10 Cooleaf Competitors: Pricing & Reviews [2024 Guide]

In today's competitive business environment, organizations continually seek new ways to increase employee engagement and recognition, fostering a healthy workplace culture. Cooleaf is a popular employee experience platform that offers tools for employee recognition, rewards, and feedback to help companies improve engagement and performance. However, Cooleaf may not be the ideal solution for every organization. Companies may explore Cooleaf competitors offering different features, more flexibility, or integration with tools like Microsoft Teams to better align with their needs.

Matter understands that businesses want to create a workplace where employees feel valued and motivated. With features like kudos, Feedback Friday initiatives, and advanced survey feedback tools, Matter provides organizations with powerful solutions to foster a culture of recognition and engagement. This guide will explore the top 10 Cooleaf competitors, analyzing their features, pricing, and reviews to help you find the best platform to meet your organization's unique goals and enhance employee experience.

What is Cooleaf?

Cooleaf is an employee engagement software that aims to strengthen company culture by recognizing and rewarding employees, gathering employee feedback, and providing tools to improve employee engagement. It integrates with platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack, allowing for seamless communication and recognition directly within the daily tools teams use. Cooleaf offers a range of customizable programs, including employee recognition, performance management, and wellness initiatives, all aimed at helping organizations measure employee engagement and foster a culture of appreciation. With real-time surveys, tailored rewards, and insights from data analytics, Cooleaf empowers companies to align their employee engagement strategies with their organizational goals and values.

Why consider Cooleaf competitors?

While Cooleaf is known for enhancing employee engagement through its recognition programs, feedback tools, and performance management features, businesses might find greater value in exploring its competitors. Each organization has unique goals and may benefit from more flexible platforms, such as advanced customization options, a broader range of employee rewards, or specific integrations with communication tools like Microsoft Teams. Competitors may provide specialized features for improving workplace culture, such as more in-depth employee engagement surveys, tools for tracking progress on engagement initiatives, or tailored programs that align better with the company's values. Considering Cooleaf alternatives allows companies to find a solution that meets their needs, drives meaningful employee connections, fosters appreciation, and supports organizational growth.

10 Cooleaf competitors: employee recognition & rewards software

Finding the right employee recognition and rewards platform can significantly improve your business's culture and engagement levels. Here are ten top competitors to Cooleaf that provide distinctive features and advantages to assist you in more effectively recognizing and rewarding your employees.

1. Matter

About Matter: Matter is an innovative employee recognition platform that integrates effortlessly with Slack and Microsoft Teams, making it easy for organizations to build a continuous appreciation and feedback culture. As a Slack-first and Teams-first application, Matter empowers employees to recognize each other through fun, customizable kudos cards that align with company values or celebrate personal achievements. Designed for simplicity, Matter takes just a few minutes to set up, 2 minutes to install, and 5-10 minutes to customize, after which the platform is largely automated. This makes it an ideal solution for companies looking to enhance engagement without a heavy administrative burden.

Matter stands out for its unique features that drive meaningful engagement. The platform's Feedback Friday initiative is an automated prompt that encourages employees to share kudos and rewards every Friday, fostering a positive end to the workweek and making recognition a habit. Matter also makes celebrating employee milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries easy with automated rewards and self-service options for employees to provide their celebration dates. With its diverse rewards, including digital gift cards, charity donations, prepaid Visa/Mastercards, and custom-branded experiences, Matter offers something for everyone. Additionally, the platform features a unique coin system that resets weekly, motivating continuous participation and authentic recognition across teams.

Matter main features:

• Peer-to-peer recognition through customizable kudos cards
• Automated Feedback Friday prompts for regular recognition
• Celebration of milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries
• Incentivized employee feedback surveys through Slack or Teams
• Diverse rewards, including charitable donations, digital gift cards, prepaid Visa/Mastercards, and unique custom rewards
• Weekly resetting coin system to encourage ongoing engagement

Matter pricing:

• Free Forever: $0/user/month
• Basic: $1/user/month, billed annually
• Pro: $3/user/month, billed annually
• Pro + Surveys: $5/user/month, billed annually

For more information, please visit Matter's pricing page.

Matter G2 score: Matter has a G2 score of 4.7/5 based on user reviews.

Notable Matter customers: Sephora, Petco, Shell, Siemens, JiffyLube, Microsoft, SXSW, and Bolt.

What Matter customers are saying on G2: "Matter helps us encourage behaviors that align with our company values and can allow us to recognize and reward those who exemplify our values." - Autumn Amescua, Chief Culture & People Officer at SXSW

2. Kudos

About Kudos: Kudos is an employee recognition and rewards platform designed to foster meaningful connections, boost engagement, and create a stronger workplace culture. Focusing on peer recognition, Kudos allows employees to celebrate each other's achievements through various customizable tools, including group eCards, award nominations, and the Kudos Wall. In this digital space, employees can recognize one another and see company values in action. By integrating recognition into daily workflows, Kudos makes it easy for organizations to acknowledge accomplishments, build camaraderie, and reinforce a culture of appreciation.

Kudos main features:

• Peer recognition: Increases the depth of connections and the strength of the workplace culture by enabling employees to instantaneously identify one another.
• Employee rewards: Offers a broad selection of rewards, from digital gift cards and merchandise to experiences, ensuring diverse options for all employees.
• Awards & nominations: Supports structured recognition through award programs that align with organizational values and goals.
• Pulse surveys & analytics: Offers instruments such as pulse surveys and people analytics to assess cultural trends and employee engagement.
• AI recognition assistant: Utilizes AI to ensure timely and meaningful recognition across the organization.
• Integrations: Seamlessly integrates with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and various HRIS systems to simplify recognition and feedback processes.

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

Kudos G2 score: Kudos has a G2 score of 4.8/5 based on user reviews.

Notable Kudos customers: Engie, Chewy, Make-A-Wish, MTN, WilsonHCG, and MU Health Care.

What Kudos customers are saying on G2: "It was nice to hear praise from co-workers. It quickly became a popularity contest so certain people could earn rewards, one group of employees left almost meaningless comments in order to boost their scores and thus get prizes. Also the level of points to earn a prize made it difficult to 'cash in'." - Sharon H.

3. Guusto

About Guusto: Guusto is a straightforward employee recognition and rewards platform designed to build a positive workplace culture by making recognition easy, accessible, and impactful for all employees, including those on the front lines. Unlike traditional points-based systems, Guusto uses a simple rewards model where $1 equals $1, ensuring transparency and ease of use. The platform allows companies to send rewards to anyone — employees, seasonal workers, contractors, and even customers — without requiring work email addresses, making it highly inclusive for deskless workers in industries like healthcare, retail, hospitality, and manufacturing.

Guusto main features:

• Flexible rewards: Provides digital gift cards, company-branded merchandise, charitable donations, and custom experiences.
• Automated recognition programs: Streamlines recognition programs by automating milestones like birthdays, anniversaries, and years of service, reducing administrative burden.
• Inclusive delivery options: Offers multiple ways to send and redeem rewards, including web, mobile app, SMS, TV display, and printable rewards for tech-adverse employees.
• Cost-effective model: Charges only for users who send recognition, with no setup fees or hidden costs. Unclaimed gifts are credited back, ensuring every dollar is well spent.
• Social impact initiatives: Partners with the One Drop Foundation to donate a day of clean water for every gift sent and contributes 1% of founder equity to the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Guusto pricing:

• Free: $0 per month, Single user account
• Lite: $40 per month, Single user account
• Essential: $120 per month, Starts with 30 seats
• Premium: $400 per month, Starts with 80 seats

For more information, please visit Guusto's pricing page.

Guusto G2 score: Guusto has a G2 score of 4.9/5 based on user reviews.

Notable Guusto customers: Carlton Cards, Bell Media, The Body Shop, DLA Piper, Harry Rosen, and Marriott.

What Guusto customers are saying on G2: "The limited number of merchants in the list. Also an offer was provided if we give a G2 review. It was a bogus offer as I have not seen that offer." - Verified User in Insurance.

4. Vantage Circle

About Vantage Circle: Vantage Circle is a comprehensive employee engagement platform designed to create a holistic and rewarding workplace culture by offering tools for employee rewards and recognition, wellness, and feedback. The platform integrates seamlessly with existing HRIS and HCM systems, enabling organizations to recognize and reward their employees globally, in real-time, with zero markups on gift cards. Vantage Circle provides multiple solutions, including Vantage Rewards for recognition, Vantage Pulse for employee feedback, Vantage Perks for corporate discounts, and Vantage Fit for wellness initiatives, aiming to improve employee satisfaction and engagement.

Vantage Circle main features:

• Vantage Rewards: Facilitates global employee recognition with an extensive rewards catalog, including gift cards, merchandise, and experiences.
• Vantage Pulse: An employee feedback tool that uses eNPS-based pulse surveys to provide real-time insights into employee sentiment and engagement.
• Vantage Fit: A gamified corporate wellness platform that encourages healthy habits and rewards employees for their participation.
• Vantage Perks: Offers corporate discounts on various products and services from global brands, enhancing employee benefits.
• Service Yearbook: An AI-powered feature that celebrates work anniversaries with personalized service yearbooks and milestone rewards.
• Multi-language support and analytics: Supports 16+ languages and provides multi-layered analytics for better decision-making at all organizational levels.

Vantage Circle pricing:

• Request a demo for pricing.
• All programs are subject to a one-time setup fee.

For more information, please visit Vantage Circle's pricing page.

Vantage Circle G2 score: Vantage Circle has a G2 score of 4.7/5 based on user reviews.

Notable Vantage Circle customers: Wells Fargo, Bosch, DHL, Infosys, Wipro, ACG, Landmark Group, and Blue Star.

What Vantage Circle customers are saying on G2: "Easy to use with useful option to recognize my colleagues. However, not integrated within my daily working apps." - Verified User in Non-Profit Organization Management.

5. Recognize App

About Recognize App: Recognize App is an employee engagement platform designed to make recognition easy, automated, and accessible for all employees, whether in-office, remote, or frontline workers. Recognize integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, Slack, and other popular business tools, enabling employees to directly give and receive recognition within the applications they use daily. The platform offers various features to support a positive workplace culture, including social employee recognition, service anniversaries, birthday celebrations, and an incentive management system. Recognize provides a customizable experience, allowing organizations to align recognition with their core values, encourage positive behaviors, and strengthen employee engagement across different teams and locations.

Recognize main features:

• Social employee recognition: Enables peer-to-peer recognition and celebrates achievements aligned with company values.
• Automated service anniversaries and birthdays: Automatically recognizes and rewards employees for milestones and special occasions.
• Incentive management: Allows managers to issue redeemable rewards based on specific tasks or accomplishments.
• Integration with business tools: Connects with over 200 applications, including Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Slack, and more, for seamless recognition.
• Gamification and leaderboards: Engages employees with badges, leaderboards, and a Hall of Fame, fostering a competitive spirit and encouraging continuous recognition.
• Global reach and localization: Supports multiple languages and provides reward options in over 70 countries, including local gift cards and experiences.

Recognize pricing:

• Start-Up: $3,999 per year, Under 100 users
• Mid-Market: $4,999 per year, Under 100 users
• Enterprise: $5,999 per year, Under 100 users

For more information, please visit Recognize App's pricing page.

Recognize G2 score: Recognize App has a G2 score of 4.7/5 based on user reviews.

Notable Recognize customers: Dev.Pro, Visions Federal Credit Union, Teach First, Goodway Group, and Metro Bank.

What Recognize customers are saying on G2: "The mobile app needs more work. I tried submitting recognition through the mobile app and I was unable to find the "Send" button after typing up my recognition. I had to retype it on the Desktop version." - Tyler R.

6. Workleap

About Workleap: Workleap, through its platform Officevibe, offers a holistic employee engagement solution that combines recognition, feedback, and performance management to foster a thriving workplace culture. The platform focuses on meaningful peer-to-peer recognition with features like the "Good Vibes" recognition tool, which allows employees to celebrate small wins, major milestones, and culture champions. Workleap integrates seamlessly with tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and other business applications, making recognition a natural part of the daily workflow. It also includes continuous employee feedback mechanisms such as automated pulse surveys, anonymous feedback channels, and customizable survey tools that provide valuable insights into employee satisfaction, engagement levels, and workplace culture.

Workleap main features:

• Good Vibes recognition: Enables meaningful, peer-to-peer recognition with customizable messages that align with company values.
• Automated pulse surveys: Conducts frequent, customizable surveys to capture real-time feedback and measure employee engagement.
• Performance tracking: Provides tools for continuous performance management, including goals, OKRs, and one-on-one meetings.
• Anonymous feedback channels: Offers secure, confidential spaces for employees to provide honest feedback.
• Engagement analytics: Generates comprehensive reports and insights to assist companies in the formulation of data-driven decisions that will improve employee engagement and satisfaction.

Workleap pricing:

• Free: $0, Single user account
• Essential: $3.50 per person per month
• Pro: $5 per person per month

For more information, please visit Workleap's pricing page.

Workleap G2 score: Workleap has a G2 score of 4.3/5 based on user reviews.

Notable Workleap customers: Dyson, SIEMENS, IKEA, Fujitsu, Wetransfer, Trivago, OneSignal, and Moment Factory

What Workleap customers are saying on G2: "Good integration with Slack. Helps getting participation rate. What you get is pretty much set. You can create Custom Surveys but the reports are impossible to manage and support does almost nothing to help. - Verified User in Computer Software.

7. Achievers

About Achievers: Achievers is a leading employee recognition and engagement platform that enables employers to foster a culture of acknowledgment, connection, and belonging. The platform offers various tools, including Recognize™ for peer-to-peer recognition, Reward™ for access to a global rewards marketplace, Listen™ for employee feedback and insights, and Celebrate™ for automating service awards and milestone celebrations. Achievers integrates seamlessly with popular tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and HRIS systems like ADP and Oracle, making it easy to embed recognition into the daily workflow. Achievers help organizations boost employee engagement, retention, and productivity by encouraging frequent recognition and offering diverse reward options.

Achievers main features:

• Recognize™: Facilitates real-time, peer-to-peer recognition directly within existing workflows, supporting a culture of continuous appreciation.
• Reward™: A comprehensive rewards marketplace, including luxury items, travel experiences, and custom rewards, backed by an award-winning customer care team.
• Listen™: Provides tools for gathering employee feedback and making data-driven decisions to improve engagement.
• Celebrate™: Automates milestone celebrations, such as work anniversaries and birthdays, ensuring that every achievement is acknowledged.
• Integrations: Compatible with various business tools and HRIS systems, enhancing functionality and ease of use.

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

Achievers G2 score: Achievers has a G2 score of 4.7/5 based on user reviews.

Notable Achievers customers: Discover, Samsung, General Motors, Kellanova, Dyson, Scotiabank, Panasonic, and CVSHealth.

What Achievers customers are saying on G2: "The fact that I had a reward from my company; also there weren't a lot of items. I couldn't spend the money on my personal Amazon account and the representative who I chatted with didn't know how to direct me." - Verified User in Chemicals.

8. Awardco

About Awardco: Awardco is a flexible employee recognition and rewards platform offering one of the largest global rewards networks by partnering with Amazon Business. This partnership allows Awardco to provide millions of reward options, from gift cards and merchandise to unique experiences, all at a cost with no markups. The platform is designed to enhance workplace culture by simplifying recognition, automating service awards, and reducing the administrative burden through robust reporting and budgeting tools. Awardco's platform supports digital and physical rewards, allowing employees to redeem points for virtually anything and providing a more personalized recognition experience.

Awardco main features:

• Largest reward network: Access to millions of reward options through Amazon Business, including digital gift cards, physical items, and custom catalogs.
• Automated recognition programs: Easily automate service awards, milestone celebrations, spot recognition, and other incentive programs.
• Cost-effective model: Zero reward markups, reducing overall spending, and maximizing budget efficiency.
• Advanced integrations: Integrates with HRIS systems and communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams and supports API and SFTP methods for seamless data management.
• Data-driven insights: Offers robust reporting tools to track recognition program effectiveness and support data-driven decision-making.
• Customizable employee engagement tools: Provides options for peer recognition, team recognition, and lifestyle spending accounts, enabling companies to customize programs according to their requirements.

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

Awardco G2 score: Awardco has a G2 score of 4.8/5 based on user reviews.

Notable Awardco customers: Visionworks, ClickUp, Ultradent, Pilot, Texas Roadhouse, TaylorMade, and Hunt Brothers Pizza.

What Awardco customers are saying on G2: "My company just switched to Awardco. It sounds good in theory. But it's not used to reward hard work or going above and beyond like they pitch it. Most of the managers don't know how to give extra points. Yes, there's a lot of options for redeeming points, but it's near impossible to get points outside of a predetermined points schedule." - Verified User in Facilities Services

9. WorkTango

About WorkTango: WorkTango is a versatile platform for employee recognition and rewards intended to cultivate a culture of engagement and appreciation among distributed teams. The platform allows organizations to scale and automate recognition programs, offering private and public recognition options with or without rewards. WorkTango provides access to a vast rewards marketplace with over 10 million options available in 85 countries, ranging from merchandise and experiences to charitable donations. The platform is intended to function seamlessly with a diverse selection of HRIS, HCM, and communication tools, making it easy for employees to give and receive recognition directly within their daily workflows, whether through Slack, Microsoft Teams, or other business applications.

WorkTango main features:

• Comprehensive recognition options: Supports peer-to-peer, top-down, and bottom-up recognition, helping to build an inclusive and unified culture.
• Extensive rewards marketplace: Offers a variety of rewards, including the latest products, experiences, and charitable gifts, all at zero markup to maximize budget efficiency.
• Automated awards and incentives: Simplifies the management of service awards, milestone celebrations, and custom recognition programs with robust tools for program management.
• Real-time impact measurement: Provides intuitive dashboards to track the effectiveness of recognition programs, enabling data-driven decisions to enhance employee engagement.
• Flexible integration capabilities: Integrates with over 50 different HRIS, HCM, SSO, and communication tools to fit seamlessly into your organization's existing technology stack.

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

WorkTango G2 score: WorkTango has a G2 score of 4.6/5 based on user reviews.

Notable WorkTango customers: HUB, KIA, goodwill, Rexall, and Accruent.

What WorkTango customers are saying on G2: "Sending points is easy, and feels very rewarding. The downside is how often the app makes you re log in." - Verified User in Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing.

10. TerryBerry

About TerryBerry: TerryBerry is a comprehensive employee engagement platform that creates purpose-led organizations through employee recognition, wellness, and feedback solutions. The platform combines various features, including service awards, peer recognition, incentives, and custom awards, all within a single, easy-to-use interface. TerryBerry enables organizations to build a culture of appreciation by offering tailored recognition programs that align with their values and goals. Additionally, TerryBerry integrates with popular tools like Microsoft Teams and Outlook, making it accessible and efficient for organizations of any size or industry.

TerryBerry main features:

• Service awards: Automated recognition of employee anniversaries, achievements, and career milestones with customizable awards.
• Peer recognition: Facilitates social and manager-led recognition aligned with company values, allowing for public and private acknowledgments.
• Employee incentives: Supports competitive programs that reward performance through points, shopping sprees, or custom awards.
• Corporate wellness: Includes wellness challenges and activities to promote physical and mental well-being, helping to build camaraderie and improve overall employee health.
• Surveys and feedback: Offers tools for conducting employee engagement surveys and gathering 360 feedback to inform decision-making.
• Custom awards and swag: Provides a wide range of customizable awards and company-branded merchandise to foster a strong sense of community and company identity.

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

TerryBerry G2 score: TerryBerry has a G2 score of 4.6/5 based on user reviews.

Notable TerryBerry customers: TESCO, Unilever, Little Caesars, Land Rover, Jaguar, Ford, Discount Tire, and Bentley.

What TerryBerry customers are saying on G2: "The diversity of products - I wish there were more innovative, new-market items for selection. I think it would be beneficial to increase product offerings that way people have a greater choice." - Sarah O., Administrative Services Leader.

Which is the best Cooleaf competitor?

Determining the best alternative to Cooleaf depends on your organization's needs, goals, and priorities. Each competitor offers unique features that cater to different aspects of employee engagement and recognition. Here are some considerations to help guide your decision:

1. Evaluate your organization's needs: Identify what your company aims to achieve with an employee recognition platform. Are you looking to enhance employee feedback, streamline rewards, improve wellness programs, or foster a stronger culture of appreciation? Understanding your primary objectives will help determine which platform best meets your needs.
2. Consider integration and usability: Choose a platform that seamlessly integrates with your current tools, including your HRIS systems, Microsoft Teams, or Slack, to reduce friction and ensure ease of use. A platform that fits naturally into your employees' daily routines is more likely to be adopted and utilized effectively.
3. Look for customization and flexibility: The ability to customize recognition programs, rewards, and engagement initiatives is crucial for ensuring that the platform aligns with your company culture and values. Flexibility in offering diverse rewards, such as digital gift cards, charitable donations, or custom experiences, can make recognition more meaningful and impactful.
4. Focus on data and analytics: Select a platform that offers comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities. Data-driven insights into employee engagement, participation rates, and recognition patterns can help you measure the success of your programs and identify areas for improvement.
5. Assess the platform's engagement features: Ensure the platform has comprehensive features, such as peer recognition, automated celebrations of milestones, wellness challenges, and employee feedback tools, to foster a positive workplace culture and improve employee retention.

By considering these factors, you can find the Cooleaf competitor that best aligns with your organization's unique requirements, helping to build a motivated, engaged, and connected workforce.

Why companies choose Matter over Cooleaf competitors

Organizations often favor Matter over Cooleaf competitors because of its seamless and intuitive integration with tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, making recognition a natural part of the workday. As a platform built specifically for these environments, Matter allows employees to send peer-to-peer recognition effortlessly with engaging, customizable kudos cards that capture company values and team spirit. This integration makes it easy for teams to use the platform without additional training or workflow changes, enhancing adoption and ongoing participation across the company.

Matter's unique features also set it apart by developing a constant appreciation and participation culture. The Feedback Friday feature automates weekly prompts encouraging employees to share kudos, fostering a habit of appreciation and ending the week on a high note. Celebrating milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries is also simplified with automatic reminders and rewards, reducing manual effort for managers while ensuring no moment goes unnoticed. 

Additionally, Matter offers diverse reward options, including charitable donations, digital gift cards, prepaid Visa/Mastercards, and custom experiences, tailored to suit every employee's preference. The platform's coin system, which resets weekly, drives authentic engagement by encouraging regular and meaningful recognition activities, ensuring everyone feels valued and appreciated regularly.

Final advice on Cooleaf competitors

When deciding which Cooleaf competitor is best for your organization, you must consider your unique goals and requirements for employee engagement and recognition. The ideal platform should align with your company culture, offer the right mix of features, and integrate effortlessly into your existing tools and operations. Look for solutions that provide flexibility in customization, diverse reward options, and meaningful recognition tools that resonate with your employees.

Consider platforms like Matter, which integrate directly with communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, making recognition easy and natural for your team. Prioritize platforms that offer automated features to reduce the administrative burden and drive consistent engagement, such as automatic milestone celebrations or weekly recognition prompts. Additionally, focus on platforms that provide robust data analytics to help you track the impact of your recognition programs and make informed decisions.

Choosing the right competitor to Cooleaf can significantly enhance your workplace culture and boost employee satisfaction, resulting in a happier, more motivated, and engaged staff. Explore your options carefully, and find a solution that meets your existing needs and grows and adapts to your organization's changing objectives. If you're ready to build a more engaged team, consider trying Matter for free today and discover how easy it is to create a culture of appreciation and continuous feedback.