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Employee Engagement · head to head

Guusto vs Rakuten Advertising

Guusto logo

Guusto

Employee Engagement

Gift-based employee recognition platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Rakuten Advertising logo

Rakuten Advertising

Affiliate Marketing

Performance marketing solutions with global reach

From
On request
Free plan
No

The short version

  • Only Guusto has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Guusto gift card merchants are limited primarily to US brands and digital formats; international options are limited; Rakuten Advertising account terminations without clear explanation
  • They diverge on capability: Guusto covers Gift card rewards, Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Guusto and Rakuten Advertising actually diverge.

Attributes where Guusto and Rakuten Advertising differ
AttributeGuustoRakuten Advertising
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknowntransaction
Free tierYesNo
CategoryEmployee EngagementAffiliate Marketing
Founded20131997

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 Guusto

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

Only in Rakuten Advertising

  • Global publisher network
  • Influencer marketplace
  • Cross-device attribution
  • AI-powered insights
  • Brand protection
  • Google Analytics
  • Adobe Analytics
  • Shopify

What people use each for

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

Guusto

  • Employee recognitionnot Rakuten Advertising
  • Gift givingnot Rakuten Advertising
  • Milestone awardsnot Rakuten Advertising
  • Social impactnot Rakuten Advertising

Rakuten Advertising

  • affiliate marketing managementnot Guusto
  • Workflow automationnot Guusto
  • Reportingnot Guusto

Where each one falls short

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

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

Rakuten Advertising

  • Account terminations without clear explanation
  • Commission payment delays of 60-90 days before payment settlement
  • Support response times are slow and often unhelpful
  • Limited transparency on advertiser approval reasons when applications get rejected
  • Less user-friendly interface compared to CJ Affiliate and ShareASale

Pricing, plan by plan

Guusto

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Guusto review.

Rakuten Advertising

On request
  • NetworkFree
    • Performance-based pricing
    • Global publisher access
    • Advanced reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose Guusto if

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

Choose Rakuten Advertising if

  • You need global publisher network.
  • You also want influencer marketplace.

Questions people ask

Is Guusto or Rakuten Advertising better?
Neither clearly leads. Guusto starts at Free and Rakuten Advertising at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Guusto or Rakuten Advertising?
Guusto has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Guusto and On request for Rakuten Advertising.
Does Guusto or Rakuten Advertising run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Guusto for free?
Yes. Guusto has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rakuten Advertising starts at On request.
What is Guusto best used for?
Guusto is most often used for employee recognition, gift giving, milestone awards, social impact. Of those, employee recognition and gift giving are not what Rakuten Advertising is typically brought in for.
What can Guusto do that Rakuten Advertising cannot?
Guusto covers Gift card rewards, Peer recognition, Milestone celebrations, Budget management. Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, Influencer marketplace, Cross-device attribution, AI-powered insights.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Rakuten Advertising: How does Rakuten Advertising pay commissions?

Rakuten Advertising follows a 60-to-90 day commission payment cycle tied to advertiser invoice settlement, which is industry-standard but can result in delayed payments.

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
Rakuten Advertising: What integrations does Rakuten Advertising support?

Rakuten Advertising integrates with third-party platforms including Improvado, Strackr, Wecantrack, and Kochava for data tracking and reporting across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and Meta Ads.

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
Rakuten Advertising: How are commission rates determined on Rakuten Advertising?

Each advertiser sets its own commission rates, cookie durations, and approval requirements. Commission structures vary by individual brand and product category.

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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