LoyaltyLion vs Smile.io vs Yotpo: Pricing & Feature Comparison (2026)
Kashish Ahuja
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Quick answer: Smile.io is the cheapest of the three big loyalty platforms at low volume. It has a free plan up to 200 orders a month and a $49/mo Starter plan. LoyaltyLion is the most expensive to start, at $199/mo. Yotpo also starts at $199/mo and gets expensive fastest, jumping to $799/mo at 3,000 orders. All three lock their best features, like VIP tiers, integrations, and API access, behind plans that cost $199 to $999 a month. Sway Loyalty offers the same core feature set from $0 to $199/mo, with a free plan that covers up to 500 orders a month.
This guide is for D2C brands and the agencies that run retention for them. The prices below come from each platform's published pricing as of July 2026. Confirm on their pricing pages before you commit. These platforms often negotiate custom contracts, so your quote may differ.
One term to know before the tables: all four apps price by your store's monthly order count, not by how many customers join your program. If you exceed your plan's order cap, you pay overage fees on top.
Pricing at a glance
LoyaltyLion | Smile.io | Yotpo Loyalty | Sway | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Free plan | Yes (recommended under 400 orders, limited features) | Yes (200 orders/mo) | Yes (under 100 orders/mo) | Yes (500 orders/mo) |
Entry paid plan | $199/mo Classic (500 orders) | $49/mo Starter (500 orders) | $199/mo Pro (500 orders) | $49/mo (1,500 orders) |
Mid tier | ~$399 to $729/mo (quoted by sales) | $199/mo Growth (2,500 orders) | $799/mo Premium (3,000 orders) | $99/mo (3,000 orders) |
Top published tier | Custom (quoted by sales) | $999/mo Plus (7,500 orders) | Enterprise (custom) | $199/mo (6,000 orders) |
Overage charges | Quoted by sales | $5 per 100 extra orders | $0.20 per extra order (Pro) | $5 per 100 extra orders |
How each platform prices
LoyaltyLion pricing
LoyaltyLion has a limited free plan, recommended only for stores under about 400 orders a month. Paid pricing starts at $199/mo for the Classic plan, which covers 500 orders and includes onboarding. Above that, you talk to sales. Publicly reported tiers run around $399/mo for 2,000 orders, $729/mo for 4,000 orders, and $1,650+/mo at 10,000 orders. Annual contracts are common, and terms are not always clear on the public page. Budget for a sales call before you know your real number.
LoyaltyLion earns its price with depth for large programs. You get advanced loyalty emails, Klaviyo flows built for you, and a dedicated account manager at higher tiers. The trade-off is cost. A store doing 2,000 orders a month pays roughly $400/mo before add-ons.
Smile.io pricing
Smile.io publishes its full pricing, which makes it the most transparent of the three. Free covers 200 orders a month. Starter is $49/mo for 500 orders. Growth is $199/mo for 2,500 orders. Plus is $999/mo for 7,500 orders. Overages cost $5 per 100 orders above your cap.
The catch is feature gating. The Starter plan allows only one integration, so you pick between your email platform and your reviews app. VIP tiers only arrive on Growth at $199/mo. API access requires the $999/mo Plus plan. Most growing D2C brands need VIP tiers plus two or more integrations, which puts the real Smile.io price at $199/mo.
Yotpo Loyalty pricing
Yotpo Loyalty starts free for stores under 100 orders a month. Pro costs $199/mo for 500 orders, with a $0.20 per order overage. Premium costs $799/mo for 3,000 orders and adds advanced analytics, a dedicated account manager, and full API access. Enterprise pricing is custom.
Yotpo publishes the least pricing detail of the three. Most quotes come through a sales process, and loyalty usually gets bundled with Yotpo's reviews, SMS, and subscription products in one contract. Watch the overage math on Pro: a store doing 1,500 orders pays $199 plus $200 in overages, which is $399/mo. That is double the sticker price. Yotpo makes the most sense if you want the full Yotpo stack under one vendor and have the budget for it.
What you actually pay at your order volume
Entry prices mislead. Compare monthly cost at your volume:
Orders/month | LoyaltyLion | Smile.io | Yotpo | Sway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
500 | $199 (Classic) | $49 (Starter) | $199 (Pro) | $0 (Free) |
1,500 | ~$399 (quoted) | $199 (Growth) | ~$399 (Pro + overage) | $49 |
3,000 | ~$399 to $729 (quoted) | $224 (Growth + overage) | $799 (Premium) | $99 |
6,000 | ~$729+ (quoted) | $374 (Growth + overage) or $999 (Plus) | $799+ (Premium + overage) | $199 |
Two patterns matter here. LoyaltyLion and Yotpo both land at roughly $400 to $800 a month for any store past 1,500 orders. Smile.io stays cheaper at scale, but only if you can live without API access, which stays locked behind its $999/mo Plus plan.
Feature comparison: where the gates are
Feature | LoyaltyLion | Smile.io | Yotpo | Sway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Points + referrals | All plans | All plans | All plans | Free |
In-cart points redemption | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Free |
VIP tiers | Paid plans | Growth ($199) | Pro ($199) | Free (up to 3 tiers); advanced VIP at $49 |
POS support (redeem in-store) | Paid plans | All plans | Pro+ | Free |
All integrations | Higher tiers | Growth ($199); Starter = 1 integration | Pro+ | Free (incl. Klaviyo sync) |
Klaviyo prebuilt flows | $199+ (built for you) | Not offered | Not offered | $49 |
Points expiry + reminders | Paid plans | Paid plans | Pro+ | $49 |
Store credit rewards | Not offered | Higher tiers | Not offered | $99 |
Bonus campaigns (2x points events, streaks) | Higher tiers | Higher tiers | Pro+ | $99 |
Loyalty-attributed revenue reporting | Higher tiers | Growth+ | Premium ($799) | $99 |
Checkout extensions (Shopify Plus) | Enterprise | Plus ($999) | Premium+ | $199 |
API / headless | Enterprise | Plus ($999) | Premium ($799) | $199 |
Memberships & B2B tiers | Enterprise | Not offered | Not offered | $99 (beta, invite only) |
A quick note on two rows. In-cart redemption means customers apply points directly in the cart, without opening a popup and copying a discount code. Checkout extensions let Shopify Plus stores show rewards inside the checkout itself. Both drive redemption rates, and both are either missing or expensive on the legacy platforms.
The structure differs too. The three legacy platforms gate features aggressively and price by features plus volume. Sway includes the full core program on free: points, referrals, in-cart redemption, basic VIP tiers, POS, and every integration. Paid tiers mainly buy more order volume plus power features like the loyalty page, advanced VIP, campaigns, and checkout/API.
Which should you choose?
Choose LoyaltyLion if you run an established brand doing 5,000+ orders a month, want a managed relationship with an account manager, and have $500 to $1,500 a month budgeted for loyalty. It is the enterprise option of the three.
Choose Smile.io if you want the most recognizable name with transparent pricing, and you do not need API access or in-cart redemption. It fits stores under 2,500 orders that are happy on the $199 Growth plan.
Choose Yotpo if you already use Yotpo Reviews and SMS and want one vendor and one contract. As a standalone loyalty app, it is hard to justify $199 to $799 a month against the alternatives.
Choose Sway if you want the same core capabilities without the $199 entry fee. The free plan covers 500 orders a month, the most generous published free cap in the category. In-cart redemption comes free, and none of the three legacy platforms offer it at any price. The top tier with checkout extensions and API costs $199/mo, versus $799 to $999+ elsewhere. Sway holds a 5.0 rating on the Shopify App Store and migrates you from your current loyalty app for free, with points balances intact. Agencies moving clients between apps get the same free migration on every plan.
Install Sway free on Shopify →
FAQ
Which is cheaper: LoyaltyLion, Smile.io, or Yotpo?
Smile.io is the cheapest of the three at every published volume, from a $49/mo Starter plan up to $999/mo Plus. LoyaltyLion starts at $199/mo. Yotpo Pro also starts at $199/mo, and Premium reaches $799/mo at 3,000 orders. Sway undercuts all three at every tier, from free (500 orders) to $199/mo (6,000 orders).
Is LoyaltyLion worth $199 a month?
At $199/mo for 500 orders, LoyaltyLion costs about $0.40 per order just for loyalty software. Stores under 2,000 orders a month can get a comparable feature set for $0 to $99/mo elsewhere. The $199 entry price mainly buys the brand name, onboarding support, and room to grow into enterprise features.
Does Smile.io have a free plan?
Yes. Smile.io's free plan covers up to 200 orders a month with basic points and referrals. VIP tiers require the $199/mo Growth plan, and the $49/mo Starter plan limits you to one integration.
What is a good LoyaltyLion alternative for Shopify?
Sway Loyalty is a direct alternative. It includes points, referrals, VIP tiers, POS, and in-cart redemption free up to 500 orders a month, with checkout extensions and API access at $199/mo. Those last two features cost $799+ on LoyaltyLion or Yotpo. See our full guide to the best LoyaltyLion alternatives.
Do these prices include overage charges?
No. All four platforms charge for orders above your plan cap. Smile.io and Sway charge $5 per 100 extra orders. Yotpo Pro charges $0.20 per order. LoyaltyLion quotes volume tiers through sales. Compare using your peak month, not your average month.
Related reading: Best Smile.io alternatives · Best Stamped alternatives · Ecommerce loyalty programs that work
Quick answer: Smile.io is the cheapest of the three big loyalty platforms at low volume. It has a free plan up to 200 orders a month and a $49/mo Starter plan. LoyaltyLion is the most expensive to start, at $199/mo. Yotpo also starts at $199/mo and gets expensive fastest, jumping to $799/mo at 3,000 orders. All three lock their best features, like VIP tiers, integrations, and API access, behind plans that cost $199 to $999 a month. Sway Loyalty offers the same core feature set from $0 to $199/mo, with a free plan that covers up to 500 orders a month.
This guide is for D2C brands and the agencies that run retention for them. The prices below come from each platform's published pricing as of July 2026. Confirm on their pricing pages before you commit. These platforms often negotiate custom contracts, so your quote may differ.
One term to know before the tables: all four apps price by your store's monthly order count, not by how many customers join your program. If you exceed your plan's order cap, you pay overage fees on top.
Pricing at a glance
LoyaltyLion | Smile.io | Yotpo Loyalty | Sway | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Free plan | Yes (recommended under 400 orders, limited features) | Yes (200 orders/mo) | Yes (under 100 orders/mo) | Yes (500 orders/mo) |
Entry paid plan | $199/mo Classic (500 orders) | $49/mo Starter (500 orders) | $199/mo Pro (500 orders) | $49/mo (1,500 orders) |
Mid tier | ~$399 to $729/mo (quoted by sales) | $199/mo Growth (2,500 orders) | $799/mo Premium (3,000 orders) | $99/mo (3,000 orders) |
Top published tier | Custom (quoted by sales) | $999/mo Plus (7,500 orders) | Enterprise (custom) | $199/mo (6,000 orders) |
Overage charges | Quoted by sales | $5 per 100 extra orders | $0.20 per extra order (Pro) | $5 per 100 extra orders |
How each platform prices
LoyaltyLion pricing
LoyaltyLion has a limited free plan, recommended only for stores under about 400 orders a month. Paid pricing starts at $199/mo for the Classic plan, which covers 500 orders and includes onboarding. Above that, you talk to sales. Publicly reported tiers run around $399/mo for 2,000 orders, $729/mo for 4,000 orders, and $1,650+/mo at 10,000 orders. Annual contracts are common, and terms are not always clear on the public page. Budget for a sales call before you know your real number.
LoyaltyLion earns its price with depth for large programs. You get advanced loyalty emails, Klaviyo flows built for you, and a dedicated account manager at higher tiers. The trade-off is cost. A store doing 2,000 orders a month pays roughly $400/mo before add-ons.
Smile.io pricing
Smile.io publishes its full pricing, which makes it the most transparent of the three. Free covers 200 orders a month. Starter is $49/mo for 500 orders. Growth is $199/mo for 2,500 orders. Plus is $999/mo for 7,500 orders. Overages cost $5 per 100 orders above your cap.
The catch is feature gating. The Starter plan allows only one integration, so you pick between your email platform and your reviews app. VIP tiers only arrive on Growth at $199/mo. API access requires the $999/mo Plus plan. Most growing D2C brands need VIP tiers plus two or more integrations, which puts the real Smile.io price at $199/mo.
Yotpo Loyalty pricing
Yotpo Loyalty starts free for stores under 100 orders a month. Pro costs $199/mo for 500 orders, with a $0.20 per order overage. Premium costs $799/mo for 3,000 orders and adds advanced analytics, a dedicated account manager, and full API access. Enterprise pricing is custom.
Yotpo publishes the least pricing detail of the three. Most quotes come through a sales process, and loyalty usually gets bundled with Yotpo's reviews, SMS, and subscription products in one contract. Watch the overage math on Pro: a store doing 1,500 orders pays $199 plus $200 in overages, which is $399/mo. That is double the sticker price. Yotpo makes the most sense if you want the full Yotpo stack under one vendor and have the budget for it.
What you actually pay at your order volume
Entry prices mislead. Compare monthly cost at your volume:
Orders/month | LoyaltyLion | Smile.io | Yotpo | Sway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
500 | $199 (Classic) | $49 (Starter) | $199 (Pro) | $0 (Free) |
1,500 | ~$399 (quoted) | $199 (Growth) | ~$399 (Pro + overage) | $49 |
3,000 | ~$399 to $729 (quoted) | $224 (Growth + overage) | $799 (Premium) | $99 |
6,000 | ~$729+ (quoted) | $374 (Growth + overage) or $999 (Plus) | $799+ (Premium + overage) | $199 |
Two patterns matter here. LoyaltyLion and Yotpo both land at roughly $400 to $800 a month for any store past 1,500 orders. Smile.io stays cheaper at scale, but only if you can live without API access, which stays locked behind its $999/mo Plus plan.
Feature comparison: where the gates are
Feature | LoyaltyLion | Smile.io | Yotpo | Sway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Points + referrals | All plans | All plans | All plans | Free |
In-cart points redemption | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Free |
VIP tiers | Paid plans | Growth ($199) | Pro ($199) | Free (up to 3 tiers); advanced VIP at $49 |
POS support (redeem in-store) | Paid plans | All plans | Pro+ | Free |
All integrations | Higher tiers | Growth ($199); Starter = 1 integration | Pro+ | Free (incl. Klaviyo sync) |
Klaviyo prebuilt flows | $199+ (built for you) | Not offered | Not offered | $49 |
Points expiry + reminders | Paid plans | Paid plans | Pro+ | $49 |
Store credit rewards | Not offered | Higher tiers | Not offered | $99 |
Bonus campaigns (2x points events, streaks) | Higher tiers | Higher tiers | Pro+ | $99 |
Loyalty-attributed revenue reporting | Higher tiers | Growth+ | Premium ($799) | $99 |
Checkout extensions (Shopify Plus) | Enterprise | Plus ($999) | Premium+ | $199 |
API / headless | Enterprise | Plus ($999) | Premium ($799) | $199 |
Memberships & B2B tiers | Enterprise | Not offered | Not offered | $99 (beta, invite only) |
A quick note on two rows. In-cart redemption means customers apply points directly in the cart, without opening a popup and copying a discount code. Checkout extensions let Shopify Plus stores show rewards inside the checkout itself. Both drive redemption rates, and both are either missing or expensive on the legacy platforms.
The structure differs too. The three legacy platforms gate features aggressively and price by features plus volume. Sway includes the full core program on free: points, referrals, in-cart redemption, basic VIP tiers, POS, and every integration. Paid tiers mainly buy more order volume plus power features like the loyalty page, advanced VIP, campaigns, and checkout/API.
Which should you choose?
Choose LoyaltyLion if you run an established brand doing 5,000+ orders a month, want a managed relationship with an account manager, and have $500 to $1,500 a month budgeted for loyalty. It is the enterprise option of the three.
Choose Smile.io if you want the most recognizable name with transparent pricing, and you do not need API access or in-cart redemption. It fits stores under 2,500 orders that are happy on the $199 Growth plan.
Choose Yotpo if you already use Yotpo Reviews and SMS and want one vendor and one contract. As a standalone loyalty app, it is hard to justify $199 to $799 a month against the alternatives.
Choose Sway if you want the same core capabilities without the $199 entry fee. The free plan covers 500 orders a month, the most generous published free cap in the category. In-cart redemption comes free, and none of the three legacy platforms offer it at any price. The top tier with checkout extensions and API costs $199/mo, versus $799 to $999+ elsewhere. Sway holds a 5.0 rating on the Shopify App Store and migrates you from your current loyalty app for free, with points balances intact. Agencies moving clients between apps get the same free migration on every plan.
Install Sway free on Shopify →
FAQ
Which is cheaper: LoyaltyLion, Smile.io, or Yotpo?
Smile.io is the cheapest of the three at every published volume, from a $49/mo Starter plan up to $999/mo Plus. LoyaltyLion starts at $199/mo. Yotpo Pro also starts at $199/mo, and Premium reaches $799/mo at 3,000 orders. Sway undercuts all three at every tier, from free (500 orders) to $199/mo (6,000 orders).
Is LoyaltyLion worth $199 a month?
At $199/mo for 500 orders, LoyaltyLion costs about $0.40 per order just for loyalty software. Stores under 2,000 orders a month can get a comparable feature set for $0 to $99/mo elsewhere. The $199 entry price mainly buys the brand name, onboarding support, and room to grow into enterprise features.
Does Smile.io have a free plan?
Yes. Smile.io's free plan covers up to 200 orders a month with basic points and referrals. VIP tiers require the $199/mo Growth plan, and the $49/mo Starter plan limits you to one integration.
What is a good LoyaltyLion alternative for Shopify?
Sway Loyalty is a direct alternative. It includes points, referrals, VIP tiers, POS, and in-cart redemption free up to 500 orders a month, with checkout extensions and API access at $199/mo. Those last two features cost $799+ on LoyaltyLion or Yotpo. See our full guide to the best LoyaltyLion alternatives.
Do these prices include overage charges?
No. All four platforms charge for orders above your plan cap. Smile.io and Sway charge $5 per 100 extra orders. Yotpo Pro charges $0.20 per order. LoyaltyLion quotes volume tiers through sales. Compare using your peak month, not your average month.
Related reading: Best Smile.io alternatives · Best Stamped alternatives · Ecommerce loyalty programs that work
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