Blik vs Engagedly: An Honest Comparison

Both platforms enable performance management. But one is "very poorly designed and not easy to follow/use," wraps everything in gamification, and has no spell check. The other offers clean, focused feedback that actually improves performance.

At a Glance

The critical differences between Blik and Engagedly

Feature Blik Engagedly
Deployment Options SaaS (€49/mo) OR
Self-hosted (Free)
You choose what fits
SaaS only
Vendor lock-in
SaaS Pricing Model €49/month flat rate
Unlimited users
Per-user pricing
Contact sales for quote
User Experience Clean, focused interface
Minimal learning curve
"Very poorly designed"
"Not easy to follow/use"
Navigation Clarity Purpose-built for 360°
No module confusion
"Getting lost in modules"
"Not clear where to go"
Basic Features Spell check included
Standard text editing
"No spell check"
"When creating goals/evaluations"
Reporting Dreyfus insights, clear exports
Designed for clarity
"Limited capabilities"
"For complex data analysis"
Update Stability Self-hosted = you control timing
Or managed updates
"Updates disrupt workflow"
"Temporary disruptions"
Gamification None
Focused on effectiveness
AI-powered badges, points
Leaderboards throughout
Feature Focus 360° feedback & analytics
Does one thing well
All-in-one platform
OKRs, LMS, surveys, etc.
True Anonymity Cryptographically guaranteed
Impossible to trace reviewers
Standard anonymous surveys
Platform holds all data

Pricing Reality

Blik SaaS: €49/month (Managed)

  • Flat rate: €49/month, unlimited users
  • All features: No premium tiers
  • We handle hosting: Zero maintenance
  • No hidden fees: Transparent pricing

Blik Open Source: $0/forever (Self-Hosted)

  • Free forever: AGPLv3 license
  • Your infrastructure: Complete control
  • No vendor lock-in: Can't be held hostage
  • Same features: Nothing held back

Choose SaaS convenience or open source freedom. Both honest.

Engagedly's Reality

  • Hidden pricing: Contact sales for quote
  • Per-user model: Costs scale with headcount
  • Module tiers: Different features at different prices
  • Implementation fees: Setup costs not disclosed
  • Annual contracts: Committed spend typical

Enterprise pricing is opaque. That's how the model works.

Annual Cost Comparison (50 employees)

Blik

€588/year

All features, unlimited users

Engagedly (estimated)

$4,000-12,000/year

Based on typical per-user SaaS

Blik saves €3,400-€10,800 annually vs Engagedly

The Gamification Question

Does Gamification Actually Improve Performance?

Engagedly's differentiator is AI-powered gamification: badges, points, leaderboards throughout the performance process. The theory: make feedback fun, increase engagement. The reality: badges don't fix bad UX. If your platform is "very poorly designed and not easy to follow/use," adding a leaderboard doesn't make navigation clearer. If there's "no spell check in the platform," earning points for completing evaluations doesn't help you write better feedback.

Blik's Effectiveness Focus

  • No gamification: Just clear feedback mechanisms
  • Research-backed: Dreyfus model, perception gaps
  • Spell check works: Standard text editing features
  • Simple UX: No module confusion
  • Clear reporting: Insights without complexity
  • Focused goal: Improve performance, not engagement scores

Effective feedback doesn't need badges. It needs clarity.

Engagedly's Gamification Layer

  • AI-powered badges: Rewards for completing tasks
  • Points system: Gamified engagement tracking
  • Leaderboards: Competitive performance metrics
  • But still: "Very poorly designed" core UX
  • But still: "No spell check" in evaluations
  • But still: "Getting lost" in modules

Gamification can't compensate for fundamental usability issues.

What Actually Matters

Performance improvement comes from honest, actionable feedback, not from collecting badges. Employees need to know: What am I doing well? Where can I improve? What specific actions should I take? Blik's Dreyfus model automatically maps feedback to skill levels (Novice → Expert). Perception gap detection shows where self-assessment differs from peer feedback. These insights drive actual improvement. A leaderboard showing who gave the most feedback this month? That drives... participation metrics. Different goals entirely.

Which Platform Is Right for You?

Choose Blik If You:

  • Want clear, simple UX (no module confusion)
  • Value effectiveness over gamification
  • Need transparent pricing (€49/month or free)
  • Prefer cryptographic anonymity
  • Want self-hosted control or simple SaaS
  • Need psychological insights (Dreyfus, perception gaps)
  • Focus on 360° feedback, not all-in-one
  • Have 30-500 employees
Try Blik

Choose Engagedly If You:

  • Want all-in-one platform (OKRs, LMS, surveys)
  • Like gamification (badges, points, leaderboards)
  • Need AI-powered engagement tracking
  • Can accept complex navigation trade-offs
  • Prefer SaaS over self-hosting
  • Have enterprise budget for per-user pricing
  • Don't mind "contact sales" pricing
  • Want vendor-managed everything
Visit Engagedly

The Honest Take

Engagedly does a lot more than performance reviews. If you need OKRs, learning management, engagement surveys, and you have enterprise budget, it might make sense. If you just need solid 360° feedback and don't want vendor lock-in, Blik does that without the extras.

View on GitHub Learn More About Blik

Games vs Effectiveness: Choose Clarity

Engagedly tries to make performance fun with games. We make it effective with simplicity. No badges needed—just clear, honest feedback that actually improves performance. Join organizations who value effectiveness over engagement metrics.

Get Started with Blik

€49/month managed hosting • Open source available on GitHub