Rewards and recognition play a significant role in employee retention and company culture. Recognizing and rewarding employees boosts morale, productivity, and commitment. 

It reinforces desired behaviors and values, making employees feel valued and respected. This leads to increased effort and contributes to overall success of your organization.

Awardco is a top rewards platform that makes operating a rewards and recognition program in your company easier.

If you find their service is not what your company needs, you’ll understandably seek an Awardco alternative. But who are the best Awardco competitors for your company's needs? 

In this article, we examine the top Awardco alternatives for employee rewards and recognition. They all have unique strengths, and you’ll find one that works for you by the end of this guide. 

What Is Awardco?

Awardco is a platform for employee recognition, service awards, rewards, and incentives. It allows a company to customize its rewards and recognition programs to suit its employees’ needs. 

Whether you are looking for manager-to-employee rewards, peer-to-peer recognition, new employee welcome gifts, or automated milestones, Awardco offers many features to improve employee recognition. 

How Does Awardco Work?

Awardco functions on a points-based system. You decide how many points get allocated to your employees and for what purpose. Employees can redeem these points for gift cards, products, and other rewards. 

Because the platform is user-friendly and highly customizable, you can design a program that suits your unique work environment and company culture. Awardco also offers the functionality to set up your own company swag store, where employees can choose the items they want. 

These products are shipped directly to them, with no shipping costs in the US. 

If you’d like to know more about the Awardco platform, read our go-to Awardco review for employee rewards and recognition.

The Top 7 Alternatives To Awardco

If Awardco doesn’t tick all the boxes for your company and employee needs, there are many alternatives to consider. Below, we explore seven of the best Awardco competitors for creating your employee rewards and recognition program so that you can choose the best platform for your employees.

1. PerkUp

With PerkUp, there’s no hassle with points and no lack of variety. Set up your employee rewards and recognition program with ease, and reward your staff with gifts they really want. 

Simply load the pre-loaded Visa cards with dollar amounts, and your employees can choose the products, services, and experiences they want. Or, you can send a gift card they can use worldwide anywhere Visa is accepted.

These digital gift cards make sending and redeeming rewards quick, safe, and convenient - and an ideal solution for instant spot rewards. Timely recognition, instant bonuses and monthly shout outs are easy with a digital gift card.  

Want to add that personal touch for a personal milestone or big event? Customize themed templates or add a note of congratulations and encouragement. Include individual GIFs and memes to make milestone or life event celebrations more fun.  

Whatever the occasion, you’ll find what you need, including premium company swag. PerkUp knows that company swag is a great way to connect people with your brand. That’s why it offers over 200 swag items, delivered to over 130 countries around the world.

PerkUp also offers over 1,000 different gifts to choose from. You can send multiple rewards at scale to streamline your rewards processes as your company and workforce grow. 

Main Features

• An extensive range of gift cards and products, from simple treats to high-end tech to enriching experiences, making it easy to find rewards for almost every occasion. 

• Premium company-branded swag is ideal for encouraging company loyalty and making recipients feel valued team members.

• PerkUp enables you to open up your own company swag store. 

• Customizable themes allow you to engage employees while staying true to the company culture.

• You can schedule automated rewards for celebrating employee’s birthdays and work anniversaries.

• PerkUp streamlines your workflow by integrating with HRIS like Slack, Paylocity, BambooHR, Workday, and many more.

• Reporting and analytics dashboards track funds, orders, deliveries, and redemptions.

2. Guusto

With Guusto, you can reward outstanding achievements, automate milestone event celebrations, and recognize employees’ contributions to your company’s success. 

You can create a free Guusto starter account, allocate rewards, and use the recipients’ reviews to streamline your rewards program to better meet your staff’s needs. Rewards are dollar-based, at a rate of dollar for dollar, so there’s no confusion about converting points. Printable rewards are also available.

By collating your rewards and recognition in one place, Guusto easily incorporates onboarding programs, wellness programs, performance goals, and peer-to-peer shoutouts. 

Schedule your employee gift card rewards, redeemable at over a hundred merchants and accepted at thousands of global merchant locations. That makes Guusto suitable for recognizing and rewarding your remote teams too. Send these gift cards individually or in bulk.

Plus, any unclaimed rewards can be credited back to you, so there are no more wasted funds.

Main Features

• A simple platform for all your recognition and engagement needs

• Several top integrations

• Peer-to-peer recognition

• Dollar-for-dollar rewards, no points to worry about

• Rewards can be emailed or printed out

To learn more about Guusto and its pros and cons, check out our complete Guusto review.

3. Fond

Need a platform that allows employee awards and promotes peer-to-peer recognition? One with a simple, points-based rewards system where the points never expire? Consider Fond, a platform offering rewards, recognition, pre-negotiated employee discounts, and performance analytics/reporting.

Fond’s range of rewards can be customized to suit your business needs and align with your workplace culture. Employees can choose from products, gift cards, and company-branded swag items. Or they can choose to donate their points to a charitable organization.

Fond’s global social feed lets your staff add comments to recognition posts, which are visible to your entire workforce worldwide. The social interaction aspect further enhances the company culture and peer-to-peer recognition.

This SaaS platform has a pricing structure based on an annual subscription fee and the number of employees. Any unclaimed points can be credited to the company if an employee leaves or is dismissed.

Main Features

• An easy-to-use points-based employee rewards platform

• Analytics, insights, and reporting help you further streamline your recognition practices

• Unused points can be credited back to your company program

• There are no minimum orders

• Fond offers thousands of rewards ranging from items, company swag, and gift cards to experiences and charitable donations  

4. Vantage Circle

Vantage Circle is a SaaS platform that offers Vantage Rewards, a system of stimulating productivity and engagement through digital gifting and rewards. The points-based cloud-based system operates globally and includes budget management, spot rewards, automated monthly awards, and incentives.

Three plans are available with different pricing and features, suitable for companies of various sizes. All Vantage Circle plans allow your employees to choose Amazon store product gift vouchers, experiences, and branded merchandise. 

Native currency redemption and analytics are offered across all plans, making rewarding employees at branches worldwide a breeze. It also enables you to give recognition to your remote work teams, wherever they may be.

Social integrations are possible, but unfortunately, these are only available as add-ons for the two lower-tier plans. 

Main Features

• Wide range of gift cards for leading retailers and brands

• Integrations with communication tools and HRIS platforms

• Social recognition feature that lets your employees acknowledge each other’s achievements

• A centralized dashboard where you can manage and track your recognition program 

• Automated long service awards to show recognition and appreciation for employees who have been with your company for a long time

Keen to find out more about Vantage Circle? Then take a look at our complete Vantage Circle review where we dive into its features, pros, cons, and more. 

5. Workhuman

The connection between employee recognition and performance is well established. This is what drives the Workhuman team to provide a quality employee rewards service. It offers service milestone rewards, life event celebrations, and social recognition to increase engagement and retention. 

You decide what your rewards should be for and how many points each should be worth. Integrations like Slack and Microsoft Teams make building this points-based rewards and recognition program even easier into your existing company collaboration and communication tools.

In the Workhuman Store, employees can redeem the points you allocate for the products they want.

Main Features

• Points-based rewards that can be redeemed in the Workhuman Store

• Various solutions to engage and motivate employees, including social recognition and rewards, an online community, and surveys. 

• Top collaboration tools integrations 

• Personalized messages and videos

Want to learn more? Read our full Workhuman review to find out more about the platform’s main features and its pros and cons. 

6. Goody

Goody is a comprehensive platform made for business gifting with which you can send individual gifts or multiple rewards with just a name and an email. 

Adapt your employees’ experience by customizing the message they receive. Just choose from a range of stylish cards and add a personalized message fitting the occasion. 

Employees can swap gifts for ones they prefer, and once they’ve made a selection, they will be prompted for their shipping info. 

You can track all activity in your company’s Goody dashboard, making it easy to see how many gifts have been accepted, opened, delivered, etc. 

With automated gifting, custom gift boxes, and even company swag, you can celebrate milestones like work anniversaries and birthdays, give spot rewards, or just show recognition for hard work. 

Main Features

• A variety of gifts for different occasions

• Bulk gifting

• Company swag and custom boxes are available

• Customizable messages 

• Gift activity tracking on a user-friendly dashboard

Interested in learning more about this business gifting solution? Our Goody Gifts review offers an in-depth guide on the rewards this platform offers and its pros and cons. 

7. Snappy Gifts

Snappy makes corporate gifting, rewards, and recognition simple. Browse collections of expertly curated gifts or categories covering different occasions. Send gift choices to your employees, who can pick what they want.

You don’t even need to give their address. Simply send the reward in a link or text to their email, and they can supply their shipping information (if necessary) once they’ve chosen a gift. 

Personalize the experience with your unique greeting, or enhance the brand visibility with your company logo.

Employees may also send thank you notes through the platform and share what they liked about their gifts. 

Main Features

• An easy-to-use platform that offers employees the freedom to choose gifts

• Personalized messages can enhance the reward experience

• Search for the ideal gift for a reward or to show recognition across different categories

• Receive more insights about your rewards and recognition program’s success through feedback from recipients.

If you’d like to find out more about what this platform offers, check out our Snappy Gifts Review where we dive into the platform's features, pros, cons, and more! 

The Benefits Of The Right Employee Rewards & Recognition Program

Employee rewards and recognition programs are a great way to motivate and engage your workforce. 

These programs go beyond traditional compensation and offer various non-monetary incentives to acknowledge and celebrate employee contributions.

By doing so, they promote a culture of appreciation and loyalty among employees. The benefits of employee rewards programs are extensive. They not only boost the morale and motivation of the workforce but also contribute significantly to the company’s overall performance. 

The top benefits of an employee recognition and rewards program include:

• Boosts employee morale and engagement: It gives employees a tangible sense of organizational value. 

• Enhances productivity and performance: Employees who feel appreciated for their contributions will likely invest additional effort into their tasks. Recognition can boost productivity and performance by up to 14%.

• Promotes a positive work culture: Rewards programs cultivate a positive and supportive work environment. Publicly acknowledging and celebrating achievements generates a sense of camaraderie and sets the tone for a culture of appreciation.

• Attracts and retains talent: Organizations prioritizing employee recognition are often seen as desirable workplaces. A well-implemented rewards program can act as a competitive advantage, attracting top talent in the industry and improving employee satisfaction. In turn, it results in less turnover.   

• Drives innovation and creativity: Employee recognition improves job satisfaction and inspires employees to go above and beyond their regular duties. This can lead to new ideas and solutions, driving the company's growth and competitiveness.

How Should You Approach Employee Rewards And Recognition For Your Business?

Effective employee rewards and recognition programs can boost employee morale, engagement, and overall job satisfaction.

How you structure your employee recognition and rewards program will depend on your unique business needs. The objectives of your rewards and recognition programs will also differ. Here are some tips to consider:

• Understand your employees: Recognize that different employees may have diverse preferences for rewards and recognition. Consider factors such as age, personality, and job roles.

• Align with company values and goals: Ensure that your rewards and recognition efforts align with your company's values, mission, and strategic objectives. This creates a sense of purpose and reinforces desired behaviors.

• Create a clear framework: Develop a structured program with well-defined criteria for rewards and recognition. This helps avoid ambiguity and ensures consistency in the process.

• Non-monetary rewards: While financial incentives are important, non-monetary rewards like public recognition, professional development opportunities, and flexible work arrangements can be equally motivating.

• Customization and personalization: Tailor rewards and recognition to individual preferences. Some employees prefer private recognition, while others thrive on public acknowledgment.

• Frequent and timely recognition: Regularly acknowledge employees' efforts and achievements. Timely recognition shows that you value their contributions in real time.

• Celebrate milestones:  Recognize major achievements, small victories, and milestones. This keeps employees motivated and engaged in the long run.

• Data-driven approach: Use data and performance metrics to identify high-performing employees and their contributions. This ensures fairness and objectivity.

Awardco is a suitable choice for achieving many of these goals. However, your company’s specific goals will determine the rewards and recognition program you use, how much customization is necessary, and the gifting options you choose.

Final Thoughts

In today’s business environment, employee recognition is vital to ensuring employee satisfaction. If you’ve been considering Awardco or are already using the platform but find that it doesn’t quite tick all the boxes, there are several worthy Awardco competitors to try. 

For maximum versatility, flexibility, and ease of use, look no further than PerkUp. With the wide range of gift cards, physical products, and even company swag, you’ll be able to build a rewards program your employees will love and that you can be proud of.

Want to find out more about how PerkUp can transform your employee recognition and engagement? Our free demo explains it all, and if you have any further questions, contact us today.