Rivo vs Stamped: 2026 Comparison

# Rivo vs Stamped: 2026 Comparison

Most Shopify store owners don't realize that their choice of loyalty platform can single-handedly determine whether customers become repeat buyers or drift to competitors. Between Rivo and Stamped, there's a fundamental philosophical difference: one prioritizes loyalty and referrals as a specialized solution, while the other takes an all-in-one approach to customer engagement. Understanding which philosophy aligns with your brand's goals is critical.

Customer retention has never been more valuable. It costs 5-7 times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one, making loyalty programs a strategic necessity rather than a nice-to-have feature. Loyalty programs drive repeat purchases, increase customer lifetime value (CLTV), and foster brand advocacy as part of effective customer retention strategies.

In the crowded Shopify app ecosystem, Rivo: Loyalty & Referrals and Stamped stand out as two of the most popular solutions for managing retention at scale. Both have earned their reputations, but they serve different merchant profiles and business goals. This comparison will help you evaluate their features, pricing, integrations, and overall fit for your 2026 retention strategy.

Comparison Overview: Rivo vs Stamped at a Glance

Rivo positions itself as a high-performance, scalability-focused loyalty and referral platform built for rapidly growing DTC brands. It emphasizes speed, customization, and specialized features for points-based programs with deep developer access.

Stamped takes a broader approach, combining loyalty and rewards with comprehensive review management and user-generated content (UGC) capabilities. This all-in-one positioning appeals to merchants seeking a unified engagement platform without juggling multiple apps.

The distinction matters. Choosing between them depends on whether you want a specialized loyalty powerhouse or an integrated engagement suite.

Rivo: Powering Loyalty & Referrals for Scalable Growth

Who is Rivo Best For?

Rivo serves rapidly scaling DTC brands that prioritize deep loyalty and referral customization. It's ideal for merchants who prefer focused, specialized tools and have the technical capacity (or desire) to leverage developer access for custom implementations. If your primary retention goal is points-based loyalty and referral incentives, Rivo aligns perfectly.

Core Loyalty Features & Capabilities

Rivo's foundation is built on formal loyalty currency—a points system engineered for flexibility and scale. Customers earn points for purchases, referrals, social actions, and custom behaviors you define. The platform supports tiered redemptions, allowing customers to exchange points for discounts, exclusive products, or store credit.

VIP tiers are designed specifically for lifecycle marketing. Rather than a generic ranking system, Rivo's tiers segment customers based on loyalty status, allowing you to deliver targeted campaigns, exclusive perks, and personalized experiences at each level. This lifecycle-focused approach integrates seamlessly with email platforms like Klaviyo for sophisticated segmentation.

Referral programs in Rivo are equally robust. You control earning structures, incentive types, and tracking mechanisms with granular precision. The platform handles fraud detection and reward distribution automatically, reducing manual overhead as your referral volume grows.

Rivo Pros

• Built natively using Shopify's latest 2026 API standards to ensure maximum speed and performance. Rivo leverages Shopify's newest technical infrastructure, meaning your loyalty features load faster and integrate more smoothly with core Shopify functions.
• Engineered for speed with a performance-first architecture that results in faster load times for the store. This isn't just about user experience—faster checkout experiences correlate directly with higher conversion rates and reduced cart abandonment.
• Provides advanced anti-fraud and anti-cheat rules that protect the brand from referral abuse. As your referral program scales, bad actors will attempt to game the system. Rivo's built-in protections safeguard your loyalty investment.
• Features modern Checkout UI components that allow for a seamless redemption experience during checkout. Redemption friction directly impacts whether customers actually use their earned rewards. Rivo's checkout integration removes that friction.
• Offers a transparent and predictable pricing model that doesn't surprise merchants as they scale. Cost uncertainty creates budgeting headaches. Rivo's pricing grows predictably with your business, eliminating surprises.

Rivo Cons

• Does not include native reviews or UGC tools, requiring you to use another app like Okendo. If you need comprehensive review management, you'll maintain a separate app subscription and manage data flows between platforms.
• The library of third-party integrations is currently smaller than legacy competitors. You may find fewer pre-built connectors to your tech stack, potentially requiring custom integration work.
• Does not include a built-in visual UGC gallery found in more comprehensive suites like Stamped. Displaying user-generated content requires a separate solution, adding to your app stack and complexity.
• The specialized landing page builder is modern but may lack some features of dedicated builders. If custom loyalty page design is critical, you might still need an additional page builder tool.
• Does not currently include an integrated affiliate or influencer marketing module. Managing influencer partnerships requires a separate platform or manual processes.

Stamped: Integrated Loyalty, Reviews, and UGC for Holistic Engagement

Who is Stamped Best For?

Stamped appeals to merchants seeking an all-in-one engagement platform. Its free tier makes it accessible for small businesses starting their retention journey. It's particularly valuable for brands that want reviews and UGC to work hand-in-hand with loyalty—creating a unified customer engagement strategy rather than juggling multiple apps.

Core Features: Loyalty, Reviews, and UGC

Stamped's loyalty module handles points earning and redemption alongside traditional tiered rewards. What distinguishes it is the native integration with review management. Customers earn points for writing reviews, submitting photos, and creating video testimonials—transforming reviews into loyalty engagement mechanics rather than separate functions.

The review management component collects, moderates, and displays product reviews across your store. You can showcase site reviews, customer photos, and video content directly on product pages and in marketing materials. This integrated approach means data flows naturally: reviews feed loyalty, loyalty encourages reviews, and user-generated content builds trust through authentic customer voices.

Stamped Pros

• Provides a unified dashboard for managing both Reviews and Loyalty for a seamless experience. No context-switching between apps. All customer engagement metrics appear in one interface, reducing operational friction.
• Includes a module for Video Reviews, allowing customers to earn points for high-quality video content. Video testimonials carry exceptional credibility. Rewarding video submissions directly creates powerful social proof assets while engaging loyal customers.
• Features a strong visual UI that is highly customizable to match modern DTC brand identities. The platform's visual design reflects contemporary e-commerce aesthetics, and customization options let you maintain brand consistency.
• Offers one of the best Klaviyo integrations for syncing loyalty and UGC data in one email flow. Klaviyo integrations enable sophisticated segmentation based on loyalty status and content contributions, making your email marketing more targeted and personal.
• Includes an integrated Affiliate marketing module that allows you to manage influencers in the same app. Managing influencer partnerships directly within your engagement platform eliminates tool-switching and ensures accurate tracking.

Stamped Cons

• The loyalty logic and rule sets are often secondary to their primary focus on product reviews. If loyalty is your primary goal, you may find the feature set less comprehensive than dedicated loyalty platforms.
• The script load is relatively heavy because it must handle both the reviews widget and loyalty displays. More code on the page means slightly slower page loads, which affects user experience and SEO performance.
• The pricing structure can become complex and expensive as you add multiple modules. While the free plan appeals to small stores, costs escalate quickly when combining loyalty, reviews, and affiliate features.
• The VIP tier logic is less customizable than dedicated retention platforms like LoyaltyLion or Rivo. If sophisticated tier segmentation is critical, Stamped's tier options may feel limiting.
• Currently lacks a dedicated strategy team for loyalty-specific business reviews and optimization. You won't have expert guidance specifically optimizing your loyalty program—a disadvantage for merchants new to retention strategy.

Side-by-Side Feature Comparison: A Deeper Dive

Loyalty & Referral Program Depth

Both platforms support points-based earning, but their approach differs. Rivo treats points as a formal currency with sophisticated conversion mechanics. Stamped integrates points naturally into its broader engagement framework, where reviews and referrals equally drive point accumulation.

Referral programs showcase clearer separation. Rivo's referral program mechanics offer granular customization for tracking, fraud prevention, and multi-tier incentive structures. Stamped's referral functionality works alongside its review ecosystem, which can feel less specialized if referrals are your primary focus.

VIP tiers in Rivo are deliberately designed for lifecycle marketing—creating distinct customer segments you can target with email campaigns, exclusive perks, and personalized experiences. Stamped's tier system emphasizes progression and status, more game-like than strategic segmentation.

Review Management & User-Generated Content (UGC)

This is where Stamped dominates. Its review collection system automatically requests feedback post-purchase. The moderation tools maintain quality. Display options let you showcase reviews prominently across your store. Most importantly, you can reward customers for submitting photos and videos, turning review collection into an engagement mechanic.

Rivo merchants needing robust review management must integrate a separate app. While this adds complexity, it also provides flexibility—you can choose the review platform that best fits your needs rather than accepting Stamped's integrated solution.

For merchants prioritizing authentic social proof, understanding review platforms like Stamped versus alternatives like Okendo becomes crucial to your content strategy.

Customization & Branding

Both platforms allow customization of widgets, pop-ups, and loyalty pages to match brand identity. Rivo offers deeper developer access for merchants willing to invest in custom development. Stamped's customization is more visual than code-level.

If you need API-level control or custom loyalty logic beyond standard rules, Rivo provides that capability. If visual customization and pre-built flexibility suffice, Stamped delivers faster implementation.

Integrations & Ecosystem Compatibility

Rivo's integration library is growing but smaller than legacy platforms. Key integrations include Klaviyo, Omnisend, and Postscript. For emerging integrations, you may need custom API work.

Stamped excels at Klaviyo integration specifically. Its ability to sync reviews, loyalty data, and customer engagement in unified email workflows is exceptional. Both platforms support Shopify POS for omnichannel consistency.

Ease of Use & Merchant User Experience

Rivo's dashboard reflects modern design principles but assumes some technical comfort. Setup involves defining earning rules, redeeming conditions, and tier structures. Merchants new to loyalty programs may find the depth overwhelming.

Stamped's interface prioritizes simplicity. The all-in-one design means you don't learn multiple tools, but this comes at the cost of slightly reduced customization depth for specific use cases.

Scalability for Growing Shopify Stores

Rivo explicitly positions itself for scale. As transaction volumes increase, the platform's performance-first architecture and predictable pricing maintain efficiency. The anti-fraud systems protect your program as referral volumes spike.

Stamped scales adequately but becomes more expensive as you add modules. For stores experiencing rapid growth combined with increasing review volumes, costs can escalate quickly.

Pricing Analysis & Value Proposition

Rivo Pricing Plans

Rivo offers a free tier with basic features, suitable for testing. Paid plans start at reasonable price points and scale based on order volume and customization complexity. The pricing model emphasizes transparency—no surprise costs as you grow.

Stamped Pricing Plans

Stamped's free plan appeals to stores with fewer than 50 monthly orders. As volume increases, you transition to paid plans. Adding reviews, video features, and affiliate management multiplies costs. For small stores just starting, the free tier provides genuine value. For scaling brands, costs compound.

Long-Term ROI & Analytics

Tracking key retention metrics and loyalty analytics directly determines program success. Rivo's analytics focus on points programs, redemption rates, and referral performance. Stamped's analytics blend review metrics with loyalty data, creating a broader engagement picture.

Both platforms connect to business intelligence tools, but neither provides predictive analytics or machine learning-driven insights. For detailed ROI calculation, you'll likely integrate with Google Analytics or Shopify's native reporting.

Support Quality and Resources

Rivo offers 24/7 support with documented responsiveness. Support channels include email and live chat, with dedicated resources for troubleshooting technical integrations.

Stamped provides email and chat support. Response times are generally good, but some merchants report slower assistance during peak seasons. Neither platform offers dedicated strategy teams focused on optimizing your loyalty program specifically—that's a gap both fill inadequately.

Migration Process & Switching Considerations

If you're currently using one platform and considering switching, understand the practical implications. Data migration between Rivo and Stamped requires exporting customer data, loyalty points, and referral history, then reimporting into the new system. Most migrations take 2-5 days depending on data complexity.

Points don't automatically transfer in most cases, creating a customer communication challenge. You'll need to explain to members whether their points carry over, expire, or convert to store credit. This perception issue can impact retention if handled poorly.

Setup time for the new platform typically requires 3-7 days for full configuration, testing, and launch.

Key Takeaways & Final Verdict

Rivo excels as a performance-first, scalability-focused loyalty and referral platform. Choose it if you want specialized loyalty capabilities, advanced fraud protection, and predictable pricing. It's the right fit for rapidly growing DTC brands that view loyalty as a core competitive advantage.

Stamped delivers unified engagement combining loyalty, reviews, and UGC. Choose it if you want everything in one dashboard, value review management equally to loyalty, and prefer simplicity over specialization. It's ideal for small-to-medium stores building comprehensive customer engagement without app proliferation.

The "best" platform depends entirely on your priorities. If loyalty and referrals are your focus, Rivo wins. If you want an integrated engagement suite with strong review capabilities, Stamped delivers. Your 2026 retention strategy should reflect which philosophy matches your brand's approach to customer relationships.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Rivo integrate with a separate reviews app effectively?

Yes. Rivo works alongside dedicated review platforms like Okendo. You'll maintain separate dashboards and manage data flows between apps, but the integration works smoothly. The trade-off is managing multiple apps versus Stamped's unified interface.

Is Stamped's free plan truly sufficient for a small store?

For stores under 50 monthly orders, yes. The free plan includes basic loyalty and reviews. As you scale beyond this threshold, you'll need paid plans, which increase costs as you add features.

How does the setup process compare between Rivo and Stamped?

Rivo requires more configuration upfront but offers deeper customization. Stamped is faster to set up but requires accepting pre-built structures. Total setup time: Rivo averages 5-7 days; Stamped averages 2-3 days.

Which platform offers better reporting on customer lifetime value?

Neither platform provides native CLTV calculations. Both sync data to email platforms like Klaviyo, which offer CLTV reporting through integrations. For detailed CLTV analysis, expect to use separate analytics tools alongside either platform.

TLDR

Rivo is a performance-first, specialized loyalty and referral platform ideal for rapidly scaling DTC brands that prioritize deep customization and predictable pricing. Stamped offers a unified engagement suite combining loyalty, reviews, and UGC in one dashboard—better for merchants seeking simplicity and comprehensive customer engagement without multiple app subscriptions. Choose Rivo if loyalty and referrals are your core focus; choose Stamped if you want an all-in-one engagement solution with strong review capabilities.