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Workmates vs. Firstup: Simplifying employee engagement at scale
Workmates and Firstup both target companies looking to improve internal communication and employee connection. But where Firstup aims to serve very large enterprises through complex comms orchestration, Workmates empowers organizations of all sizes to engage, recognize, and connect employees in one streamlined platform. Here’s how they compare across key areas.
"Workmates communication app provided a more extensive list of features we were looking for including a recognition component that would allow for peer to peer recognition across the company.
Danielle Nickerson | Human Resources Specialist
Powering the world’s best companies
Why companies choose Workmates over Firstup
You get an end-to-end HR solution plus built-in engagement —one platform, one price, zero surprises.
All-in-one experience recognition, chat, surveys, org directory—all included
No-code, plug-and-play launch —no consultants or technical setup
Transparent flat-rate pricing —no user caps or surprise feature gating
Native chat and kudos —not reliant on external messaging apps
Feature Comparison: Workmates vs. Firstup
A head-to-head look at core HR features, support, and pricing —see why Workmates delivers more value than Firstup, every time.
| Feature / Benefit | Workmates | Workmates | Firstup | Firstup | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| News & Announcements |
|
Social feed, updates, reactions, targeting |
|
Strong campaign scheduling and targeting |
||
| Employee Recognition |
|
Peer-to-peer kudos, badges, leaderboard |
|
Add-on depending on plan |
||
| Surveys & eNPS |
|
Built-in pulse surveys, analytics |
|
Pulse surveys with campaign automation |
||
| 1:1 & Group Chat |
|
Native messaging + notifications |
|
Not available; relies on email or Slack integrations |
||
| Org Chart & Directory |
|
Included and synced with HRIS |
|
Not always included; varies by client setup |
||
| Mobile Experience |
|
App and responsive web |
|
Mobile-first platform |
||
| Intranet / File Sharing |
|
Document posts and updates built-in |
|
Content delivery focused |
||
| Implementation Time |
|
Deploy in days |
|
Weeks/months with integrations & onboarding |
||
| Pricing Transparency |
|
Flat-rate for all features |
|
Custom quotes; features tiered |
What customers are saying
Workmates Users:
“The ability to post, chat, survey, and recognize in one app is what sold us.”
“Fastest implementation we’ve ever had—zero IT required.”
“It’s simple, powerful, and doesn’t nickel-and-dime us for every module.”
Firstup Users (G2, TrustRadius):
“Excellent for content delivery, but we still had to use Slack for real conversations.”
“Powerful, but the setup was more involved than expected.”
“Recognition and social features are basic unless you pay more.”
Final verdict: Firstup is a publisher—Workmates is a platform
Firstup is ideal if your organization needs a broadcast tool for top-down content at massive scale. But if you want to build community, drive recognition, and foster two-way communication, Workmates gives you a full platform—without the cost or complexity.
It’s everything you need for employee engagement, minus everything you don’t.
Organizations using HR Cloud achieve greater success
Discover how organizations like yours are transforming their businesses with HR Cloud. Learn more about how we’re helping our clients improve efficiency, productivity, and business results.
Toyota increased employee engagement through peer recognition and customizable features.
Learn More
Osmose reduced paperwork delays and improved data accuracy by 24% within three months.
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HR Cloud reduced Behavioral Progression's therapist onboarding time by 50%, from 4 weeks to 2.5 weeks.
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Ready to rethink internal engagement?
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