Both Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards and Smile: Loyalty Rewards Program boast excellent ratings of 4.9/5, making them strong contenders in the Shopify loyalty app space. However, Smile has significantly more reviews (3992) than Rivo (1440), suggesting a larger user base and potentially longer market presence. Rivo positions itself as a modern solution built on Shopify's latest technology for 2025, focusing on improving retention metrics and offering a Developer Toolkit for advanced customization. Smile, on the other hand, emphasizes ease of use and quick setup, highlighting features like points, VIP tiers, and referral programs within minutes, targeting a broader audience seeking a simpler, more readily deployable solution.
1,440 reviews
3,992 reviews
See why brands choose Rivo to power their loyalty, rewards & referral programs
Launch a loyalty program in minutes — with points, rewards, VIP tiers, referrals and more.
| Rating | 4.9/5 | 4.9/5 |
Rating Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards4.9/5 Smile: Loyalty Rewards Program4.9/5 | ||
| Reviews | 1440 | 3992 |
Reviews Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards1440 Smile: Loyalty Rewards Program3992 | ||
| Focus | Retention Metrics, Customization | Ease of Use, Quick Setup |
Focus Rivo: Loyalty Program, RewardsRetention Metrics, Customization Smile: Loyalty Rewards ProgramEase of Use, Quick Setup | ||
| Target Audience | Fast-growing DTC brands, Developers | Broader Audience (Thousands of Merchants) |
Target Audience Rivo: Loyalty Program, RewardsFast-growing DTC brands, Developers Smile: Loyalty Rewards ProgramBroader Audience (Thousands of Merchants) | ||
| Customization | Rivo Developer Toolkit for full customization | Customize every detail to match brand look |
Customization Rivo: Loyalty Program, RewardsRivo Developer Toolkit for full customization Smile: Loyalty Rewards ProgramCustomize every detail to match brand look | ||
| Integration Strength | Instantly integrates with stack (Klaviyo, Gorgias, Postscript) | Deeply integrated with Klaviyo, Judge.me, Gorgias, and 30+ tools |
Integration Strength Rivo: Loyalty Program, RewardsInstantly integrates with stack (Klaviyo, Gorgias, Postscript) Smile: Loyalty Rewards ProgramDeeply integrated with Klaviyo, Judge.me, Gorgias, and 30+ tools | ||
| Ease of use | Not explicitly stated but implies more techincal expertise needed due to the developer toolkit. | Emphasis on launching in minutes |
Ease of use Rivo: Loyalty Program, RewardsNot explicitly stated but implies more techincal expertise needed due to the developer toolkit. Smile: Loyalty Rewards ProgramEmphasis on launching in minutes | ||
| Value Proposition | Cutting-edge technology, metric-driven results | Simplicity, broad feature set, established user base |
Value Proposition Rivo: Loyalty Program, RewardsCutting-edge technology, metric-driven results Smile: Loyalty Rewards ProgramSimplicity, broad feature set, established user base | ||
For merchants who prioritize speed and ease of implementation and prefer a well-established platform with a larger user base, Smile is likely the better option. Its emphasis on quick setup and a comprehensive feature set makes it suitable for a wider range of businesses. However, merchants with more technical expertise, specific customization needs, and a focus on directly improving retention metrics might find Rivo's developer toolkit and metric-driven approach more appealing. Rivo positions itself as a more cutting-edge solution, prioritizing performance and advanced customization over sheer simplicity.
Smile clearly emphasizes ease of setup, allowing merchants to launch a loyalty program in minutes. Rivo does not explicitly state ease of setup, and the inclusion of a Developer Toolkit suggests a steeper learning curve for advanced customizations.
Rivo offers a Developer Toolkit specifically designed for full customization, making it the better choice for merchants who require deep control over their loyalty program's functionality and design.
Smile claims integration with 30+ tools, implying a broader range of existing integrations compared to Rivo's explicit mention of Klaviyo, Gorgias and Postscript. While Rivo claims 'instantly integrates with your stack', Smile appears to have wider out-of-the-box support.
Rivo explicitly states its focus on driving actual retention metrics, suggesting a more data-driven and performance-oriented approach compared to Smile's broader focus on loyalty and rewards.
Smile is likely the better choice for non-technical users due to its emphasis on ease of use and quick setup. The Rivo Developer Toolkit suggests a need for at least some technical expertise.
Rivo claims 24/7 world class live chat support, suggesting better availability. Smile doesn't mention specific hours, but the FAQ implies they offer support to help you set up and optimize.
Run audits for SEO, CRO, PageSpeed, and AI visibility. Get a clear report and actionable fixes.
Try Fix My Store