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HR · head to head

Bonusly vs Employment Hero

Bonusly logo

Bonusly

HR

Employee recognition that builds culture

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Employment Hero logo

Employment Hero

HR

Australian HR, payroll and recruitment platform for employment management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bonusly the free plan is capped at 8 users; Employment Hero hR plans require minimum of 10 users
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bonusly and Employment Hero actually diverge.

Attributes where Bonusly and Employment Hero differ
AttributeBonuslyEmployment Hero
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Bonusly

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

Only in Employment Hero

Nothing recorded that Bonusly does not also cover.

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 Employment Hero
  • Redeeming points for gift cards and rewardsnot Employment Hero
  • Recognition inside Slack or Microsoft Teamsnot Employment Hero
  • Tracking recognition patterns across teamsnot Employment Hero
  • Company-wide awards programmes on the top tiernot Employment Hero

Employment Hero

  • HR and payroll management for small to medium businessesnot Bonusly
  • Recruitment and candidate screening using AI video interviewsnot Bonusly
  • Leave management and compliancenot 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

Employment Hero

  • HR plans require minimum of 10 users
  • Custom pricing required for HR Elite and Employment Unlimited tiers
  • Currency is AUD only, may require currency conversion for non-AU customers

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Employment Hero

Free
  • Free Tier (Recruitment)Free
    • Candidate scoring and ranking
    • 50 complimentary AI video interviews (one-time)
  • HR Essentials$10/month
    • Leave management
    • Employee records
    • Document management
  • HR Engage$14/month
    • All HR Essentials features
    • Recruitment
    • Performance management
  • Pro 50 (Recruitment)$199/month
    • 50 AI video interviews (24/7)
    • Full ATS pipeline
    • Candidate scoring

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Employment Hero if

  • You want to start without paying.
Employment Hero review

Questions people ask

Is Bonusly or Employment Hero better?
Neither clearly leads. Bonusly starts at Free and Employment Hero at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bonusly or Employment Hero?
Bonusly starts at Free and Employment Hero at Free.
Does Bonusly or Employment Hero run on more platforms?
Bonusly runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Employment Hero runs on Web.
Can I use Bonusly for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Employment Hero is typically brought in for.
What can Bonusly do that Employment Hero cannot?
Bonusly covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Points-based rewards, Manager awards, Reward catalog.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Employment Hero: How much does Employment Hero cost per employee?

HR plans cost from $10 per employee per month for HR Essentials, $14 per month for HR Engage. Add-ons like managed payroll cost $20 per employee per month. All prices are in AUD with a minimum of 10 users per company.

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
Employment Hero: Is there a free trial or free version of Employment Hero?

Yes, the Recruitment module offers a free tier with candidate scoring and 50 complimentary AI video interviews (one-time). HR plans do not include a free tier but start at $10 per employee monthly.

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
Employment Hero: What is the minimum commitment for Employment Hero?

HR plans require a minimum of 10 users. The initial HR contract is billed based on the greater of the minimum commitment or actual billable employees. Add-ons have minimum monthly costs, such as $20 for Chat and $40 for Rostering.

Source
Employment Hero: Does Employment Hero include add-on fees beyond the base plan?

Yes, add-ons include Chat ($2 per employee/month, minimum $20), Rostering ($4 per employee/month, minimum $40), Managed Payroll ($20 per employee/month, minimum $400), and other services with separate pricing.

Source
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