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Guusto vs Zoho People

Guusto logo

Guusto

Software

Gift-based employee recognition platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho People logo

Zoho People

Software

Cloud HR software for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Guusto gift card merchants are limited primarily to US brands and digital formats; international options are limited; Zoho People slow response times and slow loading on the platform affecting user efficiency
  • They diverge on capability: Guusto covers Gift card rewards, Zoho People covers Employee Database.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Guusto and Zoho People actually diverge.

Attributes where Guusto and Zoho People differ
AttributeGuustoZoho People
Founded20131996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), 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
  • Mobile app
  • Analytics
  • Charitable giving
  • Multiple gift options

Only in Zoho People

  • Employee Database
  • Time Off
  • Time Tracking
  • Attendance
  • Performance
  • Onboarding
  • Self-Service
  • Zoho CRM

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Guusto

  • Employee recognitionnot Zoho People
  • Gift givingnot Zoho People
  • Milestone awardsnot Zoho People
  • Social impactnot Zoho People

Zoho People

No use cases recorded yet. See the Zoho People review.

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

Zoho People

  • Slow response times and slow loading on the platform affecting user efficiency
  • Limited customization options for leave and performance management workflows
  • Mobile app is missing key features available in desktop version, like timesheets and reporting
  • Customer support is ticket-based only with no live chat unless on premium plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Guusto

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Guusto review.

Zoho People

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoho People review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Guusto if

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

Choose Zoho People if

  • You need employee database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want time off.
Zoho People review

Questions people ask

Is Guusto or Zoho People better?
Neither clearly leads. Guusto starts at Free and Zoho People at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Guusto or Zoho People?
Guusto starts at Free and Zoho People at Free.
Does Guusto or Zoho People run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Guusto for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Zoho People is typically brought in for.
What can Guusto do that Zoho People cannot?
Guusto covers Gift card rewards, Peer recognition, Milestone celebrations, Budget management. Zoho People covers Employee Database, Time Off, Time Tracking, Attendance. Both handle Slack.

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
Zoho People: Does Zoho People have a free tier?

Yes, the Free plan supports up to 5-10 users with essential HR tools, email support, and 30-day free trial available on all paid plans with no credit card required.

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
Zoho People: What is the pricing for Zoho People?

Pricing starts at $1.25 per user per month when billed annually. The Essential HR plan costs $1.50 monthly per user, dropping to $1.25 annually with five tiers available: Free, Essential HR, Professional, Premium, and Enterprise.

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
Zoho People: Does Zoho People work with other Zoho applications?

Yes, Zoho People integrates with the Zoho ecosystem including Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and other Zoho applications for unified business management.

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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