Softwr

HR · head to head

15Five vs Bonusly

15Five logo

15Five

HR

Performance management that drives results

From
$4/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bonusly logo

Bonusly

HR

Employee recognition that builds culture

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bonusly has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 15Five split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier; Bonusly the free plan is capped at 8 users
  • They diverge on capability: 15Five covers Weekly check-ins, Bonusly covers Peer-to-peer recognition.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 15Five and Bonusly actually diverge.

Attributes where 15Five and Bonusly differ
Attribute15FiveBonusly
Starting price$4/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded20112012

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (HR).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 15Five

  • Weekly check-ins
  • 1-on-1 meetings
  • OKRs & goal tracking
  • Performance reviews
  • High fives recognition
  • Engagement surveys
  • Pulse surveys
  • Manager effectiveness

Only in Bonusly

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Points-based rewards
  • Manager awards
  • Reward catalog
  • Automated milestones
  • Public recognition feed
  • Analytics & insights
  • Custom company values

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams
  • BambooHR
  • GDPR
  • Data encryption
  • SSO

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

15Five

  • Running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarkingnot Bonusly
  • Performance reviews and continuous feedback cyclesnot Bonusly
  • Setting and tracking OKRsnot Bonusly
  • 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviewsnot Bonusly
  • Compensation review cycles as a paid add-onnot Bonusly

Bonusly

  • Peer-to-peer recognition with points employees give each othernot 15Five
  • Redeeming points for gift cards and rewardsnot 15Five
  • Recognition inside Slack or Microsoft Teamsnot 15Five
  • Tracking recognition patterns across teamsnot 15Five
  • Company-wide awards programmes on the top tiernot 15Five

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

15Five

  • Split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier
  • Manager training microlearnings are only in Total Platform at $16 per user per month
  • Compensation is a paid add-on at $9 per user per month, rising to $11 with benchmarking
  • The Kona meeting assistant is a further $2 per employee per month and Kona Coach $19 per manager per month
  • Advertised prices are the annual rates

Bonusly

  • The free plan is capped at 8 users
  • Reward funding is separate from the subscription: a $10 gift card costs $10 on top of the per-user fee
  • The Bizy AI assistant costs $2 per user per month more, at $5 against $3
  • SAML single sign-on, awards programmes and a dedicated success manager are on the quote-only Organization tier
  • Advanced analytics and automations start at the Team tier

Pricing, plan by plan

15Five

$4/month
  • Engage$4/month
    • Employee Engagement Surveys
    • Targeted Assessments
    • Action Planning
  • Perform$11/month
    • Engage features
    • AMAYA
    • Insights Dashboard
  • Total Platform$16/month
    • Perform features
    • Manager Training Microlearnings

Bonusly

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 8 users
    • Peer recognition
    • Slack and Teams integrations
  • Team + Bizy$5/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • Advanced analytics
    • Milestone celebrations
  • Team + Bizy$60/year
    • Annual plan saves 2 months
  • Team Without Bizy$3/month
    • Everything in Team + Bizy except Bizy AI

Which should you pick?

Choose 15Five if

  • You need weekly check-ins.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want 1-on-1 meetings.
15Five review

Choose Bonusly if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want points-based rewards.
Bonusly review

Questions people ask

Is 15Five or Bonusly better?
Neither clearly leads. 15Five starts at $4/month and Bonusly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 15Five or Bonusly?
Bonusly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4/month for 15Five and Free for Bonusly.
Does 15Five or Bonusly run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Bonusly for free?
Yes. Bonusly has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 15Five starts at $4/month.
What is 15Five best used for?
15Five is most often used for running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking, performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles, setting and tracking okrs, 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviews. Of those, running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking and performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles are not what Bonusly is typically brought in for.
What can 15Five do that Bonusly cannot?
15Five covers Weekly check-ins, 1-on-1 meetings, OKRs & goal tracking, Performance reviews. Bonusly covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Points-based rewards, Manager awards, Reward catalog. Both handle Slack, Microsoft Teams, BambooHR, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

15Five: What are 15Five's core plan tiers and pricing?

15Five offers Engage ($4/user/month), Perform ($11/user/month, marked Most Popular), and Total Platform ($16/user/month). All prices are billed annually. Perform adds AI-assisted performance reviews, OKRs, and 360-degree feedback compared to Engage.

Source
Bonusly: How much does Bonusly Team plan cost?

Bonusly Team + Bizy plan costs $5 per user per month with annual billing offering 2 months free. A Team plan without Bizy AI costs $3 per user per month ($30/year).

Source
15Five: What add-on products does 15Five offer?

Manager Content costs $49/manager/month (annually billed). Manager Coaching is $399 per credit (1-on-1 coaching = 1 credit; group coaching = 5 credits). Kona AI Meeting Assistant is $2/employee/month. Kona AI Coach is $19/manager/month. Compensation add-ons start at $9/user/month for base package or $11/user/month with salary benchmarking.

Source
Bonusly: Is there a free Bonusly plan?

Yes, Bonusly offers a free plan for up to 8 users, including peer recognition, Slack and Teams integrations, and mobile apps. No credit card is required.

Source
15Five: Are 15Five contracts flexible?

All 15Five plans require annual billing and contracts. Support is included as dedicated human support with all plans.

Source
Bonusly: What does the Bizy AI add-on cost?

Bizy AI add-on costs $2 per user per month separately from the Team plan subscription.

Source
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