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Rewards billing overview
Bonusly tracks a balance of funds in your account that is used for employee rewards (this is called your "reward balance"). Depending on the reward billing plan you choose, you can pay that balance in arrears ("Pay-as-you-go") or in advance ("Flex" and "Fixed").
When an employee redeems for a reward in Bonusly, it is Bonusly that purchases and delivers the reward to your employee. Bonusly then deducts the cost of the reward from your reward balance. When your reward balance falls below a certain threshold, then you pay an amount specified by your reward billing plan to restore the balance.
Use our Rewards Budgeting Calculator to configure Bonusly to fit your budget.
Bonusly offers three different reward billing plans:
Pay-as-you-go: reward balance is paid in arrears by credit card, when it passes -$100, or at the end of the month. 8% convenience fee.
Flex: reward balance is paid up front by credit card, in an amount of your choosing from $200 or higher. 5% convenience fee.
Fixed: reward balance is paid up front by invoice, in an amount of your choosing from $5,000 or higher. No convenience fee.
Pay-as-you-go Plan
When employees claim $100 or more in rewards, customers' credit cards are charged for the total value of reward redemptions plus an 8% convenience fee. In other words, customers' credit cards are charged for all redeemed rewards when their reward balance is -$100. Alternatively, you will receive an invoice at the end of the month the value of redemptions made.
Payments will be auto-collected—meaning that if a valid credit card is on file, that card will be automatically charged when the customer is invoiced.
Flex Plan
Customers select a bill amount from $200 and up. We recommend that your preset amount be approximately a three-month budget for rewards. This helps prevent service interruptions for your employees if any updates or changes are needed.
When employees have redeemed 50% of the selected bill amount or more in rewards, customers' credit cards are charged the established total bill amount plus a 5% convenience fee. In other words, customers' credit cards are charged when their current rewards balance is half (or less) of their total bill amount.
Payments will be auto-collected—meaning that if a valid credit card is on file, that card will be automatically charged when the customer is invoiced.
Fixed Plan
On the fixed plan, customers must set a bill amount of $5,000 or more. The bill amount should be approximately three months' budget for expected rewards redemptions.
When employees have redeemed 50% of the selected bill amount or more in rewards, an invoice will be triggered for the established total bill amount. Said another way, invoices are sent when your rewards balance is half (or less) of your total bill amount. There are no fees associated with the Fixed Plan.
Rewards billing invoices are sent to the email listed in “Account details.” Invoices must be paid via ACH or wire transfer from the customer’s banking service. Invoices should be paid promptly to avoid employee interruptions to the rewards catalog. If a customer has an outstanding invoice (whether it’s a rewards invoice or subscription invoice), payment will be applied to the outstanding bill.
Note! Bonusly cannot guarantee a rewards billing payment will be applied to the rewards invoice if the customer has an outstanding subscription invoice. In this case, customers may experience rewards catalog interruptions until all outstanding invoices are paid.
Reward billing FAQs
Pay-as-you-go Plan
Why am I being charged a convenience fee?
Bonusly incurs costs & risks in order to provide rewards to your employees when a small (as low as $200) or even negative (in the case of pay-as-you-go) reward balance is maintained. For the convenience of being able to maintain such a low, or even no positive reward balance, there is a convenience fee associated to make up for the costs and risks incurred by Bonusly.
Why does my bill amount vary?
When your users redeem $100 or more in rewards, your credit card is charged. We don’t limit users' redemptions as your company approaches a -$100 rewards balance.
For example, let's say your balance is -$75. Then, a user redeems a gift card reward valued at $50. Now, your balance is -$125.
Because your balance is below -$100, your credit card is charged for the total value of reward redemptions ($125) plus an 8% convenience fee, totaling $135.
Your rewards bill can vary greatly depending on the values of the gift card rewards you offer and how quickly users redeem rewards on the Pay-as-you-go Plan.
Why is my billing threshold and current rewards balance negative?
Your reward balance starts at $0, and Bonusly allows users to redeem up to $100 in rewards total. Essentially, we're fronting you the funds for rewards.
As users redeem rewards, the company's current rewards balance becomes more negative. Once it reaches -$100 or more, your credit card will be charged.
Flex Plan
What is the Flex Plan?
With the Flex Plan, you can pre-fund your account by choosing a bill amount option from $200 and up.
The Flex Plan includes a 5% convenience fee and requires payment by credit card. If you prefer to receive fewer invoices for rewards bills, the Flex Plan could be a good option for you.
Can I customize my bill amount?
You can select among many options: $200 / $500 / $1,000 / $2,000 / $3,000 / $4,000 / $5,000 / $10,000 / $15,000 / $20,000. If you want or need a higher bill amount for your rewards billing plan, you should explore the Fixed Plan.
How do I know what bill amount option to select?
Select the bill amount closest to the budget for three months of employee rewards. In other words, choose the bill amount that matches the amount you want to spend on reward redemptions for a quarter.
What if I’m already on the Flex Plan but need to change my bill amount?
That’s not a problem. Go to ‘Plans & Billing’ and click “Modify plan settings” in the “Rewards settings” card. From here, you can choose a different bill amount from the available options. Depending on your new billing threshold, your credit card may be charged to fund your account. For more details, see 5.
No problem! Here's what you need to do:
Go to your Plans & Billing page.
Click “Modify plan settings” in the “Rewards settings” card.
From here, you can choose a different bill amount from the available options.
Depending on your new billing threshold, your credit card may be charged to fund your account. For more details on the billing threshold, see point 5.
Can I change my billing threshold?
No, the billing threshold of 50% of the bill amount is standardized across all plans and bill amount options. This billing threshold is designed to protect your users from rewards catalog interruptions and ensure more consistent customer service and support.
Why am I being charged when I tried to change my plan?
On the Flex Plan, your credit card is charged when your current rewards balance is 50% or less than your bill amount. When you choose a new bill amount, it also comes with a new billing threshold. Here's what to expect:
Choosing a Higher Bill Amount:
If you choose a higher bill amount, your current rewards balance may be below your new billing threshold. You'll be notified that payment is necessary. If you proceed with the bill amount change, your credit card will be charged to fund your account.
Choosing a Lower Bill Amount:
If you choose a lower bill amount than before, your current rewards balance is likely higher than your new billing threshold. In this case, no payment is necessary.
Why am I being charged a convenience fee?
There are costs and risks incurred by Bonusly in providing you with the flexibility to set the reward funding amount as low as $200 and to change it at any time. The 5% fee is charged to compensate Bonusly for those costs and risks.
Fixed Plan
Can I customize my bill amount?
Yes! On the Fixed Plan, your bill amount must be at least $5,000, but you can enter any amount greater than this. We suggest setting a bill amount that's divisible by 5 since most reward amounts are in $5 increments. When you set up the Fixed Plan initially, and whenever your current rewards balance is below 50% of the bill amount, you'll be responsible for paying the full bill amount.
How do I know what my bill amount should be?
Set a bill amount that's closest to how much you want to budget for 3 months of employee rewards. In other words, enter a bill amount that matches how much you want to spend on reward redemptions for a quarter.
What if I want to set a bill amount based on a different time period—not a quarter’s worth, but longer or shorter than that?
As long as your bill amount is at least $5,000, you can set it based on a different time period. However, we recommend basing your bill amount on 3 months or a quarter. This helps protect your account from catalog shutdowns or interruptions in reward redemptions for your employees.
Can I customize my billing threshold?
No, the billing threshold of 50% of the bill amount is standardized across all plans and bill amount options. This billing threshold is designed to protect your users from rewards catalog interruptions and ensure more consistent customer service and support.
How will I pay my rewards billing invoice?
When your current rewards balance is half or less than your bill amount, you'll receive a payable invoice at the email address listed in the “Account details” card on your Plans & Billing page. From the invoice email, you can pay the rewards bill via ACH or wire transfer in our secure payment portal.
How long will I have to pay my rewards billing invoice?
Once you receive your payable rewards billing invoice, you have 30 days to pay the total amount via ACH or wire transfer from your banking service.
We recommend paying rewards billing invoices promptly to avoid rewards catalog interruptions for your employees.
Please Note: If you have an outstanding invoice (whether it’s a rewards invoice or subscription invoice), payment will be applied to the outstanding bill. Bonusly cannot guarantee a rewards billing payment will be applied to the rewards invoice if you have an outstanding subscription invoice. In this case, customers may experience rewards catalog interruptions until all outstanding invoices are paid.
How can I modify my rewards billing plan settings?
To change your Fixed Plan bill amount, you'll need to contact a Bonusly team member for assistance. Make sure to have your desired bill amount ready.
If you want to switch to the Pay-as-you-go Plan or the Flex Plan, you'll also need to reach out to a Bonusly team member for assistance, as both require credit card payments. If you are switching to the Flex plan, you'll also want to be prepared to discuss which preset bill amount option will work best for you.