15+ Employee Recognition Software: Pricing & Reviews in 2025

In today's dynamic workplace, employee recognition is more crucial than ever for fostering engagement, boosting morale, and maintaining a positive company culture. Employee recognition software provides a comprehensive solution for recognizing and rewarding employees effectively, enhancing employee sentiment, and reinforcing company values. For example, platforms like Matter offer seamless integration with tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, enabling regular Feedback Friday sessions and continuous survey feedback to drive meaningful recognition. In this guide, we explore the top 15+ employee recognition software options for 2024, outlining their pricing, customer evaluations, and features to assist you in determining the optimal solution for your company's recognition program.

15+ employee recognition software: features, pricing, and customer reviews

1. Matter

About Matter: Matter is an innovative employee recognition platform that integrates seamlessly with tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams to provide a robust environment for continuous feedback, kudos, and employee engagement. Designed with a focus on user experience and company values, Matter helps organizations foster a culture of recognition and inclusion through various features that encourage meaningful employee interactions.

Matter main features:

• Kudos sharing: Enable employees to recognize each other with personalized kudos cards that align with company values, fostering a positive and inclusive workplace culture.
• Feedback Friday: Prompts regular feedback sessions, encouraging employees to share kudos and feedback at the end of each week, enhancing engagement and morale.
• Customizable templates: Offers both predefined and customizable kudos templates to fit different organizational needs and values.
• Survey and analytics tools: Provides automated surveys, pulse checks, and advanced analytics to monitor employee sentiment and engagement.
• Rewards system: Employees can earn and redeem Matter coins for various rewards, including gift cards and donations.

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 the Matter 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, Bolt, True Classic, and Carrier.

What Matter customers are saying on G2: “Matter helps our employees feel more valued, rewarded, and recognized. It’s a very fun and easy-to-use platform that has created a positive experience and engagement for our people while also helping to reinforce our core values daily.” - Taylor Rapp, Director of People & Culture at True Classic.

2. Nectar

About Nectar: Nectar is a platform for employee recognition and rewards that is intended to assist businesses in cultivating a culture of engagement and appreciation. The platform enables both top-down and peer-to-peer recognition, allowing employees to give and receive shoutouts that align with the company's core values. With an extensive rewards catalog, automated milestone celebrations, and customizable recognition options, Nectar makes it easy for organizations to recognize great work and boost employee morale.

Nectar main features:

• Peer and manager recognition: Employees can send shoutouts directly through Nectar, tagging company core values and attaching Nectar points that can be redeemed for rewards.
• Extensive rewards catalog: Includes Amazon products, a wide range of global gift cards, branded company swag, charitable donations, and the option to create custom rewards.
• Automated milestone celebrations: Automatically recognizes key milestones such as birthdays, work anniversaries, and service awards, ensuring consistent recognition across the organization.
• Challenges and engagement tools: Offers custom challenges to motivate employees, such as wellness activities, learning initiatives, or company-specific goals.
• Advanced analytics and reporting: Provides insights into recognition patterns, popular rewards, and engagement levels, helping organizations measure the impact of their recognition efforts.
• Seamless integrations: Integrates with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and various HRIS systems, allowing employees to send recognition directly from their preferred communication platforms.

Nectar pricing:

• Plus $5/user/month, billed annually
• Premium $6/user/month, billed annually
• Custom [Book Demo for Quote]

For more information, please visit the Nectar pricing page.

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

Notable Nectar customers: Redfin, SHRM. Lasko, Heineken, MLB, Calendly, and Golden State Warriors.

What Nectar customers are saying: “An encouraging way to connect with people. It seems like a way to just obtain a reward for sake of false encouragement.” - Verified User in Primary/Secondary Education.

3. Bonusly

About Bonusly: Bonusly is a leading employee recognition and incentives platform that enables employers to foster a culture of recognition and appreciation through frequent, real-time acknowledgments. The platform allows employees to give "micro-bonuses" to peers, managers, and direct reports, which are subsequently redeemable for various incentives, such as charitable donations, gift vouchers, and custom rewards like paid time off or company-branded merchandise. Bonusly integrates seamlessly with tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, ensuring that recognition is a natural part of the everyday workflow.

Bonusly main features:

• Peer-to-peer recognition: Employees can easily recognize their colleagues by giving small bonuses tied to core company values, promoting a culture of appreciation and alignment with organizational goals.
• Public recognition feed: All recognition activities are visible in a social recognition feed, fostering transparency and encouraging a sense of community within the organization.
• Customizable rewards catalog: Offers various reward options, from global gift cards and charitable donations to unique company rewards like branded gear or experiences.
• Automated milestones and celebrations: Automatically recognizes important events like birthdays and work anniversaries, reducing the administrative burden on managers.
• Advanced analytics and insights: Provides detailed analytics to track recognition patterns, engagement levels, and overall impact, helping organizations make informed decisions.
• Integration with existing tools: Works seamlessly with popular workplace tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, BambooHR, Workday, and more, making recognition easy and accessible across platforms.

Bonusly pricing:

• Core plan: $2.70 per user per month, billed annually, which includes core features like peer recognition, a public recognition feed, and basic reporting tools.
• Pro plan: $4.50 per user per month, billed annually, adds advanced features like enhanced analytics, custom rewards catalog, and milestone automation.
• Custom Enterprise plan: Tailored pricing and features for larger organizations with specific needs, including dedicated support and additional customization options.

For more information, please visit the Bonusly pricing page.

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

Notable Bonusly customers: Toast, Tactile Medical, Seat Geek, Qualtrics, PaloAlto Networks, and MongoDB.

What Bonusly customers are saying: “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.

4. Assembly

About Assembly: Assembly is an employee recognition and engagement tool that aims to promote a great workplace culture by making recognition simple, social, and effective. It helps organizations boost employee engagement by integrating seamlessly with popular tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, allowing employees to give and receive recognition without leaving their existing workflows. With a focus on peer-to-peer recognition, automated celebrations, and actionable insights, Assembly empowers teams to celebrate achievements and align around core company values.

Assembly main features:

• Peer-to-peer recognition: Allows employees to easily recognize each other with meaningful messages and tangible rewards, fostering a culture of appreciation and teamwork.
• Custom rewards catalog: Provides a wide range of rewards, including gift cards, custom company swag, and unique experiences, all managed through the platform.
• Automated milestone celebrations: Automatically acknowledges key events like birthdays and work anniversaries, enhancing the sense of community and continuity.
• Actionable insights and analytics: Offers detailed data on employee engagement and recognition patterns, helping organizations measure and improve their recognition efforts.
• Seamless integrations: Integrates with HRIS systems like ADP, Google Workspace, Office 365, and communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, ensuring minimal disruption to existing workflows.

Assembly pricing:

• Recognition: $2 per member/month, billed annually
• Engagement: $4 per member/month, billed annually
• Digital HQ: $4 per member/month, billed annually
• Custom: Talk to sales for pricing.

For more information, please visit the Assembly pricing page.

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

Notable Assembly customers: NESCO, StubHub, Coca-Cola, Perforce, Bambee, Amazon, Click Funnels, Allbirds, and PODS.

What Assembly customers are saying: “I love the gifs! It makes relevant and adds a laugh/smile to the compliment you're either giving or receiving. The one thing I think I don't like is there is no way to give constructive criticism. Maybe have the "manager" or "admin" be able to receive anonymous feedback about others to help with employee reviews and what not.” - Verified User in Hospital & Health Care.

5. Kudos

About Kudos: Kudos is a comprehensive employee recognition and rewards platform that helps organizations build a culture of appreciation and engagement. The recognition platform offers various features such as peer-to-peer recognition, employee rewards, awards, and automated milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries. Kudos focuses on "Performance Recognition," which ties every recognition message to a level of impact and alignment with company values, providing valuable insights into employee performance. The platform integrates with popular tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook, making it easy to incorporate recognition into daily workflows.

Kudos main features:

• Peer-to-peer and top-down recognition: Enable both peer-to-peer and manager-to-employee recognition to promote a culture of appreciation.
• Customizable rewards program: Provides a vast rewards catalog, including gift cards, travel experiences, and custom company-specific rewards, with no transaction fees.
• Analytics and insights: Offers robust analytics to measure the impact of recognition on engagement and morale.
• Automated celebrations: Automatically recognizes key milestones, such as work anniversaries and birthdays, to ensure consistent employee engagement.
• Integration capabilities: Integrates seamlessly with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and more to embed recognition into everyday workflows.

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 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: “I love that I can still keep up with my former team mates and reward them. The notifications get pushed down quickly when I'm checking them or if I want to find a specific birthday for an agent, it's hard to search.” - Verified User in Retail.

6. Achievers

About Achievers: Achievers is a comprehensive employee recognition and rewards platform that helps organizations build a culture of recognition and appreciation. The platform drives frequent, high-impact recognition that aligns with company values and business goals. With features like social recognition, points-based rewards, and an expansive global rewards marketplace, Achievers enables employees to recognize peers anywhere, anytime, from their existing technologies, such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook.

Achievers main features:

• Social recognition: Encourages peer-to-peer recognition by allowing employees to acknowledge their colleagues' contributions and behaviors that align with company values, fostering a culture of appreciation.
• Points-based recognition: Provides a flexible points-based system where employees may give and receive recognition points that can be used for a wide range of prizes, including items, gift cards, experiences, and donations.
• Best-in-class rewards catalog: Offers access to over 3 million reward options from more than 2,500 global brands, allowing employees to choose from an extensive range of rewards, including charitable donations, travel, and personalized experiences.
• Automated celebrations: Automates the recognition of key milestones such as birthdays, work anniversaries, and significant achievements, ensuring that no important events are missed.
• Actionable insights and analytics: Delivers comprehensive data on employee engagement, recognition patterns, and program success, assisting companies in measuring the effectiveness of their recognition programs.
• Integrations: Seamlessly integrates with existing HR systems and tools, including Workday, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and more, to enhance ease of use and accessibility.

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, Meijer, and CVSHealth.

What Achievers customers are saying: “The system does provide a full selection of Amazon item - the ones that are really good aren't typically available. The biggest issue is with delivery and tracking the status on the UI is very poor on giving the shipping status. No email updates are provided so you need to log in and see that a poorly worded status has changed which may indiciate that an item has been delivered. Customer Service was ineffective, good an responding and but not at taking action.” - Verified User in Computer Software.

7. Awardco

About Awardco: Awardco is a comprehensive employee recognition and rewards platform designed to boost engagement, productivity, and retention by providing a flexible and customizable recognition experience. Partnering with Amazon Business, Awardco offers one of the largest global reward networks, providing employees with various options, from gift cards and merchandise to unique experiences and travel. The platform enables companies to create and manage custom recognition programs that align with their specific values and culture, making it easy for organizations of any size to celebrate achievements and recognize employee contributions.

Awardco main features:

• Global rewards marketplace: Offers access to millions of reward options, including Amazon products, gift cards, travel experiences, hotel stays, and charitable donations, with no markups or hidden fees.
• Custom recognition programs: Build and automate recognition programs for peer recognition, work anniversaries, birthdays, and other milestones.
• Integration and automation: Seamlessly integrates with existing HRIS and communication tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, ADP, and more, automating workflows for service awards, onboarding, and daily recognition efforts.
• Real-time analytics: Provides comprehensive reporting tools to measure the impact of recognition programs, track employee engagement, and identify key trends.
• Scalable platform: Suitable for companies of all kinds, from tiny businesses to major corporations, with flexible pricing and customization choices.

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, Hunt Brothers Pizza, and Pacific Life.

What Awardco customers are saying: “As the company admin on the account, I am usually troubleshooting issues for our employees myself and when communicating from our CSM we hardly ever hear back. There is simply not enough support from the employer's side of things. The features are also very limited. Many competitors have a social platform and have customized recongitions and Awardco seems very lackluster compared to the top tier competitions. It does appear that they are trying new things and rolling out new features but these have been disappointing and don't really help us achieve our main goal of retention and recognition.” - Verified User in Information Technology and Services.

8. Recognize App

About Recognize App: Recognize App is an employee recognition and engagement platform that offers a comprehensive suite of tools to help organizations build a culture of appreciation. The platform is intended to interface smoothly with common office applications such as Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and Slack, making recognition simple and accessible to all employees. Recognize App focuses on peer-to-peer recognition, enabling employees to celebrate each other's achievements and align them with the company's core values. The platform offers a variety of reward options, from gift cards to company swag, and supports engagement through customizable badges, automated milestone celebrations, and incentives.

Recognize App main features:

• Peer recognition: Encourages employees to acknowledge each other's accomplishments using badges that reflect company values, fostering a culture of appreciation and aligning with organizational goals.
• Custom rewards: Offers various rewards, including gift cards, custom company swag, charitable donations, and other experiential rewards.
• Automated anniversaries and birthdays: Automatically recognizes and rewards employees for key milestones such as service anniversaries and birthdays.
• Employee incentives and nominations: Enables managers to issue redeemable points for specific achievements and activities and enables employees to suggest their colleagues for recognition programs such as Employee of the Month.
• Comprehensive analytics: Provides detailed insights on employee engagement, recognition trends, and performance, helping organizations track the effectiveness of their recognition programs.
• Seamless integrations: Integrates with over 200 business tools, including Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Yammer, Slack, and more, ensuring smooth adoption and usage across the organization.

Recognize App 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 the Recognize App pricing page.

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

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

What Recognize App customers are saying: “I think most companies have a pretty similar prograk already so it is not really that original. I also think it may be easy for employees to take advatnage of the program and just put in sarcastic or ironic recognitions. Just honest feedback!” - Verified User in Financial Services.

9. Vantage Circle

About Vantage Circle: Vantage Circle is a global employee recognition and awards platform that aims to increase employee engagement, workplace culture, and team performance. It has a wide range of features, including peer-to-peer recognition, a diversified rewards catalog, automated milestone celebrations, and real-time analytics. The platform integrates seamlessly with various HR tools and communication platforms, making it easy for organizations to recognize and reward employees in real-time. Vantage Circle is particularly well-suited for organizations looking to foster a culture of appreciation and align recognition efforts with their core values.

Vantage Circle main features:

• Global rewards catalog: Offers access to over 10 million reward options, including gift cards, merchandise, experiences, and charitable donations. Employees can redeem rewards from various global brands, providing flexibility and choice.
• Automated celebrations: Automatically recognizes employee milestones such as birthdays and work anniversaries with personalized messages and rewards, ensuring no special occasion goes unnoticed.
• Peer-to-peer recognition: Empowers employees to recognize each other in real-time, promoting a culture of gratitude and teamwork. Includes customizable awards, badges, and a gamified leaderboard to encourage friendly competition.
• Multi-layered analytics: Provides insights and data at multiple levels (admin, manager, and individual) to measure the impact of recognition programs, track employee engagement, and make informed decisions.
• Seamless integration: Easily integrates with various HRMS, HCM, and communication platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and more, allowing recognition to become part of everyday workflows.
• Diverse platform capabilities: Offers additional platforms like Vantage Fit for employee wellness, Vantage Perks for discounts and cashback offers, and Vantage Pulse for employee feedback, creating an all-in-one employee engagement suite.

Vantage Circle pricing: Request a demo for pricing. A one-time setup fee is applicable to all plans. For more information, please visit the Vantage Circle 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, and ACG.

What Vantage Circle customers are saying: “A simple way to send notes of appreciation and thank someone for a job well done. The dashboard is confusing. I find it hard to locate what I am looking for without clicking in and out of things.” - Michelle S.

10. Workhuman

About Workhuman: Workhuman is a leading employee appreciation and involvement tool meant to improve workplace culture using social acknowledgment, ongoing performance management, and deep analytics. The platform is designed to connect teams, boost morale, and build a sense of belonging by encouraging frequent, meaningful acknowledgment consistent with the company's basic values. Global organizations use Workhuman's solutions to create a more human workplace where every employee feels appreciated and valued.

Workhuman main features:

• Social recognition: Enables employees to recognize each other in real-time, creating a culture of gratitude and positivity. Recognition moments are shared across the organization, amplifying their impact and fostering a connected workforce.
• Comprehensive rewards catalog: Offers an extensive selection of rewards, including gift cards, merchandise, travel experiences, and charitable donations, giving employees a wide range of options to choose from.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) tools: Features tools like the Inclusion Advisor, which uses AI to promote equitable recognition practices by analyzing language in award nominations and suggesting improvements to reduce bias.
• Advanced analytics and insights: Provides companies with comprehensive data for assessing the impact of recognition on employee engagement, retention, and overall business performance. These insights help fine-tune recognition strategies to maximize their effectiveness.
• Seamless integrations: Integrates with a wide array of tools and platforms, including Workday, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Yammer, making it easy to embed recognition into everyday workflows.

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

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

Notable Workhuman customers: State Street, Cisco, ADP, UnitedHealth Group, BP, and Moderna.

What Workhuman customers are saying: “Multiple orders were canceled "due to the item/product being discontinued" even though the item remained on their website. It seems like they are driving you towards outdated watches or costume jewelry.” - Verified User in Pharmaceuticals.

11. Guusto

About Guusto: Guusto is a flexible and user-friendly employee recognition and rewards platform designed to engage employees, enhance workplace culture, and support the retention of top talent. Built to serve both office and frontline employees, Guusto offers various features that make it easy for organizations to recognize and reward employees in real-time. The platform provides access to an extensive global rewards marketplace, allowing employees to choose from thousands of reward options, including gift cards, branded company swag, charitable donations, and custom rewards. Guusto is particularly well-suited for industries like healthcare, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, and financial services, where both desk-based and field-based employees need to be engaged and recognized.

Guusto main features:

• Global rewards marketplace: Provides access to over 60,000 merchants worldwide, enabling employees to select rewards that matter most to them, from gift cards to charity donations.
• Flexible delivery options: Includes web, mobile, SMS, TV display, and print options, making it accessible for both tech-savvy and tech-adverse employees.
• Automated milestone awards: Automatically recognizes employee milestones such as birthdays, work anniversaries, and service awards, ensuring consistent engagement.
• No confusing points system: Unlike many platforms that use a points-based system, Guusto offers dollar-for-dollar rewards, ensuring transparency and simplicity in its recognition program.
• Cost-effective and scalable: Only pay for users who send recognition; no setup fees, hidden markups, or shipping costs. Unclaimed rewards are credited back to the organization, ensuring maximum value from the recognition budget.
• Social impact integration: Every Guusto gift sent contributes to a donation for clean drinking water through a partnership with the One Drop Foundation, supporting social responsibility initiatives.

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 the Guusto 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: “They used to be able to redeem gift into a prepaid Visa/Mastercard gift card, but they don't do it anymore.” - Ka Kay C., Inventory Analyst.

12. Mo

About Mo: Mo is a platform for employee recognition and engagement that strives to promote a healthy and inclusive workplace culture through frequent recognition, social engagement, and meaningful awards. Designed for both managers and employees, Mo provides tools that help celebrate achievements, recognize efforts, and build team cohesion. The platform focuses on creating "Moments" of recognition, where employees can publicly or privately share praise, stories, and successes, which can be enhanced with images, GIFs, and tags that align with company values.

Mo main features:

• Social recognition and "Moments": Employees can post Moments that highlight achievements, special occasions, or positive contributions, adding personality with images, GIFs, and emojis. These posts can be tagged with company values to reinforce desired behaviors and are visible to the organization.
• Automated engagement prompts: Prompts remind employees to share updates, celebrate success, or provide feedback, helping to make recognition a regular habit and ensuring no important milestones are missed.
• Custom rewards: Offers a diverse range of rewards, including gift cards, custom company swag, charitable donations, and more. Managers can add rewards to Moments at their discretion, empowering leaders to recognize and motivate employees effectively.
• Peer-to-peer recognition: Facilitates easy and spontaneous recognition among colleagues, enhancing camaraderie and fostering a sense of community across the organization.
• Employee awards and nominations: Allows for streamlined employee awards, such as "Employee of the Month" or service awards, with automated nomination processes to simplify administration.
• Comprehensive analytics and insights: Provides data on recognition patterns, employee engagement, and the impact of recognition programs, helping organizations measure success and make data-driven decisions.
• Integration with popular tools: Seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Teams, Slack, and other workplace tools to ensure recognition is accessible and easy to use.

Mo pricing:

• Appreciate: $2.25/user/month, billed annually
• Engage: $4.50/user/month, billed annually
• Transform: Talk to sales for pricing.

For more information, please visit the Mo pricing page.

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

Notable Mo customers: AXOL, Quark, harrier, SGN, Punch, Ocado, and Joseph Heller.

What Mo customers are saying: “There are some people that dont have access to it & there are sopme people that forget to use their allowance, there could do with being a way to remind people to use their monthly allowance” - Verified User in Utilities.

13. Motivosity

About Motivosity: Motivosity is a people-first employee recognition and rewards platform designed to create a workplace culture of gratitude and connectedness. It enables organizations to automate their recognition efforts, making celebrating employee achievements easier, fostering engagement, and improving overall workplace morale. The platform supports peer-to-peer recognition, service awards, milestone celebrations, and custom rewards, helping to create an inclusive and motivating environment. With Motivosity, organizations can build stronger teams, reduce turnover, and drive employee performance by integrating recognition seamlessly into daily workflows.

Motivosity main features:

• Peer-to-peer recognition: Facilitates regular recognition among colleagues, empowering everyone in the organization to acknowledge each other's contributions.
• Custom rewards and incentives: Offers a flexible rewards catalog that includes gift cards, company swag, experiences, and charitable donations. The platform also supports the "ThanksMatters" Visa card, allowing instant monetary rewards.
• Automated celebrations: Automates the recognition of important milestones, such as work anniversaries and birthdays, with personalized messages and custom rewards.
• Advanced analytics and reporting: Provides detailed insights into recognition trends, engagement levels, and program effectiveness, helping organizations make data-driven decisions to enhance their recognition strategies.
• Program flexibility: Supports a range of employee programs, including wellness, onboarding, employee resource groups, and development incentives, all housed within a single platform to streamline management.
• Seamless integrations: Integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and major HRIS systems, ensuring easy access and use across the organization.

Motivosity pricing:

• Standard plan: $3,000 minimum annual spend, includes core features such as automated service awards, global rewards, social feeds, SSO, and HRIS integrations.
• Pro plan: Includes all of the features of the Standard plan as well as challenges, rewards, bulk recognition, bespoke user groups, and a dedicated success manager.
• Custom plan: Tailored pricing and features for organizations with specific needs, providing a personalized recognition solution​

For more information, please visit the Motivosity pricing page.

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

Notable Motivosity customers: Atlabank, Bosch, KPMG, WGU, GreatClips, Cotopaxi, FUJIFILM, and Salerabit ZionsBank.

What Motivosity customers are saying: “I love the idea of what it will be. I love the focus on positivity and improving the culture of your company. I'm very disappointed in thd customer care. You have to schedule an appointment to get help and it's very frustrating. We paid for the more expensive package and haven't even been able to accurately use it because they don't have the lead completely working correct. We spent A LOT of money to not get the help or compensation st least until they get the kinks worked out.” - Tresa B., Owner.

14. WorkTango

About WorkTango: WorkTango is an employee appreciation and reward system meant to promote a culture of gratitude by allowing acknowledgment in all directions, peer-to-peer, top-down, or bottom-up. The platform supports public and private recognition, with or without associated rewards, helping drive engagement and align employees with company values. WorkTango's extensive rewards marketplace, which includes over 10 million options from global brands, makes it easy for employees to choose meaningful rewards. The platform also offers powerful analytics and insights, providing organizations with data to measure the impact of recognition programs.

WorkTango main features:

• Comprehensive recognition tools: Provides public and private recognition options, enabling employees to give and receive recognition aligned with company values. Recognition activities can include personal messages, emojis, GIFs, and more.
• Rewards marketplace: Offers a vast selection of rewards, including merchandise, gift cards, experiences, and charitable donations. There are no markups on rewards, and the platform supports easy reward management and budgeting.
• Automated milestone celebrations: Automates the celebration of important events, including birthdays and work anniversaries, therefore guaranteeing regular involvement among all staff members.
• Employee incentives: Encourages participation in key programs, such as wellness initiatives, surveys, and professional development, through custom incentives.
• Data-driven insights: Provides robust analytics to track recognition trends, participation rates, and the alignment of recognition with company values. These insights help organizations make informed decisions to improve engagement and retention.
• Seamless integrations: Integrates with over 50 HRIS/HCM, SSO, communication, and wellness platforms, including Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook, ensuring recognition becomes a natural part of daily workflows.

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: “Love the fact you can express your gratitude for coworkers that go above and beyond. Needs more interraction appeal- I forget it's there, and nothing really directing/pulling me to check in. Could use more impacting rewards, lower points.” - Verified User in Financial Services.

15. HeyTaco

About HeyTaco: HeyTaco is a peer recognition platform designed to make workplace appreciation fun and engaging through virtual tacos. The platform integrates with Slack and Microsoft Teams, allowing employees to give kudos in the form of tacos, which are accompanied by personalized messages to recognize colleagues' efforts, kindness, and achievements. HeyTaco encourages regular, humorous appreciation, enhancing team bonds and promoting a good working environment.

HeyTaco main features:

• Virtual tacos for peer recognition: Employees can give tacos along with messages of appreciation directly in Slack or Microsoft Teams. Each user has a daily limit of five tacos to give, promoting frequent, thoughtful recognition.
• Customizable rewards: Teams can create their own rewards or select from preloaded options such as "Cupcake Day" or other creative, team-focused rewards. These rewards can be redeemed with accumulated tacos.
• Leaderboards and engagement metrics: Provides insights into recognition trends, displaying who has given or received the most tacos and fostering a fun and competitive environment.
• Integration with communication tools: Easily connects with Slack and Microsoft Teams to let staff members identify one another without leaving their main contact channels.

HeyTaco pricing:

• $3 per person/month
  • Everyone Plan
  • Team Plan
  • Enterprise Plan  (100+ Users)

For more information, please visit the HeyTaco pricing page.

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

What HeyTaco customers are saying: “How easy it is to give tacos through slack to show recognition. Difficulty redeeming "rewards" and confusion around how to use "super tacos".” - Ben A., Procurement Maager.

16. Claptastic

About Claptastic: Claptastic (formerly Kudosing) is a unique employee recognition platform that specializes in enhancing workplace culture by focusing on real-time, meaningful acknowledgment. The platform offers tools for both peer-to-peer and manager-led recognition, allowing employees to celebrate each other's achievements instantly. Claptastic supports various types of rewards, from digital badges and certificates to personalized gifts, which help foster a sense of community and motivation within teams. It also features automated reminders for important milestones and integrates with tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, ensuring recognition is both easy and effective.

Claptastic main features:

• Real-time recognition: Allows instant recognition for achievements, promoting a dynamic and engaging workplace culture.
• Diverse reward options: Offers a variety of rewards, including digital badges, certificates, and custom gifts tailored to employee preferences.
• Automated milestones and reminders: Sends reminders for birthdays, anniversaries, and other key milestones, ensuring consistent recognition.
• Customizable templates: Provides pre-designed and customizable templates for kudos messages and recognition notes.
• Integration capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and other workplace tools to encourage regular use.

Claptastic pricing: 

• Free 30 day trial, no credit card required
• $9 per month, billed monthly

For more information, please visit the Claptastic pricing page.‍

Claptastic G2 score: Not currently available.

Notable Claptastic customers: Knose, Optify, StreamElements, contingent, Lotus Flare, Metris, Fixando, nChain, Wellness Wirbler, and imovendo.

What Claptastic customers are saying: N/A

What is employee recognition software?

Employee recognition software is a digital tool enabling companies to honor and thank their staff members for achievements, work, and contributions. These platforms streamline the giving and receiving recognition process, making it easier for organizations to foster a culture of appreciation and engagement. Employee recognition software typically supports various forms of recognition, including peer-to-peer, manager-to-employee, and company-wide acknowledgments.

Key features often include:

• Recognition tools: Allow employees to send personalized kudos, awards, or badges to colleagues, often linked to company values.
• Rewards catalogs: Offer a range of reward options, from gift cards and experiences to charitable donations and custom company swag.
• Automated celebrations: Enable automatic recognition of key milestones like birthdays, work anniversaries, and performance achievements.
• Data and analytics: Provide insights into recognition trends, employee engagement levels, and the impact of recognition programs on retention and morale.

By integrating recognition into daily workflows and promoting frequent recognition, employee recognition software adds to a positive work atmosphere in which employees feel valued and motivated to do their best.

Why is employee recognition software important?

Employee recognition software is crucial for organizations that want to foster a culture of appreciation and improve overall employee engagement. These platforms make it easier for companies to recognize employee achievements, reinforce positive behaviors, and maintain a motivated workforce. These are several of the primary factors why employee recognition software is crucial:

1. Boosts employee engagement: Employee recognition software encourages regular recognition and feedback, making employees feel valued and appreciated. Engaged employees are more productive, dedicated, and less likely to leave the company, which can significantly improve its financial success.
2. Enhances workplace culture: Recognition software helps build a culture of appreciation by enabling consistent recognition practices aligned with the company's core values. When employees see their peers and leaders regularly recognizing each other, it promotes a positive workplace culture where everyone feels connected and appreciated.
3. Supports retention and reduces turnover: Employees who perceive themselves as respected and acknowledged are more inclined to remain with the company. Organizations can reduce turnover rates and retain top talent by making recognition a regular part of the employee experience.
4. Increases motivation and productivity: Regular recognition can motivate employees to go the extra mile, increasing their overall productivity. Recognition software allows for immediate acknowledgment of efforts, reinforcing positive behaviors and encouraging high performance.
5. Facilitates real-time feedback: Employee recognition platforms often have features that enable real-time feedback and recognition, helping managers and peers provide timely praise and constructive feedback. This can lead to quicker improvement, better teamwork, and stronger employee-manager relationships.
6. Provides valuable data and insights: These platforms offer analytics and insights into employee recognition patterns, engagement levels, and overall workplace sentiment. This data can help organizations better understand their employees, tailor their recognition programs, and make informed decisions to enhance their experience.
7. Enhances inclusivity and diversity: Recognition software often includes tools to ensure that recognition practices are fair and unbiased, promoting inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. Features like AI-driven insights and customizable badges help ensure that all employees receive equitable recognition.

By incorporating employee recognition software into their HR strategy, organizations can create a more engaged, motivated, and loyal workforce, ultimately leading to better business outcomes.

Pros and cons of employee recognition software

Employee recognition software offers many benefits but also comes with some challenges. Here are the main pros and cons to consider:

6 pros of employee recognition software:

1. Improves employee engagement: Regular recognition increases employee engagement by making them feel valued and appreciated. When employees are consistently acknowledged for their efforts, they are more motivated to contribute and stay committed to their work.
2. Reinforces company values: These platforms align recognition with the organization's core values, reinforcing desired behaviors and helping build a culture that reflects the company's mission and goals.
3. Enhances employee morale: Regular recognition boosts morale, leading to higher job satisfaction. When employees feel valued, they are more likely to be happy and productive, contributing positively to the overall workplace culture.
4. Reduces turnover: Employees who feel recognized and valued are less likely to leave their jobs, mitigating turnover rates and the expenses related to recruitment and training.
5. Provides actionable insights: Recognition software offers analytics tools that provide insights into recognition trends, employee engagement, and morale. These insights help managers understand the effectiveness of their recognition programs and make data-driven decisions.
6. Facilitates remote recognition: In remote or hybrid work environments, recognition software enables easy and consistent acknowledgment of employee achievements, fostering a sense of connection and engagement across distributed teams.

5 cons of employee recognition software:

1. Over-reliance on digital tools: Excessive reliance on digital recognition platforms can lead to recognition feeling impersonal. Employees may feel that digital recognition lacks the sincerity of face-to-face or handwritten notes.
2. Implementation and adoption challenges: Introducing new software can be time-consuming and may require training and change management. Some employees may resist adopting new tools, especially if they are not user-friendly or if they perceive the software as adding extra work.
3. Potential for bias: If not carefully monitored, recognition programs may inadvertently favor certain employees or departments, creating perceptions of favoritism or inequality within the workplace.
4. Cost considerations: While many platforms offer flexible pricing, the cost of recognition software, along with the associated rewards, can be significant, especially for small businesses. Organizations need to balance these costs against the benefits.
5. Recognition fatigue: If recognition becomes too frequent or feels obligatory, it can lose meaning and impact, leading to employee recognition fatigue.

By weighing these pros and cons, organizations can better assess how to implement and maximize the effectiveness of employee recognition software while mitigating potential downsides.

8 employee recognition software statistics

Employee recognition programs significantly impact employee engagement, job satisfaction, and overall organizational performance. Presented here are essential facts that underscore the significance and advantages of employee recognition software:

1. Impact on profitability: Companies with engaged employees experience 21% higher profitability than those without engaged employees. Recognition programs contribute directly to this engagement by fostering a sense of appreciation and value among employees​.
2. Reduction in turnover rates: Organizations with employee recognition programs report a 31% lower voluntary turnover rate compared to those without such programs. This statistic underscores recognition's critical role in retaining talent and reducing recruitment and training costs​.
3. Improved employee satisfaction: SHRM indicates that 86% of companies implementing employee recognition programs observe an enhancement in employee happiness and job satisfaction. Furthermore, 89% of employees who were recognized for their hard work reported higher job satisfaction, highlighting how recognition directly enhances employee morale.
4. Positive impact on engagement: A WorldatWork poll revealed that 85% of companies with recognition programs experienced a favorable effect on employee engagement. Similarly, a study by TINYpulse revealed that 77% of employees would work harder if they felt better recognized.
5. Frequency matters: Employees who receive daily recognition feel more valued (98%), while only 37% of those receiving yearly recognition feel the same. Weekly or monthly recognition can also be highly effective, with 94% and 88% of employees feeling valued when recognized on these schedules​.
6. Global recognition trends: Employee recognition practices vary by region. In the U.S., 86% of employees report receiving recognition, compared to a global average of 79%. However, only 33% of U.S. workers feel engaged at work, suggesting that while recognition programs are prevalent, their effectiveness can vary significantly​.
7. Manager and peer recognition: Recognition from managers has the most significant impact on employees, with 40% of employees ranking it as the most influential. However, peer recognition is also vital, with 63% of employees receiving peer recognition at least weekly​.
8. Underestimated benefits: While many organizations recognize the importance of making employees feel valued (65%), other advantages, such as enhancing performance and aiding in employee development, are often undervalued. Effective recognition programs should support employee sentiment, growth, and development.

The facts indicate that employee recognition software significantly influences a company's culture, engagement, and overall success. Organizations can better tailor their recognition programs to maximize their effectiveness by understanding these statistics.

7 trends for employee recognition software

1. Frequent recognition: Shift towards real-time, regular recognition to maintain consistent employee engagement and motivation.
2. Personalized rewards: Increasing focus on tailoring rewards to individual preferences, enhancing emotional connection and satisfaction.
3. Seamless integration: Embedding recognition tools within daily workflows (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) to make recognition easy and habitual​.
4. Gamification: Adding game-like elements such as points and badges to make recognition engaging and encourage positive behaviors​.
5. Peer-to-peer recognition: Promoting a collaborative culture by empowering employees to recognize each other directly​.
6. Data-driven insights: Using analytics to refine recognition strategies and measure their impact more effectively​.
7. Sustainable rewards: Aligning recognition programs with eco-friendly practices to appeal to environmentally conscious employees​.

These trends help organizations create meaningful recognition programs that enhance engagement and workplace culture.

Strategies and ideas for employee recognition software

1. Align with core values: Ensure recognition efforts reflect your company's values to reinforce desired behaviors and strengthen organizational culture.
2. Promote peer recognition: Encourage employees at all levels to recognize each other, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.
3. Integrate into daily workflows: Use tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams to make recognition easy and accessible, encouraging frequent participation.
4. Offer diverse rewards: Provide a variety of reward options—gift cards, experiences, donations—to cater to different preferences and increase motivation.
5. Use data to improve: Analyze recognition trends and feedback to adjust programs and optimize impact.
6. Automate celebrations: Set up automated recognition for birthdays, work anniversaries, and key milestones to ensure consistent acknowledgment.
7. Incorporate gamification: Use points, badges, and leaderboards to make recognition fun and engaging, boosting participation.

These methods can facilitate the development of an effective recognition program that improves employee engagement and retention.

7 important metrics for measuring the impact of employee recognition software

To evaluate the effectiveness of employee recognition software, focus on these key metrics:

1. Employee engagement: Track participation rates in recognition programs to assess overall engagement. High engagement suggests the program is well-received and actively used by employees.
2. Frequency of recognition: Measure how often employees are recognized to ensure recognition is consistent and meaningful. Regular recognition helps maintain morale and motivation.
3. Retention rates: Monitor employee turnover rates before and after implementing recognition software. A decrease in turnover suggests that employees feel more valued and are more likely to stay.
4. Employee satisfaction: Use surveys and feedback tools to gauge employee satisfaction with the recognition program. Positive feedback indicates that employees feel appreciated and motivated.
5. Recognition alignment with core values: Assess whether recognitions are aligned with the company's core values. This ensures that the program reinforces desired behaviors and culture.
6. Manager participation: Track how frequently managers participate in the recognition program. High manager involvement boosts the program's visibility and credibility.
7. Productivity impact: Evaluate whether the recognition program correlates with productivity or performance metrics improvements. Increased productivity can be an indicator of a successful recognition program.

By monitoring these metrics, organizations can measure the effectiveness of their recognition software and make data-driven decisions to enhance their programs.

Choosing the right employee recognition software for your company

Selecting the right employee recognition platform is crucial to building a culture of appreciation and engagement. Here are the key factors to consider:

1. Integration capabilities: Choose software that interacts effortlessly with your existing technology, like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and HRIS systems, to facilitate ongoing utilization and straightforward adoption.
2. Customization options: Seek platforms that enable you to personalize recognition messages, rewards, and features to correspond with your company's fundamental values and culture.
3. Ease of use: Opt for a user-friendly interface, encouraging high participation rates across all employee levels. The more intuitive the platform, the more likely it will be used frequently.
4. Diverse reward options: Select software that offers a wide range of reward choices, from digital gift cards to experiential rewards, catering to diverse employee preferences.
5. Analytics and reporting: Ensure the platform provides robust analytics to track recognition trends, employee engagement, and the program's overall impact. Data-driven insights help refine strategies over time.
6. Scalability and flexibility: Decide on a platform that can accommodate the changing requirements of your recognition program and expand in tandem with your company's expansion.
7. Budget considerations: Compare pricing models to find a solution that fits your budget. Consider free trials or demo options to test the software before committing.
8. Security and compliance: Verify that the platform meets data privacy standards and provides secure handling of employee data to maintain trust and confidentiality.

Why Matter is the right choice: Matter integrates effortlessly with tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, offers robust customization, and provides a wide variety of reward options, making it ideal for fostering a culture of recognition. Its user-friendly features and comprehensive analytics help ensure that recognition efforts are impactful and aligned with company values.

Get started with Matter: Ready to elevate your organization's recognition culture? Get started with Matter for free today and experience the difference a comprehensive recognition platform can make.