Novel is one of the newest loyalty apps on Shopify, and its AI-driven approach to reward personalization is genuinely interesting. But being new comes with trade-offs: a limited track record, fewer merchant reviews to learn from, a smaller integration ecosystem, and no support for wallet passes or physical stores. If you are betting your retention strategy on a loyalty platform, you may want one with more proven reliability — or one that offers mobile engagement channels Novel has not built yet. To see how costs compare across tools, try the loyalty cost comparison tool.
Platform maturity and reliabilityMobile engagement and wallet supportShopify POS and omnichannel capabilitiesAI and personalization featuresIntegration ecosystem breadthPricing transparency and scalability
Quick Recommendations
best overall
JeriCommerce
Omnichannel loyalty gives you the innovative mobile engagement that drew you to Novel, but through a proven channel — Apple and Google Wallet — rather than experimental AI
best for budget
BON Loyalty
If Novel's pricing felt right but you want something more proven, BON delivers core loyalty features at the lowest price on Shopify with a track record to back it up
best for omnichannel
JeriCommerce
NFC tap-to-identify and native Shopify POS integration create an in-store loyalty experience that no other app — including Novel — can deliver
best for enterprise
Yotpo Loyalty
The most mature enterprise platform with 20+ campaign types, advanced analytics, and a unified marketing suite — the stability Novel has not yet achieved
9 Best Novel Alternatives
JeriCommerce
WalletPOSnative
Omnichannel loyalty with Apple and Google Wallet passes — no app download needed
Best for: Shopify brands that want a direct mobile channel to customers with push notifications and NFC at POS
Apple and Google Wallet passes with 90%+ push notification open rates
NFC tap-to-identify at Shopify POS — frictionless in-store identification
Unlimited push notifications at zero cost per message
Deep Klaviyo integration for loyalty-driven email automation
No AI-driven reward personalization like Novel offers
Free plan capped at 50 passes
Newer platform, though more established than Novel
Smile.io
POSdeep
The most widely adopted Shopify loyalty app with a proven track record
Best for: Stores that want a reliable, well-documented loyalty platform with wide integration support
Largest installed base on Shopify — battle-tested at scale
Extensive integration library including Klaviyo, Gorgias, and ReCharge
Robust VIP tier system with multiple progression methods
Comprehensive documentation and responsive support
No AI personalization — all rules are manually configured
No wallet pass or NFC support
Widget design is functional but not as modern as Novel's
Yotpo Loyalty
POSdeep
Enterprise loyalty within a complete ecommerce marketing suite
Best for: Scaling brands that need loyalty, reviews, SMS, and subscriptions from one vendor
20+ campaign types with advanced segmentation and targeting
Unified suite covering reviews, SMS, subscriptions, and loyalty
Enterprise analytics with cohort analysis and A/B testing
Dedicated account management for larger merchants
Paid plans start at $199/mo — significant price jump
Platform complexity creates a steep learning curve
SMS costs are separate and add up quickly
LoyaltyLion
deep
Analytics-driven loyalty platform with deep customer behavior insights
Best for: Mid-market brands that want to understand exactly how loyalty drives revenue
Best-in-class loyalty analytics with revenue attribution
Highly flexible rule engine for custom earning and spending
Strong email integrations with Klaviyo and Omnisend
Dedicated success manager for higher-tier accounts
Minimum $399/mo — premium pricing
No AI-powered personalization
No wallet pass or NFC capabilities
BON Loyalty
standard
Budget-friendly loyalty app with core features at the lowest price
Best for: Small stores that want basic loyalty without overspending on tools
Most affordable loyalty app on Shopify with a generous free tier
Simple, clean interface that is easy to configure
Points, referrals, and VIP tiers included at all plan levels
No AI personalization or advanced features
No wallet pass, POS, or NFC support
Basic analytics and limited reporting
Rivo
standard
Design-forward loyalty app with a modern UI and rapid development
Best for: DTC brands that value polished aesthetics and are comfortable with a newer platform
Best-in-class widget design — modern and visually polished
Quick setup with well-designed onboarding
Frequent feature releases and responsive team
Similar maturity concerns as Novel — limited track record
Fewer integrations than established platforms
No wallet pass or POS support
Stamped Loyalty
standard
Loyalty add-on inside Stamped's established reviews platform
Best for: Stores already using Stamped Reviews that want to add loyalty without a new vendor
Bundled pricing with Stamped Reviews saves on total app costs
Proven platform with years of merchant reviews
Good review-to-reward incentive workflows
Loyalty is a secondary feature with less depth than standalone tools
Limited customization for complex reward rules
No wallet passes, NFC, or AI personalization
Growave
standard
All-in-one marketing app combining loyalty, reviews, and wishlists
Best for: Small stores that want to consolidate multiple apps into one tool
Replaces 4-5 separate Shopify apps with a single install
Competitive pricing for the range of features included
Good Shopify theme compatibility out of the box
Loyalty features are shallower than dedicated platforms
No wallet pass, POS, or AI capabilities
Support can be inconsistent during busy periods
Marsello
POSdeep
Omnichannel loyalty with built-in marketing automation and POS sync
Best for: Retailers with physical locations that need POS loyalty and automated marketing
Native omnichannel loyalty across online and Shopify POS
Built-in email and SMS marketing — no separate tool needed
Customer segmentation based on purchase and loyalty data
Solid cross-channel analytics
Starting around $100/mo — higher than Novel's entry price
No wallet pass or AI personalization
More complex than needed for online-only stores
Quick Comparison
Product
Wallet Passes
POS Support
Push Notifications
AI Personalization
Referral Program
Free Plan
Starting Paid Price
JeriCommerce
Yes (Apple + Google)
Yes (NFC + QR)
Yes (90%+ open rate)
No
Yes
Yes (50 passes)
$49/mo
Smile.io
No
Limited
No
No
Yes
Yes (200 orders)
$49/mo
Yotpo Loyalty
No
Yes
Via SMS (paid)
Limited
Yes
Yes (100 orders)
$199/mo
LoyaltyLion
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
$399/mo
BON Loyalty
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes (250 orders)
$25/mo
Rivo
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes (100 orders)
$49/mo
Stamped Loyalty
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
~$59/mo
Growave
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes (100 orders)
$49/mo
Marsello
No
Yes
Via SMS (paid)
No
Yes
Limited
~$100/mo
How to Choose the Right Alternative
If Novel's AI personalization drew you in but the limited track record gives you pause, decide what matters more: innovation or reliability. For proven mobile innovation, JeriCommerce offers wallet passes — a direct phone channel no other loyalty app provides. For proven reliability at scale, Smile.io has the largest merchant base. For proven analytics, LoyaltyLion leads. And if you just need solid basics while you wait for the AI loyalty space to mature, BON Loyalty or Growave will serve you well at a lower cost. To calculate the ROI of switching, use the loyalty ROI calculator and compare results across retention strategies.
FAQ
Is Novel established enough to trust with my loyalty program?
Novel is a legitimate Shopify app with real features, but it is one of the newest entrants in the loyalty space. There are fewer case studies, fewer merchant reviews, and a smaller support knowledge base compared to platforms like Smile.io or Yotpo. If your loyalty program is a critical revenue driver, you may want a more established platform — or at least run Novel alongside a backup plan.
Does Novel's AI actually improve loyalty performance?
Novel's AI personalizes which rewards and challenges individual customers see, which can improve engagement. However, the impact depends on your store size and data volume — AI needs significant customer data to make meaningful predictions. For smaller stores, a well-configured traditional loyalty program often performs just as well.
Can I migrate from Novel to another loyalty app?
Yes. Export your customer data and point balances from Novel as a CSV, then import into your new platform. JeriCommerce, Smile.io, and most other apps listed here support standard CSV imports. Plan for about an hour of setup work and a few days of running both apps in parallel.
Which Novel alternative offers the best mobile engagement?
JeriCommerce is the clear leader for mobile engagement. Instead of a web widget, your loyalty program lives in customers' Apple or Google Wallet — delivering push notifications with 90%+ open rates, real-time point balance updates on the lock screen, and NFC tap-to-identify at physical stores. No other loyalty app offers this level of mobile presence.
Is there a loyalty app that combines AI with wallet passes?
Not currently. Novel offers AI personalization but no wallet support. JeriCommerce offers wallet passes but no AI personalization. If both matter to you, JeriCommerce's wallet channel will likely have a bigger impact on engagement than AI-optimized reward suggestions — push notifications with 90%+ open rates are hard to beat with any algorithm.
Want proven innovation, not experimental AI?
Full loyalty platform with wallet passes, Web App, POS, and push notifications. Install in minutes, no credit card required.
