How to Pick the Best Loyalty & Rewards App for Your Shopify Store

Loyalty and rewards apps have become essential for Shopify merchants aiming to strengthen customer retention, increase repeat orders, and cut down on rising acquisition costs. Studies show that loyalty program members are 2.5x more likely to return and spend more than non-members—making retention one of the smartest investments for eCommerce brands.
This guide breaks down how to evaluate the best loyalty app for your Shopify store based on your goals, required features, integrations, budget, and growth stage. You’ll also find a quick comparison of the top Shopify loyalty apps.
What Is a Shopify Loyalty & Rewards App?
A loyalty and rewards app helps merchants reward repeat purchases, referrals, and customer engagement through incentives like points, discounts, gifts, VIP perks, and more.
Common features include:
Points for purchases

Referral programs

VIP tiers

Birthday and milestone rewards

Custom actions (reviews, social follows, etc.)
These apps integrate directly with Shopify and typically connect with tools like Klaviyo, Omnisend, Postscript, and Recharge to power automated retention campaigns.
Benefits of Using a Loyalty App on Shopify
A well-designed loyalty program can directly impact customer behavior and business growth:
Higher retention: Rewarding repeat customers encourages them to shop again.

More repeat orders: Incentives increase purchase frequency and order value.

Improved satisfaction: Customers feel valued and recognized.

Stronger engagement: Integrations with email/SMS enable personalized messaging.
No matter your store size, loyalty apps help build long-term relationships at scale.
How to Choose the Right Loyalty App
Not all loyalty tools offer the same depth or flexibility. Here’s how to evaluate the best option for your store:

1. Define Your Retention Goals Determine whether your priority is increasing repeat purchases, raising AOV, improving engagement, or driving referrals. Your goals should guide your app selection.
2. Identify the Features You Need Start with essentials, then expand as your business grows. Look for: Points and rewards

Referral features

VIP tiers

Birthday rewards

Automation and custom rules
Simple tools are best for beginners, while advanced brands may need deeper customization.

1. Check Ease of Use & Integrations Make sure the app: Works seamlessly with Shopify

Supports Shopify POS (if needed)

Integrates with tools like Omnisend, Klaviyo, and Recharge
Smooth integrations reduce manual work and improve customer experience.

1. Evaluate Pricing & Scalability Review what’s included in each plan: Are core features available on the free tier?

Are analytics, branding, or automations locked behind paid plans?

Will costs increase as your store grows?
Choose an app that won’t force a major upgrade too soon.

1. Read Reviews & Test the App Use free trials or demos to understand usability, support quality, and setup workflow. Pay attention to reviews from stores similar to yours.
2. Track Performance After Launch Monitor: Repeat purchase rate

Participation rate

Redemption activity

Customer lifetime value
If results aren’t aligned with your goals, optimize or consider switching apps.
Top Shopify Loyalty Apps: Quick Comparison
App Name
Key Features
Best For
Free Plan
Rating
Easy Loyalty & Rewards
Points, Referrals, VIP Tiers
Small–medium stores
Yes
5.0
Smile.io
Gamification, Branding
Mid-sized DTC brands
Yes
4.8
Growave
Loyalty + Reviews
Shopify Plus
No
4.7
LoyaltyLion
Analytics & Rules
Scaling brands
Yes
4.6
Yotpo Loyalty
Loyalty + Reviews + SMS
Omnichannel brands
Yes
4.5

Choose based on what you need now—not just what sounds advanced.
Final Recommendation
New or small stores: Easy Loyalty & Rewards is ideal for quick setup, essential features, and a Shopify-first experience.

Mid-sized brands: Smile.io offers strong branding and gamification.

Scaling or Shopify Plus brands: Growave or LoyaltyLion provide deeper analytics and flexibility.

The right loyalty app should be simple to manage and powerful enough to improve retention without complexity.
Get Started
Want to boost repeat purchases and customer lifetime value? Start with the free plan of Easy Loyalty & Rewards and launch a loyalty program within minutes—no coding required.