HeyTaco vs. Awardco:
Which Is Right for Your Team in 2026?

Compare pricing, features, and no-minimum access vs. 100+ employee requirements. See why teams choose HeyTaco over Awardco—plus free migration support.

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The Verdict

Choose HeyTaco if you want simple, transparent pricing with no employee minimums.

Choose Awardco if you're an enterprise (100+ employees) needing Amazon rewards integration and complex program types.

Highlights

HeyTaco Wins On:

No minimum requirement, transparent pricing ($3-5/user), 5-minute setup vs 2-8 weeks, and $5K-17K annual savings for SMBs

Awardco Wins On:

Amazon Business integration, multiple program types (spot, service, incentive), and enterprise-scale features

Bottom line: Teams under 500 employees save significantly with HeyTaco's focused approach while avoiding enterprise complexity and 100+ employee minimums.

Quick Comparison: HeyTaco vs. Awardco

This side-by-side comparison breaks down the key features of HeyTaco and Awardco, highlighting how each platform performs in critical areas of employee recognition.

Feature HeyTaco Awardco
Recognition Model Daily taco allowance (5/day) Unlimited recognition with points
Primary Focus Peer-to-peer daily habit Enterprise total rewards platform
Where It Lives Fully native in Slack/Teams Web platform + integrations
Minimum Company Size No minimum (ideal 10-500) 100+ employees typically required
Setup Time 5 minutes 2-8 weeks (enterprise implementation)
Gamification Leaderboards, Tacotars, stickers, levels Social feed, badges, competitions
Reward Catalog 1,000+ gift cards + unlimited custom rewards Millions via Amazon Business partnership
Reward Pricing Dollar-for-dollar (no markups) Zero markups claimed (users report otherwise)
Point Distribution Control Daily limits prevent gaming Unlimited (risk of favoritism)
Multi-Program Support Single focused recognition program Multiple program types (spot, service, incentive)
Pricing Model $3-5/user/month, transparent pricing Custom enterprise pricing (contact sales)
Free Trial 30 days, no card required Demo only
Best For Teams 10-500 wanting daily recognition in chat Enterprise (100+) needing total rewards platform

What Awardco Does Well

Awardco is an enterprise recognition platform. It has real strengths:

Awardco's Strengths

  • Amazon Business partnership: Access to millions of Amazon products for rewards
  • Enterprise-grade capabilities: Built for 100+ employees. Supports service awards, spot recognition, and incentive programs
  • Physical reward cards: Works for deskless and offline employees
  • Extensive customization: Branded swag stores, custom programs, automated service awards
  • Global rewards: Travel booking, charitable donations, multi-currency support
  • Comprehensive reporting: Enterprise analytics for recognition spend and ROI

Where Teams Experience Friction

Many teams find challenges:

  • 100+ employee minimum: Smaller teams can't access the platform
  • Reward markup concerns: Users report rewards cost more than buying direct from Amazon—despite "zero markup" claims
  • Platform complexity: Confusing navigation. Steep learning curve. Requires training
  • Slow implementation: Setup takes 2-8 weeks
  • Hidden pricing: No public pricing. Requires sales calls for quotes
  • Favoritism risk: Unlimited points let employees concentrate recognition on favorites. "Recognition cliques" form

Pricing: HeyTaco vs. Awardco

Here's what each platform costs.

HeyTaco Pricing

HeyTaco Classic Plan: $3/user/month

  • Unlimited recognition sends and receives
  • Public and private leaderboards
  • Custom daily taco limits
  • Custom and collaborative rewards
  • Gamification with stickers, levels, and Tacotars
  • Company/individual insights and tracking
  • Integrations (Slack, Teams)
  • Unlimited teams, channels, and spaces
  • Migration support from other platforms
  • World class customer support
  • Monthly or annual billing
  • Secure login with SSO

HeyTaco Deluxe Plan: $5/user/month

  • Everything in Classic
  • Automated milestone celebrations (birthdays, work anniversaries)
  • Instant gift cards (2,000+ options in 200+ countries)
  • Dedicated account manager to help you customize, optimize, and scale your recognition strategy

No hidden costs:

  • No setup fees
  • No additional transaction fees
  • No per-redemption charges
  • No minimum commitment
  • No minimum company size

Awardco Pricing

Custom Enterprise Pricing (contact sales required)
No public pricing. Based on user reports:

  • Estimated range: $3-8+/user/month depending on company size and features
  • 100+ employee minimum typically required
  • Multiple plan tiers (Starter, Growth, Enterprise)
  • Additional fees for extra program types
  • Implementation and onboarding fees may apply
  • Annual commitment typically required

Additional costs to consider:

  • Reward costs separate from platform fees
  • Users report reward markups despite "zero markup" claims
  • Enterprise implementation support fees
  • Additional program types may require extra fees

Note: Awardco requires contacting sales for specific pricing. Estimates based on user reports and industry benchmarks.


Real Cost Comparison for a 200-person team:

HeyTaco Deluxe:

  • Platform: $1,000/month ($12,000/year)
  • All features: Included
  • Recognition: Unlimited
  • Setup: Free (5 minutes)
  • Total: $12,000/year

Awardco (estimated based on user reports):

  • Platform: ~$1,000-1,600/month ($12,000-19,200/year)
  • Implementation: $5,000-10,000 one-time
  • Reward costs: Additional (with reported markups)
  • Annual commitment: Required
  • Total: $17,000-29,000+/year (first year)

Potential savings with HeyTaco: $5,000-17,000+/year

Real Cost Comparison for a 50-person team:

HeyTaco Deluxe:

  • $250/month = $3,000/year
  • No minimum commitment
  • No minimum company size

Awardco:

  • Typically requires 100+ employees
  • Not accessible for smaller teams

HeyTaco advantage: Accessible for teams of any size with transparent pricing

Detailed Feature
Comparison

Recognition Mechanics: Daily Limits vs. Unlimited

HeyTaco: Daily Taco Allowance

Everyone gets 5 fresh tacos each day.

  • Use them or lose them: Creates daily urgency
  • Prevents favoritism: Can't send all to one person
  • Drives habits: Teams recognize daily
  • Equalizes giving: Everyone gets the same allowance
  • Stays in chat: Send tacos in Slack/Teams

Result: 4x more consistent recognition. No one can monopolize by always rewarding the same friends.

Awardco: Unlimited Recognition with Points

No limits on recognition.

  • No sending limits: Give as much as you want
  • Point-based: Each recognition includes points
  • Multiple programs: Spot, service awards, incentives
  • Platform-centric: Recognition on Awardco platform
  • Risk of gaming: Can concentrate points on favorites

Trade-off: More flexibility, but favoritism is common. HeyTaco sees 67% daily active users. Platform-based tools require visiting a separate system.


Where Recognition Happens

HeyTaco: Lives in Slack/Teams
Recognition stays in your chat.

  • In-channel: Give tacos in any channel
  • In threads: Recognize in conversation context
  • Simple: Type @person :taco: with a reason
  • No switching: Never leave your conversation
  • Visible: Team sees recognition in real-time

Result: Recognition becomes habitual. No separate login or apps.

Awardco: Separate Platform
Recognition happens on a dedicated platform.

  • Web platform: Main interface for recognition
  • Social feed: Recognition appears in a feed
  • Mobile app: Dedicated app for on-the-go
  • Physical cards: For deskless workers
  • Integrations: Slack/Teams notifications

Trade-off: More features, but requires visiting a separate system. Friction reduces spontaneous recognition.


Rewards & Redemption

HeyTaco: Custom + Gift Card

  • Custom rewards: Extra PTO, parking, WFH days (cost $0)
  • 1,000+ gift cards: Global options in Deluxe plan
  • No markups: Dollar-for-dollar value
  • Team rewards: Pool tacos for group rewards
  • Company swag: Add branded merchandise

Key advantage: Non-monetary rewards cost $0 but employees value them highly.

Awardco: Amazon Integration

  • Millions of products: Amazon Business partnership
  • Travel booking: Hotels and experiences
  • Charitable donations: Donate points to causes
  • Swag stores: Branded merchandise
  • Physical/digital cards: Versatile options

Key issue: Users report items cost more than buying direct from Amazon—despite "zero markup" claims.


The Favoritism Problem

HeyTaco: Built-in Fairness

Daily limits prevent gaming.

  • Can't monopolize: 5 tacos/day forces spreading
  • No trading: Can't swap tacos back and forth
  • Visible: Everyone sees who gets recognized
  • Self-regulating: Social pressure prevents abuse

Awardco: Unlimited Model

No limits on distribution.

  • Can concentrate points: Send most to favorites
  • Cliques form: Same people always recognizing each other
  • Feels unfair: Recognition becomes imbalanced
  • Requires monitoring: Admins must watch for abuse

Bottom line: Unlimited points create favoritism. Daily limits solve this by design.

Why Teams Choose HeyTaco Over Awardco

What teams tell us:

"We Don't Need Enterprise Complexity"

Awardco Friction:

  • Over-engineering: Too many program types
  • 100+ employee minimum: Excludes growing teams
  • 2-8 week setup: Delays impact
  • Complex navigation: Requires training
  • Hidden pricing: Lengthy sales process

HeyTaco Solution:

  • One thing done well: Daily peer recognition
  • No minimums: Teams from 10-500+
  • 5-minute setup: Live in minutes
  • Chat-native: Zero training
  • Transparent pricing: $3-5/user


"We Questioned the 'Zero Markup' Claim"

What Awardco users say:

  • "Items cost more than buying from Amazon"
  • "Same item costs less elsewhere"
  • Hidden markup despite "zero markup" marketing

HeyTaco's approach:

  • Non-monetary rewards cost $0
  • Gift cards at face value
  • No hidden fees


"Recognition Needed to Stay in Our Workflow"

Awardco:

  • Visit a separate platform
  • Remember to check the feed
  • Log in separately
  • Changes employee habits

HeyTaco:

  • 100% in Slack/Teams
  • No separate platform
  • Real-time, in context
  • Zero friction


"Daily Limits Beat Unlimited Points"

Awardco:

  • Unlimited sounds appealing
  • Creates favoritism
  • Cliques form
  • Requires monitoring

HeyTaco:

  • Fresh tacos every morning
  • Fairness built in
  • Consistent rhythm
  • No monitoring needed

Real Teams Who Switched

Marketing Agency (75 employees)

The situation: Couldn't meet Awardco's 100-employee minimum. Growing fast. Budget-conscious.

Why HeyTaco:

  • No employee minimum
  • $3/user vs. enterprise quotes
  • 5-minute setup
  • Fits their Slack-first culture

Results (90 days):

  • 77% giving tacos regularly
  • Zero setup delay
  • $4,500/year savings
  • No favoritism issues

"Awardco required 100+ employees. We're 75 people who need recognition now. HeyTaco had no barriers." — Sarah K., Head of People

Frequently Asked Questions: HeyTaco vs. Awardco

How is HeyTaco different from Awardco?

HeyTaco is simple. Awardco is enterprise-complex.

Key differences:

  • HeyTaco: Teams of 10-500. Awardco: 100+ employees required
  • HeyTaco: 5 tacos/day prevents favoritism. Awardco: Unlimited can create cliques
  • HeyTaco: Lives in Slack/Teams. Awardco: Separate platform
  • HeyTaco: $3-5/user transparent. Awardco: Contact sales for quotes
Is HeyTaco cheaper than Awardco?

Yes, often much cheaper.

  • HeyTaco: $3-5/user/month. No minimums. No hidden fees
  • Awardco: Custom pricing (~$3-8+/user + implementation). Requires 100+ employees. Users report markups despite "zero markup" claims

For a 200-person team, HeyTaco saves $5,000-17,000+ per year.

Can teams under 100 employees use Awardco?

Usually no. Awardco requires 100+ employees. Smaller teams can't access it or find it too expensive.

HeyTaco has no minimum. Works for teams from 10-500+.

What about Awardco's Amazon Business partnership?

Awardco offers millions of Amazon products. Great variety.

However, users report items cost more than buying direct from Amazon—despite "zero markup" claims.

HeyTaco's approach: Custom rewards (extra PTO, parking, WFH days) that cost $0, plus 1,000+ gift cards at face value.

Does HeyTaco work for enterprise organizations?

HeyTaco works well for teams up to 500.

Need multiple programs (service awards, spot recognition, incentives)? Awardco may be worth the complexity.

For most teams wanting peer recognition, HeyTaco's simplicity drives better daily engagement.

What about physical recognition cards for deskless workers?

Awardco offers physical cards for deskless and offline employees. Good for frontline workers without computer access.

HeyTaco works best for teams using Slack or Teams. If your team doesn't use chat, consider this.

Can I keep my Awardco recognition history when switching?

Yes. We import your complete history. Points convert to tacos at your preferred ratio. Nothing gets lost.

How long does it take to switch from Awardco to HeyTaco?

Setup takes 5 minutes.

Full migration:

  • Under 50 employees: 1-2 days
  • 50-200 employees: 2-3 days
  • 200-500 employees: 3-5 days

Compare to Awardco's 2-8 week implementation.

Will my team actually use HeyTaco more than Awardco?

Yes. HeyTaco sees 67% daily active users.

Why? Recognition happens in Slack/Teams—where people already work. Platform tools require visiting a separate system, which creates friction.

Daily limits also create consistent habits vs. burst patterns.

What if we need Awardco's service awards automation?

HeyTaco Deluxe ($5/user) includes milestone celebrations for birthdays and work anniversaries. Upload a CSV or have team members opt-in.

Need complex multi-year programs with tiered gifts? Awardco may fit better. But most teams find HeyTaco's automation sufficient and simpler.

Award-Winning Employee Recognition

A G2 Leader in Employee Recognition, helping teams build engagement that actually lasts.

HeyTaco is a leader in Mid-Market Employee Recognition on G2 Users love HeyTaco on G2 HeyTaco is a leader in Employee Recognition on G2

Why Teams Choose HeyTaco

It's simple, but meaningful—being able to give a taco with a quick message of thanks or recognition helps build a stronger, more positive culture without feeling forced.

DeAnna R., QA Manager

I love how HeyTaco encourages peer-to-peer recognition in a lighthearted and engaging way. It has strengthened our team culture and helped everyone feel appreciated.

Daniel Alberto J., Fraud Analyst

It's simple, fast, and creates an instant boost in morale. People love getting acknowledged publicly, and the taco format makes it feel fun rather than forced. It's especially great in remote teams where spontaneous praise is harder to give. It also encourages a culture of gratitude.

Samantha G., Proposal Manager

It is a quick and easy way to show recognition and celebrate teammates. Initially, I thought it might be cheesy, but when you are able to acknowledge more wins throughout the organization, they quickly become meaningful.

Elaina C., Compliance Manager

It's low-effort, high-impact culture-building — and honestly, our Slack would feel weirdly empty without it.

Abhinav P., Solutions Engineering

It's brought us closer together as a team, and that's priceless. It also brings more awareness to what everyone's doing, which is another big plus!

Steven B., QA Automation Engineer

Turn Employee Recognition Into Daily Engagement

Bring more joy, connection, and appreciation to your team. See how a little gratitude can transform your culture in just 30 days.

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Written by Doug Dosberg, Founder of HeyTaco · Last updated February 2026