guudcard
Guud — Benefits employees love: simple, flexible, sustainable.
guud is a German provider of sustainable employee benefits. With the guudcard (flexible non-cash benefit card) and the guudschein (gift certificate), companies can easily implement tax-advantaged benefits such as €50 in non-cash benefits, €60 in tokens of appreciation, flat-rate taxed non-cash benefits, and public transportation reimbursements—with a focus on sustainability, regional commerce, mobility, and sports.
Security & Compliance
Security and privacy are top priorities.
Security Features
Certifications
- ISO 27001
- SOC 2
Data & Hosting
Data residency
EU
Hosting
Payment processing via (prepaid/debit) Mastercard.
Retention & deletion
Data from support requests is deleted once the request has been fully resolved and no further communication is needed or requested. Data arising from use of the guudcard is deleted when the contract with the employer ends.
Tax and regulatory classification: tax-exempt benefit in kind (50 € per month, EStG), gifts (€60 per occasion, R 19.6 LStR), lump-sum taxed benefits in kind (§37b EStG) up to €10,000, D-Ticket/public transit tax-free via reimbursement of receipts. The provider cites compliance with § 2(1)(10) ZAG (limited network/product range) as a prerequisite for tax-exempt benefits in kind.
Feature Scope
Key features: Security & Compliance (product-related information from the website): Integrations & Partners: Administration & Operation:
- Benefit card available as a debit/prepaid card (Mastercard) in a digital smartphone wallet or as a physical card; online and in-person payments.
- Three usage categories to choose from: shopping in the region, mobility (DB, D-Ticket, sharing), sports & wellness (including through a partnership with Urban Sports Club). Can be changed monthly.
- Two operating modes: Flex (all Mastercard-accepting locations within the selected ZIP code region) or Impact (only curated, sustainable locations).
- Sustainability focus: Curated locations are based on an independent ESG rating (30+ criteria) from Future Maps; inspiration for sustainable options within the app.
- Budgets/Tax Models: €50 monthly non-cash benefit, €60 gifts several times a year, §37b flat-rate taxed non-cash benefits up to €10,000, D-Ticket/public transit fully tax-free via receipt reimbursement. Multiple parallel budgets, clearly tax-compliant.
- Centralized HR administration: Company setup, card ordering, monthly credit top-ups, transparent overview/reporting in the portal; no individual contracts with merchants; easily integrated into payroll accounting; no integrations required.
- Employee experience: Virtual card via email, immediate wallet use; physical cards optional; personal top-ups in the app; credit can be saved up.
- Reach: Nationwide use in Germany for transportation and sports; regional use (based on ZIP codes) for shopping. Acceptance network comprising thousands of sustainable options (10,000+ locations mentioned).
- Tax/payment law compliance: Meets requirements for tax-free non-cash benefits; legal compliance per Section 2(1)(10) of the German Payment Services Act (ZAG) (limited network/product range) according to the company’s own statement.
- No technical integrations required; easy integration with payroll accounting. Partnerships/Ecosystem: Mastercard network, Urban Sports Club, use of public transit/DB/D-Ticket; sustainability rating with Future Maps. No API/webhook information provided.
- Minimum purchase of 5 cards; flexible card ordering; cancellable monthly; no contract term; personalized support.
Pricing details: Pricing model: per employee/month (subscription). Starting price: from €2.60 per month per employee. Monthly cancellation period, no contract term. Minimum purchase of 5 cards. Tiered pricing based on number of employees (5–20, 21–200, 200+); specific tiered prices available upon request. Currency: EUR.
Security hints: Product/security information on the site is limited: Use as a (prepaid/debit) Mastercard, digital wallet support.
Compliance notes: Tax and regulatory information: clearly tax-compliant; compliance pursuant to Section 2(1)(10) of the German Banking Act (ZAG) (limited network/product range) for tax-free non-cash benefits; Reference to the Income Tax Act (50 € monthly), 60 € for personal occasions (R 19.6 LStR), §37b flat-rate taxation up to 10,000 €, D-Ticket/public transit reimbursable.
Implementation hints: Quick onboarding: account setup, order cards, set budgets; employees receive a virtual card via email and add it to their wallet; physical cards are optional. No integrations required; easy integration into payroll accounting; central management/reporting in the portal. Minimum order of 5 cards.
Support hints: Personal support/consulting, quick onboarding, demo/appointment booking, contact form, phone, and FAQ & support section. References highlight fast, friendly support. No SLA or availability details provided.
Integration hints: No technical integrations required; easy integration into payroll accounting. Partner/Ecosystem: Mastercard network; Urban Sports Club (corporate rates); use of DB/public transit/D-Ticket via reimbursement; sustainable curation with Future Maps.
- Flexible benefits usage: switch monthly between local shopping, mobility, or sports & wellness. • Local shopping: Pay at Mastercard-accepting locations in selected regions; optional targeted use exclusively at sustainably curated locations (over 13,000 locations according to the map). • Mobility budget: Can be used for Deutsche Bahn, Deutschlandticket, car/bike sharing, and more. • Sports & wellness: Access to offers nationwide, including a partnership with Urban Sports Club. • Personal top-up: Employees can make personal top-ups in the app (e.g., bike purchase, D-Ticket). • Tax optimization: Use of the tax-free non-cash benefit (up to €50/month = €600/year) as a perk. • Impact/Sustainability: Support for sustainable shops, restaurants, and cultural venues; over €2 million directed toward sustainable commerce. • Reach: >13,000 participating sustainable locations on the map in Germany. • Target group pages/guides: For startups & scaleups, sustainable employers, remote & hybrid teams, healthcare industry & practices, SMEs & corporations. • Integrations: Partnership with Urban Sports Club; payment acceptance via the Mastercard network (implicitly through acceptance points). • Support/Information: FAQ & support section, appointment scheduling, and phone contact offered.
Pricing hints: Non-cash benefit model: up to €50 per month (€600 per year) tax-free for employees via the benefit solution.
Security hints: Cookie banner mentions, among others, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and OpenStreetMap.
Compliance hints: No specific mentions of GDPR compliance, DPA, ISO 27001, or SOC 2 on the pages. Links to privacy policy and legal notice are available.
Support hints: References to FAQs & support, scheduling an appointment, and calling (phone contact).
Integration hints: Partnership with Urban Sports Club (sports & wellness). Accepted at Mastercard-accepting locations (payment acceptance).
Features at a Glance
Mobile
- iOS/Android app
- Responsive UI
Core HR
- Employee self-service
- Manager self-service
- Workflows
Benefits
- Benefits enrollment
Analytics
- Dashboards
Data & API
- Data export
Pricing Model
Per employee
Starting price: from €2.60 per month per employee. Minimum order of 5 cards. Cancellable monthly, with no contract term. Price tiers based on employee count (5–20, 21–200, 200+). Benefit budgets (such as the €50 non-cash benefit) are additional to the subscription. A user review mentions possible fees for personal top-ups.
Implementation
Integration with payroll accounting is easy; centralized, automated monthly data uploads to the portal; physical cards are optional.
Support
Email · Phone · Cat · FAQ/Help Center · Demo/Consultation Appointment
Time zones: - CET/CEST (Germany/Europe)
The emphasis is on personalized, fast support for HR professionals, administrators, and users.
Integrations
Mastercard Acceptance Network
OtherDebit/Prepaid Mastercard for online and in-store payments; ZIP code/merchant category control (limited network).
Urban Sports Club
OtherSports/Wellness Partners with corporate rates.
Deutsche Bahn (DB) / ÖPNV / Deutschlandticket
OtherMobility benefits, including D-Ticket and public transportation reimbursement (reimbursement based on receipts).
Future Maps (ESG-Rating)
OtherIndependent ESG rating (30+ criteria) for curated, sustainable acceptance points (Impact Mode).
Apple Pay / Apple Wallet
OtherDigital card usage in the smartphone wallet (the provider refers to wallet usage).
Google Pay / Google Wallet
OtherDigital card usage in smartphone wallets (the provider refers to wallet usage).
Deutschlandticket
OtherBudget/private contribution for the D-Ticket is possible.
Carsharing-Anbieter
OtherMobility budget can be used.
Bikesharing-Anbieter
OtherMobility budget can be used.
Google Analytics
OtherTracking/Analytics.
Google Tag Manager
OtherTag Management.
OpenStreetMap
OtherMaps and location displays for sustainable communities.
Mastercard Akzeptanznetz
OtherDebit card acceptance for regional purchases (depending on Flex/Impact).
Deutsche Bahn
OtherUse of transportation, including long-distance and regional travel.
Deutschlandticket (D-Ticket)
OtherCan be reflected through private copayments or the use of benefits.
Carsharing (verschiedene Anbieter)
OtherMobility budget available.
Bikesharing (verschiedene Anbieter)
OtherMobility budget available.
HRIS/Payroll
OtherNo technical integrations required; simple integration with payroll accounting is described (without specifying specific providers or interfaces).
bAV via Partner (unnamed)
OtherPartnership for Corporate Retirement Plans (bAV)
Netzwerk regionaler & nachhaltiger Akzeptanzstellen
OtherExtensive partner network for shopping, transportation, sports, and health.
Mastercard (Kartenakzeptanz, je nach Kartenmodell)
OtherPayment acceptance network; no separate software integration required
Urban Sports Club (Beispielhändler/-nutzung)
OtherNo technical plugin/API; use via card as a payment method
Deutschlandticket/ÖPNV
OtherProcessing via reimbursement of receipts; tax-free subsidy/D-Ticket available
ÖPNV/Car-/Bikesharing/Flixbus
OtherEligible mobility expenses; processing via reimbursement forms, among other methods.
Future Maps
OtherA partnership to inspire sustainable, healthy lifestyles.
Deutschlandticket (Deutsche Bahn)
OtherUse via expense reimbursement in the app.