Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards vs. easyPoints: An In-Depth Comparison

Introduction

Selecting the right loyalty software is a pivotal decision for any Shopify merchant aiming to improve retention and maximize customer lifetime value. The market offers a variety of specialized tools, each with distinct philosophies on how to engage buyers and encourage repeat purchases. Choosing between Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards and easyPoints requires an understanding of how each tool integrates with the storefront and what level of technical control is offered to the merchant.

Short answer: Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards is an agile, feature-rich platform ideal for fast-growing brands that require deep integrations and modern developer tools. easyPoints focuses on a seamless, native-feeling user experience by embedding rewards directly into the store design rather than relying on traditional pop-ups. While both effectively drive repeat sales, merchants looking to consolidate their marketing efforts may find that unified platforms offer a pricing structure that scales as order volume grows more efficiently than maintaining a fragmented tech stack.

The following analysis provides an objective comparison of these two solutions, examining their features, pricing, and operational impact. By evaluating how each app handles loyalty points, VIP tiers, and referrals, store owners can determine which philosophy aligns with their specific growth stage and technical requirements.

Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards vs. easyPoints: At a Glance

Deep Dive Comparison

To understand the practical differences between these two applications, it is necessary to look beyond the basic premise of awarding points. The way a merchant interacts with the software and how customers perceive the value of the rewards program can significantly impact long-term retention metrics.

Core Features and Workflows

Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards is built with a focus on speed and modern Shopify infrastructure. The application emphasizes a comprehensive loyalty and referrals system that aims to move core retention metrics. The workflow is designed for brands that are scaling quickly and need a system that can keep up with frequent updates. Rivo provides ways to earn and redeem points, manage branding, and run automated email campaigns. For larger brands, the "Plus" tier introduces checkout extensions and developer tools that allow for a highly tailored experience.

In contrast, easyPoints focuses on "ditching the pop-ups." The core philosophy here is that a loyalty program should be a part of the shop's actual design rather than an overlay. This approach can lead to a more professional and trustworthy appearance, as the rewards interface feels native to the site. easyPoints also offers unique mechanics like bonus point events and time-based campaigns, which are effective for driving urgency during holiday sales or product launches.

Both apps support basic loyalty functions, but their delivery differs. Rivo offers a more traditional, high-performance loyalty widget and dedicated pages, while easyPoints encourages merchants to build the loyalty experience directly into the product and cart pages. Merchants who prefer a "set it and forget it" widget might lean toward Rivo, while those who want to control the aesthetic flow of their site might prefer the integration style of easyPoints.

Customization and Control

Customization is often where a loyalty program succeeds or fails. If the program feels disconnected from the brand, customers are less likely to engage with it. Rivo offers branding tools even on its free plan, allowing merchants to align the look and feel of the loyalty program with their storefront. On the "Scale" plan, Rivo opens up advanced branding, including custom CSS and fonts. The most significant level of control comes with the Rivo Developer Toolkit, which allows technical teams to build completely custom loyalty experiences.

easyPoints approaches customization through the lens of user experience and conversion. By integrating the loyalty program into the shop’s design, it attempts to reduce the friction usually associated with checking point balances or applying rewards. This deep integration is intended to boost conversion rates by keeping the customer on the path to purchase without distracting pop-ups. easyPoints also allows for points redemption during the checkout process, which is a critical feature for reducing cart abandonment.

While Rivo provides a toolkit for developers to build outward, easyPoints provides the framework to build inward. Merchants should consider whether they have the technical resources to utilize a developer toolkit or if they prefer a system designed to be embedded into their existing theme files.

Pricing Structure and Value for Money

The pricing models for these two apps follow different philosophies. Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards uses an order-based and feature-based model. Its free plan is generous, allowing for up to 200 monthly orders, which is excellent for new stores testing the waters. As a store grows, the $49 "Scale" plan introduces VIP tiers and analytics. The jump to the $499 "Plus" plan is significant, but it targets enterprise-level needs like custom integrations and priority support.

easyPoints uses a customer-based pricing model. The free version is limited to 300 active customers. As the customer base grows, the costs increase: $50 for 500 customers, $180 for 2,000 customers, and $425 for 5,000 customers. This model means that the cost is directly tied to the size of the loyal audience the merchant is building. While this can be more expensive for stores with a high volume of low-value customers, it ensures that the merchant is only paying for the scale of the audience they are actively managing.

When comparing plan fit against retention goals, merchants must evaluate their growth trajectory. If a store has a very high order volume but a small recurring customer base, Rivo’s middle tier might be more economical. Conversely, if a store has a massive list of past purchasers but only a few hundred active loyalists, the easyPoints model might offer a more targeted cost structure.

Integrations and Tech Stack Compatibility

In the modern e-commerce environment, no app should exist in a vacuum. Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards boasts a wide range of integrations, including Klaviyo, Gorgias, Postscript, and Attentive. These connections are vital for ensuring that loyalty data flows into email marketing and customer support workflows. Rivo also works with Shopify POS and Flow, making it a viable option for omnichannel retailers who sell both online and in person.

easyPoints also prioritizes compatibility, working with checkout, Shopify POS, and Flow. It has specific integrations with apps like Judge.me for review rewards and Gojiberry. A unique aspect of easyPoints is its integration with "CRM PLUS on LINE," which is particularly relevant for merchants targeting the Japanese market or using the LINE messaging app for customer communication.

Both apps integrate with Klaviyo, which is the industry standard for retention marketing. However, the depth of the integration matters. Rivo highlights custom Klaviyo events in its higher tiers, which allows for more sophisticated segmentation and automation. Merchants should audit their current tech stack to see which app offers the most seamless "plug and play" experience for their specific tools.

Reliability and Operational Support

Reliability can be gauged by several factors: review volume, ratings, and the frequency of updates. easyPoints has a longer track record on the Shopify App Store with 35 reviews and a 4.8 rating. This suggests a consistent level of service over time. Rivo, while currently showing fewer reviews in the provided data, emphasizes its agility, shipping product updates every week and providing 24/7 live chat support.

Support quality is a common pain point for merchants. Rivo's founder-led approach and dedicated customer success team aim to focus on retention metrics rather than just technical troubleshooting. For "Plus" users, the addition of priority or concierge support suggests a high-touch experience for larger brands. easyPoints also offers priority support, but specifically at the "Enterprise" tier ($425/month).

When checking merchant feedback and app-store performance signals, it becomes clear that both apps are highly regarded by their respective users. The choice often comes down to the style of support required. A brand that needs frequent technical assistance with custom CSS might appreciate Rivo’s focus on developer tools, while a store prioritizing ease of use might value the stability signaled by easyPoints’ review history.

Performance, Compatibility, and Operational Overhead

The impact of an app on site speed and operational complexity cannot be ignored. Since Rivo uses Shopify’s latest technology and is built for 2025 standards, it is optimized for performance. The use of checkout extensions in its higher tier means it works within Shopify’s native checkout logic, which is more stable than older "hacky" workarounds.

easyPoints’ strategy of embedding loyalty into the shop design also has performance implications. By avoiding heavy pop-up scripts, it can contribute to a smoother browsing experience. However, because it integrates directly into the shop's design, theme updates or changes might require more attention to ensure the loyalty elements remain correctly placed and styled.

Operational overhead also includes the time spent managing the app. Rivo’s automated email campaigns and week-to-week updates mean the platform is constantly evolving to reduce manual work. easyPoints’ "Bonus Point Events" require manual setup but offer powerful levers for driving sales during specific periods. Merchants must weigh the benefit of a rapidly evolving feature set against a stable, design-integrated system.

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

While Rivo and easyPoints are excellent at managing loyalty and rewards, many merchants eventually encounter a challenge known as "app fatigue." This occurs when a store relies on a dozen different apps to handle loyalty, reviews, wishlists, and social proof. Each new app adds a layer of complexity: separate subscriptions, different user interfaces for the team, and potential conflicts between scripts that can slow down the storefront.

Fragmented data is another consequence of tool sprawl. When loyalty data is in one app and product reviews are in another, it becomes difficult to reward a customer for leaving a review or to see how a loyalty member’s wishlist behavior correlates with their repeat purchase rate. This is where an integrated platform offers a strategic advantage. By moving to a unified system, merchants can implement loyalty points and rewards designed to lift repeat purchases that are triggered by actions across the entire customer journey.

Growave provides a solution to this fatigue by combining loyalty, reviews, wishlists, referrals, and VIP tiers into a single dashboard. This "More Growth, Less Stack" philosophy allows brands to scale without the overhead of managing five different vendors. Instead of spending time ensuring that three different apps all look the same, the design is unified from the start. This leads to a more consistent customer experience, which is a key driver of trust and retention.

For brands that have outgrown simple loyalty widgets, moving to a platform that includes collecting and showcasing authentic customer reviews within the same ecosystem can unlock new growth levers. For example, a merchant can automatically award points to a customer who uploads a photo with their review, all without needing to configure complex API connections between two separate apps.

As stores reach higher levels of traffic and complexity, they often require capabilities designed for Shopify Plus scaling needs. A unified platform can handle these enterprise requirements while providing a clearer view of total retention-stack costs. This transparency is essential for maintaining healthy margins as the business grows.

Furthermore, an integrated approach means that VIP tiers and incentives for high-intent customers can be informed by more than just purchase history. It can include data from wishlist interactions and referral activity. When a merchant can see the full picture of customer engagement in one place, they can make better decisions about where to invest their marketing budget.

Ultimately, the goal of any retention strategy is to build a community of loyal advocates. This is best achieved through review automation that builds trust at purchase time and a loyalty program that feels like a natural extension of the brand. For businesses looking to simplify their operations, choosing a platform that meets features aligned with enterprise retention requirements can be the most effective path forward.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards and easyPoints, the decision comes down to the desired user interface and the level of technical customization required. Rivo is a powerful choice for brands that want an agile, developer-friendly platform with deep integrations and a robust referral system. Its focus on the latest Shopify tech and 24/7 support makes it a reliable partner for fast-growing DTC businesses. On the other hand, easyPoints is ideal for merchants who want to avoid the "app look" and instead embed their rewards program directly into their theme for a native, seamless experience.

While both apps solve the loyalty problem effectively, merchants must also consider the long-term implications of their tech stack. Managing separate apps for loyalty, reviews, and wishlists often leads to increased costs and operational friction. A unified platform can offer a more cohesive experience for both the merchant and the customer, providing a more holistic view of retention data.

Before committing to a single-function app, it is often helpful to start by seeing how the app is positioned for Shopify stores that have successfully consolidated their tools. By verifying compatibility details in the official app listing, store owners can ensure that their chosen solution will support their growth for years to come.

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 with a small budget?

Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards offers a free plan for up to 200 monthly orders, which is highly accessible for new stores. easyPoints also offers a free version, but it is capped at 300 active customers. The choice depends on whether your store has a high volume of orders from one-time buyers or a small, growing list of repeat customers.

Can I use these apps with Shopify POS?

Both Rivo: Loyalty Program, Rewards and easyPoints support Shopify POS. This allows merchants to award points and allow for rewards redemption in physical retail locations, ensuring a consistent experience for customers who shop both online and in person.

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

Specialized apps often provide deep, niche features for a specific function, such as Rivo’s developer toolkit. However, an all-in-one platform reduces tool sprawl and ensures that different retention features—like loyalty, reviews, and wishlists—work together seamlessly. This integration often leads to a lower total cost of ownership and a more consistent user experience across the storefront.

Is it difficult to switch from one loyalty app to another?

Most loyalty apps, including Rivo and easyPoints, allow for the CSV import of customer point balances. This means that if you are moving from an existing program, you can typically migrate your customers' data without them losing their earned rewards. It is always recommended to check the specific integration and export capabilities of your current app before making the switch.