Softwr

HR · head to head

Bonusly vs Sesame HR

Bonusly logo

Bonusly

HR

Employee recognition that builds culture

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sesame HR logo

Sesame HR

HR

Spanish HR and time recording platform built around the legal obligation to record daily working hours

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bonusly has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bonusly the free plan is capped at 8 users; Sesame HR there is no payroll calculation, so the payroll relationship stays with an external gestoria or payroll system and Sesame is only feeding it data.
  • They diverge on capability: Bonusly covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Sesame HR covers Time and attendance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bonusly and Sesame HR actually diverge.

Attributes where Bonusly and Sesame HR differ
AttributeBonuslySesame HR
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Bonusly

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Points-based rewards
  • Manager awards
  • Reward catalog
  • Automated milestones
  • Public recognition feed
  • Analytics & insights
  • Custom company values

Only in Sesame HR

  • Time and attendance
  • Legal time reports
  • Shift planning
  • Absence management
  • Document management
  • Expenses
  • Performance
  • Payroll export

What people use each for

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

Bonusly

  • Peer-to-peer recognition with points employees give each othernot Sesame HR
  • Redeeming points for gift cards and rewardsnot Sesame HR
  • Recognition inside Slack or Microsoft Teamsnot Sesame HR
  • Tracking recognition patterns across teamsnot Sesame HR
  • Company-wide awards programmes on the top tiernot Sesame HR

Sesame HR

  • A Spanish employer that must produce daily working time records for a labour inspectionnot Bonusly
  • A company with shift workers across several sites that needs rota planning and real clock-in data in one placenot Bonusly
  • A business whose gestoria wants clean hours and absence data each month instead of emailed spreadsheetsnot Bonusly
  • A Latin American subsidiary of a Spanish group standardising on the same attendance systemnot Bonusly

Where each one falls short

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

Bonusly

  • The free plan is capped at 8 users
  • Reward funding is separate from the subscription: a $10 gift card costs $10 on top of the per-user fee
  • The Bizy AI assistant costs $2 per user per month more, at $5 against $3
  • SAML single sign-on, awards programmes and a dedicated success manager are on the quote-only Organization tier
  • Advanced analytics and automations start at the Team tier

Sesame HR

  • There is no payroll calculation, so the payroll relationship stays with an external gestoria or payroll system and Sesame is only feeding it data.
  • The product is built around Spanish and Latin American regulation, so a buyer employing in northern Europe gets attendance tracking without the local statutory logic that made the product valuable in the first place.
  • Modules beyond time and attendance are noticeably shallower, and companies expecting the performance or recruitment features to replace dedicated tools are usually disappointed.
  • Support, documentation and legal templates are Spanish-first, and English-language material lags behind, which slows adoption in mixed-language organisations.
  • Pricing is per employee per month across module tiers, so a company that only wants compliant time recording still pays a headcount-scaled fee for a suite it uses a fraction of.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bonusly

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 8 users
    • Peer recognition
    • Slack and Teams integrations
  • Team + Bizy$5/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • Advanced analytics
    • Milestone celebrations
  • Team + Bizy$60/year
    • Annual plan saves 2 months
  • Team Without Bizy$3/month
    • Everything in Team + Bizy except Bizy AI

Sesame HR

On request
  • Sesame HR$undefined/year
    • Priced per employee per month with module-based tiers
    • Time and attendance in the base tier
    • Shift planning, performance and expenses as higher tiers or add-ons

Which should you pick?

Choose Bonusly if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want points-based rewards.
Bonusly review

Choose Sesame HR if

  • You need time and attendance.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want legal time reports.
Sesame HR review

Questions people ask

Is Bonusly or Sesame HR better?
Neither clearly leads. Bonusly starts at Free and Sesame HR at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bonusly or Sesame HR?
Bonusly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bonusly and On request for Sesame HR.
Does Bonusly or Sesame HR run on more platforms?
Bonusly runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Sesame HR runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Bonusly for free?
Yes. Bonusly has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sesame HR starts at On request.
What is Bonusly best used for?
Bonusly is most often used for peer-to-peer recognition with points employees give each other, redeeming points for gift cards and rewards, recognition inside slack or microsoft teams, tracking recognition patterns across teams. Of those, peer-to-peer recognition with points employees give each other and redeeming points for gift cards and rewards are not what Sesame HR is typically brought in for.
What can Bonusly do that Sesame HR cannot?
Bonusly covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Points-based rewards, Manager awards, Reward catalog. Sesame HR covers Time and attendance, Legal time reports, Shift planning, Absence management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bonusly: How much does Bonusly Team plan cost?

Bonusly Team + Bizy plan costs $5 per user per month with annual billing offering 2 months free. A Team plan without Bizy AI costs $3 per user per month ($30/year).

Source
Sesame HR: Why is time recording mandatory in Spain?

Royal Decree-Law 8/2019 requires every employer to record daily start and finish times for all employees and to retain those records for four years for labour inspection.

Bonusly: Is there a free Bonusly plan?

Yes, Bonusly offers a free plan for up to 8 users, including peer recognition, Slack and Teams integrations, and mobile apps. No credit card is required.

Source
Sesame HR: Does Sesame HR run payroll?

No. It exports hours, absences and variable pay to a gestoria or payroll system such as A3 or Sage.

Bonusly: What does the Bizy AI add-on cost?

Bizy AI add-on costs $2 per user per month separately from the Team plan subscription.

Source
Sesame HR: Does it work outside Spain?

It is used across Latin America and Portugal. Outside those markets you get the tooling without the country-specific legal logic.

Sesame HR: Can it handle shift workers across multiple sites?

Yes. Kiosk and QR clock-in with geolocation is designed for exactly that, and rota planning sits on top of the same data.

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