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Employee Engagement · head to head

Perkbox vs Rakuten Advertising

Perkbox logo

Perkbox

Employee Engagement

Employee perks, discounts, recognition and a wellbeing hub in one benefits platform

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Rakuten Advertising logo

Rakuten Advertising

Affiliate Marketing

Performance marketing solutions with global reach

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Perkbox perkbox no longer publishes any pricing, plan names or minimum headcount, so buyers must run a full sales process before they can compare it against Reward Gateway or Vantage Circle on price.; Rakuten Advertising account terminations without clear explanation
  • They diverge on capability: Perkbox covers Perks and discounts, Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Perkbox and Rakuten Advertising differ
AttributePerkboxRakuten Advertising
Pricing modelquotetransaction
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryEmployee EngagementAffiliate Marketing
FoundedUnknown1997

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), 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 Perkbox

  • Perks and discounts
  • Perkbox Recognition
  • Wellbeing hub
  • Celebrations
  • Flexi points
  • Multi country delivery
  • Admin reporting
  • Mobile app

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.

Perkbox

  • A United Kingdom employer wanting a benefits perk that employees can see the value of immediately, where the discount catalogue is deepestnot Rakuten Advertising
  • An organisation replacing several separate suppliers for discounts, recognition and wellbeing with one platform and one loginnot Rakuten Advertising
  • A company with high volume frontline staff where a few pounds a month of real redeemable saving matters more than an abstract wellbeing programmenot Rakuten Advertising
  • An HR team that wants automated celebration prompts so managers stop missing work anniversariesnot Rakuten Advertising

Rakuten Advertising

  • affiliate marketing managementnot Perkbox
  • Workflow automationnot Perkbox
  • Reportingnot Perkbox

Where each one falls short

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

Perkbox

  • Perkbox no longer publishes any pricing, plan names or minimum headcount, so buyers must run a full sales process before they can compare it against Reward Gateway or Vantage Circle on price.
  • The value depends entirely on redemption, and a catalogue weighted toward metropolitan retail and hospitality delivers much less to a distributed workforce in smaller towns, which is exactly the workforce most likely to have been sold on the saving.
  • Recognition points are funded by the employer on top of the platform fee, and that reward budget is usually the larger of the two numbers, so a quote that looks cheap can hide the real annual cost.
  • Catalogue depth outside the United Kingdom is thinner, so a multinational rolling out one platform gives materially different value to employees in different countries while paying a similar rate for each.
  • Perks platforms have low switching costs and high substitutability, which means renewal negotiations are competitive but also that Perkbox has limited ability to differentiate beyond catalogue and price.

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

Perkbox

On request
  • Perkbox$undefined/year
    • Quote only, with no plan names, rates or minimum headcount published
    • Recognition points funding is an employer cost separate from the platform fee
    • Rate varies by headcount, country mix and which modules are included

Rakuten Advertising

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Perkbox if

  • You need perks and discounts.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want perkbox recognition.
Perkbox review

Choose Rakuten Advertising if

  • You need global publisher network.
  • You also want influencer marketplace.
Rakuten Advertising review

Questions people ask

Is Perkbox or Rakuten Advertising better?
Neither clearly leads. Perkbox starts at On request and Rakuten Advertising at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Perkbox or Rakuten Advertising?
Perkbox starts at On request and Rakuten Advertising at On request.
Does Perkbox or Rakuten Advertising run on more platforms?
Perkbox runs on Web, iOS, Android. Rakuten Advertising runs on Web.
What is Perkbox best used for?
Perkbox is most often used for a united kingdom employer wanting a benefits perk that employees can see the value of immediately, where the discount catalogue is deepest, an organisation replacing several separate suppliers for discounts, recognition and wellbeing with one platform and one login, a company with high volume frontline staff where a few pounds a month of real redeemable saving matters more than an abstract wellbeing programme, an hr team that wants automated celebration prompts so managers stop missing work anniversaries. Of those, a united kingdom employer wanting a benefits perk that employees can see the value of immediately, where the discount catalogue is deepest and an organisation replacing several separate suppliers for discounts, recognition and wellbeing with one platform and one login are not what Rakuten Advertising is typically brought in for.
What can Perkbox do that Rakuten Advertising cannot?
Perkbox covers Perks and discounts, Perkbox Recognition, Wellbeing hub, Celebrations. Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, Influencer marketplace, Cross-device attribution, AI-powered insights.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Perkbox: Does Perkbox publish pricing?

No. The pricing page offers flexible packages and a quote form with no plan names, per employee rates or minimum headcount.

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
Perkbox: Is there a minimum number of employees?

None is published. Perkbox has moved upmarket from its earlier self service positioning, so smaller employers should confirm eligibility early in the conversation.

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
Perkbox: Is recognition reward budget included?

No. Recognition points are funded by the employer separately from the platform fee, and that budget is typically larger than the licence itself.

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
Perkbox: Does it work outside the United Kingdom?

Yes, in Australia and parts of Europe, but the discount catalogue is much deeper in the United Kingdom and value per employee differs accordingly.

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