Head to head

Bonusly vs Guusto

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Bonusly

$3/user/mo Free tier 30 day free trial

Peer recognition and rewards. Free for up to 8 users; cheapest paid Team is $3/user/mo without Bizy, or $5/user/mo with Bizy included.

Where Bonusly fits

Teams starting peer recognition in Slack or Teams
Companies under 8 people (free)
HR teams that want points and a rewards shop without an enterprise suite
Orgs willing to trial 30 days

Guusto is a recognition and rewards product built for frontline teams. A free plan lets you send rewards with no subscription. Paid Lite is $150 per month for 1 sender and 250 recipient seats, with a 30-day trial.

Where Guusto fits

Frontline and deskless teams that need SMS, print, and QR redemption
HR teams starting on a $0 plan before buying Lite at $150/mo
Mid-market programs that will hit Essential's $200/mo annual minimum
Companies that want senders billed higher than members so more budget hits the gift, not the seat

At a glance

Detail	Bonusly	Guusto
Starting price	$3/user/mo	$150/mo
Free tier	✓Yes	✓Yes
Free trial	30 day free trial	30 day free trial
MCP server	–No	–No
Public API	✓Yes	–No
Listed under	Engagement, Recognition & rewards	Recognition & rewards
Capterra	4.8 from 1,611 reviews	4.9 from 3,831 reviews

Where they pull apart

Bonusly

Stands out: A real free plan plus a $3/user public Team seat, with Slack and Teams in the flow of work rather than a separate rewards portal nobody opens.

Watch out: Bizy, the AI recognition sidekick, is included on the $5 Team plan (or $2/user/month extra). Organization is quoted. HRIS provisioning is not on Free.

Not the right fit for

Enterprises that need Workhuman-scale programs
Buyers who want Bizy on the $3 seat
Companies that will not put recognition in Slack

Guusto

Stands out: You pay full price only for senders. Recipients cost less on Essential ($4 sender + $0.70 recipient, $200/mo minimum) and Premium ($500/mo minimum). Rewards also go out by SMS, print, and QR, not just email.

Watch out: Essential and Premium minimums are billed annually. API access sits on Premium. Unclaimed rewards can be cancelled on Lite, which matters for frontline programs where emails bounce.

Not the right fit for

Enterprises that need a full culture suite with surveys and wellbeing in the base SKU
Buyers who refuse annual billing on Essential and Premium

Pros and cons

Bonusly

Free plan up to 8 users
Public $3/user/mo Team seat
30-day trial with Bizy included

Bizy is extra on the $3 seat
Organization is quoted
Not a full engagement suite

Guusto

Permanent free plan plus a $150/mo Lite with a 30-day trial
SMS, print, and QR reach frontline staff who do not live in Slack
Capterra 4.9 from 3,831 matching Guusto reviews

Essential $200/mo and Premium $500/mo minimums are annual
API is Premium-only
The subscription does not include the gift-card spend

What each one costs

Bonusly

$3/user/mo

Free plan for up to 8 users. Paid Team from about $3 per user a month without Bizy, or $5 with Bizy. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 12 Sep 2026

Guusto

$150/mo

A free plan sends rewards with no subscription fee. Lite is $150 per month for 1 sender seat and 250 recipient seats, with a 30-day trial. Essential is $4 per sender plus $0.70 per recipient with a $200 per month minimum, billed annually. Premium has a $500 per month minimum, billed annually, and adds SSO, HRIS integrations, global rewards, and API. Reward spend is separate. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Is Bonusly cheaper than Guusto?

Bonusly starts lower, at $3/user/mo against $150/mo for Guusto. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.

Can you try Bonusly or Guusto for free?

Bonusly and Guusto carry a free tier on our listing. Bonusly offers a 30 day free trial. Guusto offers a 30 day free trial.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 12 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?