The Smile.io alternative built for the counter
Wallet-native loyalty for the shops Smile.io was never built for. No Shopify required, no $999 enterprise tier, free forever for one counter.
Free forever for your first 100 customers · No card required · Cancel anytime
Why merchants switch
Three reasons shops leave Smile.io
Built for offline, not Shopify
Smile.io assumes you check out customers through Shopify. If your sale happens at a counter or chair, Loop Customer is the one that fits — no POS swap, no integration project.
Pricing stops at $149, not $999
Smile's jump from $49 to $199 to $999 punishes growth. Loop tops out at $149/mo for Chain — and the free tier is forever, not a 200-order trial cliff.
A pass on every phone, no app
Loop drops the loyalty card into Apple Wallet or Google Wallet from a QR scan. Smile.io's storefront widget expects a logged-in account on a website.
Feature comparison
Loop Customer vs Smile.io, row by row
Honest scorecard — where we win, where it's a tie, and where Smile.io still has the edge.
Works without Shopify / ecommerce platform
Loop wins- Loop Customer
- Yes — designed for offline shops
- Smile.io
- No — needs Shopify, BigCommerce, or Wix
Free tier
Loop wins- Loop Customer
- Free Forever, no order limit
- Smile.io
- Free under 200 orders/mo, then $49+
Apple + Google Wallet passes
Loop wins- Loop Customer
- Native, scan-to-add from a QR
- Smile.io
- Not built in
Pricing ceiling for SMBs
Loop wins- Loop Customer
- $149/mo Chain — flat
- Smile.io
- $999/mo Plus tier for serious volume
Shopify-native points + VIP tiers
They win- Loop Customer
- Wallet stamp cards, not Shopify points
- Smile.io
- Best-in-class — that's their core market
What Smile.io does better
If you are a venture-backed Shopify brand running a points-and-tiers programme with VIP perks, Smile.io is genuinely best in class. Their Shopify-native integration, points engine, VIP tier mechanics, and ecosystem of third-party reviews/SMS apps are mature, polished, and proven across 100k+ merchants. Loop Customer is not trying to replace them on Shopify Plus — we replace them everywhere Shopify isn't.
Migration
Switch from Smile.io in 60 seconds
Your customers don't have to re-enrol — we match on email so their stamp history carries over.
- 1
Export your Smile.io member list to CSV from their admin (Customers → Export).
- 2
Upload to Loop Customer in onboarding — emails are matched, every existing customer keeps their progress.
- 3
Print one QR poster, hand out stickers. Your old Smile widget can stay running for the Shopify store; Loop covers the counter.
Pricing at a glance
What you'll actually pay
Smile.io entry
$49/mo Starter (after free 200-order limit)
Limited free tier with caps.
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 Smile.io
Can I migrate my Smile.io customer list to Loop Customer?
Yes. Export your members from Smile (Customers → Export to CSV) and upload it during Loop Customer onboarding. Email addresses are matched so existing customers keep their visit history — they don't have to start over.
Does Loop Customer integrate with my Shopify store?
Loop Customer runs alongside Shopify rather than inside it. Customers scan a QR (on the receipt, the counter, a sticker) and the loyalty pass lands in their Apple or Google Wallet. There's no Shopify app install and no theme edit required.
Why is Loop Customer cheaper than Smile.io?
Smile.io is priced for ecommerce brands with $50k+ in monthly revenue. Loop Customer is built for the corner shop with a counter and a Gmail address. Lower target ARPU, lower price — and a real free tier instead of a 200-order cliff.
Do my customers need to download an app?
No. The pass lives in Apple Wallet (iPhone) or Google Wallet (Android), which are already installed on every smartphone. One scan to enrol, then the card updates itself when you add a stamp.
What if I sell on Shopify and in-person?
Run both. Keep Smile.io for your online checkout points-and-tiers programme and use Loop Customer at the counter for wallet stamp cards. They don't conflict — the customer just sees one card per channel.
Keep reading
Deeper dives on the same topic
Ready to ditch Smile.io?
Start free in 60 seconds. Your customers keep their stamps. Your bill goes down.