Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Employee Recognition Software

Bonusly vs Assembly

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 7 checks side by side
Higher score Bonusly #1 in Employee Recognition Software 9.4/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Bonusly
Assembly #3 in Employee Recognition Software 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Assembly

Bonusly leads on 0 checks, Assembly on 0, and 7 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreBonusly · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly Bonusly

Bonusly scores higher on our rubric for employee recognition software: 9.4 against 9.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #3.

Bonusly is the better fit for broad recognition programs with low entry cost. Assembly is the better fit for values-based recognition with AI insights.

  • Bonusly fits best

    Broad recognition programs with low entry cost

  • Assembly fits best

    Values-based recognition with AI insights

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Bonusly 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Assembly 9.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 9.1
Ranking #1 in Employee Recognition Software #3 in Employee Recognition Software
Best for Broad recognition programs with low entry cost Values-based recognition with AI insights
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $30/user/yr $3/user/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial 30 days —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Mobile
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, iOS, Android
Support Email, Live chat, Docs · 24/7 Email, Docs
Compliance SOC 2, SSO/SAML SOC 2, GDPR, SSO/SAML
Integrations 30+ integrations 7 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Bonusly 6/6 · Assembly 6/6
Peer recognition ✓ ✓
Manager awards ✓ ✓
Award nominations ✓ ✓
Rewards catalog ✓ ✓
Custom award types ✓ ✓
Budget controls ✓ ✓
Specs
Recognition channels Web_mobile_and_chat Web_mobile_and_chat
Our review
Pros
  • Free plan includes peer recognition, chat integrations, and mobile apps
  • Rewards cover gift cards, donations, cash, and company swag
  • HRIS, analytics, nominations, awards, and budget controls support larger programs
  • Peer recognition can be tied to company values.
  • Includes rewards, awards, nominations, and budget controls.
  • Supports Slack, Microsoft Teams, mobile apps, and AI insights.
Cons
  • Advanced analytics and HRIS provisioning start with Team + Bizy
  • Bizy is a separate $2 per-user monthly add-on
  • Organization + Bizy pricing is custom
  • Empower is listed at $3 per user per month with annual billing.
  • Custom integrations are available on Enterprise.
  • Its broad feature set may exceed simple kudos-only needs.
Our verdict

Bonusly is an employee recognition and rewards platform for organizations that want peer recognition, manager-led awards, milestone celebrations, and engagement programs in one system. Employees can recognize colleagues through the web,…

Read the review →

Assembly is a cloud-based employee recognition and rewards platform for startups, small businesses, mid-market organizations, and enterprises. It brings peer-to-peer recognition, custom awards, employee nominations, milestone celebrations,…

Read the review →
  1. BonuslyEmployee Recognition Software 9.4Free plan · 30-day trial
  2. AssemblyEmployee Recognition Software 9.1Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Bonusly — where it wins

    • Free plan includes peer recognition, chat integrations, and mobile apps
    • Rewards cover gift cards, donations, cash, and company swag
    • HRIS, analytics, nominations, awards, and budget controls support larger programs

    Where it doesn't

    • Advanced analytics and HRIS provisioning start with Team + Bizy
    • Bizy is a separate $2 per-user monthly add-on
    • Organization + Bizy pricing is custom
  • Assembly — where it wins

    • Peer recognition can be tied to company values.
    • Includes rewards, awards, nominations, and budget controls.
    • Supports Slack, Microsoft Teams, mobile apps, and AI insights.

    Where it doesn't

    • Empower is listed at $3 per user per month with annual billing.
    • Custom integrations are available on Enterprise.
    • Its broad feature set may exceed simple kudos-only needs.

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update