BON vs Smile: 2026 Comparison

The biggest surprise in loyalty program software isn't what features each platform offers—it's how dramatically the price difference hides what they can actually do.

Most Shopify store owners assume that paying more means getting better. With BON Loyalty starting at $25/month and Smile.io at $49/month, that logic seems reasonable. But here's what catches people off guard: BON often gives you more advanced features at the lower price point, while Smile.io charges premium fees for capabilities that feel standard elsewhere. Neither assumption—"cheaper means less" or "expensive means better"—holds up when you actually dig into what each platform delivers.

After working with dozens of ecommerce brands implementing loyalty programs, I've learned that this decision rarely comes down to features alone. It comes down to which platform matches your business stage, budget constraints, and specific growth priorities. Some founders need bleeding-edge customization and data depth. Others need something reliable that works consistently without constant tweaking.

Both BON and Smile.io are solid platforms. Both dominate the Shopify loyalty space. But they solve different problems for different merchants. Let me walk you through exactly what separates them.

At a Glance: BON Loyalty vs. Smile.io

Pricing: Where the Real Difference Emerges

BON's pricing structure is built for growth. The free plan accommodates up to 250 orders per month, which means newer stores or those testing loyalty features without commitment can operate completely free. Paid plans start at $25/month for their Basic tier, scaling up through Growth and Professional plans as your order volume and feature needs increase.

Here's what matters: BON bundles advanced features—like multi-language support, referral programs, and VIP tiers—into lower-cost tiers. You don't pay $199/month to access something that should be standard.

Smile.io's pricing tells a different story. Their free plan covers up to 200 orders monthly, slightly less than BON. Paid plans start at $49/month, immediately doubling BON's entry price. As you climb their pricing ladder, you'll encounter feature gating. Advanced VIP features, dedicated support, and certain customization options land in higher tiers ($199+/month). For established brands with larger budgets, this isn't a dealbreaker. For growing stores operating on tight margins, it adds up fast.

A real example: A mid-market apparel brand I worked with calculated that switching from Smile.io ($199/month) to BON ($79/month) freed up nearly $1,440 annually while actually gaining more gamification features. That's budget they redirected into content creation and email marketing—where it had more direct impact on revenue.

The trade-off isn't always straightforward, though. Smile.io's higher price reflects enterprise-grade support and a mature product ecosystem. But if you're bootstrapping or scaling lean, BON gives you more breathing room.

Understanding the fundamentals of a customer loyalty program helps you evaluate these pricing tiers against your specific business needs.

Core Features: Where They Diverge

Points, Referrals, and VIP Tiers

Both platforms nail the fundamentals. Customers earn points for purchases, and merchants can reward referrals, reviews, and social actions. Both support tiered loyalty structures where customers unlock benefits as they climb membership levels.

Where they differ is nuance. BON allows unlimited loyalty members even on cheaper plans, meaning you're never penalized for growth. Smile.io doesn't cap members either, but their feature restrictions on lower tiers mean you're building toward an eventual upgrade.

For referral programs specifically, BON includes detailed overview of referral program functionalities that make sharing frictionless. Smile.io's referral links are highly optimized for social and SMS, giving them a slight edge in shareability—but you pay for that polish.

Gamification: The Unexpected Winner

This is where BON pulls ahead dramatically.

BON's gamification features—spin wheels, achievement badges, social share bonuses, birthday rewards—create actual engagement momentum. Their G2 gamification score of 8.5 reflects this. Merchants report higher redemption rates and more frequent customer interactions when using BON's gamified experiences.

Smile.io's gamification exists but feels minimal by comparison. They score 6.7 on G2 for gamification, and that gap shows in real behavior. Smile customers tell us their loyalty programs feel more transactional. Points accumulate, sure. But customers don't feel the excitement that drives them back.

Specific gamified experiences that boost customer engagement creates the emotional connection that drives repeat purchases.

Customization and Developer Flexibility

BON offers Hydrogen/Headless support and SDK access on its Professional plan, meaning developers can build entirely custom loyalty experiences. For brands needing white-label or heavily branded programs, this is invaluable.

Smile.io provides customization, but it's template-based. You're personalizing within their design system, not building outside it. For many merchants, that's enough. For others—especially Shopify Plus stores or those with unique brand requirements—it's a limitation.

Multi-Language Support: A Genuine Differentiator

BON supports 250+ languages natively. Smile.io's multi-language setup is clunky and often requires creating separate program versions for each language.

If you're selling to international customers—a growing reality for DTC brands—this matters significantly. A founder I worked with selling across Europe and Asia found BON's language support cut their setup time roughly in half and eliminated the complexity of managing multiple parallel programs.

Shopify POS and Omnichannel

Both support Shopify POS, but Smile.io has the edge here. They've built a dedicated UI for in-store staff to award points at the register, integrating physical and online loyalty seamlessly. For brands with substantial brick-and-mortar operations, this advantage justifies premium pricing.

BON supports Shopify POS but without the same level of in-store UX polish. If omnichannel is core to your operation, Smile.io's depth deserves serious consideration.

Analytics and Reporting

Smile.io positions itself as a data company. Their analytics include performance benchmarks and loyalty ROI calculations, giving teams clarity on program effectiveness and customer behavior patterns. These insights into understanding loyalty program ROI and key metrics help data-driven teams optimize continuously.

BON provides analytics too—dashboards showing member activity, redemption rates, point distribution. Useful for monitoring program health. But it lacks Smile's depth in predictive modeling and comparative benchmarking.

For teams obsessed with data and wanting to A/B test loyalty mechanics constantly, Smile.io delivers. For teams wanting reliable metrics without analysis paralysis, BON suffices.

The Real Strength of Each Platform

BON Loyalty's Genuine Advantages

Price-to-feature ratio dominates. BON provides enterprise-grade features at mid-market pricing. Multi-language support, unlimited members, strong gamification, referral tools—these come standard on cheaper plans.

Migration is frictionless. If you're switching from Smile.io or Yotpo, BON's migration tools transfer your points and tier data with minimal fuss. I've seen migrations completed with zero data loss in 1-2 days.

"Set and Forget" reliability appeals to founders without dedicated loyalty operations teams. The platform doesn't require constant optimization. It just works consistently.

B2B merchants get genuine support. BON's strong B2B tiering capabilities make it the natural choice for wholesale operations, distribution, or account-based loyalty. Smile.io's B2B features feel bolted-on by comparison.

The mobile experience, while basic, is honest. Customers can check points and redeem rewards without friction. No unnecessary features creating confusion.

Smile.io's Genuine Advantages

World-class design converts. The visual polish and UX of Smile.io's loyalty experience genuinely moves the needle on enrollment rates. Customers feel invited into something premium, not obligated into a discount tactic.

Point psychology expertise. Smile's team has deep knowledge of behavioral economics and rewards theory. Their product reflects this—features are positioned to maximize psychological engagement, not just transaction volume.

Shopify POS integration sets the standard. For omnichannel merchants, Smile's in-store capabilities are unmatched. Staff experience matters, and Smile delivers there.

Case study library and best practices are extensive. If you're unsure how to structure your program, Smile's resources provide battle-tested guidance. BON offers less public documentation on strategic implementation.

Referral link reliability is exceptional. Smile's links work across SMS, email, social—with minimal abuse. They've engineered this to near-perfection, while BON requires more manual monitoring for referral fraud.

Pros and Cons: The Specific Tradeoffs

BON Loyalty: The Full Picture

Pros:

• Provides a better price-to-feature ratio for mid-market brands looking to save on monthly SaaS fees
• Includes native multi-language and multi-currency support, making it ideal for international merchants
• Allows for an unlimited number of loyalty members even on the lower-cost paid plans
• Focuses on a 'Set and Forget' philosophy with highly reliable and simple logic that doesn't break
• Includes easy-to-use migration tools that make it simple to move points and tiers from Smile or Yotpo

Cons:

• The user interface and admin dashboard have less visual 'polish' than the market leaders
• The ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller, meaning fewer apps 'talk' directly to BON data
• Has lower brand recognition among customers, which may slightly impact trust for very new stores
• Lacks the advanced AI and predictive analytics found in more expensive enterprise platforms
• The mobile app experience for customers is basic and offers limited customization for branding

Smile.io: The Full Picture

Pros:

• Features world-class design aesthetics that are proven to convert shoppers into loyalty members
• Staff are 'Point Psychology' experts, with a product designed around the most effective rewards theory
• Provides robust support for Shopify POS, including a dedicated UI for in-store staff to reward points
• Has the most extensive library of case studies and 'Best Practice' guides in the ecommerce space
• Provides highly reliable referral links that are optimized for social media and SMS sharing

Cons:

• Setting up a multi-language loyalty program is clunky and often requires creating multiple versions
• Many of the most desirable VIP features are gated behind higher-tier plans that cost $199+ per month
• The customization options for B2B or Wholesale merchants are limited compared to specialist apps
• Customer support can be slow to respond during peak sales periods like BFCM or Christmas
• Does not include native anti-fraud rules for referrals, requiring merchants to monitor for abuse manually

Who Should Choose Which?

BON Loyalty Wins For...

Growing stores and small to mid-sized businesses on a budget. If you're operating with lean margins or bootstrapping, BON's pricing unlocks features you'd otherwise need to wait for or split across multiple apps.

B2B merchants seeking value-oriented loyalty tools. BON's tiering specifically supports wholesale relationships, distributor programs, and account-based loyalty. Smile.io doesn't prioritize this segment.

New Shopify stores testing loyalty programs. The free plan and easy migration path mean minimal risk. You can prove value before committing significant budget.

International merchants. 250+ languages mean you're never fighting software limitations as you expand globally.

Merchants prioritizing engaging experiences. If your customers respond to gamification—spin wheels, challenges, achievement badges—BON's features deliver that repeatedly.

Smile.io Wins For...

Established brands and enterprise-level merchants. Your reputation is built. You're investing in loyalty as a retention machine, not a growth experiment. Smile's polish and support justify premium pricing.

Data-driven teams needing robust analytics. If your team lives in dashboards and constantly tests loyalty mechanics, Smile's benchmarking and predictive features are worth the cost.

Merchants requiring extensive third-party integrations. Smile's ecosystem connects to more email platforms, helpdesks, and review apps. If you're orchestrating loyalty across 5+ other tools, Smile reduces friction.

Shopify Plus users. Smile's Plus-specific features and dedicated enterprise support make the higher cost competitive for your scale.

Omnichannel retailers with significant POS volume. If your team spends hours daily at the register managing loyalty, Smile's in-store UX and staff experience are worth the premium.

The unique advantages of a B2B loyalty platform help you understand whether vertical-specific considerations matter for your model.

What Merchants Actually Experience: Real Implementation

I've watched founders implement both. Here's what happens in practice:

BON implementations move fast. Setup is straightforward. Merchants launch within days and start seeing point activity immediately. They spend less time configuring and more time promoting the program to customers. The trade-off? They're not constantly discovering hidden depth in the product. What they see is what they use.

Smile.io implementations take longer but feel more strategic. Setup involves more discovery conversations—what psychology principles do you want to leverage? How should tiers feel exclusive? What behaviors do you actually want to reward? This intentionality pays off. When Smile programs launch, they tend to hit higher engagement metrics faster because they're built on behavioral theory, not just features.

Neither approach is wrong. One reflects "let's test loyalty and iterate" thinking. The other reflects "loyalty is core to our retention strategy" thinking.

The Migration Reality

Here's a myth I need to bust: Switching loyalty platforms will destroy your program.

It won't. Both BON and Smile support data migration. BON explicitly includes migration tools for moving from competitors. Smile can transfer data too, though you'll likely need support assistance.

The real consideration isn't whether your data survives—it does. It's whether your customer experience stays smooth. If you have 10,000 active members, switching programs means they might notice changes in the loyalty widget, the earning rules, or the redemption process. Handle this with communication and grace, and you're fine. Surprise customers with a platform change, and engagement dips temporarily.

Plan migrations carefully. Communicate the transition in email. Run both programs in parallel for a week if possible. This minimizes disruption.

Shopify Plus: Special Considerations

Both platforms support Shopify Plus, but at different levels. Smile.io's Plus plan includes SOC 2 compliance, dedicated support, and exclusive features like points redemption directly at checkout. BON offers Hydrogen/Headless support and SDK access on its Professional plan at lower cost.

For Shopify Plus stores needing white-label loyalty experiences or custom integrations, BON's developer tools might actually be the better technical fit. For those wanting turnkey enterprise features and dedicated account management, Smile.io delivers.

Analytics: The Data Question

Both platforms track what matters: member acquisition, point redemption, repeat purchase rates, and program ROI. The difference is depth.

Smile.io's analytics include deeper insights into understanding loyalty program ROI and key metrics with benchmark comparisons against industry peers. You see not just your numbers but how you stack up. This competitive lens helps ambitious teams set smarter targets.

BON's analytics show your program health clearly. You can see which reward tiers drive the most engagement, where drop-off happens, which earning rules resonate. For most merchants, this is sufficient for optimization.

The question isn't which has better analytics—both are competent. It's whether you need peer benchmarking to make decisions.

Integration Ecosystem: What Connects Where

Smile.io integrates with more third-party apps. If you're already using Klaviyo for email, Judge.me for reviews, and Gorgias for support, Smile's integrations might mean less manual data syncing.

BON integrates with major platforms too, but the ecosystem is smaller. You might need to build custom Zapier workflows to connect BON data to other tools.

This matters if you're running a sophisticated martech stack. It barely registers if you're using a handful of core tools.

Reviews, Ratings, and Real User Sentiment

Both platforms hold 4.9-star ratings on the Shopify App Store. But Smile.io has 4,000+ reviews versus BON's 1,500+. This reflects market maturity—Smile's been around longer and has more customers leaving feedback.

On G2, the picture is more granular. BON scores 9.1 on ease of use and 9.2 on loyalty engine flexibility. Smile.io scores 9.2 on ease of use but 9.0 on flexibility. The differences are minimal—both are genuinely good products.

The real sentiment divide comes in specific use cases. BON users with tight budgets rave about getting enterprise features at startup prices. B2B merchants praise the tiering. Smile.io users highlight design polish and data depth. Enterprise teams celebrate dedicated support.

No one's giving either platform a 2-star review for being fundamentally broken. The gaps are strategic, not fundamental.

The Choice Framework

Stop trying to pick the "best" platform. Instead, answer these questions:

What's your budget flexibility? If you're watching cash carefully, BON enables more features at your price point. If budget is flexible and you're investing in retention infrastructure, Smile.io's premium features justify cost.

How important is international growth? BON's language support alone is worth the conversation if you're selling across borders.

Is data obsession your competitive advantage? If your team breathes analytics and constantly tests loyalty mechanics, Smile.io. If you want reliable metrics without analysis paralysis, BON.

Do you operate physical retail at scale? Smile.io's Shopify POS experience is genuinely superior. If this is core to your operation, the difference matters enough to justify premium pricing.

How much setup support do you need? BON's "set and forget" reliability appeals to bootstrapped founders. Smile.io's strategic guidance helps teams building retention as a core function.

What's your integration reality? If you're already connected to Smile.io's ecosystem, switching costs time. If you're starting fresh, this barely registers in the decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the main difference between BON Loyalty and Smile.io pricing?

BON starts at $25/month with more features included at lower tiers. Smile.io starts at $49/month and gates advanced VIP features behind higher-tier plans ($199+). For budget-conscious merchants, BON's price-to-feature ratio wins. For established brands investing heavily in loyalty, Smile.io's enterprise features justify cost.

Which app is better for new Shopify stores?

BON. The free plan supports up to 250 orders monthly, the Basic plan costs just $25/month, and migration from other platforms is straightforward. You can test loyalty economics with minimal risk. Smile.io works for new stores too, but the higher entry price makes testing loyalty harder if you're bootstrapped.

Can I migrate my existing loyalty data between these platforms?

Yes. BON includes explicit migration tools for switching from Smile.io or Yotpo. Data transfers with zero loss in 1-2 days. Smile.io can transfer data too, though you'll likely need support help. The real consideration isn't whether data survives—it does. It's whether customers notice the transition and how you communicate it.

Does BON support B2B loyalty features that Smile.io doesn't?

Yes. BON's tiering specifically supports B2B relationships—wholesale accounts, distributor programs, account-based loyalty. Smile.io's B2B customization is limited. If wholesale is part of your model, BON deserves serious consideration.

Which platform has better gamification features?

BON scores 8.5 on G2 for gamification versus Smile.io's 6.7. BON includes spin wheels, achievement badges, social share bonuses, and birthday rewards. Smile.io's gamification exists but feels minimal. If engaging customers through gamified experiences matters to your strategy, BON delivers more.

TLDR

BON Loyalty and Smile.io both excel at customer retention, but they serve different merchants. BON wins on price-to-feature ratio, multi-language support, B2B capabilities, and gamification—making it ideal for growing stores, international brands, and budget-conscious teams. Smile.io wins on design polish, analytics depth, Shopify POS integration, and integration ecosystem—making it the choice for established brands, data-driven teams, and omnichannel retailers. Neither is objectively "better"; your choice depends on your business stage, budget, and specific feature priorities.