BON Loyalty Program & Rewards vs. Rivyo : Reviews & Loyalty App

Introduction

Selecting the right retention tools for a Shopify storefront involves balancing feature depth, cost, and technical compatibility. Merchants often find themselves caught between specialized applications that excel in one area and modular tools that attempt to cover multiple bases through add-ons. The choice between BON Loyalty Program & Rewards and Rivyo : Reviews & Loyalty App represents this exact dilemma: one focuses heavily on a sophisticated loyalty experience, while the other prioritizes social proof with loyalty as a secondary extension.

Short answer: BON Loyalty Program & Rewards is a robust, loyalty-centric solution best for brands requiring deep VIP structures and B2B functionality. Rivyo : Reviews & Loyalty App is primarily a review management tool that offers basic loyalty features through modular add-ons, making it a viable choice for stores prioritizing social proof on a tight budget. For many growing brands, evaluating how these tools integrate or whether a unified platform provides better efficiency is essential for long-term scalability.

This analysis provides an objective comparison of both applications, examining their core architectures, pricing models, and specific use cases. By understanding the trade-offs between these two different approaches, merchants can make a decision that aligns with their current operational needs and future growth trajectories.

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards vs. Rivyo : Reviews & Loyalty App: At a Glance

Deep Dive Comparison

Core Features and Workflows

The architectural priorities of these two applications differ significantly. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards is built from the ground up as a dedicated customer retention engine. Its workflow focuses on creating a multi-layered loyalty experience. Merchants can establish points systems, referral programs, and complex VIP tiers that incentivize repeat purchases. The inclusion of B2B loyalty programs is a standout feature, allowing wholesale merchants to offer exclusive tiered rewards to business clients. This level of specialization suggests a focus on the customer lifecycle after the first purchase has been made.

In contrast, Rivyo : Reviews & Loyalty App functions primarily as a social proof tool. The initial workflow is centered on gathering and displaying customer feedback. It facilitates the transition from a new store to a trusted brand by allowing merchants to import reviews from external marketplaces like Amazon and AliExpress. While it does offer a loyalty program, this is structured as a module rather than the core engine. For a merchant using Rivyo, the primary goal is often building trust at the point of sale through photo and video reviews, with loyalty acting as a complementary secondary layer to encourage a second visit.

Social Proof and Review Management

When comparing the social proof capabilities, the two applications occupy different ends of the spectrum. Rivyo is a heavy hitter in the review category. It provides automated review request emails, supports video and photo submissions, and includes a Q&A section for product pages. The ability to showcase "star-studded" testimonials across the site and use Google Rich Snippets to improve search visibility is a core part of its value proposition. For merchants who believe that reviews are the primary driver of their conversion rate, Rivyo offers a comprehensive toolkit.

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards does not have native review collection features of its own. Instead, it relies on integrations with third-party review apps like Judge.me, Fera, and LAI. This means a merchant using BON must install and potentially pay for an additional application to manage social proof. While BON ensures that customers can be rewarded with points for leaving reviews on those external platforms, the management of the reviews themselves happens outside of the BON interface. This creates a more fragmented workflow but allows merchants to use "best-of-breed" review tools alongside their loyalty program.

Customization and Brand Alignment

Brand consistency is a major factor in customer perception. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards offers extensive customization, especially at the higher price tiers. Merchants can create a brand-tailored loyalty page and have the option to unlock custom CSS with developer support. The availability of a Software Development Toolkit (SDK) and full API access in the Professional plan indicates that BON is built for stores that want a deeply integrated, "invisible" loyalty experience that feels like a native part of their custom or headless storefront.

Rivyo provides a simpler approach to customization. It is designed to be seamless with any Shopify theme, focusing on the display of review widgets. While it allows for custom review request emails and photo/video displays, it lacks the deep API and SDK capabilities found in BON’s upper tiers. Rivyo is better suited for merchants who want a "plug-and-play" experience where the widgets look good out of the box without requiring significant design or development resources.

Pricing Structure and Value for Money

The pricing models of these two apps reflect their different target audiences. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards follows a traditional SaaS tiering model. The Free Forever plan is generous, offering points, referrals, and automated emails. However, to access features like VIP Tiers, B2B programs, and custom CSS, the cost jumps to $99 per month. The Professional plan at $349 per month is clearly positioned for enterprise-level brands that need priority support and headless commerce compatibility.

Rivyo : Reviews & Loyalty App uses a modular, low-cost approach. The base plans are very affordable, ranging from a free tier to $19 per month for the Enterprise plan. However, there is a crucial caveat: the loyalty program and referral modules are each $9 per month add-ons. For a merchant on the Enterprise plan who wants both loyalty and referrals, the total monthly cost would be approximately $37. This is significantly lower than BON’s $99 Growth plan, but the depth of the loyalty features is also more limited. Merchants must decide if they prefer the low-cost modularity of Rivyo or the deep, specialized features of BON’s more expensive tiers.

Integration Ecosystem and Technical Fit

The technical requirements of a store often dictate which app is the better fit. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards shows a strong commitment to the modern Shopify ecosystem. It works with Shopify POS, Shopify Flow, and Hydrogen (for headless commerce). Its integration list is focused on marketing and design tools like Klaviyo and PageFly. This makes it an excellent choice for omnichannel merchants who sell both online and in-store and need their loyalty points to sync across all touchpoints.

Rivyo : Reviews & Loyalty App also has a broad integration list, but it leans more toward conversion-optimization tools. It works with various subscription apps like Recharge and Seal Subscriptions, as well as upsell tools like ReConvert. This suggests that Rivyo is part of a tech stack designed to maximize the value of every individual transaction. While it supports Shopify Flow and Klaviyo, its lack of specified POS or deep headless support (outside of the Enterprise tier) might make it less ideal for complex, omnichannel brands compared to BON.

Support and Reliability Signals

Trust is a significant factor when choosing an app. Rivyo : Reviews & Loyalty App has a massive lead in terms of public social proof, with 887 reviews and a 4.9-star rating. This high volume of positive feedback suggests a stable product and a responsive support team that has been tested by thousands of merchants over time. For a business owner who values a proven track record and community validation, Rivyo is a safe bet.

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards, based on the provided data, shows only 1 review with a 5-star rating. While the developer claims to offer 24/7 live chat support and priority support for Professional users, the lack of a large review volume makes it harder to gauge real-world reliability and long-term performance. However, the sophistication of its feature set—such as API access and SDKs—indicates a professional-grade tool designed for high-end users who may prioritize technical specs over app store review counts.

Performance and Operational Overhead

Every app added to a Shopify store introduces a level of operational overhead. With BON Loyalty, the overhead comes from managing a complex points and tier system. Because it is a specialized tool, merchants may spend more time configuring rules, B2B tiers, and custom CSS. However, because it is a single-purpose app, it is less likely to conflict with other social proof tools if the store is already using a dedicated review platform.

Rivyo’s modular approach can lead to a different type of overhead. While it simplifies things by putting reviews and loyalty under one developer, the "add-on" nature of its features means merchants have to manage multiple billing components and configurations within the same interface. This is convenient for those who want one point of contact for support, but it can become limiting if the store outgrows the basic loyalty mechanics provided by the add-ons.

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

As merchants scale, they often encounter the phenomenon of app fatigue. This occurs when a store's tech stack becomes a sprawling collection of single-function tools, each with its own subscription fee, dashboard, and data silo. When using a loyalty-only app alongside a review-only app, data often fails to flow seamlessly between them. A customer might leave a high-quality photo review, but if the loyalty app doesn't immediately recognize that action to trigger a VIP tier upgrade, the customer experience feels fragmented. This fragmentation can lead to inconsistent user interfaces, slower site speeds due to multiple script loads, and a higher total cost of ownership.

Transitioning to a unified platform allows brands to move toward a "More Growth, Less Stack" philosophy. By consolidating essential retention functions—loyalty, reviews, referrals, and wishlists—into a single environment, merchants can ensure that every customer interaction informs the next. For example, seeing how other brands connect loyalty and reviews demonstrates that the most successful stores don't treat these as separate silos but as part of a single customer journey. This integrated approach reduces the technical burden on the merchant and creates a smoother experience for the shopper.

If consolidating tools is a priority, start by a clearer view of total retention-stack costs. When retention tools are designed to work together, the data becomes more actionable. A merchant can easily identify high-value customers and offer them VIP tiers and incentives for high-intent customers based on their review activity, wishlist behavior, and purchase history. This level of synchronization is difficult to achieve when juggling multiple disconnected apps from different developers.

Furthermore, an integrated platform often provides capabilities designed for Shopify Plus scaling needs, ensuring that the tool grows alongside the business. Instead of hitting a ceiling with a basic review app or a specialized loyalty tool that lacks broader context, a unified solution offers loyalty points and rewards designed to lift repeat purchases while simultaneously collecting and showcasing authentic customer reviews. This not only improves the efficiency of marketing workflows but also provides social proof that supports conversion and AOV without needing to install separate, potentially conflicting software.

For brands operating at a higher level of complexity, having features aligned with enterprise retention requirements means less time spent troubleshooting integrations and more time spent on strategy. Whether it is managing a global storefront or optimizing the checkout experience, an integrated stack provides the stability needed for high-volume operations. By evaluating feature coverage across plans, merchants can find a balance that provides all the necessary retention tools in one place, ultimately leading to a more sustainable and profitable growth model.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between BON Loyalty Program & Rewards and Rivyo : Reviews & Loyalty App, the decision comes down to where the store currently sits in its growth journey and what its primary marketing focus is. BON Loyalty is the superior choice for merchants who need a deep, enterprise-ready loyalty system with B2B capabilities and are willing to pay a premium for specialized features. Rivyo, on the other hand, is an excellent entry-point for stores that need to build trust through review imports and photo testimonials while keeping costs low through a modular pricing structure.

However, the trade-off with specialized or modular apps is often the increased complexity of managing a fragmented stack. As a store matures, the need for a unified customer view becomes paramount. Choosing an integrated platform that combines these functions can lead to better data accuracy, improved site performance, and a more cohesive brand experience for the customer. Before committing to multiple separate subscriptions, it is worth comparing plan fit against retention goals to see if a consolidated approach offers better long-term value.

Ultimately, the goal of any retention strategy is to turn one-time shoppers into lifelong advocates. While both BON and Rivyo offer paths toward this goal, the most efficient way to scale is often to reduce technical friction. To reduce app fatigue and run retention from one place, start by reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from.

FAQ

Which app is better for a new Shopify store on a budget?

Rivyo : Reviews & Loyalty App is likely the better choice for new stores. Its Indie plan is free, and its paid tiers start as low as $9 per month. Even with the $9 loyalty add-on, it remains one of the most affordable ways to get both reviews and basic rewards features on a storefront.

Can I use BON Loyalty for a B2B or wholesale store?

Yes, BON Loyalty Program & Rewards explicitly includes B2B Tier Program support in its $99 Growth plan. This allows merchants to create exclusive rewards and tiers specifically for wholesale clients, a feature not typically found in more basic review or loyalty apps.

Does Rivyo support Google Shopping stars?

Yes, Rivyo : Reviews & Loyalty App supports Google Shopping and Google Rich Snippets, particularly in its Business and Enterprise plans. This helps products stand out in search results by displaying star ratings directly on the search engine results page.

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

An all-in-one platform reduces the need for multiple integrations by housing loyalty, reviews, referrals, and wishlists in one dashboard. This usually leads to better site performance, as there are fewer external scripts to load, and more consistent data, as all customer actions are tracked in a single profile. While specialized apps might offer deeper niche features, an all-in-one platform focuses on the synergy between different retention tools to drive higher overall lifetime value.