Compare Top Customer Loyalty Programs: Fivestars, Square, Clover, Toast, and Spark Loyalty

Compare Top Customer Loyalty Programs: Fivestars, Square, Clover, Toast, and Spark Loyalty

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Pricing and Contracts
3. Fivestars
4. Square
5. Clover
6. Toast
7. Spark Loyalty
8. Technology and Hardware
9. Customer Engagement
10. Conclusion

Introduction

Today, we will compare Fivestars, Square, Clover, Toast, and Spark Loyalty, five top solutions in the market, on various aspects such as pricing, customer loyalty technology, customer data, and customer engagement features. As a retail manager in Olympia, WA, I understand the importance of customer loyalty and engagement in driving sales for independent retailers. In this article, we will delve into each solution's offerings and help you make an informed decision for your business.

Pricing and Contracts

When choosing a customer loyalty solution, pricing and contracts play a crucial role. Let's explore the pricing structures and contract requirements of the five solutions.

Fivestars Fivestars adopts a pricing structure based on the size of your business and other factors. To ascertain a pricing quote specific to your business, you would need to consult with their sales representative. However, based on our research, Fivestars's base monthly price varies widely, potentially reaching several hundred dollars per month for some merchants. Additionally, while a long-term contract leads to a lower monthly rate, it also locks you into a lengthy agreement. To access all of Fivestars's engagement tools, such as text and email campaigns, you would need to purchase extra packages.

Square Square offers a combined point-of-sale (POS) system and loyalty solution. Unlike Fivestars, Square does not charge a monthly fee for using its POS system. Instead, you pay processing fees on all transactions. To access Square's loyalty program, you must purchase their POS system, which includes an upfront cost of $169. Additionally, Square's loyalty program starts at $45 per month and increases based on participation. Unlike Fivestars, Square does not require a long-term contract, allowing flexibility for your business.

Clover Similar to Square, Clover is a POS and loyalty combo solution. Clover's pricing structure includes a monthly fee for a limited loyalty program. However, most customers end up purchasing a separate loyalty app as Clover's built-in program has limitations, such as the inability to award loyalty points. The upfront hardware costs for Clover can range from $1300 to $1600, with additional credit card fees between 2.3% and 2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction. To fully engage your customers using Clover, you would likely need to invest in an additional loyalty app.

Toast Toast utilizes a tiered pricing structure for its POS system. The base monthly rate varies depending on your business needs and desired features. To access Toast's loyalty program, you would need to pay an additional fee. The specific costs can be obtained by consulting with a Toast agent. However, the base monthly rate typically ranges from $69 to $165. Payment processing fees start at around 2.49% plus 15 cents per transaction. It is important to note that the $69 monthly plan may require a multi-year contract.

Spark Loyalty Spark Loyalty stands out as a loyalty-only program. Their pricing model is straightforward – a flat monthly rate of $99 per store location, inclusive of all features, unlimited text and email campaigns, and access to their customer support team. Spark Loyalty does not require a long-term contract, offering flexibility and affordability for small businesses.

Technology and Hardware

The technology and hardware requirements of a loyalty program may vary among the solutions. Let's explore how each system caters to these aspects.

Fivestars Fivestars utilizes two counter tablets, one for the customer and one for the cashier. This setup requires a significant amount of counter space.

Square Square's system requires a large counter screen, a card reader, and a receipt printer. To access their loyalty program, you need to sign up for their full POS system.

Clover Clover employs one large tablet screen with a built-in card reader on a swivel base, along with a receipt printer. This setup allows you to access their loyalty program with additional loyalty app purchases.

Toast Toast employs a large counter screen, a card reader, and a receipt printer for both their POS system and loyalty program.

Spark Loyalty Spark Loyalty's hardware requirements are minimal, consisting of one small counter tablet and two Spark Stamps used by cashiers to validate customers, award points, and redeem rewards.

Customer Engagement

Engaging customers and building loyalty are essential for business success. Let's explore how each solution facilitates customer engagement.

Fivestars Fivestars offers customer engagement tools like text and email campaigns, which need to be purchased as add-on packages. The pricing of these packages depends on the number of campaigns you want to send out.

Square Square customers can engage their customers through Square Marketing, which integrates with their POS system. Square Marketing employs participation-based pricing, meaning the more you grow your customer engagement, the more you pay to use the system.

Clover To unlock all customer engagement tools, including unlimited text and email campaigns, social promotions, and the ability to send out offers and rewards, Clover users must upgrade to their Customer Engagement Plus plan.

Toast While information regarding Toast's engagement tools is limited, our research indicates that merchants usually need to contact Toast's customer support team to create and send out campaigns, which may add an extra step to their workflow.

Spark Loyalty Spark Loyalty's base flat rate of $99 per month includes unlimited text and email campaigns. You can effortlessly create and send out campaigns directly from your dashboard, without incurring additional costs for customer engagement.

Conclusion

In conclusion, each loyalty solution offers unique features and pricing structures. Fivestars, Square, Clover, Toast, and Spark Loyalty cater to the needs of different businesses. Consider factors such as pricing, contracts, technology, hardware, and customer engagement tools when making your decision. By understanding and comparing these solutions, you can choose the best loyalty program for your business's success and growth.

Highlights

• Fivestars, Square, Clover, Toast, and Spark Loyalty are compared in terms of pricing, contracts, technology, hardware, and customer engagement tools.
• Fivestars offers a pricing structure based on business size and requires additional package purchases for full customer engagement.
• Square combines its POS system with a loyalty program, with pricing based on processing fees and an upfront hardware cost.
• Clover offers a limited built-in loyalty program, with additional loyalty app purchases required for comprehensive customer engagement.
• Toast utilizes a tiered pricing structure for its POS system, and its loyalty program requires additional fees.
• Spark Loyalty stands out as a loyalty-only program with a flat monthly rate of $99, inclusive of all features and unlimited campaigns.
• Each solution has different technology and hardware requirements.
• Customer engagement tools vary across the different solutions, with Spark Loyalty offering unlimited campaigns at no extra cost.

FAQ

Q: Can I cancel my contract with Fivestars? A: Yes, Fivestars allows you to cancel your contract at any time. However, the longer the contract term, the lower your monthly rate.

Q: Is Square's loyalty program included in the POS system? A: No, Square's loyalty program is not automatically included. You need to purchase their POS system to access their loyalty program.

Q: Does Clover's built-in loyalty program allow the awarding of loyalty points? A: No, Clover's built-in loyalty program does not offer the capability to award loyalty points. Additional loyalty app purchases are needed for such functionality.

Q: Are Toast's engagement tools readily accessible from the dashboard? A: Our research suggests that merchants need to contact Toast's customer support team to create and send out campaigns, which may require an extra step.

Q: Can I cancel my contract with Spark Loyalty? A: Yes, Spark Loyalty does not require a long-term contract, offering the freedom to cancel at any time without financial penalties.