All comparisons

Joy Alternative

UseLoyalty vs Joy Loyalty & Rewards

Joy handles Shopify basics well. UseLoyalty goes further — spin-the-wheel, scratch cards, stamp cards, daily check-ins, and QR-based offline acquisition that Joy simply doesn't have.

About Joy

What is Joy Loyalty & Rewards?

Joy Loyalty & Rewards is a popular Shopify app offering points, tiers, referrals, and basic reward mechanics. It appeals to Shopify merchants looking for an affordable entry-level loyalty tool, but it is tightly coupled to Shopify and lacks the gamification depth needed to drive repeat behavior in competitive markets.

Why switch

Why choose UseLoyalty over Joy?

  • Joy is Shopify-only. UseLoyalty works for restaurants, cafes, gyms, salons, and any offline or non-Shopify business.
  • Joy covers points and tiers but has no gamification — no spin-the-wheel, scratch cards, lotteries, or daily check-ins. UseLoyalty ships all of these.
  • Stamp cards and QR-based visit tracking are core to UseLoyalty — ideal for any physical-location business that Joy can't serve.
  • Joy's advanced features and higher member limits require paid upgrades. UseLoyalty includes meaningful features across all plans without hidden paywalls.
  • UseLoyalty's challenges, quests, and leaderboards create engagement loops that basic points programs can't replicate.

Feature comparison

UseLoyalty vs Joy Loyalty & Rewards

FeatureJoyUseLoyalty
Points & rewards
Referral program
VIP tiers
Stamp cards
Challenges & quests
Spin the wheel
Scratch cards
Daily check-ins
Lotteries & raffles
Leaderboards
QR code join flow
Works for offline businesses
Non-Shopify platform support
REST API accessLimited

Joy pricing

Joy offers a free plan with member and feature limits, then paid plans starting around $29–$99/month. Higher member counts, advanced analytics, and API access require upgrading.

UseLoyalty pricing

UseLoyalty includes all core gamification features across plans with no member-count paywalls that force sudden upgrades. Transparent monthly pricing, no annual lock-in.

Migration guide

How to switch from Joy

Most businesses complete the move in under a day with no data loss.

  1. 1

    Export your customer list and points data from Joy via your Shopify admin.

  2. 2

    Set up your UseLoyalty program using the visual builder — points rules, tiers, and rewards in under 10 minutes.

  3. 3

    Import members via CSV; existing points balances carry over.

  4. 4

    Replace the Joy widget on your Shopify store with the UseLoyalty widget.

  5. 5

    Add QR codes at any physical locations or on receipts to capture walk-in members.

Pricing

Simple, honest pricing

Two plans to choose from, plus a custom enterprise option for larger businesses switching from Joy.

Starter

Perfect for single-location teams getting started with loyalty.

$35/mo

Billed $420/yr - save $168

  • Custom Quest & Challenge creation
  • Unlimited loyalty members
  • Digital stamp cards
  • QR code check-ins
  • Basic analytics dashboard
  • Email support
Start Free Trial
Most Popular

Growth

For teams serious about retention and multi-location scale.

$79/mo

Billed $948/yr - save $240

  • Up to 5 locations
  • Unlimited loyalty members
  • Everything in Starter
  • Push & SMS notifications
  • Advanced analytics + exports
  • White-label branding
  • Reward drops & freebies
  • Priority support
Start Free Trial

Enterprise

For multi-location teams, franchises, and brands with custom needs.

Custom

Volume discounts available

  • Unlimited locations
  • Unlimited members
  • Everything in Growth
  • Dedicated account manager
  • Custom integrations & API
  • Advanced reporting & SLA
  • White-glove onboarding
  • Custom contract & billing
Contact Sales

Switch plans or cancel anytime · No hidden fees · Complete flexibility

Get a tailored walkthrough

Ready to build
loyal customers?

Tell us a bit about your joy alternative and we'll show you exactly how UseLoyalty can work for you.

  • Live demo tailored to your joy alternative
  • Setup walkthrough, live in under 10 minutes
  • Pricing advice based on your location count

FAQ

Common questions