The 5 best customer loyalty software providers in 2026

Your retail manager looks at the latest figures: the repurchase rate is falling, while the cost of acquiring new customers continues to rise. The key question is: how can customer loyalty be systematically built up and success measured? Modern customer loyalty software turns occasional buyers into regular customers. They make repeat purchases and recommend your company to others. We compare the five leading loyalty platforms in 2026 and show which features are essential, which solution is ideal for which company profile, and how you can make the right decision for your business.

The topic in a nutshell

• ROI beats acquisition: Customer retention is up to 5 times more cost-effective than acquiring new customers—a 5% increase can boost profitability by 25–95%. 
• Omnichannel is standard: Modern software works directly via POS, app, and web. Apps further increase customer interaction and are also available out-of-the-box as white label solutions from providers such as Convercus. 
• Personalization drives engagement: AI-supported segmentation and individual rewards measurably increase customer lifetime value. 
• Enterprise performance delivers results: Solutions such as Convercus achieve redemption rates of up to 80% and have already registered over 6 million customers in a program in a very short time. 
• Convercus combines all strengths: With API-first architecture, enterprise performance, and guaranteed success management, Convercus is a leading choice for strategic customer loyalty management.

What should good customer loyalty software include?

Successful customer loyalty does not happen by chance, but through the targeted use of the right functions. Modern customer loyalty software must do much more than just manage points. It should use customer data intelligently, automate processes, and integrate directly into existing systems. The following core functions are crucial for turning occasional buyers into loyal regular customers and sustainably increasing customer lifetime value.

Personalization

Personalization is the key to successful loyalty management software. Today's customers no longer expect generic offers; instead , they want relevant rewards tailored to their individual needs. 

In practice, successful personalization manifests itself in four key areas:

• Individual point systems: Customers collect points based on their specific purchasing behavior and level of engagement.
• Personalized coupons: Discounts and offers are displayed based on previous purchases and interests.
• Behavior-based triggers: Automatic actions are triggered by specific customer activities.
• AI-supported product recommendations: Intelligent algorithms suggest relevant products and increase cross-selling potential.

This personalization increases the relevance of every interaction, thereby measurably boosting both engagement and redemption rates. The Convercus Loyalty Engine uses smart and individualized reward structures— with redemption rates of up to 80%. It is important to note that all data must be processed in compliance with the GDPR to ensure trust and security.

automation

Automation makes your customer loyalty programs scalable and efficient. Good loyalty software automates recurring processes such as point credits, status updates, birthday bonuses, or reactivation campaigns. This allows companies to serve thousands of customers simultaneously and in real time—always at the right time, without compromising the quality of the interaction. 

Intelligent automation encompasses the following core functions:

• Automatic welcome workflows: New program participants immediately receive their first points and a personalized welcome.
• Point expiration reminders: Customers are informed in good time before their accumulated points expire.
• Milestone rewards: Bonuses or status upgrades are automatically awarded when certain thresholds are reached.
• Inactivity trigger: Customers who have not made a purchase for a long time receive targeted reactivation offers.
• Cross-channel synchronization: Points and rewards are updated in real time across all channels.

With Convercus marketing automation, companies can set up complex customer journeys without the need for developers. The intuitive automation builder enables the creation of behavior-based trigger campaigns that respond to customer activities in real time and increase repurchase rates by up to 274%.

Digital loyalty card

The digital loyalty card is the central element of modern loyalty programs and is increasingly replacing physical plastic cards. It is always available on smartphones and enables real-time interaction between companies and customers. Points can be credited immediately by scanning a QR code at the point of sale, while the app displays the current points balance, provides digital coupons, and sends push notifications for personalized offers.

The most important advantages of digital loyalty cards at a glance:

• Direct communication channel: Push notifications , personalized offers, and news reach customers in real time—without detours via third-party platforms.
• No risk of loss: The card is stored digitally on your smartphone and cannot be lost or forgotten.
• Parallel use possible: The app can be used in parallel with physical customer cards.
• Real-time updates: Scores, status changes, and new rewards are synchronized immediately.
• Omnichannel availability: Use across all channels, whether in-store, online, or in the app
• Reduced costs: Companies save on printing and shipping costs for physical customer cards and mailings.

Modern solutions offer wallet integrations for Apple Wallet and Google Pay, as well as white label apps that strengthen the brand experience. The Convercus white label app fully reflects your brand identity. It offers custom design, native push notifications, and a direct online store connection. 

Integrations

Direct integrations are critical to the success of any customer loyalty software. The platform must be able to connect to existing systems: CRM for customer data, e-commerce for online transactions, POS for in-store purchases, marketing automation for campaigns, and ERP for business processes. The API-first approach has established itself as the modern standard, as it enables flexible connections and makes the system landscape future-proof.

The following system integrations are essential for effective loyalty programs:

• CRM systems: Synchronization of customer profiles, purchase history, and preferences for personalized communication
• POS systems: Real-time recording of transaction data and point credits at the point of sale
• E-commerce platforms: Integration into online stores for consistent omnichannel experiences
• Email marketing tools: Automated sending of loyalty campaigns and personalized offers
• Analytics platforms: Comprehensive evaluation of customer data and program performance
• Payment provider: Connection for cashback programs and digital rewards

Good integrations break down data silos and enable a 360-degree view of the customer. Convercus' API-first approach allows for the connection of almost all commercially available systems. The platform offers maximum reliability even in complex omnichannel scenarios. 

Which customer loyalty software is right for your company?

Choosing the right customer loyalty software depends largely on the size of your company, the number of customers you have, and your strategic goals. The following overview shows which solution is best suited to which company profile and will help you make your decision.

Choosing the right customer loyalty software also depends on industry-specific requirements, your omnichannel strategy, and specific growth plans. Retail companies need strong POS integrations, while e-commerce pure players rely on shop connections. Enterprise companies that expect maximum performance, proven success, and strategic customer loyalty management will find Convercus to be the most scalable and high-performance solution on the market.

The 5 best customer loyalty software providers compared

The customer loyalty software market offers solutions for a wide range of company sizes and industries—from enterprise platforms with millions of users to tools focused on small and medium-sized businesses. Choosing the right loyalty software depends on factors such as company size, technical requirements, budget, and strategic goals. Below, we present five top providers and show which solution is best suited to which company profile.

Convercus: The Enterprise Loyalty Platform for Strategic Growth

Convercus is an enterprise solution for strategic customer loyalty management that combines API-first architecture with proven omnichannel expertise. The platform combines four main modules: The Loyalty Engine enables flexible points systems, status management, and partner programs, while the Couponing module delivers personalized offers across all channels. The Engagement area provides AI-powered insights, marketing automation, and white label apps, complemented by technical integrations that ensure direct system connections even in complex omnichannel scenarios.

Key strengths:

• Payback reference and loyalty expertise: Proven experience with Germany's largest loyalty program and over 50 enterprise customers such as OBI, Euronics, Intersport, and toom
• Up to 80% redemption rate: Above-average program activation through strategic design and AI-powered personalization
• Over 6 million customers successfully integrated: Proven scaling in a single loyalty program across three markets and 1,100+ POS locations in a very short time
• Low-latency infrastructure: API response times under 200 ms and real-time processing even with millions of transactions per day
• Multi-tenant capability: Manage multiple brands or locations via a central platform with flexible authorization management
• White label app & wallet pass: Your own branded apps with 8 times higher customer interaction compared to pure web programs

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Ideal for: Retail , fashion, DIY, hospitality, mobility, fuel, and multi-partner programs with high scalability requirements

PAYBACK: The multi-partner bonus program with maximum reach

PAYBACK is not a traditional customer loyalty software provider, but rather Europe's largest multi-partner bonus program. Companies join the network as partners and benefit from the existing infrastructure and user base. Customers collect points across the board and redeem them for rewards or cashback.

Key strengths:

• High reach: 31 million active users in Germany, over 700 partners in brick-and-mortar retail and online – this makes PAYBACK the best-known bonus program in the DACH region.
• Strong brand awareness: The app is one of the top three shopping apps in Germany with over 17 million active users.
• Multichannel marketing platform: PAYBACK has evolved from a simple bonus card to a data-driven marketing platform, offering partners personalized coupons, newsletters, and in-app campaigns.
• Proven infrastructure: Partners benefit from an existing technical platform including POS integration, app integration, and omnichannel orchestration.

Where are the limits?

As a partner in the PAYBACK network, your company is one of many—branding, customization, and data sovereignty are limited. Convercus offers full brand control and unlimited program design. 

Ideal for: Companies seeking maximum reach via an established partner network and willing to trade branding and customization options in favor of brand awareness and existing customer base

Brevo: The marketing suite with integrated loyalty module

Brevo—formerly Sendinblue—is an all-in-one marketing platform focused on email marketing, marketing automation, and CRM. The company was founded in Paris in 2012 and serves over 500,000 customers worldwide. In 2024, Brevo expanded its portfolio to include an integrated loyalty module that enables points-based and cashback programs directly within the platform. Its strength lies in its seamless integration with the multichannel marketing ecosystem: loyalty program data flows directly into email, SMS, WhatsApp, and push campaigns.

Key strengths:

• Integrated multichannel marketing: Loyalty data can be used directly in email, SMS, WhatsApp, and push campaigns—all from a single platform, without data silos.
• Easy entry for existing customers: Those who already use Brevo for marketing automation can activate the loyalty module without complex integration and get started right away.
• Mobile wallet & digital customer card: Customers receive access to their personalized wallet card via QR code or email—no separate app download required.
• Broad integration ecosystem: Connects to Shopify, WooCommerce, Salesforce, WordPress, and over 150 other tools via plug-ins and APIs

Where are the limits?

At Brevo, loyalty is an add-on, not a core product—complex rules, deep POS integrations, multi-partner programs, and enterprise scaling are not part of the feature set. As a specialized loyalty platform, Convercus offers dedicated modules for loyalty, couponing, and engagement with proven performance across millions of transactions.

Ideal for: E-commerce companies and SMEs that already use Brevo as their marketing platform and want to set up a complementary loyalty program without additional software.

eesii by Bertelsmann Marketing Services: The direct mail specialist

eesii is not a loyalty software provider in the traditional sense, but rather a specialist in automated direct mail campaigns. The platform—developed by Bertelsmann Marketing Services—combines online marketing logic with print: Companies can send personalized postcards, self-mailers, and letters automatically and on a trigger-based basis, for example, in the event of shopping cart abandonment, inactivity, or as a welcome mailing.

Key strengths:

• Automated print campaigns: Direct mail is managed like digital campaigns—trigger-based, personalized, and integrable into existing marketing automation suites.
• No opt-in required: Print mailings reach 100% of customers with a postal address, fully GDPR-compliant – a decisive advantage over purely digital channels.
• High impact through haptics: Physical mailings generate longer attention spans and stronger emotional bonds than digital messages – particularly effective for reactivation and churn prevention.

Where are the limits?

eesii does not replace loyalty software—the platform does not offer point systems, status management, digital loyalty cards, or omnichannel functions. Convercus covers the entire spectrum of strategic customer loyalty and can be expanded as a supplementary channel through direct mail providers such as eesii if required.

Ideal for: Companies that want to expand their existing digital marketing mix with a highly personalized print channel – particularly effective in combination with a dedicated loyalty platform.

Hello Again: The SME loyalty solution

Hello Again is a customer loyalty solution specifically designed for small and medium-sized businesses in the DACH region. The platform combines a white label app with your own design and a clear dashboard for managing all loyalty activities. The focus is on rapid implementation without IT projects – ideal for local retailers, restaurateurs, and service providers who want to engage in professional customer loyalty. In addition to classic points programs, the all-in-one solution also covers couponing, push communication, and customer analysis.

Key strengths:

• Rapid implementation: Program launch within a few days—no lengthy integration projects or extensive technical resources required
• White label app with your own design: Fully customizable customer loyalty app with your own branding instead of a generic third-party solution
• All-in-one platform for SMEs: customer loyalty, CRM, marketing automation, review management, and analytics in one solution without additional tools

Where are the limits?

The solution is optimized for simplicity and quick implementation—it lacks the necessary structures for enterprise requirements such as complex omnichannel scenarios, deep POS connections, or multi-market rollouts. Convercus offers significantly more customization, deeper couponing logic, and proven scalability for international programs with over 1,100 POS locations.

Ideal for: SMEs and chain stores in the retail, catering, and service sectors with limited IT resources

The most important selection criteria for customer loyalty software

Choosing the right customer loyalty software determines the success or failure of your loyalty strategy. Companies must weigh up various factors: from the range of functions and technical requirements to data protection and ROI. The following criteria will help you identify the platform that best suits your corporate strategy.

• Functionality and flexibility: The software must fit your corporate strategy and support various program types—from points systems to cashback to gamification. Look for flexible rules, diverse reward options, and comprehensive personalization options that grow with your company.
• Integration and technical requirements: Connectivity to existing systems is critical to success. The platform should integrate CRM, POS, e-commerce, marketing tools, and analytics. API-first solutions offer maximum flexibility, while pre-built integrations enable faster implementation.
• Scalability and performance: The software must be able to handle increasing customer numbers and transaction volumes. Fast API response times of less than 200 ms, high availability guarantees, and automatic peak load handling during campaign peaks are crucial.
• Data protection and compliance: Full GDPR compliance is non-negotiable in the DACH region. Ensure data hosting in the EU, transparent consent management, automated information and deletion functions, and certifications such as ISO 27001 for information security.
• ROI and pricing model: The investment must pay off in measurable terms. Evaluate not only monthly costs, but also the expected ROI through higher repurchase rates, increased customer lifetime value, and reduced acquisition costs. Enterprise solutions often offer performance-based pricing models that are based on the value generated.

Convercus – The best customer loyalty software for measurable success

The customer loyalty software market offers a wide range of solutions for different needs and company sizes. There is no such thing as a "best" solution across the board—the key is to find the platform that best suits your specific requirements, your industry, and your strategic goals. While SMEs benefit from fast implementation and intuitive operation, enterprise companies need maximum scalability, comprehensive integrations, and proven performance for millions of transactions.

For companies that take a strategic approach to customer loyalty and expect measurable results, Convercus is a leading choice in the enterprise segment. The platform combines proven expertise with impressive metrics: 

• 5-fold ROI 
• 80% customer identification at the POS for precise personalization
• 8 times higher customer interaction through the white label app
• +274% increase in repurchase rate 
• +134% higher shopping cart value among active program participants 

The consistent API-first approach enables direct integration into existing systems, while the in-depth knowledge of the DACH market is particularly impressive when it comes to complex POS connections.

Frequently Asked Questions

What customer loyalty systems are available?

There are five main types of customer loyalty systems: points programs reward repeat purchases with collectible points, cashback systems offer direct financial rebates, tiered loyalty creates status incentives through graduated benefits, partner programs expand reach through collaborations, and gamification-based programs increase engagement through playful elements. The choice of the right system depends on your business model, your industry, and your customers' preferences.

What are the five types of customer loyalty?

The five types of customer loyalty are: 

• Emotional connection through brand identification and shared values
• Economic ties through premiums, discounts, and financial incentives
• Contractual commitment through subscriptions and memberships
• Technical lock-in due to platform lock-in and system dependencies 
• Social bonding through communities and network effects. 

Successful customer loyalty strategies combine several of these types for maximum impact.

How much does customer loyalty software cost?

The cost of customer loyalty software varies considerably depending on the size of the company and the range of functions: SME solutions start at €100 per month, mid-market platforms cost between €1,000 and €5,000 per month, and enterprise solutions start at €5,000 per month or use usage-based pricing models. However, it is not the price that is decisive, but the ROI—an increase in customer loyalty of just 5% can increase profitability by 25–95%.

What are customer loyalty programs?

Customer loyalty programs are structured measures designed to increase customer loyalty through targeted incentives, rewards, and personalized experiences. They create systematic incentives for repeat purchases and long-term customer relationships. The main objectives are to increase the repurchase rate, increase customer lifetime value, and reduce customer churn. Modern programs use data and automation for personalized communication across all channels.