Choosing employee rewards software in 2025 can feel like navigating a maze — crowded, full of options, and a little overwhelming. How do you find a solution that fits your people, goals, and tech stack? What features matter most? And will employees genuinely care about the rewards?
All good questions — and a sign you’re on the right track. But before diving into product specs and feature lists, it helps to zoom out and look at the bigger picture: Why does recognition matter? And what kind of impact can it really make?
In this blog, we’ll break down the leading employee rewards platforms of 2025 to help you find the right fit. There’s a solution built to support your goals — and we’ll help you find it.
Jump to the list below
Organizations are faced with the challenge of improving employee engagement, retention, and productivity — but are often unsure how to turn those goals into tangible results. That’s where employee rewards software comes in. These platforms make it easier than ever to turn recognition into real business impact while creating a culture where people want to work.
The right rewards platform does more than hand out perks. It plays an important role in building an organizational culture where employees feel truly seen, valued, and inspired to do their best work. To help you find the right fit, we’ve pulled together a list of 15 standout employee rewards software platforms making waves in 2025.
Achievers is a leading employee rewards software and recognition platform designed to put meaningful moments of appreciation at the heart of your culture. With one of the highest active usage rates in the industry, employees using Achievers are 4x more likely to send multiple recognitions each month, helping to build stronger connections, boost morale, and reinforce the behaviors that drive your business forward.
At its core, Achievers is a points-based rewards platform where employees can earn, save, and redeem from a truly global marketplace. Whether it’s gift cards, experiences, donations, or concierge-level rewards, there’s something for everyone — no matter where they work or what matters most to them.
With seamless access across desktop and mobile, and integrations into the tools your team already uses, recognition becomes part of the everyday workflow — not an afterthought.
G2 rating: 4.7/5
“What I like best about Achievers is that it makes it easy to recognize associates in our company who make an impact on our experience as well as customer experiences. We work as a big team and have many different departments that work together to help make processes more efficient and to ensure everyone’s satisfaction. I like that you can add different gifs and memes to the posts, and react to them and comment to show appreciation. I like that the database allows you to find associates quite easily and connects different departments and stores together seamlessly. I also like that by appreciating and showing gestures of appreciation for other associates, we are rewarded with points that can be used to purchase a variety of different things. I love that the selection of different things you can buy with Achievers points is wide and expansive. There is something for everyone!” — Isaac A., Sales Consultant, via G2
“What I like best about Achievers is that it makes it easy to recognize associates in our company who make an impact on our experience as well as customer experiences. We work as a big team and have many different departments that work together to help make processes more efficient and to ensure everyone’s satisfaction. I like that you can add different gifs and memes to the posts, and react to them and comment to show appreciation. I like that the database allows you to find associates quite easily and connects different departments and stores together seamlessly.
I also like that by appreciating and showing gestures of appreciation for other associates, we are rewarded with points that can be used to purchase a variety of different things. I love that the selection of different things you can buy with Achievers points is wide and expansive. There is something for everyone!” — Isaac A., Sales Consultant, via G2
Motivosity offers a flexible approach to employee recognition with a customizable company store, a broad selection of rewards, and the ThanksMatters Visa card, which lets employees spend their recognition points wherever Visa is accepted. It’s a great choice for companies with global teams, providing easy cross-border rewards and simplifying reward management. However, for organizations looking to connect recognition more closely with overall employee engagement and performance, other platforms might offer a more integrated solution.
Key features:
Key benefits:
“Motivosity was primarily used for its core strength: employee engagement. It became part of my day-to-day activities related to employee-focused initiatives and was especially relevant in departments like sales, account management, and customer service.” — Connor P., St. Associate, via Select Software Reviews
Assembly offers a comprehensive recognition platform that brings everything together in one place. With thousands of reward options like gift cards, charity donations, and personalized experiences, there’s something for everyone. Plus, employees get discounts at popular retailers, making it easy to offer a variety of meaningful rewards. However, for teams looking for a deeper integration with performance tracking and cultural insights, you might find a more tailored solution elsewhere.
G2 rating: 4.9/5
“As a user, I’ve really enjoyed the experience that Assembly has offered our organization. I like the ability to recognize colleagues every month for a job well done. With that said, I really like that the points can be cashed in for valuable prizes and gift cards for places I shop every day. I will say, the platform was a little difficult to get used to at the beginning. I don’t feel like my organization fully utilizes its potential.” — Review via Gartner
Bucketlist offers a flexible platform with over 4,000 reward options, including gift cards, experiences, and charitable donations, making it easy to tailor recognition to your team’s preferences. The platform is user-friendly and designed for easy customization, so you can align rewards with your company culture and budget. However, for organizations looking for deeper integration with performance and milestone tracking, other solutions may offer more comprehensive features.
G2 rating: 4.8/5
Key benefit:
“I like both the large collection of gifts/gift cards as well as the quick delivery on these things. I also love how we can reconginize our emplyee for a greta job. Its very easy to use and has many cool fetures that the employees can use. The only thing I wish could be different is, if the gift/gift card that we are trying to redeem more bucketlist points than we have, I wish we could pay for the remaining amount with our debit card.” — Melinda H., Team Lead, via G2
Cooleaf combines employee recognition, rewards, surveys, and engagement tools into one all-in-one platform. With a wide selection of reward options, including gift cards from major retailers like Amazon and Target, employees can pick exactly what they want. Cooleaf’s integration of recognition with other employee experience tools makes it a good choice for teams looking to engage employees in multiple ways. However, if you’re seeking a platform that specializes more in in-depth recognition and performance insights, there may be other options that offer a more focused experience.
“Cooleaf is a centralized way for us to see all the shout outs and accomplishments of our peers all in one place. There are also chances to participate in challenges and earn points, the challenges are always insightful and encourage some form of self reflection. The only con is the reward payout takes a long time. There are other services where you can get your reward same day and with this software you have to wait sometimes 2 or more days.” — Review via Capterra
Vantage Circle is designed to support global teams, offering a comprehensive recognition and rewards platform. Employees can appreciate their peers with or without points, and when rewards are involved, they can easily redeem them through the Amazon Store. With availability in 16+ languages and the ability to serve over 100 countries, it’s a strong choice for large, international teams. However, for organizations seeking deeper performance analysis or more specialized recognition features, other platforms may offer a more focused approach.
“I use Vantage Circle for redeeming the points at various merchant outlets. Vantage Circle gives the employees the flexibility by allowing them to choose where they want to cash in the points from a wide variety of merchants. It also enhances the employee rewarding experience by providing easy to use platform for both company and the employee.” — Prasanthraj, Senior Analyst, via Trust Radius
Mo simplifies peer-to-peer recognition with a credit-based rewards system tied to company values. Employees can redeem credits for a wide range of gift cards or choose from a customizable rewards store. It’s a solid choice for teams seeking an easy-to-use platform that focuses on recognition. However, companies looking for more advanced tools to drive deeper employee engagement and performance might prefer a platform with additional features.
G2 rating: 4.6/5
“This is a great way to acknowledge colleagues and receive feedback for your efforts. It can be difficult to know when you’ve been tagged or mentioned because you’re notified about all the comments, and it’s also hard to see what you’ve posted after participating in a Boost.” — Cristina S., Data Growth Specialist, via G2
Worktango combines recognition, feedback, and surveys in one platform to create a more connected employee experience. Their points-based system offers a wide variety of global and personalized rewards, including custom catalogs and even no-cost rewards like one-on-one mentorship with the CEO. It’s a solid choice for companies looking to streamline employee engagement, but for those who need more advanced insights and analytics, other platforms may provide more specialized options.
“A good way to give kudos to co-workers, but the lack of a modern UI and UX makes for an underwhelming experience.” — Engineer, via Gartner
Terryberry ties recognition to employee wellness and long-term goals, using the DreamTracker tool to help employees set personal milestones and work toward them through a broad rewards catalog. With everything from experiences to charitable gifts, it’s a great option for companies with a focus on holistic employee engagement. However, for those looking for deeper integration with performance tracking and behavior-based insights, other platforms may offer a more tailored approach.
“Terry Berry’s GiveAWow product is a fantastic software to address any and all employee recognition and engagement needs a company has. There are a lot of different features to choose to include or leave out, depending on your needs and your company. Their programs are really easy and user-friendly. Sometimes there are technical glitches or limitations, but Terry Berry seems to address technical issues in a timely manner.” — Tashauna R., via G2
Nectar offers a straightforward, values-based approach to recognition, where employees can redeem points for Amazon items, gift cards, company swag, or even charitable donations. With access to local discounts and a customizable rewards catalog, it’s an accessible platform for teams that want flexibility in how recognition is delivered. However, for organizations seeking deeper integration with performance data and advanced insights into recognition ROI, other platforms might offer more robust analytics features.
“The overall experience is good. However, it seems to be a quick snapshot of a shout out that quickly disappears within the masses. The system is easy to use, but there are an abundance of features still lacking.” — Brian., Verified reviewer, via Software Advice
Worhuman provides a comprehensive recognition and rewards platform with a strong focus on frontline workers. The platform allows recipients to redeem rewards from partner merchants rather than relying on a points system. This offers a flexible approach that works for both smaller teams and larger organizations, though it may not offer the extensive catalog that some platforms provide for global or digital rewards.
“While Workhuman is great for boosting morale, it can sometimes feel a bit too “corporate cute.” If too many shoutouts pile up, the genuine ones can get lost in the noise. Also, the points/rewards system is nice, but it can shift the focus from real appreciation to just earning stuff if not balanced well. It’d be nice if the platform did more to highlight meaningful trends or standout contributions over time. Sometimes, it just feels like a stream of nice messages with no bigger picture. Still, small gripes. The overall vibe is positive. It just needs a bit more substance behind the recognition sometimes.” — Suyash M., Consultant, via G2
Awardco integrates seamlessly with HR systems, offering an extensive catalog of rewards through its partnership with Amazon Business. The platform is highly customizable, making it easy for companies to tailor the recognition experience to their specific needs. Awardco stands out for its flexibility, allowing employees to choose from a broad range of global and personalized reward options.
“Awardco is such an easy way to recognize employees and our employees love to be able to redeem their points easily for so many different things. The only things we would want on our wishlist is an easier way to have a recognition feed embedded in our intranet and also a way for our external clients to be able to recognize our employees easily.” — Johanna, Senior Manager of Communications, via Capterra
O.C. Tanner’s platform is designed to strengthen workplace culture by integrating recognition, celebrations, and custom awards. With AI-powered insights and advanced analytics, it helps organizations track the impact of their recognition efforts and refine their approach over time, ensuring sustained employee engagement and a positive company culture. While O.C. Tanner excels in personalized recognition and culture-building, companies seeking a more flexible, budget-friendly rewards catalog may find other platforms better suited to their needs.
“The most helpful is to have several different recognition solutions in one place, where one can pick the best option as preferred. Also the delivery times are very good, and customer support is quick and tries to provide a solution whenever possible. Not so many downsides, but the recognitions options are very dependent on the location/country so there is a big difference between the awards options available for each individual from different regions – maybe more attention to have different and more partnerships in different locations would help. Also when there is an issue with the award you selected, we are asked to go to the partner that provided the award, maybe OC Tanner could step in to try to resolve the issues with the partner they selected.” — Vinicius M., Operations Manager, via G2
Reward Gateway offers an integrated platform that combines recognition with wellbeing programs, employee discounts, and engagement tools. The platform is designed to improve both professional and personal aspects of the employee experience, providing a holistic approach to employee engagement and wellbeing.
“I appreciated how easy it made recognising and rewarding colleagues. The platform offered a straightforward way to celebrate achievements and give people vouchers to spend at retailers of their choice. It was also easy to import colleague data and you’d get reminders for your colleagues birthdays or work anniversaries. One downside of Reward Gateway was the occasional difficulty in navigating certain features, like setting up specific rewards or customisations, which could take more time than expected.” — Mitch, HR Business Partner, via Capterra
Bonusly’s platform focuses on peer-to-peer recognition, allowing employees to give each other points that can be redeemed for rewards. With features like automated celebrations for milestones and birthdays, as well as robust analytics tools, Bonusly helps organizations track engagement and performance to drive a culture of appreciation and positive reinforcement.
“Makes rewards and recognition easy. Great integrations with Slack and amazing options with rewards redemption. A great way to encourage recognition and support our culture.” — Human Resources reviewer, via Gartner
Recognition has always mattered — but in today’s workplace, employees need more than a pat on the back. They need real, timely recognition that shows their work matters.
That’s where Achievers comes in. Our recognition platform helps you make recognition easy, timely, and meaningful, with tools that fit into your team’s daily workflow and a global rewards marketplace packed with millions of options.
With powerful insights, seamless integrations, and the highest recognition frequency in the industry, Achievers helps you build a culture where people feel seen, heard, and inspired to do their best work.
*Information and pricing in this blog post was sourced from each vendors website
Choose the perfect rewards software platform for your company
Discover the difference the right employee rewards software makes
An employee reward system is a structured way for organizations to recognize and thank employees for their work — whether that’s hitting targets, living company values, or going the extra mile. It can include everything from bonuses and gift cards to shout-outs in team meetings or access to professional development. The goal is simple: celebrate contributions in a way that feels meaningful and motivating.
Employee rewards software works when it’s built with intention. Programs that offer a wide range of rewards employees actually want are far more effective. In fact, HR leaders with access to diverse marketplace options are over 50% more likely to say their recognition program supports their goals. It’s about giving people choice, flexibility, and a reason to stay engaged.
The best rewards platforms make it easy for everyone — from frontline workers to remote teams — to send, receive, and redeem recognition. Key features to look for include:
Some popular examples of employee rewards include:
The best rewards are the ones your employees actually want — so flexibility is key.
Total rewards go beyond pay to include everything that supports an employee’s experience — from compensation and benefits to recognition and development. A strong rewards platform plays an important role here, helping teams deliver timely recognition that reinforces culture, strengthens engagement, and supports retention.
The four steps for creating an employee rewards software program are:
The best system is the one that aligns with your people, goals, and workflows. Achievers makes it easy to deliver meaningful rewards through a user-friendly platform with deep integrations, a robust global marketplace, and proven results. Employees can choose what matters most to them — and that choice drives real engagement.
Yes! Peer-to-peer recognition is essential for employee rewards platforms. It boosts engagement, strengthens DEIB efforts, and even reduces turnover. While most platforms offer this feature, checking reviews on G2 or Capterra can help you find the best fit.
Written by
Rebecca Mattina
Discover how easy recognition can be with Achievers
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