---
title: "Top 11 Smile.io Alternatives in 2026 (Some Are Completely Free)"
slug: "smile-io-alternatives"
url: "https://joy.so/blog/smile-io-alternatives/"
kind: "post"
author: "Thomas Nguyen"
author_url: "https://joy.so/author/thomas/"
published_at: "2026-08-28T09:31:27.000+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-08-28T09:31:27.000+00:00"
description: "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."
category: "Shopify"
tags: ["Shopify", "Tiers & VIP", "Comparison"]
reading_time: 16
feature_image: "https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/smile-630eb0.webp"
---

# Top 11 Smile.io Alternatives in 2026 (Some Are Completely Free)

Smile.io is a popular choice for stores that want to launch a loyalty program with minimal setup. But it may not be the best fit for every store.

You may want more ways to reward customers, a different pricing structure, or features that better match how your store sells. You may also be looking for a simpler, lower-cost option, or a free alternative to get started.

That is where other loyalty apps can make a difference.

In this list, we compared 11 Smile.io alternatives to see what each does well, where it falls short, and which types of stores it suits best. Some are built for growing brands, while others focus on specific needs or offer a free way to run a loyalty program.

## How we picked these 11 alternatives

Not every loyalty app solves the same problem. So instead of ranking them by the number of features, we looked at five areas that can make a real difference when choosing an alternative to Smile.io:

- **Pricing:** How much does it cost to get the features you actually need? Is there a free plan or a lower-cost starting point?
- **Flexibility:** Can you customize how customers earn and redeem rewards? Can you create rules and tiers that fit your program?
- **Integrations:** Does it work with the other tools your store already uses, such as email, SMS, reviews, and customer support?
- **Reporting:** Can you see whether your loyalty program is driving repeat purchases, revenue, and customer retention?
- **Support:** How easy is it to get help when you need it?

We also looked at where each app stands out compared with Smile.io. Some offer more advanced loyalty features. Others are easier to start with, cost less, or work better with a specific ecommerce setup.

The goal is not to find one app that beats Smile.io in every category. It's to help you find the alternative that makes the most sense for your store.

## Why look for a Smile.io alternative

Smile.io is a solid choice if you want to launch a loyalty program without a complicated setup. But as your store grows, you may start looking for something different.

Maybe you need more control over your loyalty program. Maybe you want a lower-cost plan, a free option, or stronger integrations with the tools you already use. In some cases, you may simply want an app that better fits your store's current setup.

The important thing is that no single loyalty app works best for every store. What makes sense for a small Shopify store may not be enough for a growing brand with more complex needs.

So before choosing an alternative, it helps to know what each option actually does differently from Smile.io. That's what we'll look at next.

## The 11 best Smile.io alternatives

| App | Pros | Cons | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Joy | Free up to 250 orders a month; deep Instagram-specific earning actions | VIP tiers require Advanced, $129 a month | Free tier headroom, deep customization |
| Yotpo | True 24/7 support; one account if already on Yotpo Reviews | VIP tier price unpublished, demo request only | Stores already using Yotpo Reviews |
| LoyaltyLion | Free up to 400 orders a month, the widest on this list; dedicated POS guide | VIP tier price unpublished, custom quote only | Widest free plan |
| Rivo | Cheapest published VIP tier, $49 a month; native paid membership | Shopify only, no reach beyond it | VIP tiers on a tight budget |
| BON | Anti-Cheat fraud protection included free; Saturday morning support | Support hours run GMT+7, off US and EU business hours | Native POS without a VIP-tier plan |
| Okendo | VIP tiers from $19 a month, no plan gate; Reviews and Loyalty bundled | No Built for Shopify badge | Cheapest VIP tiers |
| Casa | Entire feature set free, including VIP tiers | No public help center beyond the app listing | Zero budget |
| Growave | Wishlists, reviews, and loyalty in one app; POS from $15 a month | VIP tiers require Growth, $199 a month, same as Smile.io | Wishlist and loyalty combo |
| Stamped | Reviews and loyalty share one dashboard | No free plan; loyalty add-on is a flat $299 a month | Stores already invested in Stamped Reviews |
| Marsello | Native Apple and Google Wallet passes; real-time reporting | No free plan; lowest rating on this list, 4.4/5 | Apple and Google Wallet passes |
| Rise.ai | Deep gift card and store credit tooling | No free plan; VIP tier plan requirement unpublished | Gift card and store credit-first stores |

### 1. Joy: Best for flexibility

Joy is a loyalty and rewards platform for Shopify stores that want more freedom to shape their program around their brand. Merchants can customize how customers earn and redeem rewards, set rules for social engagement, and adjust the look and feel of loyalty elements throughout the storefront.

![](https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-17.49.21-465d6c.png)

That flexibility makes it easier to create a program that feels like part of the brand rather than a standard loyalty widget.

**Key features:**

- **Flexible reward rules:** Create points-earning rules around purchases, sign-ups, and other customer actions. You can also reward social engagement, including Instagram follows, mentions, tags, story shares, TikTok follows, and UGC submissions.
- **Anti-cheating protection:** Seven layers of protection help prevent customers from abusing earning rules and collecting rewards through repeated or invalid actions.
- **VIP tiers:** Create tiers based on points, spending, or order count. Advanced and higher plans can also give members an automatic discount at checkout.
- **Brand-focused design:** Customize loyalty elements throughout your storefront to match your brand's look and feel. Joy offers 20+ on-site loyalty placements, including a dedicated loyalty page and checkout redemption blocks on Essential and Advanced plans.
- **Broad integrations:** Connect Joy with 30+ apps, with Shopify Flow and Metafields available on every plan.
- **Shopify extensions:** Use 85+ extensions across checkout, customer accounts, POS, and theme app blocks.
- **Loyalty reporting:** Track retention rate, repeat purchase rate, customer lifetime value, ROI, and orders assisted by the loyalty program.

**Pricing:**

- Free for up to 250 orders a month
- Essential costs $29 a month
- Advanced costs $129 a month
- Ultimate costs $499 a month for up to 7,000 orders and includes full API access and Hydrogen support.

**Best for:** Shopify stores that want a flexible loyalty program they can customize around their reward strategy, social engagement goals, and brand design.

**Why choose it over Smile.io:** Joy gives you more room to start on the free plan, supporting up to 250 orders a month compared with Smile.io's 200.

The bigger difference is how the two handle social rewards. Smile.io supports several social platforms and includes basic actions such as likes and shares. Joy goes deeper into Instagram, with rewards for mentions, tags, story shares, and customer-submitted product photos and videos.

That makes Joy a stronger fit for stores that use Instagram engagement and user-generated content as part of their customer strategy.

Joy also gives merchants more room to shape the storefront experience. Its dedicated loyalty page is available on every plan, including the Free plan. Smile.io's Loyalty Hub starts at Growth, which costs $199 a month. Its VIP tiers also start at that level.

Overall, Joy stands out when flexibility matters throughout the loyalty experience: how customers earn rewards, which actions count, and how the program appears on your storefront.

### 2. Yotpo: best if you're already using Yotpo Reviews

Yotpo Loyalty is part of the wider Yotpo platform, alongside products such as Reviews and SMS. If you're already using Yotpo Reviews, adding loyalty keeps these customer experiences within the same platform, rather than adding another loyalty app to your stack.

![](https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-17.49.57-a7b7b2.png)

**Key features:**

- **Points and referrals:** Create loyalty programs around points, referrals, and customer actions.
- **VIP tiers:** Build VIP levels to give your most valuable customers additional rewards. VIP tiers are available on Premium and above.
- **Multiple reward types:** Choose from eight named reward types, with most available on Premium and Enterprise.
- **Referral fraud protection:** Use four fraud-prevention mechanisms to reduce referral abuse and protect your rewards budget.
- **24/7 support:** Get support around the clock, including outside standard business hours.

**Pricing:**

- Free for stores with fewer than 100 orders a month
- Pro costs $199 a month for up to 500 orders
- Premium, which uses custom pricing.

**Best for:** Stores already using Yotpo Reviews that want to add loyalty without bringing another platform into their stack.

**Why choose it over Smile.io:** The biggest advantage is the broader Yotpo ecosystem. If your store already uses Yotpo Reviews, keeping reviews and loyalty on the same platform can simplify your tech stack and streamline your customer data.

Yotpo also has an edge on support, with 24/7 availability compared with Smile.io's Monday-to-Friday support hours.

There is one important trade-off: VIP pricing is less transparent. Smile.io includes VIP tiers in its $199-a-month Growth plan, while Yotpo requires the Premium plan.

### 3. LoyaltyLion: best for a wider free plan

LoyaltyLion is a dedicated loyalty platform built around points, referrals, and customer rewards. It also supports VIP tiers and a broad range of integrations, while its free plan gives smaller stores more room to grow before they need to pay.

![](https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-17.51.45-15c172.png)

**Key features:**

- **Points, referrals, and VIP tiers:** Build a loyalty program around points and referrals, with VIP tiers available on Advanced and above.
- **50+ integrations:** Connect LoyaltyLion with tools across email, SMS, reviews, customer support, and other parts of your tech stack.
- **Referral fraud protection:** Use features such as IP detection, pending points, and referral caps to reduce referral abuse.
- **Shopify POS:** Support loyalty activity across online and in-store purchases with a dedicated POS setup.

**Pricing:**

- Free up to 400 orders a month
- Classic is $199 a month
- Advanced, listed as custom pricing with no published number.

**Best for:** a store that wants the widest free tier on this list and doesn't need VIP tiers on day one.

**Why choose it over Smile.io:** The main advantage is the free plan. LoyaltyLion supports up to 400 orders a month for free, compared with 200 on Smile.io. That gives a growing store twice the order capacity before it needs to move to a paid plan.

The trade-off is VIP pricing. Smile.io includes VIP tiers in its $199-a-month Growth plan, while LoyaltyLion moves VIP tiers to Advanced with custom pricing.

### 4. Rivo: best for VIP tiers on a tight budget

Rivo covers the core loyalty features you'd expect, including points, referrals, and VIP tiers. It also offers native paid memberships, so stores can charge customers for ongoing perks alongside their regular loyalty program.

![](https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-17.54.14-1c97ac.png)

**Key features:**

- **Affordable VIP tiers:** Create VIP tiers starting with the Scale plan at $49/month.
- **Paid memberships:** Offer subscription-based memberships with ongoing perks, available from Plus.
- **Referral fraud protection:** Use 11 fraud-prevention mechanisms to reduce referral abuse and protect your rewards program.
- **24/7 support:** Get round-the-clock support from the Essential plan at $15 a month.
- **Shopify POS:** Run loyalty across Shopify POS from Scale, with support for up to three locations.

**Pricing:**

- Free up to 200 orders a month
- Essential is $15 a month for 500 orders
- Scale is $49 a month, where VIP tiers unlock
- Plus is $499/month and includes a paid membership and a developer toolkit.

**Best for:** a growing store that wants VIP tiers running before it's anywhere near spending $199 a month.

**Why choose it over Smile.io:** The biggest difference is the price of VIP tiers. Rivo includes them in Scale for $49 per month, while Smile.io includes them in Growth for $199 per month. That makes Rivo a much lower-cost way to introduce VIP tiers while your loyalty program is still growing.

### 5. BON: best for weekend support coverage

BON is a loyalty app for Shopify stores that covers points, referrals, VIP tiers, and B2B loyalty. It also includes referral fraud protection from the free plan and adds Shopify POS at a relatively low price.

![](https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-17.55.02-7a5e31.png)

**Key features:**

- **VIP and B2B tiers:** Create VIP and B2B loyalty tiers from the Growth plan at $129 a month.
- **Shopify POS:** Run your loyalty program in-store with native Shopify POS support starting at Basic for $29 a month.
- **Anti-cheat protection:** Prevent common referral abuse, including self-referrals and duplicate accounts, from the free plan.
- **Weekend support:** Get support Monday to Friday, plus Saturday morning coverage in GMT+7.

**Pricing:**

- Free up to 150 orders a month
- The Starter plan is $15/month for 300 orders.
- Basic is $29 a month for 500 orders, where POS unlocks
- Growth is $129 per month, with VIP and B2B tiers unlocked
- Plus is custom pricing.

**Best for:** a store that wants native POS support without paying for a VIP-tier-level plan yet.

**Why choose it over Smile.io:** BON covers Saturday mornings, while Smile.io's support is limited to weekdays. It also adds native Shopify POS at $29 a month, giving stores with in-person sales a lower-cost way to connect their loyalty program across online and offline purchases.

### 6. Okendo: best for VIP tiers with no plan gate at all

Okendo combines Reviews and Loyalty on a single platform, giving stores a setup different from apps that sell loyalty as a standalone product. Its loyalty features start at a low price, and VIP tiers are available on every paid plan.

![](https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-17.56.05-651ad0.png)

**Key features:**

- **Points, VIP tiers, and referrals:** Build a loyalty program with points, referrals, VIP tiers, and store credit from Essential.
- **VIP tiers on every paid plan:** Create VIP levels without upgrading to a higher-tier plan.
- **Reviews and Loyalty together:** Manage both products on the same platform, with a single dashboard and a single bill.
- **Shopify POS:** Connect loyalty activity with Shopify POS for in-store purchases.

**Pricing:**

- Free up to 50 orders a month
- Essential is $19 a month for 200 orders
- Growth is $119 a month
- Power is $299 a month.

**Best for:** a store that wants VIP tiers as early and as cheaply as possible, or one that wants Reviews and Loyalty under a single vendor.

**Why it beats Smile.io:** Okendo includes VIP tiers on every paid plan, starting with Essential at $19 a month. Smile.io adds VIP tiers at Growth, which costs $199 a month. If VIP tiers are a priority from the beginning, Okendo lets you add them at a much lower entry price.

The other advantage is consolidation. If you also need a reviews platform, Okendo lets you manage Reviews and Loyalty through the same product instead of adding a separate loyalty vendor.

### 7. Casa: best for a zero-budget start

Casa is a loyalty app for stores that want to run a full rewards program without a monthly subscription. Points, VIP tiers, referrals, store credit, and gift cards are all available on its free plan.

![](https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-17.56.42-2d682e.png)

**Key features:**

- **Full loyalty program:** Run points, VIP tiers, referrals, store credits, and gift cards without moving to a paid plan.
- **Shopify POS:** Connect your loyalty program with Shopify POS for in-store purchases.
- **24/7 support:** Get round-the-clock founder-led support.

**Pricing:** Stores that want a full loyalty program without adding another monthly software cost.

**Why choose it over Smile.io:** Price is the clearest difference. Casa includes VIP tiers and its other core loyalty features for free, while Smile.io adds VIP tiers at Growth for $199 a month.

The trade-off is that Casa is a much smaller, simpler option, so stores with more advanced requirements should ensure it offers the integrations and customization they need before switching.

### 8. Growave: best for wishlist and loyalty in one app

Growave combines loyalty with wishlists, reviews, and other customer engagement tools on a single platform. That can make it a practical choice for stores that would otherwise need separate apps for these features.

![](https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-17.57.06-9bebfd.png)

**Key features:**

- **Loyalty program:** Run points, referrals, VIP tiers, and store credit.
- **Wishlists and reviews:** Keep loyalty, wishlists, and reviews under the same platform.
- **Shopify POS:** Connect loyalty with Shopify POS from Entry at $15 a month.
- **Higher-volume plans:** Growth supports up to 1,500 orders a month and adds VIP tiers.

**Pricing:**

- Free up to 200 orders a month
- Entry is $15 a month for 500 orders
- Growth is $199 a month for 1,500 orders
- Plus is $499 amonth with headless API access.

**Best for:** Stores that want loyalty, wishlists, and reviews from one vendor instead of managing several separate apps.

**Why choose it over Smile.io:** Growave gives stores more than loyalty in one package. It combines loyalty with wishlists and reviews, which can reduce the number of apps you need to manage.

It also adds Shopify POS from the $15-a-month Entry plan, giving stores with in-person sales a lower-cost starting point for POS-connected loyalty.

### 9. Stamped: best if you're already invested in Stamped Reviews

Stamped combines Reviews and Loyalty, making it a natural option for stores that already use Stamped for customer reviews. Instead of adding another loyalty platform, you can keep both functions within the same ecosystem.

![](https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-17.57.52-4ada24.png)

**Key features:**

- **Multiple reward types:** Reward customers with points, discounts, free shipping, free products, and VIP perks.
- **Reviews and Loyalty together:** Add loyalty to an existing Stamped Reviews setup instead of bringing in another vendor.
- **High-volume support:** Reviews plans scale to 5,000+ orders a month.
- **Loyalty add-on:** Add Loyalty as a single paid tier to an existing Stamped setup.

**Pricing:**

- Reviews plans run from $23 to $199+ a month, depending on order volume.
- Loyalty is a separate add-on at a flat $299 a month for up to 5,000 orders, with no lower tier and no free option.

**Best for:** Larger stores already using Stamped Reviews that want to add loyalty and have the budget for a $299-a-month add-on.

**Why choose it over Smile.io:** The main reason is consolidation. If Stamped already handles your reviews, adding Loyalty keeps those functions within the same platform.

The trade-off is price. Stamped Loyalty starts at $299 per month, so it makes more sense for an established store already invested in the Stamped ecosystem than for a smaller store seeking a low-cost Smile.io alternative.

### 10. Marsello: best for Apple and Google Wallet passes

Marsello combines loyalty with email and SMS marketing, but its biggest point of difference is digital wallet support. Customers can add a loyalty pass to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet and keep it on their phone.

![](https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-18.00.23-cdc252.png)

**Key features:**

- **Digital wallet passes:** Give customers native Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes for their loyalty program.
- **Loyalty and marketing:** Combine loyalty with email and SMS marketing in the same platform.
- **RFM segmentation:** Use RFM segmentation to identify and target different customer groups.
- **Advanced loyalty:** Loyalty Accelerate adds VIP tiers, custom earning rules, and API access.
- **Shopify POS:** Connect loyalty with Shopify POS for in-store purchases.

**Pricing:**

- Loyalty Launch is $60 a month
- Loyalty Accelerate is $120 a month, and VIP tiers are unlocked.

**Best for:** Stores that want customers to keep their loyalty card in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet without adding a separate wallet-pass tool.

**Why choose it over Smile.io:** Marsello includes digital wallet passes as part of the platform. Smile.io does not offer Apple or Google Wallet passes natively, so stores that want this experience need an additional integration.

Marsello also combines loyalty with email and SMS marketing, making it a stronger fit for stores that want loyalty and customer messaging in the same platform.

### 11. Rise.ai: best for gift card and store credit-first stores

Rise.ai takes a different approach from most loyalty apps. Its core focus is gift cards and store credit, with loyalty and referrals added on top. That makes it a better fit for stores where credit-based rewards are a key part of the retention strategy.

![](https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-18.01.14-7ca55b.png)

**Key features:**

- **Gift cards and store credit:** Create advanced gift card programs and issue store credit manually from Starter.
- **Referrals:** Add referral rewards from the Starter plan.
- **VIP tiers:** Add VIP loyalty levels on eligible plans.
- **Shopify POS:** Use Rise.ai with Shopify POS for in-store activity.

**Pricing:**

- Starter is $19.99 a month for 100 orders
- Small-Business is $59.99 a month for 400 orders
- Pro is $199.99 a month for 2,000 orders.

**Best for:** Stores where gift cards and store credit are central to the retention strategy, with loyalty and referrals as supporting features.

**Why choose it over Smile.io:** Rise.ai goes deeper into gift cards and store credit. These are core parts of the platform rather than just reward options inside a broader loyalty program.

That makes it a stronger choice when store credit is central to how you retain customers. The trade-off is price: Rise.ai has no free plan, and its entry tier starts at $19.99 a month.

## Which Smile.io alternative fits your store?

The best alternative depends on what you want to change about Smile.io:

- **Want more flexibility and room to scale?** → **Joy** gives you more control over reward rules, social actions, design, and advanced loyalty features as your store grows.
- **Already use a reviews platform?** → **Yotpo** or **Okendo** can keep reviews and loyalty under the same platform.
- **Need VIP tiers without a big jump in cost?** → **Rivo** starts VIP tiers at $49 a month, while **Okendo** includes them from $19.
- **Want to keep costs as low as possible?** → **Casa** is completely free, while **LoyaltyLion** offers a larger free order allowance than Smile.io.
- **Have a more specific need?** → Choose **BON** for POS and weekend support, **Growave** for loyalty plus wishlists and reviews, **Stamped** if you're already using Stamped Reviews, **Marsello** for Apple and Google Wallet passes, or **Rise.ai** if gift cards and store credit are central to your strategy.

You don't need the app with the most features. You need the one that solves the problem. Smile.io isn't solving for your store.

## Finding the right fit matters more than finding the cheapest one

Smile.io isn't a bad platform; it's just not built for every stage a store goes through. The 11 alternatives above cover a wide range of what "better" can mean: cheaper VIP tiers, wider free plans, native wallet passes, or just one less vendor to manage.

If a bigger free plan and a loyalty program that grows with deeper customization is what you're after, [Joy](https://joy.so/) is worth trying free before you commit to anything.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which Smile.io alternative is completely free?

Casa is the only one on this list with no paid tier at all, VIP tiers included. Joy, LoyaltyLion, Rivo, BON, Okendo, and Growave also have free plans, though each caps out at a different order volume before the first bill arrives.

### Which alternative is best for a store already using another Yotpo or Stamped product?

Yotpo Loyalty for stores already on Yotpo Reviews, Stamped's loyalty add-on for stores already on Stamped Reviews. Both consolidate under one account instead of adding a new vendor.

### Do any of these alternatives support Shopify POS?

Most do. Joy, LoyaltyLion, Rivo, BON, Okendo, Casa, Growave, Marsello, and Rise.ai all name POS integration, though what redeems in-store varies by app, worth confirming directly before counting on a specific reward working at the register.

### How were these prices verified?

Directly, from each app's own pricing page or Shopify App Store listing, checked in August 2026. Figures change periodically, so treat this as a snapshot, not a permanent rate.