Top 15 employee rewards software platformof 2026

Choosing employee rewards software for 2026 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 software of 2026 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

1. Achievers
2. Motivosity
3. Assembly
4. Bucketlist
5. Cooleaf
6. Vantage Circle
7. Mo
8. Worktango
9. Terryberry
10. Nectar
11. Guusto
12. Kudoboard
13. Qarrot
14. Connecteam
15. Matter

Employee rewards software: The future of employee recognition in 2026

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 tools make it easier than ever to turn recognition into real business impact while creating a culture where people want to work.

Top 15 employee rewards software for 2026

The right rewards software 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 making waves in 2026.

1. Achievers

G2 rating: 4.7/5

Strength:

Achievers is a leading recognition platform and employee rewards software 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 2x more likely to send recognitions compared to other R&R providers, 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 software 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.

Key features:

• Global rewards marketplace with 3M+ options and 2,500+ brands
• Diverse redemption choices, including merchandise, gift cards, donations, experiences, and concierge services
• Available in ~190 countries and 29+ languages
• Local fulfillment partners for smooth delivery worldwide
• Mobile-first and desktop-friendly platform
• Deep software integrations with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Workday, UKG Pro, and more

Key benefits:

• Organizations using Achievers see up to 5x greater impact on key business drivers like engagement, productivity, and retention
• A wide mix of rewards — from gift cards to travel to reloadable cash — gives employees something to work toward and helps managers inspire consistent high performance.
• With built-in fulfillment, no markups, and data to guide your strategy, admins can run a global rewards program that’s easy to manage and delivers measurable results.

Weakness:

Achievers’ enterprise-level capabilities may be too advanced for the needs of small businesses.

Review:

“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

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2. Motivosity

G2 rating: 4.7/5

Strength:

Motivosity takes a flexible approach to recognition with a customizable company store, a wide range of reward options, and the ThanksMatters Visa card, which lets employees use their points anywhere Visa is accepted. It also supports global teams with simple cross-border reward delivery, making it easier for organizations to manage recognition across locations.

Key features:

• Customizable company store
• Global rewards marketplace
• ThanksMatters Visa Card

Key benefits:

• Global reach with easy reward redemption
• Simplified administration and tax compliance

Weakness:

For companies looking to connect recognition more closely with overall employee engagement and performance, other software might offer a more integrated solution.

Review:

“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

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3. Assembly

G2 rating: 4.9/5

Strength:

Assembly offers a recognition platform that brings rewards, celebration tools, and program management into one place. With a large catalog of gift cards, donations, and personalized experiences, employees have plenty of options to choose from. It also includes retailer discounts, giving organizations an easy way to offer meaningful rewards without adding extra complexity.

Key features:

• Gift cards, charitable donations, and personalized culture rewards
• Option to redeem for a Visa Prepaid Card
• MemberDeals.com discount access

Key benefits:

• Offers a wide range of rewards alongside discounts from major retailers
• Flexible reward options that fit different employee preferences

Weakness:

For teams looking for a deeper integration with performance tracking and cultural insights, you might find a more tailored solution elsewhere.

Review:

“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

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4. Bucketlist

G2 rating: 4.8/5

Strength:

Bucketlist offers flexible reward software with over 4,000 reward options, including gift cards, experiences, and charitable donations, making it easy to tailor recognition to your team’s preferences. It’s user-friendly and designed for easy customization, so you can align rewards with your company culture and budget.

Key features:

• 4,000+ reward options
• Local and global reward availability
• Custom experiences, gift cards, and donations

Key benefits:

• Allows for complete customization based on team needs
• Integrations with various HR platforms, including BambooHR and HR Cloud

Weakness:

For organizations looking for deeper integration with performance and milestone tracking, other solutions may offer more comprehensive features.

Review:

“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

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5. Cooleaf

G2 rating: 4.9/5

Strength:

Cooleaf brings recognition, rewards, surveys, and engagement tools together in a single platform. Its reward catalog includes a wide range of options, from major retailer gift cards to experience-based perks, giving employees plenty of choice. By pairing recognition with listening and engagement features, it works well for teams that want to support multiple parts of the employee experience in one place.

Key features:

• International gift card options, branded merchandise, and more
• A wide variety of gift card options from major retailers
• Part of an all-in-one employee experience platform

Key benefits:

• Combines recognition with broader engagement tools in one solution
• Includes integrated social feeds and community challenges

Weakness:

Teams looking for more in in-depth recognition and performance insights may need a more focused experience.

Review:

“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

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6. Vantage Circle

G2 rating: 4.7/5

Strength:

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.

Key features:

• Access to Amazon Store
• No markup on gift cards
• Available in 16+ languages

Key benefits:

• Ability to serve larger, global companies in over 100 countries
• Offers industry-focused solutions for manufacturing and technology

Weakness:

Organizations looking for deeper performance analysis or more specialized recognition features may need a total recognition and rewards platform that offers a more focused approach.

Review:

“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

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7. Mo (UKG Pro)

G2 rating: 4.3/5

Strength:

Mo simplifies peer-to-peer recognition with a credit-based rewards system tied to company values. It combines a global rewards catalogue, flexible point or currency options, and automated milestones, making it simple for organizations to manage recognition across locations or departments. Built-in budget controls and approvals help HR teams maintain oversight while giving employees a choice in how they redeem rewards.

Key features:

• Credit-based rewards system
• Large variety of gift card options from notable brands
• Customizable rewards store

Key benefits:

• Budget ‘spending pots’ to control how you spend your rewards budget
• Flexible rewards model that supports points or currency

Weakness:

Companies looking for more advanced tools to drive deeper employee engagement and performance might prefer a platform with additional features.

Review:

“I find Mo to be incredibly beneficial for recognizing and appreciating my colleagues’ hard work across the company. I love how Mo fosters a culture of recognition by allowing for both big events and small wins.” — Lisa P., Training Operations Manager, via G2

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8. Worktango

G2 rating: 4.7/5

Strength:

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. Its survey tools support listening at different stages of the employee experience, with dashboards that help leaders track themes and sentiment.

Key features:

• Rewards redemption reports and budget tracking
• Create custom catalogs
• Include cost-free rewards

Key benefits:

• Brings surveys, recognition, and rewards together in one place
•  Offers budget controls to help teams manage recognition spend

Weakness:

For those who need more advanced insights and analytics, a holistic recognition and rewards platform may provide more specialized options.

Review:

“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

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9. Terryberry

G2 rating: 4.6/5

Strength:

Terryberry blends recognition with personal development by offering tools like DreamTracker, which helps employees set milestones and work toward long-term goals. Their rewards catalog spans experiences, merchandise, and charitable giving, giving employees a range of meaningful options. It’s a fit for organizations that want recognition to support both day-to-day appreciation and overall employee well-being.

Key features:

• DreamTracker goal-setting feature
• Global fulfillment options
• Support through a dedicated customer success team

Key benefits:

• Designed with a wellness focus, helping employees set and achieve personal goals
• Connects all interactions to eNPS, retention, and ROI

Weakness:

For teams looking for deeper integration with performance tracking and behavior-based insights, other platforms may offer a more tailored approach.

Review:

“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

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10. Nectar

G2 rating: 4.7/5

Strength:

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.

Key features:

• Amazon integration
• Catalog of gift cards
• Custom rewards

Key benefits:

• Reinforces company values by tying recognitions directly to key behaviors
•  Able to redeem points directly on Amazon

Weakness:

Companies looking for deeper integration with performance data and advanced insights into recognition ROI may need more robust analytics features.

Review:

“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

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11. Guusto

G2 rating: 4.9/5

Strength:

Guusto is designed to support both office and frontline employees. Teams can send digital rewards, automate milestones, and manage simple peer-to-peer programs. Its reward options include global gift cards, charitable donations, swag, and custom perks, with an emphasis on clear, dollar-for-dollar value.

Key features:

• Global gift cards, charity donations, and custom rewards
• SMS, QR code, and low-tech delivery options
• Basic program and budget controls for managers

Key benefits:

• Easy for frontline teams to access and redeem rewards
• Transparent, flexible reward options employees can use instantly

Weakness:

Guusto focuses mainly on gift-based recognition and simple delivery methods, offering fewer tools for measuring behavior change and program impact compared to more advanced platforms.

Review:

“I really value how Guusto gives me the flexibility to recognize my team members in the way I think is best.” — Alex Y., Assistant Project Manager, via G2

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12. Kudoboard

G2 rating: 4.8/5

Strength:

Kudoboard focuses on digital group cards and eCards that make it easy for teams to celebrate milestones, express appreciation, and mark important moments. Employees can add messages, photos, GIFs, and videos, creating a shared, memorable experience for birthdays, anniversaries, farewells, and company events. Gifting is built directly into the platform, offering digital gift cards and a wide range of physical items through Snappy.

Key features:

• Online group cards with multimedia posts
• Add-on gifting through digital cards and Snappy fulfillment
• Automated eCards for birthdays, anniversaries, and onboarding

Key benefit:

• Creates personal, memorable moments through shared messages
• Offers simple gifting options that can scale across teams

Weakness:

Kudoboard centers on card-based celebrations, offering fewer tools for ongoing, high-frequency recognition and behavioral insights that larger programs often rely on.

Review:

“There was good and positive response from staff receiving a kudoboard and it was surprisingly easy for colleagues to use the kudoboard to wish departing employees with good wishes.” — Verified review via Software Advice

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13. Qarrot

G2 rating: 4.6/5

Strength:

Qarrot is centered around goal-driven campaigns, peer recognition, and simple reward delivery. Teams can set measurable objectives, track progress through leaderboards, and award points or badges as employees hit milestones. In addition to campaigns, the platform supports everyday recognition, company announcements, and milestone celebrations.

Key features:

• Goal-based incentive campaigns with leaderboards
• Points, badges, and simple reward redemption
• Peer recognition and automated milestone posts

Key benefit:

• Helps encourage performance through gamified, objective-based programs
• Easy for managers to administer with built-in automation tools

Weakness:

Qarrot’s campaign-focused approach offers fewer tools for deeper insights and high-frequency recognition compared to more advanced platforms.

Review:

“I love how Qarrot allows me to celebrate my team’s successes, both big and small, across multiple states. The platform is fast and efficient, which makes it so much easier to reward my team without the hassle of having to get ‘coffee cards’ manually.” — Erin L., via G2

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14. Connecteam

G2 rating: 4.6/5

Strength:

Connecteam brings recognition and rewards into its broader all-in-one platform for managing deskless teams. In addition to scheduling, time tracking, communication, and training tools, it offers simple ways for managers to send recognitions, assign digital badges, and reward employees with tokens that can be redeemed for gift cards.

Key features:

• Mobile-friendly recognitions with badges and personal messages
• Token-based rewards redeemable for gift cards
• Built-in manager budgets for flexible reward distribution

Key benefit:

• Keeps recognition close to daily work for deskless and shift-based teams
• Offers simple, scalable reward delivery without extra tools

Weakness:

Connecteam’s recognition features are part of a broad operations platform, offering fewer specialized tools for advanced program insights and high-frequency recognition.

Review:

“What I like best about Connecteam is that it combines the feel of a social media platform with essential HR tools, making communication, scheduling, and staff management seamless and engaging for my entire team.” — Lianne., via Capterra

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15. Matter

G2 rating: 4.7/5

Strength:

Matter brings recognition, rewards, and lightweight feedback tools directly into Slack and Microsoft Teams, making it easy for employees to share kudos without switching apps. Features like Feedback Friday encourage regular recognition, while customizable kudos templates help teams tie celebrations back to company values. The platform also includes a coin-based reward system with a gift card catalog and options for custom company perks.

Key features:

• Peer-to-peer kudos and customizable recognition templates
• Coin-based rewards redeemable for global gift cards and custom perks
• Automated celebrations for birthdays and work anniversaries

Key benefit:

• Recognition happens directly inside Slack or Teams for easy adoption
• Offers a broad global reward catalog with fast, digital delivery

Weakness:

Matter is built around in-app kudos and lightweight surveys, and it may offer fewer tools for deeper program insights and enterprise-wide recognition strategy.

Review:

“Getting a kudos from a teammate who noticed you handled something well actually means something. It’s really encouraging and brings a little joy into the day. The coins system is great too because they add up toward actual rewards.” — Colin L., Customer Service Rep., via G2

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What are the key features of employee reward software?

A strong rewards platform should make recognition easy, meaningful, and tied to the moments that matter most. Here are some of the key features to look for to keep your program moving in the right direction:

• Peer recognition: Makes it simple for employees to recognize great work as it happens.
• Automated rewards: Ensures birthdays, milestones, and standout moments are always celebrated, without extra admin.
• Flexible points-based rewards: Lets employees choose rewards that feel meaningful to them.
• Tailored program design: Keeps recognition aligned to your values, goals, and culture.
• Insightful reporting: Highlights trends, participation, and the behaviors your program is reinforcing.

Experience the benefits of employee rewards software with Achievers

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 with global rewards features help 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

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