The FiveStars alternative built for the counter
FiveStars is built for big-budget retention with a sales-led contract. Loop Customer gives single-shop owners the same wallet-pass result for $29/mo — and free forever for one counter.
Free forever for your first 100 customers · No card required · Cancel anytime
Why merchants switch
Three reasons shops leave FiveStars
Published pricing, no sales call
FiveStars quotes by phone and lands most small shops between $99 and $299/mo with hardware fees. Loop Customer's prices are on the page: Free, $29, $79, $149. No quote process, no contract.
A pass on the phone, not a tablet on the counter
FiveStars centres on a tablet that customers tap at checkout. Loop drops a wallet pass into Apple Wallet or Google Wallet from a QR scan — no extra hardware, no counter real estate.
Live in 5 minutes, not a 4-week onboarding
FiveStars onboarding includes a hardware ship, an account-manager call, and a POS integration step. Loop is a 60-second signup and a printed QR poster.
Feature comparison
Loop Customer vs FiveStars, row by row
Honest scorecard — where we win, where it's a tie, and where FiveStars still has the edge.
Pricing transparency
Loop wins- Loop Customer
- Published — Free, $29, $79, $149
- FiveStars
- Custom quote, often $99-$299/mo + hardware
Free tier
Loop wins- Loop Customer
- Free Forever for single counter
- FiveStars
- None — paid contracts only
Apple + Google Wallet passes
Loop wins- Loop Customer
- Native, scan-to-add from a QR
- FiveStars
- Phone-number + tablet-tap, not wallet-native
Hardware + contract requirement
Loop wins- Loop Customer
- None — staff phone or any browser
- FiveStars
- Counter tablet + 12-month contract typical
Mature US enterprise sales motion
They win- Loop Customer
- Self-serve, no account manager
- FiveStars
- Dedicated rep, polished onboarding, deep US install base
What FiveStars does better
FiveStars (now part of SumUp) has been doing in-store retention longer than almost anyone, with a polished tablet-at-the-counter flow, deep US POS integrations, and an account-management motion that suits multi-location restaurants and salons with marketing staff. If you want a vendor with a dedicated rep, a hardware bundle, and case studies across thousands of US merchants, FiveStars's depth is real.
Migration
Switch from FiveStars in 60 seconds
Your customers don't have to re-enrol — we match on email so their stamp history carries over.
- 1
Ask your FiveStars rep for a customer export (they'll email you a CSV — it's covered by their TOS).
- 2
Upload to Loop Customer onboarding — emails are matched, existing customers keep their visit history.
- 3
Print one Loop QR poster, replace the FiveStars tablet on the counter. Switch time: under 15 minutes.
Pricing at a glance
What you'll actually pay
FiveStars entry
$99-$299/mo (quoted) + hardware
No permanent free tier — trial only.
Loop Customer
Free Forever (single counter) + $29/mo Local
Free forever for a single counter. No credit card to start.
See full pricingFAQ
Questions about switching from FiveStars
Can I migrate my FiveStars customer list?
Yes. Ask your FiveStars rep for a customer-list export — they'll send a CSV. Upload it during Loop Customer onboarding and existing members keep their stamp progress via email match.
Do I have to give back the FiveStars tablet?
If you leased the hardware, check your contract — most FiveStars hardware is owned-by-them. Either way, Loop Customer doesn't need a tablet. The staff app runs on any phone, tablet, or browser you already own.
Why is Loop Customer so much cheaper than FiveStars?
Different cost base. FiveStars's price covers hardware, an account manager, a sales rep, and a US-only SMS spend. Loop Customer is self-serve, runs on the staff's existing phone, and bills internationally — so the same loyalty result costs $29/mo instead of $99-$299.
Does Loop Customer integrate with my POS like FiveStars does?
Loop Customer is intentionally POS-independent. A staff member taps Stamp on a phone, or the customer scans a sticker on the receipt. There's no POS integration to maintain, no software update to wait on, no Clover/Square/Heartland-specific build.
Will my customers re-enrol or do they keep their stamps?
They keep their stamps. Upload the FiveStars CSV and existing customers are matched on email, so their counted visits carry over. The only thing they need to do is scan the new Loop QR to get the wallet pass on their phone.
Keep reading
Deeper dives on the same topic
Ready to ditch FiveStars?
Start free in 60 seconds. Your customers keep their stamps. Your bill goes down.