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Software · head to head

Basecamp vs Kudos

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

Software

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kudos logo

Kudos

Software

Employee recognition that drives performance

From
$5/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; Kudos kudos publishes no price for any of its three tiers (Basic, Plus, Enterprise); the entire plans page gates every tier behind "Request a Demo" or "Request a Trial" with only a discount for not-for-profit organizations over 100 employees mentioned, no figures given (archived plans page, 22 February 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Kudos actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Kudos differ
AttributeBasecampKudos
Starting priceFree$5/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20042010

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

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 Kudos

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Manager recognition
  • Social recognition wall
  • Points & rewards
  • Awards & nominations
  • Anniversary celebrations
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Company values alignment

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

Kudos

  • Employee recognitionnot Basecamp
  • Culture buildingnot Basecamp
  • Employee engagementnot Basecamp
  • Retention improvementnot Basecamp
  • Values reinforcementnot 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

Kudos

  • Kudos publishes no price for any of its three tiers (Basic, Plus, Enterprise); the entire plans page gates every tier behind "Request a Demo" or "Request a Trial" with only a discount for not-for-profit organizations over 100 employees mentioned, no figures given (archived plans page, 22 February 2021)

Pricing, plan by plan

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

Kudos

$5/month
  • Plus$5/month
    • Peer recognition
    • Social recognition wall
    • Points system
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Awards & nominations
    • Advanced analytics

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 Kudos if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want manager recognition.
Kudos review

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Kudos better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Kudos at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Kudos?
Basecamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Basecamp and $5/month for Kudos.
Does Basecamp or Kudos run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Kudos 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. Kudos starts at $5/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 Kudos is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Kudos cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Manager recognition, Social recognition wall, Points & rewards. Both handle Slack, Zapier, SOC2, GDPR.
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