RefRefvsSmile.io
Smile.io alternative for loyalty & referrals.
Build loyalty beyond the storefront.
An open-source Smile.io alternative for loyalty and referrals across your product experience.
Referrals + loyalty. Open source. Start free.
One platform. More reasons to return.
A customer brings a friend
Referral · reward the introduction
The relationship keeps growing
Loyalty · reward repeat engagement
Your next advocate is already here
Connect acquisition and retention
Scroll sideways to compare both platforms →
| Your decision | RefRef | Smile.io |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing meter | Monthly active participants. No percentage of referred revenue. Reward delivery and provider costs are separate. | Monthly order volume and feature tiers. Free includes 200 monthly orders; Growth includes 2,500 at $199 monthly. |
| Program experience | Customer referrals and loyalty with your own brand, product integrations, and open-source customization. | Shopify-oriented points and referrals, with VIP and more embedded loyalty features on higher plans. |
Compare the complete plan, including required features and operating work. Smile.io plans and features · RefRef pricing
Built for the way you grow.
Choose the foundation that fits your customers, your stack, and your ambitions.
Shortlist RefRef
Choose RefRef to build loyalty into your app, SaaS product, or custom commerce experience. Connect repeat engagement and referrals with rewards shaped around your own customer journey.
- Your engineering team owns the integration
- Customer referrals and loyalty share one model
- Active participation is the pricing signal you want
Choose Smile.io when…
Smile is a strong fit for Shopify brands that want points, referrals, and store integrations in a packaged loyalty experience. It already combines referrals and loyalty.
Explore its current offerOrders are not the same as people
An illustrative buying scenario, not a customer result or a guaranteed saving.
Start with your numbers
A store receives 800 monthly orders from 400 customers, with 300 customers taking qualifying program actions.
What changes the choice?
Compare your actual order count with the RefRef participation meter rather than treating every order as a person. If you want Smile VIP features, Growth is the relevant comparison even below its volume limit. Both products offer referrals and loyalty; choose around storefront fit, custom product journeys, and source control.
Model your program economicsMoving from Smile.io? Preserve the promises.
Customers should keep the rewards they earned. Use these checks to plan the transition before changing live traffic.
01
Map what exists
Export reward balances and their value, tier membership, expiry rules, and unused discount obligations.
02
Preserve the obligations
Decide how existing store credits and discount codes will continue to be honored. Avoid converting points without preserving their economic value.
03
Verify the new journey
Test an earned reward, redemption, partial return, and repeat purchase. Make sure customer-facing balances stay understandable.
This is a planning checklist, not a one-click importer. Test your mapping on a small cohort and reconcile old and new records before switching the full program.
Compare the work behind building and buyingBring them in. Give them a reason to stay.
Referrals start the relationship. Loyalty keeps it growing. Build both with one open-source platform.
One platform. More reasons to return.
A customer brings a friend
Referral · reward the introduction
The relationship keeps growing
Loyalty · reward repeat engagement
Your next advocate is already here
Connect acquisition and retention
Your program, your rules
Make the program fit your product.
Choose who earns, what they earn, and which moments deserve a reward. Build around your customers and the experience they already love.
- Reward introductions and ongoing engagement
- Shape incentives around your business model
- Keep your brand across the customer journey
Customize beyond a settings screen.
Adapt the source, extend the integration, and create the program that fits. Your next idea can become part of the product.
Keep your options open.
Start hosted or run RefRef on your infrastructure. Open-source code gives you more control over your data, hosting, and future, without depending on one vendor to make every change.
Your AI assistant. Your integration.
Use AI-assisted integrations to connect RefRef to your stack. Give your coding assistant the API context, describe your reward flow, and review the implementation before you launch.
Integration brief
“Reward a successful referral. Add loyalty credits when that customer comes back.”
Multiple Reward Types
Choose from multiple reward types to suit your needs. Integrate with your different systems to support your reward types.
Cash Rewards
Automate PayPal, Stripe, or manual payouts.
Cash Payouts
Automated payment processing
Store Credits & Discounts
Drive repeat purchases & engagement.
Store Credits & Discounts
Drive repeat purchases
Discount Code
REFER20Physical Goods
Offer exclusive merchandise or gifts.
Physical Goods
Exclusive merchandise & gifts
01Why choose RefRef if Smile also has referrals?
02Can I self-host RefRef?
03What counts as an active participant?
Pricing details & sources
Smile offers Free through 200 monthly orders, Essential at $15 through 500, Standard at $79 through 1,000, and Growth at $199 through 2,500. Monthly orders and active participants are different meters.
Smile offers branding customization, dedicated loyalty pages, and embedded experiences according to plan.
Smile lists data exports and plan-dependent API access. RefRef offers code-level customization and a self-hosting option.
Written by RefRef. Compare current plans and feature limits in the official sources below.
Make every customer relationship count.
Create your account and build a program around your customers.