Rise.ai Free Trial (2026)

Step-by-step getting started

The fastest path from "installing the app" to "customers earning real points." These are the steps Rise.ai actually walks new merchants through, condensed into a checklist you can move through in a focused afternoon:

1. 1 Install Rise.ai from the Shopify App Store — Shopify-only, no BigCommerce or Magento support. Billing flows through your Shopify monthly invoice.
2. 2 Choose Starter ($19.99/mo) for entry — it includes the gift card and store credit engine, which is enough to evaluate whether Rise's approach fits your brand.
3. 3 Configure your cashback rules from the Rise dashboard: "earn 3% cashback as store credit on every order" is the industry default for high-AOV brands; tune upward (5-7%) for lower-AOV brands where the absolute dollar value is small.
4. 4 Set up returns-to-store-credit automation (a signature Rise feature): when a customer requests a refund, offer store credit at 110% of the refund value instead — this retains 30-50% of lost revenue per operator reports.
5. 5 Configure branded gift card workflows: logo, colors, optional video message, scheduled send for birthdays, bulk corporate gift cards. Test the branded gift card email in your own inbox before announcing to customers.
6. 6 Add the Rise.ai widget to your Shopify theme — default checkout integration displays store credit balance at checkout, which is the primary customer-facing touchpoint.
7. 7 Enable Klaviyo integration (if you use Klaviyo) to push store credit balance as a merge tag — post-purchase flows referencing store credit balance drive repeat purchase better than abstract "points" references.
8. 8 Run a test purchase + refund-to-store-credit + store-credit-redemption cycle end-to-end to verify the flow works cleanly before enabling for customers.

What to evaluate first (evaluation checklist)

The biggest mistake merchants make during trials is testing whichever feature seems shiny instead of pressure-testing the workflows they'll actually live with daily. This checklist prioritizes the decision-relevant tests — whether Rise.ai is the right long-term loyalty platform for your Shopify stack, not just whether it "works":

• Does store-credit psychology fit your brand better than traditional points? High-AOV brands ($100+) typically see better engagement from store credit; low-AOV brands see better engagement from points.
• Will returns-to-store-credit automation make sense for your return rate and customer profile? (Apparel brands with 15-25% return rates benefit most.)
• Can you live without traditional points + VIP tiers + referrals? If you need those, you'll run Rise alongside Smile or LoyaltyLion — plan for two-app billing.
• Does your AOV support a 3-5% cashback cost structure, or do you need to tune to 1-2%? Model monthly cashback liability against gross margin before launch.
• Is the 2026 Premium tier jump to $599.99/mo (from previous $199.99) within your upgrade budget if you outgrow Pro?
• Do you need branded gift card + corporate gift card workflows? Rise is category-leading here; if you don't, you may be over-buying.
• Will your customer support team handle the "why are there two reward balances?" confusion if you run Rise alongside a traditional loyalty app?
• Are you on Shopify only? No BigCommerce or Magento roadmap, so multi-platform consolidation isn't possible on Rise.

What to expect during the trial

Expect app install to working cashback + store credit flow in 60-90 minutes. Rise's UI is cleaner than most loyalty apps but the gift card and store credit workflows have genuine depth — budget extra time for scheduling, multi-currency, and bulk corporate gift card configuration if you need those. First 30 days, focus on measuring store credit redemption rate (target 40-60% of issued credits redeemed within 90 days) — if redemption is lower, the credit amount is too small to motivate return; if higher, you may be over-incentivizing vs. gross margin. Returns-to-store-credit is the highest-ROI feature for apparel brands — set it up in week 1, don't wait.

Recommended next step

Install Starter at $19.99/mo and run 30-60 days. If store credit + cashback resonates with your customer base (measured by redemption rate and CLTV lift), upgrade to Pro at $199.99/mo for advanced automation and memberships. If not, cancel and try Smile for traditional points. Pairing Rise (store credit) with Smile (points) is a valid play for high-AOV brands but adds billing complexity — evaluate whether the dual-app setup is worth $220/mo total vs. one well-configured loyalty app.

Before you commit: see Rise.ai in context

A trial is a feature test, not a category decision. If you're still comparing Shopify loyalty options, pull these references before you invest 30-60 days fully evaluating Rise.ai:

About this trial guide

This guide is assembled from Rise.ai's own onboarding documentation, Shopify App Store listings, independent tutorials, and operator discussions in Shopify and DTC ecommerce communities. We verify the trial terms, signup flow, and pricing structure against Rise.ai's public site on 2026-04-24. If Rise.ai changes the trial terms (duration, features, order caps), this page is updated within the week. Some outbound links are affiliate links — we may earn commission at no cost to you.