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Employee Engagement · head to head

Assembly vs Staffbase

Assembly logo

Assembly

Employee Engagement

Employee recognition platform for distributed teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Staffbase logo

Staffbase

Employee Engagement

Employee communications platform for all workers

From
€3/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Assembly has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Assembly client counts are capped by tier, at 50 on Starter and 500 on Professional; Staffbase staffbase publishes no price list at all and states directly that it does not publish prices
  • They diverge on capability: Assembly covers Social recognition, Staffbase covers Employee app.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Assembly and Staffbase actually diverge.

Attributes where Assembly and Staffbase differ
AttributeAssemblyStaffbase
Starting priceFree€3/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20212014

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Employee Engagement).

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 Assembly

  • Social recognition
  • Rewards catalog
  • Points system
  • Mobile app
  • Manager tools
  • Customizable workflow
  • Reporting
  • Microsoft Teams

Only in Staffbase

  • Employee app
  • Intranet
  • Email campaigns
  • Digital signage
  • News channels
  • Chat
  • Surveys
  • Microsoft 365

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Assembly

  • Building client onboarding workflows without codingnot Staffbase
  • Creating invoice and payment apps instantlynot Staffbase
  • Capturing client intake with budget detailsnot Staffbase
  • Logging billable hours from app workflowsnot Staffbase

Staffbase

  • Employee communication and engagement for frontline workersnot Assembly
  • Internal communications for dispersed teamsnot Assembly
  • Mobile-first employee experience platformnot Assembly
  • Multi-channel employee messagingnot Assembly

Where each one falls short

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

Assembly

  • Client counts are capped by tier, at 50 on Starter and 500 on Professional
  • Automation tasks are metered, at 100 a month on Starter and 1,000 on Professional
  • Extra internal users cost $29 each on Professional and $59 on Advanced, on top of the plan
  • Full white-labelling requires Advanced at $499 a month and SSO is Enterprise only at $2,000
  • The workspace locks when a trial lapses and the account may be deleted after 30 days

Staffbase

  • Staffbase publishes no price list at all and states directly that it does not publish prices
  • Every route to a number is a sales conversation; the vendor says most customers receive a tailored proposal 3 to 5 business days after a first call
  • Pricing is shaped by workforce composition, so the desk-worker to frontline mix determines the rate rather than a published per-seat figure
  • Frontline employees are licensed on a separate reduced tier with a narrower capability set than desk workers
  • Multi-brand and multi-region enterprise configurations are scoped and priced individually
  • The vendor cites a typical 90 days from signed contract to a fully branded launch
  • Intranet, email and digital signage are separate channels added on top of the employee app rather than one bundled product

Pricing, plan by plan

Assembly

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 active contacts
    • 1 internal user
    • 50 build credits/month
  • Starter$20/month
    • 50 active contacts
    • 1 internal user
    • 200 build credits/month
  • Professional$90/month
    • 500 active contacts
    • 3 internal users
    • 200 build credits/month
  • Advanced$401/month
    • Unlimited contacts
    • 5 internal users
    • 200 build credits/month

Staffbase

€3/month
  • Starter$3/month
    • Employee app
    • News channels
    • Chat
  • Business$undefined/month
    • Intranet
    • Multi-channel
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Assembly if

  • You need social recognition.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want rewards catalog.
Assembly review

Choose Staffbase if

  • You need employee app.
  • You also want intranet.
Staffbase review

Questions people ask

Is Assembly or Staffbase better?
Neither clearly leads. Assembly starts at Free and Staffbase at €3/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Assembly or Staffbase?
Assembly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Assembly and €3/month for Staffbase.
Does Assembly or Staffbase run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Assembly for free?
Yes. Assembly has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Staffbase starts at €3/month.
What is Assembly best used for?
Assembly is most often used for building client onboarding workflows without coding, creating invoice and payment apps instantly, capturing client intake with budget details, logging billable hours from app workflows. Of those, building client onboarding workflows without coding and creating invoice and payment apps instantly are not what Staffbase is typically brought in for.
What can Assembly do that Staffbase cannot?
Assembly covers Social recognition, Rewards catalog, Points system, Mobile app. Staffbase covers Employee app, Intranet, Email campaigns, Digital signage. Both handle Analytics, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Assembly: Does Assembly have a free plan?

Yes, Assembly's Free plan is permanently free ($0/month) and includes 5 active contacts, 1 internal user, 50 build credits per month, and 3 apps. The plan never expires.

Source
Staffbase: How much does Staffbase cost?

Staffbase does not publish standard pricing. The company uses a custom quote-based model with tailored proposals because 'no two workforces look alike.' Pricing structures vary for frontline workers, mixed desk and frontline environments, and enterprise configurations.

Source
Assembly: What do Assembly's paid plans cost and what are the seat limits?

Starter is $20/month (50 contacts, 1 user), Professional is $90/month (500 contacts, 3 users), and Advanced is $401+/month (unlimited contacts, 5 users). Custom enterprise pricing available upon request.

Source
Staffbase: How quickly can I get a Staffbase quote?

Staffbase provides tailored proposals within 3-5 business days after an initial consultation. Most teams connect with sales within 48 hours of requesting a quote.

Source
Assembly: Does Assembly charge for additional build credits or apps beyond the plan limit?

Yes. Extra build credits cost $0.60 per credit. Additional apps beyond the plan limit cost $5/month each. Payment processing fees apply when collecting client payments.

Source
Staffbase: Does Staffbase pricing differ for frontline versus desk workers?

Yes, Staffbase offers frontline-specific pricing for workers without desk access, and flexible mixed pricing for organizations combining both types of employees. This approach allows organizations to extend reach without increasing enterprise licensing costs.

Source
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