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Software · head to head

Guusto vs Workvivo

Guusto logo

Guusto

Software

Gift-based employee recognition platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Workvivo logo

Workvivo

Software

Employee experience platform for connected workplaces

From
$4/month
Rated
-

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; Workvivo the pricing page publishes no price, no minimum and no per-licence rate; the vendor states cost depends on licence count and organisation needs and requires a custom quote
  • They diverge on capability: Guusto covers Gift card rewards, Workvivo covers Social activity feed.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Guusto and Workvivo actually diverge.

Attributes where Guusto and Workvivo differ
AttributeGuustoWorkvivo
Starting priceFree$4/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20132017

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 Guusto

  • Gift card rewards
  • Peer recognition
  • Milestone celebrations
  • Budget management
  • Charitable giving
  • Multiple gift options
  • Chrome extension
  • Outlook

Only in Workvivo

  • Social activity feed
  • Employee recognition
  • Internal communications
  • Podcasts and video
  • Surveys
  • Integrations
  • Zoom
  • Workday

Both cover

  • Mobile app
  • Analytics
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams
  • BambooHR

What people use each for

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

Guusto

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

Workvivo

  • Company-wide internal communications and news for desk and frontline staffnot Guusto
  • Employee recognition, badges and awards inside a social activity feednot Guusto
  • Livestreamed all-hands broadcasts with multi-language auto-translationnot 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

Workvivo

  • The pricing page publishes no price, no minimum and no per-licence rate; the vendor states cost depends on licence count and organisation needs and requires a custom quote
  • There is no free trial; the vendor offers only a demo
  • Real-time chat with voice and video is a paid add-on rather than part of the core platform
  • Agentic search across connected systems is sold separately as the HQ Agent add-on tier
  • Employee listening and engagement surveys sit in the separate Seer product, added on or bought standalone
  • Digital signage through Workvivo TV is another paid add-on
  • Plan and add-on changes go through a Workvivo CX Manager rather than self-serve

Pricing, plan by plan

Guusto

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Guusto review.

Workvivo

$4/month
  • Business$4/month
    • Social feed
    • Recognition
    • Mobile app
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Custom integrations
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Guusto if

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

Choose Workvivo if

  • You need social activity feed.
  • You also want employee recognition.

Questions people ask

Is Guusto or Workvivo better?
Neither clearly leads. Guusto starts at Free and Workvivo at $4/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Guusto or Workvivo?
Guusto has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Guusto and $4/month for Workvivo.
Does Guusto or Workvivo 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. Workvivo starts at $4/month.
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 Workvivo is typically brought in for.
What can Guusto do that Workvivo cannot?
Guusto covers Gift card rewards, Peer recognition, Milestone celebrations, Budget management. Workvivo covers Social activity feed, Employee recognition, Internal communications, Podcasts and video. Both handle Mobile app, Analytics, Slack, Microsoft Teams.

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
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
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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