Softwr

All industries · head to head

Basecamp vs Bonusly

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

All industries

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bonusly logo

Bonusly

HR & Recruiting

Employee recognition that builds culture

From
$3/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Basecamp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; Bonusly the free plan is capped at 8 users
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Bonusly covers Peer-to-peer recognition.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Bonusly actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Bonusly differ
AttributeBasecampBonusly
Starting priceFree$3/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryAll industriesHR & Recruiting
Founded20042012

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

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
  • Zapier
  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot Bonusly
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Bonusly
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Bonusly
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Bonusly

Bonusly

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

Where each one falls short

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

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

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

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

Bonusly

$3/month
  • Core$3/month
    • Peer-to-peer recognition
    • Points-based rewards
    • Reward catalog
  • Pro$5/month
    • Everything in Core
    • Manager awards
    • Automated milestones
  • Custom$undefined/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Custom rewards
    • API access

Which should you pick?

Choose Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.
Basecamp review

Choose Bonusly if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want points-based rewards.
Bonusly review

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Bonusly better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Bonusly at $3/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Bonusly?
Basecamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Basecamp and $3/month for Bonusly.
Does Basecamp or Bonusly run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Bonusly runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Yes. Basecamp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Bonusly starts at $3/month.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what Bonusly is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Bonusly cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Bonusly covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Points-based rewards, Manager awards, Reward catalog. Both handle Slack, Zapier, SOC2, GDPR.
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Related pages

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