Bonusly vs. Workhuman [2025 Unbiased Comparison]

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Selecting the right employee recognition platform is crucial in establishing a flourishing workplace culture. Two industry-leading platforms, Bonusly and Workhuman, have built robust solutions that empower companies to enhance employee engagement and foster meaningful connections through employee recognition programs. Each platform has distinct features designed to fulfill the requirements of various businesses, whether you desire peer-to-peer recognition, configurable awards, or seamless connection with platforms such as Slack or Microsoft Teams.

In this comparison, we'll explore Bonusly vs. Workhuman, delving into their key features, integrations, pricing structures, and customer reviews to help you choose the best fit for your organization. Whether you're looking for Bonusly alternatives or Workhuman competitors, this guide will provide the insights needed to foster a supportive work environment and increase employee engagement. Additionally, we'll introduce Matter, a powerful platform offering an innovative approach to employee recognition and engagement.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Overview comparison

Bonusly and Workhuman offer robust solutions for employee recognition and engagement, but their features and target audiences differ in key ways.

Bonusly is designed to simplify peer-to-peer recognition, allowing employees to recognize each other in real-time to live out company values. With a broad selection of rewards, from digital gift cards to charitable donations and custom swag, Bonusly helps companies boost employee participation and recognition frequency. The platform integrates easily with popular tools such as Slack and Microsoft Teams, streamlining the recognition process within everyday workflows. Bonusly's strengths lie in its user-friendly interface and ability to foster simple but frequent recognition across distributed teams, making it ideal for small to midsized businesses​.

Workhuman, on the other hand, focuses on creating meaningful employee connections through structured recognition and reward systems. The platform is built to support large, global organizations, offering comprehensive features like continuous performance management, detailed reporting, and custom-built programs that align with company values. Workhuman also emphasizes celebrating significant employee milestones such as birthdays and work anniversaries, helping companies foster a strong sense of belonging. Its global solution serves employees in over 160 countries, with support for multiple languages and seamless integration with HRIS and talent management systems​.

Bonusly is well-suited for organizations looking for a lightweight, engaging recognition tool that can be implemented quickly and easily. At the same time, Workhuman offers a more comprehensive platform designed to serve large enterprises with global teams, focusing on deeper employee engagement and talent management.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Features

Regarding features, Bonusly and Workhuman provide robust solutions to enhance employee engagement and recognition programs, but each has a distinct focus.

Bonusly prioritizes peer-to-peer recognition, enabling employees to promptly acknowledge one another for exemplifying business values. It offers various custom rewards that employees can redeem, including digital gift cards, charitable donations, and branded company merchandise. This platform also automates milestones like birthdays and anniversaries, ensuring no recognition moment is missed. Bonusly is known for its simplicity and accessibility, providing an easy-to-use interface that integrates smoothly with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and other popular workplace tools​.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Bonusly Platform
Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Bonusly Platform

Key features include:

  • Peer-to-peer recognition that promotes frequent, real-time acknowledgments.
  • Automated milestones for celebrations like birthdays and work anniversaries.
  • Customizable rewards with options for gift cards, swag, and donations.
  • Effortless connection with collaboration platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Teams.
  • Insights and analytics that track participation and engagement trends.

On the other hand, Workhuman offers a more extensive array of functionalities to create a deeper, long-term impact on company culture and employee performance. While supporting peer recognition, Workhuman emphasizes structured recognition programs that tie into broader performance management systems. It supports global recognition, allowing multinational organizations to create unified programs across regions with multilingual capabilities. Workhuman's platform includes tools for continuous feedback, performance management, and career development to ensure that recognition efforts drive tangible outcomes for employees and the organization.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Workhuman Platform
Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Workhuman Platform

Key features include:

  • Global recognition programs that cater to diverse and geographically distributed teams.
  • Continuous performance management tools that integrate recognition with feedback and goal setting.
  • Employee milestones and career development tools for celebrating achievements and fostering growth.
  • Comprehensive analytics that provides in-depth insights into recognition trends and employee engagement metrics​.

Bonusly offers a straightforward, easy-to-use employee rewards platform focusing on peer-to-peer recognition and customizable rewards. At the same time, Workhuman provides a more holistic solution that integrates recognition with performance management and employee development, making it better suited for larger, global organizations.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Integration options

Both Bonusly and Workhuman offer powerful integration capabilities that allow companies to seamlessly incorporate recognition into their existing workflows. These integrations help businesses embed recognition efforts into everyday tools, making it easier for employees to participate in the recognition process without switching platforms.

Bonusly integrates with several popular collaboration tools and HR systems, allowing for smooth, real-time recognition:

  • Slack and Microsoft Teams: Employees can give and receive recognition directly through these platforms, ensuring that recognition happens in the workflow. Bonusly's deep integration with these tools allows employees to celebrate achievements and foster a positive workplace culture without leaving their chat interfaces​.
  • HRIS integration: Bonusly connects with HR systems such as BambooHR and Workday, ensuring up-to-date employee data and milestones like work anniversaries and birthdays are automatically recognized​.
  • Single sign-on (SSO): To make the platform easy to access, Bonusly supports SSO with providers like Okta and Azure, simplifying login and increasing user security.

Workhuman also provides robust integrations, particularly for large organizations looking for more comprehensive data synchronization and performance management:

  • HRIS and talent management systems: Workhuman integrates with major HRIS systems such as Workday, ADP, and Oracle, ensuring that recognition aligns with broader employee management and talent development strategies. This allows companies to automate recognition for employee milestones and track performance metrics through the same system​.
  • Collaboration tools: Similar to Bonusly, Workhuman integrates with Slack and Microsoft Teams, enabling real-time recognition through the platforms employees use daily​.
  • Global capabilities: Workhuman supports multinational organizations by offering regional support and multilingual capabilities, ensuring consistent user experiences across different geographies​.

Bonusly offers smooth integrations that enhance daily communication and simplify HR processes, making it a great option for small to midsized businesses. Workhuman provides more comprehensive integration options for global enterprises, with advanced capabilities for syncing with HRIS systems and managing employee recognition at scale.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Pricing and plans

Cost is a vital consideration when selecting an employee recognition platform. Both Bonusly and Workhuman offer flexible options tailored to businesses of various sizes, but they differ in pricing approaches.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Bonusly Recognition
Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Bonusly Recognition

Bonusly pricing:

  • Appreciate: $2/user/month, billed annually
  • Connect: $5/user/month, billed annually
  • Achieve: $7/user/month, billed annually

Look at a more detailed overview of Bonusly's plans and pricing.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Workhuman Recognition
Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Workhuman Recognition

Workhuman pricing: Pricing is not listed on the website. You'll need to schedule a demo/sales call with Workhuman to learn more about pricing.

Conclusion: Bonusly offers a predictable, pay-per-user pricing model that works well for small to midsized businesses. In contrast, Workhuman provides a more customizable pricing approach that is better suited for large enterprises with global recognition needs. Both platforms offer scalable solutions, but Bonusly's pricing is more adaptable for businesses looking for a straightforward, low-cost recognition tool.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Customer support

Customer support is a key component of any software platform, and both Bonusly and Workhuman offer various levels of assistance to ensure a smooth user experience. However, their approaches differ based on their target audience and platform complexity.

Bonusly customer support:

  • Live chat and email support: Bonusly offers standard support through live chat and email, providing direct assistance when needed. This guarantees that users may promptly address any issues that emerge.
  • Help center: Bonusly provides a comprehensive online Help Center filled with articles, guides, and resources to assist users in resolving issues or optimizing the platform's functionalities.
  • Dedicated account managers: For higher-tier plans, Bonusly assigns a dedicated account manager to facilitate onboarding, platform customization, and ongoing support​.

Workhuman customer support:

  • 24/7 global support: Workhuman emphasizes its ability to provide global support for companies operating in multiple regions. Their support team operates around the clock to ensure that businesses receive timely assistance, regardless of where their employees are​.
  • Dedicated account managers: Like Bonusly, Workhuman offers dedicated account managers to assist with complex implementations, especially for large, global organizations. These managers help with setup, integration, and ongoing optimizations​.
  • Help center and knowledge base: Workhuman provides a detailed Help Center with FAQs, articles, and tutorials to assist users in comprehending the platform's functionalities and resolving prevalent problems.

Bonusly provides quick, accessible support through live chat, email, and a robust help center, making it ideal for smaller to midsized organizations that may need less complex support. Workhuman, on the other hand, offers 24/7 global support and more personalized assistance, catering to larger, multinational organizations with more complex needs.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Customer reviews

Customer feedback is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of an employee recognition platform in fulfilling user requirements. Both Bonusly and Workhuman receive positive reviews for their strengths, but they also have areas where customers see room for improvement.

Bonusly customer reviews

G2 Rating: Bonusly holds a G2 score of 4.7/5, based on over 2,700 reviews​.

  • Strengths: Bonusly is praised for its ease of use, particularly in peer-to-peer recognition, which allows employees to give each other quick, meaningful recognition. Many users highlight how Bonusly has helped improve employee engagement and workplace morale. Bonusly's integration with Slack and Microsoft Teams is also frequently mentioned as a key benefit.
  • Areas for improvement: Some users note that the reward options could be more diverse, and a few mention that the platform can feel overly focused on social recognition, which may not always be suitable for every workplace culture.
  • "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).
  • "Much like tipping, this system shifts the responsibility of compensation from the employer to someone else (patron for tipping, employee for Bonusly). I don't know the full details of the financials behind this program, but there's no way management would have gone for it if it were MORE expensive than handing out bonuses to everyone yearly. Instead of cutting or doing away with bonuses, ownership has now implemented social media, subject to the same whims and cliqueness found in standard social media, to take the place of direct financial compensation. Instead of people/families looking forward to little boost for the holidays etc, now you have to worry about office politics and how popular you might be with others to score some extra cash. And by extra, I mean a pitiful amount. 5000 nuggets will get you the same $500 bonus as before, which will take most people well over a year to acheive. And that's if you know to use the cash out option, which is buried amongst all the charitable contributions you can make or the gift cards you can redeem." - Verified User in Hospital & Health Care (Customer G2 Review).
  • "The aspect of gifs and uploading photos and a fun UI with funny messages about bugs is nice. Creates a system of a popularity contest. It's added a bit of fun. But not a replacement for lousy workplace culture." - Verified User in Apparel & Fashion.

Have a look at a more detailed overview of Bonusly's customer reviews.

Workhuman customer reviews

G2 Rating: Workhuman holds a G2 score of 4.7/5, based on over 500 reviews​.

  • Strengths: Workhuman is frequently lauded for its ability to drive meaningful connections between employees through structured, value-based recognition. The platform's support for global recognition programs and its integration with HR systems like Workday and ADP are often highlighted as major advantages. Customers appreciate the depth of the platform, especially in terms of its analytics and performance management features.
  • Areas for improvement: Some users feel the platform's many features can make navigating complex, particularly during the initial setup process. Others suggest that the mobile app could be more user-friendly for employees on the go.
  • "Insufficient notifications on status. My manager missed a notification for approval. I was unaware. No reminders were sent-to either of us. I wasn't notified that the request wasn't approved. I wasn't given an opportunity to recall the recognition and resubmit as a non-monetary reward." - Verified User in Alternative Dispute Resolution.
  • "There are some things that make it less likely to be used: Items don't have a great description: in many cases I had to manually search for the item online since either there is a single picture (which is not enough to see and even quality may be lacking) but also there is no technical description (or decent description), as well as missing a 'what is in the box' kind of description. e.g. I was looking for some keyboards (musical) and pictures were showing a piano stand, but the model generally does not come with one... so this is confusing and will generate missed expectations. Not having a consistent value for the points: If you are short on points, purchasing those points is quite steep and makes no sense to do at all, making you leave points in the system that cannot be redeemed." - Verified User in Airlines/Aviation (Customer G2 Review).
  • "One potential drawback of Workhuman Social Recognition is that, while it effectively promotes frequent recognition, it might sometimes lead to recognition fatigue if not managed well. Employees might feel overwhelmed or desensitized if recognition becomes too routine or if the recognition feels superficial rather than meaningful. Additionally, for larger organizations, the volume of recognition can sometimes make it challenging to highlight truly outstanding contributions, as significant achievements might get lost in the sheer number of recognitions. Finally, some users might find the platform's analytics overwhelming or difficult to navigate without proper training." - Verified User in Pharmaceuticals (Customer G2 Review).

Bonusly is praised for its simplicity and integration with popular tools, making it well-suited for companies seeking a quick, engaging solution for peer recognition. Workhuman receives positive feedback for its robust features that support large-scale, global recognition programs, though it may require more onboarding and customization to get started effectively.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Which is the right tool for you?

Choosing between Bonusly and Workhuman depends on your organization's size, goals, and specific employee recognition needs. Both platforms offer powerful tools for enhancing employee engagement and cultivating a positive workplace environment, but they cater to different types of businesses.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Bonusly Rewards
Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Bonusly Rewards

Choose Bonusly if:

  • Your organization values frequent peer-to-peer recognition and seeks an easy-to-use platform that integrates seamlessly with tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams.
  • You want a cost-effective, pay-per-user model that is scalable and well-suited for small to mid-sized businesses​.
  • Your team prefers customizable rewards options, including gift cards, swag, and donations, which can be tailored to your company's culture.
  • You need an intuitive platform that is quick to implement and simple for employees to adopt​.

Check out our Bonusly vs. Matter guide for a full comparison.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Workhuman Rewards
Bonusly vs. Workhuman: Workhuman Rewards

Choose Workhuman if:

  • Your company is a larger organization, particularly with a global workforce, and needs a comprehensive platform that supports multilingual recognition and global reward programs.
  • You require integrated performance management tools that tie recognition to employee development, feedback, and continuous performance management.
  • You need to track and analyze recognition trends with detailed reporting and insights that support long-term talent development and employee retention.
  • Your company values a custom-built recognition program that aligns with broader talent management and corporate values​.

Check out our Workhuman vs. Matter guide for a full comparison.

Bonusly is an excellent choice for businesses seeking an affordable, user-friendly solution that encourages frequent recognition and custom rewards. On the other hand, Workhuman is ideal for large enterprises that need a global solution with integrated performance management and in-depth reporting capabilities. Your choice depends on your company's size, structure, and specific recognition goals.

Matter: The best alternative to Bonusly and Workhuman

While both Bonusly and Workhuman provide excellent employee recognition and engagement solutions, if you are looking for Bonusly competitors and Workhuman alternatives,  Matter stands out as a flexible, user-friendly, and highly customizable alternative. Matter is designed to cater to businesses of all sizes, offering a more streamlined approach that integrates seamlessly with existing workflows like Slack and Microsoft Teams while providing robust features for peer-to-peer recognition and feedback.

Why Matter is the best alternative:

  • Slack-first and Teams-first integration: Unlike other platforms, Matter was specifically built for Slack and Microsoft Teams environments, making it easy for employees to recognize each other without leaving the tools they use daily. This deep integration ensures recognition happens naturally in the workflow, increasing participation​.
  • Customizable kudos: Matter allows employees to send personalized kudos cards aligned with company values. This makes peer-to-peer recognition not only meaningful but also engaging and fun. These cards can be customized for different occasions, reflecting each company's unique culture​.
  • Automated recognition: Matter helps streamline employee milestones like birthdays, work anniversaries, and onboarding celebrations. These events are automatically recognized, ensuring no key moment goes unnoticed​.
  • Flexible reward system: Matter's rewards feature allows employees to redeem points for rewards such as gift cards, prepaid Visa or Mastercard options, and custom-branded company merchandise. This allows businesses to offer rewards that matter most to their employees​.
  • User-friendly platform: Matter is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, allowing companies to implement it quickly without requiring extensive training. This makes it ideal for small to mid-sized businesses that need a recognition tool that can be set up in minutes and maintained with minimal effort​.

Matter offers the ease of use and integration that modern teams need while also providing the flexibility to customize recognition to fit any company's unique culture. It is an excellent alternative to Bonusly and Workhuman, particularly for organizations that want a lightweight, highly engaging recognition platform that seamlessly integrates with popular communication tools.

Bonusly vs. Workhuman: FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions to help you determine whether Bonusly or Workhuman is the best fit for your company's employee recognition program.

Q: How do Bonusly and Workhuman compare in terms of features?

A: Bonusly focuses on peer-to-peer recognition, allowing employees to recognize each other in real time with customizable rewards such as gift cards, swag, and donations. Workhuman, on the other hand, provides a more comprehensive platform with support for global recognition, employee milestones, and deeper performance management features.

Q: Which platform is better suited for large, global organizations?

A: Workhuman is better suited for large organizations, especially those with global teams, as it supports multilingual recognition and HRIS integrations for automating recognition across different regions. Bonusly is ideal for smaller to mid-sized businesses looking for a more straightforward, cost-effective solution.

Q: How do the platforms handle activity tracking and performance management?

A: Workhuman offers advanced performance management features, including continuous feedback, goal tracking, and in-depth analytics. Bonusly, while it provides engagement tracking, it is primarily focused on encouraging frequent peer recognition rather than full performance management.

Q: How do they integrate with existing tools?

A: Both platforms integrate with Slack and Microsoft Teams, allowing employees to give recognition directly through these communication tools. Workhuman provides deeper integration with HRIS systems like Workday and ADP, making it ideal for businesses needing automated recognition linked to broader HR management processes.

Q: How do Bonusly and Workhuman handle customer support?

A: Bonusly provides live chat, email support, and a comprehensive Help Center. Workhuman offers 24/7 global support, including dedicated account managers for larger clients, which is particularly valuable for multinational organizations.

Q: How do these platforms handle recognition automation?

A: Workhuman automates milestones such as work anniversaries and birthdays while providing tools for continuous performance management. Bonusly automates similar milestones but focuses more on promoting real-time, frequent recognition between employees.

Q: Are there any alternatives to Bonusly and Workhuman?

A: If you're looking for Bonusly alternatives or Workhuman competitors, Matter is an excellent choice. Matter integrates with Slack and Microsoft Teams to offer customizable kudos, automates milestone celebrations, and provides a flexible recognition system to encourage participation.

Q: How do these platforms manage user interaction and connection with the system?

A: Bonusly provides an intuitive, easy-to-use interface for real-time recognition. Workhuman ties recognition to broader employee engagement and performance management through feedback and goal-setting features.

Both Bonusly and Workhuman provide robust solutions that cater to different organizational needs when choosing the right employee recognition platform. Bonusly is ideal for small to midsized businesses looking for a user-friendly, cost-effective solution that encourages frequent peer-to-peer recognition. Its effortless interaction with widely used tools such as Slack and Microsoft Teams renders recognition an inherent aspect of daily activities. Workhuman, on the other hand, offers a more comprehensive solution that is perfect for large enterprises with global teams, supporting multilingual recognition, performance management, and deeper engagement through structured milestones and feedback systems.

Matter offers an excellent choice if you're seeking a Bonusly or Workhuman alternative to these platforms. Built specifically to integrate with Slack and Microsoft Teams, Matter focuses on providing a flexible, highly engaging recognition system that is easy to implement. Matter combines larger platforms' automation and customization capabilities with the simplicity and accessibility smaller teams need.

Are you looking for a recognition platform that offers the best of both worlds: easy to use, customizable, and deeply integrated into your daily tools? Matter could be the perfect fit for your organization. Get started with Matter today to boost employee engagement, foster a positive work culture, and make meaningful recognition a part of your workflow. Get started with Matter for free today and see how it can transform your recognition efforts!

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