Nic Dunn, CEO, Charle Agency
What Is a Loyalty Programme?
A loyalty programme is a structured marketing strategy that rewards customers for repeat purchases and engagement with your brand. These programmes typically use points, discounts, VIP tiers, or exclusive perks to incentivise customers to keep coming back rather than shopping with competitors.
For Shopify stores, loyalty programmes are delivered through apps that integrate directly with your store. Customers earn points for actions like making purchases, writing reviews, referring friends, or engaging on social media. They can then redeem these points for discounts, free products, or store credit.
The best loyalty apps go beyond simple points systems. They offer features like VIP tiers that make your best customers feel valued, referral programmes that turn customers into advocates, and detailed analytics that help you understand what drives repeat purchases.
Why Loyalty Programmes Matter in 2026
Customer acquisition costs have increased significantly over the past few years. Meta and Google advertising costs continue to rise, making it more expensive than ever to acquire new customers. This is why retention has become the focus for smart ecommerce brands.
The numbers tell the story: it costs 5 to 25 times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. Increasing customer retention by just 5% can boost profits by 25% to 95%. Loyal customers also spend more per order and are more likely to recommend your brand to others.
A well-designed loyalty programme helps you maximise the value of customers you have already acquired. Rather than constantly chasing new traffic, you can focus on increasing customer lifetime value and building a community of repeat buyers who genuinely love your brand.
In 2026, the best Shopify stores are treating loyalty not as an afterthought but as a core part of their business strategy. The right loyalty app can transform one-time buyers into brand advocates who drive sustainable, long-term growth.
How to Choose the Right Loyalty App
With dozens of loyalty apps available on the Shopify App Store, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. Here are the key factors to consider:
Integration with Shopify: Look for apps built natively for Shopify that use theme app extensions rather than legacy code injections. Native apps load faster and cause fewer conflicts with your theme.
Customisation options: Your loyalty programme should match your brand identity. The best apps let you customise colours, fonts, widget placements, and reward structures to create a seamless experience.
Reward flexibility: Different stores need different reward types. Some apps focus on points and discounts, while others offer gift cards, free products, store credit, or experiential rewards. Choose based on what resonates with your customers.
VIP tiers and gamification: Tiered programmes create a sense of progression that keeps customers engaged. Look for apps that support multiple VIP levels with escalating benefits.
Referral capabilities: Word-of-mouth remains one of the most powerful marketing channels. Many loyalty apps include built-in referral programmes that reward customers for bringing in new shoppers.
Analytics and reporting: You need visibility into programme performance. The best apps show you redemption rates, points liability, customer engagement, and ROI metrics.
Pricing and scalability: Consider both current costs and how pricing scales as you grow. Some apps charge per order, others charge flat monthly fees, and some take a percentage of programme-attributed revenue.
The Best Loyalty Apps for Shopify (2026)
We have tested and reviewed the top loyalty apps for Shopify to help you find the right solution for your store. Here are our top picks for 2026:
1. LoyaltyLion
LoyaltyLion is a premium loyalty platform trusted by high-growth DTC and Shopify Plus brands. For over a decade, LoyaltyLion has been helping merchants turn shoppers into loyal repeat customers through data-driven loyalty strategies.
What sets LoyaltyLion apart is its focus on analytics and segmentation. The platform provides deep insights into customer behaviour, redemption trends, and programme ROI. You can use this data to power lifecycle marketing campaigns and personalise experiences based on loyalty status.
LoyaltyLion supports points, referrals, and up to four VIP tiers. Customers can earn points for purchases, account creation, birthdays, reviews, social follows, and more. The platform integrates with email marketing tools like Klaviyo, enabling you to create targeted campaigns based on loyalty data.
Pricing: Free to install with paid plans starting at £199/month. Best suited for stores with annual revenue of £1.5M or more.
Best for: Data-driven Shopify Plus brands that want advanced segmentation, retention analytics, and enterprise-grade features.
2. Yotpo Loyalty
Yotpo Loyalty is a best-in-class solution designed for Shopify brands serious about building and scaling customer retention. It is part of the broader Yotpo marketing suite, which combines loyalty with reviews, SMS, and email in a unified platform.
The ecosystem approach is Yotpo's biggest strength. Data flows seamlessly between loyalty, reviews, and communication channels without custom integration work. If you are already using Yotpo for reviews or SMS, adding their loyalty module creates a powerful, cohesive retention strategy.
Yotpo offers over 20 campaign types, including points programmes, referrals, and VIP tiers. The no-code platform makes it easy to launch and manage programmes without developer resources. Merchants using Yotpo report an average ROI of 8.5x within the first 90 days.
Pricing: Free to install with the Gold package at £159/month. Enterprise pricing available for larger brands.
Best for: Growth-focused and enterprise-level merchants who want loyalty integrated with reviews, SMS, and email marketing.
3. Smile.io
Smile.io is one of the most well-known loyalty apps in the Shopify ecosystem. It provides a straightforward way for businesses of all sizes to launch points, referral, and VIP programmes without complexity.
The platform bundles three main features: a points programme, a referral programme, and a VIP programme. Merchants can use one or all three depending on their needs. Customers earn points for actions like creating an account, placing orders, and celebrating birthdays, then redeem them for discounts or rewards.
Smile.io offers solid integrations with popular apps including review platforms and email marketing tools. Paid plans include additional features like points expiry, bonus campaigns, enhanced customisation, and VIP tiers. The free plan makes it easy to get started and test the waters.
Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at £39/month.
Best for: Small to medium-sized stores seeking an easy-to-use loyalty solution with proven reliability.
4. Growave
Growave is an all-in-one loyalty app that combines loyalty programmes, customer reviews, wishlists, and social login features. It is designed to create a holistic customer experience that drives engagement and repeat purchases.
The bundled approach offers excellent value for stores that need multiple features without installing separate apps. Growave's loyalty module supports points, referrals, VIP tiers, and reward options including discounts, free shipping, and free products.
Customisation is a strong point. You can adjust design elements to match your brand, display customer reviews for social proof, and enable social login for frictionless account creation. The Instagram integration helps you leverage user-generated content across your marketing.
Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at £39/month.
Best for: Stores looking for an all-in-one solution that combines loyalty, reviews, and wishlists at an affordable price.
5. BON Loyalty
BON Loyalty has quickly become one of the most popular loyalty apps on Shopify, boasting a perfect 5.0 rating from thousands of reviews. The app offers a generous free plan and supports over 250 languages, making it ideal for international stores.
BON Loyalty provides all the core features you would expect: points programmes, VIP tiers, referral rewards, and multiple redemption options. What makes it stand out is the combination of powerful features with an exceptionally user-friendly interface.
The app integrates well with Shopify POS, enabling omnichannel loyalty across online and in-store purchases. Customer support receives consistently excellent reviews, with users praising the responsive and helpful team.
Pricing: Free plan available. Basic plan starts at £20/month.
Best for: International stores and merchants seeking a feature-rich loyalty app with excellent support and multilingual capabilities.
6. Rivo
Rivo is a comprehensive retention ecosystem built specifically for Shopify and Shopify Plus merchants. The platform combines loyalty programmes, referral marketing, and paid memberships in one unified system.
With over 150 features and 9,000+ Shopify brands on the platform, Rivo has proven itself as a serious contender in the loyalty space. The app is built entirely on Shopify's latest infrastructure, resulting in fast load times under 100ms and secure, privacy-first operation.
Rivo offers a branded loyalty page builder, smooth checkout integration, and 44+ integrations including Klaviyo, Gorgias, and Shopify Flow. The platform has delivered impressive results, with brands like HexClad generating $450K in referral revenue during their first 90 days.
Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at £39/month for up to 400 orders.
Best for: Shopify and Shopify Plus merchants wanting a modern, Shopify-native platform with extensive features and proven ROI.
7. Joy Loyalty
Joy Loyalty is a retention-focused solution built specifically for Shopify stores. It helps merchants turn first-time buyers into loyal brand advocates through customisable loyalty programmes that drive repeat purchases.
Joy offers a full suite of features including customisable loyalty programmes, real-time analytics, and seamless integration with Shopify POS and popular marketing apps. The platform ensures a smooth experience for both merchants and customers across online and in-store channels.
The pricing is particularly attractive for smaller stores, with a generous free plan and affordable paid tiers. Despite the lower price point, Joy does not compromise on features, offering VIP tiers, referral programmes, and multiple reward types.
Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at £20/month.
Best for: Budget-conscious stores that want comprehensive loyalty features without enterprise pricing.
8. Stamped.io
Stamped.io specialises in user-generated content (UGC) and loyalty programmes. The platform helps businesses engage customers effectively by combining the power of reviews with loyalty rewards.
Stamped allows customers to share their experiences through reviews, photos, and videos while earning rewards for their contributions. This creates a virtuous cycle where loyalty drives UGC, and UGC drives conversions for new customers.
The platform offers loyalty rewards, referral capabilities, and deep integration with its review features. Detailed dashboards provide insights into customer behaviour, helping you make data-driven decisions about your loyalty strategy.
Pricing: Loyalty plans start at £159/month.
Best for: Brands that want to combine loyalty with a robust UGC and review strategy.
9. S Loyalty
S Loyalty takes a user-friendly and straightforward approach to loyalty and referral programmes. It aims to simplify the process of engaging customers and rewarding their loyalty without unnecessary complexity.
Shopify merchants praise S Loyalty for turning customer loyalty into a revenue-boosting machine. The app features personalised rewards, custom campaigns, and efficient management of customer exclusions and point allocations.
Reward options include Pay with Points, Free Shipping, and various discount types. You can add holiday bonuses, birthday rewards, and special point events to keep customers engaged throughout the year.
Pricing: Free plan available with affordable paid tiers.
Best for: Stores seeking a simple, no-fuss loyalty solution that is easy to set up and manage.
10. Rise.ai
Rise.ai specialises in gift cards, store credit, and loyalty programmes. It offers a versatile solution for businesses aiming to provide customers with flexible options for rewards and incentives.
The platform excels at automated gift card management, making it easy to run gift card campaigns, offer store credit refunds, and reward loyal customers. Email notifications keep customers engaged and informed about their balances and rewards.
Rise.ai integrates well with other marketing tools and provides detailed reporting on gift card and store credit usage. If your loyalty strategy centres on gift cards and store credit rather than traditional points, Rise.ai is worth considering.
Pricing: Plans start at £16/month.
Best for: Stores focusing on gift cards and store credit as primary loyalty and retention tools.
11. Love Loyalty
Love Loyalty is a newer entrant that has quickly gained traction with over 2,000 merchants and more than 150 five-star reviews. Built entirely on Shopify's latest infrastructure, it offers fast load times and secure, privacy-first operation.
The app provides 15+ loyalty programme placements to build loyalty across the entire customer journey, from product pages to checkout and thank you pages. A standout feature is the ability to sell paid monthly and yearly memberships, adding a recurring revenue stream to your loyalty strategy.
Love Loyalty integrates with Shopify POS, Klaviyo, and Judge.me. The team offers free migration from LoyaltyLion, Smile, and Yotpo, plus responsive live chat support. Merchants report making significant membership sales within weeks of going live.
Pricing: Growth plan at £47/month. Plus plan at £95/month with checkout extensions for Shopify Plus.
Best for: Merchants wanting a modern, Shopify-native app with membership capabilities and fast, responsive support.
12. ReferralCandy
ReferralCandy is a dedicated referral marketing platform trusted by over 30,000 ecommerce brands including Tupperware, Stanley, Colgate, and Steve Madden. While it focuses specifically on referrals rather than full loyalty programmes, it excels at turning customers into advocates.
The platform allows you to run multiple targeted referral and affiliate campaigns with accurate attribution. You can offer custom coupon codes, store credits, cash rewards, and tiered incentives. The fraud protection system helps identify and block suspicious activities like self-referrals and leaked codes.
ReferralCandy integrates seamlessly with Klaviyo, Recharge, and all Shopify subscription apps. The platform supports 12 languages for international stores and provides detailed reporting on your best affiliates and creators.
Pricing: Plans start at £23/month (Basic) plus a success fee on referrals. Higher tiers reduce the success fee percentage.
Best for: Brands seeking a dedicated referral engine with affiliate capabilities and automated reward payouts.
How to Set Up a Loyalty Programme on Shopify
Setting up a loyalty programme on Shopify is straightforward with the right app. Here is a step-by-step guide to get you started:
Step 1: Choose your loyalty app. Review the options above and select an app that matches your budget, store size, and feature requirements. Most apps offer free plans or trials so you can test before committing.
Step 2: Install and configure. Install the app from the Shopify App Store and follow the setup wizard. Configure your branding by uploading your logo, selecting colours, and customising the layout to match your store's design.
Step 3: Define your rewards structure. Decide how customers will earn points and what they can redeem them for. Common earning actions include purchases, account creation, referrals, reviews, and social follows. Popular redemption options include percentage discounts, fixed amount discounts, free shipping, and free products.
Step 4: Set up VIP tiers (optional). If your app supports it, create VIP tiers with escalating benefits. This creates a sense of progression and gives your best customers exclusive perks that keep them engaged.
Step 5: Launch and promote. Create a dedicated loyalty page on your website and promote your programme through email marketing, social media, and on-site banners. Make it easy for customers to understand the benefits of joining.
Step 6: Integrate with your marketing stack. Connect your loyalty app with email marketing platforms, CRMs, and other tools. This enables you to send personalised campaigns based on loyalty status and behaviour.
Step 7: Monitor and optimise. Use your app's analytics to track programme performance. Monitor metrics like enrolment rate, points earned and redeemed, redemption rate, and programme ROI. Use these insights to refine your strategy over time.
Benefits of Using Loyalty Apps for Shopify
Implementing a loyalty programme offers numerous advantages for your Shopify store:
Increased customer retention: Loyalty programmes give customers a reason to return. When shoppers have points to redeem or VIP status to maintain, they are more likely to choose your store over competitors.
Higher average order value: Customers often spend more to earn bonus points or reach the next VIP tier. The psychology of earning rewards encourages larger purchases and increases average order value.
Improved customer lifetime value: By encouraging repeat purchases over time, loyalty programmes significantly boost customer lifetime value. This makes each acquired customer more valuable to your business.
Word-of-mouth marketing: Referral programmes turn your customers into advocates. When customers are rewarded for bringing in new shoppers, you benefit from authentic recommendations that convert better than paid advertising.
Valuable customer data: Loyalty programmes provide insights into customer behaviour, preferences, and purchasing patterns. This data helps you make smarter marketing and merchandising decisions.
Competitive differentiation: A well-designed loyalty programme can set you apart from competitors. Exclusive rewards and VIP experiences create emotional connections that transcend price comparisons.
Reduced marketing costs: Retaining existing customers is far cheaper than acquiring new ones. By focusing on loyalty, you can reduce your dependence on expensive paid acquisition channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Several excellent loyalty apps offer free plans including Smile.io, Growave, BON Loyalty, Rivo, Joy, and S Loyalty. BON Loyalty stands out with its perfect 5.0 rating and support for 250+ languages. Joy offers particularly good value with comprehensive features at budget-friendly pricing. The best choice depends on your specific needs and how you plan to scale.
Pricing varies widely. Free plans are available from most apps with limited features. Paid plans typically start around £20 to £47 per month for basic features and scale up to £159 to £199+ per month for enterprise features. Some apps charge based on order volume while others use flat monthly fees. Consider both current costs and how pricing scales as your store grows.
Yes, most Shopify loyalty apps offer extensive customisation options. You can typically adjust colours, fonts, widget placements, reward structures, and programme messaging to align with your brand identity. Higher-tier plans often include more advanced customisation options including custom CSS and dedicated loyalty pages.
The most effective rewards depend on your products and customers. Percentage discounts and fixed amount discounts are universally popular. Free shipping rewards work well for stores with higher shipping costs. Free products create excitement and can introduce customers to new items. Store credit offers flexibility. VIP perks like early access to sales and exclusive products build emotional loyalty beyond transactional rewards.
Effective promotion includes on-site widgets and banners, dedicated loyalty programme pages, email marketing campaigns, social media announcements, post-purchase messaging, and packaging inserts. Make the benefits clear and easy to understand. Highlight how customers can earn and redeem rewards. Consider a launch promotion with bonus points to drive initial enrolment.
Yes, many loyalty apps integrate with Shopify POS to provide omnichannel loyalty experiences. Apps like LoyaltyLion, Yotpo, BON Loyalty, Joy, and Love Loyalty support POS integration, allowing customers to earn and redeem points both online and in physical retail locations. Check the specific app's features to confirm POS compatibility.
Results vary depending on your industry, customer base, and programme design. Some businesses see positive impacts within the first few months as enrolled customers start making repeat purchases. Yotpo reports an average ROI of 8.5x within the first 90 days. Consistency in programme promotion and customer engagement is key to achieving lasting results. Most programmes show clear ROI within 6 to 12 months.
Yes, you can switch to a different loyalty app if your current one is not meeting your needs. Many apps like Love Loyalty offer free migration services from competitors. The process typically involves exporting customer loyalty data and importing it into the new platform. Plan the transition carefully to minimise disruption and communicate changes to your customers.
Conclusion
Loyalty apps offer a powerful way to enhance your Shopify store's performance. From boosting repeat purchases to turning customers into brand advocates, the right loyalty programme can transform your business economics.
For enterprise brands, LoyaltyLion and Yotpo provide the advanced analytics and segmentation capabilities needed to run sophisticated retention strategies. For growing stores, Smile.io, Growave, and Rivo offer excellent features at more accessible price points. And for budget-conscious merchants, BON Loyalty and Joy deliver impressive functionality with generous free plans.
The key is choosing an app that matches your current needs while providing room to grow. Start with the features that matter most to your business, test with a free plan or trial, and scale up as you see results.
If you need help implementing a loyalty programme or improving your Shopify store's conversion rate, our team at Charle can help. We are a Shopify Plus agency with extensive experience helping brands build retention strategies that drive long-term growth.