Awards Network
Awards Network is a privately held US employee rewards and recognition platform, founded in 1954, offering a Gift Platform and a Points Platform backed by a 1,000+ brand-name catalog. It serves thousands of organizations across enterprise and nonprofit segments on a pure transaction-based pricing model with no contracts or per-user fees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1954
- HeadquartersLa Porte, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Awards Network does
Awards Network is a privately held, US-based employee rewards and recognition platform founded in 1954 and headquartered in La Porte, Indiana. The company operates two core products on a shared infrastructure: a Gift Platform for one-time recognition moments (service anniversaries, retirement, safety awards, onboarding, holiday gifting) and a Points Platform for ongoing engagement programs in which employees accumulate and redeem points for rewards. Both products are served by a common catalog of 1,000+ brand-name merchandise items (Apple, LEGO, Dyson, KitchenAid, Samsung, Bose, Yeti, Coach, Nintendo, Ray-Ban, among others), gift cards, and travel experiences, with award-level prices ranging from $20 to $6,000. Functional capabilities include 100% custom-branded redemption portals, automated recipient notifications, free doorstep shipping within the 48 contiguous states, an admin dashboard with 24/7 reporting, and engagement features such as peer/manager nominations, leaderboards, e-cards, and auto-graded quizzes. The company does not expose a public API or SDK and has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities.
Awards Network monetizes purely on a transaction basis: clients pay only when a gift is redeemed or points are converted, with no contracts, no per-user fees, no minimums, and no subscription component. The go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales (phone-driven, with dedicated account managers) for larger accounts, inside sales for mid-market and SMB, and a public self-service catalog for smaller or exploratory buyers. Marketing is content-led through a blog, email newsletter, and downloadable resource library, with demo requests and a more recently added self-guided tour as primary conversion funnels. The customer base spans thousands of organizations across hospitality (Hilton, Marriott), food service (McDonald's, Panera), education (Columbia University, College Board), nonprofit (Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Club), financial services (H&R Block), and membership organizations (AAA, NASCAR), with reported 4.9/5 Google customer satisfaction. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding, operates only within the contiguous United States, and runs with a lean team of 11-50 employees despite a 70-year operating history.
Awards Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Awards Network
- Legal name
- Awards Network
- Website
- https://awardsnetwork.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1954
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Awards Network is a privately held US employee rewards and recognition platform, founded in 1954, offering a Gift Platform and a Points Platform backed by a 1,000+ brand-name catalog. It serves thousands of organizations across enterprise and nonprofit segments on a pure transaction-based pricing model with no contracts or per-user fees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Awards Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Employee Recognition and Rewards Software
- NAICS
- Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (459420)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rewards, Incentives & Gift Card Program Services (MPAAAIAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Rewards Marketplace & Redemption Platforms (Merchandise, Gift Cards, Experiences) (THALAKAC), Corporate & Client Gifting Programs (HSACANAE)
Keywords
Where Awards Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Porte
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Awards Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Gift Redemptions: Companies pay per gift redeemed by employees. No monthly fees, no per-user fees, no minimums. Free shipping included within 48 contiguous states. Award levels determine gift price ranges from $20 to $6,000.
- Points Program Redemptions: Organizations award points to employees for achievements; employees redeem points for rewards. Organizations only pay when points are redeemed, with complete flexibility on point values and reward thresholds.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Pay-as-you-redeem model with no fixed costs |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Points platform with flexible point-to-dollar conversion |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Awards Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Awards Network provides a cloud-based employee rewards and recognition platform that enables organizations to deliver two types of recognition: one-time individual gifts (for service anniversaries, retirement, safety awards, onboarding, appreciation, and holidays) and ongoing points-based engagement programs. The company handles program setup, branding, notifications, gift fulfillment with free shipping within the 48 contiguous US states, and provides administrators with a reporting dashboard, while recipients select rewards from a catalog of 1,000+ brand-name merchandise, gift cards, and travel options.
Product overview
Awards Network is an employee rewards and recognition platform offering two primary programs: the Gift Platform for one-time recognition moments (service anniversaries, retirement, safety awards, holiday gifting, employee appreciation) and the Points Platform for ongoing engagement where employees earn and redeem points for brand-name merchandise, gift cards, and travel rewards. Both platforms share a common Gift Catalog featuring thousands of brand-name products from Apple, LEGO, Dyson, KitchenAid, Samsung, Bose, Yeti, Coach, Nintendo, Ray-Ban, and similar brands. The platform includes customization options for company branding, automated notifications, built-in admin dashboards, and reporting tools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Gift Platform Individual gifting platform for one-time recognition moments and milestone awards such as work anniversaries, retirement, safety awards, employee appreciation gifts, and holiday gifting. Customers upload a recipient list and Awards Network handles setup, branding, notifications, and free doorstep delivery within the 48 contiguous US states; recipients choose their own gift from a designated catalog or award level priced $20–$6,000.
- Points Platform Points-based employee rewards platform for ongoing recognition and engagement. Employees earn points over time for achievements such as performance goals, safety milestones, wellness participation, sales success, attendance, or peer recognition, and redeem points for rewards from the brand-name catalog. Includes peer/manager nominations, auto-graded quizzes, leaderboards, spotlight callouts, recognition feeds, e-cards, and an admin dashboard.
- Gift Catalog Online catalog offering thousands of brand-name merchandise gifts, gift cards, and travel options. Includes products from brands such as Apple, LEGO, Dyson, KitchenAid, Samsung, Bose, Yeti, Coach, Nintendo, Ray-Ban, Solo Stove, Our Place, Caraway, Therabody, Smeg, and Xbox, with new options added monthly to a base of 1,000+ gifts.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% of employees say they are more likely to put in extra effort when their work is noticed
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Awards Network
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Awards Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Awards Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Awards Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Terryberry: Terryberry is a long-tenured employee recognition provider (founded 1918) offering service awards, peer recognition, and a brand-name merchandise catalog. Highly comparable to Awards Network given similar longevity, catalog model, and mid-market focus.
- Reward Gateway: Reward Gateway offers an employee engagement platform combining recognition, rewards, wellbeing, and discounts. Competes with Awards Network in the enterprise recognition space with stronger integrations and broader employee-benefits positioning.
- Kudos: Kudos is an employee recognition and culture platform with peer-to-peer recognition, eCards, and a rewards marketplace. Competes with Awards Network's Points Platform, particularly in mid-market segments.
- Workhuman: Workhuman operates the widely-used Social Recognition platform for enterprise employee recognition and rewards. Directly competes with Awards Network's Points Platform on the same HR buyer, with a deeper analytics and social-recognition feature set but typically higher per-employee pricing.
- Bonusly: Bonusly offers a peer recognition and rewards platform where employees give micro-bonuses redeemable for gift cards, donations, or merchandise. Directly comparable to Awards Network's ongoing recognition model.
- O.C. Tanner: O.C. Tanner is a long-established employee recognition company offering service anniversary awards, peer recognition, and a brand-name merchandise catalog — closely mirroring Awards Network's positioning with deeper cultural consulting and global reach.
- Blueboard: Blueboard curates unique experience-based rewards (cooking classes, concerts, adventures) for employee recognition. Adjacent competitor focusing on experiences rather than merchandise, like Awards Network's travel/experience catalog options.
- Achievers (Blackhawk Network): Achievers is a global employee recognition platform owned by Blackhawk Network, offering points-based recognition and a global rewards marketplace. Competes directly with Awards Network's Points Platform with broader international fulfillment.
- Motivosity: Motivosity is an employee engagement platform with peer recognition, manager-to-employee recognition, and a rewards marketplace including gift cards and merchandise. Overlaps directly with Awards Network's Points Platform use cases.
Emerging players
- Tango Card (Blackhawk Network): Tango Card operates a rewards marketplace and gift card infrastructure platform used by many recognition programs. Functions as a backend supplier and competitor to Awards Network's branded gift card offering, with broader global catalog.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Awards Network social profiles
Digital presenceAwards Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Awards Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Awards Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Awards Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Awards Network
What does Awards Network do?
Awards Network provides a cloud-based employee rewards and recognition platform that enables organizations to deliver two types of recognition: one-time individual gifts (for service anniversaries, retirement, safety awards, onboarding, appreciation, and holidays) and ongoing points-based engagement programs. The company handles program setup, branding, notifications, gift fulfillment with free shipping within the 48 contiguous US states, and provides administrators with a reporting dashboard, while recipients select rewards from a catalog of 1,000+ brand-name merchandise, gift cards, and travel options.
Is Awards Network a public or private company?
Awards Network is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Awards Network founded?
Awards Network was founded in 1954. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Awards Network based?
Awards Network is headquartered in La Porte, United States, in the North America region.
How does Awards Network make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Gift Redemptions are the primary driver. The others are points Program Redemptions.
Who are Awards Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Terryberry, Reward Gateway, Kudos, Workhuman, Bonusly, O.C. Tanner, Blueboard, Achievers (Blackhawk Network) and Motivosity. Tango Card (Blackhawk Network) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Awards Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Awards Network.
What industry is Awards Network in?
Awards Network's product category is Employee Recognition and Rewards Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAIAG, Rewards, Incentives & Gift Card Program Services, with a secondary code of THALAKAC, Rewards Marketplace & Redemption Platforms (Merchandise, Gift Cards, Experiences). Its NAICS code is 459420 and its SIC code is 7311.