Sometimes the reward you actually want costs more than what's in your points balance. Credit card top-up lets you pay the difference with a personal credit card so you can choose the reward you want not just the one you can afford with points alone. Your points are always applied first; you only pay out-of-pocket for the remainder.
Credit card top-up is available to all users on all plans. Your organization's admin can disable the feature if they prefer not to offer it.
How credit card top-up works
When you select a reward that costs more than your current points balance, a payment panel appears alongside the item details. The flow is simple:
Choose your reward. Browse the catalog and select a reward even if it exceeds your points balance.
Review the payment summary. You'll see a clear breakdown of the item amount, points applied (shown as a credit), the subtotal you owe, the processing fee, and the total due.
Enter your card details. Provide your cardholder name, card number, expiration date, security code, country, and ZIP code.
Confirm and redeem. Tap Redeem to complete the transaction. A disclaimer confirms that redemptions cannot be refunded.
Your points are always applied first. The credit card only covers the gap between your balance and the reward's cost.
Example. You want a $100 Amazon gift card, but you have 510 points ($51). With top-up, Bonusly applies your 210 points as a $21 credit, and you pay the remaining $79 plus a small processing fee with your credit card. You get the reward you actually wanted.
Which rewards support top-up
Credit card top-up works with the reward types where the redemption value is straightforward and fulfillment is automatic or well-defined.
Eligible for top-up:
Gift cards and cash out: standard flow, immediate fulfillment
Curated gifts: you'll confirm a shipping address as part of the flow; estimated delivery is 7--14 business days
Charitable donations: standard flow, immediate fulfillment
Not eligible for top-up:
Custom rewards (company exclusives)
Swag
Points Boost
If a reward doesn't support top-up, you'll need enough points in your redeemable balance to cover the full cost.
Pricing and fees
A 5% fee for credit card payment is applied to the credit card portion of your payment, that is, the amount remaining after your points are deducted. The exact fee is shown in the payment summary before you confirm, so you always know what you'll be charged. There are no hidden costs.
The fee only applies to the credit card amount. Points are never subject to a processing fee.
For admins
Turning top-up on or off. Organizations can disable credit card top-up entirely. If your company prefers that employees redeem only with points, an admin can turn the feature off from the admin dashboard. When disabled, the top-up option won't appear for any users.
Updated reporting. The Rewards Cost Summary and Redemptions Activity reports now distinguish between the portion of a reward's cost paid with points and the portion paid by credit card. This gives admins and finance teams clear visibility into how rewards are being funded without any extra work.
Learn More:
Article: Rewards Cost Summary report
Article: Redemptions Activity reports
FAQs
What if I have enough points for the reward I want? You don't need a credit card at all. Top-up only comes into play when a reward costs more than your current points balance. If you have enough points, the redemption works exactly as it always has.
Is my credit card information saved? Your payment details are handled securely through our payment processor. Bonusly does not store your full card details.
Can I get a refund on a top-up purchase? No. Redemptions that include a credit card payment are final and cannot be refunded. This is clearly stated before you confirm the transaction.
Are there taxes on the credit card portion? For gift cards and donations, tax is not charged at the time of purchase, sales tax applies when the gift card is used to buy something. For curated gifts, taxes and fees are already included in the listed price, so the credit card portion of a curated gift already accounts for applicable taxes.
Does credit card top-up change tax reporting for my employer? Bonusly makes it easy to see what portion of a reward's cost was paid with employer-provided points versus what was paid by the employee's credit card. Most employers will treat only the points-funded portion as taxable income. Bonusly does not offer tax advice consult your finance team for specifics.
Can my company turn off credit card top-up? Yes. Admins can disable top-up for the entire organization from the admin dashboard. When turned off, all users redeem with points only.
Which rewards support credit card top-up? Gift cards, curated gifts, and charitable donations are eligible. Custom rewards (company exclusives), swag, and Points Boost are not eligible for top-up.
Do I have to use points first? Correct. Your points balance is always utilized before any charges are made to your credit card. You are only responsible for paying the gap between your available points and the total price of the reward. However, be aware that top-ups are limited to a maximum of 50% of the reward's total value.