We all know the importance of customer loyalty, but finding the right loyalty app can be overwhelming. That’s why our team has created a loyalty software comparison guide to save your time. Learn how these loyalty software brands compare in terms of price and features, and find the perfect solution for your Shopify store.
What to Look for in a Loyalty App?
The first thing any merchant should do before choosing their loyalty app is to define their business goals. Ask yourself: What problems am I facing? Do I want to increase my AOV? Do I have customer acquisition problems? Am I having trouble retaining customers? Then, using the SMART framework, you can establish your goal. For example, “I want to reduce my customer acquisition costs by increasing my repeat purchases by 10% in 2 months”
Once merchants have established their goals, the next step is to devise strategies to achieve them. Consider the following key factors: discount methods, reward options, shopping bonuses, VIP exclusive offers, integration capabilities, customized display options, pricing, personalization features, engagement tactics, cross-channel promotions, referral incentives, gamification elements, customer feedback integration, analytics and reporting tools, and multi-currency support. Here are some important aspects to keep in mind:
1. Points Redemption Method
When choosing a loyalty app, we want something that can automatically turn points into shopping credits or discount codes. The app should let you customize the discount percentage and offer flexible ways for customers to use their points.
2. Rewards Options
Make sure that the loyalty app offers multiple reward options like points, cash back, free shipping, product discounts, and gift cards. It's also helpful if the software lets you manually adjust points or cash back for specific customers.
3. Shopping Bonuses
Look for features that encourage customer engagement, like personalized birthday gifts to make customers feel special. Ensure the software integrates with review apps, like Judge.me, to reward customers for leaving feedback. Additionally, a good referral program that provides two-way rewards can encourage customers to bring in new shoppers, helping to grow your customer base. You can also set up special events such as double points days, rewards for buying specific products, or spending thresholds during promotions.
5. VIP Exclusive Offers
For VIP exclusive offers, it's important to offer different benefits for different levels of membership, such as entry rewards, level-up gifts, and fixed checkout discounts.
6. Integration Capabilities
Integration capabilities are crucial, so ensure the software integrates seamlessly with your Point of Sale system and marketing tools like Klaviyo. Additionally, check if the software provides API integration for tracking and sharing links on social media.
7. Customized Display Options
Customized display options are another key factor. The software should allow you to create a dedicated member page on your website and display points and discounts directly at checkout to encourage redemptions.
8. Pricing
Lastly, consider pricing and scalability. Compare pricing plans based on your order volume to ensure the app fits within your budget without hidden pricing. Choose software that can grow with your business, handling increased order volumes and customer data effectively.
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Top Loyalty Programs Compared
Ako Marketing
With a 4.8 out of 5.0 rating on the app store and a Built for Shopify badge, Ako Marketing App is a great tool for boosting customer acquisition and retention with its Loyalty Program. It also features the ‘Ako Marketing Funnel,’ which improves retargeting conversions and lowers advertising costs on platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram. This app helps drive repeat purchases through retargeting and loyalty combined.
Pros
Points Redemption Method
- Automatically converts points into shopping credits, eliminating the need for customers to copy discount codes.
- Merchants can customize the discount percentage.
- Offers order discount codes and free shipping discount codes.
Rewards Program
- Different levels can get different birthday gifts.
- Works with Judge.me or other review apps that support Shopify Flow to reward customers for leaving feedback.
- Encourages referrals with two-way feedback from friends and recommenders.
- Can manually adjust bonus points.
- Rewards customers who fill in member information.
Shopping Bonuses
- Double points on membership days.
- Rewards for specific product purchases and spending thresholds.
- Supports Shopify Flow for custom activities.
Integration Capabilities
- Supports LINE, Facebook, Instagram, and Google for social logins.
- Integrates with Shopify POS and Klaviyo.
- Supports Instagram DM Automation where it automatically send discount codes and shoppable links to customers that leave a specific comment
VIP Exclusive Offers
- Gifts for different membership levels.
- Provides a VIP entry gift for new members.
- Membership validity period can be customized to valid forever or X years (calculated based on the transaction time of the member's first order, each member's validity start date is different).
- Fixed checkout discount available.
Customized Display Options
- Dedicated member page on your website.
- Displays points and discounts at checkout.
Pricing
Reasonable and competitive pricing for small to mid-sized businesses. However, for larger businesses processing higher order volumes, the costs can become quite high.
- $49 for 600 orders per month
- $99 for 1,000 orders per month
- $149 for 2000 orders per month
- $199 for 3000 orders per month
- $299 for 5000 orders per month
Cons
Points Redemption Method
- Does not support product discount codes.
- Does not support gift cards.
Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist
Growave is a powerful tool designed to enhance customer engagement and loyalty for your Shopify store. It offers features like wishlists, reviews, and rewards to encourage repeat purchases. Additionally, Growave integrates seamlessly with social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, helping you connect with customers and boost your online presence. This app is ideal for building a strong, loyal customer base and driving long-term growth.
Pros
Points Redemption Method
- You can exchange your points for discount coupons.
- Offers free shipping, and product discount codes.
- Supports gift cards.
Rewards Options
- Provides similar birthday gifts for all members regardless of their level.
- Rewards customers for leaving reviews with Growave's built-in comment function
- Encourages referrals with two-way feedback.
Shopping Bonuses
- Double points on membership days.
- Rewards for specific product purchases and spending thresholds.
- Can manually adjust bonus points
VIP Exclusive Offers
- Customized feedback and gifts for different membership levels.
- Provides a VIP entry gift for members that just created an account
Integration Capabilities
- Integrates with Shopify POS and Klaviyo.
Customized Display Options
- Dedicated member page on your website.
- Displays points and discounts at checkout.
Cons
Complexity
- May require time to set up and customize.
Limited Social Media Integration
- No social logins (LINE, Facebook, Instagram, Google).
- Does not support IG Reels interactions.
Member Information
- Lacks features for collecting detailed member information with special benefits.
Fixed Checkout Discounts
- Does not offer fixed checkout discounts.
VIP Exclusive Offers
- The membership validity period will be restarted at the same time
Pricing
Higher pricing tiers can be expensive:
- $49 for 500 orders/month
- $149 for 1000 orders/month
- $349 for 3000 orders/month
- $999 for 5000 orders/month
Rivo Loyalty & Referrals
Rivo is a top app for boosting customer loyalty and retention on Shopify. It offers features like reviews, rewards, and pop-ups to engage customers. Rivo helps increase repeat purchases and build a loyal customer base. It's easy to use and integrates smoothly with your store.
Pros
Points Redemption Method
- You can exchange your points for discount coupons.
- Offers free shipping, product discount codes, and order discount codes.
- Supports gift card (use flow to send store credit)
Rewards Options
- Provides different birthday gifts for various membership levels.
- Integrates with other review apps to reward customers for leaving feedback.
- Encourages referrals with two-way feedback (discount code).
Shopping Bonuses
- Double points on membership days (set using Shopify Flow).
- Rewards for specific product purchases and spending thresholds (set using Shopify Flow).
- Can manually adjust bonus points.
Integration Capabilities
- Supports Shopify Flow for custom activities.
VIP Exclusive Offers
- Customized feedback and gifts for different membership levels.
- Provides a VIP entry gift for members that just created an account
- The member validity period can be adjusted for valid forever or X years
Customized Display Options
- Dedicated member page on your website.
- Displays points and discounts at checkout.
Cons
Limited Social Media Integration
- No social logins (LINE, Facebook, Instagram, Google).
- Does not support IG Reels interactions.
Fixed Checkout Discounts
- Does not offer fixed checkout discounts.
Member Information
- Lacks features for collecting detailed member information with special benefits.
Pricing
Competitive pricing, but it depends on the order volume:
- $79 for 500 orders per month
- $159 for 1000 orders per month
- $359 for 2000 orders per month
- $499 for 3000 orders per month
Rise.ai
Rise.ai is a robust app for Shopify that focuses on customer loyalty and gift card solutions. It enables you to create and manage store credit, gift cards, and loyalty programs effortlessly. With Rise.ai, you can increase repeat purchases and customer retention by offering personalized rewards. The app also supports automated workflows to streamline your marketing efforts.
Pros
Points Redemption Method
- Collect points for cash back.
- Offers free shipping, product discount codes, and order discount codes.
- Supports gift cards.
Rewards Options
- Provides different birthday gifts for various membership levels.
- Encourages referrals with two-way feedback (discount code).
Shopping Bonuses
- Double points on membership days through cashbacks (set using Built-in Flow).
- Rewards for specific product purchases and spending thresholds through cashback (set using Built-in Flow).
Integration Capabilities
- Supports Shopify Flow for custom activities and Klaviyo.
VIP Exclusive Offers
- Customized feedback and gifts for different membership levels.
- Provides a VIP entry gift for new members.
- Member validity period can be adjusted to be valid forever or for a specific number of years.
Customized Display Options
- Dedicated member page on your website.
- Displays points and discounts at checkout.
Cons
Reward program
- Does not reward customers for leaving a feedback
Limited Social Media Integration
- No social logins (LINE, Facebook, Instagram, Google).
- Does not support IG Reels interactions.
VIP Exclusive offers
- The amount of discount cannot be limited.
- Only provides lifetime membership
Member Information
- Lacks features for collecting detailed member information with special benefits.
Pricing
Relatively high pricing, especially as the order volume increases.
- $59.99 for 400 orders per month
- $199.99 for 2000 orders per month
- $599.99 for 3000 orders per month
Yotpo: Loyalty & Rewards
Yotpo is a top app for boosting customer engagement on Shopify. It helps you collect and showcase customer reviews and ratings. With Yotpo, you can also create loyalty programs and offer rewards. The app integrates well with social media to increase your reach. Yotpo is easy to use and helps build trust and loyalty, driving more sales for your store.
Pros
Points Redemption Method
- Collect enough points to exchange for discount coupons.
- Offers free shipping, product discount codes, and order discount codes.
Rewards Options
- Provides different birthday gifts for various membership levels.
- Encourages referrals with two-way feedback from friends and recommenders (discount code).
- Can manually adjust bonus points.
Shopping Bonuses
- Double points on membership days through cashbacks.
- Rewards for specific product purchases and spending thresholds through cashback (set using Shopify Flow).
Integration Capabilities
- Supports Shopify Flow for custom activities and Klaviyo.
VIP Exclusive Offers
- Customized feedback and gifts for different membership levels.
- Provides a VIP entry gift for new members.
- Member validity period can be adjusted to be permanent/specified date/one year.
Customized Display Options
- Dedicated member page on your website.
- Displays points and discounts at checkout.
Cons
Gift card
- Does not provide a gift card.
Reward Program
- Does not reward customers for leaving feedback.
Limited Social Media Integration
- No social logins (LINE, Facebook, Instagram, Google).
- Does not support IG Reels interactions.
Fixed Checkout Discounts
- The amount of discount cannot be limited.
Member Information
- Lacks features for collecting detailed member information with special benefits.
S.Loyalty
Pros
Points Redemption Method
- Collect enough points to exchange for discount coupons.
- Offers free shipping, product discount codes, and order discount codes.
Rewards Options
- Provides birthday gifts for all members regardless of their level.
- Encourages referrals ReferralCandy to connect APIs.
- Can manually adjust points.
Shopping Bonuses
- Double points on membership days.
- Rewards customers with a minimum spending of 6,000 and get X points
VIP Exclusive Offers
- Customized feedback and gifts for different membership levels.
- Provides a VIP entry gift for new members.
- Member validity period can be adjusted to be valid forever or for a specified number of years.
Pricing
Affordable pricing for low order volumes
- $19.99 for 500 orders per month
- $19.99 for 1000 orders per month
- $199.99 for 2000 orders per month
- $199.99 for 3000 orders per month
- $199.99 for 5000 orders per month
Cons
Gift card
- Does not provide a gift card.
Reward Program
- Does not reward customers for leaving feedback.
Limited Social Media Integration
- No social logins (LINE, Facebook, Instagram, Google).
- Does not support IG Reels interactions.
Fixed Checkout Discounts
- Does not offer fixed checkout discounts.
Shopping Bonuses
- Not connected to Shopify Flow for custom activities, such as Buy designated products and get X points
Member Information
- Lacks features for collecting detailed member information with special benefits.
Smile.io
Smile.io enhances customer loyalty through customizable rewards programs, points systems, and referral bonuses. It seamlessly integrates with your store and marketing tools, driving customer engagement and boosting sales.
Pros
Points Redemption Method
- Collect points to redeem for discount coupons or cashbacks.
- Offers free shipping, product discount codes, gift card, and order discount codes.
Rewards Options
- Offers birthday gifts to all members
- Encourages customer review (must integrate a review-generation app).
- Can manually adjust points.
- Referrals
Shopping Bonuses
- Double points on membership days.
- Rewards customers with a minimum spending of 6,000 and get X points.
VIP Exclusive Offers
- Customized feedback and gifts for different membership levels.
- Provides a VIP entry gift for new members.
Integration Capabilities
- Integrates with Shopify POS and Klaviyo.
Customized Display Options
- Dedicated member page on your website.
- Displays points and discounts at checkout.
Cons
Limited Social Media Integration
- No social logins (LINE, Facebook, Instagram, Google).
- Does not support IG Reels interactions.
Member validity period
- Limited to 6 months, 1 year or 2 years; Or lifetime
Pricing
Quite pricey especially for small businesses:
- $49 for 500 orders per month
- $199 for 2500 orders per month
- $999 for 7500 orders per month
Final thoughts
Finding the right loyalty software can be overwhelming, so we've compared top options to help you choose the best fit for your Shopify store. Define your business goals and consider key factors like points redemption methods, rewards options, shopping bonuses, VIP exclusive offers, integration capabilities, customized display options, and pricing. Look for software that offers customizable points, various rewards, and good integration with social media and POS systems. Consider the pricing structure, especially for higher order volumes, to ensure it fits your budget. By carefully evaluating these aspects, you can enhance customer loyalty effectively and grow your business.