Alternatives
Donut alternative: Mucho Gusto compared
Donut and Mucho Gusto both help coworkers meet. They do it in different ways. This page compares them using only what each company publishes.
Donut is a long-established tool for pairing coworkers and automating people moments, mostly inside Slack and Microsoft Teams. Mucho Gusto is a video-first product: every employee gets a short video intro, browsed as a vertical feed, with an org chart and a Connection Score for HR.
They overlap on the goal (people who know each other) and differ on the method (scheduled pairings and automations versus an always-on video directory). Some companies use both.
Side by side
| Donut | Mucho Gusto | |
|---|---|---|
| Core idea | Pairs teammates for recurring intros and automates people moments such as welcomes, celebrations and recognition | Short video intro for every employee, browsed as a feed, plus org chart and engagement report |
| Where it lives | Slack and Microsoft Teams apps, plus Zoom and FigJam apps | Its own web app and iOS app, with a Slack notification integration |
| Video | Intros page describes pairings, profiles and Slack messages; a video feed is not described there | The product itself: 5 to 60 second video intros and a swipe feed |
| Onboarding | Journeys automate onboarding messages and steps (limits vary by plan) | New hires record an intro and meet teammates through the feed; preboarding and playlists are still being built |
| Recognition | Shoutouts with points and a rewards store | Teammates comment and like on intros; no points or rewards store |
| Measurement | Not stated in the pages we checked | Connection Score with published methodology, week-one connections, 90-day cohort retention |
| HRIS sync | 50+ HRIS platforms on Standard and above | BambooHR, HiBob, Rippling, Gusto, Justworks on Scale; Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and Slack directory sync on Growth |
| Pricing basis | By number of people in Donut channels; Free, Standard from $74/mo billed annually, Premium from $119/mo billed annually, Enterprise custom | Per activated seat (signed in within 90 days): Spark free up to 25 seats, Growth $4, Scale from $7 per seat per month, Enterprise custom |
| Trial | 14 days on Standard and Premium; Free plan has no time limit | 21 days on every plan, no credit card to start |
Donut details are from its public pricing, home and Intros pages as of the date above. Donut may offer more than its public pages state, and plans change. Mucho Gusto details are from our pricing and security pages.
Who each one suits
Donut suits you if
- Your people live in Slack or Microsoft Teams and you want recurring pairings that run on their own.
- You want automations for onboarding messages, celebrations and recognition, with a rewards store.
- You want a very wide HRIS sync list, or a free plan with no time limit for light use.
Mucho Gusto suits you if
- You want every employee, new hires especially, to be seen and heard, not just paired for a chat.
- You want a browsable directory of faces and voices with an org chart that stays current.
- HR wants behavioral signals on connection, with the formula published.
Where Mucho Gusto is not the right fit
- You want pairings that run themselves inside Slack or Teams. That is Donut's core. We have Coffee Roulette on Growth and above, but we are not a chat-first tool.
- You want a points and rewards program. We do not have a rewards store.
- You need a very long list of HRIS integrations today. We support five on Scale plus a Workday connect flow, and directory sync for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and Slack.
- You need established customer references. We are early and show no customer logos. See Customers and the Security page, which lists what is still in progress.
- You need enterprise identity federation today. We say plainly on our Security page what we offer now.
Questions people ask
Is Mucho Gusto a replacement for Donut?
It can be, if what you want is for coworkers to see and hear each other. If your main need is recurring Slack or Teams pairings and recognition automations, Donut is built for that. Some teams run both.
Does Mucho Gusto work inside Slack?
Mucho Gusto is its own web and iOS app. It connects to Slack to post new-intro notifications and, on Growth and above, to sync the directory. It is not a Slack-native app.
How is Mucho Gusto priced compared with Donut?
Donut's public pricing is by number of people in Donut channels, with plans from Free to Enterprise. Mucho Gusto is per activated seat: you pay for people who signed in within the last 90 days. Spark is free up to 25 seats. See our pricing page for the details and Donut's page for theirs.
Does Mucho Gusto measure belonging?
Yes. The Connection Score combines connectivity, activation and recognition equity with a published formula. It is not benchmarked against outside data and says nothing about individuals.
Can we try Mucho Gusto before paying?
Yes. Every plan includes a free 21-day trial (up to 100 people) with no credit card required to begin, and Spark is free up to 25 seats.
Mucho Gusto helps coworkers get to know each other through short video intros. See how it works, read pricing or book a demo.