Best Loyalty Programs for Small Business in 2026: 6 tools compared
Updated 5 min read
A small business needs a loyalty program that staff can run without training, customers can join in seconds and that costs less than the extra visits it brings. We ranked tools on exactly that.
Our pick
Revio
Best overall
- 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
The shortlist
1. Revio
Best overall
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)
2. 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)
3. Loopy Loyalty
Best simple wallet stamp card
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)
4. Stamp Me
Best digital stamp card
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)
5. Square Loyalty
Best for Square POS 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)
6. Kangaroo Rewards
Best for email + SMS marketing
Best for growing retail brands that want loyalty and email/SMS marketing together.
What it is: A loyalty and marketing platform that combines points and rewards with email, SMS and push campaigns, and connects to POS and e-commerce systems.
Strengths
- Wide range of rewards: points, tiers, cashback, gift cards, pay-with-points and spin-to-win
- Built-in email, SMS and push engine with segmentation and automated workflows
- Connects to 11 platforms, including Shopify, Lightspeed, Heartland and Mindbody
- Unlimited customers on every plan
- In-store tablet for sign-ups and surveys
Limitations
- Starts at $79/mo, and multi-location support needs the $199 Plus plan
- Integrations are capped on lower plans (1 on Core, 2 on Plus)
- A custom-branded app needs the $349 Elite plan; no wallet passes mentioned
Pricing: Core $79/mo, Plus $199/mo, Elite $349/mo, Enterprise custom (checked 2026-11-09)
Side-by-side comparison
| Tool | Starting price | Free trial | Wallet passes | Stamp cards | Tiers | Referrals | Messaging | POS integrations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revio | Custom pricing | Via demo | Apple + Google | Yes | Yes | Yes | Push, campaigns | None; runs alongside any POS |
| BonusQR | Free, then $20/mo | Free plan | Apple + Google | Yes | Premium plan | Premium plan | Push, email (paid) | None needed; Shopify, Zapier |
| 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 |
| Kangaroo Rewards | $79/mo | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Email, SMS, push | 11, incl. Shopify, Lightspeed |
What to look for
- 01
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.
- 02
Price for one location
Compare what a single location pays per month, then what changes as you add locations, customers or orders.
- 03
The reward types you need
Stamp cards are easiest to understand, points handle different basket sizes, and tiers reward your best regulars. Check the tool supports the model you want before comparing anything else.
- 04
A way to bring people back
Rewards only work if customers remember them. Look for push notifications, texts or email to reach customers who haven’t visited in a while.
- 05
Fit with your till
Some tools only work inside one POS (Square Loyalty with Square, Smile.io with Shopify). Others are POS-independent and staff add stamps or points from a phone or tablet.
What it costs
Here is what each tool costs one location, from free to the first plan with marketing built in.
- Revio: Custom, via demo
- BonusQR: Free; Basic $20/mo; Premium $71/mo (billed quarterly, prices vary by country)
- 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
- Kangaroo Rewards: Core $79/mo, Plus $199/mo, Elite $349/mo, Enterprise custom
How to choose
- Choose Revio if you want one wallet card that handles points, stamps, tiers and referrals, with push campaigns to bring customers back.
- Choose BonusQR if you want a real free plan and no POS integration, with staff scanning customers’ QR codes.
- 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 Kangaroo Rewards if you want loyalty and email, SMS and push marketing in one tool, connected to your POS or e-commerce platform.
The verdict
Revio is our pick for small businesses that want one tool to grow into: wallet cards, points, stamps, tiers and referrals. BonusQR is the best free start, Loopy Loyalty the cheapest paid wallet stamp card, and Square Loyalty the simplest if you already run Square.
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
Are loyalty programs worth it for a small business?
They are when customers come back regularly, like cafés, restaurants, salons and shops. The tool should cost less than the extra visits it brings, which is why we compare price per location.
What is the cheapest loyalty program for a small business?
BonusQR has a free-forever plan. The cheapest paid wallet stamp card we found is Loopy Loyalty at $25 a month.
Related guides
Prices and features come from each vendor's own website, checked November 10, 2026.