Best Free Loyalty Programs and Free Loyalty Cards for Small Business in 2026: 7 tools compared
Updated 6 min read
Only a few loyalty tools have a plan that is free forever. We ranked those first, then the paid tools with the most useful free trials, and noted what each free option leaves out.
Our pick
BonusQR
Best free plan
- Free forever plan with unlimited customers and stamp cards, cashback and visit rewards
- No POS needed: staff scan the customer’s QR code with a phone
- Paid plans add points, tiered stamp cards, referrals, push and email news, booking and an e-shop
The shortlist
- 1BonusQRBest free planFree, then $20/mo
- 2
FaveCardBest low-cost stamp cardFree, then $19/mo - 3
Smile.ioBest free plan for online storesFree, then $15/mo - 4
Loopy LoyaltyCheapest after a free trial$25/mo - 5
Stamp MeLongest free trial$49/mo - 6
Square LoyaltyFree trial for Square users$49/mo - 7
RevioBest paid upgradeCustom pricing
1. BonusQR
Best free plan
Best for small businesses that want a real free plan and no POS integration.
What it is: A QR-based loyalty app for small businesses. Customers join in one click, get a personal QR code (in the web app, the BonusQR app or Apple and Google Wallet) and staff scan it with a phone.
Strengths
- Free forever plan with unlimited customers and stamp cards, cashback and visit rewards
- No POS needed: staff scan the customer’s QR code with a phone
- Paid plans add points, tiered stamp cards, referrals, push and email news, booking and an e-shop
- Shopify, WooCommerce and Zapier on paid plans
Limitations
- The free plan has one login and no push or email messages
- Referrals and tiered cashback need the $71/mo Premium plan
- No named POS integrations on the standard plans
Pricing: Free; Basic $20/mo; Premium $71/mo (billed quarterly, prices vary by country) (checked 2026-11-10)
2. FaveCard
Best low-cost stamp card
Best for cafés, salons and barbershops that want a simple stamp card with a free plan.
What it is: A digital stamp card platform for local businesses. Customers open the card on their phone from a QR code or link, with no app to download, and staff stamp it with the free FaveCard app on any smartphone.
Strengths
- Free plan with unlimited customers and a browser-based stamp card
- Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes from the $19/mo Pro plan
- The Business plan adds campaigns, win-back messages, birthday offers and Google review requests
- Kiosk mode lets customers stamp their own card on a phone or tablet at the counter
- No hardware needed: staff scan cards with a smartphone
Limitations
- Stamp cards only: points, tiers and referrals are not mentioned
- Free and Pro run 1 card at a time with 1 login; more cards and staff logins need Business ($39/mo)
- No POS integrations, SMS or Zapier mentioned
- Prices depend on your country
Pricing: Free; Pro $19/mo ($190/yr); Business $39/mo ($390/yr); premium tools free for 30 days, no card needed; prices vary by country (checked 2026-11-11)
3. Smile.io
Best free plan for online stores
Best for shopify and BigCommerce online stores.
What it is: A loyalty app for e-commerce brands, with points, referrals and VIP tiers built into checkout and customer accounts.
Strengths
- Free plan for small stores (up to 200 orders a month)
- Points and referrals on every plan, with 10+ ways to earn
- Klaviyo integration for loyalty emails
- Customers can earn and redeem in-store through Shopify POS
- Migration tools from other loyalty apps that keep balances and tiers
Limitations
- Only for Shopify and BigCommerce stores; other POS systems are not supported
- VIP tiers start on the $199/mo Growth plan
- Pricing scales with monthly orders, with overage fees above the limit
Pricing: Free; Essential $15/mo; Standard $79/mo; Growth $199/mo; Plus $999/mo (annual) (checked 2026-11-09)
4. Loopy Loyalty
Cheapest after a free trial
Best for single-location cafés, salons and studios that want a stamp card in Apple or Google Wallet and nothing more.
What it is: A digital stamp card platform from PassKit. Customers add the card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet from a QR code or link, and staff stamp with the Stamper App on their own phones.
Strengths
- No app for customers: the card lives in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet
- Unlimited customers on every plan, with a low $25/mo starting price
- Push messages, iOS lock-screen notifications and location-based messages
- Zapier and Make connections, plus CSV export of customer data
Limitations
- Stamp cards only: points, tiers and referrals are not mentioned
- The Starter plan covers 1 card design and 1 location; more needs Growth ($69) or Ultimate ($95)
- No POS integration named, and no SMS or email messaging to customers
- No refunds, and cards are deleted after you cancel
Pricing: Starter $25/mo, Growth $69/mo, Ultimate $95/mo (20% off yearly); 15-day free trial (checked 2026-11-10)
5. Stamp Me
Longest free trial
Best for cafés and shops replacing a paper stamp card.
What it is: A digital stamp card platform. Customers collect stamps in the Stamp Me app, a web app or an Apple or Google Wallet pass, and staff stamp with a tap device, QR codes or a merchant app.
Strengths
- No app download needed: web app and Apple/Google Wallet options
- Several ways to stamp, including a tap-and-go device at the counter and single-use codes
- Rewards for purchases, birthdays, sign-ups and lapsed customers, plus scratch-and-win
- Push notifications and SMS, with Mailchimp and Zapier integrations
Limitations
- Built around stamp cards: no points-based tiers or referral program
- Base plans include 2 published programs; each extra one is a one-time $15
- The Lite plan has basic insights and limited marketing tools
Pricing: Lite $49/mo (limited-time price), Pro $79/mo, Elite $199/mo; 30-day free trial, no card needed (checked 2026-11-09)
6. Square Loyalty
Free trial for Square users
Best for businesses already running Square POS.
What it is: The loyalty program built into Square. Customers earn points at the Square register, on Square Online or through Square Invoices, and points sit in the same customer directory as your sales.
Strengths
- Points by visit, by amount spent or by item and category
- VIP tiers with 1.5x, 2x and 3x points
- Customers enroll at the register with a phone number, and points count even on cash payments
- Automatic texts when customers earn points or rewards, plus bonus-point promotions
- Loyalty sales show up in Square reporting with no extra integration
Limitations
- Tied to Square: earning works through Square POS, Square Online and Square Invoices
- Apple Wallet pass is mentioned; Google Wallet is not
- Loyalty needs Square Plus at $49/mo per location; the free Square plan doesn’t include it
Pricing: Included in Square Plus, $49/mo per location, which also adds email and text marketing; 30-day free trial (checked 2026-11-09)
7. Revio
Best paid upgrade
Best for cafés, restaurants, salons and shops that want points, stamps and tiers in one place.
What it is: A loyalty platform for local businesses, from revio.so. Points, rewards, stamp cards, tiers, referrals, campaigns and member activity live in one workspace, and customers join through an Apple Wallet or Google Wallet pass, with no app to download.
Strengths
- Wallet passes: customers join in seconds without installing an app
- Points, stamp cards, tiers, partner rewards, Spin to Win and leaderboards in one product
- Push notifications and targeted campaigns, including bonus-point challenges for quiet hours
- Rewards for referrals, reviews and social engagement
- Analytics on earning, redemptions and engagement
Limitations
- Built for physical locations, not for online-only e-commerce stores
- Pricing is quote-based: you book a demo to get a price
- No POS integration yet, so points are added outside your checkout rather than automatically
Pricing: Custom, via demo (checked 2026-11-09)
Side-by-side comparison
| Tool | Starting price | Free trial | Wallet passes | Stamp cards | Tiers | Referrals | Messaging | POS integrations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BonusQR | Free, then $20/mo | Free plan | Apple + Google | Yes | Premium plan | Premium plan | Push, email (paid) | None needed; Shopify, Zapier |
| FaveCard | Free, then $19/mo | Free plan, 30-day trial | Apple + Google (paid) | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Wallet push, email (Business) | Not listed |
| Smile.io | Free, then $15/mo | Free plan | Not listed | No | From $199/mo | Yes | Email via Klaviyo | Shopify POS only |
| Loopy Loyalty | $25/mo | 15-day trial | Apple + Google | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Push, geo-push | Zapier, Make |
| Stamp Me | $49/mo | 30-day trial | Apple + Google | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Push, SMS | Tap device; Zapier |
| Square Loyalty | $49/mo | 30-day trial | Apple only | Visit-based points | Yes (3 tiers) | Not listed | Texts, email (in Plus) | Square only |
| Revio | Custom pricing | Via demo | Apple + Google | Yes | Yes | Yes | Push, campaigns | None; runs alongside any POS |
What to look for
- 01
Free forever or free for now
A free plan has no end date; a free trial stops after 14–30 days. Check which one you are signing up for before you print QR codes.
- 02
What the free plan leaves out
Free plans usually drop messaging, staff logins and the more advanced rewards. Make sure the one feature you need (a stamp card, points or referrals) is included.
- 03
Sign-up at the counter
If joining takes more than a few seconds, most customers skip it. Wallet passes and QR codes beat apps that need a download and an account.
- 04
What it costs once you grow
Look at the first paid plan too. Moving your customers to a new tool later is harder than paying a little more at the start.
What it costs
Here is what each option costs after the free plan or trial ends, for a single location.
- BonusQR: Free; Basic $20/mo; Premium $71/mo (billed quarterly, prices vary by country)
- FaveCard: Free; Pro $19/mo ($190/yr); Business $39/mo ($390/yr); premium tools free for 30 days, no card needed; prices vary by country
- Smile.io: Free; Essential $15/mo; Standard $79/mo; Growth $199/mo; Plus $999/mo (annual)
- Loopy Loyalty: Starter $25/mo, Growth $69/mo, Ultimate $95/mo (20% off yearly); 15-day free trial
- Stamp Me: Lite $49/mo (limited-time price), Pro $79/mo, Elite $199/mo; 30-day free trial, no card needed
- Square Loyalty: Included in Square Plus, $49/mo per location, which also adds email and text marketing; 30-day free trial
- Revio: Custom, via demo
How to choose
- Choose BonusQR if you want a real free plan and no POS integration, with staff scanning customers’ QR codes.
- Choose FaveCard if you want a simple digital stamp card with a free plan, and Apple or Google Wallet passes for $19/mo.
- Choose Smile.io if you run a Shopify or BigCommerce store and want points and referrals, starting on a free plan.
- Choose Loopy Loyalty if you want the simplest, cheapest stamp card in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
- Choose Stamp Me if you want a digital stamp card that works like the paper one, with a tap device at the counter.
- Choose Square Loyalty if you already take payments on Square and want loyalty inside the same system.
- Choose Revio if you want one wallet card that handles points, stamps, tiers and referrals, with push campaigns to bring customers back.
The verdict
BonusQR has the most useful free-forever plan for a shop or café: unlimited customers, stamp cards and wallet cards with no POS needed. Smile.io’s free plan is the pick for online stores. If you can pay a little after a trial, Loopy Loyalty is the cheapest wallet stamp card at $25 a month, and Revio is the upgrade when you want points, tiers, referrals and campaigns in one place.
How we compared
- Customer sign-up: how fast a customer can join at the counter, and whether they need an app.
- Setup: time from signup to the first customer earning a reward.
- Rewards and marketing: points, stamps, tiers, referrals and ways to reach quiet customers.
- Pricing: what a single location pays per month.
- Features: wallet passes, POS integrations and reporting.
Rankings weight what decides whether customers come back over feature counts. Read the full method.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a completely free loyalty program?
Yes. BonusQR has a free-forever plan with unlimited customers, and Smile.io has a free plan for online stores up to 200 orders a month. Most other tools offer a free trial instead.
Where can I get free loyalty cards for my business?
BonusQR’s free plan includes digital stamp cards in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet with unlimited customers. Paid tools like Loopy Loyalty and Stamp Me let you try their digital loyalty cards free for 15 and 30 days.
Is Square Loyalty free?
No. Square Loyalty is included in the Square Plus plan at $49 a month per location, with a 30-day free trial. The free Square plan doesn’t include it.
What do free loyalty plans usually leave out?
Push and email messages, extra staff logins, points and tiers, and referral programs are the usual paid features.
Related guides
Prices and features come from each vendor's own website, checked November 10, 2026.