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Bonusly

bonusly.com

From $2/mo Free plan WebWindowsmacOSiOSAndroidAPI
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Spec score 9.4 #1 of 42 in Employee Rewards Software

What it is

Bonusly provides peer recognition, rewards, and employee engagement tools for workplace culture. Employees can recognize colleagues publicly in connection with company core values and redeem points for rewards. The catalog includes gift cards, physical gifts, cash and prepaid cards, charitable giving, branded swag, and custom rewards. The platform can mark birthdays, work anniversaries, new hires, and other milestones automatically. Team features include enhanced one-to-ones, performance recaps, pulse check analytics, and automated manager alerts. Bonusly lists Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations, more than 30 HRIS platforms, SAML single sign-on, and an API. Its Bizy assistant can use connected tools such as Slack and Granola to recommend recognition, help prepare for one-to-ones, and summarize team activity; desktop apps are available for Mac and Windows. The free plan is for up to eight users and includes peer recognition, guidance, Slack and Teams integrations, and iOS and Android apps. Paid plans start at $3/user/mo. A 30-day trial for Team or Organization plans does not require payment information. Bonusly states that it is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant.

Spec sheet

What it does
Bonusly is an employee recognition, rewards and engagement platform centered on peer recognition and workplace culture analytics.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Product
Bonusly provides peer recognition, rewards, and employee engagement tools for building workplace culture.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bonusly.com
Intended users
The Free plan is described as being for small teams, while the Organization plan is aimed at companies running recognition at scale.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bonusly.com
Trial
Bonusly offers a 30-day Team or Organization plan trial without requiring payment information.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bonusly.com
API
Bonusly exposes REST APIs at /api/v1 and /api/public for analytics, bonuses, company data, redemptions, rewards and users.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.bonus.ly
Integrations
Official integrations include Slack, Microsoft Teams, ADP, BambooHR, UKG, Paylocity, Workday, Rippling, Okta, OneLogin, Google, Office365, SAML and Zapier.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Mobile apps
Bonusly provides native iOS and Android apps for recognition and reward redemption away from a desk.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Security
Bonusly states that it is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and offers single sign-on.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bonusly.com
Support
The Team plan advertises 24/7 chat support, while Organization includes a dedicated customer success manager, training library and onboarding assistance.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Headquarters
Boulder, Colorado, United StatesRead 23 Sep 2026 · bonusly.com
Founded
LinkedIn lists Bonusly as founded in 2012.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
1:1s and check-ins
Team plans include enhanced one-to-one meetings with smart agendas, pulse checks and performance recaps.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
AI assistant
Bizy can use connected tools such as Slack and Granola to recommend recognition, prepare for one-to-ones, and summarize team activity.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bonusly.com
API authentication
API access uses bearer Personal Access Tokens with role-based scopes and token expiry of up to 365 days.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.bonus.ly
Automated milestones
Administrators can automate recognition for birthdays, anniversaries and other milestones.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Company headquarters and size
LinkedIn lists headquarters in Boulder, Colorado and a company size of 51–200 employees.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company legal name
The legal entity operating Bonusly is Smartly, Inc.Read 14 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
Data hosting
Bonusly says personally identifiable information is stored and processed in AWS US-East data centers using role-based access controls, HTTPS, secure SFTP and audit logging.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.bonus.ly
Desktop apps
Bizy has desktop apps available for Mac and Windows.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bonusly.com
Documentation
Public developer documentation includes guides, API reference pages, an API explorer and an OpenAPI-oriented documentation index.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.bonus.ly
Employee analytics
Bonusly Analytics reports team connections, participation trends and recognition frequency.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Funding
Bonusly’s about page reports $19.5 million in Series B funding.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Implementation
Bonusly says implementation usually takes four to six weeks, with faster launches possible for smaller or simpler deployments.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Incentive programs
The platform supports incentive programs tied to company values and desired behaviors.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
License terms
Terms grant a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the site, service, app and integrations during the subscription term.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Limit: mobile performance
Google Play and Apple App Store reviewers report redemption errors, slow performance, reloads after rotation and navigation dead ends.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Limit: pricing and hashtags
GetApp identifies concerns about the pricing structure and says mandatory hashtags can reduce flexibility.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Limit: rewards and reporting
TrustRadius reviewers report wanting more redemption choices and stronger reporting and analytics.Read 14 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Limit: support and inventory
Software Advice reviewers mention delayed support, lack of proactive account updates and rewards sometimes being unavailable after selection.Read 14 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
MCP server
Bonusly offers an MCP server at https://bonus.ly/mcp so authorized AI tools can retrieve recognition data and perform permitted actions.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.bonus.ly
Milestones
Bonusly can automatically celebrate birthdays, work anniversaries, new hires, and other milestones.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bonusly.com
Notable news: August 2026
Bonusly reported that Bizy went live and added external recognition, deeper reporting-tree views and more flexible redemption top-ups.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Notable news: June 2026
Bonusly announced June 2026 releases including Delegate Giving, new nomination features and an MCP connector.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Peer recognition
Employees can publicly celebrate wins and acknowledge contributions through peer-to-peer recognition.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Performance tools
Team features include enhanced one-to-ones, performance recaps, pulse check analytics, and automated manager alerts.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bonusly.com
Praise: rewards and integrations
Reviewers commonly praise gift-card and custom-reward choices plus integrations such as Slack and BambooHR.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Praise: usability and culture
Independent reviewers repeatedly describe Bonusly as easy to use, fun, morale-boosting and effective for building recognition culture, especially across remote teams.Read 14 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Rating on Apple App Store
4.8 out of 5 from 4,500 ratingsRead 14 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Rating on G2
4.7 out of 5 from 7,383 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on Gartner Peer Insights
4.7 out of 5 from 53 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · gartner.com
Rating on GetApp
4.8 out of 5 from 1,611 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Rating on Google Play
3.9 out of 5 from 670 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Rating on Software Advice
4.8 out of 5 from 1,611 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Rating on Trustpilot
3.8 out of 5 from 2 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Rating on TrustRadius
9.6 out of 10 from 60 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Recognition
Employees can give public peer recognition tied to company core values and redeem points for rewards.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bonusly.com
Reward catalog
The rewards catalog includes gift cards, physical gifts, cash and prepaid cards, charitable giving, branded swag, and custom rewards.Read 28 Sep 2026 · bonusly.com
Rewards
Recognition points can be exchanged for gift cards, charitable donations, cash or company swag.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Security compliance
Bonusly states that it maintains SOC 2 Type II, GDPR and CCPA compliance and participates in EU-US, Swiss-US and UK Data Privacy Frameworks.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.bonus.ly
Self-hosting
The cited product and terms pages describe Bonusly as a hosted service and provide no self-hosting option.Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
System requirements
The iOS app requires iOS 16.4 or later, iPadOS 16.4 or later, or macOS 13.3 on an Apple M1-or-later Mac.Read 14 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com

Plans and prices

Free Free forever Up to 8 users · peer recognition and guidance · Slack and Teams integrations · iOS and Android apps Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Bizy $2 a month per user monthly; free during 30-day Team or Organization trial Per-user access control · Organization includes 1,000 MCP tool calls monthly Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Team without Bizy AI $3 a month per user monthly; annual option $30/user/year Team plan features without Bizy AI Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Team + Bizy $5 a month per user monthly; annual option $50/user/year Unlimited seats · advanced pulse check analytics · automated milestones · HRIS integrations and provisioning · 24/7 chat support · enhanced 1:1s · unlimited performance recaps · manager alerts Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com
Organization + Bizy Priced on request annual subscription; custom pricing Company announcements · awards and incentives · company-wide analytics · recognition quality reporting · SAML SSO · dedicated CSM · training library · onboarding assistance Read 14 Oct 2026 · bonusly.com

Every Bonusly plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free plan covers up to eight users.
  • Recognition can be tied to company core values.
  • Catalog includes cash, gifts, and charitable giving.
  • Lists more than 30 HRIS integrations.
  • 30-day trial requires no payment information.

Limits

  • Free plan is limited to eight users.
  • Organization pricing is custom and not listed.
  • Bizy desktop apps are listed for Mac and Windows.

Who it suits

It suits teams that want peer recognition tied to company values, with a catalog of rewards and milestone celebrations. The free plan is described for small teams, while Organization is aimed at companies running recognition at scale.

Bonusly in depth

Read the full write-up

Bonusly is a workplace recognition and rewards product for teams that want peer recognition tied to company values alongside employee reward redemption. Its strongest fit is an organization that wants milestones and manager tools as part of the same program; the trade-off is that larger teams move beyond the small free tier, and Organization pricing is custom.

Overview

Employees can publicly recognize colleagues and connect recognition to company core values, then redeem points through a catalog spanning gift cards, physical gifts, cash and prepaid cards, charitable giving, branded swag, and custom rewards. Bonusly also covers birthdays, work anniversaries, new hires, and other milestones, with team tools for one-to-ones, performance recaps, pulse checks, and manager alerts.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, Bonusly spans recognition, rewards, and broader employee engagement. Its mix is more extensive than a recognition feed alone, but teams looking only for a simple reward-sending tool may not need its additional management capabilities.

Key features

Recognition and redemption

Public recognition tied to company values gives peer appreciation a visible connection to workplace priorities. Manager awards, award nominations, custom award types, budget controls, and incentive campaigns add ways to structure recognition; global rewards broaden the redemption options. The catalog's variety is a strength for teams with different preferences, though it also makes Bonusly a wider program than a basic gift-card service.

Milestones and team tools

Automatic celebrations for birthdays, anniversaries, new hires, and other milestones reduce the need to handle recurring occasions manually. Enhanced one-to-ones, performance recaps, pulse check analytics, and automated manager alerts extend the product into ongoing team management. Those tools make the higher tiers more relevant to managers and HR teams than to organizations seeking recognition alone.

Integrations, AI, and security

Bonusly integrates with Slack and Microsoft Teams, connects with more than 30 HRIS platforms, and offers an API and SAML single sign-on. The company states that it is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant. Bizy can use connected tools such as Slack and Granola to suggest recognition, help prepare for one-to-ones, and summarize team activity; its Mac and Windows desktop apps make that assistant available beyond the web and mobile apps. The usefulness of those suggestions depends on whether teams use the connected tools.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing, billed forever, and covers up to 8 users. It includes peer recognition and guidance, Slack and Teams integrations, and iOS and Android apps. That is a practical starting point for a small team, but the eight-user ceiling makes it unsuitable as a permanent option for a larger workforce.

Bizy costs $2 a month, billed per user per month; admins choose which users get access. The Organization plan includes 1,000 MCP tool calls per month. This is the lowest-cost paid plan, but its listed scope centers on the assistant rather than the broader recognition, milestone, and support package.

Team + Bizy costs $5 a month per user and is billed annually. It includes unlimited seats, advanced pulse check analytics, automated milestone celebrations, HRIS integrations and provisioning, and 24/7 chat support. It suits teams that need those operational features, but annual billing is a commitment compared with the forever-free plan.

Organization + Bizy uses custom pricing and is billed annually. It adds company announcements, awards and incentives, company-wide analytics and insights, recognition quality reporting, SAML SSO, a dedicated customer success manager, a training library, and onboarding assistance. It is aimed at companies running recognition at scale, particularly those that value implementation and account support, though buyers must request pricing rather than compare a fixed per-user amount.

Bonusly offers a 30-day Team or Organization trial without requiring payment information. The overall pricing note gives paid pricing from $3/user/mo, while the named Bizy plan is priced separately at $2 a month; Team + Bizy is priced at $5 a month per user with annual billing.

Platforms

Bonusly supports Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows, and provides an API. The Free plan specifically includes iOS and Android apps. Bizy has Mac and Windows desktop apps, while Slack and Teams integrations give teams chat-based recognition channels.

Who it's for

Bonusly is a strong fit for small teams beginning with peer recognition and for growing organizations that want recognition, reward redemption, milestones, and manager tools together. HR teams can benefit from HRIS integrations and provisioning, while companies running a larger program can opt for Organization features such as company-wide analytics, SAML SSO, and onboarding assistance.

It is less compelling for a team that only wants to send occasional rewards, or for a buyer who needs a published Organization price before evaluating scale costs. The free tier's eight-user limit also rules it out as a no-cost choice for larger teams.

Pros and cons

Broad recognition and redemption: Public, values-linked peer recognition sits alongside a catalog with monetary, charitable, and branded reward options.

More than recognition: Automated milestones, pulse analytics, one-to-ones, recaps, and manager alerts can support ongoing team practices.

Useful integration reach: Slack, Teams, more than 30 HRIS platforms, an API, and SAML SSO cover common workplace connections.

Small free-plan ceiling: The forever-free tier stops at 8 users, so larger teams need a paid path.

Annual commitment on core paid tiers: Team + Bizy and Organization + Bizy are billed annually.

Custom top-tier price: Organization's scale-oriented feature set has no fixed published amount, making cost comparison less direct.

Alternatives

For a lighter rewards-focused option, Guusto has a free plan with no minimum reward spend, mobile access, and 100+ merchant options; choose it when sending rewards is the priority over Bonusly's broader team and milestone tools. Culture Cloud is another paid alternative for buyers comparing recognition platforms.

Motivosity offers a custom-priced Celebrating People plan with unlimited milestone programs, corporate gifting, and a global reward marketplace, so it is an option for buyers focused on those capabilities.

Tap My Back is a paid alternative with a Starter plan at $2 a month billed annually, including peer recognition, badges, rewards, analytics, Slack and Teams integrations, and email support. Assembly offers a free plan and an Empower plan priced at $3 a year, described as $3 per user per month billed yearly, with recognition, points and budget controls, AI insights, and people analytics. Mo has quote-based pricing and no published plan limits, while Awardco Engage is available as an individual or bundled subscription with no stated price.

For category comparisons, see Employee Recognition Software, Employee Rewards Software, and Total Rewards Software.

Verdict

Choose Bonusly if you want peer recognition, meaningful reward redemption, milestone celebrations, and manager tools in one workplace program. Its strongest case is breadth across everyday appreciation and team support; look elsewhere if the eight-user free cap or custom annual Organization pricing does not fit your budget or buying process.

Verdict

Bonusly combines recognition, reward redemption, milestone celebrations, and team tools. The free tier has a small-team limit, while larger organizations may need custom pricing.

Where Specifiction places it

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