The 20 Best Employee Engagement Software Tools of 2025
A thorough review and comparison of top employee engagement software vendors, their pricing, product enhancements, and more. Read on to get all the juicy details.
Employee engagement software helps organizations collect employee feedback, monitor engagement metrics, and take targeted actions to enhance workplace satisfaction, retention, and overall performance. This tool typically includes surveys, real-time analytics, and communication features to drive continuous improvement in employee experience.
We demoed over 80 vendors in the past five years and put them through our rigorous tests to find those that truly deliver. Whether you’re looking to build an engagement program from scratch or seeking to upgrade your current tools, this guide helps you compare top employee engagement solutions tailored to different needs, team sizes, and budgets.
Since 2021, we’ve conducted dozens of software demos and real-world testing, evaluating each engagement software on three factors: ease and anonymity of use, reporting and analytics, and automation.
- Ease and anonymity of use: The best employee engagement platforms make it easy for employees to take surveys and share their feedback regularly from different devices. Tools that integrate with Slack, MS Teams, and email scored particularly high in our selection process. We’ve also spent extra time looking for tools with anonymity settings, which ensure you’re getting the most honest and actionable feedback from your employees.
- Reporting and analytics: The most effective employee engagement software allows you to track engagement metrics, identify trends, and gain insights into employee sentiment. Reports can be generated to measure progress, spot areas of concern, and inform decision-making.
- Automation: We only select employee engagement tools that support a scheduled cadence for collecting employee feedback and seamless automation processes that disseminate that information to HR teams and execs through email and/or dashboards.
And we simply reassess them from time to time. Usually every quarter, our tech editors run the software demos and technique assessments again to evaluate how well our picks are performing, whether any vendors no longer make sense or new ones might be worth considering, and if any information and data need refreshing.
To further ensure we select the most effective employee engagement software, we leverage a blend of insights from product demonstrations, candid user feedback, the expertise of industry leaders, and the extensive experience of our in-house team. We are proud to have invited significant voices in the field:
- Mallory Herrin: As the CEO and Principal HR Consultant of HerrinHR, Mallory brings over 18 years of HR expertise and holds dual certifications from HRCI and SHRM. Renowned as a thought leader, she consistently contributes innovative ideas that shape the industry.
- Tracie Marie: A passionate partner and leader, Tracie is dedicated to delivering outstanding experiences and results. With nearly 30 years of extensive HR experience across various sectors, including start-ups and corporate giants, she possesses deep knowledge in Talent Acquisition and Communications, making her insights invaluable.
- Christina Moran: A licensed Industrial/Organizational Psychologist, Dr. Moran is part of the leadership team at ThenDesign Architecture. Known for her energy and strategic mindset, she has a proven track record in enhancing people leadership, streamlining business operations, and driving organizational effectiveness, along with expertise in marketing and international account management.
We also want to extend our thanks to the HR professionals who took the time to share their candid experiences with the tools featured in this guide. Special thanks to Balana Bell M.S., Retail Operations Manager at Ulta Beauty, Connor Peterson, Sr. Associate of Technology Modernization at Grant Thornton (US), Amir Hussain, Manager of Talent Acquisition at ACL Digital, Janice Paulsen, Senior People Partner at Competitive Capabilities International, Eliza Gabriël, People Expert at Power-Team.be, Laurie Brewer, CEO of Glow Up Consulting, Mhyrynde N., People, Culture, and Planet Champion at Mellanni, Jake Harter, Sr. Consultant, Talent Management at Bellevue Partners, and others who contributed insights, even if we can’t mention everyone by name here.
This multi-faceted evaluation process prioritizes what we believe is best for our readers. For an in-depth look at how we do that, read this article about our editorial standards.
Lattice
Throughout our tech tests, the platform stood out as a flexible employee engagement platform that had a good balance between robust survey design and actionable analytics. The recent addition of an AI-driven action planning tool is also a nice touch, making it a strong option for companies serious about turning employee feedback into meaningful change.
PROS
- Fully customizable engagement surveys with skip logic and tailored anonymity settings.
- Extensive question banks validated with academic and real-world data.
- Advanced anonymity protection options, including group-level threshold enforcement.
- AI-powered comment summarization and key driver analysis (requires eNPS).
- Historical data uploads allow continuity with past engagement tools.
- Rich segmentation and filtering, including custom fields like tenure or parental status.
- Strong post-survey workflows with built-in action plan tracking and pulse survey follow-ups.
- Lattice allows managers to record their 1:1 meetings with employees in real time. That way, both parties can go back later and revisit what was discussed during the meeting – as well as make sure nothing gets lost in translation!
- The platform has a host of tools supporting employee development and performance-based compensation setting, which isn’t common for the average performance management product.
- Review templates and survey questions are among several things that can be customized to ensure you’re getting relevant data.
CONS
- No free trial, and the minimum annual spend is $4,000.
- Survey end dates must be closed manually by admins.
- Mobile apps haven’t been updated since Q1 2024 and lack functionality for admins
- Reporting exports (e.g., PPT) are limited to agree/disagree questions only.
- Custom reports sometimes require external manipulation for large datasets.
- Starting at $11 per person per month, Lattice’s pricing is on the expensive side compared to competitors.
- The platform is feature-rich, which is great but also means that it takes some time for the average user to get acclimated with it.
- The available selection of third-party integrations is rather limited, with a few users complaining that their HRIS isn’t covered. That said, Lattice does have an open API that allows users to plug-in other third party tools.
Lattice’s engagement suite lets you build everything from onboarding to engagement to exit surveys using their validated templates or your own fully customized question sets.
You can tweak anonymity settings, apply skip logic, and automate recurring surveys, making Lattice a versatile tool for HR teams ready to get serious about feedback. If you’ve used platforms like Leapsome or Culture Amp, you’ll find Lattice offers similar survey-building control, but with added options for importing historical survey data and configuring group-level anonymity thresholds.
One nice feature is Lattice’s analytics engine. With this feature, you can filter data by tenure, location, department, or custom fields, such as manager or parental status. The heatmap view helps you visualize engagement trends across the org, while the AI Insights tool summarizes open-text feedback into common themes (think sentiment scores around “leadership,” “growth,” or “workload.”) It’s a feature we’ve seen work well in ThriveSparrow and Leapsome, but in Lattice’s case, you’ll need to have eNPS enabled to unlock the complete driver analysis.
Where Lattice lags is the user experience. The HR admin app is surprisingly limited, with key tasks like managing surveys or reviewing dashboards still desktop-only. Compared to mobile-first tools we’ve evaluated like Connecteam or Mo, Lattice feels somewhat dated in this regard.
We also noticed that survey exports to PowerPoint are restricted to agree/disagree formats only, which may frustrate teams that rely on more complex reporting. And unlike Motivosity or Workleap, there’s no self-serve free trial, meaning you’ll need to book a demo to get started.
Although we appreciate that the action plan tool helps turn insights into accountability by assigning follow-ups and pulse check-ins, some managers we surveyed find the UI clunky when toggling between survey data, goals, and performance reviews. For example, a few have requested a side-by-side comparison view for self versus manager feedback—something other platforms, such as Leapsome, already include.
5,000+ companies, including Olo, Strike Graph, Cutover, and Sendle.
Lattice’s Engagement module is available as an add-on for $4 per user per month, billed annually. It requires the core Talent Management suite ($11 per user per month), totaling $15 monthly. There are no setup fees, but a $4,000 annual contract minimum applies.
Best For
Mid-sized to enterprise organizations (75+ employees) seeking a unified and scalable solution for surveys, performance, growth, compensation, and HRIS.
As a people manager, I used the 1-1 tracker for my direct reports and encouraged other managers to use it as well. It was helpful because you could have a shared agenda and track action items. We used it for the annual employee engagement survey.
We also used it for goal setting and analytics. The praise feature was another component we used regularly, and employees engaged with it often.
The 1-1 tracker was useful so employees and managers could easily continue from previous discussions. The user interface was very aesthetically pleasing and didn’t resemble a typical HR data system. The praise feature was also effective; we used it to highlight contributions and nominate employees for monthly awards.
We bought it for performance reviews initially. We used it for approximately three years, and I personally used it for 1.5 years. At the time, we did not have a system in place for performance reviews. It also included the 1-1 tracker, which many managers liked. Another benefit was the OKR and goals tracker, which we previously did not have consolidated.
The biggest issue we faced was that it did not meet our company’s GDPR compliance standards for employees in EMEA. As a result, we could not include all EMEA employees and had to manually duplicate efforts.
The calendar for 1-1s was somewhat glitchy and didn’t always sync properly with Outlook. We also had to manually add and remove users, which was administratively burdensome.
The interface is much more user-friendly. It focuses more on feedback and people than on data, unlike many other tools.
Check for compliance with global regulations. Make sure it can integrate with your HRIS. Consider which modules you will actually use.
Lattice has added more modules and an HRIS. They have also expanded features related to AI. Their Grow module has continued to develop.
Lattice is a good fit for smaller companies for some modules. For larger companies, it would only be effective with leadership buy-in, as many features may otherwise go unused.
Lattice may not be a good fit for large enterprise companies that require extensive system integrations. The HRIS is only available in the US, so the tool still feels more US-centric than truly global.
Motivosity
Motivosity’s product is changing every time we see it! We like that their employee Net Promoter Score survey (eNPS) goes out on the cadence you choose, and their feature-rich tools combine community, recognition, and rewards, and employee engagement insights.
PROS
- Easy to use for both employees and managers.
- Employees can access this system from their phones, desktops, and apps they use at work, such as Teams/Slack.
- Free implementation support is included in all plans.
- Premium support: Help desk, help site, community site, training videos, quarterly QBRs with a dedicated Customer Success rep (for large customers) in every product.
- The average administrator spends 43 minutes per month in this system.
- Robust analytics to measure the impact of their platform, as well as measure employee sentiment
- eNPS surveys, template surveys, plus build your own surveys.
- 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
- Only has dollar (not points) based rewards. Their research shows that dollars are more effective, but many companies want points.
- Doesn’t allow for as many rules regarding who can give what dollars to whom (for example, a team member could theoretically give 100% of their rewards to a friend each month).
- 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 product’s philosophy is that engagement and recognition should come from the bottom up, not from the top down, which explains why the software is designed to be simple for employees to access via their mobile devices, Slack/Teams, and also easy to use with an interface that looks like a social platform vs. enterprise software.
Motivosity’s solution is based on three pillars: Building Community, Employee Recognition, and Manager Relationships. The platform enables employees to interact with their entire team via a Facebook-like social feed and recognize and reward peers for a job well done, while managers engage with their team members, see where their employees are going above and beyond, and understand and track employee engagement.
What’s also great about Motivosity is that it’s scalable. Users can upgrade plans and add additional products or team members as they grow.
With Motivosity, all recognition rewards are backed by real incentives: every employee is given a small monthly dollar budget to reward peers. This approach aligns with Motivosity’s own internal research, which suggests that dollar rewards are more meaningful, but it also means that it may not be the best fit for those who prefer points-based systems.
Another trade-off is reward governance. Employees receive a monthly budget to reward others, but the platform lacks controls over who can reward whom or how often. While this open structure promotes trust, it also invites “reward cliques” unless companies put internal policies in place.
Instructure, University of Michigan, WGU, Cotopaxi, HealthEquity, DF Credit Union.
Motivosity costs $4 per person per month for the Recognition & Rewards package and $2 per person per month for the Employee Insights product.
Best For
Movitosity works best for mid-market (75-750 employees) companies prioritizing culture, peer feedback, and fast implementation—not rigid reward systems or enterprise-grade surveys.
Motivosity was primarily used for its core strength: employee engagement. It became part of my day-to-day activities related to employee-focused initiatives and was especially relevant in departments like sales, account management, and customer service.
Since I was involved in the implementation and used the platform for only about three months, I wasn’t able to explore many of its advanced features. Nonetheless, it played a role in supporting engagement strategies and cultural initiatives during that time.
- Motivosity has an easy-to-use interface with a minimal learning curve.
- Its employee rewards features generally meet the needs of small to medium-sized businesses.
- The platform is excellent for building a more connected culture, especially across multiple work sites.
I used Motivosity in a previous organization, though only for a short period. Before that, we were primarily relying on a manual approach for employee rewards and needed a better system to streamline and scale our efforts.
For a small enterprise, Motivosity is an effective tool for fostering connectivity, and it provides clear benefits for companies aiming to prioritize employee rewards, culture, and automated engagement.
Our research focused on balancing cost and features, and we evaluated alternatives like Awardco and Kudoboard. Being a Utah-based company, the organization also leaned toward choosing a vendor located in Utah.
- Enterprise platforms like Workday often include built-in functionality that covers a majority of what Motivosity offers.
- Beyond its basic features, adopting more advanced functionalities can be confusing.
- The reporting tools feel clunky and are not very intuitive to manage.
Motivosity stands out for small to medium-sized businesses that don’t already have an integrated tool for rewards, connectivity, and culture. It delivers these features on a smaller budget compared to more comprehensive platforms. Having used both, I would choose Motivosity for a smaller organization with multiple locations looking for a straightforward solution to support employee engagement.
- Cost vs. Value: Determine how much you're willing to invest and which features are essential.
- Feature Prioritization: Consider how important tools like gamified “Motivosity Bucks” are to your organization.
- ROI Potential: Evaluate whether your business, especially in roles like sales or account management, would benefit from increased motivation and productivity driven by a tool like this.
Unfortunately, I can’t speak to this, as my experience with the platform was limited.
It’s well-suited for sales teams or any role that benefits from a structured system for recognition and motivation. It’s also a strong option for companies beginning to develop their employee engagement programs.
Motivosity may not be a good fit for large or complex organizations that require advanced, horizontally integrated systems. These companies often need custom solutions that go beyond what Motivosity offers. Alternatively, such organizations could pair Motivosity with other tools to fill those gaps.
Bonusly
Bonusly offers a modern, accessible solution for turning employee engagement into an everyday habit. It offers employees points, GIFs, and shoutouts in a company-wide feed to recognize peers. Managers benefit from recognition activity as a signal of what’s working across teams, making it easier to celebrate wins, reinforce values, and keep employees engaged.
PROS
- Modern, easy-to-use UI that’s available in multiple languages.
- Employees can recognize one another with GIFs, points, and more.
- Its social-media-style spreads recognition across teams/departments.
- 1,200+ gift card options in 200+ countries, plus donations and prepaid cards.
- There’s a 14-day free trial you can use to test the waters.
- 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
- All plans are billed annually.
- The rewards catalog lacks experiential options and is focused on gift cards instead.
- Employees outside the U.S. have reward caps and fewer options.
- Some users report bugs with user imports, redemptions, or platform downtime.
- Analytics and reporting features are relatively underdeveloped.
- The reward catalog lacks in-person experiences and physical goods.
- All our plans are billed annually, and the vendor no longer discloses their pricing.
Bonusly remains a top pick for organizations serious about building everyday employee engagement through peer recognition. We revisited the platform recently and found a well-rounded tool that blends fun, flexibility, and automation to boost morale, promote visibility, and make appreciation part of the employee experience.
At its core, Bonusly turns recognition into a habit. Employees award points to coworkers using emojis, hashtags, and shoutouts, which show up in a company-wide feed. That feed, visible across teams, creates a daily rhythm of public praise that supports culture and engagement beyond annual reviews or manager check-ins.
Redeeming those points is easy, too. Bonusly offers over 1,200 gift cards in more than 200 countries, plus options to donate to nonprofits, redeem via PayPal or prepaid Visa, or cash in for company swag through AXOMO. You can even add custom experiences like “Lunch with the CEO” or “extra PTO” under the HR admin user.
Recent updates make Bonusly even more employee engagement-friendly. The Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations now support instant recognition with one-click messages, previews, and real-time feedback loops. Admins gained more control over recognition budgets and content moderation, down to restricting certain emojis or hashtags. We also appreciated the improved support for provisioning and the growing list of integrations with platforms like Paylocity, Rippling, and Workday.
For hybrid and global teams, Bonusly has made strides in accessibility. The mobile experience now supports dark mode, and screen reader compatibility has improved. Still, some global users report a more limited reward catalog and stricter redemption thresholds outside the U.S.
We’d also like to see Bonusly push its analytics capabilities further. While you can monitor high-level engagement trends, deeper reporting feels somewhat basic compared to platforms with advanced engagement dashboards.
Among Bonusly’s 3000+ customers are Hulu, InVision, SurveyMonkey, Headspace, and more.
Bonusly provides three annual subscription tiers:
- Appreciate: Focuses on manager-led recognition and celebrating milestones.
- Connect: Builds upon Appreciate by adding peer-to-peer recognition and people analytics.
- Achieve: Includes AI-generated insights, real-time feedback, and goal tracking.
Pricing information is not publicly available. Interested teams can request a demo or begin a 14-day free trial.
Best For
Bonusly is best for mid-sized to large companies that want to boost employee engagement with peer recognition, real-time visibility, and flexible global rewards.
We use Bonusly through the desktop and mobile version, and the team uses it on average about once a week. The team can use Bonusly to recognize their teammates for great work, or for their alignment with our core values. We also use it to give larger quarterly recognitions for client compliments or large wins.
It has an easy to use interface. It is easy to set up team members on it. It can be customized to align with our core values.
We were looking to integrate recognition into our workflows. We wanted it to be distributed across the organization, so it wasn't leadership only but everyone participated. We also wanted to align recognition with our core values. We've been using Bonusly for just over a year, and it has helped our team pause each month and recognize people for their efforts.
While Bonusly offers several beneficial features, there are areas that could be improved to enhance user experience and functionality. One of the drawbacks is the clunky and challenging nature of the Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) process, particularly when using it on mobile devices. Simplifying and streamlining the 2FA procedure would make it more user-friendly and accessible. Another area of concern is the Signals feature, which falls short when it comes to conducting employee surveys. The limited scale options of 1-5 restrict the ability to capture nuanced feedback, as some questions may require a more extensive rating scale. Providing customizable scales would allow for greater flexibility in survey design. Moreover, the lack of customization options for survey questions itself is a drawback. Enabling users to personalize and tailor questions to their specific needs and objectives would enhance the effectiveness of data collection. Lastly, improving the process of extracting and integrating survey results into analysis systems would facilitate data analysis and reporting. By addressing these cons and implementing the suggested improvements, Bonusly could offer a more seamless and customizable experience, enhancing its usability and value as an employee engagement tool.
One of Bonusly’s key strengths is the ability to customize company awards and rewards, allowing organizations to tailor recognition programs to their specific needs and culture. This flexibility ensures that employees feel appreciated in meaningful and personalized ways. Additionally, Bonusly has a user-friendly mobile interface, enabling seamless access and participation on the go. This makes recognition accessible anytime, anywhere. Another standout feature is its integration with Google Chat, which streamlines use within our team’s workflow. When searching for an employee engagement software, these qualities—customization, mobile interface, and integration—should be top considerations, and Bonusly excels in all these areas, making it an ideal choice for fostering a culture of recognition and appreciation.
It has worked great for our small company
People who are not tech savvy, and I can see it getting expensive for larger companies.
ThriveSparrow
ThriveSparrow stood out as an employee engagement tool with solid AI-driven insights, flexible survey distribution, and strong integration capabilities throughout our tech tests. Its recurring pulse surveys, sentiment analysis, and structured action plans are a big help for HR teams to gather and act on employee feedback efficiently.
PROS
- Highly customizable pulse surveys with pre-built templates and flexible anonymity settings.
- AI-powered sentiment analysis auto-categorizes employee feedback and highlights key concerns.
- Heat map visualization makes it easy to track engagement trends by department, location, or tenure.
- Action Plans help HR teams document, assign, and track engagement initiatives.
- Strong integration options with HRMS platforms and API support.
- Offers deep customization, allowing full control over survey questions, rating scales, and visibility settings.
- AI-powered sentiment analysis categorizes qualitative responses into key themes and presents insights in a visually digestible format.
- Granular data filtering by department, tenure, or location for precise trend analysis.
- Transparent pricing starting at $2 per user per month.
- Strong integration capabilities.
CONS
- Some integrations may incur additional costs.
- On-the-go usability is not yet available for HR users.
- Relatively new to the market so may lack experience compared to more established competitors.
- Some integrations may require an additional cost.
- No dedicated mobile app for admins.
- As a relatively new product, ThriveSparrow may not have the experience of more established vendors.
ThriveSparrow’s employee engagement tool offers a highly customizable, AI-powered approach to gathering and acting on employee feedback.
During testing, we found its survey system particularly well-designed, featuring pre-built templates for engagement, leadership, and culture, along with flexible customization options. Organizations can adjust anonymity settings, select distribution channels (Slack, MS Teams, email, SMS), and automate check-ins on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis—whatever suits them best.
One of our favorite features is its AI-powered sentiment analysis, which processes open-ended responses and categorizes them into key themes like leadership, communication, and workload. In our test, negative feedback on “management style” was automatically flagged, helping us quickly pinpoint leadership concerns. The heat map visualization made it easy to spot trends by department, location, or tenure, a functionality that compares well with platforms like Quantum Workplace, which also offers AI-driven sentiment tracking.
For organizations that struggle to turn feedback into action, the Action Plans feature provides a structured approach to engagement efforts. We tested this by setting up a plan to improve leadership communication, assigning tasks to managers, and setting deadlines. The system tracked action items in an interactive dashboard, making it easy to monitor progress and ensure accountability.
However, ThriveSparrow is relatively new in the market, (founded in February 2020), which may mean they might not have the same level of experience as more established companies such as TerryBerry (1918) or Quantum Workplace (2002).
Another thing we noticed is that ThriveSparrow actually does offer a free trial, but it wasn't immediately clear from their pricing page. We only found it after doing a quick search for “ThriveSparrow free trial” on Google, which led us right to their sign-up form. Also, it's worth mentioning that some integrations might cost extra, depending on your contract, so definitely double-check that before signing up.
Lastly, while employees can easily complete surveys on mobile devices, on-the-go usability is not available for HR users just yet. They still get to rely on a desktop to access the engagement dashboard.
ThriveSparrow's client list includes major companies such as Tropicana, Tesla, and Ikea, though the total number of companies using the software remains undisclosed.
ThriveSparrow's Engage module costs $3 per employee per month, billed annually. It includes automated survey scheduling, multilingual support, AI-driven text insights with sentiment analysis, action plans, and eNPS analytics.
Best For
ThriveSparrow is a strong choice for companies looking for deep employee engagement analytics, flexible survey distribution, and structured action planning.
I use ThriveSparrow to gather feedback from employees, which helps improve our service delivery. Additionally, I integrate the tool with WhatsApp to automate the collection of reviews from employees in different regions we operate in. The tool's chat system also enables real-time feedback collection from clients who visit our pages, enhancing our responsiveness and engagement.
I appreciate the user-friendly interface of ThriveSparrow, which makes navigation straightforward. The pricing is affordable, scaling reasonably with the number of users, which suits our budgetary constraints. Furthermore, I value the tool's ease of integration with other live chat tools, streamlining the collection of reviews directly from chat interactions.
Our organization purchased ThriveSparrow to enhance our feedback collection and review processes, aiming to improve service delivery within our human resources sector. Additionally, it facilitates the collection of client feedback, particularly useful when integrated with employee automation tools. I have been using this tool for over three years, during which it has significantly raised the standards of talent acquisition management at our company.
The customer care team is slow to respond to technical queries via live chat, which can be frustrating. The tool supports very limited payment options, complicating the subscription process. Additionally, some integrations, such as with Intercom, do not function properly, limiting its utility.
ThriveSparrow offers more competitive pricing compared to other tools I have evaluated, making it a cost-effective choice for our needs.
Potential buyers should carefully consider the pricing and the tool's capabilities relative to their specific needs before making a purchase. ThriveSparrow is particularly well-suited for HR departments focused on collecting employee feedback and customer reviews. Assess whether the tool's features align with your organizational requirements to ensure it adds value.
Over time, ThriveSparrow has been enhanced with a faster-loading browser extension, improving ease of use and accessibility. This development demonstrates the company's commitment to evolving in response to user feedback and technological advancements.
This tool is especially beneficial for human resource managers who need to manage and improve internal feedback mechanisms efficiently.
ThriveSparrow is not well-suited for support operators, as it lacks specific functionalities tailored to optimizing support operations.
Leapsome
Leapsome remains one of our top picks due to its AI-enabled manager assistant, centralized feedback workflows, and multilingual support, plus strong guidance for enterprise onboarding.
PROS
- Unified inbox consolidates survey responses, reviews, and feedback for faster action.
- AI-powered assistant helps managers draft reviews and respond to feedback.
- The platform supports 32 languages and offers support in English and German.
- Free 14-day trial available with no credit card required.
- Psychologist-backed survey templates and flexible customization options.
- Advanced segmentation and sentiment analysis reveal actionable insights.
- Leapsome is quite feature-rich; the platform packs modules for employee onboarding, learning management, engagement, performance management, goals tracking and much more.
- The majority of users find Leapsome’s UI to be friendly and easy to navigate.
- There are lots of third party integrations options to choose from, including Slack, which many users appreciate.
- The platform has transparent pricing, and you only pay for the modules you need.
CONS
- Hands-on Customer Success support is limited to customers with $6,000+ annual contracts.
Pricing is not transparent and depends on several factors, including contract length and modules. - No ability to upload images or files in feedback or survey responses.
- Wide feature set means a moderate learning curve and longer implementation timeline.
- No dedicated mobile app for managers or admins.
- There is currently no way to post or upload an image or file into your feedback.
- Since Leapsome can do so many things, you may need some time to get used to it. The implementation process can also take some time.
- There currently isn’t a mobile app that users can download and access Leapsome quickly on-the-go.
- Free 14-day trials are available but you need to book a demo with the sales team first to sign up for one; you can’t do so on your own.
Leapsome has long been known for its rich feature set covering engagement surveys, performance management, learning, and goal tracking. But in our most recent hands-on review, it was the August 2025 product updates, particularly the Unified Inbox and AI-powered Manager Assistant, that really stood out.
The unified inbox brings clarity and efficiency to manager workflows. Instead of switching between modules, all feedback, reviews, and survey responses now arrive in one centralized place. It significantly cut down time-to-action in our testing. Meanwhile, the new AI assistant helped generate quality drafts for review feedback and pulse survey replies, which is a welcome aid for people managers balancing high-volume work.
Beyond the AI and UX improvements, Leapsome still excels at data-driven engagement. Users can segment survey results by team, location, or tenure, then use sentiment analysis to track patterns and performance correlations. Optional anonymous follow-ups help managers understand underlying issues and build psychological safety.
One major differentiator we noted is Leapsome’s multilingual reach. With the platform available in 32 languages and support offered in both English and German, it’s a good fit for global organizations. Their Success Center is filled with how-to guides, videos, and best practices. It’s also available to all users, regardless of contract size.
However, hands-on help from the Customer Success team is only provided to customers on annual contracts of $6,000 or more. For smaller teams, this paywall can feel limiting.
Another point to consider is pricing. While it starts at $7 per user per month, the final cost depends on your company's size, contract length, and selected modules. Special rates are available for startups and NGOs, but you’ll need to speak with the sales team to find out if you qualify. Also, although Leapsome now offers a free 14-day trial with no credit card required, it’s only available after you’ve gone through a demo with sales.
Over 1,500 companies use Leapsome, including Mercedes Benz, Spotify, Trivago, Eventim, and Babbel.
Starts at $7 per user per month with annual billing, varying based on employee count, contract length (minimum 1 year), and modules, with special rates for startups and NGOs. A $6,000+ annual contract is required for Customer Success, and a 14-day free trial is available after a demo without a credit card.
Best For
Mid-sized to large global organizations that want to unify engagement, feedback, and performance under one analytics-driven platform.
The tool has allowed them to create a cohesive performance management system, foster engagement, and support continuous learning and development, which are critical for building a high-performing organization. The client uses it for performance management, 360-degree feedback, employee engagement, pulse surveys, and onboarding of new employees.
The OKR functionality has increased collaboration and transparency, especially for remote teams. They leverage the data analytics and reporting modules for performance tracking, identifying training needs, and monitoring employee engagement and satisfaction. The client also uses Leapsome for employee recognition and rewards to increase retention.
The client appreciated the simple and intuitive interface, making it easy for both employees and managers to navigate. The platform’s design minimizes the learning curve, making it quick to adopt for teams of all sizes, which is a plus for a growing company.
The ability to integrate goal-setting (OKRs), continuous feedback, and performance reviews was highly valued. Another advantage was the ability to create custom review cycles, run 360-degree feedback, and effectively track performance.
Leapsome was purchased to streamline performance management, OKR tracking, and employee engagement. It allowed my client to align team and individual goals with the organization’s objectives through goal-setting frameworks like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). It increased visibility and tracking to ensure that everyone was working toward measurable outcomes.
Leapsome provided customizable performance review cycles, including 360-degree feedback, continuous reviews, and self-assessments, which helped tailor reviews to organizational needs and culture. The ability to engage employees through surveys and gather real-time feedback was also a key selling point. The learning and development tools were valuable, although the client was using an existing tool at the time and had not yet begun leveraging this aspect of the platform.
There are limitations in customization for features like performance review templates and feedback processes, which could benefit from more flexibility. Companies with unique organizational structures or processes may find it challenging to tailor every aspect to their needs.
The learning curve for advanced features, such as custom analytics or deep performance tracking, can be difficult to fully grasp and utilize. The per-user pricing model and modular nature of the platform can become cost-prohibitive as the organization scales, which is interesting since scalability is also a pro, but the cost structure could be more considerate of hyper-growth companies.
Leapsome offers a modular approach, allowing companies to choose and pay only for the features they need, offering flexibility that many competitors lack. While some competitors provide all-in-one solutions that can be less customizable, Leapsome allows companies to avoid paying for unnecessary features.
Unlike many performance management platforms that emphasize periodic reviews, Leapsome strongly encourages a culture of continuous feedback and recognition, making it ideal for companies that prioritize ongoing development.
Competitors like Lattice and 15Five offer feedback options, but Leapsome’s seamless integration of real-time feedback and performance tracking helps embed feedback as a constant part of the employee experience.
Companies should clearly define the must-have versus nice-to-have features and consider how their future growth could impact their needs. Customization options for performance cycles, feedback, and surveys are essential.
Organizations should evaluate their data requirements, such as the need for deep data analysis versus standard performance, goal, and engagement tracking. Ease of use for both users and administrators, including integration with existing tools and the level of skill required for customization, should also be key considerations.
Leapsome initially focused on performance management and employee engagement. Over time, it expanded to include a full suite of tools covering goal setting (OKRs), continuous feedback, learning and development, and detailed reporting and analytics.
Recognizing that different companies have unique processes, Leapsome introduced greater customization options. Users can now tailor performance review cycles, feedback forms, and learning paths to meet their specific organizational needs.
Leapsome is ideal for tech companies and startups that are scaling, especially those with a feedback-rich culture. It’s also well-suited for medium-sized companies looking for scalability, as well as companies focused on learning and development and personal learning tracks for employees.
Leapsome may not be a good fit for budget-constrained small businesses. It is also not ideal for companies that are not interested in creating a culture of continuous feedback, or for highly hierarchical, traditional companies like those in banking. Industries with minimal need for data-driven HR decisions may not benefit from the platform’s extensive capabilities.
Connecteam
Connecteam’s platform is mobile-first, user-friendly, and packed with tools to drive engagement, including surveys, polls, rewards, recognition, chat, news feed, skills development courses, and much more.
PROS
- Connecteam’s platform is user-friendly and mobile-first, designed with deskless workers in mind.
- The platform covers a wide range of features for team management, communication, training, and engagement.
- The pricing of all modules is transparent, with free plans for small businesses.
- There’s a 14-day free trial you can sign up for, no credit card is needed.
- 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
- May require a learning curve due to extensive features.
- Some essential features are locked behind the higher pricing tiers.
- Surveys are part of the communication hub; rewards, recognition, and training are in the HR & skills hub. Full use of all modules may require subscriptions to both hubs.
- 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 offers a comprehensive suite of employee-centric tools that cover communication, training, recognition, and operations in a mobile-friendly format, designed for deskless teams. After trialing the platform, we found a lot to like, especially for organizations looking to connect and engage employees on the go.
Let’s start with the Communication Hub. The surveys and live polls functionality allows you to quickly collect input from your team, whether it’s feedback on a new policy or pulse-checking morale. The Updates module is another strong point. It provides managers with a streamlined way to share company news, best practices, or shout-outs, ensuring frontline staff stay informed in real-time.
Another thing that excited us about Connecteam is its commitment to recognition, which is not often seen in deskless workforce platforms. Managers can use built-in tools to highlight top performers, celebrate birthdays and work anniversaries, and issue digital rewards and shout-outs. This helps reinforce positive behavior and foster a culture of appreciation even in highly distributed workforces.
Connecteam also supports professional growth with features that span the employee lifecycle, from digital onboarding to mobile-first training courses. Employees can complete skill modules from their phones, access SOPs, and keep up with certifications through a centralized knowledge hub. This all-in-one approach helps boost productivity and engagement while reducing administrative burden.
Beyond engagement, this vendor also offers task and shift scheduling tools for day-to-day ops. Managers can assign work based on availability, approve time-off requests, and promote team events to build camaraderie. Consulting some HR professionals who have been using these features, one trend we noticed was that Connecteam is quite popular among teams working in retail, logistics, hospitality, and other mobile-first industries.
One anticipated drawback of this employee engagement platform, however, is that it can take time to fully get the hang of it due to its breadth of features. Connecteam is divided into multiple hubs (Communication, HR & Skills, Operations), allowing it to accommodate different scales. However, that also means that if you opt for just surveys, training, and recognition, you may end up paying more than one hub subscription with a few features unnecessarily plugged in.
Connecteam is used by 36,000+ businesses, including Subway, Hilton, and Volvo.
Connecteam offers three hubs: Operations, Communications, and HR & Skills. Each hub has various plans from $29 to $99 per month for 30 users, and a free plan for under 10 users.
Best For
Connecteam’s employee engagement tool is best for companies with mobile or deskless workforces looking to centralize communication, training, and engagement in a single platform.
Connecteam is a user-friendly software for managing employees, facilitating communication, and enhancing collaboration. It is especially valuable for businesses with many non-desk employees. Connecteam helped us streamline communication, improve daily operations, and develop professional skills. It allowed us to schedule shifts, monitor employee work hours, and send automated reminders. The software was accessible on both desktop and mobile platforms, allowing us to use it anytime, anywhere.
- One standout feature of Connecteam is its user-friendly design, offering various options to customize team collaboration.
- Users can easily upload their own documents and files from any device, making resource sharing simple.
- The intuitive interface allows you to manage your team from a single dashboard, where you can view the status of tasks at a glance, reducing miscommunication and boosting productivity.
- Tasks can be assigned directly from the dashboard, eliminating the need for additional communication methods.
I used Connecteam for three months while on contract with my previous employer. As of late 2024, I believe they are still using the platform. We chose Connecteam because it is a comprehensive employee app designed to streamline communication, optimize daily operations, and boost professional skills. It allowed us to schedule shifts, monitor employee work hours, and send automated reminders, all within a single platform.
- While Connecteam offers a flexible pricing structure, some users find frequent upgrade prompts frustrating.
- For smaller teams with fewer than 30 members, the pricing can be relatively high, which might discourage some users.
- The costs can add up depending on the desired features and team size, so businesses should carefully assess their needs and budget before committing to the platform.
Connecteam stands out for its ease of use, featuring an intuitive and user-friendly interface. The layout is clean, with clearly labeled tabs for each function, making navigation straightforward.
For example, team members can easily create individual profiles with personal information, promoting better collaboration and engagement within the organization. The app’s simplicity ensures that even users with limited technical skills can navigate it effectively, fostering team integration and productivity.
Connecteam offers a flexible pricing structure compared to other employee scheduling tools. The software includes three distinct hubs, each offering five unique plans: Free, Basic, Advanced, Expert, and Enterprise.
Pricing is fixed for the first 30 users, making it affordable for small teams, but as your team grows, additional charges apply. This tiered structure allows businesses to choose a plan that fits their needs while accommodating future growth.
Connecteam has evolved by empowering managers to automate business processes, allowing them to focus on growth strategies while helping employees enhance productivity, professionalism, and job satisfaction. By streamlining tasks and reducing administrative burdens, the platform creates a more engaged and efficient work environment, ultimately driving better results for the organization.
Connecteam is ideal for teams of 30-50 employees, especially those with non-desk workers who need streamlined communication and scheduling tools.
Connecteam may not be suitable for teams that frequently change personnel or those that constantly restructure their workflow, as it might be challenging to manage frequent adjustments.
Workleap
Workleap is a thoughtful, feedback-first platform that supports people managers in building trust, surfacing concerns, and celebrating wins. While not the most fully featured tool for recognition or goal tracking, it’s an excellent choice for organizations looking to elevate engagement through better conversations, smarter feedback loops, and ongoing team development.
PROS
- Feedback is truly anonymous, requiring a minimum of 5 responses before managers can access it.
- Built-in peer recognition empowers employees to acknowledge and praise colleagues for excellent work.
- Native surveys cover a wide range of topics.
- The 14-day free trial allows users to try all Workleap features without requiring a credit card.
- Workleap AI is free to access across plans and products.
- Workleap is easy to use and has a free plan that a team of up to 10 users can use.
- To ensure that feedback is truely anonymous, without the manager, or anyone with higher access being able guess who submitted what response, a minimum of 5 responses need to be sent in before the survey manager is able to access the anonymous feedback.
- The platform has a feature for peer-to-peer recognition, giving your employees the ability to praise one another for outstanding work.
CONS
- Personalized onboarding is available for 100+ users. A dedicated success manager is available for 500+ users.
- Resetting or adjusting OKRs has some limitations, some users noted.
- Good Vibe allows private peer-to-peer recognition, visible only to recipients, senders, and managers. Public praise is not an option.
- Some users found the 1-on-1 templates and scheduling clunky.
- Some users have reported that Slack integration sometimes malfunctions.
- Workleap does not include a complete performance management solution among their offerings. They have an OKR tool that lets you set goals but there isn’t a mechanism in place to track thos
- e goals or conduct performance reviews.
- There currently isn’t a mobile app that managers and employees can use on the go.
Workleap (formerly Officevibe) is a cloud-based platform built to help managers drive engagement, growth, and team connection. We’ve tested its engagement features firsthand and figured this platform would offer an excellent solution to surface honest employee sentiment and guide managers toward meaningful action.
The pulse surveys and anonymous feedback tools are Workleap’s core strengths. Managers can schedule recurring check-ins to assess team morale, and the platform provides suggested talking points, analytics, and coaching tips based on real-time feedback. For client-based organizations, we liked that you can compare engagement across different accounts or departments through Workleap’s team and agency-level reporting dashboards.
More recently, Workleap has introduced tools to strengthen employee recognition. Its Good Vibes feature lets team members send appreciation e-cards to one another, while managers gain insight into recognition trends, such as who is consistently being celebrated and what types of contributions are driving praise. One limitation here, though, is that recognition is private by default, visible only to the sender, recipient, and team manager. There’s no option (yet) to showcase recognition company-wide, which could limit its cultural impact.
Workleap also includes manager tools for hosting 1-on-1s and tracking OKRs, but we found these features less polished than others. Some verified users told us they found the 1-on-1 scheduling clunky and noted that resetting OKRs mid-cycle can be unintuitive.
Another caveat to keep in mind is that personalized onboarding is only available for teams with 100 or more users, and a dedicated success manager is included with 500 or more seats. So while Workleap scales well for larger teams, smaller organizations may need to self-navigate the setup and onboarding process.
WeTransfer, Dyson, Bose, PayScale, and Trivago are some of their 20,000 Workleap customers.
Workleap Engagement is now priced at $5 per user per month, billed annually, with no minimum headcount requirement. A free trial is also available. This replaces the old Essential and Pro plan structure we covered in our last review.
Best For
Workleap’s employee engagement solution is best suited for medium- to large-sized, service-based companies needing team- and client-level engagement reporting.
I use Workleap several days a week. I am the admin of the tool for our organization, so I am the one who manages teams and adds new employees to the program. We use the tool to report on each manager's team, as well as on department ratings, and all-company ratings. We also use the tool to send out any company-wide surveys, including our yearly Employee Engagement survey. Team members engage regularly with Good Vibes recognition.
- It allows you to build as many teams as you would like.
- It is clear on its anonymity policy so that team members feel comfortable sharing honest feedback.
- It allows you to conduct custom surveys on any topic.
We bought this tool for our organization because we take employee feedback very seriously. We have been using the tool for 3 years. I have been using it as a regular employee for 2 years and as an HR professional (admin of the tool) for 1 year. It allows you to get regular feedback (at whatever frequency you prefer) and allows you to put team members into teams so that managers can get team-specific feedback. It also allows you to give "Good Vibes" so that any team member can provide recognition to their peers.
- It does not have a Performance Management feature, which other similar tools do. For the price point, I would expect more features.
- It does not have industry benchmark data for specific questions, which is something our ELT was hoping to see.
- It currently does not integrate with our HRIS, which I mostly fault to the HRIS but it means I have to manually add all of our members and put them on teams.
I have not personally used comparable tools but I have done demos with others. I think this tool is very clear (more so than competitors) on its anonymity policy which is very important to our employees. I also think Good Vibes is a fairly unique feature that our team heavily uses and appreciates.
People should consider what features they need the tool to have. This tool does not have performance management, which is something that many similar tools do. They should also consider pricepoint. Workleap is a high price point for the limited number of features. Overall, I think it is a great tool, just hard to justify the price considering it is lacking a crucial feature (performance management) that we will need soon.
Workleap has launched new features throughout our time using it and I know it is currently working on others. Good Vibes was a feature that was added due to requests, and it has been a great addition to the tool. It also has an amazing Customer Support system, where you can answer your own questions or if you can't, they are very prompt at responding.
It is very good for large organizations that want specific team feedback. It is also good for teams that have a large budget for employee engagement metrics.
It is probably not a good fit for a small company or a start-up due to its price point. However, I do think any company could benefit from the tool.
Mo
Mo drives morale and engagement through its easy-to-understand rewards system, peer nominations, and an AI Assistant that ensures appreciation never falls through the cracks.
PROS
- User-friendly UI with a wide range of vouchers available.
- System auto-nudges employees to recognize achievements if recognition is overdue.
- Reasonable pricing with no rewards fees.
- Free onboarding and implementation support.
- Users can access the platform in 12 languages.
- Android and iOS mobile apps are available for on-the-go access.
- 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
- Base plan does not offer HRIS integration. Additional implementation fees may apply for Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations.
- The availability of customer support is limited to weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM GMT.
- There aren’t free trials or free plans that you can sign up for at this time.
- 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’s platform takes on employee engagement through meaningful rewards and recognition. At its core, you’ll find Moments and Boosts - which are simple yet effective features engineered to fuel morale. Managers can easily create Moments to praise team or individual accomplishments, pairing the shout-outs with gift cards or custom rewards. Boosts, on the other hand, are automations that ensure day-to-day kudos are never forgotten.
We appreciate Mo’s attention to different preferences through its varied and customizable reward options. We also like how straightforward their rewards program is; if a user puts in $5 to recognize someone, the recipient gets $5 to redeem. Having a clear dollar value to rewards is great for a few reasons: it’s simpler for users to understand (as opposed to confusing point-based systems), and it also makes budget tracking infinitely easier.
Mo also promotes inclusiveness in its peer-to-peer nomination features, which give employees the ability to actively recognize one another. This not only makes employees feel more empowered but also contributes to a positive and supportive company culture.
To complement its core offering, Mo recently introduced its AI-powered Assistant tool, which provides customized recommendations on actions leaders can take to boost engagement further. For example, it will automatically remind managers of upcoming employee milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries. Or if someone hasn’t given praise to a deserving co-worker in a while, the Assistant will gently prompt them to send some appreciation.
However, we were disappointed to learn that Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations may require additional implementation fees. HRIS integration isn’t included in the base plan either, which could be a blocker for teams looking to sync data automatically.
Customer support also comes with caveats: it’s only available during UK business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. GMT, weekdays only). Take note, North American-based users, because that’s going to be a considerable gap for you guys, especially those who may need help outside of those windows.
Finally, Mo doesn’t currently offer a free plan or trial. That means you’ll need to commit before getting hands-on with the product—something to keep in mind if you’re comparing multiple tools.
Mo counts over 58,000 users using its platform, including SGN, The O2, NHS, Aspen, William Hill, and SHL.
Mo’s pricing starts at $2.25 per user per month. More specifically, the employee engagement tool offers 3 plans: Appreciate at $2.25/user/month for basic recognition, Engage at $4.5/user/month adding awards and advanced reporting, and Transform with custom pricing for large companies including full features, program design, and premium support.
Best For
Mo is suitable for companies of all sizes looking to drive employee engagement through rewards and recognition.
Matter
Matter is unique in that its engagement tool works right inside Slack and Teams. For a plugin-type tool, it’s notable that it enables companies to automatically reward survey completions with coins, which employees can later redeem for gift cards, donations, and numerous other rewards.
PROS
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
If you’re eyeing a solution that effectively engages employees within Teams or Slack, you wouldn’t want to miss out on Matter. With this tool, you can deliver your Pulse Surveys right within Slack or Teams so your employees can finish them within either of these communications platforms—no need to log in to or learn a separate app.
But that’s only part of the reasons we love this employee engagement tool. Another reason is its unique approach to encouraging survey participation. Matter is the first solution we've found that rewards completed surveys with "Matter coins," which can be redeemed for gift cards, donations, or custom company rewards. We can imagine a notable difference in how team members engage with surveys with this feature contribution.
Another big plus we found was how it handled feedback and updates. We could choose who to give anonymous feedback right away, and there's a weekly digest of company stats shared privately through Slack or Teams, which is a great way to stay connected and informed.
Matter’s Pulse Surveys provides a library of 100 questions across multiple engagement categories; however, we're hoping for a bit more flexibility here. As of now, there’s no way to edit the questions. You’ll have to stick with what the system has built out instead.
Also, a word of caution for those considering the free plan of this engagement tool: the plan barely touches the survey element and focuses mostly on recognition. It also limits historical analytics data to only 30 days. To access Matter’s pulse surveys, you'll need to upgrade to the highest-priced plan.
4,700+ organizations, including SIEMENS, Microsoft, and Sephora.
Matter pricing ranges from $0 to $5 monthly, with a 30-day free trial (no credit card required).
Best For
Matter’s employee engagement software is best for SMBs seeking a solution to engage employees within Teams or Slack.
C.A. Short Company
C.A. Short Company does not include traditional employee engagement features such as pulse surveys or sentiment analysis, but its recognition workflows are robust, and its fulfillment services offer an excellent level of customization to help companies foster morale and appreciation across distributed teams.
PROS
- Comprehensive recognition features, including peer-to-peer points, e-cards, and on-the-spot recognition.
- Custom reward fulfillment, with in-house kitting and international shipping for branded employee gifts.
- Dedicated account managers, implementation support, and executive sponsorship for every client.
- Automated recognition campaigns for anniversaries, birthdays, and key milestones.
- 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
- No employee survey functionality or direct employee feedback mechanisms.
- Reporting and analytics rely on external Power BI dashboards rather than built-in real-time insights.
- Interface feels dated compared to modern competitors like Nectar or Guusto.
- 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.
CA Short is better described as a recognition and rewards solution rather than a true employee engagement platform by modern standards. While recognition is a key pillar of engagement, the system does not collect or analyze employee feedback via surveys. That said, it excels in what it does offer: formal, informal, and day-to-day recognition.
As a manager user, we could send personalized e-cards (with or without points), and employees could then redeem points for rewards ranging from branded company merchandise to event tickets. The platform’s on-the-spot recognition cards add a tangible, face-to-face element, while automated campaigns ensure timely acknowledgment of milestones, such as work anniversaries or onboarding.
We particularly liked the custom kitting and fulfillment services, which are not offered by all. For example, onboarding packages or milestone gifts can be curated, branded, and shipped internationally with no added customs hassle.
The company’s “white glove” approach also deserves a shout-out. Every client gets a dedicated account manager, customer service rep, and even an executive sponsor to ensure the program is built for long-term success. Rather than just handing over software, this vendor partners with clients to design recognition strategies that fit their culture. For organizations that want more than a self-service tool, this level of support is hard to beat.
As much as we appreciate C.A. Short, we can’t escape the fact that it lacks employee survey features, sentiment analysis, or anonymous feedback collection, all of which are now standard in many engagement platforms. Consequently, the platform can’t offer the same insights into employee sentiment or workplace trends that pulse surveys and analytics do, so teams looking to measure engagement holistically would need to pair it with another tool. Further, while C.A. Short enables admin users to create and download custom reports, it currently doesn’t house these analytics natively but requires integration with Power BI.
Compared to modern competitors like Nectar or Guusto, we also felt that C.A. Short’s interface could use an update. The good news is, UI enhancements are already on the vendor’s roadmap. We’ll be sure to keep you informed and watch for any improvements.
Penske, Sysco, and Old Dominion Freight Line are among C.A. Short Company's clients.
Pricing is fully custom.
Best For
CA Short is best suited for organizations that prioritize recognition and reward programs over direct employee feedback collection.
Profit.co
With Profit.co, you can quickly conduct anonymous pulse surveys using the built-in survey builder, review the results, and see how your team members feel about their workplace. To further boost engagement, the platform also facilitates one-on-one meetings, rewards, and recognition.
PROS
- The surveys on Profit.co are customizable, anonymous, and can be deployed in multiple languages.
- Their engagement model is enhanced with features for 1:1 meetings and employee recognition.
- The support team is available 24/7 via phone and chat.
- There’s a free 30-day trial anyone can sign up for.
- The platform has tutorials available that walk you through how to use the system and guide your team onto the platform. There are also examples of different types of goals, objectives and KPIs, so it's easy to see how they work in practice.
- Profit.co offers an intuitive interface that makes it easy for teams to set goals, collaborate and track progress. The tool allows users to set up OKRs for each team member, which can be done fairly fast with the help of step-by-step instructions.
- Users can choose from several pre-defined KPIs that range from sales to customer satisfaction, which helps them visualize their progress over time with just one glance at their dashboard.
CONS
- The employee engagement module is only offered as an add-on. To use it, you need to purchase either the OKR or performance management module.
- The pricing isn’t publicly available, which means you need to book a demo to get an estimate.
- Its comprehensive features require a significant learning investment.
- While Profit.co offers a free plan for up to five users, it has limited features. The only way to unlock more features is by upgrading to another plan.
- One complaint about Profit.co is that there are too many features in one platform. While this might sound like a good thing at first glance, it can actually be frustrating for users who want something simple and straightforward – especially if they’re new to OKRs and performance management.
- As an administrator, you can create and edit tasks and goals. However, there’s no way to edit or upload tasks or goals on a mass scale. For example, if you want to change the title or description for every task, then you’ll have to manually do it one by one.
Profit.co's employee engagement module is designed to complement their flagship offering for OKR and performance management. We’ve given it a go and liked how easy it was to create and run pulse surveys. You can have these surveys be in different languages and choose to make them anonymous so employees feel at ease giving honest feedback. Once submissions are in, the built-in dashboards help you get quick insights into the results, while the export functionality allows for deeper analysis in external tools.
Profit.co also emphasizes the importance of regular 1:1 meetings between managers and their direct reports to stay connected and course-correct as needed. The platform facilitates this by allowing managers to schedule and define an agenda framework and employees to plan discussion points, review their work and results, and openly discuss any roadblocks they're facing.
Recognition is well-integrated across the platform, especially with the Awards feature. Managers can celebrate wins tied directly to OKRs or milestones, and the new approval workflow ensures only vetted nominations show up in public feeds. This adds structure to what’s often a chaotic process in other tools. Plus, the leaderboard brings a bit of gamification to performance, which some teams may find motivating.
The tradeoff, though, is that you can't use the engagement features without buying into Profit.co's broader OKR or performance suite. And with no published pricing, it’s hard to gauge fit for smaller orgs without booking a demo. Additionally, the platform’s depth is a double-edged sword: it offers a lot but comes with a mild learning curve.
Over 1,000 businesses use Profit.co, including SunTec, Altheo, and CWB Financial Group.
Profit.co offers a 30-day free trial and pricing starts at $7 per user per month, billed annually.
Best For
Profit.co is suitable for mid-sized companies seeking an OKR and performance management platform with employee engagement features, rather than a standalone engagement solution.
Quantum Workplace
Quantum Workplace’s platform is expertly designed and comprehensive. Its validated survey, expansive benchmarks, and action-oriented tools make it a powerful solution for measuring and improving employee engagement.
PROS
- Easy to use and intuitive interface; you can find what you’re looking for and still see the most important items pinned on top.
- You can personalize surveys, make them from the best practices templates, or build them entirely from scratch.
- You can share, review recognition with your teammates in a social newsfeed format, and make it as detailed and scheduled or as succinct and impromptu as you please.
- Ever-present customer service team. Many users have complimented them on their responsiveness.
- Easy to use, the user interface is intuitive, you can find what you’re looking for and still see the most important items pinned on top.
- The option to personalize surveys, make them from the best practices templates, or build entirely from scratch.
- The ability to share and review recognition with your teammates in a social newsfeed format. What’s great is that you have the option to make it as detailed and scheduled or as succinct and impromptu as you please.
- An ever-present customer service team. Many users have complimented on their responsiveness.
CONS
- Navigation can be unintuitive, especially when trying to locate past goals or feedback.
- The recognition UI lacks the visual appeal found in more modern platforms.
- Customization is limited in areas like goal updates and feedback question templates.
- Many users have expressed their issues with canceling, rescheduling, and the inability to schedule 1-on-1s on short notice.
- Some users have found the goals feature to be a little confusing to understand because of its extensivity.
- This is a rather unprecedented one, but we found many users wishing for more vibrant colors for the platform.
Quantum Workplace’s employee engagement software is easy to navigate and is highly flexible in terms of customization. You can design surveys using the platform's library of validated, research-backed questions that employ a standardized Likert scale to ensure high-quality results. Open-ended questions are also integrated to gather examples of what employees think your company should start, stop, or continue doing.
Once survey data is collected, the built-in reporting and analytics provide insights into overall trends as well as breakdowns by team and demographic. Additionally, Quantum Workplace provides unparalleled benchmark data from over 10,000 organizations to add context to results.
Beyond measurement, the platform enables you to take action on engagement data through features like the action planning library, personalized employee engagement reports with recommendations, and lightweight one-on-one tools for managers. The platform also makes it easy to collect data through multiple access options like desktop, kiosk, and SMS text surveys. This allows you to reach every employee, including dispersed and deskless teams.
There are also lots of neat automation in place: the automated invitations and reminders significantly reduce survey administration work for HR teams, while the AI-powered Narrative Insights quickly analyzes employee comments to uncover themes, sentiments, and sensitive topics needing follow-up.
However, navigation can be confusing, especially when trying to retrieve past survey responses or track historical feedback. If you’ve had experience with platforms such as Matter and Mo, we think you’ll agree that Quantum Workplace’s recognition module feels like an afterthought, with a basic interface that isn’t exactly exciting. The level of customization is also not very impressive. Several users we surveyed noted they wanted more control over how goals and feedback workflows are set up, especially in larger enterprises.
Quantum Workplace is used by over 10,000 companies, including Fossil Group, DSW, BKD, and Getty Images.
Quantum Workplace pricing is on an annual basis and starts at $7,500 per year.
Best For
Quantum Workplace's employee engagement platform is designed for medium to large businesses that require advanced engagement and analytics capabilities.
I personally use Quantum daily. It is used for recognizing employees and giving shout-outs for daily successes. I also use it for both written and verbal write-ups. We are launching quarterly reviews tomorrow, moving away from the annual review process we had with Performance Pro.
I’m looking forward to greater involvement from managers and quicker completion because of how easy the tool is to use. I also use it to update performance goals.
I like the option to create custom forms and how easy it is to launch or edit them. I appreciate the ability to make private notes on each person at the administration level. I also like the goal section and the charts that track progress toward meeting goals.
Previously, we used Performance Pro as our performance management tool at the credit union. Performance Pro was difficult to use and felt outdated in its functionality. We moved to Quantum because it is easier to use and more visually appealing.
The implementation process and employee adoption have been successful. Previously, no one wanted to use Performance Pro, but now everyone enjoys using Quantum, and they use it daily.
I wish there were a feature for managers to make notes visible to everyone at the administration level and above. When a manager enters private notes on an employee and then leaves the company, those notes are lost.
I also wish there were a way to keep job descriptions attached to each employee. In Performance Pro, we stored a copy of the job description with each employee file for quick reference.
Yes, the support from Quantum is quick and thorough. It offers significantly more options and ease of use compared to Performance Pro.
The tool should meet the current needs of the company while offering additional features for future use. A hands-on demonstration and access to a demo account are crucial when deciding.
We are still in the early stages of using Quantum. We've been with them for seven months, and we are still identifying our needs and working with Quantum to meet and exceed them.
I don’t think there is a specific user or organization that is ideal. I can see Quantum working in a variety of settings.
I’m not certain, but Quantum might not be suitable for very small organizations with 25 or fewer employees.
Reward Gateway
Reward Gateway stands out for combining employee engagement surveys, recognition features, reward options, communication tools, wellness guidance, analytics, and more in a single solution.
PROS
- Easy to use for both the employees and the admin users.
- Remarkably good customer support thanks to their 24/7 help desk team and multiple communication channels.
- Varied rewards, including products from Amazon, customizable ecards, and experiences.
- You can purchase modules separately if you prefer.
- Integration includes HRIS, directory, authentication apps, and collaboration tools. There’s also an open API.
- Remarkably good customer support due to their 24/7 help desk team and multiple communication channels
- Varied rewards including products from Amazon, customizable ecards, and experiences
- You can purchase modules separately if you prefer it
CONS
- The “Reward Gateway for Small Business” version is only available for companies in the UK, Australia, and Ireland.
- The platform’s free trial is only available for the Reward Gateway for Small Business version.
- The reporting feature isn’t very easy to navigate, according to some users.
- Several users noted they had poor experiences using the mobile app to access discounts provided by employers.
- Users are unable to change employee profiles or create new recognition themselves but have to rely on customer support.
- No free trial
- The “Reward Gateway for Small Business” version is only available for companies in the UK and Australia
Reward Gateway provides a robust yet user-friendly employee engagement solution that can help you boost morale, retention, and productivity. It centers on employee surveys, including its proprietary four-question Engaged Index that benchmarks engagement. You can use this Index to identify at-risk areas for turnover and presenteeism, then conduct follow-up surveys on specific topics to dig deeper. Surveys can be created from existing templates or customized as needed.
A major advantage of Reward Gateway is how effectively it turns survey insights into impact. The platform makes acting on feedback easy with digestible analytics tied to engagement drivers. Leadership teams can clearly see potential areas for investment and how interventions may influence key metrics like retention. This proves the ROI on employee engagement spend and lends credibility when proposing new programs.
That said, we ran into a few issues that are worth flagging. For starters, the reporting feature isn’t the most intuitive. While the data is there, the layout requires extra clicks and filters to get to meaningful visualizations, which may frustrate less tech-savvy users.
Also, some functionality gaps show up in day-to-day admin work. Employees can’t edit their own profiles or create new recognition entries. They have to rely on customer support, which slows things down unnecessarily.
Another limitation is around availability. Reward Gateway for Small Business (a more streamlined and budget-friendly version) is only offered in the UK, Australia, and Ireland. U.S. small businesses looking for a lightweight entry point won’t be able to use it. To make things trickier, the free trial is only available for that small business version, so enterprise teams must go through a full sales process before getting hands-on with the product.
Reward Gateway has over 4000 customers, including Ikea, McDonald's, Unilever, and Heineken.
Reward Gateway costs £6 (around $7.5) per employee per month for an annual subscription for companies under 100 employees. Larger teams receive custom quotes.
Best For
Rewards Gateway is best for organizations based in the U.S., UK, Ireland, and Australia.
I use Reward Gateway on a weekly basis as part of our regular workflow for employee recognition and rewards. One of the primary ways we use the platform is through its peer-to-peer recognition feature, allowing staff to publicly acknowledge the hard work and achievements of their colleagues.
I also manage and distribute reward points that employees can redeem in place of other benefits to further engage them. Additionally, the analytics and reporting tools help us gauge employee engagement and assess the effectiveness of our recognition programs.
Overall, Reward Gateway has proven to be an essential tool in building a culture of appreciation within the organization.
Reward Gateway has an extremely user-friendly interface, making it easy for employees to navigate and access recognition tools. It offers a wide variety of custom rewards and discounts, which can be tailored to fit our team's preferences. The platform's robust analytics provide valuable insights into employee engagement, helping us continually improve our recognition programs.
Our organization implemented Reward Gateway to address significant challenges related to employee engagement and recognition. Before using this tool, we struggled with inconsistency in employee recognition and a lack of centralized resources for rewards, which negatively affected morale and motivation.
We sought a solution that would foster a culture of appreciation and make it easier for employees to recognize each other's contributions. Reward Gateway offers key benefits such as an easy-to-use peer-to-peer recognition platform, customizable reward options, and exclusive employee discounts.
I have been using Reward Gateway for over a year, and it has significantly enhanced our ability to celebrate achievements and maintain a positive workplace culture.
The search functionality for rewards is somewhat limited, making it difficult to quickly find specific items. The mobile application is less intuitive than the desktop version, which can hinder on-the-go recognition. While the reporting features are useful, they could benefit from more customization options for deeper analysis of engagement metrics.
Reward Gateway stands out because it offers a comprehensive employee engagement solution that combines recognition, rewards, and communication in one platform. While many tools focus solely on recognition or discounts, Reward Gateway integrates additional features such as employee surveys and company news, supporting a more holistic approach to engagement.
Compared to competitors like Bonusly and TINYpulse, Reward Gateway offers broader incentives through customizable rewards and a large-scale discount program. I appreciate how it nurtures a culture of appreciation while also keeping everyone informed of company news, which helps boost morale.
When choosing an employee engagement tool like Reward Gateway, consider functionality—ensure the platform has the features you need for recognition, rewards, and communication.
A user-friendly interface is important to ensure high adoption across the organization. The platform’s ability to be customized to reflect your company's culture and values is also crucial.
Additionally, check if the tool integrates smoothly with your existing HR systems to improve efficiency. Lastly, assess the vendor’s level of support to ensure you receive the necessary assistance during implementation and ongoing use.
Reward Gateway has evolved significantly, expanding its features to better meet user needs. Originally a simple recognition and rewards platform, it has grown to include engagement tools such as employee communication and surveys. The user interface has become more intuitive and accessible, driven by user feedback.
The platform now offers more customizable reward options and a broader range of discounts, catering to diverse employee preferences. Additionally, Reward Gateway has enhanced its analytics features, enabling organizations to track engagement metrics more thoroughly.
Reward Gateway is well-suited for mid-sized to large organizations where employee engagement and recognition are key components of corporate culture. It is ideal for companies looking to boost morale and retention through comprehensive rewards and recognition programs.
The platform is particularly beneficial for organizations with diverse workforces, as it offers customizable rewards and discounts to cater to different employee preferences. Companies seeking a tool that combines engagement features with communication capabilities will find Reward Gateway’s all-in-one approach valuable for creating a positive workplace environment.
Reward Gateway may not be the best fit for very small organizations with limited budgets or those that do not require an extensive recognition and reward program. Companies with highly specialized engagement needs may find the platform’s broader approach less suitable.
Additionally, organizations seeking a simple, low-cost tool focused solely on recognition, without integrated communication or analytics features, may prefer a more basic solution.
Culture Amp
Culture Amp boosts engagement through dozens of ready-made and customizable surveys, powerful analytics, and integration capabilities. To top it all off, the platform is supported by a group of data experts focused on everything relating to engagement.
PROS
- Culture Amp has an intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface.
- You can choose from multiple survey templates or create your own.
- Upon survey completion, the platform gives you insights into employee sentiment via heatmaps, trendlines, and benchmarks.
- You can set goals and track their progress seamlessly.
- You get useful reminders about different things like tasks, reviews, and 1:1s.
- People science team
- Tons of engagement surveys
CONS
- Customization options for reviews and ratings are limited.
- It takes time to understand the platform’s full capabilities.
- The pricing isn’t publicly disclosed and can only be obtained after booking a demo.
- Their people science plus offering is not available for very small companies
- Enterprise clients might find that they lack some of the integrations and customizations a bigger team needs.
Culture Amp provides organizations with an effective system to regularly pulse their workforce, dig into key drivers of engagement, and take proven steps to create a thriving culture.
One of Culture Amp's greatest strengths is its library of 40+ customizable survey templates designed by experts in organizational psychology. You can leverage these prescriptive questionnaires to glean actionable insights around engagement, inclusion, onboarding, company events, and more. The software also benchmarks results against over 1 billion survey responses, allowing you to understand your engagement levels compared to top-performing companies.
Another feature worth highlighting is Culture Amp’s Retention Insights, which gives you early warning signs around employee flight risks. It doesn’t stop there, though, Retention Insights also gives you suggestions on what you can do to bring these employees around.
The insights Culture Amp gives you aren't just comprehensive for leadership - they empower each employee to feel heard while driving change at an individual level. Both managers and employees appreciate the customized reporting and focused recommendations that translate feedback into clear steps forward. The platform is thoughtfully designed for each stakeholder, providing leaders with a bird's-eye view of engagement while giving teams and individual employees visibility into areas requiring their input. This connectivity fosters a culture of accountability at all levels.
A tradeoff we noticed, however, is in customization. While the survey templates are strong, customization of reviews and ratings, especially within performance modules, is somewhat limited. You can tailor some workflows, but compared to more modular platforms, the flexibility isn’t quite there.
We also found that getting fully up to speed takes time. Culture Amp is a feature-rich platform, and it took us a few sessions to understand where everything lived and how all the pieces connected, from lifecycle surveys to team dashboards to action plans. It’s not hard to use, but it is deep, and that learning curve is worth factoring into rollout plans.
One final point: pricing isn’t disclosed publicly. To get a quote, you’ll need to book a demo and speak with a rep. While that’s not unusual at the enterprise level, it can make early comparison shopping harder for smaller or mid-market teams.
Culture Amp is used by over 6,500 companies, including SoulCycle, Canva, McDonalds, Etsy, and Bombas.
The annual subscription for Culture Amp starts at $4,500, and they only accept yearly billing.
Best For
Culture Amp is designed for growing and large companies, regardless of industry and location.
I use Culture Amp approximately four to five weeks per quarter. The leadership team and HR collaborate in advance to determine pulse survey questions or to prepare for our larger, twice-yearly engagement surveys. After the results are in, I review the data and make my own observations.
The leadership team then meets to workshop the results and prioritize key issues. I present the findings to my team and communicate how leadership plans to address them. In recent months, I’ve also started using the platform weekly during one-on-one conversations to support employee development.
I value the engagement score ratings and the ability to track progress over time.
Benchmarking helps the organization understand its market position and prioritize investment areas to improve.
The interface is user-friendly for both employees and administrators, making it easy to focus on improving the employee experience rather than managing the system.
My organization was struggling to understand our retention issues and monitor the employee experience consistently. We had been using Microsoft Forms, SurveyMonkey, and other manual tools to conduct annual feedback surveys, but it was difficult to determine if we were making progress.
Once we rolled out Culture Amp, we were able to track our progress more effectively and conduct shorter “pulse” surveys for more regular check-ins. With the volatility in the talent market, it was extremely helpful to access benchmarks and understand how we were performing compared to peer organizations.
The platform also supports employee development planning and scores engagement from the organizational level down to individual teams, enabling us to focus on areas that need the most attention. I’ve used Culture Amp for about two years and highly recommend it.
Coming from Microsoft Forms, there is a lot to like, but improvements can still be made. Benchmarking parameters could be enhanced to allow more granular filtering by cross-sections, sub-industries, and geography.
It would be useful if companies could contribute details on how they plan to address low-scoring areas and, over time, see recommendations based on strategies that led to improved engagement in similar organizations.
More integrations with core HR systems would be beneficial, though integration with Workday is already a significant asset. The performance module lacks customization options compared to other tools, so there is room for development there as well.
Culture Amp is one of the top platforms for measuring employee engagement.
I’ve also used Glint, which excels in real-time feedback and action planning, but Culture Amp offers more robust reporting and deeper insights.
Lattice is strong in performance management, but less advanced when it comes to engagement surveys.
Perceptyx is gaining ground with deep analytics, but its interface and backend setup are not as user-friendly as Culture Amp.
Start by identifying what problems you're trying to solve and the process roadblocks you want to address.
Consider your organization's size and complexity—smaller or midsize companies may not need extensive reporting, customization, or integration capabilities.
If transitioning from Microsoft Forms, look for a user-friendly platform that provides solid reporting and tracking.
Avoid jumping from spreadsheets to a highly complex system unless your organization has strong change management in place.
Price matters, but it's more important to choose a platform that meets your requirements—even if that means waiting for more budget or buy-in.
Culture Amp has been very responsive to feedback and regularly releases new features and capabilities to meet customer challenges. I understand that broader feature improvements are prioritized over niche needs, which makes sense.
Culture Amp is ideal for less tech-savvy organizations, those adopting their first dedicated employee engagement and experience tool, and organizations dissatisfied with the engagement features in broader platforms.
It's easy to transition from manual or basic tools and is simple to implement without significant overhead.
Organizations already tracking performance effectively and addressing major engagement concerns might need a more advanced tool to evaluate long-term cultural impacts.
If your goal is solely performance management, Culture Amp might serve as a step up from spreadsheets, but it shouldn't replace more comprehensive platforms designed specifically for performance tracking.
Kudos
Though it primarily focuses on employee rewards and recognition, Kudos has expanded its platform with features for understanding and driving engagement, including sentiment surveys, detailed analytics, incentive campaigns, and more.
PROS
- Kudos’ interface is quite intuitive, making recognizing coworkers very easy.
- Employees like the ability to reward and appreciate peers.
- Employees can earn points to redeem for gift cards and prizes.
- 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
- The monthly point limits to award others can be restrictive.
- The system can be buggy at times, especially when redeeming points for rewards.
- The gift card options are somewhat limited, especially for local brands.
- There is no free plan or free trial.
- 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’ platform packs several modules aimed at improving employee experience. For starters, it lets you create and deploy anonymous Sentiment Surveys, enabling employees to safely provide feedback and giving you reliable insights to identify issues within the current workplace culture. All of these insights, along with trend analysis, are neatly displayed in the Kudos Dashboard.
Going beyond surveys, Kudos can help you create a culture of appreciation through its user-friendly peer recognition tools. Employees can send customizable Kudos cards to colleagues to highlight appreciated actions, from individual contributions to team efforts.
You can also use the platform to delight employees with all sorts of rewards, including merchandise, events, travel, charities, gift cards, and even custom rewards. Kudos’ rewards system is point-based, which means you give employees points as incentives, and they get to choose to redeem their accumulated points for. For the most part, we’ve found the point value assigned to rewards fair, without added fees.
Another stand-out module you’ll find within Kudos is its Culture Accelerator. Through it, you can create specialized campaigns to incentivize behaviors aligned with your company’s values and objectives. All of these campaigns can be customized to reflect your company brand and messaging, and if you need any help, you can work with a Kudos Program Designer to ensure your campaigns hit the mark.
If you’re a mid-to-large company looking to elevate employee engagement through data-backed insights and values-driven recognition strategies, we think Kudos checks all the boxes and is highly worth checking out.
We also want to flag a few structural limitations, though. First, the monthly point allowances for giving recognition can feel tight, depending on how often your team engages. A few HR users we spoke to shared that they had to be selective with their recognition budget, which they found to be limited over time.
Additionally, although our overall experience was smooth, the system was glitchy in isolated instances, reported some enterprise company users.
Kudos is used in over 80 countries. Some of their customers include KidsPeace, Kronos, DHL, Chewy.com, and Make A Wish.
Kudos pricing starts at $3.25 per user per month with a minimum requirement of 500 employees.
Best For
Kudos is best for companies with 500 to thousands of users in practically any country and industry.
My company uses Kudos on a monthly basis to recognize our employees. Some of the key features include access to a comprehensive library of review templates designed to cover every possible review scenario. We have the flexibility to customize each template or create our own to fit specific needs. Additionally, we are able to tailor questions and formats to ensure that our reviews are thorough and aligned with our strategic goals.
It's easy to navigate and a fantastic way to show appreciation for colleagues' hard work. I love how points can be converted into real gift cards for employees. There's no need to wait until mid-year or year-end to recognize people with Kudos.
We use Nectar for staff and management to reward employees for exceptional work with points. This tool is also valuable for keeping employees connected and interested in each other's work, as it allows them to engage in a manner similar to social media. Additionally, it helps management identify areas of staff success that might otherwise go unnoticed, which is particularly beneficial for formal evaluations. With staff able to comment on each other's posts, Nectar facilitates ongoing positive interactions, enabling team members to engage daily, learn more about each other, and collaborate more effectively. Moreover, it allows management to incentivize positive behaviors with tangible rewards.
I wish the Kudos I receive each month to award to team members weren't limited to a certain amount. It would be great to have more Kudos to recognize the various departmental workers I collaborate with. As it is, I have to choose carefully who to recognize each month.
This is the only recognition software I have used.
People should think about price, usability, and user-friendliness, as well as reviews from other companies.
The Kudos system continues to expand its features to recognize all types of situations. They actively incorporate client feedback and implement their needs into the system.
Kudos is good for managers and frontline employees in small and medium sized companies.
Kudos is not beneficial much for executive leadership. While it's beneficial for executives to recognize certain performance and behaviors, they don't need to use the system regularly.
Empuls
Empuls’s engagement solution lets you run a variety of surveys, including Pulse, eNPS, and 360 Feedback surveys. All surveys are customizable and can be anonymized so your employees feel at ease giving honest feedback.
PROS
- Empuls features a modern UI that’s easy to navigate. They also offer plenty of self-help articles to help you get started.
- The platform is quite comprehensive, with tools covering employee communication, engagement surveys, recognition, rewards, and analytics.
- Employees are able to participate in surveys on the go with the help of Empuls’ mobile app available on both iOS and Android devices.
- Their affordable and tiered pricing ensures companies of different sizes can try out the tool and scale it up or down as needed. They also offer a 30-day free trial that anyone can sign up for.
- Empuls features a modern UI that’s easy to navigate. They also offer plenty of self-help articles to help you get started.
- The platform is quite comprehensive, with tools covering employee communication, engagement surveys, recognition, rewards, and analytics.
- Employees are able to participate in surveys on the go with the help of Empuls’ mobile app available on both iOS and Android devices.
- Their affordable and tiered pricing ensures different size companies can try out the tool and scale up or down as needed. They also offer a 30-day free trial that anyone can sign up for.
CONS
- A few users find the options for rewards rather limited. Several of them are specifically wishing for the inclusion of more Amazon gift cards viable in their countries.
- Employees cannot share their points with each other at this time.
- Once you assign a sub-domain, you cannot change it later.
- Several users have experienced performance speed issues with Empuls’ mobile app.
- There is no monthly billing option.
- A few users find the options for rewards rather limited. Several of them are specifically wishing for the inclusion of more Amazon gift cards viable in their countries.
- Employees cannot share their points with each other at this time.
- Once you assign a sub-domain, you cannot change it later.
- Several users have experienced performance speed issues with Empuls’ mobile app.
Empuls provides organizations with a host of tools to listen to, diagnose, and act on employee feedback to boost engagement. Central to its offering are anonymized pulse surveys which can help you elicit honest input. You can customize these surveys or choose from existing templates, thoughtfully created in partnership with HR experts at SHRM.
Another powerful tool is Empuls’ simplified eNPS surveys, which help you identify brand promoters, passives, and detractors with a single score. The detailed classification, coupled with guidance on how to engage each segment, enables you to convert detractors and passives into loyal promoters.
Once feedback is in, Empuls makes it easy to diagnose problem areas through cross-linkage insights between engagement, performance, culture, and more granular analytics. The platform detects interconnections that highlight priorities for improvement. These data-backed insights inform Empuls’ Act phase, where you are given action plans and change management recommendations tailored to addressing each engagement obstacle.
The ability to capture feedback across the employee lifecycle is another thing we like about Empuls. Right from onboarding to exit interviews, Empuls’ conversational surveys help you uncover how employees feel at each touchpoint. These staged insights, along with data from pulse and 360-degree surveys, allow you to craft targeted strategies that elevate the experiences of your employees.
However, we noticed some performance lag while testing the mobile app, with screens occasionally freezing or taking several seconds to load. And while the engagement platform offers points-based recognition, employees can’t transfer or share those points with others, which limits the social dimension of peer-to-peer rewards.
A few users we spoke to also flagged limited reward options in the redemption catalog. Specifically, they were hoping for more locally valid Amazon gift cards in regions outside the U.S. Custom rewards can help fill that gap, but it’s worth noting, especially if you’re a global team with specific vendor needs in mind.
Another important consideration is pricing flexibility, or the lack thereof. Empuls doesn’t offer monthly billing, so you’ll need to commit annually. Once you set your company’s subdomain during setup, it can’t be changed later. A small detail, but it can be quite troublesome in rebranding or M&A scenarios.
Empuls has over 1,000 global customers, including Prodevans, Magzter, KPIT, Quixy, and more.
Empuls pricing starts at $1 per employee per month (annual billing) depending on your chosen module:
- Reward and Recognize: $3 per employee per month
- Surveys: $3 per employee per month
- Social Intranet: $1 per employee per month
- Perks and Benefits: $2 per employee per month
Best For
Empuls is most suitable for small to medium-sized businesses who want to build a people-first environment.
Assembly
Assembly’s platform helps companies automate a host of employee engagement and recognition processes through customizable templates and workflows - eliminating manual effort and ensuring consistency.
PROS
- The platform is easy to use and customize.
- The pricing is transparent and affordable. There’s also a free plan you can sign up for without a demo.
- Make your own rewards and even set up a points system with automated incentives.
- Explore the platform for free, no need for a credit card or demo
- Great set of features for the price point
- Make your own rewards and even set up a points system with automated incentives
- You have the option to go with a month-to-month plan or a long-term contract. For the latter, you can reach out to their team for a custom deal if it’s a larger team. However, keep in mind that the minimum agreement is 12 months.
CONS
- A few users noted needing more control over their notifications to avoid notification overload.
- Coins and points do expire, so sometimes they’ll expire by the end of the month before you can use them, although you get more the next period.
- SSO is only included with some plans. For others, it can be purchased as an add-on.
- Coins and points do expire, so sometimes they’ll expire by the end of the month before you can use them, although you get more the next period.
- SSO is only included with some plans. For others, it can be purchased as an add-on.
Assembly originally started as an employee rewards product but rapidly evolved into a comprehensive platform that facilitates employee listening, recognition, and collaboration. With the help of its customizable workflows and templates, companies large and small are able to celebrate their employees’ achievements, drive engagement among their teams, and streamline their daily operations.
Among the key workflows Assembly offers is one dedicated to engagement surveys. Designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of employee sentiments, this workflow lets you craft concise surveys, collect actionable feedback, and establish a consistent benchmark for measuring engagement over time. Another valuable workflow is centered around employee recognition. Whether it's acknowledging exceptional work, celebrating milestones, or simply expressing gratitude, the Recognition workflow can help you convey heartfelt recognition effortlessly.
Assembly also facilitates transparency and open communication through its Executive Updates and News Feed workflows. These features allow executives to share strategic decisions, company milestones, and important announcements, keeping employees informed and fostering a sense of connection to the organization's goals and successes.
There’s a lot to like about Assembly’s platform; it is user-friendly, customizable and affordable. There’s lots of other workflows you can customize and deploy within as well. If you’re an SMB looking for a flexible and budget-friendly employee engagement platform, we think Assembly is worth checking out.
Over 4,000 companies use Assembly’s solutions, including Coca-Cola, Quest Nutrition, Nesco Resource, HelloTech, and Amazon.
Assembly has four plans that are priced as follows:
- Recognition: Packs all the employee rewards and recognition features for $2 per user per month, billed annually.
- Engagement: For $4 per member per month, billed annually, this plan is designed for teams that want to maximize their employee engagement.
- Digital HQ: For $6 per member per month, billed annually, this plan packs all the necessary features for businesses to amplify cross-functional engagement, without any limits on the number of members on board.
- Custom: Designed for large organizations that need a custom and unique program, the Custom plan can accommodate unlimited members. Contact Assembly’s Sales team for a price quote.
Best For
Small and mid-size businesses across different verticals can benefit from Assembly’s solutions.
Assembly is such a fantastic platform for sharing gratitude with your colleagues, across the organization as a whole, as well as internally and externally between departments. It is straightforward, easy, and fun to use! This tool is especially good for nurturing culture across a remote team. The integration with Slack makes it seamless for the team to use and engage with, and Assembly engages senior leadership with ease.
Simple, fast platform. Easy set-up and free trial version prior to transition to paid version. Easy implementation and great reporting options and support.
In the age of remote, work-from-home, and hybrid models, and all of the inherent challenges it presents, Assembly has allowed us to continue to celebrate business culture and monetize the value of success within our organization. We are able to easily recognize team members and their accomplishments so that those ambiguous moments can become tangible for the entire company to see. Acknowledgements of birthdays, anniversaries, work anniversaries etc. are seamlessly built in, never to be forgotten or overlooked. Coins can be exchanged for gifts, donated to charity, traded in for company-branded gifts, or cashed in for rewards. Our engagement rate is over 90% on the Assembly platform and we are very excited to see how they can continue to evolve its value proposition.
Coins expire if not used in time. UX could be more user-friendly. Larger tiered allotments would be a great improvement.
When considering any employee recognition platform, functionality and reporting should always be heavily weighted in the final decision. Recognition platforms go hand-in-hand with engagement surveys; some platforms do not offer this feature or offer. Limited version of this feature. Mobility and accessibility are primary concerns, especially where remote and global teams exist. Also, goal/challenge creation, tracking and attainment features are wonderful enhancements to include.
There have been consistent upgrades to the platform and Assembly is very open to feedback and suggestions.
Assembly is ideal for small and mid-market organizations.
Assembly would not be a good fit for large/enterprise organizations.
WorkTango
WorkTango helps you measure engagement and collect actionable feedback easily and confidentially. You can leverage its real-time dashboards and analytics to understand employee sentiment, empower managers to act, and drive positive organizational change.
PROS
- You can run unlimited surveys, available in over 20 languages including English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Korean.
- You can use WorkTango’s research-backed and statistically validated assessments, or create your own.
- Anonymous Conversations enable managers to acknowledge and respond to open-text survey comments while protecting employee anonymity.
- You can compare your engagement survey results to internal and external benchmarks.
- Open-text responses can be summarized with Natural Language Processing (NLP). It can also bring the most used terms front and center in a word cloud.
- 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
- There isn’t a monthly billing option. You have to pay by year.
- 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 Surveys & Insights module is all about helping businesses measure and improve employee engagement. We like that users can customize and deploy an unlimited number of surveys to gather feedback across the entire employee lifecycle. Survey creation is made even easier with WorkTango’s library of expert-designed questions, ready to be used as needed.
Once responses are collected, WorkTango's dashboards and reporting features kick in. The sophisticated analytics help identify key themes and trends from both quantitative data and open-ended comments. Features like the Sentiment Cloud summarize the overall positive and negative sentiment within employee feedback, while easy benchmarking shows how your company compares to other players in your industry. These insights are presented through highly visual, easy-to-grasp dashboards tailored to different roles.
But WorkTango isn't just about measuring engagement. The software offers predictive recommendations and suggested actions based on survey results. Leaders can then turn these recommendations into accountable action plans with progress tracking. For developing leaders' capabilities, WorkTango even suggests relevant learning resources to build skills in areas needing improvement.
However, we must admit that the employee engagement software’s interface can feel like a lot at first, especially for teams new to analytics-heavy platforms. And buyers should know upfront: all plans require a 12-month commitment, billed annually. There’s no monthly billing or free trial. That makes it harder for smaller companies to test-drive before making the leap.
Over 1,000 companies use Worktango’s solutions, including Kia Motors, HUB International, Rexall, and Accruent.
WorkTango starts at about $8,000 per year with an annual commitment.
Best For
WorkTango is best for mid-sized to large companies.
We use WorkTango daily, monthly, quarterly, and yearly. I find it most effective on a quarterly and yearly basis for performance tracking and rewarding. This tool is also beneficial during project integration, helping to focus and reward employees on specific tasks. For daily and monthly use, it can be applied for more immediate recognition and rewards.
This program's key attribute is its ability to recognize not only employees but also peer-to-peer recognition and reward.
These types of programs are especially useful for remote workers, as those in the office still get to be rewarded with special days, days off, etc. This is a way to reward those who are not able to participate in those times with the other employees who may not be remote.
Lastly, I think the automation aspect of this reward program is a great attribute. I say this because in the world of business, sometimes an employee's time of service can become 2nd sting to other things happening in the company.
However the need to look at why your business is running smoothly is due to the employees keeping your business afloat. So to be able to reward them on a yearly basis when their time of service comes about can be key in keeping those employees engaged and looking forward to the year ahead.
Our organization purchased WorkTango to monitor employee performance, recognize hard work, survey employees, and implement their feedback. It allows us to survey employees about ideas and workplace issues, then integrate their input into our company’s operations. Recognizing employees who excel and ensuring they are aware of their contributions was a key factor in choosing this product. Additionally, tracking employee performance and rewarding it through this tool has been invaluable. I have been using this tool for several months.
There are few cons to this program overall. The analytics could be improved, though this is a common issue with many programs. This tool is primarily a recognition tool rather than an analytics tool.
WorkTango offers more peer-to-peer recognition options than most competitors, which is valuable for building company and employee rapport.
If you need a peer-to-peer recognition program, this is an excellent choice. It’s also suitable for measuring employee performance. However, if you need extensive analytical features, you may need to look elsewhere.
WorkTango has improved its analytics features, though there is still room for enhancement in this area.
WorkTango is ideal for established companies looking to encourage employee progress and development.
Start up companies and those looking for a quick tool to reward their employees may not benefit as much from WorkTango.
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Deel
While Deel isn’t specialized in employee engagement, the global payroll vendor has expanded into a multiskilled system covering simple yet promising tools for managing and engaging international employees and contractors.
PROS
- You can offer employee benefits through Deel, as well as other perks such as discounts at known service providers.
- The Slack integration allows the creation and deployment of pulse surveys to increase engagement.
- Deel's interface has a modern design and is fairly easy to navigate.
- Users praised Deel's customer support for being responsive and quick to resolve issues.
- Existing customers gain free access to Deel’s HR offering.
- Excellent 24/7 customer service with fast onboarding (2-3 days) and local payroll experts in each jurisdiction.
- Deel HR is free for companies of all sizes.
- Seamless integration with platforms like QuickBooks, BambooHR, and Greenhouse, plus custom integration options.
- User-friendly, self-service features enable quick setup; identity verification often takes under 24 hours.
- Automated invoices simplify payments, provided they're in English.
CONS
- Pulse surveys are offered through the Slack plug-in and aren’t built into Deel.
- Deel recently expanded into engagement, so its features are limited compared to established platforms.
- No mobile application available.
- Key features like onboarding automation are add-ons, which may increase costs.
- Limited flexibility in modifying contracts or service agreements; changes often require an addendum.
- Invoices cannot be generated in languages other than English.
While Deel is best known for its global payroll capabilities, the platform has recently expanded into employee experience, adding tools that support engagement, connection, and community across time zones. After testing these features, we found that they aren’t as advanced as what you’d get from established platforms like Motivosity or Leapsome, but they’re quite promising, with a gentle and meaningful touch.
One of the standout features is Connections. If you’re a remote-first organization like ours, you’ll see what we mean. With this tool, you can help employees form relationships through structured 1:1s, group chats, and shared interest spaces. You can even use Connections to introduce new hires, spark mentor pairings, or create virtual watercooler moments.
Deel also integrates tightly with Slack to deliver pulse surveys and engagement nudges in the flow of work. Surveys launched via Slack tend to yield higher response rates, and Deel uses the results to suggest curated interest groups, bringing together like-minded colleagues around shared hobbies, which we found pretty cool.
Obviously, Deel’s engagement functionality is still relatively new, so when compared to established platforms in the space, its feature set is fairly limited. For example, there’s no standalone engagement dashboard, no in-app survey creation outside of Slack, and no mobile app for recognition or survey feedback on the go. As a result, teams who want deeper analytics, advanced feedback workflows, or in-app engagement tools may find the current capabilities too lightweight.
Over 15,000 businesses use Deel, including Nike, Shopify, Redbull, and Zapier.
Deel’s employee engagement tool starts at $20 per employee per month.
Best For
For companies already using Deel to manage global employment, the new employee engagement tools add valuable ways to foster connection and inclusion without layering in another point solution.
We use Deel to onboard and pay contractors. After hiring someone, we invite them to Deel, where they upload their information. We run a background check and request specific documents from them. If everything is uploaded successfully, we then use Deel to pay contractors on a weekly basis.
Deel also serves as our central repository for employee information, securely storing details such as legal name, address, SSN, and birthday. It provides new hire paperwork, such as W-9 forms, and ensures these forms are fully completed.
Deel has a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. The 24/7 chat feature is helpful whenever I have questions. Creating background checks through Deel is straightforward.
We purchased Deel in the spring of 2024. Our company was expanding its contractor base and needed payroll software to streamline the process. Our goals included simplifying contractor onboarding and payment while allowing contractors to upload their timesheets.
We needed a platform that could support these tasks, answer questions along the way, and assist with tax filing. We used Deel for about two months before deciding to switch to a different platform.
I’m not a fan of the pricing model, as it charges for all contractors added, even if they haven’t been paid. It feels as though there is a fee associated with nearly every action. Contractors also often seem confused when uploading their timesheets.
I appreciate Deel’s customer service, especially the 24/7 chat feature. Other tools require calling during business hours, which can be inconvenient.
I suggest prioritizing ease of use, price, and potential hidden costs. Ask whether the tool charges for customer service inquiries, monthly fees, and how pricing is structured for each contractor or employee. Personally, I prefer not to pay for a contractor I haven’t actually paid yet.
The home page and navigation were recently updated and look improved, though I don’t find this to be a significant change.
Deel is suitable for established small businesses.
Deel may not be ideal for new small businesses. Due to various fees, costs can add up unexpectedly, which might be challenging for businesses aiming to manage expenses carefully while growing.
Eletive
We’ve tested hundreds of tools in this space and have yet to come across anything that matches the way Eletive handles engagement. Seamlessly blending ready-to-use, automated pulse surveys with AI, this employee engagement platform covers every stage of the employee lifecycle and offers a unique, personalized experience where the survey questions are tailored to each individual.
PROS
- Pre-made survey packages cover 11 different areas of employee engagement, ranging from onboarding to diversity and inclusion and offboarding.
- Machine learning personalizes the pulse survey question distribution.
- Tailored advice and suggested actions based on Organisational Behavior Management theory for active participation.
- The dashboard offers a clear, concise report and analysis of survey answers and trends (see screenshot).
- 40+ native HRIS integration options are available.
- 40+ languages support.
- Pre-made survey packages cover 11 different areas of employee engagement, ranging from onboarding to diversity and inclusion and offboarding.
- Machine learning personalizes the pulse survey question distribution.
- Tailored advice and suggested actions based on Organisational Behavior Management theory for active participation.
- The dashboard offers a clear, concise report and analysis of survey answers and trends (see screenshot).
- 40+ native HRIS integration options are available.
- 40+ languages support.
CONS
- AI analysis is done in English. Non-English answers have to be translated before analysis.
- The Base plan's report lacks export options, alerts for sensitive questions with low scores, and positive improvement and attrition risk insights.
- 1-on-1s, OKRs, 360-degree feedback, and HRIS integrations cost extra.
- AI analysis is done in English. Non-English answers have to be translated before analysis.
- The Base plan's report lacks export options, alerts for sensitive questions with low scores, and positive improvement and attrition risk insights.
- 1-on-1s, OKRs, 360-degree feedback, and HRIS integrations cost extra.
If you're on the hunt for an employee engagement tool that feels personal, intelligent, and genuinely designed for modern organizations, Eletive is worth a closer look.
Unlike most pulse surveys we’ve tried before, Elective’s is AI-supported—it can tailor the employee survey-taking experience by asking questions based on each individual's previous responses.
To test how this feature works, one of our editors scored a question low, and interestingly, they received a follow-up on that topic in the next survey. We can see how valuable this is for managers who want to understand their employees' feelings more deeply without spending hours reviewing responses to previous surveys in order to personalize the next ones.
Considering how important privacy is today, we were pleased to see how Elective integrated anonymity into its platform. The Chat feature, for example, enables any team member to respond to a manager’s question without revealing their identity unless they choose to do so. Moreover, allowing users to comment on any survey question, not just the open-ended ones, is a thoughtful way to collect nuanced feedback.
Unsurprisingly, as the brand is from Sweden and primarily targets the European market, it is more renowned in the U.K. and the E.U than in the U.S. Pricing-wise, Eletive’s is undisclosed and varies from user to user, but from what we've gathered, it’s pretty much in line with what you'd expect from other platforms like Profit.co or Quantum Workplace.
We like the abundance of HRIS integrations Elective offers—over 40 options. What we don’t like, though, is that these aren’t free. You must opt for their priciest plan or an integration add-on to access them. And while we’re on the topic, features like 1-on-1s, OKRs, and 360 feedback cost extra, too.
Undisclosed number. Some brands that have used Eletive include Halton, Orka, and Purmo.
Eletive has 3 plans: Essential, Standard, and Professional. All are quote-based.
Best For
Teams with at least 100 employees, ideally but not necessarily based in Europe.
Terryberry
Terryberry offers a comprehensive employee engagement solution that integrates recognition, wellness, and engagement measurement into one platform. With over a century of experience, their all-in-one approach helps mid-market organizations streamline their engagement initiatives while providing powerful analytics and insights, making them an excellent choice for companies looking to consolidate their employee experience programs.
PROS
- Advanced analytics toolkit featuring custom pulse surveys, template library, and demographic filtering for data-driven decision-making
- Comprehensive well-being features, including mental health resources, physical activity tracking, and social challenges tied to rewards
- Strategic measurement tools tracking engagement impact on retention, satisfaction, and organizational performance
- Complete integration between engagement initiatives, recognition moments, and reward fulfillment
- Mobile-first design with an intuitive interface
- They recently added Amazon Business to their rewards catalog— now U.S. users can redeem points for a massive variety of items.
- 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
- No open API is currently available, though it's on the development roadmap
- Limited free trial options for testing the platform
- It may be complex for smaller organizations with basic engagement needs
- Interface design could benefit from modernization to match competitor offerings
- While Terryberry is easy to use, its design could look more modern and sleek.
- No open API available as of this writing.
- No free trial at the moment.
Terryberry's engagement platform stands out for its cohesive and well-rounded approach to employee experience, combining recognition, rewards, and wellness initiatives in one system. During our recent 2024 demo, we observed how the platform effectively unites multiple engagement tools while maintaining clear visibility into program participation and cultural impact.
The platform's survey capabilities for gathering employee feedback impressed us during our evaluation. The manager dashboards provide comprehensive insights into recognition program adoption and value alignment, a feature that particularly resonated with HR leaders we consulted. We found the built-in wellbeing features effectively support both physical and mental health through team challenges and activity tracking, complemented by flexible reward options that can be tied to wellness achievements.
In our conversation with their product team, they highlighted how the platform's analytics suite has evolved to provide deeper insights into engagement metrics. We observed how organizations can track the correlation between recognition activities and employee satisfaction, providing actionable data for program optimization. The pulse survey functionality, complete with template libraries and demographic filtering, enables companies to gather targeted feedback and measure engagement trends over time.
We were also particularly impressed by how the platform integrates milestone programs with broader engagement initiatives. The system automatically triggers communications and recognition moments while maintaining personalization through configurable workflows. Lastly, while the interface could be modernized, the mobile-first design facilitates engagement across hybrid and remote workforces.
Terryberry serves over 40,000 clients worldwide, including notable names like Tesco, Epsilon, General Motors, and Trilogy Health.
Terryberry’s basic subscription plans start at approximately $3 per employee receiving an award.
Best For
Terryberry's engagement platform is optimized for mid-market organizations wanting to consolidate their recognition and engagement programs into a single, measurable solution.
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.
AdvantageClub.ai
If you need a mobile-friendly, feature-rich solution that goes beyond basic surveys to actively measure and improve employee sentiment, AdvantageClub.ai is worth considering—just be prepared for some hands-on vendor support and a potentially higher price point.
PROS
- Full-featured web platform with a mobile app covering benefits, wellness, and more.
- Smooth integrations with HRIS, LMS, Slack, Teams, and other workplace tools.
- Real-time sentiment tracking with Mood-O-Meter and Polls for instant feedback.
- Advanced survey and quiz tools with branching logic and AI-driven personalization.
- AI-powered engagement nudges to encourage participation and feedback.
- 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
- Undisclosed pricing, no free trial.
- Can be expensive for budget-conscious teams.
- Analytics and reporting tools require vendor support for full customization.
- 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 tested AdvantageClub.ai’s employee engagement product, and it quickly became clear that it offers a robust suite of features designed to enhance employee participation, well-being, and feedback collection.
Our experiences with the web and mobile apps were both enjoyable. While the former offers a full range of features, the latter holds its own, covering everything from corporate benefits and wellness to dining, education, gyms, entertainment, and more. We especially liked how we could filter savings and offers based on relevance and location right in the app. This made it so convenient to access key benefits on the go.
Another thing we always prioritize when assessing staff engagement tools is integration capabilities, and on this front, AdvantageClub.ai didn’t disappoint. It integrates with nearly every HRIS, LMS, and communication app we’ve known, which is a nice touch to ensure employee participation and easy data sharing across your company’s existing tools.
For those curious about this software’s real-time employee sentiment features, it has plenty to offer. The Mood-O-Meter instantly gauges employee well-being, while Polls provide an open and transparent way to gather feedback.
And we loved that for more structured engagement, there are interactive quizzes and survey tools, which support various question types, randomized answer choices (to reduce bias), and even branching logic for personalized survey experiences. This AI-driven approach allows each participant to follow a tailored survey path based on their responses, which truly sets AdvantageClub.ai apart from competitors.
However, despite its abundant features, AdvantageClub.ai isn’t very affordable, especially for teams on a budget. We’re also not fans of its pricing approach: it’s undisclosed with no free trial offered.
Additionally, while the analytics and reporting tools are robust, we found that fully leveraging them often requires extra support from the vendor. Customizing dashboards and interpreting engagement trends might take some learning, especially for teams that aren’t as data-savvy.
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.
Benefits of Employee Engagement Tools
Employee engagement software can benefit organizations in several ways: it provides employees with a safe space to share feedback, simplifies the launch of expert-backed surveys, delivers real-time sentiment insights, enables ongoing culture monitoring, and integrates tools for recognition and performance.
- Give Employees a Voice with Anonymous Feedback Tools: Employee engagement software provides an outlet for employees to anonymously share their honest opinions, voice out any concerns about the workplace and work culture, and propose suggestions for improvement. When employees feel heard and their feedback is taken into account, it leads to less turnover and higher productivity.
- Launch Expert-Designed Engagement Surveys in Minutes: There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. The best employee engagement platforms are built on solid research, which often includes input from industrial-organizational (IO) psychology experts. They also often come with a host of ready-made survey templates you can deploy in minutes, with recommendations on what to ask, when to ask it, and how often.
- Turn Feedback into Insights with Real-Time Sentiment Analysis: One problem with traditional employee engagement surveys is that they can take a long time to analyze all the feedback gathered. A lot of what is uncovered relates broadly to the employee experience but lacks actionable next steps. The best employee engagement tools can analyze feedback as it comes and give you a comprehensive understanding of employee sentiments, preferences, and areas for improvement.
- Monitor Workplace Culture Health with Continuous Pulse Checks: Most employee engagement platforms use pulse surveys to gather small amounts of data in frequent intervals. These surveys ask only one or two questions, keeping the pressure low and the response rate high. By establishing a consistent feedback loop, you can identify trends, address concerns before they grow into systemic problems, and adapt strategies to maintain a psychologically safe working environment.
- Go Beyond Feedback: Oftentimes, employee engagement platforms bundle up their offerings with other solutions in the employee experience tech space, such as employee recognition and performance management software. Having all of these tools integrated into one platform reduces tech fatigue for your team and is easy on your budget, too.
Common Mistakes When Buying and Using Employee Engagement Platforms
When buying and using employee engagement platforms, common mistakes include believing the software alone will resolve deep-seated cultural issues, expecting immediate acceptance from employees, underestimating the necessary setup time, and rushing the overall implementation process.
- Expecting Software to Solve Cultural Problems: To be effective, the platform must work alongside a distinctive, authentic, and appreciative work culture. The software can supplement your efforts, but it won't “fix” company-wide problems with engagement. Employee engagement experts Mallory Herrin and Tracie Marie agree here, and Marie's experience has borne this out. She reminds us in no uncertain terms that engagement software cannot replace the power of a human connection.
- Assuming Quick Employee Buy-In: Affecting a company-wide change will take time. Simply put, inspiring behavioral change is difficult. After working in an environment that could have been more attentive to their engagement, employees are sometimes distrustful of initiatives that promise brighter days. The process of winning over the skeptics can’t happen overnight, but it can happen. The right time to start, whether with engagement software or other means, is now.
- Overlooking Integration and Setup Time: Like the plodding, uphill struggle of behavior change, implementing a new HR tool can also be painfully sluggish. To make it as easy as possible, choose a platform with an open API and/or partnerships with tools you already use. Consider your HR tech stack and daily communication tools: Both must be seamlessly connected to your new tool to ensure a seamless transition.
- Rolling Out Too Much Too Soon: Be conservative and methodical about your rollout game plan. Some vendors offer assistance with this process, but if yours doesn't (or you choose not to follow it), you can orchestrate a successful rollout with good planning and reasonable expectations. From our experience, creating a schedule with a regular cadence that introduces features slowly is best. We’ve also found it helpful to take feedback from departments across the organization about the rollout order: the insight of your leadership and individual contributors is a massive asset.
The Business Case Behind Employee Engagement Platforms
Employee engagement platforms provide organizations with measurable visibility into employee sentiment, cultural health, and areas that need improvement, enabling proactive decision-making. For HR and People teams, the return is clear: higher productivity, lower attrition costs, and a workplace culture that retains top talent.
- Identify Problems Before They Escalate: Engagement tools allow you to continuously monitor employee sentiment through pulse surveys, feedback loops, and trend analysis. This early visibility enables HR leaders to identify issues such as burnout, team misalignment, or poor management practices before they turn into resignations or disengagement.
- Improve Productivity Through Data-Driven Action: When employees feel heard and supported, performance improves. Platforms that connect feedback with initiatives, such as recognition or development programs, create a loop where insights directly inform action, leading to higher engagement and improved outcomes.
We’ve designed this Excel-based calculator to help you calculate the basic return on investment (ROI) from using the best employee engagement solutions. Also, check out our HR Tech ROI calculators page for deeper analysis and benchmarking tools.
Key Features of Employee Engagement Software
Key employee engagement software features include employee surveys and feedback, recognition and daily engagement, goals and performance, communication and collaboration, and analystics and reporting.
- Surveys and Feedback: Employee surveys are a fundamental capability of employee engagement software. These include pulse surveys for regular sentiment check-ins, eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score) surveys to measure loyalty and satisfaction, and more in-depth annual or quarterly surveys. Good survey builders make it easy for HR teams to craft customized question sets while choosing from preset expert-validated templates. They often come with automation to ensure surveys reach the right employees at the right time and reminders to increase completion rates. Anonymity settings, in most cases, if not all, are included to protect respondent identity while helping teams gather more honest feedback.
- Recognition and Daily Engagement: These features make it easy for peers and managers to acknowledge contributions in real time, whether through quick shout-outs, points-based systems, or rewards programs. Beyond recognition, many employee engagement tools incorporate activity feeds and dashboards that display updates, milestones, and upcoming check-ins. These daily touchpoints are particularly helpful in reinforcing connection and engagement across remote teams.
- Goals and Performance: Employee engagement software often includes goal setting, one-on-one meeting support, coaching tools, and performance reviews. By tracking progress against defined objectives, organizations can align individual contributions with company strategy while giving employees clarity on expectations. Continuous performance feedback also helps identify disengagement early and ensures recognition or support is delivered when it’s most impactful.
- Communication and Collaboration: Many platforms also provide built-in spaces for collaboration. These can range from chat boards and community groups to virtual hubs that encourage connection around both work and shared interests. By giving employees clear channels for updates, discussions, and social interaction, the software helps build organizational culture and transparency. In hybrid and remote workplaces, these tools replicate the informal connections of in-office environments and strengthen team cohesion.
- Analytics and Reporting: Real-time analytics track metrics like eNPS, satisfaction, and participation rates, allowing HR teams to spot issues quickly. Advanced reporting lets administrators segment results by team, location, or demographic group to identify trends and areas for improvement. Many platforms also allow automated report generation and easy export to PDF or CSV, making it simple to share findings with leadership and track progress over time.
Employee Engagement Platform Pricing
Most engagement platforms use a per-user, per-month model, with pricing that typically ranges from $2 to $20 per employee. A handful of vendors also offer flat annual packages, usually starting around $4,500 to $8,000 per year.
At the low end, entry-level subscriptions provided by vendors like Mo, Assembly, ThriveSparrow, or Matter fall in the $2-$5 per employee per month (PEPM) range. Mid-tier offerings such as Leapsome, Workleap, Profit.co, or Reward Gateway average around $6-$8 PEPM. For more advanced capabilities, enterprise solutions like Quantum Workplace, WorkTango, or Culture Amp often require annual billing that can be around $7,500 on average. Additionally, many providers offer 14-30 day free trials, and some, such as Matter or Connecteam for under 10 users, include a free plan.
Apart from subscription fees, however, you should also be aware of minimum commitments. For example, Lattice applies a $4,000 annual minimum, Kudos requires at least 500 users, and Culture Amp starts at $4,500 annually with yearly billing only.
To give you an idea, a 250-person company should expect to spend $15,000-$20,000 annually for a solid mid-tier tool, while organizations with over 1,000 employees often cross $60,000-$100,000 annually unless they choose a flat-fee vendor. Small teams can still start for just a few hundred dollars per year, but growing companies should budget in the low five figures, and enterprises should plan for a six-figure annual investment if they want advanced analytics and global features.
Questions to Ask in Demos with Employee Engagement Software Vendors
- How does your platform measure and track employee engagement? What metrics and analytics does it provide?
- How customizable are the surveys and feedback tools? Can I tailor questions and flows to my organization's specific needs?
- What methods does the platform use to gather employee feedback (e.g., surveys, pulse polls, open text, etc.)?
- Does your system integrate with our current HRIS, payroll, or other platforms?
- What types of participation tracking does it offer (e.g., survey response rates, event attendance, etc.)?
- What kinds of real-time feedback capabilities does it have? Can employees provide input anytime?
- What types of employee segmentation and filtering options are available? Can I analyze data by role, team, location, etc.?
- How are the results and data visualized? What dashboards, reports, and insights can I access as an administrator?
- Does your platform provide employee engagement action plan templates and tools and follow-up workflows based on feedback results?
- How do you ensure data security and compliance with regulations? What is your security and privacy protocol?
- What type of support, training, and account management do you provide?
- Can you explain the implementation process? How long does rollout typically take?
- What are the pricing models available? Are there options to scale up or down as needed?
- Can I see a demo tailored to our specific use cases and needs?
Employee Engagement Software FAQs
What is employee engagement software?
Employee engagement software is a digital platform that helps organizations measure, track, and improve how employees feel about their work. These tools often include surveys, recognition features, communication hubs, and analytics dashboards to improve satisfaction, retention, and performance.
What is the difference between employee engagement and employee recognition?
Employee engagement describes the overall motivation, commitment, and connection employees feel toward their work and organization. Employee recognition refers to programs or tools that acknowledge and reward contributions, which is one of the ways companies build stronger engagement.
What is the leading employee engagement platform?
The leading employee engagement platforms include Motivosity, Bonusly, ThriveSparrow, and Leapsome. Each platform specializes in different areas, such as surveys, recognition, or communication, and the best choice depends on the company's size, budget, and goals.
How much does employee engagement software cost?
Employee engagement software pricing usually ranges from $2 to $5 per employee per month for smaller tools. Enterprise platforms often have annual minimums starting at around $4,000 to $5,000 or require a minimum of a few hundred users. Most vendors follow a per-employee pricing model and provide custom quotes based on company size and features.
What features should I look for in employee engagement software?
The best employee engagement software offers an easy-to-use interface, activity feeds or dashboards for daily interaction, employee surveys for feedback, goal and performance tracking, peer recognition, and collaborative spaces. It’s also recommended to look for platforms that provide analytics, customization, and integrations to fit your workflows.
How do companies use employee engagement software?
Companies use employee engagement software to collect employee feedback, monitor engagement levels, and identify problem areas. HR teams use it for surveys and retention strategies, while managers use it for recognition, coaching, and team check-ins.
When is the best time to use employee engagement software?
The best time to implement employee engagement software is when an organization sees early signs of disengagement, such as declining productivity or rising turnover. Companies also adopt these tools during periods of growth or change to strengthen communication and support employee experience. As our community expert, Christina Moran, advises, it’s less about company size and more about need: “The right time is when the software can clearly enhance performance, simplify HR efforts, and improve the employee experience.”
What is a good measure of employee engagement?
A good measure of employee engagement combines survey feedback, participation rates, turnover data, and productivity trends. High engagement is reflected in strong morale, alignment with company goals, and consistent discretionary effort from employees.
Final Advice on Buying Employee Engagement Software
There are no silver bullets when it comes to tackling disengaged employees and understanding what's really happening in your business. However, having an employee engagement platform in place can help you engage your remote workers as well as your in-office ones.
Given that companies using employee engagement gamification are seven times more profitable than those that don't, you may also want to figure out ways to add gamification to your employee engagement programs.
Last but not least, providing proper training for your managers and teams is crucial for creating a culture of appreciation in your workplace. This list of the best employee engagement training courses can be a great starting point.
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