Workmates vs. Staffbase: The better way to drive employee engagement
Both Workmates and Staffbase aim to improve internal communication and company culture, but they cater to different audiences and offer very different value. While Staffbase focuses on large enterprises with deep pockets and lengthy implementation cycles, Workmates is built for fast-moving organizations that need all-in-one engagement without enterprise bloat or hidden costs.

"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 Staffbase
You get an end-to-end HR solution plus built-in engagement —one platform, one price, zero surprises.
Feature comparison: Workmates vs. Staffbase
A head-to-head look at core HR features, support, and pricing —see why Workmates delivers more value than Staffbase, every time.
Feature / Benefit | Workmates | Workmates | Staffbase | Staffbase | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
News & Announcements |
|
Targeted updates, social reactions, and feeds |
|
Powerful CMS for top-down comms |
||
Advocacy & Content Sharing |
|
Native employee advocacy tools |
|
No formal advocacy functionality |
||
Digital Signage |
|
Instantly broadcast updates to office screens company‑wide |
|
Only available as an add-on |
||
Ghostwriting |
|
Publish content for leaders to ensure consistent messaging |
|
Limited in lower tiers |
||
Employee Recognition |
|
Peer-to-peer kudos, shoutouts, badges |
|
Only available as an add-on |
||
Surveys & Polls |
|
Built-in pulse surveys, eNPS, feedback forms |
|
Pulse and questionnaire surveys |
||
Intranet / Document Sharing |
|
Announcement posts, file sharing included |
|
Strong CMS and native intranet features |
||
Org-Wide Chat |
|
Native 1:1 and group chat |
|
Native 1:1 and group chat |
||
Employee Directory & Org Chart |
|
Visual, searchable, always up to date |
|
Requires HRIS sync or separate integration |
||
Mobile App |
|
Responsive web + app experience |
|
Branded mobile app available |
||
Implementation Time |
|
Live in days |
|
Multi-week or multi-month deployment is typical |
||
Pricing Model |
|
Flat rate for full access |
|
Custom pricing, add-on heavy |
What customers are saying
Workmates users:
“We deployed Workmates in under a week—it was seamless.”
“Recognition, chat, and org directory in one platform saved us serious tool fatigue.”
“Employees love the simplicity. It replaced 3 tools for us without any cost increase.”
Staffbase users (G2, Capterra):
“Great for top-down communication, but less strong on interaction or feedback.”
“We had to purchase add-ons to enable basic features like recognition.”
“Setup took longer than expected and involved several stakeholders and consultants.”
Final verdict: Workmates = simpler, faster, more inclusive
Staffbase excels at broadcasting communications to large workforces, but without pricey add‑ons it lacks flexibility, native chat, and the peer‑driven culture tools today’s teams expect.
Workmates gives you a true employee engagement platform from day one with recognition, chat, org charts, onboarding, and more, all built in. It is faster to launch, easier to manage, and far more predictable in cost, delivering more value in less time.

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.
Learn More
HR Cloud reduced Behavioral Progression's therapist onboarding time by 50%, from 4 weeks to 2.5 weeks.
Learn More

Ready to unify culture and comms?
Ready to see it in action? Dive into a live demo or watch at your own pace - whichever fits your style!