Start your switch in Slack 
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Lots of teams have already moved from Donut
Many of our happiest customers ran on Donut before BuddiesHR. They tell us the same thing: the switch was easier than they expected, because everything they used in Donut had a home, and they picked up a few tools they'd been paying for elsewhere.
"We decided to move from Donut to you guys, since our team enjoy this interactions so much."
"We're currently using Donut but it's too expensive and I'm looking to change to Alfy."
"I installed Alfy to pair our design team since we're remote across regions. It reduces the mental load of scheduling something weekly. Super easy to set up."
Where each Donut feature lives in BuddiesHR
You won't be rebuilding anything from scratch. Each Donut feature maps to a BuddiesHR app that works the way your team is used to.
| What you use in Donut | Where it lives in BuddiesHR | What's different |
|---|---|---|
| Intros (coffee chats) | Alfy | Same idea: pairings in a Slack channel on a rhythm you choose. Flat $1 per user, no price bands. |
| Celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries) | Billy | Auto-collects dates or imports them from a spreadsheet. Adds custom events, weekend handling and GIF templates. |
| Watercooler prompts | Alfy | Included in Alfy, alongside coffee chats. No extra app or plan needed. |
| Points and rewards for intros | Clappy | Full peer recognition, not just points for completed chats. Kudos tied to your company values, with rewards. |
| Onboarding journeys (Premium) | No direct equivalent | Be upfront: if onboarding journeys are central for you, plan for this. |
Still comparing options? See how BuddiesHR stacks up on price and features in our guide to the best Donut alternatives.
What you get that Donut doesn't have
Teams moving from Donut usually start with Alfy and Billy. Within a few weeks, most add one of these, because they're already paying for a separate tool that does it.
Every culture app is $1 per user. All seven are $2. Add or remove apps anytime. See pricing
What the switch actually takes
Time
Around 30 minutes of setup for coffee chats and birthdays.
People
One person who can install Slack apps. If your workspace requires admin approval for new apps, loop in your Slack admin first.
Data
Donut doesn't export birthdays or anniversaries. Either let Billy collect dates from your team in Slack, or import a spreadsheet.
Cost during the switch
Nothing. You get a 30-day free trial with no credit card, so you can run BuddiesHR while your Donut plan winds down.
What the migration looks like, day by day
- Day 1
Install and set up
Install Alfy and Billy in Slack. Point Alfy at your existing coffee chat channel and set the pairing rhythm. Start Billy's date collection or import your spreadsheet.
- Day 1 to 3
Tell your team
Post a short note in the channel (template below) so nobody's surprised when a new bot shows up.
- First round
Alfy takes over
Pause Donut Intros, then let Alfy send its first round of pairings in the same channel. Your team keeps the same rhythm, just from a different bot.
- Week 2
Retire Donut
Once the first Alfy round and the first Billy celebration have gone out, uninstall Donut and cancel your plan.
- Weeks 2 to 4
Add what you need
Try Clappy, Pulsy or Stany during your free trial. Keep what your team uses, remove what it doesn't.
Step by step: moving each Donut feature
Moving your coffee chats from Donut Intros to Alfy
- Install Alfy from the Slack App Directory or from buddieshr.com/get-started.
- Choose your existing coffee chat channel.
- Set how often people get paired and the group size.
- Pause Donut Intros so people don't get two pairings in the same week.
- Let Alfy send its first round.
Moving birthdays and anniversaries from Donut Celebrations to Billy
- Install Billy and choose your celebrations channel.
- Turn on automatic date collection, or import a spreadsheet of birthdays and start dates.
- Choose how weekend celebrations are handled (Friday or Monday).
- Turn off Donut Celebrations before the next birthday comes round.
Moving watercooler prompts to Alfy
- Watercooler prompts are included in Alfy, so there is nothing extra to install.
- Turn on watercooler prompts in Alfy and they'll be posted alongside the matches.
- Turn off Donut watercooler prompts so the channel only gets one set.
Replacing points with real recognition in Clappy
- Install Clappy and choose a kudos channel.
- Add your company values so kudos can be tagged with them.
- Set up rewards if you used Donut's rewards store.
When to cancel Donut
Donut bills based on the people active in your Donut channels. Cancel once your first Alfy round has gone out.
Our 30-day free trial gives you room to run both side by side before you commit.
A message you can send your team
Copy this into your coffee chat channel the day you switch.
Want us to walk through it with you?
Book a 15-minute call and we'll set up your first apps with you, check your channels, and plan the timing around your Donut renewal.
Questions teams ask before switching from Donut
How long does it take to switch from Donut to BuddiesHR?
Setup for coffee chats and birthdays usually takes under an hour. Most teams run their first Alfy round within days, then uninstall Donut once it's gone out.
Will my team notice the switch?
Only the bot name. Pairings keep happening in the same channel on the same rhythm, and birthdays keep getting celebrated. Send the short announcement above so nobody's surprised.
Can I keep my existing Donut channel?
Yes. Point Alfy at the channel Donut used, pause Donut, and your team doesn't need to join anything new.
How do I move birthdays and work anniversaries from Donut?
Donut doesn't offer an export, so the dates don't carry over automatically. Billy can collect them from your team directly in Slack, or you can import them from a spreadsheet you already keep.
Is there anything in Donut that BuddiesHR doesn't do?
Donut's Premium onboarding journeys don't have a direct equivalent in BuddiesHR. Everything else, coffee chats, watercooler prompts, celebrations and recognition, has a home.
Do I pay for both tools during the switch?
Not for BuddiesHR. You get 30 days free with no credit card, and it's free forever under 10 users. Time your Donut cancellation to your renewal date.
How much will I save by leaving Donut?
It depends on team size. For 50 people, Donut Standard costs $299 a month billed annually. BuddiesHR's Alfy costs $50 a month, or $100 for all seven culture apps. See the full comparison of Donut alternatives.
Does BuddiesHR work in Microsoft Teams too?
Yes. Every BuddiesHR app is native in both Slack and Microsoft Teams.
Start your switch today
Install Alfy and Billy in Slack, run your first round this week, and retire Donut when you're ready. 30 days free, no credit card.