Recognize
Empuls
How It Works
Recognize
Users give out badges attached to peer-to-peer recognition. Badges control the value of the recognition, who can give it out, and how often. If using monetary recognition, points can be redeemed for digital gift cards.
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
Recognize
- Fully customizable reward catalog
- Look is highly customizable
- Free trial for lowest tier
Empuls
- 30-day free trial
- Configuration options give complete control over your recognition program
- Very good international rewards options
The Bad
Recognize
- Very limited international reward options
- $1k minimum reward deposits and refunds only sent by check
- User interface lacks polish
Empuls
- Has a learning curve that makes it easy to misconfigure something
- Limited support options
- Gift cards are the only reward option
Pricing
Recognize
We’ve seen mid-market pricing in the $2.50 user/month range and they offer price matching.
Empuls
$2-$4 per user per month, depending on the the plan and if paying monthly or annually.
Setup & Onboarding
Recognize
Can trial the lowest tier plan or go through a sales demo for the higher tiers. Can choose from three tiers of launch support, with higher tiers being more hands on with greater customization.
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
Recognize
Basic look that can feel lacking in polish. Admin navigation can be unwieldy, but the interface avoids feeling cluttered for the average user.
Empuls
Modern, if unremarkable look. Navigation is mostly easy and users have personalized homepages.
Reward Catalog
Recognize
150+ digital gift cards and options for company swag through platforms like AXOMO. The reward catalog settings are highly configurable.
Empuls
Hundreds of gift cards with plenty of international options.
Integrations
HRIS
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Microsoft Azure, BambooHR, custom SFTP integration
Empuls
Gusto, Zoho People, Freshteam, Keka, custom HRIS integrations via SFTP
SSO
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Custom SSO integrations
Empuls
OneLogin, Okta, Azure, custom SSO integrations
Common Tool Integrations
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Microsoft Teams, Slack, Facebook Workplace, Outlook, Yammer, Sharepoint, Gmail, and Asana
Empuls
Microsoft Teams, Slack, Facebook Workplace
Additional Integrations
Recognize
AXOMO and other compatible swag platforms, digital signage, and an open API
Empuls
N/A
Analytics & Reports
Recognize
A few basic graphs highlighting top performers. Lacking default reports, but custom generated reports can be exported as CSV, Excel, or JSON files.
Empuls
Good data visualizations with filters and pivot points to adjust the data, but overall very basic.
Support
Recognize
Email and phone support during standard business hours. Help center covers all the needed basics, but doesn't do any deep diving.
Empuls
Primary support channel is email. Help center covers entire platform, but lacks depth.
Extra Features
Recognize
Apple and Android mobile apps.
Empuls
Any user can send feedback survey requests. Admins can send company-wide surveys. Mobile apps for Android and Apple.
The Bottom Line
Recognize
Offers powerful customization options for the look and feel of the platform, though the interface isn’t very attractive.
Empuls
Tons of control over how your recognition program is setup, but excessive for those who need something simple.
Recognize
