--- title: "The Joy blog" url: "https://joy.so/blog/" kind: "page" description: "Loyalty, rewards, and retention strategy for ambitious Shopify brands — playbooks, product deep-dives, and merchant wins from the Joy team." page: 1 total_pages: 20 --- # The Joy blog - [13 Best Shopify Loyalty Apps to Boost Customer Retention in 2026](https://joy.so/blog/md/shopify-loyalty-apps/): We compared 12 Shopify loyalty apps on real pricing, ratings, and reviews, so you can pick with confidence instead of guessing. - [Okendo vs Yotpo: Pricing and features compared (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/okendo-vs-yotpo/): Okendo doesn't gate VIP tiers behind any plan, they're included from Essential at $19 a month. Yotpo holds VIP tiers back for Premium, a plan with no published price. Here's what else separates these two Shopify loyalty apps, verified straight from their own listings. - [Yotpo vs LoyaltyLion: Bundled suite or dedicated platform? (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/yotpo-vs-loyaltylion/): Yotpo's $199 Pro plan and LoyaltyLion's $199 Classic plan cost the same, and neither includes VIP tiers. Neither publishes what the plan above that actually costs. Here's what else separates these two Shopify loyalty apps, verified straight from their own pricing pages. - [Rivo vs BON: Pricing and features compared (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/rivo-vs-bon/): Rivo unlocks VIP tiers at $49 a month. BON doesn't get you there until $129. Here's what else separates these two Shopify loyalty apps, verified straight from their own pricing pages. - [Smile.io vs Rivo: Platform reach or paid membership? (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/smile-vs-rivo/): Smile.io also runs on BigCommerce, an ecommerce platform Rivo doesn't touch. Rivo is Shopify only, but it's the only one of the two with a native paid membership tier. Here's what else separates these Shopify loyalty apps, verified straight from their pricing pages and help centers. - [Smile.io vs LoyaltyLion: Which one fits your store? (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/smile-vs-loyaltylion/): Smile.io prices its VIP tiers at a flat $199 a month. LoyaltyLion's VIP-tier plan has no published price at all. Here's what else separates these two Shopify loyalty apps, verified straight from their own pricing pages. - [Smile.io vs Casa: Which is better for ecommerce stores? (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/smile-vs-casa/): Casa doesn't charge for its loyalty program at any tier. Smile.io's VIP tiers start at $199 a month. Here's what else separates these two Shopify loyalty apps, verified straight from their own listings. - [Top 7 LoyaltyLion Alternatives (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/loyaltylion-alternatives/): LoyaltyLion's free plan is wider than you'd think. The real friction is VIP tiers. Here are 7 alternatives with pricing verified straight from each app's own Shopify listing. - [Top 11 Smile.io Alternatives in 2026 (Some Are Completely Free)](https://joy.so/blog/md/smile-io-alternatives/): Every Smile.io alternatives list online ranks itself first. Here's an honest one, with pricing verified straight from each app's own Shopify listing, so you can see exactly what you're comparing. - [Top Best 7 Rivo Alternatives for Shopify Stores (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/rivo-alternatives/): Rivo bundles referrals and analytics into one $49-a-month tier. Here are 7 alternatives with pricing verified straight from each app's own Shopify listing. - [7 Best Growave Alternatives for Growing Shopify Stores in 2026](https://joy.so/blog/md/growave-alternatives/): Growave bundles loyalty with reviews and wishlists into one app. Here are 7 alternatives, most of them dedicated loyalty platforms, with pricing verified straight from each app's own Shopify listing. - [7 Best Yotpo Alternatives for Shopify in 2026](https://joy.so/blog/md/yotpo-alternatives/): Yotpo requires a sales call before you can even install it, even for the free plan. Here are 7 alternatives you can install directly, with pricing verified straight from each app's own Shopify listing. - [Gorgias vs Zendesk: Which Shopify Helpdesk Should You Pick? (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/gorgias-vs-zendesk/): Gorgias charges by ticket volume with unlimited agents. Zendesk charges per agent with no ticket cap. Here's what that actually costs, plus how support ties into a loyalty program once you've picked one. - [Recharge vs Appstle vs Skio: Which Shopify Subscription App Should You Pick? (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/recharge-vs-appstle-vs-skio/): Three Shopify subscription apps, three very different pricing models, from a flat 0% transaction fee to a single $599 plan. Here's what Recharge, Appstle, and Skio actually cost, plus how renewals feed into a loyalty program once you've picked one. - [Judge.me vs Okendo vs Yotpo: Which Shopify Reviews App Should You Pick? (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/judgeme-vs-okendo-vs-yotpo/): Three Shopify reviews apps, three different pricing models. Here's what Judge.me, Okendo, and Yotpo actually cost and include, plus how reviews feed into a loyalty program once you've picked one. - [Klaviyo vs Omnisend: Which Email/SMS Platform Fits Your Store? (2026)](https://joy.so/blog/md/klaviyo-vs-omnisend/): Klaviyo and Omnisend both promise to grow revenue through email and SMS. Here's what each actually costs, where each wins, and how loyalty data fits into whichever one you pick. - [Joy vs. BON: Which Loyalty App Is Better for Shopify Stores?](https://joy.so/blog/md/joy-vs-bon/): Joy and BON launched weeks apart in 2021 and hold nearly identical ratings today. Here's where the two platforms actually pull apart, plan by plan. ## Pages - [Page 1](https://joy.so/blog/md/) (this page) - [Page 2](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/2/) - [Page 3](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/3/) - [Page 4](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/4/) - [Page 5](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/5/) - [Page 6](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/6/) - [Page 7](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/7/) - [Page 8](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/8/) - [Page 9](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/9/) - [Page 10](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/10/) - [Page 11](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/11/) - [Page 12](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/12/) - [Page 13](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/13/) - [Page 14](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/14/) - [Page 15](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/15/) - [Page 16](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/16/) - [Page 17](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/17/) - [Page 18](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/18/) - [Page 19](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/19/) - [Page 20](https://joy.so/blog/md/page/20/)