BON Loyalty Program & Rewards vs. Star Promo Points: A Detailed Comparison

Introduction

Selecting the right retention tools for a Shopify storefront involves a careful balance between feature depth, ease of use, and budget alignment. Merchants frequently find themselves comparing specialized tools that offer distinct paths to customer engagement. The choice between BON Loyalty Program & Rewards and Star Promo Points represents a classic decision point: opting for a feature-rich, scalable ecosystem versus a focused, entry-level discounting tool.

Short answer: The choice depends on store maturity and the complexity of the desired rewards strategy. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards is a robust solution for brands requiring VIP tiers, B2B functionality, and deep technical integrations, while Star Promo Points serves merchants seeking a simple, low-cost way to issue basic reward coupons. For brands prioritizing long-term efficiency, moving toward an integrated retention platform helps minimize the operational friction inherent in managing multiple disconnected applications.

This comparison provides an objective analysis of the features, pricing structures, and technical capabilities of both apps. By evaluating these tools across various growth stages, merchants can identify which solution aligns with their current operational needs and future scaling goals.

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards vs. Star Promo Points: At a Glance

The following table provides a quick overview of how these two loyalty solutions compare across several key performance and functional indicators.

Deep Dive Comparison

To understand which application better serves a specific business model, it is necessary to examine the underlying mechanics, the flexibility of the rewards systems, and the technical overhead associated with each.

Core Features and Loyalty Mechanics

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards is designed as an expansive retention platform. It covers the primary pillars of modern loyalty: points, VIP tiers, and referrals. This allows merchants to create a multifaceted journey for the customer. For example, the inclusion of an anti-cheat referral program ensures that growth through word-of-mouth remains authentic and protected from exploitation. The points system is not just a static reward; it includes advanced logic like points expiration and email reminders to drive urgency, which are critical for reducing the liability of unredeemed points on a balance sheet.

In contrast, Star Promo Points focuses on a very specific workflow. Customers earn points based on purchases or registration, which they then use to "purchase" discount codes or coupons. This is a more transactional approach to loyalty. It is effective for stores that want to offer a straightforward incentive without the complexity of tiered status or gamified elements. However, the scope is narrower, focusing primarily on the point-to-coupon conversion rather than a broader engagement strategy.

Customization and Brand Consistency

For growing brands, the ability to maintain a consistent visual identity is paramount. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards offers significant customization through a dedicated loyalty page and the ability to unlock custom CSS in its higher tiers. This ensures the loyalty experience feels like a native part of the storefront rather than a third-party add-on. The support for multi-language displays also makes it a viable candidate for international brands looking to localize their retention efforts.

Star Promo Points offers a simpler structure. While the description mentions that customers can purchase coupons based on their plan, there is less evidence in the provided data regarding deep visual customization or brand-tailored pages. This makes it a "plug-and-play" tool that may be easier to launch but harder to align with a sophisticated brand aesthetic.

Pricing Structure and Value Realization

The pricing models of these two apps reflect their different target audiences. Analyzing the pricing structure that scales as order volume grows is essential for any merchant planning for the next twelve to twenty-four months.

BON Loyalty Program & Rewards provides four distinct tiers:

• Free Forever: Offers a solid starting point with points, referrals, and automated emails. It even includes points at checkout for Shopify Plus merchants, which is a high-value feature often gated behind premium tiers in other apps.
• Basic ($25/month): Introduces POS rewards and limited-time offers, making it suitable for omnichannel retailers.
• Growth ($99/month): This is where the app truly differentiates itself with VIP tiers, B2B programs, and unlimited orders.
• Professional ($349/month): Targeted at enterprise-level stores, offering full API access, Hydrogen support for headless commerce, and dedicated developer support.

Star Promo Points follows a much lower cost trajectory:

• Free Plan: Extremely limited, allowing only two plans and one discount offer.
• Business Plan ($5.99/month): Expands the number of offers but still places limits on the number of paid plans.
• Premium Plan ($10.99/month): Removes most limits, offering unlimited plans and offers for a very low monthly fee.

While Star Promo Points is significantly more affordable in terms of raw monthly fees, the value realization depends on the merchant's goals. A store needing VIP tiers or B2B functionality would find Star Promo Points insufficient, regardless of the price. Conversely, a small store with very simple needs might find BON's $99 or $349 tiers to be an unnecessary overhead. When comparing plan fit against retention goals, merchants must weigh the cost against the potential lift in Customer Lifetime Value (LTV).

Technical Compatibility and Integrations

The technical stack of a Shopify store is a delicate ecosystem. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards shows a high degree of "Works With" compatibility, including Shopify POS, Shopify Flow, and several review apps like Judge.me and Fera. This indicates that BON is built to sit at the center of a marketing stack, communicating with email tools like Klaviyo and landing page builders like PageFly.

Star Promo Points does not specify any integrations in the provided data. This suggests it may function as a standalone silo. For a merchant, a siloed app means data must be manually moved or remains underutilized. For instance, if loyalty data does not sync with an email marketing tool, the merchant cannot send personalized "points balance" emails, which are proven to drive repeat traffic.

Strategic Use Cases for Each App

Choosing between these two requires an honest assessment of the business's current stage and future trajectory.

When to choose BON Loyalty Program & Rewards:

• The store has a high volume of orders and needs a platform that won't cap growth.
• There is a requirement for a B2B loyalty structure to reward wholesale buyers.
• The brand operates a headless storefront using Hydrogen.
• The merchant wants to use VIP tiers to gamify the experience and increase the repeat purchase rate.
• Cross-channel consistency (online and in-store via POS) is a priority.

When to choose Star Promo Points:

• The store is in its very early stages and has a minimal budget for apps.
• The only goal is to provide a simple "points for coupons" exchange.
• There is no immediate need for referrals, VIP tiers, or third-party integrations.
• The merchant prefers a tool with very few settings to manage.

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

While specialized apps like BON Loyalty Program & Rewards and Star Promo Points offer clear paths for loyalty, they also contribute to a growing problem for Shopify merchants: app fatigue. As a store grows, the tendency is to add one app for rewards, another for reviews, another for wishlists, and yet another for referrals. This leads to tool sprawl, where a merchant is paying multiple subscriptions, managing different interfaces, and struggling with fragmented customer data.

This fragmentation often results in an inconsistent customer experience. A shopper might receive a loyalty email that doesn't reflect their recent review activity, or they might find that the wishlist doesn't interact with the rewards program. This is where the "More Growth, Less Stack" philosophy becomes a competitive advantage. By consolidating these functions into a single, integrated platform, brands can create a seamless journey that feels unified to the end-user.

Growave provides this unified experience by combining loyalty points and rewards designed to lift repeat purchases with other essential retention tools. Instead of managing a separate loyalty app and a separate review app, merchants can use a single dashboard to oversee everything. This integration allows for more sophisticated automation. For example, a merchant can automatically reward a customer with points for collecting and showcasing authentic customer reviews, creating a self-sustaining cycle of engagement and social proof.

For businesses moving toward a more professional setup, capabilities designed for Shopify Plus scaling needs are vital. An integrated platform reduces the technical debt associated with multiple API calls from different apps, which can improve site speed—a critical factor for conversion. Furthermore, having VIP tiers and incentives for high-intent customers live alongside review automation that builds trust at purchase time ensures that every customer touchpoint is optimized for retention.

The operational benefit of this approach cannot be overstated. When a team only needs to learn one interface, they spend less time on technical troubleshooting and more time on strategy. Using features aligned with enterprise retention requirements within a single ecosystem allows for a more holistic view of the customer journey. If consolidating tools is a priority, start by choosing a plan built for long-term value.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between BON Loyalty Program & Rewards and Star Promo Points, the decision comes down to the required depth of the loyalty strategy and the available technical budget. BON Loyalty Program & Rewards is the clear choice for brands that need a professional, scalable, and highly integrable system that supports advanced commerce configurations like B2B and Headless. Star Promo Points, on the other hand, is a functional, low-cost alternative for stores that only need the most basic point-redemption mechanics without additional bells and whistles.

However, as merchants scale, the overhead of managing specialized, single-function apps often outweighs their individual benefits. The friction of data silos and the cumulative cost of multiple subscriptions can hinder growth rather than help it. Strategic merchants are increasingly looking toward integrated solutions to streamline their operations and provide a more cohesive customer experience. By bringing loyalty, referrals, and reviews under one roof, brands can execute more complex retention playbooks with significantly less effort.

Choosing a platform that offers a broad suite of tools ensures that as your business needs evolve, your software can keep pace without requiring a complete migration to a new stack. To reduce app fatigue and run retention from one place, start by reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from. This allows for a verifying compatibility details in the official app listing that matches your specific store requirements.

FAQ

Is BON Loyalty Program & Rewards suitable for Shopify Plus?

Yes, BON Loyalty Program & Rewards is well-suited for Shopify Plus. It offers specific features for Plus merchants, such as points at checkout, and its Professional plan includes full API access and Hydrogen support, which are often requirements for high-volume enterprise brands.

Can Star Promo Points handle VIP tiers?

Based on the provided data, Star Promo Points does not offer a VIP tier system. It focuses primarily on allowing customers to earn points through purchases or registration and then using those points to buy discount coupons. Merchants requiring tiered membership levels would likely need a more advanced app like BON or an integrated platform.

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

An all-in-one platform reduces "app sprawl" by combining multiple functions—like loyalty, reviews, and wishlists—into a single interface. This leads to better data synchronization, lower total costs compared to paying for several individual apps, and a more consistent experience for the customer. Specialized apps can sometimes offer deeper niche features, but integrated platforms provide better overall operational efficiency for growing brands.

Does BON Loyalty Program & Rewards work with offline sales?

Yes, BON Loyalty Program & Rewards integrates with Shopify POS starting from its Basic plan. This allows merchants to reward both online and in-store shoppers, ensuring a unified loyalty experience across all sales channels.

Which app is better for a brand new store with no budget?

Both apps offer free plans. Star Promo Points has a very low-cost entry point for its paid features ($5.99), making it extremely budget-friendly. However, BON's Free Forever plan includes more advanced features like a referral program and automated emails, which might provide better long-term value even at the free level. Merely checking merchant feedback and app-store performance signals can help a new merchant decide which path aligns with their immediate goals.