Bonusly
Empuls
How It Works
Bonusly
Users get a monthly allowance of points to award to other users. Allowance points are refreshed every month and do not roll over. Earned points can be redeemed for gift cards or charitable donations.
Empuls
Create pre-defined pieces of recognition that users can distribute, each with its own specific givers, recipients, approvers, point value, and budget. Points from awards can be used to purchase gift cards.
The Good
Bonusly
- Very slick and attractive interface
- Good suite of integrations
- Easy to use and low maintenance
Empuls
- 30-day free trial
- Configuration options give complete control over your recognition program
- Very good international rewards options
The Bad
Bonusly
- Limited analytics
- Some countries have few reward options
- Very limited configuration options
Empuls
- Has a learning curve that makes it easy to misconfigure something
- Limited support options
- Gift cards are the only reward option
Pricing
Bonusly
$2.70-$5.00 per user per month, depending on your plan and if you pay monthly or annually.
Empuls
$2-$4 per user per month, depending on the the plan and if paying monthly or annually.
Setup & Onboarding
Bonusly
Free trial makes it easy to get started and trials come loaded with sample users, sample data, and a setup guide to familiarize yourself with the intuitive platform. Larger companies can benefit from implementation services.
Empuls
Free trial makes it easy to get started, but the complexity of budgets and awards makes going through their sales and onboarding process more appealing.
UI & UX
Bonusly
Very modern, polished interface that prides itself on being easy to use. Navigation and use is a breeze for all users.
Empuls
Modern, if unremarkable look. Navigation is mostly easy and users have personalized homepages.
Reward Catalog
Bonusly
Hundreds of gift cards and dozens of charities. Can integrate with AXOMO to offer company-branded swag.
Empuls
Hundreds of gift cards with plenty of international options.
Integrations
HRIS
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BambooHR, Workday, Namely, Gusto, Zenefits, custom HRIS integrations via SFTP
Empuls
Gusto, Zoho People, Freshteam, Keka, custom HRIS integrations via SFTP
SSO
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Okta, Onelogin, custom SSO integrations
Empuls
OneLogin, Okta, Azure, custom SSO integrations
Common Tool Integrations
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Slack, Microsoft Teams
Empuls
Microsoft Teams, Slack, Facebook Workplace
Additional Integrations
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Open API
Empuls
N/A
Analytics & Reports
Bonusly
Limited account analytics arranged in easy-to-read charts and graphs. A small handful of default reports that can be exported as CSV files.
Empuls
Good data visualizations with filters and pivot points to adjust the data, but overall very basic.
Support
Bonusly
Chat and email are primary channels along with limited phone support. Availability is 9am-9pm Monday-Friday. Help center covers basics well, but isn't particularly comprehensive.
Empuls
Primary support channel is email. Help center covers entire platform, but lacks depth.
Extra Features
Bonusly
Signals feature lets you send surveys to collect feedback from your employees. Has Apple and Android mobile apps. Can connect to digital signage to show homepage feed on external displays.
Empuls
Any user can send feedback survey requests. Admins can send company-wide surveys. Mobile apps for Android and Apple.
The Bottom Line
Bonusly
A peer-to-peer recognition platform in a beautiful, sleek package that’s easy to use, but lacks configuration and customization options.
Empuls
Tons of control over how your recognition program is setup, but excessive for those who need something simple.
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