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Thinking about moving on from LoyaltyLion? You’re not alone. It’s one of the most recognized loyalty apps on Shopify, and it’s helped plenty of merchants build sophisticated programs. But recognition doesn’t always equal the right fit.
For many stores, the story goes like this: the bill feels steep from day one, since there’s no free plan to ease in. The feature set is powerful, but you realize it’s designed with bigger teams in mind — not small merchants trying to keep things simple. And sometimes, what looked like flexibility ends up being more complex than you bargained for.
That’s when merchants start looking around. And that’s what this guide is for. We’ll walk through a shortlist of LoyaltyLion alternatives worth considering in 2025 — highlighting what each app does best, where the trade-offs are, and which stores they make sense for. Along the way, you’ll see where Froonze Loyalty & Wishlist offers a more affordable, straightforward option that still scales as you grow.
What to look for in a LoyaltyLion alternative
If you’re finding LoyaltyLion more complex than you’d like, or just want to compare what else is out there, it helps to know what really matters before diving into the apps. From what we’ve seen, most merchants focus on four things:
- Clear pricing. Nobody wants to spend hours calculating hidden fees or trying to predict how the bill will change as orders grow.
- Ease of setup. The best loyalty app is the one you can get live quickly — without needing a dedicated team to babysit it.
- Flexible rewards. Points are great, but more stores are experimenting with native store credit, referrals, VIP tiers, and perks that feel more natural to customers.
- Reliable support. A solid loyalty program takes tweaking, and when questions come up, you want an answer that actually helps, not just a quick reply.
Keep these in mind as we go through the alternatives. Each of the apps below has its own strengths — the key is matching the right one to your store’s size, budget, and growth stage.
Froonze Loyalty & Wishlist
Froonze isn’t trying to be the flashiest name in the loyalty space — it’s aiming to be the most practical. Think clear pricing, features that actually matter, and a customer experience that feels like it belongs inside Shopify, not bolted onto the side.
You’ll find everything you’d expect — points, referrals, VIP tiers, POS support, customizable emails, and full translation options for widgets and templates. And if you’re on Shopify’s new customer accounts, you get something most apps still miss: native store credit that customers can spend directly at checkout.
The real appeal, though, is how it scales. Smaller stores can roll it out fast without worrying about surprise fees, while bigger teams can dig into customizations, VIP programs, and extra modules like Wishlist to tie it all together. Plans max out at $60/month for unlimited orders, which means you don’t get punished for growing. Pair that with support that actually helps you solve problems, and you’ve got a loyalty app that feels more like a partner than just another tool.
BON Loyalty
BON has made a name for itself by keeping things simple. It’s one of those apps you can switch on and get running without wading through endless settings. Out of the box, you can reward not just purchases, but also reviews, referrals, and even small actions like social follows. There’s also a nice extra — guest points — which lets shoppers start earning before they’ve created an account. That small detail can make a big difference in capturing new customers early.
On the pricing side, BON starts with a free plan for smaller stores, then steps up as your orders grow. It’s not always the cheapest once you unlock advanced features, but compared to some of the heavier players in this space, it stays within reach for most merchants. The appeal here is straightforward: approachable setup, plenty of ways to reward customers, and a path to grow as your store does.
Yotpo Loyalty
Yotpo is one of the bigger names in the Shopify ecosystem, and for good reason. They’re best known for reviews, user-generated content, and SMS marketing — and their loyalty product fits neatly into that same ecosystem. If you’re already using Yotpo Reviews or SMS, plugging in loyalty means all your customer touchpoints sit under one roof.
The strength here is breadth. Yotpo comes with a wide library of ready-made campaigns — birthday points, referral bonuses, VIP perks — so you don’t have to start from scratch. For larger brands, this saves a lot of time and keeps things consistent across channels.
That said, Yotpo is built with scale in mind. The setup is deeper than some of the other apps on this list, and the pricing reflects that. For merchants ready to invest, the payoff is having loyalty connected to a broader marketing stack. For smaller stores, it can feel like more weight than you really need.
Rivo
Rivo is one of those apps that feels like it belongs on Shopify. Merchants often point out how easy it is to get started — you don’t have to fight through endless settings just to launch a simple points or referral program. The interface is clean, customers get it right away, and you can add on VIP tiers as your store grows.
It’s also a product that’s been moving forward steadily. New features and improvements roll out often enough to show they’re serious about keeping up with merchant needs. From dedicated loyalty pages to account widgets and marketing integrations, Rivo has put together a package that feels polished without being overcomplicated.
The main thing to watch is how the feature set lines up with your plan, since some of the extras unlock only at higher tiers. But for a lot of growing stores, Rivo strikes a nice balance between usability and depth — a loyalty app that looks good, works smoothly, and keeps pace as you expand.
Smile.io
And then we come to Smile.io — probably the most recognized name in Shopify loyalty. It’s been around longer than most, and for a lot of merchants, it’s the first loyalty app they try. Points, referrals, VIP tiers, and polished widgets are all part of the package, and it’s easy enough to get a program live without heavy setup.
The catch is what happens after that first launch. Costs start to climb as your store grows, and some of the features you’d expect to be standard — like advanced analytics or deeper customization — only unlock at higher tiers. Beyond pricing, merchants sometimes say the overall experience can feel a bit rigid compared to newer apps that give more room for branding and flexibility.
That doesn’t mean Smile.io isn’t a solid app. It’s helped thousands of stores run loyalty programs and it’s still one of the most recognizable names out there. But for many Shopify merchants, Smile.io ends up being the starting point, not the long-term solution — and that’s exactly why alternatives like Froonze, BON, and others are worth a closer look.
How to choose the right loyalty app
So, with all these options on the table, how do you actually decide? It helps to break the decision down into a few practical questions:
Where’s your store right now?
Smaller shops usually need something that’s easy to launch and doesn’t punish them with hidden fees as they grow. Bigger teams often care more about customization, segmentation, and integrations with the rest of their stack.
How predictable do you want costs to be?
Some apps scale pricing based on order volume or features, which can surprise you as sales climb. Others (like Froonze) keep plans simple and transparent, so you know exactly what you’re paying for.
How much control do you want?
Apps like LoyaltyLion and Yotpo lean toward advanced customization and segmentation — powerful, but heavier to set up. Others keep things lean and focus on getting you live quickly without overcomplication.
Do you need it to play nicely with other tools?
If you’re already invested in an ecosystem (say, Yotpo for reviews or Klaviyo for email), it might make sense to choose a loyalty app that integrates seamlessly. If not, flexibility and value might weigh more heavily.
How will this scale with you?
Loyalty is a long game. The app you choose should grow with your store, not box you in or force costly migrations down the road.
At the end of the day, the “best” loyalty app isn’t just the one with the longest feature list — it’s the one that matches your store’s size, budget, and way of working.
Wrapping up
At the end of the day, the right loyalty app is the one your customers actually use. Features and pricing matter, but what really counts is whether shoppers come back, redeem rewards, and feel connected to your brand.
The good news is you don’t have to guess. You can spin up a free Shopify development store, install a couple of apps, and see how they feel in action before committing. (We even put together a quick guide on how to do this here).
If you’re after something predictable, straightforward, and built to work seamlessly with Shopify, Froonze Loyalty & Wishlist is a strong place to start. You’ll get clear pricing, native store credit rewards, and support that’s actually there when you need it. Plus, with extras like Wishlist and Custom Forms, you can expand beyond loyalty at your own pace.
No endless tiers, no hidden fees — just a loyalty app that helps you build stronger customer relationships without getting in the way.
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