Regarding employee recognition and engagement, Bonusly and Vantage Circle are two of the most popular choices for organizations aiming to foster a constructive workplace atmosphere and elevate employee morale. Similar to Matter, both platforms offer distinct features designed to support peer-to-peer recognition programs and reward systems. However, upon closer examination, you'll find that Bonusly and Vantage Circle cater to slightly different needs, depending on your company's goals, size, and engagement strategies.
Whether your priority is seamless integration with tools like Slack or offering a comprehensive range of global rewards, selecting the right employee recognition platform is crucial to fostering a high-performing culture. In this article, we will compare Bonusly and Vantage Circle, helping you make an informed decision based on features, integrations, pricing, and customer reviews. We'll also introduce Matter as a powerful alternative that combines the best features of both platforms, offering a well-rounded solution for employee engagement and recognition.
Bonusly vs. Vantage Circle: Overview comparison
Bonusly and Vantage Circle are two highly regarded employee recognition platforms offering unique solutions to enhance employee engagement and workplace culture.
Bonusly is primarily a peer-to-peer recognition platform that allows employees to give and receive points as rewards for their contributions. These points are redeemable for various incentives, including gift cards, donations, or customized company-specific rewards. Its straightforward interface, combined with seamless integrations into popular communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, makes it a popular choice for small to midsized organizations focused on boosting real-time, frequent recognition.
Vantage Circle, on the other hand, provides a more comprehensive approach to employee engagement. While it also offers peer-to-peer recognition, Vantage Circle includes additional tools like employee surveys, wellness programs, and an extensive global rewards catalog. It is intended to accommodate the requirements of substantial businesses with global workforces, offering support in multiple languages and access to exclusive employee discounts across the globe.
Bonusly is ideal for companies seeking a simple, user-friendly platform that fosters frequent recognition. At the same time, Vantage Circle stands out for its more expansive feature set, making it a better fit for larger, global organizations. Both platforms are effective, and the best choice depends on your company's size, scope, and engagement goals.
Bonusly vs. Vantage Circle: Features
Both Bonusly and Vantage Circle offer robust employee recognition features, but they cater to slightly different needs depending on the size and goals of your organization. Here's how they compare in terms of functionality:
Bonusly features:
- Peer-to-peer recognition: Bonusly enables employees to recognize their peers, direct reports, and managers in real-time, creating a culture of frequent recognition. Employees are allocated a monthly point allowance, which they can distribute to others, and these points can be redeemed for various rewards.
- Reward catalog: The Bonusly reward catalog includes gift cards, charitable donations, and custom rewards, making it flexible for different types of recognition.
- Integration with communication tools: Bonusly integrates seamlessly with platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Hangouts, enabling recognition to happen directly within the tools employees use daily.
- Automated milestones: Bonusly helps automate recognition for key events like work anniversaries and birthdays, ensuring employees never miss a chance to be acknowledged.
- Detailed analytics: Companies can track recognition trends and understand how teams are engaging with each other through detailed analytics and reporting.
Vantage Circle features:
- Global rewards platform: Vantage Circle offers a global rewards catalog with access to over 10 million products, gift cards, experiences, and more, rendering it an excellent option for businesses with a global workforce.
- Employee engagement tools: Besides recognition, Vantage Circle provides tools for employee wellness, corporate discounts, and surveys to gauge employee satisfaction and engagement.
- Automated recognition: Like Bonusly, Vantage Circle allows organizations to automate the recognition of milestones such as birthdays and service anniversaries.
- Multilingual platform: Vantage Circle supports 16+ languages, making it a good fit for global organizations fostering inclusive and culturally diverse environments.
Bonusly focuses heavily on peer-to-peer recognition with real-time engagement and a flexible rewards system, making it ideal for smaller to midsized companies. Vantage Circle, with its global reach, extensive rewards catalog, and additional employee engagement tools, is better suited for larger, international organizations. Both platforms are strong contenders for businesses looking for Bonusly alternatives or Vantage Circle competitors.
Bonusly vs. Vantage Circle: Integration options
Bonusly and Vantage Circle offer various integration options, making them ideal for organizations looking to streamline employee recognition across popular tools.
Bonusly integrations:
- Slack and Microsoft Teams: Bonusly integrates seamlessly with Slack and Microsoft Teams, allowing employees to give recognition, track bonuses, and see announcements for birthdays and anniversaries directly in their everyday communication tools. This makes Bonusly a top choice among Bonusly alternatives for companies that prioritize seamless integration.
- HRIS systems: Bonusly connects to various HRIS platforms such as BambooHR, ADP Workforce Now, Namely, and more, ensuring smooth employee management and automated data syncing. This integration feature is a key benefit when comparing Bonusly vs. Vantage Circle for organizations that rely on HR systems.
- Zapier integration: With Zapier, Bonusly connects to over 1,000 other applications, allowing users to automate workflows involving tools like Google Calendar, Salesforce, and others.
This versatility sets Bonusly apart from other Bonusly competitors.
Vantage Circle integrations:
- Slack and Microsoft Teams: Similar to Bonusly, Vantage Circle integrates smoothly with Slack and Microsoft Teams, enabling employees to recognize peers and view rewards within these platforms. This makes Vantage Circle a strong contender among Vantage Circle alternatives.
- HRIS platforms: Vantage Circle supports various HRIS systems, ensuring organizations can automate recognition tied to employee milestones.
This functionality is especially advantageous for bigger companies comparing Vantage Circle vs. Bonusly for global employee engagement. In conclusion, both platforms offer robust integration capabilities, but Bonusly's Zapier integration provides more flexibility for businesses seeking to connect with a wider range of third-party applications. For those considering Vantage Circle alternatives or Bonusly competitors, both platforms deliver seamless integration with popular communication and HR tools.
Bonusly vs. Vantage Circle: Pricing and plans
Pricing is a key factor when choosing between Bonusly and Vantage Circle, as both platforms cater to businesses of various sizes with flexible plans that align with different needs.
Bonusly pricing:
- Appreciate: $2/user/month, billed annually
- Connect: $5/user/month, billed annually
- Achieve: $7/user/month, billed annually
Have a look at a more detailed overview of Bonusly's pricing and plans.
Vantage Circle pricing:
- Request a demo for pricing. All programs include a one-time setup fee.
- Grow
- Transform
- Enterprise
Have a look at a more detailed overview of Vantage Circle's pricing and plans.
Both platforms provide flexible and scalable options, but Bonusly's transparent, pay-per-user model might appeal more to smaller businesses or those looking for a predictable cost structure.
Vantage Circle's request-based pricing offers more customization for larger organizations seeking to build a comprehensive employee engagement program. For businesses considering Vantage Circle competitors or Bonusly alternatives, these pricing structures reflect the platforms' respective focuses on simplicity and scalability.
Bonusly vs. Vantage Circle: Customer support
When evaluating customer support, both Bonusly and Vantage Circle provide strong assistance to their users, but they have some differences in availability and the level of support offered.
Bonusly customer support:
- Comprehensive help center: Bonusly offers a well-structured Help Center with articles covering account setup, user management, integrations, and common troubleshooting queries. This resource enables users to promptly identify solutions without requiring direct assistance, making it an efficient self-service option.
- Email and live support: Bonusly provides email support; a team is available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. This ensures timely responses and assistance with billing, rewards, and integration setups.
- Dedicated customer success: For larger organizations, Bonusly assigns a committed customer success manager to assist with onboarding, optimization, and continuous support. This tailored service ensures businesses can maximize the platform's effectiveness.
Vantage Circle customer support:
- 24/5 support availability: Vantage Circle offers customer support 24 hours a day, five days a week, which benefits international teams needing support at different times. This availability ensures issues are addressed promptly, regardless of time zones.
- Client success team: Vantage Circle provides a dedicated Client Success team for its customers, guiding them through the implementation, optimization, and scaling of their recognition programs. This high-touch support helps organizations fully leverage the platform's capabilities.
- Extensive knowledge base: Similar to Bonusly, Vantage Circle comprises a comprehensive knowledge library featuring articles and guidelines for platform configuration, billing questions, and troubleshooting technical issues.
Bonusly offers structured support with clear access to a Help Center and dedicated success management for larger clients. At the same time, Vantage Circle stands out for its 24/5 customer support, which makes it ideal for global companies needing round-the-clock assistance. Both platforms ensure businesses can optimize employee recognition programs with reliable, ongoing support.
Bonusly vs. Vantage Circle: Customer reviews
Real-world experiences provide valuable insights when comparing employee recognition platforms. A great way to assess if a platform fits your company's unique needs is by looking at reviews from actual users. Here's what users must say about Bonusly and Vantage Circle on platforms like G2 and Software Advice.
Bonusly customer reviews
G2 Review: Bonusly holds a G2 score of 4.7/5 based on over 1,500 reviews.
- Bonusly is praised for its intuitive interface and real-time recognition capabilities, allowing employees to easily acknowledge their colleagues with points that can be exchanged for diverse gifts.
- "It's a nice concept and a positive way to incentivize people, quite easy to use, and customer support responded prompty, but without an actual solution." - Alexandru M., Digital Marketing Operations Circle Lead.
- "I love the idea of rewarding co workers for their assistance and attitude in the office. Although I think the idea is great, I have purchased 2 $25. visa cards to be mailed to me but never received them…" - Verified User in Legal Services.
- "We've used the service for years until it has slowly diminished in both quality and usability. We used to have a wider variety of rewards available, which has significantly shrunk to the point where we have one or to options available which are constantly in and out of service. At the time of writing the service is almost unusable and the Bonusly support team have done nothing in terms of informing or providing a clear path to a resolution." - Verified User in Marketing and Advertising (Customer G2 Review).
Vantage Circle customer reviews
G2 Review: Vantage Circle holds a G2 score of 4.7/5 based on over 5,100 reviews.
- Vantage Circle is appreciated for its peer-to-peer recognition, comprehensive global rewards catalog, and engagement tools such as wellness programs and employee discounts.
- "It provides a platform for more widespread recognition. It feels a bit childish. The emoji's and GIFs are extremely limited and most are inappropriate." - Verified User in Hospital & Health Care.
- "The support. I redeemed my points, and it has been two days .. but i'm still yet to recieve those points in my account. After reaching out to "need help" section, there was no help provided." - Akshat G., Sr. Software Engineer (Customer G2 Review).
- "There are lots of offers which are not that usefull and require lot to search for the one your can use." - Verified User in Information Technology and Services (Customer G2 Review).
Both Bonusly and Vantage Circle are highly regarded by users, though there are areas where each platform could improve. Bonusly is often celebrated for its ease of use and immediate impact on team morale, but some users feel that international reward options could be expanded. On the other hand, Vantage Circle is praised for its flexibility and engagement tools, but long-term users suggest that the rewards catalog could be refreshed more frequently.
Bonusly vs. Vantage Circle: Which is the right tool for you?
Choosing between Bonusly and Vantage Circle depends on your company's unique needs, workplace culture, and employee engagement goals. Both platforms offer valuable solutions for improving recognition but cater to different business models and priorities. Here's a breakdown to help you decide which platform aligns best with your business objectives.
Choose Bonusly if:
- Your company prioritizes peer-to-peer recognition with a simple, intuitive platform that encourages employees to confer points upon each other that may be exchanged for gift cards, donations, or company-specific rewards.
- You need an employee recognition tool that integrates seamlessly with Slack and Microsoft Teams, facilitating direct employee recognition inside their communication tools.
- Customizable rewards and various redemption options are essential for your company, especially if you're focused on giving employees flexibility in using their points.
- You're looking for a cost-effective solution with a straightforward pay-per-user pricing model that allows you to scale as your company grows.
Check out our Bonusly vs. Matter guide for a full comparison.
Choose Vantage Circle if:
- Your global company needs a recognition platform with access to a comprehensive rewards catalog that includes millions of global rewards, from gift vouchers to experiences. You want a platform beyond recognition to include employee engagement tools like corporate discounts, wellness programs, and surveys.
- Multilingual support and the ability to cater to a diverse, international workforce are important for your organization, as Vantage Circle supports multiple languages.
- You need a customizable, request-based pricing model that offers flexibility for larger organizations with specific needs and engagement goals.
Check out our Vantage Circle vs. Matter guide for a full comparison.
Bonusly and Vantage Circle are effective instruments for cultivating a constructive workplace environment and recognizing staff. The right choice depends on your company's size, goals, and how you want to implement recognition. Suppose you're looking for a platform that balances ease of use with scalability. In that case, Bonusly may be ideal for smaller businesses, while Vantage Circle offers a more comprehensive solution for larger, global organizations with diverse needs.
Matter: The best alternative to Bonusly and Vantage Circle
While Bonusly and Vantage Circle offer excellent employee recognition solutions, Matter stands out as a powerful alternative that combines the best features of both platforms while offering unique advantages for businesses of all sizes. Here's why Matter could be the perfect fit for your organization:
- Slack-first and Teams-first integration: Matter integrates directly with Slack and Microsoft Teams, ensuring peer-to-peer recognition happens where your team communicates most. Employees can send recognition and celebrate milestones without leaving their primary workspace, making the process seamless and natural.
- Customizable kudos cards: Matter allows users to create beautiful, customizable kudos cards that are fun and easy to use. These cards can be tailored to your company's values, inside jokes, or team accomplishments, making recognition more personal and meaningful.
- Effortless automation: Matter is designed to be simple and fully automated. After a quick setup that takes just 2 minutes to install and about 5-10 minutes to customize, most of the platform runs on autopilot, requiring minimal ongoing management from administrators.
- Feedback Friday: One of Matter's standout features is Feedback Friday, an automated tool that prompts employees to give kudos at the end of the week. This feature helps reinforce a culture of recognition by encouraging regular positive feedback and helping employees end the week on a high note.
- Automated celebrations: Matter automates milestone celebrations, such as birthdays and work anniversaries. The platform can even automatically ask employees to provide their celebration dates, making it easy to ensure that no important moment goes unrecognized.
- Reward variety: Matter offers various reward options, including charity donations, digital gift cards, prepaid Visa/Mastercards, and custom-branded rewards like company merchandise or an extra vacation day. This flexibility ensures that employees can choose rewards that are meaningful to them.
- Frequent participation with the coin system: Matter's coin system resets weekly, encouraging employees to give recognition more frequently. This frequent reset encourages authentic participation and integrates recognition as a fundamental aspect of your workplace culture.
If you're seeking a platform that combines ease of use, powerful integrations, and thoughtful recognition features, Matter is the ideal alternative to Bonusly and Vantage Circle. Its unique features and effortless automation make it a standout solution for fostering engagement and celebrating employee achievements.
Bonusly vs. Vantage Circle: FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions to help you determine whether Bonusly or Vantage Circle best fits your company's employee recognition program.
Q: How do Bonusly and Vantage Circle compare in terms of features?
A: Bonusly focuses primarily on peer-to-peer recognition, where employees can reward their peers with points that can be exchanged for gift cards, donations, or custom rewards. It emphasizes social recognition with an easy-to-use platform integrated with tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams.
In addition to recognition, Vantage Circle offers a more comprehensive solution that includes corporate discounts, wellness programs, and employee surveys. It's designed to engage employees holistically, supporting multiple languages and providing an extensive global rewards catalog.
Q: Which platform is better suited for large, global organizations?
A: Vantage Circle is generally better suited for large, global organizations. It supports 16+ languages and offers access to a global rewards catalog with over 10 million reward options, making it ideal for companies with international workforces.
Bonusly also supports global recognition but is more frequently used by small and midsized businesses that prefer simplicity and a user-friendly interface.
Q: How do these platforms integrate with existing tools?
A: Bonusly and Vantage Circle offer integrations with communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, allowing employees to give recognition directly within their daily workflows.
Bonusly also integrates with HR systems like BambooHR, ADP, and Workday, providing more automation in syncing employee data.
Vantage Circle offers similar HRIS integrations but emphasizes wellness and engagement tools more.
Q: How do they handle customer support?
A: Bonusly provides support through a help center, email, and a dedicated customer success team for premium clients. Their customer care team is accessible from Monday to Friday during business hours.
Vantage Circle offers 24/5 support, making it ideal for global organizations. Additionally, they provide a dedicated client success team to help businesses implement and optimize their recognition programs.
Q: Are there alternatives to Bonusly and Vantage Circle?
A: Yes, Matter is a highly recommended alternative to both Bonusly and Vantage Circle. Matter offers seamless integration with Slack and Microsoft Teams, including features like customizable kudos cards, automated milestone celebrations, and a flexible employee rewards system. It provides an engaging, automated recognition experience to boost workplace morale and participation.
Both Bonusly and Vantage Circle provide effective employee recognition solutions, but the right choice for your company depends on your specific goals, team size, and engagement needs.
Bonusly and Vantage Circle offer robust solutions for employee recognition and engagement, each with unique features that cater to different organizational needs. Bonusly is ideal for companies looking for a simple, peer-to-peer recognition system with a flexible rewards catalog. At the same time, Vantage Circle is better suited for larger, global organizations seeking a more comprehensive engagement platform that includes wellness programs and corporate discounts.
However, if you're seeking a modern, fully automated solution that integrates seamlessly with Slack and Microsoft Teams, Matter is the perfect alternative. With features like customizable kudos cards, automated milestone celebrations, and a flexible reward system, Matter simplifies employee recognition while fostering a culture of continuous feedback and engagement.
Ready to enhance your employee recognition efforts? Get started with Matter for free today and observe its potential to influence your company culture!
