Competitive Battlecard: Culture Amp
Version: 1.0 | Last Updated: Nov 2025
Company Overview
Name: Culture Amp Founded: 2009 Headquarters: Melbourne, Australia / San Francisco, CA Funding: $300M+ (Unicorn status - $2B valuation) Target Market: Mid-market to Enterprise (100-10,000+ employees) Pricing: ~$3,600/year minimum (varies by company size + modules)
What They Do: Culture Amp is an employee experience platform focused on engagement surveys, performance management, employee development, and DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) analytics. They're the category leader in employee engagement surveys.
Their Strengths (What They Do Well)
1. Survey Excellence
- Best-in-class survey platform with 200+ research-backed questions
- Engagement surveys, onboarding surveys, exit interviews, pulse surveys
- Benchmarking against 6,000+ companies
- Advanced analytics and heatmaps
- Multi-language support (40+ languages)
2. Science-Backed Methodology
- Developed with organizational psychologists
- Research partnerships (Harvard, Wharton)
- Validated survey instruments
- Statistical rigor and reliability
3. Performance Management
- Performance reviews (360°, self, manager)
- Continuous feedback
- Goal setting and tracking
- Development plans
4. DEI Analytics
- Diversity, equity, inclusion measurement
- Demographic analysis (blind spot detection)
- Pay equity analysis
- Inclusion scoring
5. Employee Development
- Skills assessments
- Learning recommendations
- Career pathing
- Succession planning
6. Enterprise Credibility
- 6,500+ customers (Airbnb, McDonald's, Canva, Oracle, etc.)
- Strong brand in HR/People Analytics
- Annual conferences and thought leadership
- Extensive content library (guides, templates)
Where PulsePlus Wins (Key Differentiators)
1. Action vs. Measurement 🎯
Culture Amp:
- Focused on measuring engagement (surveys, analytics)
- Tells you WHAT the problem is
- Passive (reactive to survey results)
- Doesn't fix engagement—just diagnoses it
PulsePlus:
- Focused on improving engagement (gamification, behavioral change)
- Shows you HOW to fix the problem
- Active (proactively drives engagement daily)
- Fixes engagement through motivation and behavior change
Talk Track: "Culture Amp is a diagnostic tool—it tells you engagement is low through surveys. PulsePlus is a therapeutic tool—it fixes low engagement through gamification. You can run a Culture Amp survey, see that engagement is 58/100, and then what? PulsePlus drives it from 58 to 81 through daily XP, achievements, and quests."
2. Daily Engagement vs. Quarterly Surveys ⏰
Culture Amp:
- Survey-based: quarterly pulses, annual engagement surveys
- Snapshots in time (lagging indicators)
- Survey fatigue (employees tired of questionnaires)
- Slow feedback loop (survey → analysis → action planning → months later)
PulsePlus:
- Real-time: daily XP, achievements, leaderboards
- Continuous engagement (leading indicators)
- No survey fatigue (voluntary participation, game-like)
- Immediate feedback loop (complete objective → instant XP)
Talk Track: "Culture Amp measures engagement every 3-6 months through surveys. What happens in between? PulsePlus drives engagement every single day. Employees don't wait for quarterly surveys to feel engaged—they level up daily, unlock achievements, complete quests. That's real-time, not retrospective."
3. Behavioral Science vs. Survey Science 🔬
Culture Amp:
- Survey science: validated questions, statistical analysis
- Measures sentiment and perception
- Relies on self-reporting (subject to bias)
PulsePlus:
- Behavioral science: progress (XP), mastery (leveling), autonomy, purpose
- Measures actual behavior (objectives completed, skills developed)
- Research-backed: Microsoft (90% productivity), IBM (226% training), Deloitte (47% engagement)
Talk Track: "Culture Amp asks employees how engaged they are. PulsePlus makes them engaged through proven behavioral science. Progress bars (XP), achievement unlocks, team challenges—these drive intrinsic motivation. That's more effective than asking 'On a scale of 1-5, how engaged are you?'"
4. Cross-Functional Platform vs. HR-Only Tool 🧩
Culture Amp:
- HR/People Ops focused (surveys, reviews, DEI)
- Doesn't extend to Sales, IT, Engineering workflows
- Employees only interact during surveys
PulsePlus:
- Works across all departments:
- Sales: Pipeline generation, quota tracking, deal progression
- IT: Ticket resolution, SLA compliance, knowledge sharing
- Engineering: Sprint velocity, code quality, peer reviews
- HR: Training completion, onboarding, culture building
- Operations: Process compliance, efficiency, safety
Talk Track: "Culture Amp is an HR tool. Sales, IT, and Engineering don't use it except when HR sends a survey. PulsePlus is a daily tool for every department—Sales tracks deals, IT tracks tickets, Engineering tracks sprints. One platform for the entire company, not just HR's annual survey."
5. Positive Reinforcement vs. Problem-Focused 😊
Culture Amp:
- Problem-focused: identifies what's broken (low scores, red flags)
- Can feel punitive ("our department scored poorly")
- Manager anxiety (public underperformance)
- Focuses on gaps and deficiencies
PulsePlus:
- Positive reinforcement: celebrates achievements, progress, wins
- Feels rewarding ("you leveled up!")
- Manager empowerment (coaching insights, not blame)
- Focuses on growth and mastery
Talk Track: "Culture Amp surveys often highlight what's wrong: 'Your team's engagement dropped 8 points.' That creates anxiety. PulsePlus celebrates what's right: 'Your team completed 120 objectives this month—new record!' Which culture do you want: problem-obsessed or achievement-oriented?"
6. AI-Powered Content vs. Manual Analysis 🤖
Culture Amp:
- Manual survey analysis (hours of reading comments)
- HR admins sift through open-ended responses
- Action planning requires workshops and consultants
- Slow to insights (weeks after survey closes)
PulsePlus:
- AI-powered content generation (Google Gemini 2.0)
- Generate quests, achievements, objectives instantly
- Real-time dashboards (no waiting for analysis)
- Immediate insights (engagement score updates daily)
Talk Track: "Culture Amp requires HR to manually analyze survey results, read comments, and create action plans. That takes weeks. PulsePlus uses AI to generate engagement content instantly and shows real-time dashboards. You see engagement metrics today, not next quarter."
7. Affordable vs. Expensive 💰
Culture Amp:
- Minimum $3,600/year (often $10-20K+ for mid-sized companies)
- Per-survey pricing (additional costs for pulse surveys)
- Professional services for action planning
- Hidden costs add up
PulsePlus:
- Transparent pricing: $10-25/user/month
- All-inclusive (no per-survey fees)
- No expensive consulting required
- Predictable costs
Talk Track: "Culture Amp starts at $3,600/year minimum and scales to $20K+ quickly. PulsePlus is $10-25/user/month—more affordable and transparent. Plus, you get daily engagement, not just quarterly surveys."
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Culture Amp | PulsePlus | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement Surveys | ✅ Best-in-class | ❌ No surveys | Culture Amp |
| Benchmarking | ✅ 6,000+ companies | ❌ No benchmarking | Culture Amp |
| Gamification | ❌ None | ✅ Core feature (XP, achievements, quests) | PulsePlus |
| Daily Engagement | ❌ Survey-based only | ✅ Real-time XP, leaderboards | PulsePlus |
| Behavioral Change | ❌ Measures only | ✅ Drives behavior | PulsePlus |
| Cross-Functional | ❌ HR-only | ✅ Sales, IT, Eng, Ops | PulsePlus |
| Performance Reviews | ✅ Strong | ❌ Not core focus | Culture Amp |
| DEI Analytics | ✅ Best-in-class | ❌ No DEI focus | Culture Amp |
| AI Content Generation | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (Gemini 2.0) | PulsePlus |
| Training/Learning | ✅ Recommendations | ✅ Gamified micro-learning | Tie |
| Pricing | $3,600-20K+/year | $120-300/user/year | PulsePlus (cost-effective at scale) |
| Real-Time Data | ❌ Survey-based (delayed) | ✅ Live dashboards | PulsePlus |
Bottom Line: Culture Amp wins on surveys, benchmarking, and DEI analytics. PulsePlus wins on daily engagement, behavioral change, gamification, and cross-functional use cases.
Common Objections (and Responses)
"We need survey data and benchmarking"
Response: "Surveys have value for benchmarking and annual diagnostics. But here's the challenge: surveys tell you engagement is low; they don't fix it. You can keep Culture Amp for annual benchmarking and add PulsePlus to actually improve the scores. Think of Culture Amp as your thermometer (measures temperature) and PulsePlus as your heater (raises temperature)."
"Culture Amp is research-backed and validated"
Response: "Absolutely—their survey methodology is scientifically rigorous. But PulsePlus is backed by behavioral science research from Microsoft (90% productivity gains), IBM (226% training completion), and Deloitte (47% engagement improvement). Our approach is different: instead of asking about engagement, we create it through proven psychological drivers—progress, achievement, recognition."
"We need DEI analytics"
Response: "Culture Amp is unmatched for DEI measurement. If DEI analytics are your top priority, they're the right tool. PulsePlus doesn't replicate that. But if your goal is to reduce turnover, accelerate training, or boost daily productivity, gamification is more effective than surveys. You can use both—Culture Amp for DEI measurement, PulsePlus for engagement improvement."
"Our employees are tired of surveys"
Response: "Exactly. Survey fatigue is real. Culture Amp sends more surveys (engagement, pulse, onboarding, exit, etc.). PulsePlus doesn't survey—we engage through gamification. Employees opt in because it's rewarding, not because HR requires it. That's the difference: voluntary engagement vs. mandatory surveys."
"Culture Amp tells us what to fix"
Response: "It tells you WHAT to fix, but not HOW to fix it. You run a survey, see low scores in 'career development,' then what? You still need a solution. PulsePlus is the solution: gamified learning quests that drive skill development. Culture Amp = diagnosis. PulsePlus = treatment."
Discovery Questions to Disqualify Culture Amp
Ask these questions to highlight PulsePlus strengths:
Survey Fatigue:
- "How do employees feel about survey frequency? Are they experiencing survey fatigue?"
- If yes → Position PulsePlus as non-survey alternative
Action vs. Measurement:
- "After your last engagement survey, what changed? Did scores improve?"
- If no improvement → Show PulsePlus drives actual behavior change
Cross-Functional Needs:
- "Is this just for HR, or do you want to improve Sales activity, IT performance, and Engineering velocity too?"
- If cross-functional → Emphasize PulsePlus versatility
Daily vs. Quarterly:
- "What happens between quarterly surveys? How do you keep employees engaged daily?"
- No answer → Show PulsePlus fills that gap
Behavioral Outcomes:
- "Do you need to change specific behaviors—training completion, SLA compliance, sales activity—or just measure satisfaction?"
- If behavior change → Demonstrate gamification effectiveness
Budget:
- "How much are you spending on Culture Amp? Is it delivering ROI commensurate with that investment?"
- If cost-concerned → Show PulsePlus cost-effectiveness
Win/Loss Insights
Why We Win Against Culture Amp
Top Reasons:
- Survey fatigue - Employees tired of questionnaires
- Action-oriented - Customers want solutions, not just diagnostics
- Daily engagement - Culture Amp is quarterly; PulsePlus is daily
- Cross-functional - Works for all departments, not just HR
- Cost-effectiveness - More affordable at scale
Customer Quote: "We kept Culture Amp for annual benchmarking but added PulsePlus for daily engagement. Culture Amp shows us the score; PulsePlus improves it. Both are valuable, but PulsePlus drives actual behavior change."
Why We Lose to Culture Amp
Top Reasons:
- Survey requirement - Customer mandates engagement surveys for compliance/benchmarking
- DEI analytics - Unique capability PulsePlus doesn't offer
- Brand recognition - Culture Amp is well-known in HR tech
- Research credibility - Organizational psychology backing
- HR-first buying motion - CHRO wants survey-based insights
When to Walk Away:
- DEI analytics are top priority (not engagement improvement)
- Customer requires benchmarking data for board reporting
- Pure survey need (no interest in behavior change)
- HR-only initiative (no cross-functional support)
- Incumbent Culture Amp with high satisfaction
Differentiation Matrix
| Dimension | Culture Amp Positioning | PulsePlus Counter-Positioning |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | "Measure engagement through surveys" | "Create engagement through gamification" |
| Frequency | "Quarterly pulse surveys, annual reviews" | "Real-time XP, daily achievements" |
| Focus | "What's broken? (problem identification)" | "What's working? (positive reinforcement)" |
| Audience | "HR/People Analytics" | "Entire company (Sales, IT, Eng, Ops, HR)" |
| Outcome | "Engagement scores and insights" | "Behavior change and business outcomes" |
| Feedback Loop | "Slow (weeks to analyze and act)" | "Immediate (instant XP and recognition)" |
Sales Strategy
When Competing Against Culture Amp
1. Early in Sales Cycle:
- Position as complementary, not competitive (co-exist strategy)
- Acknowledge Culture Amp's survey strengths
- Focus on daily engagement gap Culture Amp doesn't solve
- Show gamification demo (engaging UX vs. Culture Amp's survey forms)
2. During Evaluation:
- Highlight cross-functional use cases (Sales, IT, Engineering)
- Show behavioral outcomes (training completion, quota attainment, SLA compliance)
- Demonstrate real-time dashboards (vs. Culture Amp's quarterly reports)
- Reference customers using both Culture Amp + PulsePlus
3. At Decision Stage:
- Offer combined approach (keep Culture Amp for surveys, add PulsePlus for engagement)
- Show ROI from behavior change (turnover reduction, productivity gains)
- Emphasize cost-effectiveness (daily engagement at lower cost)
- Position as "engagement improvement" vs. Culture Amp's "engagement measurement"
Co-Existence Strategy
Key Message: "Culture Amp and PulsePlus are complementary, not competitive."
Positioning:
- Culture Amp = Engagement Measurement (surveys, benchmarking, analytics) - Quarterly
- PulsePlus = Engagement Improvement (gamification, behavior change, motivation) - Daily
Analogy: "Culture Amp is your fitness tracker—it shows you your step count and heart rate. PulsePlus is your fitness coach—it motivates you to work out daily. You need both: tracking to diagnose, coaching to improve."
Pitch: "Most customers use Culture Amp for annual engagement surveys and benchmarking, then add PulsePlus to actually improve the scores. Culture Amp tells you engagement is 62/100. PulsePlus drives it to 81/100 through daily gamification. Together, they create a complete engagement strategy: measure + improve."
Benefit:
- Easier sale (no rip-and-replace Culture Amp)
- Lower objection rate (acknowledge their investment)
- Broader use cases (Culture Amp for HR benchmarking, PulsePlus for all departments)
- Higher success (measurement + improvement = better outcomes)
Resources
Use These Assets:
- Behavioral science one-pager (Microsoft, IBM, Deloitte research)
- Daily engagement vs. quarterly surveys comparison
- Cross-functional use case matrix (Sales, IT, Engineering, HR, Ops)
- ROI calculator focused on behavior change (not survey scores)
- Case study: customer using both Culture Amp + PulsePlus
- "Survey Fatigue" article/whitepaper
Recommended Demo Flow:
- Acknowledge Culture Amp strengths (surveys, benchmarking, DEI)
- Position PulsePlus as complementary (daily engagement)
- Demo gamification (XP, achievements, quests)
- Show cross-functional applications (Sales, IT, Engineering)
- Demonstrate real-time dashboards (vs. quarterly reports)
- End with ROI from behavioral outcomes (turnover, training, productivity)
Final Talking Points
When They Say: "We're using Culture Amp for engagement..."
You Say: "Culture Amp is excellent for engagement surveys and benchmarking—they're the category leader. But let me ask: after your last Culture Amp survey, what changed? Did engagement scores improve?
Here's the challenge: surveys tell you WHAT the problem is, but they don't FIX it. You run a survey, see that engagement is 62/100, get benchmarking data, analyze comments... then what?
That's where PulsePlus comes in. We don't measure engagement—we create it. Through gamification (XP, achievements, quests, leaderboards), we drive the daily behaviors that improve engagement: training completion, collaboration, skill development, recognition.
Think of it this way:
- Culture Amp asks: 'On a scale of 1-5, how engaged are you?' (survey)
- PulsePlus says: 'You leveled up! You completed 5 quests this week!' (motivation)
One measures. One improves. Most customers use both:
- Keep Culture Amp for annual surveys and benchmarking
- Add PulsePlus for daily engagement and behavior change
You get the diagnostic power of Culture Amp's surveys AND the therapeutic power of PulsePlus's gamification.
Would it make sense to see how PulsePlus drives the behaviors that improve Culture Amp scores—like training completion, turnover reduction, and productivity gains?"
Document Owner: Sales Enablement Review Cadence: Quarterly (Culture Amp releases new features regularly)