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Pointd Pal vs HeyTaco
Both make recognition in Slack quick and fun. Pointd Pal lets you name your own points, has a free plan, and is built to show whether recognition reaches everyone.
Side by side
| Feature | Pointd Pal | HeyTaco |
|---|---|---|
| Chat platforms | Slack; Microsoft Teams, Google Chat and Discord coming soon | Slack, Teams |
| How you give | @name ++, /recognize or a message shortcut | Taco emoji |
| Giving by emoji reaction | Yes, with your point emoji | Yes |
| Your own point name and emoji | Any name and emoji | No, always tacos |
| Giving allowance | 5 a day by default, or weekly or monthly; shown in every reply | 5 a day |
| Private recognition | Yes, on every plan | — |
| Company values | #tags in the reason | Taco Tags |
| Rewards | Your own catalog, approved by admins; gift cards at face value coming to Business | Custom; gift cards on Deluxe |
| Birthdays and anniversaries | Opt-in for each person, on Pro | Yes |
| Nominations and awards | Nominations with voting, awards and boosts, on Pro | Quests (Slack only) |
| Manager tools | Team-lead nudges about people the team hasn't recognized, on Pro | — |
| Office TV or kiosk | Office screens, on Pro | Taco TV |
| Admin analytics | Inclusivity health: how evenly recognition is spread, who hasn't been recognized lately, flow between teams (last 90 days on Free, full history on Pro) | Insights, Culture Report |
| HRIS and SSO | SSO on Business; HR system sync coming soon | SSO |
| Public API | Read-only API and signed webhooks, on Business | Yes |
| Surveys and pulse checks | Not planned | — |
| AI features | Not yet | — |
| Free plan | Up to 10 monthly active users | None (30-day trial) |
| Paid plans | Pro $2 per active user per month, or $20 per user per year; Business by quote | Classic $3, Deluxe $5 per user per month |
Based on HeyTaco's public pages and independent reviews as of October 2026. Prices and plans change, so check HeyTaco's own pricing page before you decide. A dash means our sources didn't mention the feature.
Where Pointd Pal is different
- Your points, your name: kudos, stars or high-fives, with your own emoji. HeyTaco's fixed taco is a common complaint in its reviews.
- A free plan: up to 10 monthly active users at no cost, instead of a trial that ends.
- Inclusive defaults: negative points, bottom leaderboards and public announcements are off unless you turn them on, and celebrations are opt-in for each person.
- Inclusivity analytics: how evenly recognition is spread, who hasn't been recognized lately and how it flows between teams.
When HeyTaco may suit you better
If you want gift cards in the shop today, or quests to run challenges in Slack, HeyTaco has them now. HeyTaco also works in Microsoft Teams today; Pointd Pal for Teams is built and coming soon.