Softwr

Employee Engagement · head to head

Betterworks vs Guusto

Betterworks logo

Betterworks

Employee Engagement

Align, develop, and inspire your workforce

From
$1/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Guusto logo

Guusto

Employee Engagement

Gift-based employee recognition platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Guusto has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Betterworks the $1 and $2 promotional rates require a three year agreement and expire on 31 August 2026; the standing prices are $8 and $9 per user per month; Guusto gift card merchants are limited primarily to US brands and digital formats; international options are limited
  • They diverge on capability: Betterworks covers OKR & goal management, Guusto covers Gift card rewards.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Betterworks and Guusto actually diverge.

Attributes where Betterworks and Guusto differ
AttributeBetterworksGuusto
Starting price$1/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Employee Engagement), founded (2013).

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 Betterworks

  • OKR & goal management
  • Performance reviews
  • Continuous feedback
  • 1-on-1 meetings
  • Goal alignment
  • Calibration tools
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Workday

Only in Guusto

  • Gift card rewards
  • Peer recognition
  • Milestone celebrations
  • Budget management
  • Analytics
  • Charitable giving
  • Multiple gift options
  • BambooHR

Both cover

  • Mobile app
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams

What people use each for

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

Betterworks

  • Goals and OKR tracking across an organisationnot Guusto
  • Performance reviews, 1:1s and continuous feedbacknot Guusto
  • Calibration and succession planning on the higher tiernot Guusto
  • Skills mapping and development plansnot Guusto
  • Engagement surveys on the Enterprise tiernot Guusto

Guusto

  • Employee recognitionnot Betterworks
  • Gift givingnot Betterworks
  • Milestone awardsnot Betterworks
  • Social impactnot Betterworks

Where each one falls short

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

Betterworks

  • The $1 and $2 promotional rates require a three year agreement and expire on 31 August 2026; the standing prices are $8 and $9 per user per month
  • Implementation is charged on top of the per-user price
  • Calibration, succession planning and skills intelligence need the Talent Intelligence tier
  • Engagement surveys and change management services are Enterprise only
  • The vendor states it adds most value above 500 employees, so smaller companies are not the target

Guusto

  • Gift card merchants are limited primarily to US brands and digital formats; international options are limited
  • Recipients must create a Guusto account to claim rewards, creating friction for deskless workers
  • No physical goods fulfillment or home delivery for tangible merchandise and branded swag
  • Limited customization options for branding and reward options compared to enterprise alternatives
  • Regional restrictions on merchant availability in certain geographic areas

Pricing, plan by plan

Betterworks

$1/month
  • Performance$8/month
    • Real-time performance tracking
    • Goals & OKRs
    • Feedback and conversations
  • Performance + Talent Intelligence$9/month
    • All Performance features plus anytime calibration
    • Succession planning
    • Skills intelligence
  • Enterprise$null/mo
    • Custom pricing
    • Everything in Performance + Talent Intelligence plus transformational program design
    • Engagement measurement

Guusto

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Guusto review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Betterworks if

  • You need okr & goal management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want performance reviews.
Betterworks review

Choose Guusto if

  • You need gift card rewards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want peer recognition.
Guusto review

Questions people ask

Is Betterworks or Guusto better?
Neither clearly leads. Betterworks starts at $1/month and Guusto at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Betterworks or Guusto?
Guusto has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1/month for Betterworks and Free for Guusto.
Does Betterworks or Guusto run on more platforms?
Betterworks runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Guusto runs on Web.
Can I use Guusto for free?
Yes. Guusto has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Betterworks starts at $1/month.
What is Betterworks best used for?
Betterworks is most often used for goals and okr tracking across an organisation, performance reviews, 1:1s and continuous feedback, calibration and succession planning on the higher tier, skills mapping and development plans. Of those, goals and okr tracking across an organisation and performance reviews, 1:1s and continuous feedback are not what Guusto is typically brought in for.
What can Betterworks do that Guusto cannot?
Betterworks covers OKR & goal management, Performance reviews, Continuous feedback, 1-on-1 meetings. Guusto covers Gift card rewards, Peer recognition, Milestone celebrations, Budget management. Both handle Mobile app, Slack, Microsoft Teams.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Betterworks: How much does Betterworks cost per user?

Betterworks costs $8 per user per month for the Performance plan or $9 per user per month for Performance + Talent Intelligence. Promotional pricing as low as $1-$2 per user per month is available for the first contract year with a 3-year commitment (expires August 31, 2026).

Source
Guusto: Does Guusto work with deskless and remote employees?

Yes, Guusto is designed for frontline and deskless workers. It delivers recognition through SMS, push notifications, QR codes, and print options, making it accessible to employees without desk access or company email.

Source
Betterworks: What does the Enterprise plan include?

The Enterprise plan includes everything in Performance + Talent Intelligence plus transformational program design, engagement measurement, in-app guides, and change management services. Pricing is custom and tailored to your organization.

Source
Guusto: What reward options does Guusto support?

Guusto cards can be redeemed for hundreds of different gift cards from around the world, branded company swag, charity donations, and custom rewards. However, gift card merchants are primarily limited to US brands.

Source
Betterworks: Are there additional costs beyond per-user pricing?

Yes, implementation is a one-time cost separate from monthly per-user pricing. Betterworks' Professional Services team assists with design and launch.

Source
Guusto: How does Guusto pricing work?

Guusto offers a Free tier with no minimum spend, Essential at $200 per month (annual billing), and Premium at $500 per month (annual billing). You pay face value for gift card rewards; Guusto charges merchants instead, so every dollar goes to employees.

Source
Guusto: Can Guusto integrate with HRIS systems?

Yes, Guusto syncs with HR management systems to automate anniversaries, milestones, birthdays, and other events. It also offers SSO integrations and Slack integration for bringing recognition into daily workflows.

Source
Guusto: Do employees need a Guusto account to receive gifts?

Yes, recipients must create a Guusto account to claim rewards, which some users find inconvenient compared to simpler delivery methods.

Source
Guusto: Does Guusto offer physical goods and merchandise?

Guusto focuses on gift cards and digital rewards. It does not have a robust physical fulfillment arm, so industrial or field workers cannot receive tangible goods delivered to their homes.

Source
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