Any eCommerce brand should have a dedicated loyalty program in 2025 and beyond. The average customer acquisition cost makes it tough to turn a profit on the first sale, which is why it’s so important to have systems in place that encourage customers to consistently come back to make additional purchases.
Growave has been a solid entry point into Shopify loyalty programs for a lot of brands because it has a lot of features you need to run your online storefront. Not just loyalty but wishlists, reviews, and more. A jack of all trades is a master of none, though - and this could be why you’re here looking for an alternative to Growave. Well, look no further.
We’ve put together this list of some of the top solutions currently available to help you narrow it down for your brand’s specific needs. But the TL;DR version: the Rivo Shopify loyalty program is second to none.
Trusted by nearly 10,000 leading Shopify brands like HexClad, Ridge, Dr. Squatch, and more, our solution gives you unparalleled control over the look and feel of your program. But the best part is how seamlessly it integrates with your storefront to simplify setup and optimization.
We make it easy to personalize every little detail along the way and start building brand advocates that not only spend more over time, but also refer friends and family.
Some brands are seeing a 52x loyalty program ROI and a 3.1x repeat purchase rate. You can get your loyalty program live in minutes, too. Take the next step today with Rivo.
What Does Growave Do?
Growave is an all-in-one Shopify app that helps merchants drive higher customer engagement and retention through loyalty, reviews, and social proof - all in one package. Well, depending on the pricing tier you subscribe to, of course.
For the sake of this conversation, we’re going to focus mainly on the loyalty side of things. Growave gives you the tools you need to build customizable loyalty and referral programs to keep users coming back for more, while sharing your storefront with others.
Its loyalty offering combines a points-based program, VIP tiers, and a referral engine. Customers can earn points for purchases, account creation, or engagement actions, then redeem them for rewards like gift cards, free shipping, or discounts.
Higher spenders can reach VIP tiers, creating exclusivity and encouraging continued loyalty by unlocking better benefits over time. The Shopify referral program Growave helps you build rewards both advocates and their friends for driving new traffic and sales. Word-of-mouth marketing remains one of the most powerful, scalable acquisition channels today.
Beyond loyalty, it bundles in wishlist functionality, Instagram user-generated content galleries, and product reviews - all from a dedicated loyalty page that’s fully brand-customizable.
The platform works across Shopify online stores and POS, with integrations for Klaviyo and support for headless builds through its API and developer toolkit. That means it can be as simple or complex as you want it to.
Entry-level plans start at $49/month but scale up to $999/month if you need more advanced features like Shopify Hydrogen support, unlimited integrations, and strategic account management.
Growave sounds great for smaller Shopify brands looking to consolidate their tech stack at an affordable price point. But, there are quite a few reasons you could be here looking for an alternative to Growave.
Reasons Shopify Brands Look For an Alternative to Growave
Growave has a really good 4.8/5 star rating on the Shopify app store - so we want to be clear in saying this is a solid solution for the right brand. It’s not perfect for everyone, though.
Whether you’re looking for something you can launch faster or something with a bit more focus on loyalty in particular, there’s a stronger alternative to Growave for you below.
Slow Onboarding and Launch
We’ve seen a lot of Shopify merchants note that Growave can take longer than expected to set up and launch effectively. A lot of this can be traced back to all the moving pieces under the Growave umbrella: loyalty, referrals, reviews, and UGC.
Onboarding feels complex and drawn out, especially for teams without a dedicated developer or marketer managing the rollout. Speed is everything for eCommerce brands looking to launch a loyalty program. You want something you can go live with in minutes, not days or weeks.
Not Enough Focus on Loyalty
The sheer variety of features and products you gain access to with Growave can be a benefit or a hindrance, depending on how you look at it. It all sounds great in theory, but tends to feel overwhelming in reality.
There’s also credence to the old adage that a jack of all trades is a master of none, and a software that does 5 different things may not be as laser-focused on each individual product as you’d like.
Some merchants find that loyalty feels like just one of many modules, rather than the core product. There’s a lack of specialization that might leave your team longing for deeper loyalty-specific controls, be it more advanced reward logic, more granular segmentation, or sophisticated campaign analytics.
Customer Service Complaints
Support experiences are another area where Shopify brands sometimes express frustration with Growave, according to some of the reviews we read through.
Growave does advertise 24/7 email, chat, and even phone support on higher tiers for what it’s worth. But, here are a few reviews in particular we thought were important to share:
“Have ran into issues with Growave time and time again over the last 2 odd years of using the app, and their live chat team seem to never be able to give me clear cut answers. The same one-liner is always used, ‘let me forward this to our developers and get back to you when we receive a reply.’”
“Furious with this application and the customer service. Everything was fantastic in the beginning. They get you onboarded and treat you wonderfully until you're all in and everything is integrated. Then they don't give a damn about you. They have no respect or loyalty to their customers who have been with them for years.”
“Had one of the worst experiences with this app. Couldn't even begin to describe the months of back and forth while we helped them solved coding issue, fix crucial bugs and glitches. There is WAY too many codes that Growave implements on your site, 30+. This causes website to be slow and the user experience to be horrible.”
High Pricing Compared to Alternatives
Growave starts at $49/month, but the reality is most Shopify brands will need to subscribe to one of the higher tiers. You don’t get a dedicated loyalty page or VIP tiers until you pay $199/month, and you can’t customize your loyalty page or rewards until you pay $499.
We’re big advocates that you get what you pay for when it comes to your business. But, you shouldn’t have to overpay for features that should be standard. A lot of brands get to the pricing conversation and immediately begin looking for an alternative to Growave.
Ranking the Best Growave Alternatives for Shopify Brands
You’re in the right place if you’ve come to the conclusion that Growave won’t meet your needs - or that it’s time to upgrade if you're currently using it. A lot of merchants discover that while Growave covers a lot of ground, its all-in-one nature can dilute what truly drives retention.
So, let’s help you find the best Growave alternative below for Shopify brands that cannot compromise on agility, depth, and a seamless customer experience. Look no further than Rivo, the platform that puts loyalty first.
Rivo
Rivo was built specifically for Shopify brands focused on maximizing retention, and it shows in every detail. Our unified, Shopify-native solution feels like an extension of your store rather than a bolt-on feature.
Every program element lives directly in your Shopify admin, so you can launch and iterate faster without leaving your workflow. We pull in all the necessary details from your Shopify customer accounts so you can bake personalization into the entire experience.
Rivo’s loyalty suite includes customizable points programs, tiered VIP rewards, and referral campaigns that can all be managed through an intuitive, drag-and-drop builder that doesn’t require coding.
Reward rules can be as simple or advanced as your strategy demands: create SKU-specific offers, launch double-points campaigns tied to holidays, or set multipliers for high-LTV segments. You can even surface dynamic reward previews during checkout to motivate last-minute conversions!
Deep Shopify integration powers real-time order validation, customer tagging, and loyalty segmentation based on Shopify data. You’re never “guessing” what will work best with Rivo thanks to the sophisticated loyalty program analytics you gain access to.
The platform also syncs with Klaviyo, SMS tools, and other key apps to keep your retention strategy cohesive. There are over 150 features out of the box, so you can keep the experience connected and cohesive for your customers.
Expect world-class customer service every step of the way, from your first interaction to guidance on launch and optimization. We can even walk you through a demo if you want tips on making the most of our alternative to Growave.
We have an even stronger rating on the Shopify app store than Growave at 4.9/5 stars - nearly perfect. You’ll understand why once you get your loyalty program live and discover what's possible with Rivo.
Still on the fence? See what other brands have accomplished using the Rivo loyalty program. One brand grew loyalty revenue by $800k in under 6 months. Another saw a 156% lift in AOV, while this brand grew repeat purchase rate by nearly 27%.
Or, get started improving retention today by requesting a demo!
“Amazing app. It has some really useful features and the customer support team is phenomenal. They respond within seconds and they are very knowledgable. As a store owner, this app is showing a lot of results and our customers are super happy to be using the rewards system we have. It increased engagement and purchases.”
“Great customer service, super user-friendly compared to other loyalty apps. Gives you a sense of peace of mind before launching. I love the fact that they have a separate loyalty management page.”
“Absolutely love the Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards app — it's a total game-changer for my store! But what truly made the experience exceptional was Arianne's amazing support. She's kind, quick to respond, and genuinely cares about helping users succeed.”
Stamped Loyalty
Stamped Loyalty is part of the Stamped.io suite, which many Shopify brands already know for its popular reviews app. Thus, it should come as no surprise this is such a popular Growave alternative.
The loyalty module integrates tightly with customer reviews and UGC campaigns, so it’s a pretty strong choice for a brand looking to tie rewards to engagement beyond purchases.
Stamped lets you reward actions like writing reviews, sharing on social, and referring friends, all while keeping a unified view of the customer. Points-based programs and tiered VIP offerings are easy to configure, and pricing is fair for smaller merchants just starting with loyalty.
But the same reason you’re drawn towards an alternative to Growave could push you towards an alternative to Stamped loyalty. It sometimes feels as if loyalty is secondary to its reviews platform - more of an add-on to enhance the primary product than a fully dedicated solution.
The customization options for rewards and workflows are limited compared to platforms like Rivo, and deeper Shopify-native features aren’t nearly as strong. Stamped Loyalty only has a 4.2/5 star rating on the Shopify app store with far fewer reviews, too.
Smile.io
Smile.io is one of the most widely used loyalty platforms on Shopify, especially those looking for simplicity over advanced customization. It works wonderfully for straightforward “Give/Get” referral programs or points-based loyalty systems. You can get up and running quickly.
It also includes a handful of VIP tier options, works well with Shopify POS, and offers integrations with major email platforms like Klaviyo. We took some time to round up the things brands appreciated most about this platform, and they consistently pointed to the clean admin and intuitive setup process.
This is a solid alternative to Growave for smaller Shopify brands looking to launch a loyalty program ASAP. But you’ll start to see fairly quickly why merchants start looking for a smile.io alternative. That simplicity can be a double-edged sword.
While it’s great for smaller, less complex programs, brands looking to scale often find themselves limited by its rigid reward rules, lack of dynamic checkout incentives, and minimal customization beyond the basics.
We’re all for keeping things as straightforward as possible, but when it prevents you from really nurturing loyalty and building brand advocates, that’s when it becomes a problem. You may feel boxed in if you want to tailor campaigns by segment, run advanced promotions, or showcase rewards dynamically throughout the purchase journey.
Yotpo
Yotpo is a well-known enterprise platform that claims to do it all - loyalty, referrals, SMS marketing, and reviews are the main features, though. Sound familiar?
The software has a strong loyalty offering for brands that want a highly structured, multi-channel approach that integrates tightly with other Yotpo products. Where it really shines, though, is enterprise-level segmentation, analytics, and customer lifecycle campaigns.
You’ll also gain access to features such as advanced VIP tiers, robust reporting, and deep Klaviyo and SMSBump integrations. This all sounds great if you’re looking to replace Growave with something more sophisticated. So what’s the catch?
That enterprise-level functionality comes with an enterprise-level price tag and learning curve. Some brands that tried it say they began searching for a Yotpo alternative because the complexity felt out of reach or unnecessary for their goals.
Small and mid-size DTC eCommerce brands often feel frustrated by the long onboarding times, too. It can feel like you lose control over your loyalty program since the convoluted nature of this platform requires constant one-on-one work with their team.
Fortunately, Rivo delivers most of the enterprise-grade features you crave in a much lighter, more Shopify-native implementation that allows brands to move faster, at a more accessible price point.
Loyalty Lion
Last but not least we have Loyalty Lion, a platform for data-driven brands who want the strongest level of insights and advanced customer analytics. You can create points-based, tiered, and referral programs with customizable rewards and creative earning actions.
But the real appeal here is the focus on retention metrics and customer lifetime value. This makes it easy to align loyalty with measurable business outcomes. The loyalty rewards management features you unlock with Loyalty Lion are nothing short of impressive. Shopify integration is solid and the analytics dashboard is one of the more insightful among loyalty tools.
That said, Loyalty Lion can be data-heavy to a fault in some cases - prompting smaller brands that lack the bandwidth to act on every insight to seek out a Loyalty Lion alternative.
We’ve had quite a few customers switch to Rivo from Loyalty Lion and they say the interface feels dated, and customizing the customer experience requires more technical input than they’re interested in navigating.
Those same merchants tell us they feel Rivo strikes a better balance between intelligence and ease of use. You get no shortage of actionable analytics - but with a faster, more intuitive way to launch and iterate campaigns.
Picking the Perfect Growave Alternative For Your Brand
This is not a decision to take lightly, as onboarding and launch can be time-consuming. You want to get it right the first time around so you don’t end up looking for another alternative a few weeks or months down the road.
Our advice is to think about what matters most for your business. That’s probably things like how well the platform integrates with Shopify, the loyalty and referral logic flexibility, and whether it empowers your team to move fast without relying on outside help. Ask yourself:
Does it support your growth today and tomorrow?
Can it deliver a seamless customer experience while being easy for your team to manage and scale?
What do other Shopify brands have to say about the solution?
Remember, Rivo is here to help you level up your retention strategy if you want a loyalty and referrals platform purpose-built for Shopify brands. One that gives you speed, flexibility, and an experience your customers will actually love. Start building smarter loyalty today with a personalized walkthrough at Rivo!
Wrapping Up Our List of Alternatives to Growave
We hope this deep dive into the top alternative to Growave has left you eager to take the next step. While there are no shortage of features within the Growave ecosystem, loyalty deserves to be in the spotlight, not another bolted-on product.
Each alternative we covered has strengths, but Shopify brands consistently value ease of use, native integration, and the ability to launch impactful campaigns quickly.
That’s where Rivo shines with a platform designed for Shopify so you can deliver seamless, rewarding experiences that drive repeat sales and advocacy. See what a truly Shopify-native loyalty program can do with Rivo today!
