Smile.io vs LoyaltyLion

Smile.io and LoyaltyLion both sell loyalty programs to online stores, but they ask you to buy in different ways. Smile.io publishes six plans in US dollars, from a free tier at 200 orders a month up to a $999 annual plan, so a store can price itself before talking to anyone. LoyaltyLion publishes one paid price, Classic at $199 a month, and sends Advanced and Plus into a sales conversation. Smile.io's terms are governed by Ontario law, while LoyaltyLion names a registered office in London. Both vendors describe Shopify as their home ground.

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Both are reviewed in full in our loyalty program software ranking: Smile.io and LoyaltyLion.

1. 01

   Smile.io's six-band ladder

   Smile.io lists Free at $0 with 200 orders a month, Essential at $15 with 500, Standard at $79 with 1,000, Growth at $199 with 2,500, Smile Plus at $999 a month on annual billing with 7,500, and a custom Enterprise plan. Extra orders cost $20 per 100 on Growth and $5 per 100 on Plus. Every step up to Plus is visible before any sales call, which makes budgeting simple for a store watching its order count.

   Edge: Smile.io

2. 02

   LoyaltyLion's one published figure

   LoyaltyLion lists Classic at a flat $199 a month, including 500 orders. Advanced and Plus are custom and based on monthly orders, with no order number published. The prices show a dollar sign, though no currency is named on the page. Existing-customer order caps are listed at 800, 2,000, 4,000 and 10,000 plus, and the vendor reviews a plan if usage runs over by more than 25 percent for three months in a row. That review is a contact, not an automatic charge.

   Edge: Smile.io

3. 03

   What a VIP tier really costs

   Smile.io shows VIP programs as not included on Free, Essential and Standard and lists them as a Growth feature, at $199 a month. LoyaltyLion lists dynamic VIP tiers as an optional add-on on Classic, which is also $199 a month, and as included on Advanced and Plus. Loyalty Pass is an add-on on every LoyaltyLion plan, and we found no add-on price on that page. On the cost of a tiered program, Smile.io is more open.

   Edge: Smile.io

4. 04

   Free start and trial length

   Smile.io's Free plan costs $0 and covers 200 orders a month with points and referrals, 10 pre-built reports and no integrations. No free trial is mentioned beside it. LoyaltyLion's FAQ recommends a free plan for stores handling 400 orders or fewer a month and offers a 14-day trial through the Shopify App Store, but the page does not describe what the free plan includes. Smile.io is clearer on contents, LoyaltyLion on the trial, so the round is level for a store deciding between them.

   Depends on the buyer

5. 05

   Checkout, POS and language reach

   LoyaltyLion lists points redemption at checkout as Shopify Plus only, a single Shopify POS location on Classic and several on Advanced and Plus, 130 plus languages from Advanced, and AI recommended rewards with automated flows on Plus. Smile.io's homepage names coverage of online store, in store, phone and AI agents, staged rollouts at 5, 25 and 100 percent, and lists API access from Smile Plus. The two feature lists are shaped differently, so match them to your own checklist before choosing.

   Depends on the buyer

6. 06

   Who stands behind the product

   Smile.io's terms are governed by Ontario and Canadian law with courts in Toronto, though its privacy policy gives only a Waterloo mailing address and no registered office. It says it can move members, point balances and VIP tiers over from LoyaltyLion, Yotpo, Rivo or Okendo. LoyaltyLion Ltd gives a registered office at 20 Farringdon Street, London, company number 08264116, and English law. Neither page names a parent company, and both describe a hosted service with no self-hosted option.

   Edge: LoyaltyLion

Does LoyaltyLion have a plan I can try before paying?

Yes, the FAQ describes a 14-day free trial through the Shopify App Store. It also recommends a free plan for stores processing 400 orders or fewer a month. What that free plan contains is not described there.

Which of the two lets me move my existing members across?

Smile.io's homepage says members, point balances and VIP tiers can be moved over from Yotpo, LoyaltyLion, Rivo or Okendo. Nothing we found on LoyaltyLion's side describes a migration service. Ask LoyaltyLion directly if you are leaving Smile.io.

Why would order growth change my Smile.io bill?

Each Smile.io plan includes a set number of monthly orders, from 200 on Free to 7,500 on Smile Plus.

Growth charges $20 per additional 100 orders and Smile Plus charges $5. Past 7,500 orders, the page points to the custom Enterprise plan for retailers over $40M in revenue.

• Smile.io pricing page: the six plan prices, monthly order bands, overage rates and the VIP, API and free plan gating.
• Smile.io homepage: the migration claim from LoyaltyLion, Yotpo, Rivo or Okendo and the in-store and phone coverage.
• Smile.io terms of service: Ontario and Canadian governing law with Toronto courts.
• LoyaltyLion pricing page: Classic at $199, custom upper plans, order caps, the 14-day trial and the VIP add-on and checkout notes.
• LoyaltyLion privacy policy: the London registered office, company number and English governing law.