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

Compare pricing, features, and real migration stories. See why 200+ teams switched and saved $4,800-8,400/year.

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The Verdict

Choose HeyTaco if you want daily recognition habits that stick and native Slack/Teams integration.

Choose Bonusly if you need extensive HRIS integrations and prefer monthly point allowances.

Highlights

HeyTaco Wins On:

Daily engagement (67% vs 34% active users), pricing ($3-5 vs $5-7/user), gamification, and chat-native experience

Bonusly Wins On:

HRIS integrations (20+), established brand recognition, and larger catalog of pre-built automations

Bottom line: Teams switching from Bonusly to HeyTaco report 2x higher daily engagement and save $4,800-8,400 annually for a 100-person team.

Quick Comparison: HeyTaco vs. Bonusly

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

Feature HeyTaco Bonusly
Recognition Model Daily taco allowance (5/day) Monthly point allowance
Primary Focus Peer-to-peer daily habit Peer recognition + micro-bonuses
Where It Lives Fully native in Slack/Teams Bot integration + separate platform
Setup Time 5 minutes 15-30 minutes
Gamification Leaderboards, Tacotars, stickers, levels Basic leaderboards, simple badges
Custom Rewards 1,000+ gift cards + unlimited non-monetary 1,000+ gift cards
Company Values Tagging Tag recognition with values Tag recognition with values
Point Expiration Never expire Varies by plan (typically 1 year)
Public Leaderboards Multiple views Single views
Analytics Dashboards Recognition patterns Advanced analytics (Pro+ plans)
Free Trial 30 days, no card required 14 days
Migration Support Free for all teams Not offered
Best For Teams 10-500 wanting daily recognition habit in chat Teams wanting extensive HRIS integration & gift card variety

What Bonusly Does Well

Before diving into differences, let's acknowledge what Bonusly does right. Bonusly is an established employee recognition platform with real strengths:

Bonusly's Strengths

Extensive gift card marketplace: Over 1,000 reward options including major brands like Amazon, Starbucks, Target, and international options. If variety in gift card selection is your top priority, Bonusly's catalog is hard to beat.

Strong HRIS integrations: Bonusly connects with 20+ HR systems including BambooHR, Workday, ADP, Gusto, and more. These integrations automate user provisioning and sync employee data seamlessly.

Performance review integration: Recognition messages can surface in 1:1 meetings and performance discussions, helping managers reference specific examples of employee contributions.

Established track record: Founded in 2013, Bonusly has served thousands of companies and refined their platform over a decade. They're a proven solution with strong customer support.

Flexible point distribution: Monthly allowances let employees choose how much recognition to give each person, offering more flexibility than fixed daily amounts.

Analytics depth: On Pro and Custom plans, Bonusly provides detailed analytics including recognition trends, participation rates, and correlation with engagement scores.


Where Teams Experience Friction with Bonusly

Despite these strengths, many teams find challenges:

Monthly allowances create inconsistent behavior: Recognition spikes at the end of the month when people remember to use their points, then drops off. This creates a "boom and bust" cycle instead of daily appreciation habits.

Platform switching breaks workflow: Most recognition actions require visiting the Bonusly platform or opening a separate interface. This friction reduces spontaneous recognition compared to tools that live entirely in chat.

Tiered pricing limits access:> Core plan ($2/user) lacks many features teams want. Pro plan ($5/user) is required for advanced analytics, custom rewards, and integrations. Custom plan pricing varies but typically starts at $7/user.

Transaction-focused feel: The points economy, while flexible, can feel transactional. Some teams report it creates a "mini currency system" that feels less authentic than simple appreciation.

Administrative overhead: Managing point budgets, monitoring redemptions, and configuring reward catalogs requires ongoing admin attention, especially at scale.

Pricing: HeyTaco vs. Bonusly

Knowing the true cost difference helps you make a smarter decision when evaluating platforms.

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

Bonusly Pricing

Core Plan: $2/user/month

  • Basic peer-to-peer recognition
  • Limited rewards catalog
  • Basic reporting
  • Standard integrations
  • Monthly allowance: Limited

Pro Plan: $5/user/month (Most Popular)

  • Everything in Core
  • Advanced analytics
  • Custom rewards
  • Performance review integration
  • API access
  • Priority support
  • Higher monthly allowances

Custom Plan: $7+/user/month

  • Everything in Pro
  • Dedicated account manager
  • Custom integrations
  • Advanced security features
  • Unlimited allowances
  • Custom contract terms

Additional costs to consider:

  • Point budgets are separate from platform fees
  • Some reward redemptions have transaction fees
  • Gift card markups vary by provider

Real Cost Comparison

For a 100-person team:

HeyTaco Deluxe:

  • Platform: $500/month
  • All features: Included
  • Recognition: Unlimited
  • Total: $6,000/year

Bonusly Pro (needed for full features):

  • Platform: $500/month
  • Point budget: $200-500/month additional
  • Transaction fees: Varies
  • Total: $8,400-12,000/year

Savings with HeyTaco: $4,800-8,400/year

For a 50-person team:

HeyTaco Deluxe:

  • $250/month = $3,000/year

Bonusly Pro:

  • Platform: $250/month
  • Point budget: $100-250/month
  • Total: $4,200-6,000/year

Savings with HeyTaco: $1,200-3,000/year

FOR 100-PERSON TEAM

Bonusly Pro:
  • Platform: $6,000/year
  • Point Budget: $2,400-6,000
  • Transaction Fees: Varies
  • = $8,400-12,000/year
HeyTaco Deluxe:
  • Platform: $6,000/year
  • All Included
  • No Extra Costs
  • = $6,000/year

💰 SAVE $2,400-6,000/YEAR

Detailed Feature
Comparison

Recognition Mechanics: Daily vs. Monthly

HeyTaco: Daily Taco Allowance

Every person gets a fresh taco allowance each day (typically 5 tacos). Key dynamics:

  • Use them or lose them: Creates daily urgency to recognize someone
  • Prevents hoarding: Can't save up tacos for months
  • Drives habits: Teams develop daily recognition routines
  • Equalizes giving: Everyone has the same allowance, preventing wealth concentration
  • Stays in chat: Send tacos directly in Slack/Teams conversations

Why this works: Daily limits drive 4x more consistent recognition than monthly systems. Instead of "I should recognize someone this month," people think "who deserves a taco today?"

Bonusly: Monthly Point Allowance

Each person receives a monthly point budget (amount varies by plan). Key dynamics:

  • Flexible distribution: Give 5 points or 50 points per recognition
  • Monthly refresh: Budget resets at the start of each month
  • Can save: Some plans allow carrying points over
  • Platform-centric: Most recognition happens in Bonusly interface
  • End-of-month rushes: Recognition spikes when people remember to use points

Trade-off: More flexibility in amounts, but creates inconsistent cadence. Teams report 34% monthly active users vs. HeyTaco's 67% daily active users. (based on industry averages for monthly point systems)


Where Recognition Happens

HeyTaco: Fully Native Chat Experience

Recognition lives entirely in your team's communication flow:

  • In-channel recognition: Give tacos in any Slack channel or Teams chat
  • Thread recognition: Recognize someone in conversation context
  • Emoji-simple: Just type @person deserves a taco for [reason] :taco:
  • No context switching: Never leave your conversation
  • Visible celebrations: Team sees recognition happen in real-time

Result: Recognition becomes habitual because it's effortless. No separate login, no switching apps.

Bonusly: Bot + Platform Hybrid

Recognition can happen multiple ways:

  • Slack/Teams bot: Use bot commands to give bonuses
  • Bonusly platform: Visit web interface for browsing, redemption
  • Mobile app: Dedicated Bonusly app for on-the-go recognition
  • Email: Can recognize via email in some cases

Trade-off: More options, but more friction. Each method requires learning different commands or interfaces. Most robust features require visiting the platform.


Gamification & Engagement

HeyTaco: Visual & Social Gamification

  • Leaderboards: Multiple views (top givers, top receivers, team rankings)
  • Tacotars: Customizable avatars that level up with activity
  • Stickers: Collectible badges for achievements
  • Levels: Users progress through levels as they give/receive tacos
  • Visible counts: Taco totals display in user profiles
  • Achievement celebrations: Automated announcements for milestones

Why it matters: Gamification drives 2-3x higher engagement. People love earning levels, customizing avatars, and seeing their name on leaderboards.

Bonusly: Streamlined Gamification

  • Recognition feed: Social-style feed of recent recognition
  • Leaderboard: Single view of top recognizers
  • Badges: Simple badge system for milestones
  • Point displays: Running point totals
  • Hashtags: Can tag recognition with categories

Difference: Bonusly keeps gamification minimal to maintain professional feel. HeyTaco embraces playfulness as engagement driver.


Rewards & Redemption

HeyTaco: Custom + Marketplace

Reward types:

  • Custom company rewards: Extra PTO day, premium parking, lunch with CEO, WFH Friday, early leave, team dinner
  • 1,000+ gift cards: Amazon, Starbucks, Target, restaurants, entertainment
  • Charitable donations: Give to favorite causes
  • Experience rewards: Concert tickets, classes, activities
  • Team rewards: Group lunches, outings, celebrations

Key advantage: Non-monetary rewards cost nothing but mean everything. A "work from home Friday" costs $0 but employees love it. This lets you create meaningful recognition without massive reward budgets.

Bonusly: Gift Card Marketplace

Reward types:

  • 1,000+ gift cards: Amazon, Starbucks, Target, restaurants, entertainment
  • International options: Rewards in 90+ countries
  • Cash equivalent: Some plans allow cash-out via PayPal, direct deposit
  • Charitable donations: Give to non-profits
  • Company swag: If configured by admin
  • Custom rewards: Available on Custom plan

Key advantage: Massive variety means everyone finds something they want. No need to manage fulfillment—Bonusly handles digital delivery.

Why Teams Switch from Bonusly to HeyTaco

Based on conversations with 200+ teams who migrated from Bonusly:

"Recognition Actually Became a Daily Habit"

The Problem with Monthly Allowances:

Teams using Bonusly's monthly point system report a consistent pattern:

  • Week 1: Little recognition (people forget)
  • Week 2-3: Moderate recognition (occasional reminders)
  • Week 4: Recognition surge (use-it-or-lose-it panic)

Result: 34% average monthly active users

The HeyTaco Difference:

Daily taco allowances reset every 24 hours:

  • Morning routine: Check who helped yesterday, send tacos
  • Real-time recognition: See great work, send taco immediately
  • End-of-day reflection: Use remaining tacos before they refresh

Result: 67% daily active users (2x higher engagement)

"With Bonusly, we'd see recognition cluster at month-end when people realized 'oh crap, I have 100 points to give.' With HeyTaco's daily tacos, recognition is constant. It's genuinely changed our culture." — Sarah P., Head of People, Tech Startup (85 employees)



"It Stopped Feeling Like Work"

The Friction Problem:

Bonusly requires multiple steps for most actions:

  • Remember to give recognition
  • Open Bonusly (separate from your workflow)
  • Find the person
  • Write message
  • Decide how many points to give
  • Submit

HeyTaco's Simplicity:

Recognition in Slack:

  • See great work in channel
  • Type: @person :taco: for solving that bug!
  • Done

"Bonusly felt like homework. HeyTaco feels like celebration. The difference in adoption was immediate and dramatic." — James R., Engineering Manager, SaaS Company (120 employees)



"We Cut Our Recognition
Budget in Half"

The True Cost of Bonusly:

Many teams don't realize total cost until they're deep in:

  • Platform fees ($5-7/user on Pro/Custom plans)
  • Point budgets (separate from platform cost)
  • Transaction fees on some redemptions
  • Hidden costs in admin time managing the system

Real example from a 100-person company:

  • Bonusly Pro: $6,000/year platform
  • Point budget: $6,000/year
  • Admin time: ~5 hours/month managing budgets, approvals, etc.
  • Total cost: $12,000+ annually

After switching to HeyTaco:

  • Platform: $6,000/year (HeyTaco Deluxe)
  • Custom rewards: $2,000/year (PTO days, parking, team events)
  • Admin time: ~30 minutes/month (minimal maintenance)
  • Total cost: $8,000 annually
  • Savings: $4,000/year (33% reduction)

"We were paying Bonusly $12K+ annually and our engagement was still mediocre. HeyTaco costs us less than half that and engagement skyrocketed. The ROI is undeniable." — Mike L., COO, Marketing Agency (120 employees)



"The Chat Integration Is
Actually Native"

Bonusly's Bot Limitations:

Bonusly's Slack/Teams integration works via bot commands:

  • Must @mention the bot
  • Use specific command syntax
  • Recognition opens in modal/sidebar
  • Reward browsing requires visiting website
  • Key features only available on platform

HeyTaco's True Native Experience:

  • No bot @mentions needed (though you can)
  • Natural language: "great job @person :taco:"
  • Recognition appears inline in conversation
  • Leaderboards viewable via slash commands

"With Bonusly, you had to remember weird bot commands. With HeyTaco, you just... send a taco emoji. My grandmother could figure it out." — Nick B., VP HR, Remote

Real Teams Who Switched from Bonusly

Case Study: SaaS Company
(150 employees)

Background:

  • Used Bonusly for 18 months
  • $750/month platform cost (Pro plan)
  • Additional $400/month point budget
  • 28% monthly active users

Why they switched:

  • Low engagement despite good intentions
  • Team found points system felt transactional
  • Admin overhead managing budgets
  • CEO wanted more spontaneous recognition

Results after 90 days with HeyTaco:

  • 67% daily active users (up from 28% monthly)
  • 4x more recognition messages sent per week
  • $4,800/year cost savings (42% reduction)
  • Employee satisfaction +23 points in next survey
  • Zero admin time managing point budgets

"The difference was immediate. First week with HeyTaco, we saw more recognition than our best month with Bonusly. The daily taco limit creates this gentle urgency that monthly points never did." — Sarah P., Head of People



Case Study: Creative Agency
(45 employees)

Background:

  • Tried Bonusly for 6 months
  • Struggled with adoption
  • Only 8-12 people actively using it
  • Recognition clustered at month-end

Why they switched:

  • Too complex for small team
  • People forgot to use monthly allowances
  • Wanted something more fun and visual
  • Needed better Slack integration

Results after 60 days with HeyTaco:

  • 38 of 45 employees actively giving tacos (84%)
  • Recognition culture completely transformed
  • Team morale visibly improved (per leadership)
  • Fun factor high - people love Tacotars and stickers

"Bonusly was too serious and complex for us. HeyTaco matched our creative, playful culture. The gamification and visual elements made recognition feel fun instead of formal." — Emma T., Creative Director



Case Study: Remote Tech Company (200 employees)

Background:

  • Global team across 12 time zones
  • Used Bonusly for 2+ years
  • Decent engagement but plateauing
  • High costs on Custom plan

Why they switched:

  • Wanted daily recognition habit
  • Needed better Slack presence (where team lives)
  • Cost reduction priority
  • Simpler admin experience

Results after 6 months with HeyTaco:

  • Recognition frequency up 180%
  • Cross-timezone recognition improved (daily refresh helps)
  • $14,000/year savings vs. Bonusly Custom
  • Admin time reduced 80% (no budget management)
  • Higher NPS scores from employees

"For a distributed team, daily tacos work better than monthly points. Time zones don't matter—everyone wakes up to fresh tacos. It's been incredible for building connections across our global team." — David K., VP People Ops

Frequently Asked Questions: HeyTaco vs. Bonusly

How is HeyTaco different from Bonusly?

The core difference is daily taco allowances vs. monthly point allowances. HeyTaco gives everyone a fresh allowance each day (typically 5 tacos) that resets after 24 hours. This creates daily engagement habits rather than monthly bursts. Additionally, HeyTaco operates entirely within Slack/Teams as a native experience, while Bonusly uses a bot integration that directs you to their platform for many features. Beyond mechanics, HeyTaco focuses on fun and playfulness with gamification (Tacotars, stickers, levels), while Bonusly maintains a more professional, corporate feel.

Does HeyTaco work with the same reward options as Bonusly?

Yes and no. Bonusly offers 1,000+ gift card options through their marketplace, which is excellent for variety. HeyTaco offers 1,000+ gift card options too, but our key differentiator is custom non-monetary rewards. With HeyTaco, you can create rewards like extra PTO days, premium parking spots, lunch with the CEO, work-from-home Fridays, and early leave passes that cost you nothing but mean everything to employees.

How does HeyTaco's reward catalog compare to Bonusly's?

Bonusly offers 1,000+ gift cards through their marketplace. HeyTaco offers similar gift card options BUT also enables non-monetary rewards (extra PTO, parking spots, lunch with CEO) that cost you nothing but mean everything to employees. This flexibility reduces your reward budget significantly.

Can I keep my Bonusly recognition history when switching?

Yes. We import your complete Bonusly point history totals converting the data into taco format.

What happens to unused Bonusly points when we switch?

We convert them to tacos at a ratio you determine based on your reward values. For example, if someone has 500 Bonusly points worth $50 in your system, and you want to maintain $1 per taco, we'd credit them 50 tacos. You have complete control over the conversion ratio to maintain fairness.

Is HeyTaco cheaper than Bonusly?

For teams needing full features, yes. HeyTaco Classic ($3/user) includes everything most teams need. Bonusly requires their Pro plan ($5/user) plus separate point budgets for comparable functionality. For a 100-person team, this typically saves $4,800-8,400 annually.

Will my team actually use HeyTaco more than Bonusly?

Based on teams who switched: yes. Bonusly averages 34% monthly active users, while HeyTaco sees 67% daily active users. The daily taco allowance creates consistent habits vs. monthly allowances that get forgotten until month-end.

What if we have custom Bonusly integrations?

Let's discuss your specific needs. While HeyTaco doesn't have 20+ HRIS integrations like Bonusly, we have API access and can work with you on critical connections. Many teams find that deep Slack/Teams integration reduces the need for complex HRIS sync.

Can we run both systems during transition?

Yes, and we recommend it. Most teams run both platforms for 1-2 weeks during migration. This gives everyone time to adjust, reduces anxiety about switching, and ensures no recognition gaps. Once people try HeyTaco, adoption is typically organic.

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

Technical setup takes 5 minutes to install HeyTaco in Slack/Teams. Full migration with data import takes 1-2 days for small teams (under 50), 2-3 days for medium teams (50-200), and 3-5 days for large teams (200+). We recommend running both systems in parallel for 1-2 weeks so your team can adjust gradually.

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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