Compare/Head to head

Bonusly vs Recognize

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

Recognize

Sales-quoted Free trial

Social employee recognition inside Microsoft 365, Slack, and your HRIS. Start-Up, Mid-Market, and Enterprise are quote-based.

Where Recognize fits

  • Microsoft 365 workplaces that want recognition in Teams
  • HR teams automating birthdays and work anniversaries
  • Companies redeeming gift cards and Amazon rewards
  • Global employers that need multi-currency catalogs

At a glance

DetailBonuslyRecognize
Starting price$3/user/moSales-quoted
Free tier–No–No
Free trial30 day free trialYes
MCP server–No–No
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underEngagement, Recognition & rewardsRecognition & rewards
Capterra4.8 from 1,611 reviews4.8 from 576 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

Recognize

Stands out: Peer badges, gift cards, and anniversary posts run in Teams, Outlook, and Viva Engage instead of a separate app.

Watch out: Billing is annual. A 30-day refund after signing is not a free trial. AI summaries are Enterprise-only.

Not the right fit for

  • Buyers who want a public per-user price
  • Teams that need AI summaries on a cheap tier

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

Recognize

  • Runs in Teams, Outlook, and Slack
  • Gift cards on the Start-Up tier
  • SSO and HRIS user sync included
  • Quote-only annual contracts
  • AI reporting is Enterprise-only
  • No published per-user rate

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

Recognize

Sales-quoted

Sales-quoted. Annual subscription priced on organization headcount, with Start-Up, Mid-Market, and Enterprise packs. User counts can change during the year at no mid-term price change and are re-evaluated at renewal. First-month refund after signing if it is not a fit. Rewards balances return on cancel minus a $50 processing fee. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Can you try Bonusly or Recognize for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing. Bonusly offers a 30 day free trial. Recognize offers a free trial.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Bonusly alternatives All Recognize alternatives Every Engagement tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?