Best Employee Engagement Software of 2026

Here's what we'll cover:

What you need to know about employee engagement software

What is employee engagement software?

Essential features of employee engagement software

Benefits and competitive advantages of using employee engagement software

How to choose the best employee engagement software

Software related to employee engagement

More resources for your employee engagement journey

What you need to know about employee engagement software

Employee engagement tools are software solutions designed to help HR professionals and team leaders improve employee satisfaction, motivation, and overall commitment. They provide a variety of features that facilitate communication, feedback, recognition, and development, alongside analytics and reporting capabilities allowing to track progress and measure the impact of engagement initiatives.

To provide an overview of the market, we have almost 800 different employee management vendors on our site, and we've published more than 10,000 verified reviews for employee management products in the past year alone. For businesses seeking solutions to identify and address challenges and opportunities in their engagement strategies, the key decision isn't whether to use an engagement software tool, but which system best meets their specific needs.

When exploring the landscape of employee engagement products, it's important to note that most options are structured on a “per-month” pricing model. Entry-level pricing plans average $22 per month, providing core functionalities suitable for businesses operating with limited budgets. For expanding businesses requiring enhanced features, premium plans typically offer a more comprehensive suite of capabilities, averaging $54 per month. Larger, more established businesses with sophisticated requirements will generally benefit from advanced plans beginning at over $95 per month. [1]

First-time buyers should be aware that the final price may differ depending on several factors, including the chosen billing frequency (monthly or annual), the number of users requiring access, and any additional HR features offered by the system, such as payroll or time tracking integration. 

Collaborate with stakeholders to develop a list of critical questions to guide your evaluation process, such as:

• What methods does the platform employ for collecting user feedback (e.g., surveys, polls, open-ended feedback forms)?

• What specific reports does the system generate that are relevant to analyzing individual employee engagement trends?

• What specific features does your software offer to directly address and improve employee engagement (e.g., recognition programs, feedback mechanisms, communication tools)?

• How does the platform support performance reviews, goal setting, and continuous feedback?

Choosing the right employee engagement solution can be challenging given the many vendors available. This guide clarifies the features and benefits of employee engagement software, providing step-by-step guidance for making the best choice for your organization. You’ll also get analyst tips and advice, including insights from New York Times bestselling author and career expert, Dan Schawbel.

Reach out to schedule a consultation with any of our advisors.

What is employee engagement software?

Employee engagement platforms help organizations foster, monitor, measure, and understand workforce engagement. These tools typically include features to improve internal communications, gauge employee sentiment, shape the employee experience, recognize achievements, and promote work-life balance. For employees, engagement tools foster a stronger connection to the organization and alignment with business goals. They also empower employees with autonomy and flexibility, promoting better collaboration and communication. For HR and team leaders, these platforms centralize crucial information, providing actionable insights from real-time feedback, such as sentiment changes related to specific events or the effectiveness of internal communications.

Essential features of employee engagement software

When evaluating employee engagement software, it's crucial to understand the core features typically offered, such as feedback management and reporting/analytics. Additional features include employee recognition tools, performance management, or surveys and feedback. Through our analysis of user reviews and direct engagement with employee engagement software providers, we have identified several common features that enhance these core functionalities. [3]

Core employee engagement software features

Common employee engagement software features

Benefits and competitive advantages of using employee engagement software

Our analysis of over 1,784 user reviews from the past year shows that employee recognition, performance improvement, and employee communication and support for learning and training initiatives are the top-rated benefits of employee engagement software.

• Employee recognition: Employee engagement software fosters a culture of recognition by providing tools that enable both managers and employees to show appreciation. Manager-led recognition tools enable managers to publicly or privately acknowledge employee achievements, milestones, and contributions, while integrated reward systems and peer-to-peer recognition programs help employees to easily recognize and appreciate the contributions of their colleagues.  

• Performance management: Employee engagement software can aid in performance management by enhancing feedback mechanisms, and facilitating performance tracking. With capabilities such as data-driven performance metrics, 360-degree feedback, and peer review tools, HR and team leaders can gain a comprehensive understanding of employee performance, pinpoint areas for improvement, and make informed decisions about talent development and succession planning.

• Internal communication: Employee engagement tools typically include instant messaging, group chats, and direct messaging options that facilitate real-time conversations and streamlined information sharing among teams. Additionally, these tools enhance communication by offering a platform for employees to express their views while allowing management to provide feedback and address any concerns raised.

• Learning and training initiatives: Employee engagement software supports learning and training initiatives by providing a platform for accessing learning resources, tracking progress, and recognizing learning achievements. Some platforms include features that encourage knowledge sharing among employees, such as forums, discussion boards, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities, while also enabling personalized learning paths based on individual needs and goals.  

How to choose the best employee engagement software

Step 1: Define your requirements

A successful employee engagement software selection begins with a thorough assessment of your specific needs. This requires defining key factors like user count, necessary integrations with existing HR technology, and how the software aligns with your goals and can be customized to address your unique challenges. The chosen solution must also be scalable to accommodate future growth and evolving needs. By carefully considering these factors alongside budget constraints and training assistance, organizations can select employee engagement software that not only meets their functional needs but also provides the necessary support to ensure successful implementation and maximize its long-term value.

What is the cost of employee engagement software?

Several factors influence the pricing of employee engagement software, including the number of users, the specific features required, and the level of customization needed. Our analysis suggests that entry-level plans generally range from $22 per month, while premium plans are available for an average of $54 per month. Advanced plans, catering to the needs of organizations with more complex requirements, generally start at over $95 per month.

Identifying hidden costs when purchasing new employee engagement software is also crucial for avoiding budget overruns and ensuring that the total cost of ownership aligns with the organization's financial expectations. It's important to clarify potential hidden costs with vendors, such as maintenance, training, and upgrades, as these are often overlooked aspects of the overall implementation costs. By addressing these factors upfront, organizations can make more informed decisions and better manage their budgets.

Integration considerations for employee engagement software

Seamless integration between employee engagement software and other HR systems, such as payroll, core HR, and performance management, is crucial for optimizing efficiency and data accuracy. By eliminating redundant data entry and automating workflows, these integrations streamline HR processes, improve decision-making, and enhance the overall employee experience. Common must-have integrations for employee engagement software encompass: 

• Payroll software: Payroll software simplifies payroll management by automating wage calculations, deduction management, and tax compliance. Integrating this with employee engagement software can contribute to minimizing errors and inconsistencies, streamlining operations, and aligning financial incentives with employee engagement initiatives.

• Human resources software: Human resources software automates HR tasks like recruitment, onboarding, or employee data management. Integrating it with employee engagement software allows HR to combine data from various sources, providing valuable insights into employee sentiment and enabling data-driven decisions to improve engagement and retention.

• Performance software: Performance software is a system used to track, manage, and evaluate employee performance. This can include setting goals, providing feedback, conducting performance reviews, and tracking employee development. Through the integration of these systems, organizations can merge performance data with insights into engagement levels, thereby achieving a more comprehensive understanding of both individual and team contributions.

Be aware of potential drawbacks

Although employee engagement software provides many advantages, it also comes with potential challenges for businesses. Sentiment analysis conducted on 1,784 verified user reviews over the past year has helped us to identify the following:  

• Email notifications:  Excessive email notifications can overwhelm employees, causing them to disregard crucial messages and potentially diminish engagement. When configuring automated notifications, focus on delivering valuable, relevant, and timely information through your employee engagement software. Leverage the support and assistance offered by vendors before and during implementation to help HR and team leaders optimize their notification strategies. Dan Schawbel highlights the importance of well-timed communication: “The average attention span is just a few seconds now and so you really need to capture attention. You also need to ensure that people are getting the right feedback at the right time, that they're getting praised and supported. If they're not, then they sort of lose focus.”

• Issue resolution: Some platforms may encounter usability challenges, including bugs and missing features. These issues can present challenges for users and hinder their ability to utilize the software effectively. Businesses can mitigate this by rigorously evaluating platforms before implementation, including thorough testing, seeking user feedback, and prioritizing vendors with strong support, regular updates, and clear service level agreements.

• Voucher redemption: Some employee engagement software enables employees to redeem vouchers or rewards earned through their engagement activities, such as points, achievements, or milestones. However, challenges such as limited redemption options and technical issues with voucher codes can arise. To ensure they select the right vendor, businesses should carefully define their specific requirements, including desired voucher types, and redemption methods. Additionally, it's crucial to inquire about the vendor's support and maintenance services to address potential technical issues and ensure a successful redemption process.

By acknowledging these drawbacks, companies can implement strategies to minimize their impact and ensure their employee engagement initiatives yield optimal results.

Step 2: Make a shortlist of software

Selecting the ideal employee engagement software from the numerous options available can be overwhelming. However, with the right guidance and support, the selection process can be significantly simplified.

Explore our list of employee engagement FrontRunners

If you'd like to start your research independently, explore our FrontRunners report. This curated list highlights the highest-rated employee engagement software, helping you quickly identify the best options for your needs. For a detailed explanation of our selection process, visit our methodology page

Step 3: Pick your best option

After carefully evaluating your options, the next crucial step is to schedule vendor demos. These sessions provide a valuable opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of each product's capabilities and address your specific concerns. Effective preparation will ensure you get the most out of these demos.

How to prepare for vendor demos

Once you've narrowed down your options to a shortlist of employee engagement systems, the next crucial step is to schedule demonstrations with each vendor. During these sessions, you can explore various aspects of their products, including features, pricing, support, training, and any other factors essential for selecting a system that perfectly aligns with your business's specific needs.

Here are some key questions to consider asking vendors during the demos:

• Can you demonstrate how the platform facilitates employee feedback collection (surveys, pulse checks, 360-degree feedback)?

Employee feedback is essential for effective engagement strategies. It helps evaluate platforms that offer diverse methods for collecting insights, such as pulse checks, annual surveys, and 360-degree feedback. A suitable platform should be user-friendly for both administrators and employees, encouraging easy survey creation, participation, and feedback analysis. Additionally, the demo should highlight customizable reporting features to help organizations track trends and measure the impact of their engagement initiatives.

Analyst tip: To enhance your demo experience, consider sharing a prior survey or feedback evaluation with the vendor ahead of the scheduled session. This will enable you to ask them to replicate it within their software, allowing you to evaluate the user interface from both the employee and management perspectives and effectively visualize the final product.

• How does the system support goal setting, tracking, and performance reviews?

When employees possess a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, as well as how their contributions align with broader organizational objectives, this factor enhances their motivation and commitment to their work. Consequently, evaluating the effectiveness of an employee engagement tool in streamlining the performance review process is an essential aspect to consider during a demo. Features like goal setting, continuous feedback, and peer recognition can provide a more holistic and ongoing view of an employee's performance, rather than relying solely on an annual review.

Analyst tip: To assess whether the platform aligns with your organization's specific goal-setting methodologies, evaluate how the goals set up in the employee engagement software respond to your needs and foster coherence between individual and team objectives. For example, if the tool allows you to define goals using the SMART methodology or structure them based on OKRs, how users interact around these goals can be key considerations to test.

• What kind of customer support do you offer during implementation? 

When selecting an employee engagement platform, it's crucial to look beyond the features and consider the vendor's implementation support. Many implementations can present challenges because companies don't receive the necessary help to set up and utilize the platform properly. Team adoption often poses difficulties during this process, and thorough training emerges as a highly effective strategy for ensuring a successful transition.

It's advisable to inquire about the vendor's training options, such as live sessions or tutorials, and the availability of customer support. Understanding the resources and assistance provided will enhance your team's confidence in their ability to use the software effectively long-term.

Every business is unique, so finding the right employee engagement software requires careful consideration of your specific needs and goals. By following the steps outlined above and prioritizing the features that matter most to your organization, you can select a platform that will not only support your employee engagement initiatives but also streamline your operations. For further guidance and additional questions to ask during demos, consult our guide: How To Cut Through the Sales Pitch During Software Demos. 

Step 4: Make the most of your employee engagement software

With the selection of your new employee engagement system finalized and the contract executed, the next critical stage is implementation. This phase, which involves transitioning from your current approach to the new platform, necessitates careful attention to several key factors to ensure a smooth and successful integration. These factors include:

• Data management and security: Transitioning to a new system requires careful handling of employee data. This involves meticulously mapping data from your existing systems to the new platform to prevent data loss and ensure a smooth transfer. If the new software needs to integrate with other systems like payroll or performance management, these integrations must be thoroughly planned and tested. Equally important is ensuring that data migration and ongoing use of the platform comply with all relevant data privacy regulations.

• Training availability: Once your new employee engagement system is fully operational, prioritize comprehensive user training to ensure your team can effectively utilize its features and functionalities. Leverage the expertise of your chosen vendor to conduct thorough training sessions, providing a variety of learning resources tailored to different roles and skill levels. Be prepared to facilitate different training sessions, offer ongoing support, and conduct periodic refresher courses to reinforce learning and address evolving needs. 

• Continuous monitoring and improvement: Implementation doesn't end with the initial rollout. Establish clear metrics to track the software's impact on key areas like employee engagement, productivity, and retention. Regularly gather feedback from users to identify any pain points, areas for improvement, or unmet needs. Use this data and feedback to iteratively enhance the platform's configuration, training, and support processes, ensuring that it continues to deliver value and meet your evolving requirements.

For additional information on ensuring a seamless transition, refer to our guide here.

Software related to employee engagement

During your software search, you may find some tools that are closely related to employee engagement software. Some of them are:

• Community software: Community software allows employees to connect with each other by creating a space for sharing ideas, collecting opinions, storing Q&A data, and interacting with fellow customers and business representatives. Community software insights can break down silos and encourage collaboration between departments like customer support, product development, and marketing.

• Gamification software: Talent management software gives employers the tools to accurately manage, evaluate, and compensate employees based on their performance. By tracking performance and standards, Talent management software allows companies to create and maintain a high-performance workforce. Key features of this type of software include employee learning, compensation evaluations, policy compliance, and succession planning, all of which help companies manage personnel growth.

• Human resources software: Human resources software, often referred to as a Human Resources Information System (HRIS) or Human Resources Management System (HRMS), facilitates the management of employee records and information within an organization. This type of software allows for the organization of contact information, departmental assignments, attendance records, salary details, training programs, and benefits. 

• Learning experience platform software: Learning experience platforms (LCMS) centralize training resources, offering personalized learning paths while allowing content authors to create and modify various learning objects. They also serve as a secure repository for these objects, promoting reuse and reducing duplicative development efforts within organizations.

• Survey software: Survey software enables businesses to create and oversee electronic surveys, polls, and questionnaires for purposes such as market research, assessing customer satisfaction, gathering employee input, and additional uses. It aids in automating the design, scheduling, publication, and execution of surveys through diverse user feedback collection formats. The solutions also cater to different methodological approaches and offer data reporting tools.

• Talent management Software: Talent management software provides employers with the resources to effectively handle, assess, and compensate employees according to their performance. By monitoring performance and standards, talent management software enables organizations to build and sustain a high-performing workforce. Essential aspects of this software category encompass employee training, salary assessments, adherence to policies, and succession management, all of which assist organizations in overseeing workforce development.

More resources for your employee engagement journey

• 5 Benefits of Gamification in Education and Learning

• 3 Key 360 Degree Feedback Software Features and Top Products That Offer Them

• HRIS vs. HRMS vs. HCM: What’s the Difference?

• How To Measure Employee Engagement in a Hybrid Workspace

• How To Increase Employee Productivity Through Feedback and Fairness

About our contributors

Author

Emilie Audubert is a content analyst at Software Advice. Always on the lookout for the latest technological and strategic trends for small and midsize businesses, she specializes in human resources topics.

Emilie’s research and analysis is informed by more than 250,000 authentic user reviews on Software Advice and over 20,000 interactions between Software Advice software advisors and HR software buyers. Emilie also regularly analyzes market sentiment by conducting surveys of HR leaders and practitioners so she can provide the most up-to-date and helpful information to small and midsize businesses purchasing software or services.

Her research has been featured in Forbes, CB News, Sud-Ouest, BPI France, and Siècle Digital, as well as on BSMART TV channel, covering topics such the challenges of employee retention or the state of women in the workplace.

Passionate about writing and storytelling in all its forms, she produces audio podcasts. She is fond of pugs and '70s rock.

Editor

Parul Sharma is a content editor at Software Advice with expertise in curating content for various niches, including SaaS, digital marketing, and search engine optimization. With over half a decade of experience in content writing and editing, Parul has the expertise to simplify complex terms into engaging, valuable content for targeted audiences. She completed her graduation and post-graduation in English literature from Delhi University and was awarded the Dr. Asha Sahni Memorial Award for being the highest scorer in her graduating class.

Parul has contributed to the news, lifestyle, education, and health verticle of DNA India, India’s premier media channel. Outside of work, she can be found curating healthy recipes, coloring in mandala books, and spending quality time with her family.

Contributor

Dan Schawbel is a New York Times bestselling author, Managing Partner of Workplace Intelligence, workplace researcher, global keynote speaker, podcast host, and career expert.

Sources

1. Software Advice advisor call notes: Findings are based on data from telephonic conversations that Software Advice’s advisor team had with businesses seeking employee engagement software. For this report, we analyzed phone interactions from January 10, 2024, to January 10, 2025. Read the complete methodology.

2. Software Advice software pricing data: Only products with publicly available pricing information and qualified software products within the category, as of May  2024, are included in the pricing analysis. Read the complete methodology.

3. Software Advice reviews data: Software Advice reviews are collected from verified users for individual software products. For this report, we analyzed reviews from the past year as of the production date. Read the complete methodology.