LoyaltyLion is a London-based loyalty platform, on the Shopify App Store since July 2014 and listed in Shopify's technology partner directory. Its Classic plan is $199 a month for 500 monthly orders and includes a loyalty page designed by LoyaltyLion's team.
This guide compares six alternatives on Shopify's own certifications, which plan includes VIP tiers, published pricing and who runs the migration. Every competitor fact comes from the vendor's Shopify App Store listing, pricing page, help center or Shopify's technology partner directory, read on October 26, 2026.
TL;DR: Smile is our pick to replace LoyaltyLion for Shopify Plus and enterprise brands: it is Built for Shopify, a Shopify Technology Partner and SOC 2 Type II audited, VIP tiers come with Growth at $199 a month for 2,500 monthly orders, and Smile Plus includes a migration and launch plan run by Smile's team. Yotpo Loyalty suits brands that also run Yotpo Reviews, and Okendo suits brands that want reviews and loyalty in one contract.
Why Brands Look Beyond LoyaltyLion
LoyaltyLion's own pages show how its plans are packaged:
| What LoyaltyLion documents | Details | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Built for Shopify badge | Not shown on its Shopify App Store listing | Listing, October 26, 2026 |
| Classic plan | $199 a month with 500 orders a month; above that, "a custom quote for our Advanced or Plus plans" | Listing and loyaltylion.com/pricing, October 26, 2026 |
| VIP tiers | Listing: in Classic. Pricing page and help center: included on Advanced and Plus, a paid add-on on Classic | Listing and pricing page, October 26, 2026; help center, updated September 21, 2026 |
| Bonus points campaigns, points on product pages, 130+ languages | Advanced and Plus | loyaltylion.com/pricing, October 26, 2026 |
| Shopify POS | One location on Classic; multiple on Advanced and Plus | loyaltylion.com/pricing, October 26, 2026 |
| Advanced Klaviyo Events, automated flows, quarterly reviews on request | Plus | loyaltylion.com/pricing, October 26, 2026 |
Four documented reasons come up:
- How VIP tiers are packaged. LoyaltyLion's listing includes "VIP loyalty tiers" in Classic, but its pricing page marks dynamic VIP tiers an "Optional add-on" on Classic, and its help center says "Tiers are included on Advanced and Plus plans." Smile includes VIP tiers in Growth.
- No Built for Shopify badge. Its listing shows no Built for Shopify badge, which Shopify gives apps that meet "our highest standards for performance, design, and integration."
- Quote-based pricing as orders grow. Above 500 monthly orders, pricing is a custom quote, and LoyaltyLion's FAQ says a store averaging more than 25% over its agreed order threshold for three consecutive months gets a call to discuss its plan.
- Customization beyond the theme editor. LoyaltyLion's help center says its Theme Editor sets the loyalty page's layout, colors and buttons without code, and "anything beyond that your developers can build with CSS or our SDK components." After moving to Smile, Blue Banana's Loyalty Lead, Javier Millan, said: "We went from a platform that needed developers for every small change to one where our marketing team has full control."
None of this makes LoyaltyLion a weak product. Classic includes a loyalty page its team designs (valued at $1,500 on its listing), Klaviyo loyalty flows built for you and onboarding support, and its listing shows a 4.7 rating. For the head-to-head, see Smile vs LoyaltyLion.
What We Evaluated
We build loyalty software, so we judged each option on what a Shopify Plus team lives with after launch:
- Shopify certifications. The Built for Shopify badge on the app's own listing, and a place in Shopify's technology partner directory, which requires an annual independent penetration test, a 30-minute first response to critical support requests and 24/7 support worldwide.
- VIP tiers. Which published plan includes them, at what order volume.
- Pricing as published. Plans, included orders and per-order rates, dated.
- Migration. Who moves your members, point balances and tiers.
Quick Comparison Table
| App | Shopify App Store rating | Built for Shopify | Technology Partner | Plans from (October 26, 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smile | 4.9 | Growth $199 a month for 2,500 orders, VIP tiers included; Smile Plus $999 a month, billed annually | Shopify Plus and enterprise brands | ||
| LoyaltyLion (for reference) | 4.7 | Classic $199 a month for 500 orders; Advanced and Plus by quote | A loyalty page and Klaviyo flows built for you | ||
| Yotpo Loyalty | 4.7 | Pro $199 a month, then $0.08 to $0.20 per order from 500 orders | Brands that also run Yotpo Reviews | ||
| Rivo | 4.7 | Scale from $49 a month, capped at $499; Plus $499 a month | Developer-led teams | ||
| Okendo | 4.8 | Loyalty priced by monthly order volume | Reviews and loyalty in one contract | ||
| BON Loyalty | 5.0 | Growth $129 a month, unlimited orders | VIP and B2B tiers at a fixed price | ||
| Joy Loyalty | 4.9 | Advanced $129 a month for 2,000 orders | Wallet passes and POS on a mid-priced plan |
Built for Shopify: the badge in the app's own listing header. Technology Partner: listed in Shopify's technology partner directory.
1. Smile: Built for Shopify Plus and Enterprise Brands
Rating: 4.9 on the Shopify App Store · Built for Shopify · Technology Partner · SOC 2 Type II
Smile is the loyalty platform for Shopify Plus and enterprise brands: points, VIP tiers and referrals, with loyalty as its entire focus. Its listing carries the Built for Shopify and 2026 Build Award winner badges, Smile is in Shopify's technology partner directory, and its SOC 2 Type II audit was completed in May 2026.
Smile's listing names Checkout, Customer accounts, Shopify POS, Shopify Flow and Shopify Admin. Growth includes VIP tiers, Loyalty Hub, redemption at Shopify Plus checkout and performance benchmarks. On Smile Plus and Smile Enterprise, a white-glove migration brings members, point balances and VIP tiers over intact while the old program stays live. See how switching works.
Where Smile is not the fit: stores on a POS other than Shopify POS, storefronts on Adobe Commerce, or teams that need API access below Smile Plus.
Best for: Shopify Plus and enterprise brands that want VIP tiers included, both Shopify certifications and a team that runs the migration.
Pricing: Growth $199 a month with 2,500 monthly orders, then $20 per 100. Smile Plus $999 a month, billed annually, with 7,500 monthly orders. Smile Enterprise is custom, for retailers over $40M in annual revenue (smile.io/pricing, October 26, 2026).
2. Yotpo Loyalty: Best for Brands That Also Run Yotpo Reviews
Rating: 4.7 on the Shopify App Store · Built for Shopify · Technology Partner
Yotpo sells Reviews & UGC, Loyalty & Referrals and Discover, an AI visibility product. Its loyalty listing offers 20+ out-of-the-box campaigns and VIP tiers, with checkout redemption on Pro.
Where Yotpo is strong: reviews and loyalty from one vendor, in a bundle priced below the two bought separately.
Best for: brands committed to Yotpo Reviews that want loyalty from the same vendor.
The trade-offs: no Built for Shopify badge, and per-order fees from 500 monthly orders. See Smile vs Yotpo and the best Yotpo Loyalty alternatives.
Pricing: a free tier below 100 monthly orders; Pro $199 a month plus $0.08 to $0.20 per order from 500 monthly orders; Premium and Enterprise by quote.
3. Rivo: Best for Developer-Led Teams
Rating: 4.7 on the Shopify App Store · Built for Shopify · Technology Partner
Rivo publishes prices and bills monthly. Scale includes VIP tiers and bonus campaigns from $49 a month for 400 orders, then $20 per 100, capped at $499. Plus, $499 a month for up to 2,500 orders, adds checkout extensions and the Rivo Developer Toolkit (Rivo JS, a REST API, metafields and webhooks).
Where Rivo is strong: VIP tiers under a published price ceiling, on monthly billing.
Best for: Shopify brands with in-house developers who want a toolkit and a price cap.
The trade-offs: Rivo is not in Shopify's technology partner directory, and its listing showed no Built for Shopify badge on October 26, 2026. See Smile vs Rivo.
4. Okendo: Best for Reviews and Loyalty in One Contract
Rating: 4.8 on the Shopify App Store · Built for Shopify · Technology Partner
Okendo's listing is titled "Okendo: Reviews & Loyalty." Its pricing page lists VIP tiers and a custom loyalty page among its loyalty features, in every plan, and its FAQ says the onboarding team offers design guidance and can help migrate members and points balances.
Where Okendo is strong: reviews, loyalty and surveys under one contract, with three-product bundles priced 30% below buying them separately.
Best for: brands consolidating reviews and loyalty with one vendor.
The trade-offs: no Built for Shopify badge, and loyalty prices set by monthly order volume rather than published. Okendo Reviews also integrates with Smile, if you want a loyalty specialist beside it.
5. BON Loyalty: Best for VIP and B2B Tiers at a Fixed Price
Rating: 5.0 on the Shopify App Store · Built for Shopify · Technology Partner
BON has the top rating in this group. Its Growth plan is a flat $129 a month with unlimited monthly orders, VIP tiers, B2B tiers and points on the product page; Shopify POS starts on its Basic plan.
Where BON is strong: VIP and B2B tiers with no order cap at a fixed list price.
Best for: VIP and B2B programs at high order volume for a flat fee.
The trade-offs: BON is not in Shopify's technology partner directory, and API access sits on its Plus plan, priced through sales. See Smile vs BON Loyalty.
Pricing: a free tier up to 150 monthly orders; Starter $15 a month; Basic $29; Growth $129; Plus by quote.
6. Joy Loyalty: Best for Wallet Passes and POS on a Mid-Priced Plan
Rating: 4.9 on the Shopify App Store · Built for Shopify · Technology Partner
Joy's Advanced plan, $129 a month for 2,000 orders, includes VIP and B2B tiers, a Loyalty Hub in Shopify's native UI, a Shopify POS extension, Apple and Google Wallet passes and paid memberships. Its top plan, $499 a month, adds checkout extensions (Shopify Plus only), a JavaScript SDK, a REST API and white-glove onboarding.
Where Joy is strong: wallet passes, in-store loyalty and paid memberships on one $129 plan.
Best for: brands that want wallet passes, POS and memberships and do not require a Technology Partner.
The trade-off: Joy is not in Shopify's technology partner directory. See Smile vs Joy Loyalty.
Pricing: a free tier for 250 monthly orders; Essential $29 a month; Advanced $129, then $10 per 100 orders; top plan $499 for 7,000 orders.
Where Smile Stands Out for Shopify Plus Brands
LoyaltyLion answers the build question with free loyalty page design and onboarding support. Smile answers it with tools your team owns and a team for the launch:
- A loyalty page you publish yourself. Smile's branded loyalty landing page is built in a no-code editor and published to your storefront in one click, on every paid plan, so a copy or design change waits on no one.
- Loyalty Hub in Shopify customer accounts. From Growth, Loyalty Hub gives members points, rewards and VIP status inside the account they already use, in 20+ languages.
- A launch plan run by Smile's team. Smile Plus includes a migration and launch plan, named launch support through the first 90 days, quarterly program reviews and priority support, at a published $999 a month, billed annually. See Smile for enterprise.
- Tiers, benchmarks, POS and Klaviyo on Growth. VIP tiers, loyalty benchmarks against stores of similar size and industry, Shopify POS with one balance online and in store, and a Klaviyo integration built by Smile with five profile properties, eight loyalty events and eight pre-built flows.
Customer proof: Blue Banana, a Shopify Plus adventure streetwear brand with 20+ retail stores across Spain, replaced LoyaltyLion with Smile in one week, online and across every POS location, with zero developer dependency. Within its first 30 days on Smile, member LTV was up 10%; redeemers show 40% higher average annual purchase frequency than non-redeemers and are trending to spend 27% more a year.
When Staying on LoyaltyLion Makes Sense
Staying is reasonable if you want LoyaltyLion's team to design the loyalty page and build your Klaviyo flows within Classic's 500 monthly orders. It also suits brands selling on Adobe Commerce 2 or a custom platform beside Shopify, which LoyaltyLion's developer docs cover, and programs that need more than Smile's 20+ languages: LoyaltyLion's pricing page lists 130+ on Advanced and Plus. As a Shopify Technology Partner, LoyaltyLion meets the enterprise security bar. Weigh that against the missing Built for Shopify badge, tiers sold as an add-on on Classic and quote-based pricing above 500 orders.
How to Choose a LoyaltyLion Alternative
- Do you need both Shopify certifications? Smile has the badge and is in the partner directory. Yotpo and Okendo, like LoyaltyLion, are in the directory without the badge; BON and Joy have the badge without a directory listing; Rivo has neither (October 26, 2026). For a wider view of apps for growing brands, see the best loyalty apps for mid-market brands.
- Which plan includes VIP tiers at your volume? Smile Growth, Rivo Scale, Joy Advanced and BON Growth include them; on LoyaltyLion they come with Advanced and Plus, by quote. For tier design, see how to create VIP tiers that drive revenue.
- Who runs the migration? On Smile Plus and Smile Enterprise, Smile's team does. Ask every vendor in writing; our Shopify Plus launch guide covers the rollout.
- How does cost scale? Price your peak month, not the entry plan.
More options: the best loyalty apps for Shopify Plus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best alternatives to LoyaltyLion? Smile is our pick for Shopify Plus and enterprise brands: as of October 26, 2026 it is Built for Shopify, a Shopify Technology Partner and SOC 2 Type II audited, with VIP tiers in Growth. Yotpo Loyalty fits brands on Yotpo Reviews, Okendo fits reviews and loyalty in one contract, Rivo fits developer-led teams, and BON and Joy include VIP tiers in $129 plans.
What is a good LoyaltyLion alternative for a Shopify Plus store? Smile. It holds both Shopify certifications, runs in Shopify's checkout, customer accounts, POS and admin, and Smile Plus includes a migration and launch plan run by Smile's team. Blue Banana, a Shopify Plus brand, moved from LoyaltyLion to Smile in one week across its online store and 20+ retail locations.
How much does LoyaltyLion cost in 2026? On October 26, 2026, LoyaltyLion's Classic plan is $199 a month and includes 500 orders a month. Advanced and Plus are priced by custom quote, based on average monthly orders. A free plan covers stores with up to 400 monthly orders.
Does LoyaltyLion include VIP tiers? It depends on the plan and the source. The Shopify App Store listing includes "VIP loyalty tiers" in Classic, while LoyaltyLion's pricing page and help center (updated September 21, 2026) say tiers are included on Advanced and Plus and are a paid add-on on Classic. Confirm in writing before you sign.
Is LoyaltyLion Built for Shopify? As of October 26, 2026, LoyaltyLion's listing does not show the Built for Shopify badge; LoyaltyLion is in Shopify's technology partner directory. Among the alternatives here, Smile, BON Loyalty and Joy Loyalty show the badge, and Smile is also in the directory.
How do I switch from LoyaltyLion to Smile? Any Smile plan can import points balances by CSV. On Smile Plus and Smile Enterprise, Smile's team runs a white-glove migration: members, point balances and VIP tiers come over intact while the LoyaltyLion program stays live until Smile is ready. Blue Banana's switch took one week.
How do Yotpo Loyalty and Okendo compare with LoyaltyLion? All three are in Shopify's technology partner directory without the Built for Shopify badge (October 26, 2026). Yotpo and Okendo sell loyalty beside reviews: Yotpo as a lower-priced bundle, Okendo with every loyalty feature in every plan. LoyaltyLion's listing sits in Loyalty and rewards alone, from $199 a month for 500 orders.
