Recognition Software With Charitable Giving (2026): 6 Platforms Compared

The short answer: all six recognition platforms we compared let employees turn their reward points into charitable donations. The differences are in what comes around it.

• Motivosity offers an optional company match.
• Awardco lists more than 1.7 million charities.
• Give River builds giving into the whole program: a Charity Channel where the team picks causes, a cause leaderboard, Charitable Impact Seasons, and volunteer management on its Growth plan. None of the other five lists volunteer management.

Competitor facts come from each vendor's own website and help center, checked on October 4, 2026. "Not listed" means we couldn't find it there, not that it can't exist. We make Give River; sources are at the end.

At a glance

What "charitable giving" can mean in a recognition platform

When you compare platforms, separate four things:

1. Donations: employees redeem their points as a gift to a charity instead of a gift card. Every platform here does this.
2. Matching: the company adds to what employees give. Motivosity lists an optional company match.
3. Causes as a team activity: people choose causes, see what colleagues support, and compete for good. This is where Give River goes furthest.
4. Volunteering: organizing and tracking time given, not just money. Of the six, only Give River lists it.

How giving works in Give River

• Pick your causes: each person chooses causes and charities that matter to them, from the environment and animals to health and education.
• Charity Channel: the team's hub for social impact, showing which causes colleagues support.
• River Rankings: the leaderboard also shows which members and teams are most engaged with charitable causes.
• Donate Drops: employees redeem the Drops they earn as donations to their chosen causes.
• Charitable Impact Seasons: run a 1–3 month Season focused on giving back, with team goals.
• Growth plan: Corporate Social Impact tools, a charitable portfolio, and volunteer management.

The other platforms

Bonusly

• Employees can donate their points to charity.

Motivosity

• Employees can convert rewards into donations, with an optional company match.

Nectar

• Employees can donate their points to charity.

Awardco

• Awardco Giving lets employees donate to more than 1.7 million charities.
• A separate plan recognizes non-employees, with "donors and volunteers" among its examples.

Workhuman

• Employees can donate through its rewards store.

How to choose

1. If you only need donations, any of the six will do; compare them on price and everything else.
2. If you want to match employee gifts, Motivosity lists a company match.
3. If giving is part of your culture (causes the team rallies around, volunteering, impact you can report), look for causes, team goals, and volunteer tracking built in. Give River is built for that.

Frequently asked questions

Which recognition platforms let employees donate rewards to charity?

All six we compared do: Give River, Bonusly, Motivosity, Nectar, Awardco, and Workhuman. Employees can turn the points they earn into charitable donations.

Which recognition platform offers a company donation match?

Motivosity lists an optional company match on employee donations.

Which recognition software includes volunteer management?

Give River includes volunteer management on its Growth plan, along with Corporate Social Impact tools and a charitable portfolio. The other five don't list volunteer management.

Can a team choose the causes it supports?

In Give River, yes. Each person picks causes and charities, the Charity Channel shows what colleagues support, and the River Rankings leaderboard shows who is most engaged with causes.

How much does recognition with charitable giving cost?

Give River starts free, and Core is $5 per user per month, with no hidden upcharges or fees. Volunteer management is on Growth, at up to $9 per user per month. Donations are funded from the rewards budget you set.

Sources

Competitor facts checked on October 4–5, 2026, from each vendor's own website and help center. Give River facts are from our pricing page, facts page, and Help Center.

• Bonusly: rewards
• Motivosity: employee rewards
• Nectar: Recognize and how Nectar points work
• Awardco: Awardco Giving and plans
• Workhuman: rewards