Best Mobile Loyalty Apps in USA for Small Businesses
Jan 21, 2025
Choosing a loyalty app for your small business shouldn't feel overwhelming—but with dozens of options available, it often does.
The right loyalty app can transform your customer retention, giving you a direct communication channel to customers, data about their behaviour, and a structured way to reward repeat visits. The wrong one can waste your money, frustrate your customers, and create more admin than it saves.
This guide cuts through the noise. We've evaluated the leading mobile loyalty apps available to US small businesses, examining what each does well, where they fall short, and which types of businesses they suit best. Whether you run a café, salon, restaurant, or retail shop, you'll find practical guidance for making the right choice.
What to Look for in a Loyalty App
Before diving into specific platforms, here's what actually matters when choosing a loyalty app for a small business:
Ease of use—for you and customers: If your team can't figure out how to add stamps during a busy lunch rush, or customers find sign-up confusing, participation will suffer. The best apps are intuitive for everyone.
Wallet integration: Apps that save loyalty cards to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet see significantly higher ongoing engagement than those requiring separate app downloads. Customers don't want another app cluttering their phone.
Push notifications: The ability to message customers directly—without competing against email spam filters or social media algorithms—is one of the biggest advantages of digital loyalty. Make sure notifications are included without per-message fees.
Pricing transparency: Watch for hidden costs: per-transaction fees, per-member charges, setup fees, or premium features that require costly upgrades. Monthly pricing should be clear and predictable.
Reliability: A loyalty app that crashes, runs slowly, or loses customer data will damage your reputation. Check app store ratings and reviews for patterns of technical issues.
Customer support: When something goes wrong at 10am on a Saturday, you need help quickly. Responsive support matters.
The Best Loyalty Apps for US Small Businesses
Here's our assessment of the leading options, with honest evaluation of strengths and weaknesses.
1. Perkstar
Best for: Small businesses wanting wallet-first loyalty with simple setup and flexible card types
Pricing: From $19/month
App Store Ratings: 4.9 Google Reviews
Perkstar was built specifically for small businesses, with a focus on removing the friction that makes many loyalty programs fail. While originally launched in the UK, the platform operates globally and serves businesses across the United States.
What Perkstar does well:
Wallet integration as standard: Loyalty cards save directly to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet. Customers don't need to download a separate app—their card sits alongside their payment cards, visible every time they use their phone. This approach consistently delivers higher ongoing engagement than traditional app-based solutions.
Eight card types: Unlike platforms locked into one model, Perkstar offers stamps, points, memberships, multipasses, discounts, coupons, cashback, and gift cards. Start with simple stamps; add points or memberships as you grow. This flexibility means the platform grows with your business.
Unlimited push notifications: Message customers directly without per-notification costs. Promote slow periods, announce specials, remind customers they're close to rewards, or re-engage those who haven't visited recently.
Simple, transparent pricing: Starts at $19/month with no hidden fees, no per-transaction charges, and no per-member costs that balloon as your program succeeds.
Quick setup: Most businesses launch within an hour. No complex integrations, no technical expertise required.
Google Review rewards: Built-in tools to encourage and reward customers for leaving Google Reviews, improving your local visibility.
Where Perkstar could improve:
As a newer platform, it has fewer case studies and reviews than established competitors
No POS integrations yet for automated stamp allocation (coming soon)
Best for: Cafés, restaurants, salons, barbershops, retail shops, car washes, gyms, and any small business with repeat customers wanting a straightforward, affordable loyalty solution.
Start your 14-day free trial →
2. Stamp Me
Best for: Businesses wanting a proven platform with global track record
Pricing: From approximately $43/month
App Store Ratings: 4.9 (Apple), 4.9 (Google Play)
Stamp Me is one of the most established digital loyalty platforms globally, with strong presence in the US market.
What Stamp Me does well:
Excellent app store ratings: The near-perfect ratings across both app stores indicate reliable technology and good user experience.
Proven track record: Operating in over 80 countries with years of refinement, the platform is mature and stable.
Digital stamp card focus: The familiar "buy X, get Y free" model translated into digital format. Simple and understood by all customers.
Self-service merchant console: Manage your program, view analytics, and send communications without technical expertise.
Engagement features: Includes scratch-and-win campaigns and lapsed customer re-engagement tools.
Where Stamp Me falls short:
Higher starting price: More expensive than some alternatives, which may be significant for small businesses with tight margins.
App download required for customers: Unlike wallet-first platforms, customers typically need to download the Stamp Me app. This creates friction that reduces sign-up rates and ongoing engagement.
Less card type flexibility: Primarily focused on stamp cards, with less variety than platforms offering points, memberships, and other models.
Best for: Established businesses with budget for a premium platform and customers willing to download a dedicated app.
3. Fivestars
Best for: Businesses wanting marketing automation alongside loyalty
Pricing: Custom pricing (typically higher-end)
App Store Ratings: 4.1 (Apple), 3.9 (Google Play)
Fivestars positions itself as a combined loyalty and marketing platform, offering more than just rewards tracking.
What Fivestars does well:
Marketing integration: Beyond loyalty, Fivestars includes tools for promotions, customer communication, and marketing automation.
Customer insights: The platform provides data analytics on customer behavior, helping businesses understand and target their audience.
Business discovery: The Fivestars app helps customers discover participating businesses, potentially driving new customer acquisition.
Established US presence: Strong footprint in the American market with many local businesses using the platform.
Where Fivestars falls short:
Cost concerns: Pricing can be substantial, especially for smaller businesses operating on tight budgets.
Technical issues reported: With ratings below 4.0 on Google Play, some users report glitches and frustrations when earning or redeeming rewards. For small businesses, dealing with customer complaints about app issues is time-consuming and damages the experience you're trying to create.
Complexity: The breadth of features means more to learn and manage, which may be overkill for businesses wanting simple loyalty.
Best for: Larger small businesses with marketing budgets who want loyalty integrated with broader customer engagement tools.
4. Yollty
Best for: Businesses wanting a free or very low-cost entry point
Pricing: Free tier available; paid plans for additional features
App Store Ratings: Variable
Yollty positions itself as an accessible option for businesses just starting with loyalty programs.
What Yollty does well:
Free tier available: Businesses can start without any financial commitment, testing whether a loyalty program works for them.
Quick setup: The platform emphasizes rapid deployment, allowing businesses to launch within minutes.
In-app messaging: Communication tools for reaching customers with updates and promotions.
Incentivized reviews: Features to encourage customer feedback, helping businesses gather reviews and improve.
Where Yollty falls short:
Integration challenges: Some businesses report difficulties integrating Yollty with existing systems, adding complexity to setup.
Limited features on free tier: Advanced functionality typically requires paid upgrades, and the free version may feel restrictive.
Less established: Smaller user base means less community support and fewer resources.
Best for: Very small businesses or those wanting to test loyalty concepts before committing to a paid platform.
5. Belly (now Mobivity)
Best for: Businesses wanting social media integration
Pricing: Varies by configuration
App Store Ratings: 4.5 (Google Play)
Belly, now part of Mobivity, offers loyalty with strong social sharing features.
What Belly does well:
Social integration: Connects with social media platforms, making it easy for customers to share their loyalty program participation and spread awareness.
Apple Wallet support: Unlike some competitors, Belly integrates with Apple Wallet for easier customer access.
Custom rewards: Businesses can create distinctive rewards and incentives tailored to their brand.
Marketing tools: Includes email, SMS, and push notification capabilities for customer engagement.
Where Belly falls short:
Interface confusion: Some users report the loyalty card interface can be disorganized, showing target and current rewards in ways that confuse rather than clarify.
Extra steps required: Customers reportedly need to check in through the app before scanning QR codes, adding friction to what should be a smooth process.
Ownership changes: As part of Mobivity, the platform's direction and focus may have shifted from its original small business orientation.
Best for: Businesses prioritizing social media engagement and willing to work around some user experience limitations.
6. Square Loyalty
Best for: Businesses already using Square for payments
Pricing: From $45/month
App Store Ratings: N/A (integrated with Square ecosystem)
For businesses already in the Square ecosystem, Square Loyalty offers a natural extension.
What Square Loyalty does well:
Seamless Square integration: If you already use Square for payments, adding loyalty requires minimal additional setup.
Automatic point tracking: Loyalty is built into the payment flow, reducing staff workload.
Unified reporting: Customer data lives alongside your payment and sales data.
Trusted brand: Square's reputation provides confidence in platform stability.
Where Square Loyalty falls short:
Requires Square: Only useful if you're already committed to Square's payment ecosystem. Not a standalone solution.
Higher pricing: At $45/month, it's more expensive than dedicated loyalty platforms, especially when you factor in Square's transaction fees.
Basic loyalty features: The loyalty functionality is more basic than dedicated platforms, lacking advanced engagement tools like scratch-and-win or sophisticated re-engagement campaigns.
Less customer-facing polish: Customers don't get the same wallet-integration experience as dedicated loyalty apps.
Best for: Businesses already using Square who want simple loyalty without adding another platform.
How to Choose the Right Loyalty App
With so many options, here's a practical decision framework:
Consider your budget
If you're cost-conscious, Perkstar (from $19/month) and Yollty (free tier) offer accessible entry points. Square Loyalty and Fivestars are pricier but make sense if you need their specific integrations or marketing features.
Consider your customers
If your customers are unlikely to download a dedicated app, prioritize platforms with wallet integration (Perkstar, Belly). If they're already comfortable with loyalty apps, broader options are viable.
Consider your needs
Just want simple stamps? Most platforms handle this well. Choose based on price and ease of use.
Want multiple card types? Perkstar's eight card types offer flexibility others don't.
Need POS integration? Square Loyalty may be worth the premium if you're already in their ecosystem.
Want to test first? Yollty's free tier or Perkstar's 14-day trial let you experiment before committing.
Consider support and reliability
Check app store reviews for patterns—not just the star rating, but the specific complaints. Technical issues that frustrate customers will damage your reputation. Platforms with ratings below 4.0 warrant extra scrutiny.
Making Your Decision
The best loyalty app is the one your customers will actually use. A sophisticated platform with low participation delivers less value than a simple one with high engagement.
For most US small businesses, the priority should be:
Frictionless customer experience: Wallet integration, quick sign-up, instant value
Direct communication: Push notifications to reach customers between visits
Affordable, predictable pricing: No surprises as your program grows
Simple management: You have enough to do without wrestling with complex software
Perkstar was designed around these priorities, with pricing that makes sense for small businesses and features that drive genuine engagement. The 14-day free trial lets you test everything—wallet integration, push notifications, all eight card types—without commitment.
Start your free trial at Perkstar →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free loyalty app for small businesses in the USA?
Yollty offers a free tier that allows basic loyalty functionality, making it an option for testing concepts without financial commitment. However, free tiers typically come with significant limitations—restricted features, branding limitations, or member caps. For serious loyalty programs, low-cost paid options like Perkstar (from $19/month) often deliver better value through fuller feature sets and no artificial restrictions.
Do customers need to download an app to use a loyalty program?
It depends on the platform. Traditional loyalty apps like Stamp Me and Fivestars require customers to download a dedicated application, which creates friction and reduces participation. Modern platforms like Perkstar use wallet integration instead—customers save their loyalty card directly to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet without downloading anything extra. This approach consistently sees higher sign-up rates and ongoing engagement.
How much does a loyalty app cost for a small business in the USA?
Pricing varies significantly. Free tiers exist (Yollty) but with limitations. Entry-level paid platforms start around $19-45/month (Perkstar, Stamp Me). Premium options with marketing automation or POS integration can run $50-100+/month (Fivestars, Square Loyalty). Watch for hidden costs: some platforms charge per transaction, per member, or for features like push notifications that should be included.
Which loyalty app has the best customer ratings in the US?
Stamp Me consistently achieves the highest app store ratings (4.9 across Apple and Google Play), indicating reliable technology and good user experience. Belly scores well on Google Play (4.5). Fivestars shows more mixed results (3.9-4.1), with some users reporting technical frustrations. However, app store ratings primarily reflect the customer experience, not the merchant experience—consider both perspectives when evaluating platforms.
Can I switch loyalty apps if I'm not happy with my choice?
Yes, though switching involves some friction. You'll need to migrate customer data (if the old platform allows export), re-enroll customers on the new platform, and update promotional materials. This is why free trials and low-commitment starting points matter—better to test thoroughly before full commitment than to switch later. Perkstar's 14-day free trial lets you validate the platform before committing.
What features are most important in a loyalty app for small businesses?
Prioritize: ease of sign-up (wallet integration beats app downloads), push notifications (direct customer communication), simple management (self-service without technical skills), and transparent pricing. Advanced features like POS integration, multi-location support, or extensive analytics matter for some businesses but shouldn't come at the expense of getting the basics right.
