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Employee recognition software platforms used to be a nice extra. Now, they’re a must-have for companies that actually want to keep their people engaged, productive, and sticking around. It’s more than a feel-good moment. Achievers’ State of Recognition Report shows monthly recognition makes employees 47% more likely to feel committed to their jobs. That’s not fluff. That’s impact.
Still, recognition can be tricky. It has to feel real. It has to happen often. And it has to work for every team — from the frontlines to the C-suite. That’s where the right platform comes in. The best ones don’t just make recognition easier — they make it part of how your organization works.
So, which platform does it best? We’ve rounded up the top employee recognition software platforms of 2025 — along with a quick comparison — to help you find the right fit.
Let’s take a look.
- Achievers
- Mo
- Worktango
- Motivosity
- Kudoboard
- Nectar
- Assembly
- TerryBerry
- Guusto
- Cooleaf
- Workhuman
- Awardco
- O.C.Tanner
- Reward Gateway
- Bonusly
What are the best employee recognition software platforms?
The best platforms are simple, impactful, and fit seamlessly into your company’s culture. When it comes to comparing employee recognition platforms, look for ones that offer:
- An intuitive interface: Easy to use and accessible for all employees
- Mobile access: Enables recognition anytime, anywhere
- Peer-to-peer and top-down recognition: Encourages participation at all levels
- Advanced integrations: Connects with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook
- Measuring and reporting tools: Provides insights to track impact and optimize your program
These features ensure recognition is effortless, consistent, and aligned with your business goals.
The 15 best employee recognition software platforms for 2025
1. Achievers
Achievers is a science-backed employee recognition platform that helps teams feel valued — and stay connected — every day. It’s built to reinforce the behaviors and values that drive real results, with recognition that’s timely, personalized, and easy to give, no matter where your people are.
With social recognition, points-based rewards, and a company newsfeed that actually feels like good news, Achievers helps organizations celebrate wins of every size. It’s about more than good vibes — recognition done right drives real outcomes. Frequent, meaningful recognition helps build connection, boost engagement, and reinforce the values that move your company forward.
Leaders can instantly see what’s resonating and where engagement may be slipping — giving them the data to take action before it starts to affect performance. And with voice of employee tools built in, your recognition program stays aligned with culture and informed by what your people actually value.
Built to work where your teams already do — in platforms like Slack, Outlook, and Teams — Achievers makes recognition frictionless and in-the-moment, not locked in a separate system.
It’s no surprise that brands like Kellanova and General Motors trust Achievers to keep their people seen, heard, and appreciated.
“Using Achievers, we have been able to make recognition fun, inclusive, and global at Kellanova. We now have the tool to show our people just how much we value and appreciate them in a public and creative way.” – Elizabeth Smith, Sr. Manager, Global Total Health, Kellanova
Key features:
- Recognition that reaches over 4 million employees across 164 countries, with translations in 32 languages
- Millions of meaningful reward options, delivered locally in 190 countries — with no markups
- Live support from real humans, plus dedicated customer success managers
- Recognition tools that work online and offline — built for in-office, remote, and frontline teams
- Two-way feedback with flexible reporting and real-time analytics
- Recognition and engagement insights backed by the Achievers Workforce Institute
2. Mo
Mo is an employee recognition platform that encourages teams to celebrate everyday wins through “Moments” — short social posts tied to company values. Employees can share recognition publicly or privately, and managers get weekly prompts to help them keep engagement consistent. Mo also includes analytics to help HR and leadership track how recognition is landing across the business.
3. Worktango
Worktango offers a flexible recognition experience that lets companies tailor their approach — with or without points. Leaders can set up incentives to encourage participation in initiatives, while HR teams can monitor program activity by department, role, or region. The platform is built to reward desired actions and help track ROI without a lot of manual work.
4. Motivosity
Motivosity blends social recognition with monetary rewards, giving employees the option to pair praise with perks. Team members can award each other small bonuses, and organizations can create custom awards or give spot bonuses as needed. It’s a platform designed to keep appreciation flowing — and make it feel tangible.
5. Kudoboard
Kudoboard takes a more visual, card-based approach to recognition. Teams can collaborate on group cards filled with messages, images, and videos — then present them digitally, as a slideshow, or even as a printed poster. It’s less of a full-scale platform and more of a creative way to mark milestones or special moments.
6. Nectar
Nectar offers a straightforward platform for social recognition and rewards, with support for peer-to-peer appreciation, milestone celebrations, and custom awards. It includes a built-in catalog for redemptions and integrates with popular HR tools for single sign-on and data syncing. Companies can also highlight employee achievements tied to specific challenges or events, keeping recognition timely and relevant.
7. Assembly
Assembly focuses on building workflows that include recognition — among many other things. It comes with ready-to-use templates for peer-to-peer shoutouts, nominations, and company-wide awards. While not a dedicated recognition platform, it offers flexibility for teams looking to embed appreciation into a broader set of internal processes.
8. TerryBerry
Source: www.terryberry.com
TerryBerry’s “Be Recognized” platform supports recognition through service awards, incentives, and peer-to-peer programs. Employees can redeem points for branded swag, charitable donations, or merchandise from a curated catalog. Additional features like wellness tracking and surveys help round out the engagement experience.
9. Guusto
Guusto focuses on simple, scalable recognition. The platform offers real-time appreciation, customizable awards, and a wide redemption catalog covering over 60,000 merchant locations. Guusto also makes it easy to start small with pilot programs and scale up as your recognition strategy evolves.
10. Cooleaf
Cooleaf combines recognition and rewards with employee engagement tools like surveys and programming. In addition to peer recognition, the platform includes initiatives around wellness, learning, and DEI. Built-in feedback tools help track engagement, eNPS scores, and manager effectiveness — all in one place.
11. Workhuman
Workhuman’s platform focuses on building a more connected workplace through peer-to-peer recognition, service milestones, and feedback. Its “Social Recognition” tool helps teams celebrate everyday contributions, while AI-powered insights support culture strategy by highlighting engagement trends. The goal: bring more humanity into how work gets done.
12. Awardco
Awardco combines recognition with a reward catalog powered by Amazon, offering employees flexibility without markups. From spot awards to service anniversaries, the platform supports a range of programs and integrates with tools like Slack and Teams to make recognition easy to give — and easy to redeem.
13. O.C. Tanner
O.C. Tanner’s Culture Cloud helps organizations celebrate both big moments and everyday wins. The platform supports peer recognition, milestone awards, and company-wide celebrations, with reporting tools to measure cultural impact and integrations to fit into existing workflows.
14. Reward Gateway
Reward Gateway offers a mix of real-time recognition, service awards, and employee communications — all in one platform. Teams can send eCards, spotlight achievements, and access engagement tools like wellbeing content and discounts. Everything is customizable to reflect company values and culture.
15. Bonusly
Bonusly makes recognition quick, visible, and meaningful through peer-to-peer points that can be redeemed for real rewards. Automated celebrations, dashboards, and integrations with everyday tools keep appreciation flowing, without adding extra work for managers or HR.
Choosing employee recognition software: 13 key tips
There’s no shortage of platforms out there — but not all of them are built to make work better. The right one helps you engage your people, reinforce the right behaviors, and drive results that matter.
Here’s what to look for when it’s time to compare recognition platforms:
- Security first: Employee data deserves airtight protection. Look for platforms with top-tier certifications like ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 — essential for meeting IT standards and maintaining trust.
- Easy to connect: Choose software that plays well with the systems your team already uses — like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Outlook, and Workday — so recognition fits naturally into the day-to-day.
- One system, no silos: A consistent experience matters. The best platforms bring everyone — across locations, roles, and regions — into a single, shared recognition space.
- Real-time visibility: Don’t wait for quarterly reports. Opt for live dashboards that surface trends, usage, and budget insights on demand.
- Flexible budget tools: Recognition shouldn’t come with spreadsheet sprawl. The right platform makes it easy to manage funds by team or region — while still giving leaders room to make meaningful choices.
- Actually enjoyable to use: If your platform feels clunky, it won’t stick. Choose one that’s intuitive, engaging, and built to make people want to participate, not just check a box.
- Guidance included: You shouldn’t have to go it alone. Look for providers that offer strategic support, proven best practices, and access to recognition experts.
- Rooted in your values: The best programs don’t just celebrate performance — they reflect what your company stands for. Choose tools that let you highlight and reward values-driven behaviors.
- Recognition that works for everyone: Whether someone’s on the floor, in the field, or remote, it should be easy to give and receive recognition. No logins. No bottlenecks. No barriers.
- Share the spotlight: Public recognition builds momentum. Platforms that highlight appreciation across the organization help create a culture where great work doesn’t go unnoticed.
- Designed for connection: Recognition is about belonging, not just bonuses. Look for features that support peer-to-peer moments, team milestones, and everyday wins.
- Personalized experiences: Generic gestures fall flat. The best platform offers tailored rewards, meaningful messages, and flexible options to make appreciation feel sincere.
- Ready to scale: Your recognition program should grow with you. Choose a solution that adapts to new teams, new markets, and whatever’s next — without adding complexity.
Recognition that drives results: Why Achievers stands out
It’s easy to get caught up in a feature checklist, but real impact comes from how a platform fits into your culture, encourages ongoing participation, and delivers insights that move your business forward.
That’s where Achievers makes a difference. Achievers is built to drive real impact — from shaping key behaviors to reinforcing your company values and driving business outcomes.
Here’s how we stack up on the essentials:
- Built for how your team works: Achievers connects seamlessly with Slack, Teams, Outlook, and more, making it easy to recognize moments as they happen — no extra steps required. That’s how we’ve earned a best-in-class global adoption rate — because ease leads to engagement.
- Recognition that drives outcomes: Employees can redeem points for over 3 million reward options across 190 countries — all locally fulfilled, with no markups. Plus, you get built-in insights that help you measure impact and optimize over time.
- Engagement that sticks: Achievers users are 4x more likely to recognize peers multiple times a month compared to other platforms. That’s sustained momentum — not just one-time praise.
- Support that scales with you: Whether you’re expanding globally or just getting started, Achievers offers multilingual support, real-time guidance, and a team that’s with you every step of the way.
- Clear ROI: Recognition should be easy to love and easy to justify. Achievers gives you the tools to track ROI, prove impact, and make every recognition moment count. No mystery, no fluff — just results.
Choose the employee recognition software platform that delivers
That’s exactly what Achievers was designed to do. With 2x the recognition frequency, industry-leading integrations, and recognition that actually drives behavior, Achievers helps companies move the needle on engagement, productivity, and retention — faster than anyone else.
It’s recognition that feels good and does good — turning everyday moments into lasting business momentum.
Still comparing recognition platforms? See why more organizations are choosing Achievers.
*Information and pricing in this blog post was sourced from each vendors website
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