Rivo is a Shopify loyalty app, on the Shopify App Store since January 2021, whose listing describes "Loyalty, Rewards & Referrals built for fast growing DTC brands." It publishes its prices, from a free plan to Plus at $499 a month for up to 2,500 orders, and bills every plan month to month.
Brands look past Rivo when the program outgrows its plan: Shopify Plus order volumes, retail stores, a headless storefront, a security review, or a need for a team to run the launch. This guide compares six alternatives on those points, with every competitor fact from the vendor's listing, its pricing page or Shopify's technology partner directory, read on October 28, 2026.
TL;DR: Smile is our pick for Shopify Plus brands outgrowing Rivo: it is Built for Shopify, a Shopify Certified Technology Partner and SOC 2 Type II audited, VIP tiers and Shopify POS come with Growth at $199 a month for 2,500 monthly orders, and Smile Plus adds a migration and launch plan run by Smile's team, security review support and API access. Yotpo Loyalty suits brands that also run Yotpo Reviews, and Joy Loyalty suits brands that want wallet passes and paid memberships on a $129 plan. More Shopify Plus brands run loyalty on Smile than on any other platform (Store Leads, October 2026).
When Brands Outgrow Rivo
Where each growth need lands, from Rivo's listing and pricing page and Smile's published plans:
| As the program grows | Rivo (listing and rivo.io/pricing) | Smile (smile.io) |
|---|---|---|
| Above 2,500 monthly orders | Plus covers up to 2,500 orders; above that, a custom quote | Smile Plus includes 7,500 orders at $999 a month, billed annually, then $5 per 100 |
| VIP tiers | From Scale, $49 to $499 a month | From Growth, $199 a month, synced to Shopify metafields |
| Retail stores on Shopify POS | Three locations on Scale, unlimited on Plus | Every plan, one points balance online and in store |
| Headless storefronts | Rivo Developer Toolkit (Rivo JS, REST API, metafields, webhooks) on Plus | JavaScript SDK, Smile UI and a REST API from Smile Plus, validated on Shopify Hydrogen |
| Security review | SOC 2 Type II compliant, per its pricing page | SOC 2 Type II audited May 2026, report and penetration test summary in its Trust Center; security review support from Smile Plus |
| Migration and launch | Migration help from Plus; white-glove onboarding on its Custom plan, by quote | Smile Plus: a migration and launch plan, named launch support through the first 90 days, quarterly program reviews |
| Billing | Month to month on every plan | Growth monthly; Smile Plus annual |
Three documented gaps tend to start the search. Above 2,500 monthly orders, Rivo's price becomes a quote. Rivo is not in Shopify's technology partner directory, whose partners must run an annual independent penetration test, answer critical support requests within 30 minutes and offer 24/7 support worldwide, and its listing showed no Built for Shopify badge on October 28, 2026, though its blog said in July that it carried one. And white-glove onboarding, where Rivo's team builds and implements the program, sits on its quoted Custom plan.
None of this makes Rivo a weak product. Its listing shows a 4.7 rating, 24/7 human support from its $15 Essential plan, and a founder's note that Rivo ships product updates every week. Shopify's AI summary of its reviews says merchants find it easy to set up and use, even for non-technical teams. For the head-to-head, see Smile vs Rivo.
What We Evaluated
We build loyalty software, so we judged each option on what changes as a Shopify Plus program grows:
- Shopify certifications. The Built for Shopify badge on the app's own listing, and a place in Shopify's technology partner directory.
- Room to grow. Included monthly orders per published plan, and what happens above them.
- Reach, security and launch. Shopify POS and headless support by plan, audit documents, and who runs the migration.
Quick Comparison Table
| App | Shopify App Store rating | Built for Shopify | Technology Partner | Plans from (October 28, 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smile | 4.9 | Growth $199 a month for 2,500 orders, VIP tiers included; Smile Plus $999 a month, billed annually, for 7,500 | Shopify Plus and enterprise brands | ||
| Rivo (for reference) | 4.7 | Scale from $49 a month, capped at $499; Plus $499 a month for up to 2,500 orders | Monthly billing with a published price cap | ||
| Yotpo Loyalty | 4.7 | Pro $199 a month for 500 orders, then per-order fees; VIP tiers on Premium, by quote | Brands that also run Yotpo Reviews | ||
| LoyaltyLion | 4.7 | Classic $199 a month for 500 orders to $549 for 4,000; Advanced and Plus by quote | A loyalty page and Klaviyo flows built for you | ||
| Okendo | 4.8 | Loyalty $99 to $999 a month by order band | Reviews and loyalty in one contract | ||
| Joy Loyalty | 4.9 | Advanced $129 a month for 2,000 orders | Wallet passes and paid memberships | ||
| BON Loyalty | 5.0 | Growth $129 a month, unlimited orders | VIP and B2B tiers at a fixed price |
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, and its SOC 2 Type II audit was completed in May 2026.
Growth includes VIP tiers, Loyalty Hub in Shopify customer accounts, redemption at Shopify Plus checkout, Shopify POS and performance benchmarks. Smile Plus adds API access and the JavaScript SDK for headless storefronts, security review support and a white-glove migration that brings members, point balances and VIP tiers over intact while the Rivo program stays live. See how switching works.
In published stories, Applied Nutrition moved up to Smile Plus as order volume scaled (members are worth 215% more in lifetime value than non-members), Fiesta Tableware runs four VIP tiers (a 457% increase in LTV for members), and ROKA runs Smile on a headless Shopify storefront (a 75% member redemption rate).
Best for: Shopify Plus and enterprise brands that want both Shopify certifications, security documentation 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, then $5 per 100. Smile Enterprise is custom, for retailers over $40M in annual revenue (smile.io/pricing, October 28, 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 and Loyalty & Referrals, alone or as a Bundle from $199 a month, and its loyalty listing offers 20+ out-of-the-box campaigns.
Where Yotpo is strong: reviews and loyalty from one vendor, with points for reviews and photos.
Best for: brands committed to Yotpo Reviews.
The trade-offs: no Built for Shopify badge, VIP tiers on the Premium plan by quote, and per-order fees above 500 monthly orders. See Smile vs Yotpo and the best Yotpo Loyalty alternatives.
Pricing: a free plan below 100 monthly orders; Pro $199 a month with 500 orders, then $0.20, $0.10 and $0.05 per order as volume rises; Premium and Enterprise by quote.
3. LoyaltyLion: Best for a Loyalty Page and Klaviyo Flows Built for You
Rating: 4.7 on the Shopify App Store · Built for Shopify · Technology Partner
LoyaltyLion, on the Shopify App Store since July 2014, includes a loyalty page designed by its team (valued at $1,500 on its listing), Klaviyo loyalty flows built for you and onboarding support in its Classic plan.
Where LoyaltyLion is strong: its team designs the loyalty page and builds the Klaviyo flows within Classic.
Best for: brands that want the page and flows built for them.
The trade-offs: no Built for Shopify badge, one Shopify POS location on Classic, and VIP tiers that its listing puts in Classic but its pricing page and help center sell there as a paid add-on. See Smile vs LoyaltyLion and the best LoyaltyLion alternatives.
Pricing: a free plan up to 400 monthly orders; Classic $199 a month for 500 orders to $549 for 4,000 (pricing page; the listing quotes above 500); Advanced and Plus by quote.
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, "Okendo: Reviews & Loyalty," describes five connected apps: Reviews, Loyalty, Surveys, Quizzes and Referrals. Its pricing page puts every loyalty feature in every plan.
Where Okendo is strong: reviews, loyalty and surveys under one contract, with three-product bundles priced 30% below buying them separately.
Best for: one vendor for reviews and loyalty.
The trade-off: no Built for Shopify badge. Okendo Reviews also integrates with Smile.
Pricing: loyalty $99 a month up to 200 orders, $299 up to 1,500, $699 up to 3,500 and $999 up to 10,000; custom above that (okendo.io/pricing).
5. Joy Loyalty: Best for Wallet Passes and Paid Memberships
Rating: 4.9 on the Shopify App Store · Built for Shopify · Technology Partner
Of the apps here, Joy is the closest to Rivo's mix of loyalty, memberships and wallet passes. Its Advanced plan includes VIP and B2B tiers, a Shopify POS loyalty extension, Apple and Google Wallet passes and paid memberships. Its top plan, Ultimate, adds checkout UI extensions (Shopify Plus only), a JavaScript SDK, a REST API and white-glove onboarding.
Where Joy is strong: wallet passes and paid memberships on a $129 plan, with the Built for Shopify badge.
Best for: brands that want paid memberships and wallet passes on a Built for Shopify app.
The trade-off: Joy is not in Shopify's technology partner directory. See Smile vs Joy Loyalty.
Pricing: a free plan for 250 monthly orders; Essential $29 a month; Advanced $129 for 2,000 orders, then $10 per 100; Ultimate $499 for 7,000 orders, then $5 per 100.
6. 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 is rated 5.0 on its listing. Its Growth plan is a flat $129 a month with unlimited monthly orders, VIP and B2B tiers and points on the product page. Shopify POS earning and redemption start on its Basic plan.
Where BON is strong: VIP and B2B tiers with no order cap at a fixed list price.
Best for: high-volume VIP and B2B programs at a flat fee.
The trade-offs: BON is not in Shopify's technology partner directory, and API access and headless support sit on its Plus plan, by quote. See Smile vs BON Loyalty.
Pricing: a free plan up to 150 monthly orders; Starter $15 a month; Basic $29; Growth $129; Plus by quote.
Where Smile Stands Out for Shopify Plus Brands
Rivo answers growth with a developer toolkit and published price caps. Smile answers it with Shopify's two certifications and a team for the launch:
- Documents a security team can sign off on. Smile's SOC 2 Type II report, penetration test summary and Data Processing Agreement sit in its Trust Center, and Smile Plus adds security review support. See Smile for enterprise.
- One balance in every store. Shopify POS comes on every plan, with one points balance across the online store and every retail location.
- Headless without a rebuild. From Smile Plus, the JavaScript SDK and the pre-built Smile UI panel run on any headless storefront and on Shopify Hydrogen, beside a REST API with OAuth and webhooks.
- A team for the switch and after. Smile Plus includes a migration and launch plan, named launch support through the first 90 days, quarterly program reviews and priority support.
Customer proof: Blue Banana, a Shopify Plus adventure streetwear brand with 20+ retail stores across Spain, moved its loyalty program to 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%.
When Staying on Rivo Makes Sense
Staying is reasonable under Plus's 2,500 monthly orders, if you value month-to-month billing on every plan, or if Scale's $499 cap fits a program of points, VIP tiers and referrals. In-house developers get the Rivo Developer Toolkit on Plus, and Rivo also sells customer accounts and paid memberships. Weigh that against Rivo holding neither Shopify certification, and white-glove onboarding on a quoted plan.
How to Choose a Rivo Alternative
- Do you need both Shopify certifications? Of the seven apps here, Smile has both and Rivo neither (October 28, 2026). For a wider view, see the best loyalty apps for mid-market brands.
- What will your peak month cost? Price your Black Friday volume, not today's. Smile's pricing calculator shows the plan and list price for any monthly order count.
- How many stores, and which POS? Count retail locations against each plan's POS limits; see loyalty apps with Shopify POS integration.
- Who runs the migration? On Smile Plus and Smile Enterprise, Smile's team does; our Shopify Plus launch guide covers the rollout.
More options: the best loyalty apps for Shopify Plus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best alternatives to Rivo? Smile is our pick for Shopify Plus and enterprise brands: as of October 28, 2026 it is Built for Shopify, a Shopify Technology Partner and SOC 2 Type II audited. Yotpo Loyalty fits brands on Yotpo Reviews, Okendo fits reviews and loyalty in one contract, LoyaltyLion builds the loyalty page for you, and Joy and BON include VIP tiers in $129 plans.
What is a good Rivo alternative for a Shopify Plus store? Smile. It holds both Shopify certifications, works with Shopify's checkout, customer accounts, POS, Flow and admin, and Smile Plus includes 7,500 monthly orders, security review support and a migration and launch plan run by Smile's team.
Is Rivo Built for Shopify? Not as of October 28, 2026: Rivo's listing does not show the Built for Shopify badge, and Rivo is not in Shopify's technology partner directory. Smile, Joy Loyalty and BON Loyalty show the badge, and Smile is also in the directory.
How much does Rivo cost in 2026? On October 28, 2026, Rivo's listing shows a free plan up to 200 monthly orders, Essential at $15 a month, Scale from $49 a month for 400 orders, then $20 per 100, capped at $499, and Plus at $499 a month for up to 2,500 orders. Above that, pricing is by quote. Every plan is billed month to month.
Rivo vs Smile: what is the difference? Both cover points, VIP tiers, referrals, Shopify POS, checkout and customer accounts. The differences: Shopify's certifications (Smile has both, Rivo neither, October 28, 2026), volume at a published price (7,500 monthly orders on Smile Plus, 2,500 on Rivo Plus) and who runs the launch (included on Smile Plus, on Rivo's Custom plan). Rivo bills monthly; Smile Plus annually. See Smile vs Rivo.
Are there loyalty apps like Rivo with paid memberships and wallet passes? Yes. Joy Loyalty's Advanced plan, $129 a month for 2,000 orders, includes paid membership programs and Apple and Google Wallet passes, per its listing on October 28, 2026. Rivo's own pricing page places paid membership tiers on its Custom plan.
How do I switch from Rivo 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 are matched to their Shopify customer records, and point balances and VIP tiers come over intact while the Rivo program stays live until Smile is ready.
