Compare/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.

Starting price

Bonusly

$3/user/mo 30 day free trial

Peer recognition and rewards. There is no free plan; cheapest paid Team is $3/user/mo without Bizy, or $5/user/mo with Bizy included, after a 30-day trial.

Where Bonusly fits

  • Small companies that want a low per-seat price
  • Orgs willing to trial 30 days
  • Teams starting peer recognition in Slack or Teams
  • HR teams that want points and a rewards shop without an enterprise suite

Guusto

$150/mo Free tier 30 day free trial

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

DetailBonuslyGuusto
Starting price$3/user/mo$150/mo
Free tier–No✓Yes
Free trial30 day free trial30 day free trial
MCP server–No–No
Public API✓Yes–No
Listed underEngagement, Recognition & rewardsRecognition & rewards
Capterra4.8 from 1,611 reviews4.9 from 3,831 reviews

Where they pull apart

Bonusly

Stands out: A public $3/user Team seat and a 30-day trial, 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. There is no free plan for small teams.

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

  • Public $3/user/mo Team seat
  • 30-day trial with Bizy included
  • Annual billing gives 2 months free
  • 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

Team is $3 per user a month, or $30 per user a year, without Bizy, and $5 per user a month, or $50 per user a year, with Bizy. Organization is custom pricing. Annual billing gives 2 months free. There is no free plan; a 30-day trial is offered. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 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 4 Nov 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?
Guusto carries 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 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?