Smile.io vs LoyaltyLion: Which Loyalty App Is Right for Your Shopify Store?

Smile.ioSmile.ioLoyalty and referralsSmile.io is a loyalty app for Shopify stores that runs points, rewards and referral programs. Free plan, paid from $15/mo, 14-day trial.Click for Scout's full analysis is the better loyalty app for most Shopify stores: referrals are free, paid plans start at $15/month, and every plan's price is published. LoyaltyLionLoyaltyLionLoyalty and referralsLoyaltyLion is a loyalty and rewards platform for Shopify brands, with points for purchases, referrals, reviews and social actions. Free plan, paid from $199/mo, 14-day trial.Click for Scout's full analysis is the better fit for established brands that want the loyalty page and Klaviyo flows built for them, and it has a bigger free plan by order count, but paid plans start at $199/month.

Quick comparison

*As listed on the Shopify App Store in November 2026.

Pricing: a ladder vs a jump

Smile.io has four published plans on its Shopify listing:

• Free: up to 200 monthly orders
• Essential: $15/month, up to 500 orders
• Standard: $79/month, up to 1,000 orders
• Growth: $199/month, 2,500 orders included, then $20 per additional 100 orders

LoyaltyLion has one published paid price:

• Free: up to 400 monthly orders (LoyaltyLion's pricing FAQ recommends it for stores at 400 orders or fewer)
• Classic: $199/month, 500 orders a month
• Advanced and Plus: custom pricing set by average monthly orders

LoyaltyLion's pricing FAQ says it will contact you if you exceed your agreed monthly order threshold by more than 25% for three months in a row. No per-order overage fee is listed.

What it costs at four store sizes

Listed prices only.

The one size where LoyaltyLion is cheaper is 201–400 orders, where its free plan covers you and Smile.io charges $15. Past 400, Smile.io costs less at every published price point.

Features at each level

Smile.io free plan: points, rewards and referrals, 15+ ways to earn and redeem, discount and free shipping rewards, full branding, 20+ program languages and Shopify POS support.

LoyaltyLion free plan: points for on-site activities, money and percentage discount rewards, branding, loyalty analytics and segments, on-site notifications, 7 pre-written languages and optional extras such as emails.

Edge on free: Smile.io for features, because referrals and POS are included. LoyaltyLion for order headroom.

Smile.io paid features add up across plans: a loyalty page and on-site nudges on Essential; bonus events, points on product pages, gift card and subscription rewards and ROI and CLV insights on Standard; and VIP tiers, points expiry, a Loyalty Hub, 25+ reports and unlimited integrations on Growth.

LoyaltyLion Classic includes a loyalty page designed for you (the listing values it at $1,500), customizable rules and rewards, unlimited integrations, onboarding support, single-location POS, loyalty revenue reporting and Klaviyo loyalty flows built for you. Per the pricing page, Advanced adds bonus point scheduling, points on product pages, multi-location POS, 130+ languages and Loyalty Challenges. Plus adds AI-recommended rewards, advanced Klaviyo events and automated flows.

VIP tiers

Smile.io lists VIP tiers on Growth at $199/month.

LoyaltyLion is less clear. Its Shopify listing includes "VIP loyalty tiers" on Classic. Its pricing page lists dynamic VIP tiers as an optional add-on on Classic, with no price shown, and standard from Advanced. Ask LoyaltyLion what Classic includes before you sign up.

Edge: Smile.io for clarity. At 500 to 2,500 orders, $199 on Growth gets you VIP tiers with a published price.

Klaviyo and integrations

Both apps work with Klaviyo. Smile.io allows one integration on Essential, two on Standard (examples given are Klaviyo and Judge.me), and unlimited on Growth. Its listing names Gorgias, Judge.me, Klaviyo, Loox, Mailchimp and Recharge among 30+ tools.

LoyaltyLion includes unlimited integrations from Classic and lists Attentive, Gorgias, Klaviyo, ReCharge, Tapcart and Yotpo, plus Loox among "50+ apps." On Classic, LoyaltyLion builds Klaviyo loyalty flows for you.

Edge: LoyaltyLion if you run heavy Klaviyo programs and want them set up for you. Smile.io if you only need one or two connections.

Checkout and POS

Both say redeeming points at checkout needs Shopify Plus. Smile.io lists it on Growth; LoyaltyLion says it requires Plus on all plans. Smile.io supports Shopify POS from its free plan. LoyaltyLion lists single-location POS on Classic and multi-location on Advanced and Plus.

Languages

Smile.io's free plan supports 20+ program languages. LoyaltyLion's free plan has 7 pre-written languages, and Advanced adds translations in 130+ languages. If you sell in many markets, LoyaltyLion's higher tiers go further, at quote-based prices.

A worked example: growing from 300 to 3,000 orders

Here is what each app would cost one store as it grows, using only published prices.

• 300 orders: Smile.io Essential at $15, which adds the loyalty page and one integration. LoyaltyLion Free at $0.
• 800 orders: Smile.io Standard at $79, with bonus events and two integrations. LoyaltyLion is past Classic's 500 orders, so it is a custom quote.
• 3,000 orders with VIP tiers: Smile.io Growth at $299 ($199 plus five $20 blocks). LoyaltyLion Advanced, where VIP tiers are standard, is a custom quote.

Smile.io's costs are predictable at every step. LoyaltyLion's are known only up to 500 orders unless you ask for a quote.

Reporting

Smile.io adds analytics and reporting on Essential, loyalty segments with ROI and CLV insights on Standard, and performance benchmarks plus 25+ pre-built loyalty reports on Growth. LoyaltyLion includes loyalty analytics and customer segments on its free plan and loyalty-attributed revenue reporting on Classic.

Edge: LoyaltyLion gives more reporting for free; Smile.io's reporting grows as you pay more.

Who should choose Smile.io

• Stores under about 2,500 orders a month that want published prices.
• Stores that want referrals from day one at no cost.
• Stores that will set up their own program and don't need onboarding help.

Who should choose LoyaltyLion

• Stores at 201–400 orders that want a free plan with room before paying.
• Established brands that want a designed loyalty page, onboarding and Klaviyo flows built for them.
• Multi-location retail or multi-language brands willing to go to Advanced.

Which one should you choose?

• Choose Smile.ioSmile.ioLoyalty and referralsSmile.io is a loyalty app for Shopify stores that runs points, rewards and referral programs. Free plan, paid from $15/mo, 14-day trial.Click for Scout's full analysis if you want a clear price at every size, free referrals, or VIP tiers at $199 with 2,500 orders included.
• Choose LoyaltyLionLoyaltyLionLoyalty and referralsLoyaltyLion is a loyalty and rewards platform for Shopify brands, with points for purchases, referrals, reviews and social actions. Free plan, paid from $199/mo, 14-day trial.Click for Scout's full analysis if you want a hands-on setup and deep Klaviyo flows and your budget starts at $199/month, or you are under 400 orders and want its free plan.
• Looking for VIP tiers for less? Our best loyalty apps for Shopify roundup covers Rivo ($49) and BON Loyalty ($129).

Common questions

Is Smile.io cheaper than LoyaltyLion? At most sizes, yes. Smile.io's paid plans start at $15/month, while LoyaltyLion's start at $199/month. LoyaltyLion is cheaper only between 201 and 400 orders, where its free plan still applies.

Does Smile.io's free plan include referrals? Yes. Its listing includes points, rewards and referrals on the free plan, up to 200 monthly orders.

Does LoyaltyLion include VIP tiers on Classic? Its Shopify listing says yes, but its pricing page lists dynamic VIP tiers as an optional add-on on Classic. Confirm with LoyaltyLion before you buy.

Can I redeem loyalty points at Shopify checkout? Both apps say this requires Shopify Plus. On Smile.io it is listed on the Growth plan.

How we put this together

We did not test either app hands-on. Prices and features come from the Shopify App Store listings for Smile.io and LoyaltyLion and from LoyaltyLion's pricing page, read in November 2026. App Store ratings are as listed on the Shopify App Store in November 2026. LoyaltyLion's higher plans are quote-only, so get a quote for your order volume before comparing.