"Loyalty card app" covers very different products. What really matters for a local business, the questions to ask before signing, and the traps to avoid.
In short. For a local business, the best loyalty card "app" is the one your customers don't have to install: a card that goes into Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, plus a business-side app to add stamps. Then check 7 points: native iPhone and Android support, a one-second scan, notifications included, data export, European hosting, no-commitment pricing, setup without a technician.
When you look for a loyalty card app, you run into three things that have very little in common:
The customer installs your business's app (or a platform app that groups several businesses), creates an account, and finds their card there. It's powerful for big chains that customers have a reason to open often. For a neighborhood business, it's the biggest source of friction: at the counter, a good share of customers give up before the download is finished.
A page to bookmark or a link received by text. Lighter than an app, but the card isn't stored anywhere: the customer has to find the link again at every visit.
The card goes into Apple Wallet (the iPhone's Wallet app) or Google Wallet, which come preinstalled on almost every phone. The customer scans a QR code and types a first name; the card is stored next to their payment card, updates at every visit and can show notifications. Only the business owner uses an app, to create the card and add stamps. That's nacard's approach, and the one we recommend for local businesses. The details: our digital loyalty card guide.
Publicly listed prices for apps available in the UK range from limited free plans to a few dozen pounds a month, with big differences in what's included: number of customers, notifications, text messages, number of locations, commitment. Compare at equal usage, not on the headline price.
With nacard: Free for your first 10 customers, with no time limit (Starter plan); €9.99/month excl. VAT on Pro (unlimited customers and notifications, statistics, event tickets); €29.90/month excl. VAT on Business (free counter display, priority support). No commitment. Details on the pricing page.
We compare the main solutions on the market, with prices and features checked on their websites, in our best loyalty card app comparison.
Before you choose, also read how to create a loyalty card (reward, launch, mistakes to avoid).
Published on September 28, 2026 by the nacard team.
For a local business, the one your customers don't have to install: a card that goes into Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, with a business-side app to add stamps. Then check the price, whether notifications are included and whether you can export your data.
Not with a wallet card: it goes into Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, which are already on their phones. Only the business owner uses an app.
From limited free plans to a few dozen euros a month, depending on what's included. With nacard: free for 10 customers, €9.99/month excl. VAT on Pro, €29.90/month excl. VAT on Business, no commitment.
No, with most wallet solutions: the business owner's phone scans the cards, and the sign-up QR code prints on a regular sheet of paper.
It should belong to the business. Before signing, check that you can view and export your customer list, and where it is hosted.
The demo takes 30 seconds, setup takes 3 minutes. Free to start, no commitment.
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