports recognition programs for employees at all levels, whether they work on the front lines, at the office, or at home.
Many recognition platforms rely heavily on points-based systems that don't resonate with hourly or field employees. But Guusto allows companies to send printable rewards or gift cards that provide tangible value. We’ve given it a shot ourselves and can confirm that there's no learning curve to it: If an employee receives a $5 gift card, they get $5.
The recognition platform also makes it simple to set up peer-to-peer recognition programs, performance goal tracking, anniversary/birthday awards, and more. Managers receive budgets to send spot bonuses or non-monetary "shoutouts" to motivate their direct reports. Everything is configurable based on each company's unique needs and work culture.
Beyond its features, we admire and commend Guusto for its commitment to social impact. The company donates clean drinking water and supports a host of mental health organizations.
We’ve recently noticed that Guusto has updated its pricing structure, and while we’re happy that the Free plan remains, there are some drawbacks. The Lite tier has jumped from $40 to $125 per month, while the Essential tier and Premium requires a minimum spend of $200 and $560 per month, respectively. These increases could be a real burden for budget-conscious teams, we’d imagine.
Guusto is used by many known organizations including Staples, Compass One Healthcare, The Body Shop, Fairmont, and Rexall Pharmacies.
Guusto offers 4 plans:
- A free plan for individual reward senders using a single user account and a top-down program.
- A Lite plan that costs $125 per month for individuals sending and scheduling rewards in bulk.
- An Essential plan that costs $2.50 per seat per month for peer-to-peer rewards and $5 per seat per month for top-down rewards.
- A Premium plan that costs $3.50 per seat per month for peer-to-peer rewards and $7 per seat per month for top-down rewards.
Best For
Guusto is a top employee recognition platform solution for businesses that employ frontline staff, especially in the healthcare, retail, financial services, and hospitality sectors.
Our managers use it to recognize their team. Employees use it to recognize each other. We can communicate more easily and we use it daily.
We like being able to recognize employees. We like being able to recognize managers. We like that they have the ability to buy items with their points.
We were looking to get creative in how we recognize our employees. The feedback we received from employees was to give more recognition. We wanted to decrease retention and be a stand-out employer.
Didn’t like that it doesn’t integrate with our payroll software. We didn’t like that there were extra steps to give recognition. We wish it were more customizable
Very similar to other platforms
to think carefully about how they will use it and to make sure they have the capacity to train employees on the platform.
Guusto hasn’t changed since we started using it
A large employer that has employees all over the world.
Not good for employers that aren’t able to train on new software.
Cooleaf
We picked Cooleaf for its ability to scale recognition across large, distributed teams while tying it to broader engagement initiatives like surveys, challenges, and performance incentives. In our view, it’s one of the few platforms that makes recognition part of a long-term cultural strategy. Also, it’s quite quick to implement.
PROS
- Managers receive weekly reports on their team’s recognition activity, helping reinforce positive habits.
- New features like printable certificates, award nominations, and robust reporting add key structure to recognition.
- Recognition programs can include multi-level approval workflows for added consistency.
- Cooleaf fulfills global rewards in-house, including physical gifts and international gift cards.
- The platform ties recognition to performance, surveys, and engagement challenges.
- Full platform for all things employee engagement, not just rewards and recognition.
- The Slack integration is very seamless. Challenges, posts, and recognitions can all be gathered within dedicated channels in your team’s Slack workplace, if you want to.
- Wide variety of rewards including a team store, donations, entertainment, travel experiences, merch, products, and restaurant coupons.
CONS
- There’s no free trial or self-service demo available.
- Advanced features may require admin setup and onboarding support.
- Building custom programs can feel complex for new users.
- For some of the workplace culture-building features, like challenges and activities, you can’t create your own, so you rely on how often Cooleaf’s team makes them available.
- We found the support center’s documentation to be somewhat limited in comparison to similar tools. Also, it seems like support is only done through an online form, no other channels are available.
Cooleaf stands out in the crowded recognition space by offering a strategic, data-informed approach to employee appreciation. It’s not just a peer-to-peer shoutout tool—it’s a full employee experience platform that we found particularly effective for large, dispersed organizations (2,000+ employees) that want recognition embedded into company culture.
During our test, we appreciated how Cooleaf sends weekly nudges to managers, showing how well their teams are giving and receiving recognition. This helps identify teams and team members that might be disengaged before it becomes problematic. Unlike lighter recognition tools, Cooleaf supports nomination-based programs like “Employee of the Year” with configurable approval chains. This structure ensures consistency in more formal award programs.
Recognition in Cooleaf isn’t isolated—it connects directly to performance incentives, survey participation, and engagement challenges. One new feature we found surprisingly impactful was the ability to print and mail physical certificates. These tangible tokens can carry more weight than a digital badge for remote or hybrid employees.
Compared to simpler solutions like Nectar or Assembly, Cooleaf offers more depth in its analytics and engagement tie-ins. Its custom reporting tools allow organizations to track recognition activity across teams, roles, and regions, giving HR leaders data they can act on. That said, we found that some of the platform’s more advanced workflows required admin setup support, especially during implementation.
Still, if you’re looking for recognition software that does more than hand out praise, Cooleaf is among the most complete platforms we’ve tested in this space.
Cooleaf is used by organizations like Acosta, Aprio, BlueLinx, Georgia’s Own Credit Union, Kids2, and Shipt.
Cooleaf offers custom pricing based on the number of employees participating in the program.
- Subscription billed monthly
- Separate budget allocated for rewards (flexible per organization)
- Implementation and onboarding support included in most plans
Best For
Cooleaf is best suited for global enterprises with 2,000+ employees who want to tie recognition to a holistic engagement strategy and need international reward fulfillment.
I was never an administrator of Cooleaf. I used it as an employee. Salesloft would create different challenges to get employees involved and communicate with one another remotely. Once employees received a large amount of Cooleaf points they were able to use those points to get gift cards to many different options.
- Cooleaf is a great tool that encourages amazing work collaboration.
- It has partnerships with multiple great companies so users can get some really great gift cards.
- Cooleaf is very easy to use, and has great customer support.
I used Cooleaf at Salesloft for about 1.5 years, as they were trying to create an extremely inclusive workplace and it was a great way to collaborate remotely globally. Cooleaf was used to make people feel special and feel like they were being rewarded at work. It has a lot of partnerships with multiple different companies.
- At times it became an extra step in employees' workflows so I think they stopped wanting to do it.
- Employees were pigeon held to the challenges the companies created so sometimes there was a lack of creativity or diversity.
- To get a large gift card/ reward payout often takes a longtime.
I have not used a tool similar to Cooleaf. I think if you are a large organization with the majority of your workforce remote, Cooleaf is a great option.
I think that the total cost of the product is definitely an investment for companies. In order to ensure usage of the product companies must come up with diverse Cooleaf challenges that target a wide range of the organization.
Cooleaf has added many different companies that they partner with for gift cards which definitely makes the product more attractive.
A company that has a majority of their workforce working remote.
Small organizations or companies that have the majority of their employees working in the office or companies that do not provide laptops for their employees.
Connecteam
Connecteam offers powerful employee recognition tools that prioritize the needs of deskless workers. With its mobile-centric design, customizable recognition options, and seamless rewards system, it’s easy for managers to celebrate their employees' successes and foster a culture of appreciation.
PROS
- Connecteam is easy to use for managers and employees.
- There are numerous gift card options employees can spend their tokens on, from apparel to tech gadgets and dining experiences.
- Shoutouts and badges can be personalized to each user so recognition is more meaningful.
- Pricing is transparent and there’s a free 14-day trial you can sign up for without needing to input your credit card info.
- One of the only fully-mobile HR tech tools for deskless workers
- Very adequately-priced for all it entails, SMB-friendly
- Quite open to feedback, having implemented user suggestions as features in the past.
CONS
- The platform's numerous features mean an inevitable learning curve for users.
- Despite the platform's excellent scalability, certain essential features are only available on higher pricing plans.
- Compared to most tools on this page, Connecteam’s employee recognition solution can’t be purchased independently; you will need to purchase the full HR & Skills hub to access recognition.
- In the communication hub, the app offers no confirmation that messages were sent and/or seen.
- Certain features that some teams consider essential, such as GPS-tracking, are only available in the higher-tier pricing plans.
Connecteam’s HR & Skills hub packs impressive rewards and recognition features that make it easy to celebrate employees' achievements and milestones, no matter where they are.
We like how recognition is fully customizable. Managers can personalize badges for any occasion, add heartfelt messages, and share the appreciation privately or with the entire team.
Rewarding employees is also easy on Connecteam. Managers can brighten their employees' day by granting them digital tokens on the spot or by configuring the platform to automatically award tokens based on system usage and special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.
These tokens can be redeemed for gift cards from several well-known vendors, including sportswear brands, tech giants, and restaurants.
The recognition platform's analytics dashboard provides a clear overview of how tokens are being used, including who is sending tokens, who is receiving them, and how employees are spending their rewards.
Having this level of insight isn’t just good for tracking purposes but also for managers to constantly improve their rewards and recognition strategies.
Connecteam’s customer list boasts many recognizable brands, including Foot Locker, EY, Mango, and Caremark.
Connecteam’s pricing ranges from $29 to $99 per month, depending on the features you need. Note that this range is for 30 user seats and free plans for companies with under 10 employees are available. For more details on all plans, please visit Connecteam's Pricing page.
Best For
Connecteam is among the top employee recognition platforms for deskless and mobile-first teams.
I use the solution to connect and collaborate with the team remotely, to develop work libraries that help our new team understand how we operate, our ethics, and our code of conduct during the orientations at our workplace, I also use the tool to share documents online for the team to work and to provide feedback on through the chat channel
- I like the software pricing of the tool, it is cheap to use for business purposes and hence does not affect the ROI of the company.
- I like the chat feature which you can use to broadcast your messages amongst the team at no extra cost.
- Event notifications make sure that our users never miss our internal meetings and events
Connecteam is faster and easier to use, which has helped us solve the problem of team management, team collaborations, and group work, it is helping us to share documents, and work plans with the team remotely, and, also we use it as decision-making tool where we use the chat feature of the software to chat with our team remotely to make important decision makings to our tool. I have used the solution for three years and eight months as an administrator of the software
The software has a lot of video tutorials that play automatically hence creating inconvenience, one should only play the video when needed and with his or her consent.It does not have a calendar integration which makes it hard for one to integrate a calendar within the software to track personal events and business events to prevent event conflicts, the text editor in the tool is too slow when you are creating event descriptions, it is impossible to add the ALT text on images that you add in the tool.
They have kept the pricing relatively lower to help even smaller businesses use the solution, and they have a responsive customer support team through the live chat
Good for HR, team leaders, and marketing teams
May not be a good solution for support teams
AdvantageClub.ai
AdvantageClub.ai stood out to us for its numerous redemption options and the flexibility it offers to both employees and employers. Employees worldwide can choose from over ten thousand rewards, while employers can leverage AI and customization to enhance employee engagement in their recognition programs.
PROS
- Easy-to-use peer recognition with AI-assisted message generation.
- Social media-style Buzz Feed for public appreciation, reactions, and comments.
- Seamless integrations with Slack, Teams, and other workplace tools.
- Extensive global rewards marketplace with 10,000+ brands across 100+ countries.
- AI-driven ADVA assistant nudges employees to engage in recognition and redeem rewards.
- AI-powered messaging feature streamlines the process of giving and receiving recognition.
- Extensive global rewards marketplace with 10,000+ brands across 100+ countries.
- Flex-Benefits program allows employees to customize how they use perks.
- AI-driven engagement assistant (ADVA) nudges employees to stay active in recognition programs.
- Seamless integrations with HRMS, Slack, Teams, and Outlook for workflow automation.
CONS
- You must contact sales for a quote. No free trial offered.
- Not a good fit for small businesses.
- Users may require additional support to leverage the power of analytics and dashboard features fully.
- No public pricing. No self-service free trial.
- Instead of self-configuration, users may require additional support to leverage the power of analytics and dashboard features fully.
We picked AdvantageClub.ai as one of the best employee recognition solutions because the platform impressed us with how much it helps employees show appreciation to their peers. During our testing, we discovered many appealing features, including Milestone Awards, Peer-to-Peer Recognition, Spot Awards, and Long Service Awards.
AdvantageClub.ai makes it incredibly easy to recognize achievements: Users can send kudos or awards through the built-in recognition feed, and thanks to AI-generated message assistance, employees who struggle with wording can send appreciation messages with just a few clicks. We tested this feature by selecting a peer (Ben), writing a message, and using the AI assistant ADVA to refine our words, which resulted in a warm and professional recognition post.
The platform also excels with its Buzz Feed feature, which allows employees to publicly celebrate achievements, anniversaries, and birthdays in a social media-like interface. The kudos we gave Ben earlier were visible to colleagues in the feed, who could not only view them but also react with customizable emojis and comments—just like they would on platforms like LinkedIn.
We also love the ability to share recognition on external communication apps like Slack and Teams. Being a remote team that relies on these tools daily for team syncs, this sharing feature adds a layer of convenience, making it easier for employees to give and receive peer recognition.
Another major strength of AdvantageClub.ai is its global rewards marketplace. With over 10,000 brands in 100+ countries, it’s an easy choice for multinational organizations looking for a recognition platform with diverse reward options.
If you’re looking for a tool that actively drives engagement in your recognition program, ADVA, the AI-driven assistant, is worth checking out. This feature encourages participation with gentle nudges—for example, without feeling intrusive, it reminded us that we hadn’t given a kudo to a colleague in a while or that we hadn’t redeemed our wellness points for a health check-up.
That said, AdvantageClub.ai has some drawbacks. One major downside is its lack of pricing transparency—costs vary based on your team's location and the features you need, so you’ll have to speak with sales to get an accurate quote. Also, unlike some competitors like Guusto and Workstars, the platform doesn’t offer a free trial, which makes it even harder for extra cautious companies who like to try before buying.
And for those particularly interested in the platform’s analytics and dashboard, bear in mind that fully leveraging these tools often requires some extra support from the vendor side.
1,000+ companies, including TARGET, EY, Concentrix, and BCG.
AdvantageClub.ai has custom pricing only, and no free trial is offered.
Best For
AdvantageClub.ai is best for large enterprises and mid-sized companies, especially those with a global workforce, looking for a highly customizable employee recognition platform with a vast rewards marketplace and AI-driven automation to boost engagement.
Matter
Matter is not the only peer-to-peer recognition platform that offers kudos, employee feedback reminders, company values, and analytics and reporting. Yet it’s one of only a rare few vendors we’ve known that do so nicely right within users’ Teams or Slack.
PROS
- Peer-to-peer recognition platform with kudos, engagement survey reminders, company values, and analytics that works right within Slack or Teams.
- Aesthetic and user-centric software design.
- Affordable, transparent plans with discounts for non-profits and educational institutions.
- Free plan includes unlimited users, customizable notifications, and kudos.
- Seamless integration with 200+ HRIS systems.
- Option to reward survey completions with redeemable Matter coins.
- Pulse Survey delivered and responded to right in Slack or MS Teams.
- Pulse Surveys use real-time data from a library of 100 questions to provide insights on cultural categories.
- Survey recipients won't see the same question twice within 90 days.
- Real-time anonymous feedback with custom notifications.
- Affordable and transparent plans with discounts for non-profits and schools.
CONS
- Compatible only with Slack or Teams users.
- Any unused coin allowance (except for Kudos coins) is reset on a weekly basis.
- Free plan offers only 30 days of historical analytics data and 5 kudos sent per channel per week.
- To use Matter, you must have either Slack or Teams installed.
- At this time, the vendor doesn't allow the Pulse Survey questions to be editable.
- Pulse surveys are only available on the highest-priced plan.
What really won us over after testing Matter was the way this peer-to-peer recognition software has streamlined membership management.
Once you sync it with your Slack or Teams, you can automate the whole process of adding or removing team members directly through the settings of these two communication apps.
Giving kudos turned out to be very straightforward both when we were on our computers or using the Slack app on our phones.
We liked that we could select one or more people to recognize at once, choose from one of the nine kudos templates to type our message of praise, or even create our own personalized card. Plus, the ability to add Slack emojis did bring an extra layer of fun to the whole experience.
Another aspect we found pretty cool was the coin system. This feature allows team members to attach coins to their kudos, which the recipient can then redeem for gift cards, charitable donations, prepaid cards, and more to treat themselves.
And Matter’s pricing—it’s highly accessible with a free plan that supports unlimited users, customizable notifications, and kudos.
It's worth mentioning, though, that the free plan allows for just 5 kudos sent per channel per week and only retains 30 days of historical analytics data, so any older data won’t be recorded.
Another thing to bear in mind is that any unused coin allowance, except for Kudos coins, doesn’t carry over. Depending on how you view it, this could either be an engagement booster or a potential waste of money.
4,700+ organizations, including SIEMENS, Bolt, and JiffyLube.
Matter provides four pricing options, ranging from no cost to $5 monthly. You can also access all features the tool has to offer via its 30-day free trial period.
Best For
Matter’s employee recognition software is for small businesses looking to integrate recognition programs directly into Teams or Slack.
WorkTango
WorkTango’s recognition engine checks all the boxes: A company feed, a points system, a broad rewards catalog, and the option to add custom rewards. It also packs an analytics dashboard, giving real-time data on your program’s effectiveness, participation rate, and more.
PROS
- WorkTango’s interface is simple and intuitive, making it easy for users to navigate.
- Users appreciate having a wide selection of gift cards, prizes, and other rewards to choose from when redeeming points.
- You can easily see upcoming employee birthdays, work anniversaries, and other events to send prompt shoutouts.
- The platform supports multiple languages, including English, Spanish, German and French.
- Unlimited surveys available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Korean.
- You can add modules as you go and these will be charged on a prorated basis.
CONS
- Billing can only be done annually.
- All plans require a minimum commitment of 12 months.
- Free trials aren't available at this time.
- Billing is only done annually and all plans require a minimum agreement for a 24-month subscription (see our FAQs for more and their pricing page for full details).
- Several users have complained about the rewards redeeming process being not very intuitive.
WorkTango’s employee recognition software is easy to use, amplifies core values, and reinforces positive actions.
What stood out the most for us was how flexible the platform is: Employees can give public or private recognition to their colleagues anytime, anywhere through the desktop or mobile app. This peer-to-peer, bottom-up, and top-down recognition helps enhance the employee experience by making appreciation visible across the organization.
Another thing we like about WorkTango is its focus on community building. Features like social news feeds and the ability to react to and comment on recognitions foster connections company-wide.
Employees gain visibility into recognitions across departments, roles, and locations. Adding customizable emojis, GIFs, and images further humanizes peer appreciation and makes them personal.
Integrations with communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams eliminate barriers by enabling recognition directly within employees' daily workflows. WorkTango also integrates with most HRISs to sync employee data seamlessly and without errors.
For any organization seeking to improve employee experience and retention through a culture of recognition, we think WorkTango is a worthy investment. Its thoughtful features, flexible tools, and user-friendly design enable impactful recognition while bringing teams together.
Over 1,000 companies use WorkTango, including Kia Motors, HUB International, Rexall, and Accruent.
WorkTango's pricing is tailored to each customer's unique needs.
Best For
WorkTango's employee recognition program best serves growing companies and enterprises. It caters especially well to industries like healthcare, technology, and financial services.
We used WorkTango regularly for engagement surveys, pulse checks, surveys following development events, for onboarding and so on. We used it to get feedback from our employees on specific events as well as general engagement feedback. We also used it for pulse surveys to get more insight into particular topics.
It's really easy to use in terms of setup of surveys and adding and deleting employees. You get results instantly with many ways to view the data and drill down. Their support is really good as well - knowledgeable and responsive.
I used WorkTango in a previous role, and used it for about 4 years. We bought it because we were looking for a better way to conduct employee engagement surveys, and WorkTango helped us do that in a way that was completely customizable. We did annual surveys as well as regular pulse checks. With WorkTango we could see participation rates throughout the survey periods and got results instantly. The tool provides some analysis and different ways to cut data (department, tenure, etc.).
The exporting of results isn't perfect - it got better while we were using it but we still had to manually create certain views to share the results we wanted with our executive. The trending feature, which is great overall, doesn't work if you change the wording of a question in any way, so if you want to reword a term the trending doesn't work.
I had always used companies to run engagement surveys and it was a less intuitive process and the results took weeks if not months to get. WorkTango makes it easy and instant.
Think about how often you want to use it and how to make the most of it. If you do one survey a year it's likely not worth it. Make sure you're comfortable interpreting results as well. The system does some of that but you need to be able to analyze responses and determine why things might be surfacing. And don't buy this type of tool if you're not going to do anything with the results.
WorkTango was very responsive to our suggestions for features or improvements. During the 4 years we used it there were some upgrades or changes, as well as one significant upgrade that addressed a lot of things and made the tool better, especially in terms of how data is displayed and exported.
Great for HR teams and people with little to a lot of technical savviness.
Very small organizations wouldn't benefit from this as it relies on a certain number of responses to maintain anonymity.
Bonusly
From our tech tests, it became apparent that Bonusly has a knack for helping teams lift spirits and create a positive vibe at work with features like public peer recognition, manager boosts, and milestone reminders. Plus, it easily connects with major HRIS, so you won’t have to worry about remembering or entering important dates manually.
PROS
- Bonusly is easy to use both for managers and employees.
- It is currently available in German, English, French, and Spanish.
- You can use the platform on the go both on Android and iOS devices.
- Discounts are available for nonprofits and educational organizations.
- You can try the full-featured platform for free for up to 14 days.
- Intuitive user interface.
- Available in German, English, French, and Spanish.
- Supports Android and iOS.
- Discounts for nonprofit and education organizations.
- 14-day, full-featured free trial.
CONS
- The Core plan that's aimed at small businesses has a limited cap of only 50 users.
- Analytics and reporting are relatively basic in terms of scope and customization.
- The available reward options focus mainly on gift cards, cash, and donations rather than experiential rewards.
- Any unused bonus money does not roll over at the end of the period.
- The starter plan is for small businesses that cap out at 50 users.
- Analytics and reporting features are relatively underdeveloped.
- The reward catalog lacks in-person experience and physical goods, and options and focuses on gift cards, cash, or donations.
- Unused bonus funds don’t roll over: users use it or lose it.
Bonusly's 360-degree recognition capabilities make it easy to boost employee morale.
We’ve tested their five-step recognition process and can confirm that it is as simple as it sounds: Each employee receives a monthly allotment of points (typically 100-200, valued at $10-$20) to recognize fellow team members. The process then is as simple as naming the recipient, choosing the points amount, sharing the reason, and adding hashtags or GIFs if desired.
We liked Bonusly’s public feed, showcasing all the recognitions given around, which motivates more action from coworkers. Managers also benefit from visibility into the recognitions occurring within their teams. They can amplify the recognition by praising both the giver and receiver.
In addition to recognizing achievements, managers, and teammates can send timely messages for birthdays, work anniversaries, and other special occasions thanks to Bonusly's automated reminders. The system neatly integrates with most HRIS platforms to automatically sync employee data, eliminating manual date entry.
Overall, Bonusly provides the essential features to boost employee engagement and build a more positive culture. It empowers employees at all levels to celebrate both major accomplishments and small wins, fostering a workplace where people feel recognized, connected, and invested in the company's success.
Over 3,250 companies use Bonusly, including Workday, Baxter, Headspace, and Qualtrics.
Bonusly has 3 subscription plans for users to choose from:
- Core: $2.70 per user per month (billed annually) for up to 50 users.
- Pro: $4.50 per user per month (billed annually) and has more flexibility in reporting, permissions, and integrations for growing teams.
- Custom: Custom pricing for businesses that need premium support and implementation.
Best For
Bonusly supports companies of all sizes looking to improve employee experience and create an ongoing culture of recognition.
Bonusly is ideal for hourly, non-exempt workforce populations; these folks are engaged and thrive off the recognition. Management applauds this valuable tool and its support of teams and people across capabilities, departments and projects. Bonusly is also used as a means to donate to different charities. The reporting feature is helpful to understanding employee engagement.
Bonusly offers diverse opportunities to acknowledge and commend team contributions in a meaningful and impactful way. The UI is quite easy to navigate and integration with Slack makes it so easy to send "fun recognition" to colleagues. The ability to utilize Bonusly across the globe is also a great benefit.
I've used Bonusly with different organizations over the years. Bonusly absolutely achieves collaboration across teams/departments. It is a great way for peers to give kudos to each other via Slack (or other integrated platforms, as needed). I have multi-generational teams including Boomers to Gen Z-ers. Team members enjoy the ease of use, and the ability to recognize their teammates any time, day or night, and the ability to make it fun by adding memes, GIFs etc. to their posts.
The rewards are limited; not a lot of variety in gift cards. The need for a message and a mandatory hashtag can seem redundant and inconvenient. Automatic reminders to users to redeem points before they expire should be a standard feature. Additional choices for international employees would definitely be welcome!
Bonusly is a great platform for daily recognition. I don't feel that Bonusly can truly compete with platforms such as Snappy, which offer more impactful gifts. Organizations truly do need both as an opportunity for keeping teammates and colleagues engaged.
- Integrations are important, especially with Slack or any main workplace communication tool.
- Reporting is pivotal to determining how to best use peer recognition tools within the workplace.
- Having a functional, easy-to-use dashboard is a must-have, as is the ability to customize based on business needs.
Bonusly's possibilities for integrations and mobility is constantly evolving, as are the rewards and charitable donation options.
Bonusly is excellent for remote and global workforces, as well as hourly and entry-level employees and their managers. Bonusly is a successful tool in any sector of industry; as it is a universal tool that encourages peer recognition, appreciation, rewards and charitable giving.
I believe Bonusly to be a beneficial tool for any organization/sector of industry.
Mo
We think Mo’s got all the features you need to make recognition a habit. With peer-to-peer recognition, automated reminders, and robust rewards redemption, the recognition platform distinctly emphasizes creating meaningful connections and shared moments between employees rather than just distributing material rewards.
PROS
- User interface is easy to navigate and offers a good variety of gift card options.
- Moments and Boosts get employees in the habit of recognizing one another.
- Transparent and competitive pricing with no rewards fees.
- All plans include free onboarding and implementation support.
- Available in 12 languages and growing.
- Customer support is responsive and helpful.
- Mobile apps for both Android and iOS.
- UI is easy to navigate, and users seem to appreciate the varied choice of gift cards they can offer through the platform.
- Transparent pricing starting from $2.25/user/month with no rewards fees.
- Free onboarding and implementation support for all users.
- Robust and feature-rich mobile applications.
- Available in 12 languages and growing.
CONS
- Mo's pricing is no longer publicly available.
- There is no free plan, but you can request a free trial.
- Customer service only available on weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM GMT.
- HRIS integration absent in Base plan. Possible implementation fee for Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations.
- The customer support hours are limited to weekdays, 9 AM - 5 PM GMT.
Mo aims to help companies boost employee morale and retention through meaningful recognition.
We like its Moments and Boosts features, which empower managers to highlight individual and team achievements, big or small. Boosts can also be used to prompt team members to recognize one another for everyday wins and milestones. Employees can easily post public or private appreciative Moments and react with comments, emojis, and GIFs, spreading a spirit of gratitude.
Another thing we like about this employee recognition vendor is its automated Assistant, which reminds managers of upcoming celebrations so they can show employees they are valued. The Assistant even nudges managers if they haven't recognized someone in a while which is pretty neat. Mo also makes it easy to reward top performers. Managers to instantly grant credits redeemable for rewards from major stores like Amazon, Nordstrom, and Tesco.
We bet you’ve got to also love the straightforward pricing that’s both flexible and budget-friendly for most companies with this recognition platform. Plus, Mo doesn’t raise the prices at all, which is a nice gesture that compensates for the missing free plan.
It’s equally nice to see that Mo has worked on the integration limitations we mentioned in our previous review of the tool. Now the HRIS integrations are offered across all its plans, and Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations no longer come with an extra cost.
Unfortunately, the customer support hours haven’t changed since our last review update. You can only reach Mo’s support on weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm GMT. For distributed teams working across different time zones like ourselves, this honestly isn’t ideal.
To date, Mo has over 100,000 users from companies like SGN, The O2, NHS, Aspen, William Hill, and SHL.
Mo's pricing is a monthly subscription based on the number of employees. Contact sales for a quote.
Best For
Mo’s employee recognition and rewards program works for companies of all sizes and particularly well for those with distributed teams that want to connect and motivate employees.
Kudos
Kudos helps you tie recognition to company values, reinforcing your mission statement and delighting employees at the same time. In addition to software, they offer consulting services to companies that need extra assistance.
PROS
- Easy and simple to use for giving recognition and appreciation to coworkers.
- The mobile app is quite robust and has nearly all of the functions of the web version.
- You can use the platform in 10 languages besides English.
- Unique, company culture-oriented features are present all across the platform, such as in the way they approach analytics, or on the actual Culture Accelerator module.
- Excellent relation of mobile / desktop functionality. You basically get all the bells and whistles on both versions.
CONS
- Several users feel that the monthly limit on points you can give to others is too low.
- The reward redemption process isn’t very intuitive and could be improved according to users.
- The platform’s pricing puts it out of reach for small businesses. There also aren’t any free trials to sign up for.
- Unless you get a demo and start exploring the tool with the help of an insider, we’d say it’s somewhat hard to get a good idea of what features are like, how they work, and even what they do, just from their website alone.
- From our research, we could gather that the points system and how this works can get a bit confusing for some users.
Kudos offers a robust employee recognition platform that can help you build a positive, engaged workforce.
We like its peer-to-peer recognition abilities which empower employees to recognize one another for great work and achievements. Employees can also give kudos for actions or behaviors tied to company values like collaboration or innovation.
Not only does this reinforce those values but giving specific recognition provides valuable people analytics for managers to track what behaviors are being role-modeled.
All of this peer recognition activity is collected and displayed on the Kudos Wall. This broadcast of appreciation helps employees feel valued and reminds them that they are part of something bigger. It also cultivates an inspiring sense of community.
Rewards can also be given through the system. It’s all gamified, which we’re big fans of. Employees can collect points from giving and receiving kudos, which they can then redeem from an online catalog that covers anything from company-branded swag to gift cards, Amazon products, and charity donations.
The employee recognition and rewards platform also integrates seamlessly with existing HR systems to pull employee data like birthdays, work anniversaries, and more, so you won’t have to remember or input any of this info manually.
Kudos is used by thousands of growing businesses and enterprises including MTN, Russel, ATCO, Bulgari, and DHL.
Kudos’ pricing starts at $3.25 per user per month for organizations with at least 500 employees. However, its actual pricing is flexible, based on the number of user seats needed and the length of the contract.
Best For
With its variety of recognition options and multi-language support, Kudos is a great choice for big, diverse workforces looking for a flexible employee recognition solution.
I used Kudos to shout out my coworkers on my team and other teams. I used it to keep track of my successes and achievements. With the graphs, I could see what prominent words were used the most to describe me as a colleague, so that was neat to see in what ways I was adding value to the team. During performance reviews, I could review all the projects I completed and the recognition I received since it keeps track of all the kudos I have received from my colleagues and managers. I also used it to see how others viewed me as a teammate and to identify areas where I might need improvement.
I liked that it was fun to give shoutouts to each other. I appreciated seeing how my coworkers viewed me. It was easy to use as it’s an intuitive tool that takes hardly any learning curve to get started.
We used Kudos to give praise to each other. It was a way for us to recognize each other's work within our team and while collaborating with other teams. It was also a good way to keep track of our successes and achievements. When it came time for performance reviews, I could look back on all my shoutouts and accomplishments. I used this tool for six months.
I disliked the limited ways the data could be split; there weren't enough tables and graphs. I felt the incentive program led to giving kudos just to earn points for redemption; there weren’t many options for gift cards. The pulse surveys didn't explore company culture deeply enough.
N/A - I haven't used another tool similar to Kudos before, so I don't have enough data for comparison. If I had to say, I feel Kudos is a good tool to at least check out to see if it’s something to implement in one’s organization.
People should consider how they would use this tool to encourage company culture and what type of culture they want to build on their teams. They should also consider if this tool is necessary or if there is another way to build company culture without using a tool.
I'm unsure. I didn't use this tool long enough to see it evolve.
Kudos would be useful for a small startup or a company trying to build up its culture. It would be best for organizations that work cross-functionally since it would help build trust among the various teams that work together, such as recruiting working alongside sales, HR, and hiring teams.
I can't think of any organization that couldn't find Kudos useful. However, if the organization is starting out with less than 100 employees, then I could see this tool being too premature for an organization of that size.
Top Employee Recognition Platforms Features
Employee recognition tools have many features to help build a strong company culture and employee engagement including:
- Peer-to-Peer Recognition: Allows employees to recognize each other’s contributions, creating a supportive and collaborative work environment. Nectar is, for example, one of the top employee reward and recognition program companies for peer recognition through personal employee awards and appreciation quotes.
- Manager-to-Employee Recognition: Gives managers the tools to recognize their team members’ achievements, reinforce positive behaviour and boost morale. Platforms like Reward Gateway and Bucketlist let managers offer timely and meaningful recognition with many options to choose from.
- Social Recognition: Publicly recognizing achievements helps form an appreciation culture. Motivosity’s social recognition, for instance, creates a community-focused environment where peers can view and engage with recognition.
- Customizable Rewards Catalog: This allows employees to choose the perks and rewards that mean something to them, from custom eCards to charitable donations. For example, Guusto offers extensive reward options, including company merchandise and experiences you can redeem at over 60,000 stores worldwide.
- Automated Milestone Celebrations: Automated milestone celebrations are a way to celebrate significant events like work anniversaries and birthdays. Nectar is one of the employee recognition vendors that make milestone celebrations easy with native automated service awards and birthday recognitions.
- Integration with Team Collaboration Tools: Recognition can be integrated into daily workflows through platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams. Matter serves as a perfect illustration—the employee recognition tool lets employees recognize others directly within Slack and Teams, so they can acknowledge them in real-time.
- Mobile Accessibility: Reward and recognition programs are accessible to remote or deskless workers through mobile-friendly platforms. Kudos is one of many vendors that have mobile-optimized apps for on-the-go recognition program participation.
- Reporting and Analytics: Gives you detailed insights into program performance so you can measure impact and adjust. For instance, Motivosity has real-time analytics and dashboards to see engagement and recognition trends, all of which combines to empower your rewards and recognition strategy.
Benefits of Using Employee Recognition Platforms
Having a recognition program in place is important to both your company’s human and financial capital. Recognition software can bring numerous benefits, including increased employee engagement, access to valuable data, and automated recognition processes.
- More Engaged Workforce: Employee recognition programs make it easier for employees to engage with each other in ways that align with your company’s values and work culture. Employee recognition statistics show that higher engagement is great for the bottom line, too: organizations with high employee engagement levels are 21% more profitable.
- Better Team Well-being: Regular recognition makes employees feel valued and appreciated, which reduces stress and improves mental health. A study found that 69% of employees believe their well-being would improve if they were thanked more often.
- Improved Employee Retention: Recognized employees are more likely to remain with their employer. Statistically, organizations with recognition programs experience 31% lower voluntary turnover compared to those without such programs.
- Attracting Top Talent: Unsurprisingly, a recognition culture makes an organization more attractive to future employees. And organizations that put employee recognition first are in a better position to attract top talent looking for a positive work environment.
- Actionable Employee Data: The best employee recognition platforms often come with engagement measurement capabilities (e.g., pulse surveys), which provide you with all sorts of useful metrics. This data will help you ensure that recognition plans are being executed within a specific budget and time frame and that rewards are fairly distributed.
- Streamlined Recognition Processes: Automatic reminders of work and personal anniversaries, competitions, and monthly awards not only bring consistent recognition across all levels of your business but also streamline the recognition operations for your HR employees.
Employee Recognition Software Pricing
Most employee recognition vendors sort to either marketplace pricing model or per-use-per-month.
- Marketplace Pricing Model: You pay a percentage of your total annual spending. For instance, if you spend $40,000 for 100 employees, an 18% fee would cost you $7,200 annually.
- Per-User-Per-Month Pricing Model: This model charges a flat rate per employee each month. For a team of 10, you might pay $10 per employee, totaling $12,000 a year. This option offers predictable costs and is ideal for frequent engagement.
NOTE: Recognition Platforms’ Potential Hidden Fees to Watch Out For:
Some vendors may charge rewards fees and markups, so it’s advisable you check this with your potential picks before making the purchase.
Additionally, monthly and annual subscription minimums are quite common in this industry. For example:
- Guutso's subscription minimums are $40 for the Lite plan, $80 for the Essential plan, and $400 for the Premium plan.
- Nectar requires a minimum annual commitment of $4,000.
- TerryBerry charges an annual administration fee calculated based on the total number of employees and reward redemptions processed.
How to Use Recognition Platforms Effectively
Integrating the platform with the rest of your tech stack, frequently measuring the impacts of implemented recognition programs, automating workflows, and maximizing peer-to-peer recognition opportunities are all key best practices for HR specialists working with employee recognition programs. Of course, all this is made simpler if you also make an effort to secure management buy-in.
- HR Integration: Before buying a recognition platform, make sure you have the right HR software integrations. Onboarding one that doesn’t work well with your existing tech stack will only hamstring your business. At an absolute minimum, any platform you pick should integrate with your company’s Human Resource Information System (HRIS) as well as team communication tools.
- Regular Program Checkups: Not all employees respond to recognition in the same way, so it’s well worth spending time performing regular checkups to determine whether the current recognition program works and what types of recognition resonate with different employees to make necessary adjustments.
- Recognition Automation: Automating employee recognition where appropriate is another fantastic time saver and likely one of the most popular features of this type of software among HR pros. As mentioned above, even automating simple reminders like work or personal anniversaries frees up significant time.
- Peer-to-Peer Engagement: Peer-to-peer recognition is arguably the most important employee recognition type. Employees should have a say in the rewards and recognition that motivate them the most. Your employee recognition ROI will be levels higher if you encourage engagement throughout your organization rather than settling for a top-down tool that delivers information in one direction.
- Internal HR Tech Buy-in: Present a clear plan of action for integration, checkups and automation, and peer-to-peer engagement. Your organization’s decision-makers need to be able to easily understand the return on investment of your time and their money. Once that’s established, they’re more likely to give your HR team the freedom to implement these best practices as effectively as possible.
Employee Recognition Software FAQs
What is employee recognition?
Employee recognition is the practice of acknowledging and rewarding employees for their accomplishments, hard work, and day-to-day contributions. This acknowledgment can take various forms, such as verbal praise, written commendations, awards, bonuses, or public recognition, and can be handled significantly easier with employee recognition programs. The primary goal is to reinforce behaviors that align with the company's values and objectives while fostering a positive workplace culture.
What is the difference between employee recognition and employee rewards?
Employee recognition involves acknowledging and appreciating an employee's efforts, which can be highly motivating on its own, even without any physical rewards. In contrast, employee rewards are tangible incentives, such as bonuses or gifts, that signify appreciation for a job well done. However, rewards need recognition to hold value. They are essentially a form of acknowledgment of an employee's achievements.
What is employee recognition software?
Employee recognition software is a digital tool designed to help organizations implement effective employee recognition programs. This web-based application enables managers and employees to acknowledge achievements and contributions in a structured and meaningful way, fostering a culture of appreciation and boosting overall morale.
What are the benefits of employee recognition software?
The main benefits of employee recognition software include improved employee engagement, time savings through the automation of core tasks, and the collection of actionable data.
How much does employee recognition software cost?
Employee recognition software designed for small businesses often costs around $2.25 to $40 per user per month, while recognition platforms for global enterprises typically charge a few hundred dollars per user monthly and most of the time, require annual billing.
What are some examples of employee recognition?
Employee recognition can take many forms. Some great ideas for employee recognition programs include verbal appreciation words, Employee of the Month programs, leaderboards to acknowledge remote employees, and informal recognition such as providing a paid meal.
What is the best employee recognition software for small companies?
Some of the best employee recognition programs for small companies include Nectar, Guusto, Motivosity, Matter, Bonusly, and Mo. For more information, check out our detailed reviews of these tools here.
Is there any free employee recognition software?
Yes, though not common, there are a few free employee recognition tools out there. For example, Motivosity offers free trials for all its paid plans, both Connecteam and Bonusly provide a free 14-day trial, while Guusto and Matter have basic editions that are free forever.
You May Also Like: 22 Free Employee Recognition Ideas That Actually Work
Bonus Tips on Making The Most of Your Employee Recognition Software
Top employee recognition software can significantly improve your company’s bottom line. Nevertheless, without proper planning, it may backfire, even with the best intentions. We have all seen instances where an award felt more like a popularity contest than a recognition of true merit, and we want to avoid that. Recognition that does not align with the organization’s core values or mission wouldn’t do us any good, either.
When rolling out your reward and recognition program, it is, thus, of utmost importance to communicate the financial and cultural return these programs can provide. It’s also crucial to establish a clear protocol for the types of recognition and rewards associated with specific behaviors. Ultimately, every employee deserves recognition that genuinely uplifts and motivates them.
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