ReferralCandy and Smile.io are customer referral and loyalty tools for online store owners who want repeat and word-of-mouth sales. One is built to run referral and creator programs with payouts handled for the merchant. The other is built around points and spend-based status levels, with referrals as one part. Shopify brands that pay partners suit ReferralCandy, while smaller stores wanting one loyalty app suit Smile.io.
by ReferralCandy
Pricing: Basic $39/mo + 10.5% success fee; Grow $79 + 3.5%; Scale $249 + 1.5%; Enterprise $799 + 0.25%. 7-day free trial.
ReferralCandy runs referral and affiliate programs for Shopify stores, for a flat monthly fee plus a success fee that drops as revenue grows.
by Smile.io
Pricing: Free up to 200 orders/mo; Essential $15/mo, Standard $79/mo, Growth $199/mo adds VIP tiers, Plus $999/mo billed annually, Enterprise on request (USD)
Smile.io is a loyalty and referral app for Shopify and BigCommerce stores: points, VIP tiers and refer-a-friend rewards, with a permanent free plan.
Referral & Affiliate Marketing Software features side-by-side
Basic $39/mo + 10.5% success fee; Grow $79 + 3.5%; Scale $249 + 1.5%; Enterprise $799 + 0.25%. 7-day free trial.
Free up to 200 orders/mo; Essential $15/mo, Standard $79/mo, Growth $199/mo adds VIP tiers, Plus $999/mo billed annually, Enterprise on request (USD)
Choose ReferralCandy if you run referral and creator programs and want partner payouts handled for you. Choose Smile.io if you want points and status levels that bring repeat buyers back. ReferralCandy is bought on monthly paid plans. Smile.io starts with a free plan and then moves to paid plans. Higher plans on both are sold by quote.
A merchant who wants partners paid automatically will find ReferralCandy built for that job. It pays a commission on every subscription renewal, which suits stores that sell subscriptions. It also holds commissions through a return window before approving them. One limit is that the setup screens, menus and back end can feel confusing to a new user at first.
For a store that wants shoppers earning rewards on every order, Smile.io gives points and spend-based status levels in one app. Shoppers also see the points they can earn right on product pages. Points can also be earned and spent in a physical shop through Shopify POS. One limit is that design and earning options are restricted on lower plans, and status levels begin on a higher one.
ReferralCandy's users praise responsive support during setup and migration, along with flexible rewards and fraud protection. Its users complain that templates and landing pages are hard to customize without a developer, and connecting other tools takes some troubleshooting. Smile.io's reviewers like day-to-day use without developer help and a smooth Shopify integration. Responsive support earns praise too, though reviewers say the cost rises fast with growth and feels high for a small business.
ReferralCandy describes an ecommerce brand that sells a smart digital display and turned to referrals after paid ads and influencer outreach proved ineffective. A large share of its customers then arrived through a friend's referral. Smile.io tells of a travel luggage brand that ran a rewards program with points for purchases and referrals plus status levels to drive retention. Active members bought more often than other customers.
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