Bonusly Review
by Smartly, Inc
Bonusly is a peer recognition and rewards platform with a free plan for up to 8 users, Team pricing from $3 per user per month and a custom-priced Organization plan.
- Company size
- Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises
- Pricing model
- Per user
- Free trial
- Yes
Best for
- Teams that want peer recognition inside Slack or Microsoft Teams
- Small teams wanting a free recognition plan before paying
- Employers with frontline or field staff who need a mobile recognition app
Not ideal for
- Buyers who need SAML SSO without a custom-priced plan
- Teams that want month-to-month contracts
How we evaluated Bonusly
This review rests on 23 facts checked against Bonusly’s official pricing pages and documentation, most recently on . We did not test the product hands-on: the score and the pros and cons use only those verified facts, as our methodology explains, and third-party ratings are quoted, never scored.
Our verdict
Rewards cost extra at face value, SSO is limited to the custom-priced Organization plan, and all plans are billed annually.
Strengths
Free plan and public Team pricing
The Free plan covers up to 8 users, and Team costs $3 per user per month without Bizy or $5 with Bizy; a 30-day trial needs no payment information.
Evidence: Free plan: Yes
Works in Slack, Teams and mobile
Recognition runs inside Slack and Microsoft Teams, and the iOS and Android apps support field, frontline and production staff.
Evidence: Notable integrations: Slack, Microsoft Teams
Automated milestones and global rewards
Anniversary, birthday and milestone rewards can be automated, and the catalog includes country-specific gift cards.
Evidence: Key features: Peer-to-peer recognition, Rewards catalog, Automated anniversary, birthday and milestone rewards, Pulse check analytics, 1:1s with smart agendas, Performance recaps, Goals, Advice (peer feedback), Company announcements, Awards and Incentives
SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR
Bonusly's Trust Center lists SOC 2 Type 2, SOC 3, GDPR and CCPA.
Evidence: SOC 2 Type II: Yes
Weaknesses
Free plan capped at 8 users
The Free plan is limited to up to 8 users and limited Team features.
Evidence: Free plan: Yes
SSO only on Organization plan
SAML SSO is listed under the Organization plan, which is custom priced.
Evidence: Single sign-on: Yes
Rewards cost extra and plans bill annually
Rewards are paid at face value on top of the subscription, and all plans are billed annually.
Evidence: Extra costs: Rewards are paid at face value when redeemed (a $10 Amazon gift card costs $10), separate from the subscription, Bizy AI $2 per user per month on Team and Organization plans, Organization plan includes 1,000 MCP tool calls per month; more can be added, No extra charge for integrations
Price at a glance
Starting price per employee
$3/user/mo
Pricing model
Per user
Price transparency
Partly published
Free trial
Yes
Free plan
Yes
Contract term
Annual
Bonusly cost at 10 to 100 employees
- Team + Bizy$5/user/mo
- Team (without Bizy)$3/user/mo
| Employees | Team + Bizy | Team (without Bizy) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $50/mo | $30/mo |
| 25 | $125/mo | $75/mo |
| 50 | $250/mo | $150/mo |
| 100 | $500/mo | $300/mo |
Monthly list price before discounts, add-ons and taxes, from the published price model of each plan.
Quick answers
- How much does Bonusly cost?
- Bonusly is free for up to 8 users. Team is $5 per user per month with Bizy AI or $3 without ($50 or $30 per user per year); Organization is custom priced.Based on Starting price per employee: $3/user/mo
- Is Bonusly free?
- There is a Free plan for up to 8 users, plus a 30-day Team or Organization trial that needs no payment information.Based on Free plan: Yes
- Do rewards cost extra?
- Yes. Rewards are paid at face value when employees redeem them, separate from the subscription.Based on Extra costs: Rewards are paid at face value when redeemed (a $10 Amazon gift card costs $10), separate from the subscription, Bizy AI $2 per user per month on Team and Organization plans, Organization plan includes 1,000 MCP tool calls per month; more can be added, No extra charge for integrations
- Does Bonusly integrate with Slack and Teams?
- Yes. Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations are included, and the Free plan includes both.Based on Notable integrations: Slack, Microsoft Teams
Coverage of core employee recognition software capabilities
Each core capability we evaluate in Employee Recognition Software, checked against Bonusly’s own documentation. “Not verified yet” means we have not confirmed it either way, not that it is missing.
7 verified of 11 core capabilities
Employee Recognition Software
- Peer recognition
- Manager and milestone awards
- Points and rewards catalog
- Budgets and approvals · not verified yet
- Chat and workplace integration
- Mobile and frontline access
- Payroll and tax handling · not verified yet
- Participation analytics · not verified yet
- HRIS integration
- Company values tagging · not verified yet
- Global rewards
Specifications
Product
- Modules
- Recognition, Rewards, Check Ins, Celebrations, Growth, Insights
- Mobile apps
- Bonusly iOS app, Bonusly Android app
- AI features
- Bizy AI recognition sidekick, MCP tool calls (Organization plan)
Integrations
- Open API
- Yes
Bonusly integrations
Native integrations: A–O
Connected through Zapier
Bonusly integration coverage
The 10 apps that employee recognition software products document most often, and whether Bonusly documents each.
10 of the 10 most-connected apps documented by Bonusly; median of the 9 products compared: 6
- Microsoft Teams · documented by 9 of 9
- Slack · documented by 9 of 9
- Workday · documented by 9 of 9
- BambooHR · documented by 6 of 9
- ADP · documented by 4 of 9
- Gusto · documented by 4 of 9
- HiBob · documented by 4 of 9
- Okta · documented by 4 of 9
- Rippling · documented by 4 of 9
- UKG Pro · documented by 4 of 9
Integrations each vendor documents (native, marketplace, Zapier or API), 9 live employee recognition software products. Not documented does not mean not possible.
Where it ranks
- #1 of 8 scoredEmployee Recognition Software
- #1 of 7 scoredEmployee Recognition Software for Enterprises
- #1 of 6 scoredEmployee Recognition Software for Mid-Sized Companies
- #1 of 4 scoredEmployee Recognition Software for Small Business
Bonusly alternatives
Compare Bonusly
Security and compliance
- SOC 2 Type IIYes
- GDPR programYes
- Single sign-onYes
Implementation and support
- Typical implementation
- Typically 4-6 weeks; faster for smaller teams or simple setups
- Support channels
- Chat, email
- Support hours
- 24/7 chat support on Team and Organization plans
About Smartly, Inc
- Headquarters
- Boulder, Colorado, US
- Ownership
- Private
Official profiles
Frequently asked questions
Is Bonusly legit?
Bonusly is sold by Smartly, Inc, which is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, US and is privately held. Smartly, Inc states that it holds a current SOC 2 Type II report.
Does Bonusly support SSO?
SAML SSO integrations are listed under the Organization plan.
How long does Bonusly take to implement?
Bonusly says implementation typically takes 4-6 weeks, and faster for smaller teams or simple setups.
What is Bonusly used for?
Bonusly is an employee recognition software product built for small businesses, mid-market companies, and enterprises. Its modules include Recognition, Rewards, Check Ins, Celebrations, and 2 more.
What are the best alternatives to Bonusly?
In our employee recognition software ranking, the highest-scored products other than Bonusly are Assembly, Awardco, and Motivosity. Compared side by side, by reason to switch: Bonusly alternatives.
Which is better, Bonusly or Achievers?
It depends on the team. Choose Bonusly if: you want to start free: Bonusly is free for up to 8 users. Choose Achievers if: you have 500 or more employees across several countries. The full comparison: Bonusly vs Achievers.
What are the pros and cons of Bonusly?
Strengths documented on the vendor’s own pages: free plan and public Team pricing, works in Slack, Teams and mobile, and automated milestones and global rewards. It is less suited to buyers who need SAML SSO without a custom-priced plan and teams that want month-to-month contracts.
Does Bonusly have an API?
Yes. Bonusly offers an open API to customers.
Does Bonusly have a mobile app?
Yes. Bonusly lists mobile apps: Bonusly iOS app, Bonusly Android app.
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