How Much Do Loyalty Programs Really Cost to Start

You may wonder how much do loyalty programs cost in 2025. Most customer loyalty program platforms cost $10 to $100 each month for small businesses. Bigger brands can spend thousands each month. A good loyalty program helps you keep customers and grow loyalty. You should know your loyalty program cost before you start. Planning helps you make your loyalty program work well. Many business owners pick digital solutions like Loyally AI. These tools make keeping customers easy and not too expensive. Customer loyalty program tools help you build strong loyalty with smart features.

Key Takeaways

• Loyalty program costs are different for each business size. Small businesses pay $10 to $100 each month. Big brands might spend $1,000 or even more.

• You should plan your loyalty program costs with care. Make sure to add technology fees, rewards, marketing, staffing, and support to your budget.

• Pick the best solution for what you need. Off-the-shelf options like Loyally AI cost less and are simple to use. Custom programs have more features but cost more money.

• Think about how complex your program will be. Simple programs cost less. If you add things like tiers or referrals, it will cost more.

• Look at all the costs before you begin. Write down what you need and compare platforms. This helps you find the best one for your budget.

Average Cost of a Loyalty Program

Typical Cost Range

You want to know how much do loyalty programs cost in 2025. The answer depends on your business size and needs. Most small businesses pay between $10 and $100 each month for a basic digital loyalty program. Medium-sized businesses often spend $100 to $500 per month. Large brands may pay $1,000 or more every month. Some companies choose custom solutions. These can cost $5,000 to $50,000 or more for setup and monthly fees.

Tip: Start with a simple plan. You can upgrade your loyalty program cost as your business grows.

Here is a table to help you compare the typical cost range:

You see that pricing changes with your needs. Loyally AI offers plans for every size. You can pick a plan that matches your budget and goals.

What’s Included in Loyalty Program Costs

When you look at loyalty program cost, you need to know what you get for your money. Most loyalty program costs include these main parts:

• Technology and Platform Fees: You pay for the software or app that runs your customer loyalty program. This covers digital cards, CRM, and notifications.

• Rewards and Incentives: You spend money on discounts, points, or gifts for your customers. These costs depend on how many rewards you give out.

• Marketing and Promotion: You may pay for ads, emails, or social media posts to tell people about your loyalty program.

• Staffing and Training: You might need to train your team or hire someone to manage the program.

• Integration and Compliance: You pay for connecting your loyalty program to other systems, like your POS or website. You also pay to keep customer data safe.

• Support and Maintenance: You pay for help and updates to keep your program running well.

Note: Some platforms, like Loyally AI, include many features in one price. You get CRM, unlimited PUSH notifications, and wallet integration without extra costs.

You should check what each plan includes. Some loyalty program costs cover only the basics. Others give you more tools, like analytics and referral sharing. You want to make sure your loyalty program cost matches your business needs.

You can see that the average cost of a loyalty program covers more than just the software. You pay for rewards, marketing, and support. You need to plan for all these costs to get the best results from your customer loyalty program.

If you want to know how much do loyalty programs cost for your business, start by listing what you need. Compare pricing from different platforms. Look at the features and support. You will find that a smart loyalty program cost helps you keep customers and grow your sales.

Cost Categories

Technology & Platform Fees

You pay technology and platform fees to start a loyalty program. These fees pay for the loyalty software you use. The software gives you digital cards, CRM tools, and PUSH notifications. Most loyalty software has a monthly fee. Some platforms, like Loyally AI, give you many features for one price. You should look at different loyalty program costs before picking a platform.

Rewards & Incentives

Rewards and incentives help make your loyalty program fun. You spend money on discounts, points, or gifts for customers. The cost changes based on how many rewards you give. It also depends on how often customers use them. You can set a budget for rewards to keep costs low. Many businesses use loyalty software to track rewards and watch spending.

Marketing & Promotion

You need to tell people about your loyalty program. Marketing costs include ads, emails, and social media posts. You might pay for design or printing if you use paper materials. Digital loyalty software often has tools for sending messages and running campaigns. You can use these tools to save money on marketing.

Tip: Automated PUSH notifications in loyalty software help you reach customers without extra cost.

Staffing & Training

You might need staff to run your loyalty program. Training helps your team learn the loyalty software. Some platforms are simple and need less training. You should plan for staff costs if your program is big or in many places.

Integration & Compliance

You connect your loyalty program to other systems, like your POS or website. Integration costs depend on how many systems you have. You also pay for compliance to keep customer data safe. Good loyalty software has security features and follows GDPR and CCPA rules.

Support & Maintenance

Support and maintenance help your loyalty program work well. You pay for updates, help, and fixing problems. Some loyalty software gives support in the monthly fee. You should check what support you get before picking a platform.

Note: Planning for all cost categories helps you control loyalty program costs and get the best results for customer loyalty.

Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf Loyalty Program Cost

Custom Program Costs

You might want a custom loyalty program for your business. Custom loyalty program development lets you pick all the features. You work with developers to make it fit your brand. The cost of loyalty program implementation for custom programs is high. You pay for planning, design, and coding work. Starting costs can be $5,000 or even more. Ongoing implementation cost means paying for updates and support. You also pay to connect it to your other systems. The cost of building a loyalty program from scratch depends on what you need. Custom loyalty program implementation takes a lot of time. You must test it and train your team. You need to plan your budget for every step of implementation.

Off-the-Shelf Solutions (Loyally AI)

You can start a loyalty program fast with off-the-shelf solutions like Loyally AI. These platforms have ready-made tools for loyalty program implementation. You pay a monthly fee that covers most things. Loyally AI gives you digital cards, CRM, and unlimited PUSH notifications. You do not need to hire developers or pay big setup fees. The cost of loyalty program implementation stays low. You can quickly connect it to your POS and website. Loyally AI lets you launch your program in just minutes. You save time and money on implementation. You also get support and updates in the price.

Pros and Cons

Note: You should look at the cost of loyalty program implementation before you decide. Custom loyalty program implementation gives you more choices, but costs more. Off-the-shelf solutions like Loyally AI make implementation simple and cheap. You can start your loyalty program with less work and lower cost.

Factors Influencing Loyalty Program Costs

Business Size & Industry

Your business size changes how much you pay for a loyalty program. Small shops often spend less because they have fewer customers. Large stores or chains need bigger programs, so their costs go up. Your industry also matters. A coffee shop may give out simple rewards, but a hotel or airline needs more features. Some industries need special tools or rules, which can add to the potential costs in a loyalty program.

Program Complexity

Simple programs cost less. If you want a basic stamp card or points system, you pay a lower price. When you add more features, like tiers, referrals, or custom rewards, the costs rise. You may want to track customer behavior or offer special deals. These extras make your loyalty program more powerful, but they also increase the cost.

Technology & Integrations

The technology you choose affects your loyalty program costs. Off-the-shelf platforms like Loyally AI keep things simple and affordable. If you need to connect your loyalty program to your POS, website, or other tools, you may pay more. Custom integrations can raise the cost. You should check if your platform supports easy connections. Good technology helps you manage your program and control costs.

Example Calculations

You can calculate loyalty program pricing by looking at your needs. For example, a small café with 500 customers might pay $12 per month for Loyally AI. If you give out $50 in rewards each month and spend $20 on marketing, your total monthly cost is $82. A larger business with more locations and advanced features may pay $78 per month for the platform, plus higher rewards and marketing costs. Always add up all the costs to see the real price of your loyalty program.

Tip: List all your needs and check each cost before you start. This helps you plan and avoid surprises.

You need to make sure loyalty program costs fit your budget. Costs include technology, rewards, marketing, and support. Loyally AI helps you save money with simple tools and quick setup. You get a CRM, unlimited PUSH notifications, geolocation marketing, analytics, referral sharing, and wallet integration. Customers in paid programs spend 60% more. Brands get back almost five times what they spend. This shows loyalty programs are valuable. Loyally AI can help you manage loyalty program costs. Find out how loyalty programs help and try Loyally AI today! Get started with Loyally AI today!

FAQ

How much does it cost to start a loyalty program with Loyally AI?

You can begin for just $12 each month. This price gives you unlimited digital cards, CRM, PUSH notifications, and analytics. There are no extra setup fees to pay.

What features do I get with Loyally AI’s monthly plans?

You get digital loyalty cards and a built-in CRM. You also get unlimited PUSH notifications and geolocation marketing. Referral sharing and wallet integration are included too. Analytics and customer support come with your plan.

Can I customize my loyalty program with Loyally AI?

Yes, you can pick from over 100 templates or make your own digital cards. You can set up rewards, discounts, and memberships. You can change things to fit your business.

Do I need technical skills to use Loyally AI?

You do not need any technical skills. Loyally AI is simple to use. You can start your loyalty program in just a few minutes with easy tools and guides.