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Software · head to head

Bonusly vs Pilot

Bonusly logo

Bonusly

Software

Employee recognition that builds culture

From
$3/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pilot logo

Pilot

Software

Bookkeeping, CFO, and tax for startups

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bonusly the free plan is capped at 8 users; Pilot the Essentials bookkeeping plan at $99 per month covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses, and is cash-basis only using bank and credit card data
  • They diverge on capability: Bonusly covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Pilot covers Bookkeeping.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bonusly and Pilot actually diverge.

Attributes where Bonusly and Pilot differ
AttributeBonuslyPilot
Starting price$3/month$29/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb
Founded20122017

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Bonusly

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

Only in Pilot

  • Bookkeeping
  • CFO services
  • Tax preparation
  • R&D tax credits
  • Financial reporting
  • QuickBooks
  • Stripe
  • Brex

What people use each for

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

Bonusly

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

Pilot

  • Outsourced monthly bookkeeping for startups and small businessesnot Bonusly
  • Federal, state and Delaware franchise tax filing for US companiesnot Bonusly
  • Fractional CFO support for financial planning and fundraisingnot Bonusly

Where each one falls short

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

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

Pilot

  • The Essentials bookkeeping plan at $99 per month covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses, and is cash-basis only using bank and credit card data
  • A dedicated US-based bookkeeper, accrual-basis books and phone support require the Core plan, which is contact sales and billed annually
  • Core caps bill management at 10 vendor bills per month
  • Keeping an existing QuickBooks account with historical data requires the Custom plan
  • Accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll administration and CFO advisory are Custom plan only
  • Monthly reports arrive on the 10th business day on Core and the 6th business day only on Custom
  • Tax filing is sold separately, starting at $1,000 per year for single member LLCs and $2,000 per year for partnerships and S-Corps, billed annually
  • The tax service must be purchased together with Pilot Bookkeeping
  • Partnership and S-Corp tax filing includes up to 25 1099-NEC filings

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Pilot

$29/month
  • Core$599/month
    • Bookkeeping
    • Accrual basis
    • Monthly close
  • Plus$849/month
    • CFO support
    • Custom reporting
    • Board deck

Which should you pick?

Choose Bonusly if

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

Choose Pilot if

  • You need bookkeeping.
  • You also want cfo services.
Pilot review

Questions people ask

Is Bonusly or Pilot better?
Neither clearly leads. Bonusly starts at $3/month and Pilot at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bonusly or Pilot?
Bonusly starts at $3/month and Pilot at $29/month.
Does Bonusly or Pilot run on more platforms?
Bonusly runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Pilot runs on Web.
What is Bonusly best used for?
Bonusly is most often used for peer-to-peer recognition with points employees give each other, redeeming points for gift cards and rewards, recognition inside slack or microsoft teams, tracking recognition patterns across teams. Of those, peer-to-peer recognition with points employees give each other and redeeming points for gift cards and rewards are not what Pilot is typically brought in for.
What can Bonusly do that Pilot cannot?
Bonusly covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Points-based rewards, Manager awards, Reward catalog. Pilot covers Bookkeeping, CFO services, Tax preparation, R&D tax credits.
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