You’re a shopify store looking to optimize your tech stack. One of the first things that comes to mind is marketing and, specifically, customer retention strategies. You’re completely correct to prioritize your long-term customer engagement; recent data suggests that increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can increase profits by 25% to 95%. 

In the e-commerce sector, where competition is rife and switching barriers are low, this statistic becomes even more salient. Moreover, the cost of acquiring a new customer is five times more than retaining an existing one. 

Fortunately, there are lots of options for loyalty softwares that are easy-to-use plug-ins for your store. Below, we’ll outline the pros and cons of each and help you make your decision about how to maximize customer loyalty in alignment with your goals and core brand values. 

The 2020 Consumer Loyalty Report showed that 79% of consumers said shopify loyalty programs make them more likely to continue purchasing from brands.

What is a Loyalty Program?

Before we dive into the different options on the market, it’s important to understand the basics. Loyalty programs offer rewards, incentives, or special benefits for repeat customers, making them feel valued and offering them a deal (whether that a free coffee or a discount on their next purchase). These programs are proven to drive revenue, so they are a win-win for your brand and your loyal fans. 

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Why You’ll Want a Loyalty Program 

A loyalty program that’s well-designed could make or break your retail business. You’ll see: 

• Elevated customer retention: You want raving fans that stick around for the long-term. An enticing loyalty initiative will generate recurring purchases and keep your customers coming back for more. This not only amplifies sales but also drives authentic connection between your brand and your base.
• Increased customer lifetime value (LTV): Imagine customers flocking to your brand because they can't resist the perks you're dishing out. Loyalty programs make those repeat purchases a no-brainer, turning one-time transactions into a long-term love affair. In fact, customers that connect with a brand tend to open their wallets wider and more often, showing a staggering 306% higher lifetime value than the just-happy-to-be-here crowd.
• Authentic Customer Engagements: Customers want to feel seen and loved by the companies they trust with their dollars. A great loyalty program will facilitate impactful engagements and let you incentivize desired behaviors like writing reviews, referring friends, or answering polls. 
• Tailored customer experiences: Loyalty programs frequently gather data on customer preferences and buying patterns, enabling brands to customize offers and communications for individual customers, enriching their overall shopping journey. Personalization is the name of the game in today’s marketing world. 
• Competitive edge: In a crowded market, a robust loyalty program can distinguish a brand, making it more appealing to customers and winning deals with engaging features and unique deals. 
• Grassroots Marketing: Happy members of loyalty programs are much more inclined to endorse the brand to their social circles, transforming them into brand advocates and organically expanding the brand's influence.
• Data gathering & insights: Loyalty programs serve as a platform for collecting valuable customer data, which can be analyzed to extract insights into customer behavior, preferences, and trends, empowering brands to make well-informed business decisions.

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The benefits are endless, but lets get to why you’re really here reading this article: finding the loyalty software that fits your needs. 

Having a Shopify loyalty program requires more than just generic reward points for every dollar spent; it demands an interactive approach that resonates with your audience.

If you are finding it troublesome to find a perfect Shopify loyalty program for your brand, then check out this curated list that breaks down the top 15 options, highlighting their features, pricing, and ratings to simplify your decision-making process.

In a digital world where attention is fleeting, these programs offer brands a tangible way to hold onto their most valuable asset: their customers.

What are the Features of a Great Shopify Loyalty Program?

Shopify loyalty programs have evolved from simple point-collection mechanisms to complex systems designed to foster genuine connections between brands and their customers. 

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Pro Tip: Check out this article to explore the best tips for creating the best loyalty program name for your company.

While many programs offer rewards, the most effective ones stand out by offering a combination of important features:

1. Personalization

Modern consumers expect more than generic rewards; they seek personalized experiences. Tailored product recommendations, exclusive offers based on purchase history, and rewards that align with individual preferences can make customers feel valued. A program that understands and anticipates a unique customer's needs elevates the entire shopping experience, driving deeper loyalty.

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2. Integration with Brand's Mission

A shopify loyalty program should be an extension of a brand's core values and mission. When rewards or initiatives within the program align with the brand's larger purpose, it resonates more deeply with customers.  For instance, a brand focused on sustainability might offer points for recycling its products or for choosing eco-friendly shipping options. On the other hand, they may allow customers to redeem points for charitable contributions. 

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Such integrative sustainability marketing approaches ensure that customers are not only loyal to the product but also to the brand's overarching mission. Further, with the rise of greenwashing and increasing consumer awareness about inauthentic social justice or environmental claims, aligning your loyalty program with your values is a concrete way to “walk the walk.” 

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3. Authentic Engagement

Customers can easily differentiate between genuine brand engagement and superficial attempts at interaction. Shopify loyalty programs that prioritize authentic interactions—like hosting exclusive events, providing insider access to new product launches, or facilitating community discussions—forge stronger emotional connections. It's about creating an ecosystem where customers feel they are a part of the brand's journey, not just passive consumers.

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4. Rewarding Beyond Transactions

The most innovative shopify loyalty programs go beyond mere transactional rewards. While discounts and cashback offers are attractive, lasting loyalty is cultivated when brands reward customers for a range of actions, delighting and engaging them in new ways.

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This could include writing reviews, referring friends, engaging on social media, or even celebrating milestones like birthdays or anniversaries. But it could also include rewarding customers for signing a petition, upcycling, attending an event, and more. Recognizing and rewarding these non-purchase interactions fosters a sense of belonging and appreciation, making customers feel like more than just a transaction and therefore more likely to stay engaged in the long run.

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5. Get Creative! 

The consumer space is so competitive and repetitive. It is incredibly important that you differentiate yourself by leaning into your values and getting creative with the ways you engage with consumers. It could be as simple as coming up with a creative loyalty name.

15 Best Shopify Loyalty Programs for Your Brand

Let’s explore the 15 best Shopify loyalty and rewards programs, along with their key features.

1. Growave

Growave Growave is a marketing platform aimed at enhancing the customer experience, driving conversions, and facilitating repeat transactions. The app assists Shopify store owners in building connections with their customers through point-based and VIP tier-based loyalty program, collecting and displaying reviews, as well as other interactive features. 

Key Features:

• Loyalty program: Offers a point-based, VIP tier-based loyalty systems. Customers can be rewarded for actions like making purchases, referring friends, and leaving reviews and can receive a birthday gift.
• Review System: Allows customers to submit reviews and add product photos, enhancing product credibility.
• Wishlist Feature: Enhances user experience by allowing customers to save favorite items for later.
• One-Click Social Logins: Simplifies the signup process, leading to increased registrations.
• Integration Capability: Seamless compatibility with apps like Omnisend, GemPages, Gorgias, and more. Also has an instagram widget.
• Analytics: Track essential metrics like abandoned cart rate, average order value, and more to gain insights and optimize strategies.

Pricing:

• Paid Plans: Ranges from $49/month to $ 349/month.
• Special Offers: A 14-day free trial on all paid plans.

2. Marsello

Marsello is a tool for Shopify store owners seeking to enhance revenue through strategic automated emails, SMS campaigns, and a shopify loyalty program. 

Key Features:

• Rewards and Referral System: Offers customers incentives, like discounts or VIP programs, for purchases and successful referrals.
• Integration with Other Shopify Tools: Syncs easily with popular tools like Mailchimp and Klaviyo for enhanced post-purchase targeting.
• Unique Campaign Creation: Enables designing campaigns that reward customer loyalty and encourage social media promotion.
• Drag-and-Drop Email Builder: Facilitates crafting conversion-friendly email campaigns without any coding knowledge.
• AI-Driven Product Recommendations: By assessing purchase data from Shopify POS, Marsello uses algorithms to suggest products commonly bought together.
• Easy Feedback Collection: Through email capture forms, Marsello allows immediate feedback collection to enhance customer experience.

Pricing:

Starting Price is $125/month and then it ranges based on tailored programs for complex business needs. 

3. rippl rewards

rippl rewards is an avant-garde SaaS platform, pushing the envelope in how brands engage with customers throughout their lifecycle. 

Unlike traditional loyalty platforms that primarily focus on transactional benefits (think: promo codes and discounts), rippl rewards seeks to develop deeper emotional connections by aligning a brand’s loyalty platform to its core mission, be it sustainability, health, or social good. It also facilitates genuine engagement with consumers, beyond simply offering promotional emails. 

Key Features:

• Sustainability-First: User loyalty profiles don't merely reflect purchase history; they highlight the individual's contribution towards environmental and societal betterment by shopping with the brand (e.g. lbs of plastic saved, trees planted, jobs provided, or any custom metric the brand wants to communicate).
• Unprecedented Rewards: Move beyond standard discounts and offer a spectrum of incentives ranging from cashback, limited edition products or samples, gift cards, events, charitable contributions, and other custom rewards. 
• Aligned Campaigns: Seamlessly integrate your loyalty initiative with marketing strategies through community challenges facilitated through the rippl platform.
• Cutting-Edge Tech: Utilize AI-driven image recognition, geolocation, link tracking, and health app data to verify user actions post purchase. 
• Tailored Design: Effortlessly customize your reward panel's design to reflect your brand's identity and aesthetics.
• VIP Shopify loyalty programs: Craft specialized VIP Tier loyalty schemes to amplify customer engagement, retention, and enrich the overall customer lifetime value.
• Referral Bonuses: Incentivize loyal customers to advocate for your brand through referrals. 
• Data-Driven Insights: Rely on real-time data analytics to refine your loyalty strategy, coupled with AI-generated recommendations based on critical metrics related to consumer spending trends. Machine learning will optimize your rewards ecosystem with recommendations for maximum engagement and conversion.
• Effortless Integration: Ensure a cohesive customer journey by integrating rippl rewards with renowned apps such as Klayvio and recharge. 

Pricing:

• Rippl Rewards offers a free tier and its paid tier ranges anywhere from $30 to $1,000 per month

New to the market, rippl rewards is currently accessible on an exclusive basis. Sign up for the waitlist or book a demo here. 

4. ReferralCandy

ReferralCandy is a specialized shopify app focusing predominantly on word-of-mouth marketing and customer referrals. While it does not have the traditional loyalty features, ReferralCandy leverages the influence of existing customers by converting them into brand promoters. 

Key Features:

• Branded Referral Widget: An on-site popup widget invites shoppers to the referral program, customizable so the branding mirrors your brand aesthetics.
• Insightful Dashboard: Provides detailed referral data, aiding informed decision-making.
• Deep Integration Capabilities: Pairs seamlessly with major marketing and eCommerce platforms, and specific Shopify apps like Klaviyo, Recharge, and PayWhirl.
• Fraud Prevention: Advanced fraud detection system that monitors and flags self-referrals.
• Timed Invitations: Options to invite customers to the referral scheme post-checkout, after specific days, or directly from the mailing list.
• Social Media Insights: Tracks top referrers and monitors their social media mentions about your brand.

Pricing:

• Premium Plan: Priced at $47/month + 3.5% commission fee. Offers unlimited customers, dashboard and data reports, live chat support, and robust fraud management.
• Plus Plan: Costs $239/month + 1.5% commission fee. This tier offers all Premium features, plus premium support, dedicated account management, and quarterly reviews.

5. Yotpo Loyalty & Rewards

Yotpo Loyalty & Rewards streamlines customer loyalty and retention through multifaceted reward programs as well as comprehensive analytics to assess performance.

Key Features:

• Vast Campaign Selection: A sampling of ready-to-use campaigns, designed to reward customer activities like purchases, referrals, or reviews.
• Extensive Integrations: Comes with 50+ integrations to ensure a seamless and amplified rewards program experience.
• Advanced Segmentation: Utilizes customer data to curate highly relevant campaigns.
• Dashboard Analytics: Detailed dashboards offering insights into the program's influence on overall profits.
• Exclusive Offers: Encourages repeat business by offering exclusive discounts and promotions to dedicated customers.

Pricing:

The Gold Plan costs $199/month and the price for Platinum and Enterprise Plan is flexible according to business needs.

6. Stamped.io

Stamped.io aims to amplify customer retention and augment sales by offering a loyalty framework (points-based and/or VIP tiers). 

Key Features:

• Customized Ecommerce Landing Pages: Create dedicated landing pages to showcase and promote shopify loyalty programs.
• Multilingual Support: Reach a global audience with support for multiple languages, including English, French, German, and more.
• Seamless Integrations: Integrate effortlessly with various platforms like Facebook, Omnisend, Gorgias, and many others.
• Analytics Insights: Gain a clearer understanding of your ROI with the loyalty ROI calculator and delve into points and rewards analytics for informed decision-making.

Pricing:

• Premium Plan: Priced at $49/month, suitable for up to 500 monthly orders. Features advanced reward options, free shipping vouchers, custom referral codes, and more.
• Business Plan: At $149/month, caters to up to 1,500 monthly orders. Comes packed with additional features like HTML/CSS editor and integration capabilities with email marketing platforms.
• Professional Plan: For larger stores with orders up to 3,500 monthly, it's priced at $399/month. Those exceeding this order limit need to opt for a customized enterprise plan.

7. Loloyal

Loloyal focuses on maximizing customer retention and amplifying sales with a rewards and referral program. 

Key Features:

• Loyalty program: Users can initiate point-based, referral, and VIP-tier reward programs to cater to different customer segments.
• Earning Opportunities: It presents multiple avenues for members to accrue loyalty points, enhancing user engagement.
• Redemption Options: Loyalty points can be exchanged for an array of rewards including gift cards, free shipping, discounts, or complimentary products.
• Offline Engagement: With Shopify POS integration, merchants can extend loyalty offerings to in-store customers.
• Easy Integrations: It syncs seamlessly with popular apps like Klaviyo and PageFly, providing a cohesive user experience.

Pricing:

• Prices are not mentioned on the official website.

8. Bon Loyalty

Bon Loyalty uses engagement strategies to inspire repeat purchases and enhance overall user experience, boosting sales. 

Key Features:

• Diverse Point Earning Opportunities: The app allows brands to choose from 18 default actions that customers can undertake to earn points, such as signing up for newsletters or engaging on social media platforms.
• Automated Reminders: To keep customers engaged and aware, automated email notifications are dispatched, updating them about their reward status and pertinent activities.
• Customizable Loyalty Page: Businesses can tailor the look and feel of the shopify loyalty program page, ensuring it aligns seamlessly with their brand identity.

Pricing:

• Free Plan: Suitable for businesses processing up to 250 orders monthly, this plan covers basic reward and referral programs and introduces a basic branding option.
• Lite ($15/month): Designed for stores with a volume of up to 500 monthly orders. It encompasses advanced reward features, a dedicated loyalty page, and supports over 250 languages.
• Growth ($99/month): This caters to businesses without any order limit. It integrates all the Lite features and introduces exclusive ones such as VIP tiers.
• Professional ($349/month): Targeted for unlimited order processing, it incorporates all the Growth features and adds facets like advanced email branding, custom development opportunities, and prioritized support.

9. Smile.io

Smile.io is designed to bolster brand loyalty. This app provides merchants with intuitive tools to curate loyalty, referral, and VIP programs. 

Key Features:

• Brand Consistency: Full customization ensures the app resonates with the store's distinct aesthetic.
• Point Earning: Reward customers for standard actions, such as account creation, product reviews, social sharing, celebrating birthdays, and successful referrals. Includes VIP tiers for exclusive rewards. 
• Automated Engagements: The app reminds customers of their points and referral links, fostering consistent engagement.
• Granular Control: Employ actionable conditions to fine-tune the loyalty program, setting rules for different customer segments.
• Comprehensive Integration: Merge with a store's preferred apps for email marketing, reviews, and customer service.

Pricing:

• Starter ($49/month): It supports unlimited monthly orders, provides one-app integration, advanced branding, customization options, and essential analytics.
• Growth ($199/month): Builds upon the Starter plan with two app integrations, features like point expiry and nudges, and access to advanced analytics.
• Plus ($999/month): An expansive package that encompasses all the features of the Growth plan, but with unlimited integrations, VIP tiers, API access, and a comprehensive analytics suite.

10. LoyaltyLion

LoyaltyLion is a rewards and loyalty platform that provides online businesses with an array of tools to design and manage rewards programs and foster a consistent shopping experience.

Key Features:

• Varied Redemptions: Points can be exchanged for an array of rewards such as gift cards, discount codes, or free products.
• On-site Notifications: Merchants can dispatch loyalty-related emails, ensuring customers remain abreast of the latest loyalty offerings and updates.
• Streamlined User Experience: LoyaltyLion melds effortlessly with Shopify’s checkout, rendering code input redundant when redeeming rewards and ensuring a smooth experience for shoppers.
• Insightful Analytics: Merchants gain a panoramic view of their store's performance and customer behavior via LoyaltyLion's comprehensive dashboard, which distills intricate shopify loyalty program data into actionable insights.

Pricing:

Prices are not mentioned on the official website.

11. Rise.ai

Rise.ai is a loyalty and rewards platform that elevates online store experiences.Iit effectively harnesses the power of store credits, gift cards, referrals, and more. 

Key Features:

• Gift Card Management: Merchants can send, schedule, and remind customers about their gift cards, personalizing the gifting experience.
• Refund Strategy: Offers the option to issue gift cards for refunds or store credits when returns are made, providing a potential retention strategy.
• Shopify loyalty programs: Merchants can initiate proactive shopify loyalty programs, emphasizing store credit accumulation and fostering repeat visits.
• Versatile Incentives: From corporate gifts to employee recognitions, Rise.ai offers diverse incentive mechanisms.
• Customizability: The reward options can be tailored to the store's needs, from rewarding first-time purchases to loyalty milestones.

Pricing:

• Starter Plans: Pricing for Rise.ai commences at $19/month.
• Advanced Plans: Can go up to $599/month, offering extensive integrations and advanced gift card features.

12. AiTrillion

AiTrillion offers an integrated approach to bolstering customer loyalty and engagement on Shopify. 

By offering an array of sophisticated tools and features, AiTrillion makes nurturing customer relationships and optimizing sales strategies a seamless endeavor. It embodies a strategy to marketing, providing businesses with a singular platform for all their engagement needs.

Key Features:

• Personalized Engagement: Tailor points and rewards to resonate with your business ethos, incentivizing customers in a manner that mirrors your brand identity.
• Shopify POS Integration: Facilitates offline engagement by enabling customers to accrue or utilize their loyalty points in a brick-and-mortar setting.
• Unified Customer Dashboard: Offers a consolidated view of all customer data, meshing seamlessly with over 11 other features for a comprehensive understanding of customer behavior.
• Diverse Shopify loyalty programs: Beyond the traditional points-based systems, it also enables the establishment of VIP tiers, product-based discounts, and other enticing customer loyalty schemes.
• Multifaceted Referral Programs: Empower customers to become brand ambassadors by promoting products and reaping the benefits for every successful lead.

Pricing:

• The starter tier begins at $20/month, catering to up to 1,000 contacts. Subsequent pricing varies based on the increase in contact numbers.

13. Joy

Joy is a loyalty points application developed by Joy Loyalty. This app is geared towards elevating the customer experience by transitioning everyday shoppers into devoted patrons.

With its intuitive design and automatic points-earning mechanism, Joy offers a streamlined process to design personalized rewards structures. 

Key Features:

• Multiple Earning Avenues: Customers can accrue points by  registering, placing orders, penning down product reviews, and sharing on social platforms.
• Versatile Redemption Options: Grant discounts in both online storefronts and point-of-sale systems.
• Efficient Customer Management: Facilitates the manual adjustment of points, along with importing and exporting points data.
• Customization Galore: Modify branding elements to reflect your business identity, with the added perk of language translation for global reach.
• Automated Email Notifications: Keep customers informed and engaged with reward alerts, automated emails, and loyalty-specific messages.

Pricing:

While the exact pricing details aren't provided in the given information, it's highlighted that Joy offers a free loyalty app for Shopify.

14. Rivo

Rivo has carved a niche in the Shopify marketplace by fostering an environment that continually entices customers to return. 

Tailored for the evolving needs of 2023 Shopify stores and onwards, Rivo seamlessly integrates with various third-party applications, ensuring a unique and transformative shopping experience, resulting in increased loyalty and conversions.

Key Features:

• Diverse Point Earning Mechanisms: Rivo allows customers to accumulate points through a multitude of ways, promoting increased engagement.
• Customizable Reward Structures: Stores can offer a myriad of enticing rewards, ensuring customers are motivated to remain engaged.
• In-depth Analytics: Gain insights into the performance and impact of your shopify loyalty program, aiding in iterative improvements.
• Smooth Third-Party Integration: Directly connect with renowned Shopify apps, ensuring a seamless customer experience.
• Personalized Recommendations: Utilize customer data to offer tailored product suggestions, enhancing the shopping journey.

Pricing:

• Growth Plan: At $189/month, this caters to stores with up to 1,000 monthly orders.
• Premium Plan: Designed for larger stores, it’s priced at $349/month and supports up to 3,000 monthly orders.
• Enterprise Plan: For stores that surpass 3,000 monthly orders, custom pricing is available to fit unique requirements.

15. Froonze

Froonze stands out from the conventional Shopify loyalty applications, presenting itself as a comprehensive customer account tool.

It empowers store owners to design an intuitive account page where customers can effortlessly oversee their orders, update personal details, and monitor their loyalty points and rewards.

Key Features:

• Reward System: Grant customers loyalty points not just for purchases, but also for actions like account creation.
• Birthday Bonanza: Celebrate your customers by awarding special loyalty points on their birthdays annually.
• Flexible Redemption: Customers can use their loyalty points in various ways, be it for discounts, free shipping, or other offers.
• Automated Communication: Have a system in place that auto-notifies customers about points they've earned or redeemed, keeping them in the loop.
• Dedicated Customer Hub: An exclusive account page lets customers manage their profiles, track loyalty benefits, and much more.
• Enhanced Functionalities: Built-in features like a wishlist, easy social login, and registration forms make the user journey smooth.
• Smooth Integrations: Seamless connectivity with platforms like Klaviyo and Appstle ensures a streamlined backend operation.

Pricing:

Basic Plan starts from $4/month and goes up to $15 per month.

Final Words

So, there you have it - an insightful overview of the top Shopify loyalty programs available in today's e-commerce market. 

While each offers unique features catering to varied business needs, one stands out in its commitment to redefining loyalty: rippl rewards.

If you want more than just the usual run-of-the-mill rewards ecosystem, join the waitlist for rippl rewards to build a connection with your customers, not just with points but with true value.