SterKado (Woerden, 15+ years, acquired by Touch Incentive) offers a points system with 1,500+ gifts and gift cards with unlimited validity. Cadeo offers transparent value, 1,200+ curated local products, HRIS integrations with BambooHR, Personio and HiBob, and impact reports — from €15.
Cadeo vs SterKado — Choice Gift Platforms Compared [2026]
SterKado has been around for more than fifteen years and produces more than 100,000 gift cards at peak moments. Cadeo is newer, but built a platform around transparent value, curated quality and measurable impact. In this article, we place both platforms side by side honestly — including the difference the recipient feels.
SterKado (Woerden, 15+ years, recently acquired by Touch Incentive) works with a points system, 1,500+ gifts and gift cards with unlimited validity. Recipients can choose multiple small gifts. Cadeo is a GaaS platform: transparent gift value in euros, 1,200+ curated products from local brands (30% renewed annually), HRIS integrations with BambooHR, Personio and HiBob, and impact reports with thank-you messages and AI analysis — from €15. SterKado suits organizations competing on price and wanting a broad assortment. For teams that prioritize gift quality and the recipient experience, Cadeo is the stronger choice.
Why teams look for a SterKado alternative
SterKado is competitive on price and has plenty of experience with large volumes. But teams that care about gift quality and the recipient experience run into three familiar frustrations.
The points system hides the real value
At SterKado, the budget is converted into points. The recipient sees a points total, not euro amounts. On its FAQ page, SterKado explicitly confirms this: they do not display the monetary value. That makes it impossible for the recipient to properly appreciate the employer's investment.
“My team asked what their gift was actually worth. I couldn't tell them, because it wasn't shown anywhere.”
Quantity over quality in the assortment
SterKado offers 1,500+ gifts — a large number. But the assortment also includes generic products, magazines and gift cards. Because of the points system, recipients often choose several small gifts, which creates filler gifts. The experience is closer to a webshop than to a gift moment.
“My colleague chose three small things. Nice, but it didn't feel like a real gift.”
No impact insights or thank-you messages
SterKado does not offer impact reports, thank-you messages from recipients or AI analysis. You know the gift was redeemed, but not whether it was appreciated. For HR teams that want to justify gifting to management, the data to tell that story is missing.
“We've been giving Christmas packages for years, but we have no idea whether it affects morale or retention.”
Sound familiar? Then it's worth comparing. Not because SterKado is a bad platform — but because a platform built around quality and impact may simply fit better with what you want to achieve.
Feature comparison: SterKado vs Cadeo
Below are the most important features side by side. Notice the difference in philosophy: SterKado focuses on volume and price, Cadeo on quality and experience. See the Cadeo choice platform for a live impression.
| Feature | SterKado | Cadeo |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Woerden, 15+ years (acquired by Touch Incentive) | The Netherlands (GaaS platform) |
| Assortment | 1,500+ gifts (gifts, outings, gift cards, books, magazines, charities) | 1,200+ curated products (local brands, 30% renewed annually) |
| Value system | Points system (monetary value not visible) | Transparent value (euro amount visible) |
| Choose multiple gifts | Yes (multiple small gifts with points) | One gift (or donate to charity) |
| Gift card validity | Unlimited (standard), or shorter on request | 60–90 days |
| Minimum value | On request (quote model) | From €15 |
| HRIS integration | Birthday management (manual input) | BambooHR, Personio, HiBob |
| Impact reports | Not available | Standard (thank-you messages, AI analysis, donation impact) |
| Digital experience | Gift card by email (within 30 min), webshop at shop.sterkado.nl | Personal card (video, GIF, branding) + curated portal |
| Branding | Webshop customizable in your own brand style | Always: your own branding on portal and card |
| Physical options | Theme packs, mailbox gifts, gift wrapping | Handwritten card with QR, physical gifts delivered to the home |
| Pricing model | Custom quote (not public) | Transparent from €15 |
| Customer support | Dedicated account management | Available 24/7 |
| Billing | By quote | In company name, per campaign, net 30 |
The recipient experience compared
The recipient notices the difference right away. Two platforms, two experiences.
The SterKado experience
Receive gift card
By email (within 30 minutes) or as a physical card in a gift package. Barcode + PIN code for login.
Log in to shop.sterkado.nl
The recipient logs in with a barcode and PIN. They see the points total (not the euro value).
Choose gift(s)
Choose from 1,500+ items. Points can be divided across multiple gifts. The assortment can be customized by the employer.
Delivery
Ordered before 11:30 PM, shipped the same day. Track & trace available.
The Cadeo experience
Receive digital card
Personal card with video, GIF or message. Fully branded in the employer's brand style. The gift starts with an emotional moment.
Open the portal
The recipient sees the exact euro amount and the curated assortment of 1,200+ products from local brands.
Choose a gift or donate
Choose one gift or donate the full amount to a charity. No points, no filler gifts — read why this works better than a gift card.
Leave a thank-you message
40% of recipients leave a personal thank-you message. AI analyzes the messages for personalized insights.
The fundamental difference: with SterKado, the experience feels like a webshop with a points balance. With Cadeo, it feels like a personal gift with an emotional starting moment. The recipient experience for employees and for clients is designed at Cadeo as a complete appreciation moment.
Unlimited validity sounds good — but is it?
SterKado's gift cards are valid indefinitely by default. That sounds like good service, but in practice it means recipients keep postponing the gift forever. In the Netherlands, 15–20% of all gift cards are never redeemed — that's €150–380 million per year. For experience-related cards, even up to 45%.
Cadeo's 60–90 day term creates healthy urgency: long enough to choose calmly, short enough not to forget. The result: a 95% redemption rate. And unredeemed gifts are credited.
Automation and HRIS compared
SterKado offers a "birthday management" service: you submit a list of birthdays and SterKado automatically sends a gift card on the right day. That is handy, but it requires manual data input and there is no direct connection to your HR system.
Cadeo integrates directly with BambooHR, Personio and HiBob. Birthdays, anniversaries and onboarding moments are automatically pulled from your HRIS. Connection in 15 minutes, no setup fee. See all available HRIS integrations or read how to automate your recognition policy.
The difference: with SterKado, someone has to keep the list updated. With Cadeo, it runs automatically — and when a new employee starts in BambooHR, the welcome gift is already ready.
Price, billing and WKR
SterKado works with custom quotes. Prices are not public — you need to request a demo or contact them for pricing. That makes it hard to compare in advance. SterKado is usually competitive on price, especially at larger volumes.
Cadeo is transparently published: from €15 per recipient. No platform fees, no setup fee, no contract. Billing in the company name, per campaign, net 30 days.
WKR 2026: benefits in kind vs. wages
The free space in 2026 is 2% on the first €400,000 of taxable payroll and 1.18% above that. Choice gifts from your own portal qualify as benefits in kind — a more favorable WKR category. Both SterKado and Cadeo use their own webshop/portal, so both generally qualify as benefits in kind.
Note: if the SterKado assortment includes third-party gift cards that are broadly redeemable, that can affect the WKR classification. Cadeo's model — one gift from a curated portal — qualifies more clearly as a benefit in kind. Do you exceed the free space? Then 80% final tax applies. Always consult your tax advisor.
Pro tip: compare total costs, not just the unit price
SterKado may be cheaper per gift card. But also factor in: how much time does manual birthday management take? How much budget is lost to unredeemed gift cards? And what is the effect of a gift that is actually experienced as appreciation? With Cadeo, you only pay for redeemed gifts.
Which platform suits which team?
Honest answer: if budget is the absolute priority and you want to send choice gifts as cheaply as possible, SterKado is competitive. But if gift quality, recipient experience and measurable impact matter, the story is different.
SterKado is a better fit if you:
Make budget the absolute priority
SterKado offers competitive pricing, especially at large volumes. If the lowest price per gift is the most important criterion, SterKado is an option.
Want physical packages and mailbox gifts
SterKado offers theme packs, mailbox gifts and gift wrapping. If you want to send physical packages alongside choice gifts, SterKado has that breadth.
Cadeo is a better fit if you:
Choose quality over quantity
1,200+ curated products from local brands, 30% renewed annually. No generic webshop, but an assortment you can be proud of as an employer.
Want to show transparent value
The recipient sees the exact euro amount. No points confusion — that strengthens the feeling of appreciation. See the difference on the choice platform.
Want to measure and report impact
Standard impact reports with thank-you messages (40% leave one), AI analysis and donation impact. Back up your gifting ROI with concrete data.
Need HRIS automation
Direct integration with BambooHR, Personio and HiBob — no more manual lists. Live in 15 minutes.
Want to create a personal digital experience
Digital card with video, GIF or personal message, fully in your own branding. The gift starts with an emotional moment, not with a barcode.
Switching from SterKado to Cadeo
You don't have to cancel SterKado before trying Cadeo. Start with a pilot — same employees, same budget, different platform — and compare the results. Also see our Christmas gifts and Christmas packages offerings if you want to switch for the season.
Create an account
Free, ready in 15 minutes. No contract, no setup costs.
Connect your HRIS
Optional: BambooHR, Personio or HiBob in 15 minutes, with no fee.
Send a campaign
Live the same day. Start small with one team or department.
Compare impact
After 30 days: compare redemption rate, thank-you messages and feedback with SterKado.
Start without risk
No minimum order
Start with 1 recipient if you want.
No startup costs
No setup fee, no platform costs.
No contract
Per campaign, cancellable monthly.
Frequently asked questions: Cadeo vs SterKado
SterKado works with a points system where the recipient does not see the euro value and can choose multiple small gifts from 1,500+ items. Cadeo shows the recipient the exact euro amount, offers one curated gift from 1,200+ local products, and includes standard impact reports with thank-you messages and AI analysis. In addition, Cadeo offers direct HRIS integration with BambooHR, Personio and HiBob.
SterKado can be cheaper per gift card, especially at larger volumes. However, prices are not public — you need a quote. Cadeo publishes transparently: from €15 per recipient, no setup costs, no platform fee. Always compare the total costs: including time for manual birthday management, unredeemed gift cards and the difference in recipient experience.
Yes. You do not need to cancel SterKado to try Cadeo. Create an account (15 minutes), optionally connect your HRIS and send your first campaign the same day. Start with a pilot campaign to compare results. No minimum order, no startup costs, no contract. Book an intro call via cadeo.nl/beginnen-met-cadeo.
The gift budget is converted into points. The recipient logs in to shop.sterkado.nl with a barcode and PIN code, sees the points total and chooses one or more gifts. SterKado does not communicate the monetary value to the recipient — they confirm this in their FAQ. With Cadeo, the recipient always sees the exact euro amount the employer has set aside.
SterKado offers "birthday management": you provide a list of birthdays and SterKado automatically sends a gift card on the right day. However, there is no direct connection to HR systems such as BambooHR, Personio or HiBob. Cadeo integrates directly with these three systems. Birthdays, anniversaries and onboarding moments are automatically triggered, live in 15 minutes.
In 2026, the free space is 2% on the first €400,000 of taxable payroll and 1.18% above that. Choice gifts via your own portal qualify as benefits in kind — both at SterKado and Cadeo. Note: if the SterKado assortment contains broadly redeemable gift cards, the WKR classification may be affected. Cadeo's model — one gift from a curated portal — qualifies more clearly as a benefit in kind. Always consult your tax advisor.
Yes. SterKado has been acquired by Touch Incentive, a specialist in loyalty and incentives. What this means for the platform, assortment and service is not yet fully clear. For companies looking for stability and a clear roadmap, this can be a consideration. Cadeo is an independent platform with its own product vision, not part of a larger incentive group.
