10 Workstars Alternatives: Pricing & Reviews [2024 Guide]

Sam Lepak
September 20, 2024
5 Min Read
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Guna Studio

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Exploring Guusto alternatives is crucial for businesses aiming to enhance their employee recognition and reward programs. Companies often need solutions that recognize employee contributions and align with unique organizational goals. As businesses evolve, the demand for a platform offering greater flexibility, customization, and seamless integration with tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams grows.

Matter understands the importance of fostering a culture where employees feel genuinely valued. Whether through digital rewards, social recognition, or aligning recognition with company values, choosing the right platform is key. This guide will explore various alternatives to Workstars that better suit your company's needs.

What is Workstars?

Workstars is an employee recognition platform designed to help companies create tailored recognition programs that resonate with their unique culture. The platform emphasizes social recognition, enabling employees to engage with each other through various rewards and acknowledgments. With its global reach, Workstars supports local and international recognition efforts, making it easier for organizations to foster a culture of appreciation across diverse teams. Workstars integrates seamlessly with popular tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, ensuring recognition is part of everyday interactions.

Why consider Workstars alternatives?

Finding the appropriate fit for your company is critical for employee recognition platforms. While Workstars offers robust features, it may not always align perfectly with every company's unique needs and goals. Exploring alternatives can help you discover platforms that offer enhanced flexibility, customization, and integration capabilities, essential for creating a vibrant workplace culture.

1. Customization for company culture

Every organization has its own set of values and culture. Selecting a recognition platform that allows you to customize recognition programs to reflect these values is important. Whether through personalized rewards, specific recognition categories, or tailored communication styles, customization ensures that the recognition is meaningful and impactful for your employees.

2. Integration with existing tools

Seamless integration with tools that your team already uses, such as HRIS systems, Slack, or Microsoft Teams, is crucial. This connection ensures that recognition becomes part of the everyday process, making it easier for employees to interact with the platform regularly. A well-integrated system significantly shortens your HR team's learning curve and administrative complexity.

3. Flexibility and scalability

As your organization grows, your needs will evolve. Choosing a platform with flexibility and scalability guarantees that your recognition programs can grow with your company. This encompasses the capacity to incorporate new features, adapt recognition strategies to evolving business objectives, and accommodate an expanding workforce.

4. Data-driven decision making

It is imperative to have access to comprehensive analytics and reporting tools to comprehend the efficacy of your recognition programs. These insights assist you in the identification of trends, the formulation of well-informed decisions, and the ongoing enhancement of your employee engagement strategies. A platform that offers robust data analysis capabilities empowers HR leaders to drive better business outcomes.

In conclusion, exploring alternatives to Workstars can lead you to a platform that better suits your organization's unique requirements. Matter is an excellent option, providing a solution that is both user-friendly and customizable and seamlessly integrates with your current tools, helping you create a culture of continuous recognition and feedback.

10 Workstars alternatives: employee recognition & rewards Software

1. Matter

About Matter: Matter is a powerful employee recognition platform that seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Teams and Slack, making it a natural part of your team's daily workflow. Designed with ease of use in mind, Matter allows employees to send peer-to-peer recognition through beautiful, customizable kudos cards. These cards can be tailored to reflect company values, inside jokes, or specific achievements, adding a personal touch to every recognition. The platform is highly automated, with a setup time of just a few minutes, after which it runs smoothly with minimal maintenance. This makes Matter an ideal choice for organizations looking to foster a culture of continuous recognition without adding extra administrative tasks.

Matter also excels in celebrating milestones such as birthdays and work anniversaries, with automated rewards that ensure every important date is noticed. The platform's Feedback Friday feature encourages regular recognition, helping teams end the week on a positive note. In addition, Matter offers survey tools that are distributed directly through Slack or Teams, incentivized with rewards to boost participation. The variety of rewards available, from digital gift cards to custom-branded items, ensures that every employee feels valued. Matter's unique coin system resets weekly and encourages frequent and authentic participation, keeping the recognition culture vibrant and engaging.

Workstars Alternatives: Matter - Employee Recognition & Rewards Software
Workstars Alternatives: Matter - Employee Recognition & Rewards Software

Matter main features:

  • Seamless integration with Slack and Microsoft Teams
  • Customizable kudos cards for personalized recognition
  • Automated Feedback Friday reminders and milestone celebrations
  • Survey tools with incentivized participation
  • Diverse reward options, including digital gift cards and custom-branded items
  • Weekly resetting coin system to encourage regular recognition

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, and Microsoft.

What Matter customers are saying on G2:

“I love how easy it is for employees to recognize each other with kudos. Matter has boosted morale, increased employee engagement, and it's now a strong presence in our company culture.” - Michael Margolese, Senior Human Resources Manager at Trend Hunter

2. Achievers

About Achievers: Achievers is a robust employee recognition and rewards platform that goes beyond simple "thank you" programs. It is designed to inspire continuous recognition among employees, making it an integral part of daily workflows. The platform supports peer-to-peer recognition, customizable rewards, and milestone celebrations, helping to build a strong culture of appreciation. With its seamless integration into tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Workday, Achievers ensures that recognition happens consistently and meaningfully across the organization.

Workstars Alternatives: Achievers
Workstars Alternatives: Achievers

Achievers main features:

  • Peer-to-peer recognition with customizable rewards
  • Global rewards marketplace with diverse options
  • Seamless integration with significant workplace tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Workday
  • Automated milestone celebrations and recognition campaigns
  • Utilizing sophisticated analytics and reporting capabilities to evaluate the effectiveness of recognition initiatives

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, Dyson, Scotiabank, CVSHealth, and Zurich.

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

3. Assembly

About Assembly: Assembly is an employee recognition and engagement platform designed to help companies foster collaboration and build a positive workplace culture. The platform allows teams to give recognition, share feedback, and participate in challenges that boost morale and engagement. Assembly integrates with popular tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and HRIS systems, making it easy for employees to stay connected and engaged. The platform is also highly customizable, enabling organizations to tailor recognition programs to fit their unique needs.

Workstars Alternatives: Assembly
Workstars Alternatives: Assembly

Assembly main features:

  • Peer-to-peer recognition and rewards with customizable badges and leaderboards
  • Integration with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and other workplace tools
  • Employee feedback, announcements, and contests to boost engagement
  • Analytics and insights to track engagement and recognition trends
  • A diverse rewards catalog, including gift cards, experiences, and custom-branded items

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, and Amazon.

What Assembly customers are saying on G2:

"The UI is clunky and hard to navigate. There's not a notifications feature, so if you want to see something specific you have to search in the search bar. The email notifications don't help because there's so many of them. Need training to use all of its features (not intuitive)." - Verified User in Computer Software

4. HeyTaco

About HeyTaco: HeyTaco is a fun and engaging employee recognition platform that uses virtual tacos as a unique way to show appreciation. Designed to integrate seamlessly with Slack and Microsoft Teams, HeyTaco encourages employees to recognize each other's contributions in a light-hearted and effective manner. By distributing tacos, teams can celebrate achievements, boost morale, and foster a culture of gratitude. The platform also features customizable rewards, leaderboards, and the ability to tag tacos with company values, making recognition meaningful and enjoyable.

Workstars Alternatives: HeyTaco
Workstars Alternatives: HeyTaco

HeyTaco main features:

  • Peer-to-peer recognition with virtual tacos
  • Customizable rewards through the Taco Shop
  • Leaderboards to celebrate top taco givers and receivers
  • Taco tags to align recognition with company values
  • Integration with Slack and Microsoft Teams for seamless use
  • Analytics and reporting to monitor trends in engagement and recognition

HeyTaco pricing:

  • $3 per person/month

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.

Notable HeyTaco customers: N/A.

What HeyTaco customers are saying on G2:

"The most popular, social/collaborative, or vocal team members always end up getting the most tacos. Would be great to include features that prompt users to acknowledge more introverted and individual workers. I also find the gifts a bit pointless and don't use them -- they don't even give tacos!" - Jill D.

5. Motivosity

About Motivosity: Motivosity is a people-first employee recognition and rewards platform designed to foster a connected and positive workplace culture. The platform emphasizes frequent recognition through peer-to-peer acknowledgment and leader-driven awards. Motivosity also integrates features for managing birthdays, work anniversaries, and other milestones, ensuring every employee feels valued. The platform's extensive rewards marketplace includes various options, such as gift cards, charitable donations, and company-branded swag, making it easy for organizations to reward and motivate their teams.

Workstars Alternatives: Motivosity
Workstars Alternatives: Motivosity

Motivosity main features:

  • Peer-to-peer and leader-driven recognition programs
  • Automated celebration of work anniversaries and birthdays
  • Comprehensive rewards marketplace with diverse options
  • Social feed for company-wide engagement and interaction
  • Integration with HRIS systems and communication tools

Motivosity pricing:

  • [$3000 Minimum Annual spend]

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, and GreatClips.

What Motivosity customers are saying on G2:

"Letting people know what they do and who they are matter. Another password to remember and account to have." - Verified User in Hospital & Health Care

6. Nectar HR

About Nectar HR: Nectar HR is an employee recognition platform focused on enhancing workplace culture through frequent and meaningful recognition. The platform allows companies to align recognition with core values by enabling employees to send shoutouts, rewards, and custom challenges. Nectar integrates seamlessly with Slack and Microsoft Teams, ensuring recognition fits naturally into daily workflows. The platform's robust rewards catalog includes options like Amazon products, gift cards, and company-branded swag, making it easy for employees to feel valued.

Workstars Alternatives: Nectar HR
Workstars Alternatives: Nectar HR

Nectar HR main features:

  • Peer-to-peer recognition tied to company values
  • Automated celebrations for birthdays and work anniversaries
  • Custom challenges for wellness, feedback, and more
  • Integration with HRIS systems, Slack, and Microsoft Teams
  • Detailed analytics to track recognition trends and participation

Nectar HR 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 HR pricing page.

Nectar HR G2 score:

Nectar HR has a G2 Score of 4.7/5 based on user reviews.

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

What Nectar HR customers are saying on G2:

"It is a nice way to consolidate employee perks and discounts, it is simple and easy to navigate. It highlights all peer praise and when someone is not recognized it is very obvious and people often feel left out/bad. It encourages favoritism." - Verified User in Government Administration

7. Bonusly

About Bonusly: Bonusly is a dynamic platform for employee recognition and rewards intended to cultivate a positive work environment by utilizing peer-to-peer recognition. The platform allows employees to easily recognize each other's achievements with points that can be redeemed for a wide variety of rewards. Bonusly's system not only improves morale but also helps to build stronger teams by encouraging regular, meaningful recognition across the organization. With its intuitive interface and comprehensive integration capabilities, Bonusly is a popular choice for companies looking to enhance employee engagement and retention.

Workstars Alternatives: Bonusly
Workstars Alternatives: Bonusly

Bonusly main features:

  • Peer-to-peer recognition with customizable points and rewards
  • Automated celebrations for milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries
  • Integration with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and HRIS systems
  • Detailed analytics and reporting to measure engagement and recognition trends
  • A diverse rewards catalog, including gift cards, donations, and experiences

Bonusly pricing:

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

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, and PaloAlto Networks.

What Bonusly customers are saying on G2:

"It's a nice concept and a positive way to incentivize people, quite easy to use, and customer support responded prompty, but without an actual solution." - Alexandru M., Digital Marketing Operations Circle Lead

8. Karma

About Karma: Karma is a Slack-first employee recognition platform designed to boost team morale and performance through peer-to-peer recognition. The platform motivates employees to recognize their colleagues with "karma points," which can be accumulated and redeemed for various incentives, including gift vouchers, experiences, or personalized benefits. Karma integrates seamlessly with Slack, making it easy for teams to recognize achievements directly within their daily communication channels. The platform also includes goal setting, performance tracking, and customizable rewards to align recognition with company objectives.

Workstars Alternatives: Karma
Workstars Alternatives: Karma

Karma main features:

  • Peer-to-peer recognition with karma points
  • Customizable rewards, including gift cards, experiences, and company-branded items
  • Goal setting and performance tracking tools
  • Integration with Slack for seamless recognition within daily workflows
  • Advanced analytics and reporting to measure engagement and recognition impact

Karma pricing:

  • $3.30 per active user per month, billed monthly  (5 seats minimum)
  • $3 per month per active user, invoiced annually  (5 seats minimum)
  • Enterprise: Talk to sales for pricing.

For more information, please visit the Karma pricing page.

Karma G2 score:

Karma has a G2 Score of 4.9/5 based on user reviews.

Notable Karma customers: Event Garde, Mission Cloud, Trialpanel, Yanus Social, Beanworks, and Swapps.

What Karma customers are saying on G2:

"You still have to add the bot to certain channels, but I guess that's a limitation of Slack rather than Karma." - Verified User in Computer Software

9. Bravo

About Bravo: Bravo is an AI-powered employee recognition and rewards platform designed to enhance workplace engagement by making recognition more accessible and impactful. The platform encourages continuous recognition through its easy-to-use interface, allowing employees to acknowledge each other's achievements in real time. Bravo integrates with various tools, including Slack and Microsoft Teams, to ensure recognition is part of everyday communication. With a focus on scalability and customization, Bravo assists companies of all sizes in cultivating an environment of gratitude.

Workstars Alternatives: Bravo
Workstars Alternatives: Bravo

Bravo main features:

  • AI-driven recognition and rewards system
  • Customizable rewards catalog, including gift cards, experiences, and company swag
  • Integration with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and other tools
  • Comprehensive analytics to track recognition and engagement
  • Automated milestone celebrations and goal management

Bravo pricing:

  • Starter: $39/month, up to 10 users, $299 setup cost
  • Growth: $79/month, up to 20 users, $399 setup cost
  • Enterprise: Talk to sales for pricing. More than 20 users, $599 setup cost.

For more information, please visit the Bravo pricing page.

Bravo G2 score:

Bravo has a G2 Score of 4.9/5 based on user reviews.

Notable Bravo customers: Coeus Solutions, eKomi, Stauber, Chatters, and NeuPath Health Inc.

What Bravo customers are saying on G2:

"It would be helpful to have a mobile app for our traveling employees. It would also be helpful to have a "How To" guide for those that are new to the platform." - Verified User in Oil & Energy

10. HiThrive

About HiThrive: HiThrive is an employee recognition and engagement platform designed to make celebrating and rewarding employees easy and meaningful. It integrates seamlessly with Slack and Microsoft Teams, allowing recognition to happen naturally in the flow of work. HiThrive supports a range of recognition moments, from peer-to-peer shoutouts to celebrating birthdays and work anniversaries, all customized to suit your company's culture. The platform also offers a variety of reward options and comprehensive tools to elevate employee engagement and motivation.

Workstars Alternatives: HiThrive
Workstars Alternatives: HiThrive

HiThrive main features:

  • Seamless integration with Slack and Microsoft Teams
  • Customizable recognition for birthdays, work anniversaries, and more
  • A diverse rewards catalog, including gift cards, experiences, and company swag
  • Tools for launching nomination campaigns, challenges, and spot awards
  • Detailed analytics and insights to measure engagement and impact

HiThrive pricing:

  • Core: $1.50 per user / billed monthly
  • Celebrate: $2.50 per user / billed monthly
  • Pro: $4.00 per user / billed monthly

For more information, please visit the HiThrive pricing page.

HiThrive G2 score:

HiThrive has a G2 Score of 5/5 based on user reviews.

Notable HiThrive customers: CloudBees, SauceLabs, UCSF, Quantum Metric, and Igorand.

What HiThrive customers are saying on G2:

"A simple way to thank colleagues and managers. To much notifications, and can't save points from passed months." - Oren S., Full Stack Engineer

Which is the best Workstars alternatives?

Selecting the best alternative to Workstars hinges on understanding your organization's specific needs and priorities. Each platform offers unique features, so the right choice depends on factors like integration capabilities, customization options, and the overall impact on employee engagement.

1. Identify essential requirements

Start by identifying what you need from an employee recognition platform. Is your focus on peer-to-peer recognition, automated celebrations, or detailed analytics? Understanding these priorities will help you narrow down the options that best align with your company's goals.

2. Evaluate integration and usability

Effortless incorporation with existing platforms utilized by your team, such as Slack and Microsoft Teams, is of utmost importance. The platform should be easy to use, encouraging consistent engagement without adding complexity. Look for a system that embeds recognition into daily workflows, making it a natural part of your team's routine.

3. Consider customization and flexibility

A flexible platform allows you to tailor recognition programs to fit your company's culture. Whether customizing rewards, setting up automated reminders, or creating unique recognition categories, the ability to adjust the platform to meet your needs is essential.

4. Analyze data and impact

It is crucial to have the capability to monitor and evaluate patterns of recognition in order to make well-informed decisions. A platform with robust analytics helps you understand how recognition impacts employee engagement and morale, allowing you to refine your approach over time.

In conclusion, the best alternative to Workstars is one that meets your organization's specific needs while enhancing employee engagement and satisfaction. Matter stands out as a versatile option that integrates seamlessly with existing tools, offering customizable and automated features that make recognition a consistent and meaningful part of your company culture.

Why companies choose Matter over Workstars alternatives

Companies looking to enhance their employee recognition programs often prioritize platforms that integrate seamlessly into their existing workflows, offer easy-to-use tools, and automate key recognition activities. Matter is an exceptional alternative to Workstars, particularly for organizations relying on Slack and Teams.

Seamless integration: Matter is designed as a Slack-first and Teams-first application, meaning it integrates effortlessly into these platforms, making recognition a part of daily interactions. This integration allows teams to send peer-to-peer recognition with customizable kudos cards that can be tailored to company values, inside jokes, or specific achievements. The process is mostly automated, requiring just minutes to set up, and after that, it runs smoothly with minimal ongoing management.

Automated recognition: One of Matter's key strengths is its automation. Features like Feedback Friday encourage consistent recognition by automatically prompting employees to give kudos at the end of each week. Additionally, Matter simplifies the process of celebrating birthdays and work anniversaries by automating these rewards, ensuring no special occasion is missed. Matter even allows employees to self-serve their celebration dates, making the process seamless and efficient.

Incentivized feedback and participation: Matter also excels in gathering employee feedback through surveys that are incentivized with rewards, making it easy for teams to participate. The platform's unique coin system, which resets weekly, encourages regular engagement and ensures that recognition is frequent and meaningful. With a variety of rewards available, including digital gift cards, custom-branded items, and donations to charities, Matter ensures that employees feel genuinely appreciated.

Matter not only simplifies the recognition process but also makes it more effective, helping companies verify the impact of their recognition programs and take action to improve employee engagement and satisfaction continuously.

Final advice on choosing a Workstars alternative

When searching for the best Workstars alternative, finding an employee recognition program that integrates seamlessly with your existing tools, offers robust customization options, and encourages regular, meaningful recognition is essential. Matter excels in all these areas, making it a preferred option for businesses seeking to improve employee engagement and satisfaction.

Ready to elevate your recognition program? Get started with Matter for free today and discover how it can transform your workplace culture.

Recognition & Rewards all inside Slack or Teams
Free Forever. 2 Minute Setup. No Credit Card Required.
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