- Check the platform list before the feature list
- Platform fit at a glance
- Plugins that run inside a WooCommerce shop
- Engines that sit outside any one store
- Broader ecommerce suites: confirm your platform
- Retention suites led by Shopify
- Nine loyalty options, listed in no particular order
- My advice for stores that aren't on Shopify
- Questions to send a loyalty vendor before you install
- Frequently asked questions
The right loyalty app for an ecommerce store starts with the platform the store runs on. WooCommerce shops can add a points plugin inside the store, stores planning a move can look at engines that sit outside any one platform, and Shopify brands get the widest choice of retention suites.
If you've searched for a loyalty app and every list you found was a page of Shopify apps, this one's for you. It's written for store owners on WooCommerce or BigCommerce, or thinking about switching platform, who want to know which options can live with the store they've already got.
You'll find nine options here, grouped by platform fit rather than by size, in no particular order and with no crowned pick. Where a vendor describes itself as built for one platform, that's stated plainly, and where a vendor's description doesn't name your platform, you'll be told to check rather than left to assume.
Check the platform list before the feature list
Most loyalty apps are built around one store platform, and the home page usually tells you which. Three of the vendors here describe themselves as made for Shopify brands. Two are WooCommerce plugins that install inside a WordPress shop. One describes an API-first engine that isn't tied to any single store. Points, tiers and referrals look much the same on every home page, so comparing features first is how stores end up falling for a scheme they can't install.
If you run BigCommerce, be extra careful. None of the vendor descriptions in this list names BigCommerce, so open each vendor's own integrations or supported-platforms page and confirm it's there before you book a demo or start a trial. The same goes for any WooCommerce store eyeing a suite that doesn't say WooCommerce on its own site.
Then ask the question nobody asks until it hurts: if you move store platform later, how do customers' points balances and accounts come across? A loyalty scheme is a promise to your best customers, and wiping their points in a migration breaks it. If a move is on the cards, our comparison of Shopify and WooCommerce for growing stores is worth reading before you commit to a loyalty tool tied to either.
Platform fit at a glance
| Tool | Platform fit | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Annex Cloud | Enterprise platform | Larger retailers wanting an enterprise loyalty platform |
| LoyaltyLion | Ecommerce loyalty platform | Data-driven loyalty and engagement for online stores |
| Open Loyalty | API-first engine | Custom builds that aren't tied to one store platform |
| Rivo | Shopify-led retention | Shopify brands adding memberships and referrals |
| Smile | Shopify-led loyalty | Points and VIP tiers built into Shopify checkout |
| Stamped | Shopify-led reviews plus loyalty | One product for reviews and loyalty on Shopify |
| WPLoyalty | WooCommerce plugin | Points, referrals and VIP tiers inside WooCommerce |
| YITH WooCommerce Points and Rewards | WooCommerce plugin | A simple points scheme inside a WooCommerce shop |
| Yotpo | Loyalty plus reviews suite | Loyalty, reviews and AI visibility from one vendor |
Plugins that run inside a WooCommerce shop
WPLoyalty is a WooCommerce plugin for points, referrals and VIP tiers, so the whole scheme lives in your WordPress admin next to your orders. The YITH plugin keeps things simpler: shoppers collect points and redeem them for rewards inside the shop. Both suit owners who'd rather manage loyalty where they already manage the store. If you're building out the rest of the shop, see our roundup of WooCommerce plugins worth installing.
Engines that sit outside any one store
Open Loyalty describes itself as API-first, for gamified loyalty programmes at scale. That means a developer connects it to your store rather than you clicking install, which is more work up front and more freedom later, especially if you might change platform. Annex Cloud describes an enterprise loyalty experience platform, aimed at larger retailers with the team to run one.
Broader ecommerce suites: confirm your platform
LoyaltyLion describes an ecommerce customer loyalty and engagement platform built around data-driven programmes. Yotpo pairs loyalty with reviews and AI visibility from one vendor. Neither description names a single platform, which is exactly why you should read each vendor's platform list for WooCommerce or BigCommerce before you go further.
Retention suites led by Shopify
If you're on Shopify, or moving there, this camp is the deepest. The vendor describes Smile as the loyalty platform for Shopify Plus brands, with points, tiers and referrals in checkout, customer accounts, Shopify POS and Klaviyo. Stamped connects reviews, loyalty and repeat-purchase tools for Shopify brands. Rivo calls itself a retention platform built for Shopify, with memberships and referrals beside loyalty. For many more Shopify options, our dedicated list of Shopify loyalty apps goes wider.
Nine loyalty options, listed in no particular order
Annex Cloud
Best for: Large retailers and brands with in-house teams: the vendor describes an enterprise loyalty experience platform rather than an app you switch on yourself.
LoyaltyLion
Best for: Online stores that want a customer loyalty and engagement platform built around data-driven programmes; confirm your store platform is on its supported list.
Open Loyalty
Best for: Stores with developers, or planning a platform move: an API-first engine for gamified loyalty at scale, connected to your store rather than installed in it.
Rivo
Best for: Shopify brands that want memberships and referrals beside points; the vendor describes a retention platform built for Shopify.
Smile
Best for: Shopify and Shopify Plus brands wanting points, VIP tiers and referrals built into checkout, customer accounts, Shopify POS and Klaviyo, as the vendor describes it.
Stamped
Best for: Brands on Shopify that would rather run reviews, loyalty and repeat-purchase tools as one connected product than juggle separate apps.
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WPLoyalty
Best for: WooCommerce shop owners who want points, referrals and VIP tiers from a plugin that runs inside their own WordPress store.
YITH WooCommerce Points and Rewards
Best for: Keeping it simple on WooCommerce: shoppers collect points on orders and redeem them for rewards, all inside the shop.
Yotpo
Best for: Growing ecommerce brands that want loyalty programmes, reviews and AI visibility from a single vendor; check its platform list for your store.
My advice for stores that aren't on Shopify
If you're on WooCommerce and want a points scheme running soon, start with a plugin. It lives inside the store you already know, there's nothing for a developer to connect, and you can see quickly whether customers use it before you think bigger.
If you're on BigCommerce, or you suspect you'll change platform, don't let a lovely demo make the decision. Get the vendor to confirm your platform in writing, ask how points move if you leave, and look hard at an API-first engine if you've got a developer to hand. Loyalty is one part of a wider retention plan, so it's worth reading how stores are using AI for upselling and retention before you choose.
Questions to send a loyalty vendor before you install
- Is my store platform on your supported list today? Ask for the page, not a promise, and check WooCommerce, BigCommerce or Shopify by name.
- What happens to points if I change platform? Ask whether balances, tiers and referral history can be exported and imported, and in what format.
- Where do customer accounts live? Find out whether shoppers log in through your store or through the loyalty tool, because that decides how smooth a move would be.
- Does it work with my email tool and checkout? Check the vendor names the tools you already run, rather than assuming a connection exists.
- Who sets the rules on points expiry? Consumer rules on rewards and expiry vary by country, so check your regulator's guidance and make sure the tool lets you match it.
Do you make loyalty or rewards software for online stores? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Which loyalty apps work with WooCommerce?
Two options here are WooCommerce plugins that run inside the shop: one covers points, referrals and VIP tiers, the other a simple points and rewards scheme. Other vendors may support WooCommerce too, so check each one's own platform list.
Are there loyalty apps for BigCommerce stores?
None of the vendor descriptions in this list names BigCommerce. Before you shortlist anything, open the vendor's integrations or supported-platforms page and confirm BigCommerce is listed, or ask the vendor directly.
What's an API-first loyalty engine?
It's a loyalty system your developer connects to the store through code, rather than an app you install from a store's app directory. It takes more setup, but it isn't tied to one platform, which helps if you might move.
Can I keep customers' points if I move store platform?
Sometimes, but don't assume it. Ask the vendor how balances, tiers and customer accounts are exported and imported, and test it with a handful of records before you move.
Should loyalty and reviews come from the same vendor?
Some suites here pair loyalty with reviews, which means fewer apps and one place for customer data. Separate tools give you more choice. Decide based on which platforms each vendor supports and how many apps you're happy to manage.
Do loyalty points have legal rules?
Rules on rewards, expiry and consumer promises vary by country, so check your regulator's guidance before you set your points terms.
