Smile.io alternatives: 11 loyalty program tools compared
Stores look past Smile.io when their loyalty programme outgrows the plan they started on, when they sell on a platform Smile does not connect to, or when they want an engine they can call through an API from the first day. Replacements range from other Shopify apps to promotion engines billed by API call and quoted enterprise platforms.
Short answer: Voucherify, LoyaltyLion and Rivo head the list of Smile.io alternatives drawn from our loyalty program software ranking. Ranking order favours the challenger over the household name, so the best-known vendors begin at place 4 where the category allows it. Voucherify is the one to try if you want loyalty and coupons in one API and have a developer to size the call volume. Each of the 11 alternatives sits in Best Loyalty Program Software in 2026 and is described against Smile.io.
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Pricing: Free plan; Essential to Plus tiers published by monthly orders; Enterprise quoted
Established in: Canada
Built for: Shopify stores that want a loyalty program live on a self-serve plan
Not for: Multi-channel retailers that do not sell through Shopify
01
Why buyers look past Smile.io
01
Features arrive plan by plan
Smile's help centre says points expiry, the VIP programme, Loyalty Hub and points on the account page start on Growth. Custom actions start on Plus. Bonus points campaigns and points at the cart start on Standard. A programme that begins on Free with points and referrals therefore meets a new price step each time it adds a mechanic.
02
Orders, not members, set the bill
The Free plan runs to 200 orders a month, Essential to 500 at $15 and Standard to 1,000 at $79. Smile counts the orders placed at the store in a calendar month, so a quiet loyalty programme on a busy shop still moves up a tier. When a store passes its limit the programme keeps working while the owner chooses a plan.
03
Only four platforms are supported
Smile connects to Shopify, Shopify Plus, Shopify POS and BigCommerce. Its help centre states that a store on another platform cannot use it, and that Wix support ended in February 2025. Some checkout features, such as redeeming points at checkout, need Shopify Plus, so the platform you sell on also decides what you get.
you already take payments with Square, or are ready to move them
#12
03
What each one does differently
1
Voucherify
Poland · Published
Voucherify, from Poland, treats loyalty as one part of a promotion engine that also covers gift cards, referrals and wallets. Its Business and Organization tiers count API calls, and the Business ceiling is 25,000 a month. A 60-day trial gives a developer time to measure real traffic before choosing a tier.
Switch from Smile.io if you want loyalty and coupons in one API and have a developer to size the call volume.
LoyaltyLion is a London company with a free plan for stores up to 400 orders a month and a listed Classic plan for 500. Advanced and Plus are quoted. VIP tiers are an add-on on Classic, and Loyalty Pass is an add-on on every plan. A 14-day trial is offered, and Klaviyo flows are a selling point.
Switch from Smile.io if you want a UK-based ecommerce loyalty vendor with a climbing plan ladder.
Rivo mixes points with store credit, cash back and paid membership tiers, and it publishes Scale and Plus prices with Enterprise quoted. The Scale tier allows three Shopify POS locations. The trial lasts seven days, which leaves little room to test email flows and reward rules before launch.
Switch from Smile.io if paid membership or store credit matters to your programme.
Open Loyalty, based in Wroclaw, sells its engine as hosted software with full API access and an admin interface, and you choose Europe, APAC or North America for storage. The price is quoted from a platform fee plus an allowance of active members. The name does not mean public source code.
Switch from Smile.io if you want to pick the storage region and bill by active members, not orders.
Antavo sells Start, Grow and Enterprise plans, with Grow aimed at brands that have outgrown loyalty apps. Its site stresses an API-first design, changes without code and an assistant for programme design. Neither prices nor order limits appear on the plans, so a sales conversation sets the first invoice.
Switch from Smile.io if you run several markets and want to configure rules without developers.
Stamp Me, from Australia, issues digital stamp cards on Lite, Pro and Elite monthly plans priced in five currencies. A 30-day trial needs no credit card and there is no lock-in contract. Each plan covers one location, so a shared card across several shops is outside what it sells.
Switch from Smile.io if a stamp card for one cafe, salon or shop does the job.
Talon.One is a Berlin engine for points, tiers, paid memberships and promotions, reached through an API and priced on data volume. Its Starter plan calls for an individual scheme of at least 500,000 coupons, and the pricing page lists neither a trial nor an amount. It fits retailers with large volumes.
Switch from Smile.io if you operate at retail scale and want a German-based promotion engine.
TrueLoyal took over the Zinrelo rewards engine after Scaleworks acquired Zinrelo in 2025. It bundles loyalty with user content and fan communities, and managed services run the programme for you. Pricing follows a demo. A typical launch takes four to eight weeks, against days for a Shopify app.
Switch from Smile.io if you want reviews, communities and loyalty from one vendor that can also run it for you.
Yotpo Loyalty is one module of a wider review and retention suite. Pro is published with a base price covering 500 orders a month and stepped overage after that, while Premium and Enterprise are quoted. VIP tiers, segments and POS support first appear on Premium, so tiers are not part of Pro.
Switch from Smile.io if you already buy Yotpo reviews or other modules and want loyalty billed alongside them.
Annex Cloud, from Denver, splits its platform into engage, personalize, retain and advocate modules and lists 125 integrations. The site offers a demo request in place of prices, so cost, trial and contract terms stay unknown until a sales call. Licensing several modules may be needed to match a single Smile plan.
Switch from Smile.io if you need a large integration list and a modular enterprise suite.
Square Loyalty gives points by visit, spend or item, VIP tiers, Apple Wallet passes and text notifications from the Square Dashboard. It offers a 30-day trial and no locked-in contracts. Points are earned only where Square sells, on the Point of Sale app, Invoices or Square Online, so it replaces your payments as well as your loyalty app.
Switch from Smile.io if you already take payments with Square, or are ready to move them.
Voucherify: Business and Organization tiers are metered in API calls, with a 60-day trial to test your traffic.
02
You want to stay on a Shopify-style ladder with tiers
LoyaltyLion: A free plan covers up to 400 orders a month, and VIP tiers are an add-on on the Classic plan.
03
You want paid membership next to points
Rivo: It offers store credit, cash back and paid membership tiers, with a seven-day trial.
04
You need to choose where the data is stored
Open Loyalty: Hosted storage can be set to Europe, APAC or North America, and the bill follows active members.
05
You run a single cafe or salon and want stamp cards
Stamp Me: Lite, Pro and Elite plans come with a 30-day trial and no lock-in contract, for one location.
04
When Smile.io is still the right choice
Smile is a sound starting point for a Shopify or BigCommerce store. The Free plan covers points and referrals for up to 200 orders a month, Essential and Standard prices are printed in the help centre, and by default points never expire. The developer documentation lists a REST API, a JavaScript SDK and a pre-built panel, so a store can grow into custom work. Stores that stay within the platform list and need no tiers have little reason to move.
05
What moving off Smile.io involves
01
Keep the points balances
Before you leave, export customer point balances and VIP status. Smile documents how to move a programme to a different ecommerce platform while keeping points intact, which shows the data is portable. Ask the new vendor how it imports balances and whether they carry a different expiry rule.
02
Check which Smile features you actually use
List the mechanics live on your store: tiers, expiry, cart redemption, custom actions, POS earning. A replacement that prices these separately can cost more than the plan you leave. Test that discount codes and the on-site panel behave as customers expect before you switch off the old app.
03
Plan the announcement
Shoppers see the launcher and the account page, so a changed name or reward value needs a notice by email and on site. Run both programmes for a short overlap if the contract allows, and set the new expiry rule only after balances have loaded.
06
Questions about replacing Smile.io
6 answers
What does Smile.io cost?
The Free plan allows 200 orders a month. Essential is $15 a month for 500 orders and Standard is $79 for 1,000, according to Smile's help centre.
Growth, Plus and Enterprise sit above those. Smile's pricing page blocked our automated checks, so we do not quote their prices here.
Which platforms does Smile support?
Shopify, Shopify Plus, Shopify POS and BigCommerce. Smile says stores on any other platform cannot use it, including WordPress and Squarespace, and that Wix support ended in February 2025. Headless storefronts on Shopify or BigCommerce can be discussed with its team.
Do points expire on Smile?
Not by default. Points stay in the account until expiry is switched on, and that setting belongs to the Growth, Plus and Enterprise plans. Rolling periods run from 3 days to 2 years, and customers get warning emails before the balance resets.
Which Smile features need a higher plan?
VIP programme, Loyalty Hub, points expiry and points on the account page need Growth. Custom actions need Plus. Bonus points campaigns, points at the cart and points on the product page start on Standard. Redeeming points at checkout also requires Shopify Plus.
Is there an API?
Smile publishes developer documentation with a REST API, a JavaScript SDK and a configurable panel. Custom actions need some HTML and CSS skill. Voucherify and Open Loyalty are API-first alternatives.
Which alternative suits a store that is not on Shopify?
Open Loyalty, Voucherify, Antavo and Talon.One are sold as engines that connect through an API, so the platform matters less. Square Loyalty needs Square payments. Check each vendor's integration list for your own storefront.
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Sources
Checked 6 November 2026
Smile help centre: order limits: Free 200 orders, Essential $15 for 500, Standard $79 for 1,000, behaviour when over the limit.
Founder of The Knowledge Engineers and of 2 Steps Ahead, an AI search visibility agency. Editorially responsible for every page on this site; research and drafting are AI-assisted.
Sebastiaan Smits wrote and checked this page, most recently on 6 November 2026. See how we review.
