Bonusly may suit you better if
- You mainly want points with a large rewards catalog.
- You need native mobile apps or automatic HRIS provisioning today.
Comparison
MeritForge vs Bonusly
Both make peer recognition easy. Bonusly is built around points and a rewards catalog. MeritForge adds forged badges, titles and a profile people are proud of, plus a full Growth module for check-ins, 1:1s, objectives and career paths.
Choose by what you want recognition to lead to: a points balance to spend, or a lasting record of what people are known for and how they grow.
| Topic | Bonusly | MeritForge |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | A free plan for small teams. | The first 10 seats are free in every package, including Growth. |
| Pricing model | Per-user plans, with some features in higher plans or add-ons. | One price per seat for each module, with everything in that module included. See our pricing page. |
| How recognition works | Points that people redeem for rewards. | Sparks for everyday thanks, forged badges and titles for big moments, the Great Hall feed and each person's Armory profile. |
| Real-world rewards | Paid separately from the subscription when people redeem them. | Also separate from the subscription, with budgets and approval rules you set. |
| AI | Its own AI assistant, offered as an add-on. | Connect ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini at no extra cost. Nothing is saved until the person approves it. |
| Single Sign-On | Available in its top plan. | Included in every package. |
| Growth and performance | Some growth features, such as 1:1s and pulse checks, alongside recognition. | A full Growth module: check-ins with obstacles, 1:1s, feedback, pulses with actions, OKRs, career paths, readiness reviews and the Growth Record. |
| Integrations | Slack, Microsoft Teams, HRIS integrations, mobile apps. | Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, AI assistants and XLS/CSV imports. |
| Languages and hosting | See its website. | English and Spanish. Core infrastructure hosted in Europe, designed for the GDPR. |
What we say about Bonusly comes from its public website, checked in October 2026. Products change; for its current plans and prices, see Bonusly's website.
MeritForge may suit you better if
- You want recognition people remember: badges, titles and a profile, not just a balance.
- You want check-ins, 1:1s, objectives and career paths in the same place as recognition.
- You want SSO and AI assistants without upgrading or paying for add-ons.
- Your team works in Spanish, or you prefer European hosting.
Moving from Bonusly
- Import your people, teams and managers from XLS or CSV.
- Set monthly Spark allowances and your company values, then create your first forged badges.
- Connect Slack, Microsoft Teams or Jira so recognition happens where people already work.
- Add Growth when you're ready: the first 10 seats are free.