Finding the best customer loyalty platforms for Shopify Plus merchants requires balancing feature depth, pricing, ease of use, and integration capabilities. Shopify Plus merchants often seek platforms that drive both repeat purchases and customer engagement through points, referrals, and tiered rewards. This comparison evaluates Rivo, BON Loyalty, ReferralCandy, LoyaltyLion, and Smile.io to help Shopify Plus businesses identify which loyalty solution fits their specific needs.

What to Look for in Customer Loyalty Platforms for Shopify Plus Merchants

Shopify Plus merchants typically need loyalty programs that can scale, integrate deeply into Shopify’s ecosystem, and support complex workflows such as tiered rewards and referral tracking. Key evaluation criteria include:

• Core features such as points, VIP tiers, referral programs, and membership options
• Pricing and value, especially how costs scale with merchant size and order volume
• Ease of setup and daily use to minimize the burden on in-house teams
• Integrations beyond Shopify, like email marketing and CRM tools
• Customer support quality and documentation
• Best-fit customer profile to match platform specializations with merchant needs

Below is a detailed review of each tool, followed by a comparative table and recommendations.

Rivo: Loyalty, Referrals, and Memberships on Shopify

Features
Rivo offers a combined loyalty, referral, and membership program platform tailored for Shopify merchants. Core features include points-based rewards, referral tracking, customizable membership tiers, and automated reward delivery. The membership component allows brands to create subscription-style rewards or exclusive clubs.

Pricing
Rivo’s pricing starts with a free tier limited in features and customer count. Paid plans begin around $49 per month, scaling based on active customers and advanced features like memberships. Premium tiers unlock custom branding and integrations.

Pros

• Combines loyalty and membership management in one interface
• Good automation for referrals and tiered rewards
• Clean, user-friendly setup and dashboard for Shopify Plus merchants

Cons

• Smaller user base means fewer third-party integration options than some competitors
• Membership features may be more than some merchants need
• Limited advanced analytics compared to larger platforms

Best for
Shopify Plus merchants looking for a mix of loyalty, referral, and membership programs in a single app with a focus on community-building and customer retention.

BON Loyalty: Rewards and Referral Simplicity

Features
BON Loyalty focuses on straightforward loyalty and referral programs. It supports points accumulation, referral bonuses, and basic VIP tiers. The app offers customization for rewards and an easy-to-navigate interface. It integrates well with Shopify and marketing platforms.

Pricing
Pricing starts at around $29 per month with limits on orders and referral tracking. Higher plans with more referrals and advanced features can cost up to $199 per month or more, depending on store volume.

Pros

• Clean interface focused on essential loyalty features
• Affordable entry-level pricing for smaller Shopify Plus businesses
• Strong referral system with automated tracking

Cons

• Limited membership or subscription loyalty options
• Less advanced tiering and analytics than LoyaltyLion or Smile.io
• Support can be slower compared to bigger platforms

Best for
Medium-sized Shopify Plus merchants who want a simple but effective loyalty and referral program without the need for heavy customization or memberships.

ReferralCandy: Referral Marketing Focused

Features
ReferralCandy specializes in referral marketing and is not a full loyalty platform. It automates referral reward distribution, supports multi-channel sharing, and integrates with Shopify and other ecommerce platforms. It focuses exclusively on incentivizing customer referrals.

Pricing
ReferralCandy charges a setup fee (around $49) plus a monthly fee starting at $49. Pricing scales with monthly sales processed through the app, with a minimum charge. It can be costly for high-volume stores.

Pros

• Deep referral marketing focus with strong tracking and reporting
• Supports various reward types (cash, coupons, points)
• Easy integration with Shopify and email marketing tools

Cons

• Not a loyalty program with points or tiers, only referrals
• Pricing model may become expensive as sales grow
• Limited customization beyond referral campaigns

Best for
Shopify Plus merchants whose main priority is growing customer base through referral incentives rather than full loyalty programs.

LoyaltyLion: Comprehensive Loyalty Platform

Features
LoyaltyLion offers a full-featured loyalty solution with points, VIP tiers, referrals, and detailed customer insights. It supports sophisticated reward rules, custom branding, and integrates with Shopify Plus and other marketing tools like Klaviyo.

Pricing
LoyaltyLion provides a free basic plan, but Shopify Plus merchants often need at least the Growth plan starting near $399 per month. Pricing scales with active customers and feature sets.

Pros

• Extensive customization of points and tier programs
• Strong integration with Shopify Plus and marketing platforms
• Detailed analytics and customer insights

Cons

• Higher cost puts it out of reach for smaller merchants
• Setup and customization can be complex requiring technical resources
• Some users report a learning curve in admin interface

Best for
Larger Shopify Plus merchants with established loyalty programs needing deep customization and advanced analytics.

Smile.io: Popular Rewards Program App

Features
Smile.io supports points, VIP tiers, and referral programs with an easy-to-use interface aimed at Shopify merchants. It offers templates for campaigns and integrates with Shopify Plus, Klaviyo, and other ecommerce apps.

Pricing
Smile.io offers a free plan with basic features. Paid plans start from approximately $49 per month, scaling up to $199+ for advanced features like VIP tiers and custom branding.

Pros

• Intuitive interface and quick setup
• Strong Shopify Plus integration and third-party app ecosystem
• Balanced feature set for points, tiers, and referrals

Cons

• Some advanced features require higher-tier plans
• Customization options can be limited compared to LoyaltyLion
• Customer support can be variable

Best for
Shopify Plus merchants seeking a flexible, well-supported loyalty program with solid core features and an affordable entry point.

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

Rivo alternatives?

If you are considering alternatives to Rivo, BON Loyalty and LoyaltyLion offer comparable loyalty and referral features but differ in complexity and pricing. BON Loyalty suits merchants wanting simpler setups, whereas LoyaltyLion targets those who need advanced analytics and customization. Smile.io can also be a middle ground for flexible loyalty programs without membership components. ReferralCandy focuses solely on referrals, so it’s not a direct substitute but useful for referral-centric strategies. For a detailed comparison of BON Loyalty and Rivo, see the BON Loyalty vs Rivo: Which Is Right for You? article.

BON Loyalty alternatives?

Alternatives to BON Loyalty include Smile.io and Rivo. Smile.io offers a broader feature set including VIP tiers and more integrations, while Rivo adds membership programs alongside loyalty and referrals. LoyaltyLion is a higher-end alternative with deeper customization and analytics but at a higher price point. ReferralCandy is a niche alternate if referral incentives are your only focus.

ReferralCandy alternatives?

ReferralCandy’s main alternatives are platforms with both referral and loyalty features, such as Smile.io, LoyaltyLion, and Rivo. These offer referral tracking plus points and tier rewards. Smile.io and LoyaltyLion provide more balanced loyalty programs with referral capabilities, while Rivo adds membership options. BON Loyalty can also work for merchants focused on referral and simple loyalty rewards.

Recommendations for Shopify Plus Merchants by Use Case

• For integrated loyalty and memberships: Rivo suits merchants wanting to combine loyalty points with exclusive memberships or clubs.
• For straightforward loyalty and referral setups: BON Loyalty and Smile.io provide affordable, user-friendly options.
• For referral-focused growth: ReferralCandy is a solid choice if referral marketing is your primary goal and you don’t need full loyalty programs.
• For deep customization and analytics: LoyaltyLion fits larger merchants needing customizable rewards, tiers, and detailed customer insights.
• For balanced features and budget: Smile.io is a reliable middle ground for many Shopify Plus stores.

Merchants should weigh pricing as Shopify Plus stores scale, since costs can grow with order volume and program complexity. Ease of use and available support are equally important for maintaining and optimizing programs over time.

For more general insights on ecommerce loyalty platforms, check out the Best Customer loyalty platforms for ecommerce (2026) and 5 Best Customer loyalty platforms Compared (2026) articles.

Worth a Look: Zigpoll

If you are evaluating customer engagement tools beyond loyalty programs, Zigpoll is a Shopify survey app worth considering. It offers post-purchase, on-site, and exit-intent surveys that can provide valuable customer insights to complement your loyalty strategy without overlapping features.

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