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HR · head to head

Motivosity vs SmartHR

Motivosity logo

Motivosity

HR

Recognition that actually matters

From
$3000/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SmartHR logo

SmartHR

HR

Japanese back-office cloud for labor management, payroll and talent management

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Motivosity no published per-seat pricing; only broad ranges provided by company size; SmartHR no specific pricing published on vendor website
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Motivosity and SmartHR actually diverge.

Attributes where Motivosity and SmartHR differ
AttributeMotivositySmartHR
Starting price$3000/yearOn request
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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 Motivosity

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Spot bonuses
  • Social recognition feed
  • Manager insights
  • 1-on-1 meetings
  • Pulse surveys
  • Rewards marketplace
  • Company values alignment

Only in SmartHR

Nothing recorded that Motivosity does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Motivosity

  • Peer-to-peer recognition and spot bonusesnot SmartHR
  • Service milestones and work anniversariesnot SmartHR
  • Pulse surveys on employee sentimentnot SmartHR
  • Rewards and lifestyle spending accountsnot SmartHR
  • Nominations and awards programmesnot SmartHR

SmartHR

  • Reducing combined processing time by 88% across HR functionsnot Motivosity
  • Centralizing employee information through onboarding to offboardingnot Motivosity
  • Distributing payroll and salary statements via mobile appnot Motivosity
  • Automating document distribution and employee communicationsnot Motivosity
  • Integrating with 120+ external systems for extended functionalitynot Motivosity

Where each one falls short

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

Motivosity

  • No published per-seat pricing; only broad ranges provided by company size
  • Minimum annual spend of 3,000 USD for small business plans; no monthly options available
  • Custom module pricing starts around 1 USD PEPM with no published rate cards

SmartHR

  • No specific pricing published on vendor website
  • Requires direct quotation for customized pricing
  • Multiple plan options create complexity in pricing structure

Pricing, plan by plan

Motivosity

$3000/year
  • Small Business$3000/year
    • 20-250 employees
    • Annual investment range 3,000-10,000 USD
    • Platform fee approximately 0-2 USD PEPM
  • Mid-Market$7500/year
    • 250-5,000 employees
    • Annual investment range 7,500-75,000 USD
  • Enterprise$40000/year
    • 5,000+ employees
    • Annual investment range 40,000-300,000+ USD

SmartHR

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the SmartHR review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Motivosity if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want spot bonuses.
Motivosity review

Choose SmartHR if

Nothing in the data separates SmartHR from Motivosity on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

SmartHR review

Questions people ask

Is Motivosity or SmartHR better?
Neither clearly leads. Motivosity starts at $3000/year and SmartHR at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Motivosity or SmartHR?
Motivosity starts at $3000/year and SmartHR at On request.
Does Motivosity or SmartHR run on more platforms?
Motivosity runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. SmartHR runs on Web.
What is Motivosity best used for?
Motivosity is most often used for peer-to-peer recognition and spot bonuses, service milestones and work anniversaries, pulse surveys on employee sentiment, rewards and lifestyle spending accounts. Of those, peer-to-peer recognition and spot bonuses and service milestones and work anniversaries are not what SmartHR is typically brought in for.
What can Motivosity do that SmartHR cannot?
Motivosity covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Spot bonuses, Social recognition feed, Manager insights.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Motivosity: How much does Motivosity cost?

Motivosity uses custom per-employee pricing (PEPM) model. Small businesses (20-250 employees) invest 3,000-10,000 USD/year; mid-market (250-5,000) invests 7,500-75,000 USD/year; enterprise (5,000+) invests 40,000-300,000+ USD/year.

Source
SmartHR: How much does SmartHR cost?

SmartHR pricing is customized per organization based on features and user count. The vendor does not publish standard pricing rates. Customers must use the estimation tool or contact the vendor directly to receive a personalized quote. No additional charges are assessed beyond monthly usage fees.

Source
Motivosity: What is the platform fee per employee?

Motivosity charges approximately 0-2 USD per employee per month (PEPM) as a platform fee, with additional module costs starting around 1 USD PEPM.

Source
SmartHR: What is SmartHR's free tier?

SmartHR offers a free plan (¥0プラン) for small businesses with up to 30 employees. This tier provides basic employee data management without additional charges, making it suitable for very small organizations or trials.

Source
Motivosity: Is there a minimum contract?

Yes, Motivosity requires a minimum annual investment of 3,000 USD for small business plans with annual contract terms.

Source
SmartHR: What are SmartHR's plan options?

SmartHR provides multiple plans including HR Strategy Plan (labor and talent management), Essential Plan (labor management focus), Talent Management Plan (employee growth focus), and a specialized plan for companies with 50 or fewer employees. Optional add-ons including payroll, attendance tracking, and recruitment are available.

Source
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