- loyalty apps
- comparison
- local business
Free loyalty apps: what's included, the limits and when it's worth paying
Yes, there are free loyalty apps, but almost all of them limit the number of customers. According to their websites, in October 2026 Loyapp allowed up to 10 customers and Lealy up to 20 on their free plans. For a business with regular customers, that usually falls short. The most common approach is to start with a free trial and move to a plan costing a few euros a month once the programme is working.
What “free” means in a loyalty app
When a loyalty app says “free”, it can mean three different things:
- A free plan with limits. You can use it without paying, but only with a small number of customers or with reduced features.
- A free trial. You get all the features for a few days and then you pay.
- Free for the end customer. Your customers pay nothing to use the app, although the business does pay to manage it. That’s the case with the Socios app.
Free options, one by one
| App | Free plan? | Free plan limit | Free trial | Price afterwards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyapp | Yes | 10 customers | 30 days on paid plans | From €6/month + VAT |
| Lealy | Yes | 20 customers | 30 days on paid plans | From €16/month + VAT |
| WinStamp | No | — | 7 days | From $9.99/month |
| Socios | No | — | 14 days, no card | €5.99/month, unlimited customers |
Data checked on the official websites in October 2026. Plans may change: check them before deciding. You’ll find the full feature comparison in the loyalty app comparison.
The limits you don’t see
- The customer limit. 10 or 20 customers is very few for a café, a bakery or a hair salon with regular customers: you could reach it in the first week.
- Reduced features. On some plans, points, cashback or notifications are only available on paid plans. On Loyapp, for example, points are on the Loyal plan at €36/month + VAT. We cover this in our loyalty app comparison.
- What happens when you exceed the limit. Before you start, ask what happens to your customers and their stamps when you reach the maximum: if you have to pay to carry on, the free plan was really a trial.
What about a paper card or a spreadsheet?
They’re the traditional “free” options, but they have hidden costs:
- Fraud: an ink stamp is easy to copy.
- No data: you don’t know who your customer is or how often they come.
- No reminders: you can’t remind them they’re one stamp away.
- Time: logging every visit by hand in a spreadsheet doesn’t scale.
If you already use paper cards, see how to move from a paper card to a digital stamp card.
When it’s worth paying
It pays to go for a paid plan when:
- you have more than 20 regular customers;
- you want more than one type of card (stamps and points, or a giveaway);
- you need to notify your customers about rewards and news.
A quick sum: a café customer who spends €4 per visit and comes twice a week brings in around €35 a month. If the programme brings back just one extra customer, Socios’ €5.99 a month is already covered. Do your own sums with the loyalty calculator.
How to make the most of a 14-day free trial
- Create your card on day one, with an attractive reward.
- Put the poster with your QR code by the till from the very start.
- Offer the app to all your regulars during the first week.
- Send a notification halfway through the trial to see how they respond.
- Check Statistics at the end: how many customers have signed up and how many have come back.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a completely free loyalty app?
Some have a free plan, but with a customer limit (10 on Loyapp and 20 on Lealy, according to their websites in October 2026). For no limits and all features, you’ll usually pay a few euros a month.
Do my customers have to pay?
No. With Socios, the customer app is free forever: only the business pays for Socios Plus.
What happens when the Socios trial ends?
You can continue on the Pro Plan for €5.99 a month, with no commitment. The trial doesn’t ask for a credit card, so there are no surprise charges.
Try Socios Plus free for 14 days
Create your loyalty programme with stamps, points and giveaways, with unlimited customers, in Socios Plus. 14 days free, no credit card required. See the pricing or compare with other options in our loyalty app comparison.
