Guusto Employee Recognition Software Review for 2025
Guusto distinguishes itself from competitors by offering an intuitive platform that allows companies to easily recognize and reward employees, fostering a positive workplace culture.
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In this review, I’m going to share my analysis and evaluation from hands-on experience with Guusto. But first, if you’re just beginning your search, check out my picks of the best employee recognition software.
You probably already know Guusto is among the most popular employee recognition software out there, but you need to better understand what’s good and not so good about it. This in-depth Guusto review will walk you through pros and cons, features and functionality, to help guide you to better understand its capabilities and suitability for your scenario.
Summary: Guusto
Guusto is a rewards app designed for employee recognition and customer loyalty, offering features like gift cards, e-cards, and personalized rewards. It’s commonly used by employers and HR professionals seeking to enhance employee satisfaction and appreciation. Overall, the software facilitates recognition strategies that improve company culture and employee engagement.
Guusto addresses common pain points like the need for effective recognition, engagement, and retention of employees. Its best features are customizable rewards, peer-to-peer recognition, and real-time analytics for tracking rewards. The software also provides a refund option for unclaimed rewards, integrates with Microsoft Teams, and contributes to the One Drop Foundation, supporting clean water initiatives.
Guusto Pros
- Flexibility: Guusto allows recipients to choose their rewards, offering a wide range of options that cater to different preferences.
- User-Friendly: The platform is intuitive and easy to navigate, which simplifies the process of sending and receiving rewards.
- Real-Time Tracking: Administrators can track reward distribution and usage instantly, providing transparency and immediate insights.
Guusto Cons
- Customization Limitations: The platform offers limited options for tailoring the appearance and functionality of rewards to fit specific brand needs.
- Limited Features: Compared to some competitors, Guusto lacks advanced features like detailed analytics and reporting tools.
- No Offline Access: Users need an internet connection to access the platform, which might not be convenient for all employees.
Guusto Expert Opinion
In my opinion, Guusto stands out as a compelling choice for organizations seeking an effective employee recognition platform, particularly for its user-friendly interface and flexible gifting options.
It excels by allowing managers and employees to send gift cards from a wide range of vendors, providing the recipient with the freedom to choose. This flexibility can be a strong differentiator when compared to rigid reward systems in other software. Ultimately, Guusto's pricing is competitive, often appealing to small and medium-sized businesses with budget constraints.
However, it may not offer the extensive integration capabilities seen in larger platforms like Bonusly or WorkTango, which could be a consideration for enterprises with complex HR ecosystems. Despite this, the onboarding process is straightforward, making Guusto accessible for teams with limited technical support. Additionally, their customer support is responsive, enhancing the overall user experience.
Overall, Guusto is well-suited for environments where flexibility in employee appreciation is valued and where ease of use is a priority.
Why Trust Our Software Reviews
We’ve been testing and reviewing employee recognition software since 2019. As HR experts ourselves, we know how critical and difficult it is to make the right decision when selecting software.
We invest in deep research to help our audience make better software purchasing decisions. We’ve tested more than 2,000 tools for different HR management use cases and written over 1,000 comprehensive software reviews. Learn how we stay transparent & our software review methodology.
Are You a Good Fit for Guusto?
Who Would Be a Good Fit for Guusto?
Small to medium-sized companies looking to improve employee engagement and recognition would benefit from using Guusto. The platform offers easy-to-use tools for distributing gift cards and rewards, which can boost morale and foster a positive work culture. As a result, companies that value flexibility and personalization in their recognition programs will find Guusto’s features most appealing.
Who Would Be a Bad Fit for Guusto?
Large enterprises with complex reward systems or a need for extensive customization might find Guusto limiting. The platform focuses on simplicity and ease of use, which might not meet the demands of organizations that require detailed analytics or bespoke reward structures. Therefore, Guusto's feature set may be better suited for straightforward, smaller-scale recognition needs.
Best Use Cases for Guusto
- Small Businesses: Guusto's free plan is ideal for small businesses that want to implement employee recognition without incurring extra costs, offering flexibility and value with no hidden fees.
- Frontline Workers: The platform focuses on rewarding frontline workers, making it a suitable choice for industries like retail and healthcare that rely heavily on such roles.
- Peer Recognition Programs: Guusto supports peer-to-peer recognition, which is beneficial for departments aiming to foster a culture of appreciation and collaboration.
- Budget-Conscious Organizations: With no confusing point systems and dollar-for-dollar value, Guusto provides a cost-effective solution for organizations looking to manage their recognition budgets efficiently.
- Remote Teams: The digital nature of Guusto's rewards allows companies with remote teams to easily recognize and send gifts, supporting morale and engagement across locations.
- Non-Profit Organizations: Guusto's commitment to social impact, along with customizable gift options, makes it a good fit for non-profits looking to recognize volunteers and employees.
Worst Use Cases for Guusto
- Large Enterprises: Large organizations needing extensive integrations and features may find Guusto's offerings limited, as advanced functionalities are often locked behind paid plans.
- Career Development Focused Roles: For roles emphasizing career growth incentives, Guusto's limited selection of incentives may not meet the needs of employees seeking professional development opportunities. (If you're keen on incentives, you may want to review this list of the best employee incentive software next.)
- High-Tech Industries: Companies in tech with complex reward systems may find Guusto's straightforward approach lacking in the customization required for specialized recognition programs.
- Enterprises Needing Global Currency Flexibility: Guusto does not support merging gift cards in different currencies, which can be a drawback for multinational companies.
- Organizations with Existing Extensive Reward Catalogs: Companies that already offer a broad range of rewards may find Guusto's narrower selection insufficient.
- Firms Requiring High Customization: Businesses needing highly tailored employee engagement solutions might find Guusto's standardization limiting in terms of customization.
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Guusto Evaluation Summary
- Core Functionality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Standout Features: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Ease of Use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Onboarding: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Customer Support: ⭐⭐⭐
- Integrations: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Customer Reviews: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Value for Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review Methodology
We’re a team of software experts who obsess about the features and functionality of different platforms. We know how critical—yet difficult and confusing—software selection can be. We test and score software to find the best solutions, whatever the use case may be.
Using our objective, data driven testing methodology, we’ve tested 300+ software. We dedicate ourselves to being objective in fully and fairly testing software, to get beyond the marketing fluff and truly understand the platform.
We’ve developed robust testing scenarios to use the software in the same way you will. We leverage our own first-hand, practical experience of the tools, complemented by interviews with users, experts, and software vendors.
How We Test & Score Employee Recognition Software
We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system for employee recognition software. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection, and what makes employee recognition software effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.
Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across eight criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.
Core Functionality (20% of final scoring)
For employee recognition software, the core functionality we test and evaluate are:
- Recognition Tools: Facilitate easy and various ways to recognize employees.
- Customization: Allow personalized recognition messages and rewards.
- Analytics: Provide insights into recognition patterns and employee engagement.
- Rewards Management: Offer a system to manage and distribute rewards.
- Social Features: Enable sharing of recognition across the organization.
- Integration: Connect with existing HR tools and platforms easily.
Standout Features (20% of final scoring)
We evaluate uncommon, standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality defined and typically found in employee recognition software. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.
Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)
We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the employee recognition software. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.
Onboarding (10% of final scoring)
We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use the employee recognition software with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the software with no experience. High scoring software indicates little or no support is required.
Customer Support (10% of final scoring)
We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Employee recognition software that provides real-time support scores best, while chatbots score worst.
Integrations (10% of final scoring)
We evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Employee recognition software offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.
Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)
Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the employee recognition software again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.
Value for Money (10% of final scoring)
Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry-level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.
Guusto Review
Core Employee Recognition Software Functionality
Gift Card Options: Guusto provides a wide range of gift card options as rewards. Employees can choose from numerous merchants, enhancing the personalization and appeal of the recognition.
No Email Requirement: Employees do not need a company email to receive recognition, making it accessible to all, especially deskless workers. This flexibility helps companies support a more diverse workforce.
Platform Accessibility: Guusto’s platform offers web, mobile app, and print options to ensure inclusivity, allowing even tech-averse employees to receive their rewards without hassle.
No Markup Policy: Guusto operates on a clear financial model with no hidden fees. Users can receive full credit back on unclaimed gifts, and the software also offers a 60-day money back guarantee on subscription fees. This transparency is important for budget-conscious companies.
Unclaimed Gift Return: Guusto’s platform ensures cost-effectiveness in employee recognition programs by crediting back the full value of unclaimed gifts to your account. This feature allows you to cancel unclaimed gifts within one year of the send date, either manually or by setting a claim period when sending gifts.
Guusto Standout Features
Flexible Redemption: Recipients can choose where to redeem their rewards from thousands of merchant locations, including Adidas, Amazon, Ace Hardware, and more. This flexibility stands out as it caters to individual preferences and increases satisfaction.
Social Impact: Guusto distinguishes itself by integrating a social cause into its platform: for every gift sent, the company donates one day of clean drinking water through its partnership with the One Drop Foundation. This initiative adds value beyond the workplace, engaging employees in meaningful ways.
Ease of Use
Guusto is generally considered easy to use compared to other employee recognition software. Its intuitive interface and straightforward processes make it accessible for both managers and employees. The lack of complex features also reduces the learning curve, allowing for quick adoption across all levels of an organization.
Onboarding
New users can expect an easy onboarding process with Guusto. The platform requires minimal training, and its user-friendly design means that employees can start recognizing peers almost immediately. Compared to other software, Guusto's straightforward setup and lack of intricate configurations facilitate a hassle-free implementation.
Customer Support
Guusto offers customer support through email and a help center with FAQs. There is no indication of phone or live chat support. However, Guusto does maintain a status page to inform users about system performance and incidents.
Integrations
Guusto integrates natively with Gusto, HR Partner, Dayforce, Namely, UKG, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Sesame, ADP, and BambooHR.
Additional options are available through an API, allowing for custom integrations. Users seeking more automation can explore connections via Zapier or other apps marketplaces for enhanced functionality.
Value for Money
Guusto is generally considered to have competitive pricing in the employee recognition software market. It offers a range of plans that cater to different needs and budgets, making it a viable option for many organizations.
- Free Plan: From $0/month. This includes a single-user account with unlimited recipients. It’s typically structured as a pay-as-you-go plan where you only pay for the rewards you send.
- Lite Plan: From $40/month. This plan is suitable for a single user and includes basic features, such as bulk upload rewards, detailed reporting, set claim periods, and pre-load recipients.
- Essential Plan: From $120/month (plus $4/seat/month). This plan typically starts with 30 seats and offers everything in the Lite plan, plus automated reward, non-monetary shoutouts, social feeds and TV displays, and Microsoft Teams integration.
- Premium Plan: From $800/month (plus $5/seat/month). This plan begins with 80 seats and offers everything in the Essential plan, plus global rewards, SSO, HRIS integration, proxy capabilities, and advanced reporting.
Product Specifications
| Feature | Guusto |
| Employee Reward Programs | ✅ |
| Peer-to-Peer Recognition | ✅ |
| Ecards | ✅ |
| Recognition Tracking | ✅ |
| Performance Management | ❌ |
| Social Recognition | ✅ |
| Gamification | ❌ |
| Alignment with Company Values | ✅ |
| Team Recognition | ✅ |
| User-Friendly Recognition Process | ✅ |
| Meaningful Rewards | ✅ |
| Customer Support | ✅ |
| Integration with Collaboration Tools | ❌ |
| Employee Engagement Metrics | ✅ |
| Automated Milestone Rewards | ✅ |
| Customizable Branding | ✅ |
| Real-Time Gift Redemption Options | ✅ |
| Mobile App Access | ✅ |
| In-App Support | ✅ |
| Budget Management for Managers | ✅ |
| Taxable Benefits Tracking | ✅ |
| Flexible Redemption Options | ✅ |
| No Confusing Points System | ✅ |
| Non-Monetary Shoutouts | ✅ |
| API/Integrations | ❌ |
Guusto Alternatives
If you’re looking for alternative employee recognition software options to Guusto, here are a few worth checking out:
- Kudos: Focuses on continuous recognition aligned with company values, providing customizable programs and integration with HR systems.
- Nectar HR: Offers a public recognition feed and diverse rewards, with tiered pricing to cater to different organizational needs.
- Bonusly: Emphasizes peer-to-peer recognition and integrates easily with platforms like Slack, making recognition easy and accessible.
- Achievers: Promotes a culture of recognition with customizable rewards and global options, enhancing employee engagement across diverse teams.
Guusto Frequently Asked Questions
What is Guusto?
Guusto is a recognition and rewards platform designed to help organizations appreciate their employees and customers. It allows users to send digital gift cards and rewards without complex point systems. The platform focuses on ensuring that the full value reaches the recipient and supports social causes by contributing clean water with each gift sent.
Is there a mobile app for Guusto?
Yes, Guusto offers a mobile app available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store. The app allows users to send and manage rewards from their mobile devices. It supports a wide range of merchants, making it easy for recipients to choose how they wish to redeem their rewards.
Is Guusto HIPAA compliant?
There is no specific information available regarding Guusto’s HIPAA compliance. HIPAA compliance is typically essential for platforms handling protected health information, but Guusto focuses on employee recognition and rewards, which may not require such compliance.
Is Guusto SOC 2 compliant?
The available information does not confirm Guusto’s SOC 2 compliance. SOC 2 compliance is a standard for data security and privacy for service providers, but further verification from Guusto would be needed to confirm this status.
Is Guusto secure?
Guusto prioritizes security by implementing encryption technology and other security measures to protect user data. Users are encouraged to practice strong password hygiene and use secure environments when accessing the platform to further enhance security.
Is Guusto FedRAMP certified?
Guusto is not listed as FedRAMP certified. FedRAMP certification is specific to cloud services used by U.S. federal agencies, requiring rigorous security assessments. Guusto’s services are more aligned with corporate recognition programs rather than federal cloud services.
Is Guusto GDPR compliant?
Guusto appears to take data privacy seriously, as indicated by its privacy policy. While specific GDPR compliance details are not readily available, the platform’s focus on data protection suggests an alignment with privacy standards, including those required by GDPR.
How can I ensure my data is protected when using Guusto?
Guusto uses standard security protocols such as secure socket layer (SSL) encryption to protect data during transmission. Users should ensure their devices are secure, use strong passwords, and regularly review their privacy settings within the app to maintain data protection.
Guusto Company Overview & History
Guusto is a company based in Vancouver, Canada, founded in 2013 by Joe Facciolo and Skai Dalziel.
The company focuses on employee recognition programs to improve engagement and retention. Their platform enables HR leaders to send digital gifts to employees, contractors, and volunteers, with each gift supporting social causes by providing a day of clean water.
Guusto is recognized as a highly-rated employee recognition platform, boasting over 5,000 five-star reviews across platforms like G2 and Capterra.
Guusto Major Milestones
- 2013: Founded by Joe Facciolo and Skai Dalziel in Vancouver, Canada.
- 2016: The Guusto app took off and early adopters started owning shares in Guusto, making them the first company in Canada to close a round of equity crowdfunding.
- 2019: Company values quickly became the cornerstone of Guusto, with rewards focusing on employees who demonstrated core values.
- 2020: Guusto reached the #1 spot as the highest rated recognition platform on G2, growing over 250%.
- 2022: Company size grew from 15 people to 50, and became fully remote.
Want to learn more about Guusto? Check out their site for additional information.
From $40/month
Free plan + demo available
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