BON Loyalty Program & Rewards vs. btwn: A Strategic Comparison

Introduction

Short answer: Choosing between these two tools depends on whether a merchant requires a traditional points-based engine or a referral-centric cash-back system. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards offers a traditional, feature-rich loyalty structure with VIP tiers and B2B capabilities, while btwn focuses on automated cash rewards and simplified referrals. Merchants seeking to minimize operational complexity often find that integrated platforms offer more streamlined data management than managing separate, niche applications.

Selecting the right retention software is a pivotal decision for any Shopify store. The goal is rarely just to give away points; it is to build a sustainable ecosystem where customers feel valued and return naturally. This analysis examines BON Loyalty Program & Rewards and btwn to help merchants determine which tool aligns with their specific growth stage, technical requirements, and customer engagement goals. By evaluating their feature sets, pricing models, and integration capabilities, store owners can make a choice that supports long-term retention without adding unnecessary technical debt.

The purpose of this comparison is to provide an objective, data-driven look at two different approaches to customer loyalty. One app leans heavily into the structured loyalty experience popular in traditional retail, while the other attempts to simplify the reward process through direct cash incentives. Understanding these nuances is essential for any growth strategist looking to improve repeat purchase rates and customer lifetime value.

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards vs. btwn: At a Glance

Core Features and Workflows

Loyalty Mechanics and Point Systems

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards operates on a traditional points-and-rewards architecture. It allows merchants to award points for various actions, which customers can later redeem for discounts, free shipping, or specific products. This system is highly modular, offering "Money off" and "Percentage off" rewards. A significant advantage of this workflow is its ability to handle complex scenarios, such as excluding specific collections or products from earning points. This level of control is necessary for brands with thin margins on certain items or those that run seasonal promotions where loyalty points might otherwise conflict with existing sales.

In contrast, btwn emphasizes a more direct financial incentive. The focus shifts from abstract points to "cash rewards" for purchases. This approach is often easier for customers to grasp immediately, as there is no need to calculate point-to-dollar conversions. The workflow in btwn is designed around automation, connecting the business with customers through processes that reward both the purchase and the act of referring others. While it lacks the intricate point-earning rules found in BON, it targets the psychological appeal of cash-back, which can be a powerful motivator for specific demographics.

VIP Tiers and Customer Segmentation

Segmentation is where BON Loyalty Program & Rewards provides a more structured path for high-value customers. The app includes a VIP Tier program that allows for accelerated point earning and exclusive rewards. This is a critical feature for brands that want to gamify the shopping experience. By creating milestones, merchants can encourage customers to increase their annual spend to reach the next tier of benefits. The inclusion of a B2B Loyalty Program is another standout feature, specifically designed to boost wholesale sales through exclusive tiered rewards. This makes BON a viable option for hybrid stores that serve both retail and wholesale clients.

According to the provided data, btwn does not specify a structured VIP tier system. Its primary method for enhancing retention is through rewards for purchases and reviews. While this keeps the customer experience simple, it may limit a merchant’s ability to create the kind of long-term "aspirational" loyalty that VIP tiers provide. For stores that rely on a small group of high-spending "power users," the lack of a formal tier system might be a significant drawback.

Referral Programs

Both apps include referral capabilities, but the execution differs. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards features an "Anti-Cheat" referral program, which is essential for protecting a store's margins from fraudulent accounts or self-referrals. It uses automated emails to keep both the referrer and the referee informed about their rewards. The system is designed to be launched in minutes, making it accessible for merchants who need a quick implementation of a standard referral loop.

The referral system in btwn is marketed as an "all-in-one referral loyalty system." It focuses on attracting new customers through referral bonuses and engaging existing customers to refer their friends in exchange for rewards. The emphasis here is on simplicity and ease of use. However, without detailed anti-fraud specifications in the provided data, merchants may need to monitor the quality of referrals more closely than they would with a more robust system.

Customization and Control

Visual Customization

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards provides a dedicated loyalty page and allows for brand-tailored experiences. For stores with specific aesthetic requirements, the Growth plan unlocks custom CSS, supported by their development team. This is a vital consideration for mid-to-large brands that need the loyalty widget and page to blend seamlessly with their unique theme. The app also supports multi-language displays, which is a necessity for international stores looking to provide a localized experience to different regions.

The customization options for btwn are less detailed in the provided data. It mentions a merchant dashboard for metrics analysis, but there is no specific mention of custom CSS or deep visual theme integration. This suggests that btwn may offer a more "out-of-the-box" experience with standardized widgets. While this reduces setup time, it might lead to a less cohesive brand experience on more sophisticated storefronts.

Strategic Control and Rules

The ability to exclude products and collections is a major point of control within BON. This ensures that the loyalty program does not erode profits on low-margin goods. Furthermore, the "Points at checkout" feature, available for Shopify Plus merchants, significantly reduces friction by allowing customers to apply their points directly during the final payment step. This integration is a high-end feature that directly impacts conversion rates at the most critical stage of the buyer journey.

Control within btwn seems to be centered around the automated nature of the rewards. The platform is designed to ease business decisions through metrics analysis, providing a dashboard for merchants to track the success of their referral and reward campaigns. While this automation is helpful for smaller teams, the lack of granular exclusion rules or advanced checkout integrations (based on the provided data) might make it difficult for larger stores to manage complex promotional calendars.

Pricing Structure and Value for Money

Entry-Level Options

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards offers a "Free Forever" plan that includes the points program, referral program, and basic discounts. This is an excellent entry point for new stores testing the waters of loyalty marketing. Even at the free level, it provides automated emails, which is a core component of keeping the program top-of-mind for shoppers.

Information regarding btwn’s pricing is not specified in the provided data. This makes it difficult to conduct a direct comparison of the entry-level value. For merchants on a strict budget, the transparency of BON’s free tier provides a level of certainty that is currently missing from the available information for btwn.

Scaling and Professional Needs

As a store grows, BON offers a Basic plan at $25 per month and a Growth plan at $99 per month. These plans introduce features like POS rewards, free product rewards, and unlimited orders. The Growth plan is particularly notable for adding VIP tiers and B2B loyalty, which are essential for scaling. At the highest level, the Professional plan costs $349 per month and includes enterprise custom packages and full API access. This indicates that BON is built to grow with a brand, from its first sale to enterprise-level operations.

When evaluating feature coverage across plans, merchants must consider the total cost of ownership. While BON’s Professional plan is a significant investment, the inclusion of custom development support and SDK/API access provides a path for headless commerce (Hydrogen) and highly bespoke integrations. For btwn, the lack of pricing data means merchants must reach out to the developer or check the Shopify App Store directly to understand how the cost scales with their order volume.

Integrations and Ecosystem Fit

Tech Stack Compatibility

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards has a robust list of integrations. It works with Shopify POS, allowing for a unified loyalty experience across online and physical retail locations. It also integrates with popular review apps like Fera, LAI, and Judge.me, as well as marketing giants like Klaviyo and PageFly. This "works with" list is a strong indicator of an app that is designed to sit at the center of a merchant's marketing stack, sharing data across platforms to trigger emails or display loyalty status on landing pages.

The integration list for btwn is not specified in the provided data. For a modern e-commerce store, the ability of a loyalty app to "talk" to the email service provider (ESP) or the customer service platform is non-negotiable. Without these connections, data becomes siloed, and the merchant must manually export and import lists to keep their marketing campaigns accurate. When verifying compatibility details in the official app listing, merchants should look for these deep integrations to avoid manual work.

Operational Overhead

Managing a loyalty program requires ongoing effort. BON’s 24/7 live chat support and dedicated development support for custom CSS help reduce the burden on the merchant’s internal team. However, as more integrations are added, the complexity of the "app stack" increases. Each integration is a potential point of failure or a source of data discrepancy.

The simplicity of btwn may suggest lower operational overhead, as it focuses on automated cash rewards and simplified referrals. However, simplicity can sometimes lead to a lack of flexibility. If a merchant finds they need more advanced features later—like tiered rewards or specific product exclusions—they may have to migrate to a more complex tool, which creates its own set of operational challenges.

Performance and Reliability Cues

Social Proof and Trust Signals

Trust is a major factor when choosing an app that handles customer data and financial rewards. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards has a rating of 5.0, though this is based on a single review. While the rating is perfect, the low review volume suggests that it may be a newer or more niche offering compared to long-standing market leaders. Merchants should keep this in mind when scanning reviews to understand real-world adoption and looking for feedback from stores of a similar size.

For btwn, there are 0 reviews and a rating of 0 in the provided data. This lack of social proof is a significant risk factor for a merchant. It does not necessarily mean the app is of low quality, but it does mean there is no public track record of how the app performs under pressure or how responsive the support team is when issues arise. For a critical function like loyalty and referrals, many merchants prefer tools with a proven history of stability.

Support and Maintenance

BON emphasizes its 24/7 support team, which is a strong selling point for global businesses operating in different time zones. The higher-tier plans even offer "Support Priority" and enterprise custom packages. This level of service is designed to give larger merchants peace of mind.

The developer of btwn is listed as b.plat LLC, and the platform was developed in 2020. While the longevity is positive, the lack of reviews makes it hard to gauge the current level of support. When choosing a plan built for long-term value, the availability of a responsive support team is often as important as the feature set itself.

The Alternative: Solving App Fatigue with an All-in-One Platform

A common challenge for growing Shopify stores is the phenomenon known as "app fatigue." As a merchant attempts to improve retention, they often install separate apps for loyalty points, another for photo reviews, a third for a wishlist, and a fourth for Instagram galleries. This results in tool sprawl, where multiple subscriptions lead to high costs, and fragmented data makes it impossible to get a clear view of the customer journey. Furthermore, having five different widgets from five different developers loading on a storefront can significantly slow down page speeds and create a cluttered, inconsistent user experience.

Growave addresses these challenges by offering an integrated retention stack. Instead of managing a disjointed collection of single-feature tools, merchants can manage loyalty programs that keep customers coming back alongside reviews and wishlists in a single dashboard. This "More Growth, Less Stack" philosophy ensures that customer data flows seamlessly between modules. For instance, when a customer leaves a review, they can be automatically rewarded with loyalty points without needing a complex third-party integration. This synergy is difficult to achieve when using separate apps like BON and a separate review tool.

The value of consolidation becomes even clearer when looking at real examples from brands improving retention. By moving away from a bloated app stack, these brands reduce their total cost of ownership and simplify their workflows. Instead of training a team on four different interfaces, they use one platform to handle the core pillars of customer engagement. This unified approach doesn't just save time; it creates a more professional and cohesive experience for the end shopper, who sees a consistent design and logic across the entire store.

For brands that have moved beyond the initial startup phase, selecting plans that reduce stacked tooling costs is a strategic move toward operational efficiency. Growave’s platform includes not only rewards and referrals but also high-impact tools like VIP tiers and incentives for high-intent customers. This ensures that as your brand grows, you have the enterprise-grade features required—such as Shopify Plus checkout extensions and full API access—without the headache of managing a dozen different vendor relationships.

Furthermore, integrating collecting and showcasing authentic customer reviews into the loyalty loop allows for powerful automation. You can set up workflows where a purchase triggers a review request, and the completion of that review triggers a point reward, all within the same ecosystem. This creates a powerful flywheel effect where social proof that supports conversion and AOV is constantly being generated by your most loyal customers.

If consolidating tools is a priority, start by a pricing structure that scales as order volume grows. By taking a holistic view of your retention strategy, you can avoid the pitfalls of data silos and provide a much more rewarding experience for your customers. Seeing how other brands connect loyalty and reviews provides a roadmap for how an integrated stack can outperform a collection of individual apps in both efficiency and impact.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between BON Loyalty Program & Rewards and btwn, the decision comes down to the desired complexity of the reward system and the need for proven reliability. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards is a robust choice for those who want a classic points-based loyalty engine with advanced B2B and VIP features, backed by a clear pricing structure. On the other hand, btwn offers a simpler, referral-focused approach centered on cash rewards, though the lack of public reviews and detailed integration data suggests a need for cautious evaluation.

However, many merchants eventually find that managing multiple specialized apps for loyalty, reviews, and referrals leads to unnecessary complexity and rising costs. While individual tools like BON or btwn can solve specific problems, an integrated platform often provides a more strategic way to drive sustainable growth. By centralizing these functions, you can ensure a consistent customer experience and more accurate data analysis. Before committing to a single-function app, it is worth seeing how the app is positioned for Shopify stores that prioritize a unified retention strategy.

To reduce app fatigue and run retention from one place, start by reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from.

FAQ

How do points-based rewards differ from cash-back rewards?

Points-based rewards, like those in BON Loyalty Program & Rewards, allow merchants to create a "store currency." This gives the merchant more control over the perceived value and redemption rules, such as requiring a minimum number of points before a discount can be used. Cash-back rewards, as seen in btwn, are more direct and often easier for the customer to understand, but they can feel more like a simple discount rather than a comprehensive loyalty program.

Can I use these apps with Shopify POS for in-store customers?

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards explicitly states support for Shopify POS, allowing customers to earn and redeem points in physical retail locations. The provided data for btwn does not mention POS compatibility. For omnichannel merchants, verifying POS integration is essential to ensure a seamless experience across all sales channels.

What are the benefits of B2B loyalty programs?

B2B loyalty programs are designed for wholesale or professional clients who typically purchase in larger volumes but less frequently than retail customers. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards includes specific B2B tier features that allow for custom rewards tailored to these high-value relationships, helping to increase the lifetime value of wholesale accounts which are often overlooked in standard loyalty programs.

How does an all-in-one platform compare to specialized apps?

An all-in-one platform reduces "tool sprawl" by combining several functions—like loyalty, reviews, and wishlists—into a single interface. This typically results in a lower total cost of ownership compared to paying for several separate subscriptions. Additionally, it ensures better site performance through a single script and provides a more unified data set, allowing for more effective marketing automation based on a complete view of customer behavior.