Last reviewed: 2026-04-25 · Pricing verified: 2026-04-25
Square Loyalty vs Smile.io: 2026 Comparison
Bottom line up front
This is mostly a platform-fit question. Square Loyalty if you\'re on Square POS — native integration, in-store flow, no third-party app to manage. Smile.io if you\'re on Shopify — Shopify-native, deeper online experience, broader integrations with the rest of the Shopify ecosystem. Don\'t cross the streams: Square+Smile or Shopify+Square Loyalty creates more pain than either solves.
Quick verdict
| Best for | Winner |
|---|---|
| Square POS merchants | Square Loyalty |
| Shopify merchants | Smile.io |
| Brick-and-mortar restaurants | Square Loyalty |
| Pure Shopify ecommerce | Smile.io |
| In-store phone-at-checkout flow | Square Loyalty |
| Embedded online launcher widget | Smile.io |
| Free tier | Smile.io |
| Multi-platform brand (Square + Shopify) | Pick the dominant platform; don\'t try to unify |
Pricing side-by-side (verified 2026-04-25)
| Tier | Square Loyalty | Smile.io |
|---|---|---|
| Free | None (lowest is $45/mo) | 200 orders/mo |
| Entry paid | $45/mo (up to 500 visits) | $49/mo Starter (unlimited orders) |
| Mid | $75/mo (501-1,500 visits) | $199/mo Growth (VIP, unlimited integrations) |
| Top | $105/mo (1,501-10,000 visits) | $599/mo Pro (API) |
| Plus / Enterprise | Included in Square Plus/Premium plans (paid Square POS subscription) | $999/mo Plus |
| Pricing model | Loyalty visits/mo | Tier (feature-based, unlimited orders) |
| Square POS subscription required | Yes ($0 Free POS / $49 Plus / $149 Premium) | No (Shopify subscription required for Shopify integration) |
Feature matrix
| Feature | Square Loyalty | Smile.io |
|---|---|---|
| Square POS native integration | Yes (built-in) | No |
| Shopify native integration | Limited (Square Online) | Yes (deepest) |
| In-store phone-at-checkout flow | Yes (native) | Limited (third-party bridge) |
| Branded online launcher widget | Limited (Square Online only) | Yes (every Shopify storefront) |
| VIP tiers | Limited | Growth+ ($199+) |
| Referrals | Yes (Square Marketing) | Yes (all paid tiers) |
| Klaviyo integration | No | Yes (native) |
| API access | Square API (broad) | Pro+ ($599+) |
| Multi-location | Yes (per-location billing) | Limited |
| Reward redemption styles | Discounts, free items | Discounts, free shipping, free product, gift cards |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Restaurant-friendly flow | Yes (native to Square for Restaurants) | No |
When to pick Square Loyalty
- You\'re on Square POS. The native integration is meaningful — phone-at-checkout flow, instant point earning, no sync delays.
- Brick-and-mortar restaurant or service business. In-store loyalty flow is where Square Loyalty wins.
- Multi-location Square merchants. Square Loyalty handles multi-location billing and customer profile sync natively.
- You don\'t want a third-party app. Square Loyalty is part of the Square ecosystem — no separate vendor relationship.
- You\'re on Square Plus or Premium. Loyalty is now bundled into Square\'s paid POS plans (worth checking your subscription tier).
When to pick Smile.io
- You\'re on Shopify. Smile.io is Shopify-native; integration depth is the binding constraint.
- Pure ecommerce brand. Online launcher widget, branded loyalty page, Klaviyo integration — Smile.io wins these.
- You want VIP tiers and deep customization. Smile.io Growth+ is more developed than Square Loyalty\'s VIP feature.
- Free tier matters early. Smile.io 200 orders/mo free is a real on-ramp; Square Loyalty has no free tier.
- Shopify-ecosystem integrations. Klaviyo, Mailchimp, and 50+ other Shopify apps integrate with Smile.io natively.
Decision tree
- Are you on Square POS? → Square Loyalty. Don\'t try to bridge to Smile.io.
- Are you on Shopify? → Smile.io. Don\'t try to use Square Loyalty.
- Are you migrating between platforms? → Wait until migration completes; pick loyalty after picking POS.
- Multi-platform (Square in-store + Shopify online)? → Pick the platform that drives more revenue and run loyalty there; tolerate the gap.
- Restaurant operating on Square for Restaurants? → Square Loyalty.
Frequently asked
Should Square merchants use Square Loyalty or Smile.io?
For Square POS merchants, Square Loyalty is almost always the better answer — native integration with Square POS, customer profile sync without configuration, in-app phone-number-as-loyalty-ID flow at the register. Smile.io is Shopify-native and was not designed for Square POS workflows. Square merchants who try to bridge to Smile.io usually end up frustrated by the integration friction.
How much does Square Loyalty cost?
Tiered by monthly visits: $45/mo for up to 500 visits, $75/mo for 501-1,500 visits, $105/mo for 1,501-10,000 visits. A "loyalty visit" is each time a customer signs up for or returns to the program. Smile.io is order-based: Free (200 orders), Starter $49, Growth $199, Pro $599, Plus $999. Different metrics — Square counts visits, Smile counts orders.
Does Smile.io work with Square POS?
No — Smile.io is Shopify-native and does not have a native Square POS integration. You can technically bridge via Zapier or custom API, but the bridge introduces sync delays, missed events, and reconciliation overhead. For Square merchants, this is not a recommended path. Use Square Loyalty for Square POS merchants; use Smile.io for Shopify merchants.
Which has better in-store loyalty experience?
Square Loyalty by a wide margin for Square POS merchants — phone-number-at-checkout flow built into the Square register, instant point earning, in-app reward redemption. Smile.io is web-first; in-store experience requires manual sync or third-party integration. For brick-and-mortar-first businesses, Square Loyalty.
Which has better online experience?
Smile.io for Shopify stores — embedded launcher widget on product/cart pages, points-balance visibility throughout checkout, branded loyalty page on storefront. Square Online has Square Loyalty integrated but the experience is less developed than Smile.io on Shopify. For online-first or omnichannel brands using Square + Square Online, Square Loyalty is competent but not best-in-class.
What about restaurants using Square?
Square Loyalty is the right answer — native to Square for Restaurants and the standard Square POS. Smile.io has no restaurant-specific features. Loyalty programs at restaurants benefit from POS-native flow (phone at counter, reward at order entry); Smile.io requires the customer to interact with a web layer.
Can I switch from Square Loyalty to Smile.io?
Only if you're also migrating from Square POS to Shopify POS. Loyalty data migration (customer profiles, point balances, redemption history) is possible via CSV export-import but requires manual work. The realistic answer: stay on Square Loyalty as long as you're on Square POS; switch to Smile.io when you switch platforms.
How we verified this
Pricing verified against squareup.com/loyalty and smile.io/pricing on 2026-04-25. Square Loyalty pricing tiers ($45/$75/$105 per visit volume) confirmed via Merchant Maverick and Capterra 2026 listings. Smile.io tier structure (Free / Starter $49 / Growth $199 / Pro $599 / Plus $999) per Mageloyalty April 2026.
Sources
- Square Loyalty (verified 2026-04-25)
- Smile.io Pricing (verified 2026-04-25)
- Merchant Maverick — Square Loyalty Pricing 2026
- Capterra — Square Loyalty 2026
Try them
See Square Loyalty pricing → See Smile.io pricing →