How much does Square Loyalty cost?

Square Loyalty costs about $45/month per location (or roughly $49/month bundled in Square Plus). There's no free tier and it scales linearly — three locations is about $135/month — so costs add up for multi-site businesses.

Does Square Loyalty require Square POS?

Yes. Square Loyalty only works inside the Square ecosystem. If you don't use Square for payments, you can't run it — whereas Loop works with any POS.

Is Loop cheaper than Square Loyalty?

For single locations the entry price is similar, but Loop's plans are flat and don't multiply per location the way Square's per-location fee does, which makes Loop more economical as you add sites.

When is Square Loyalty the better choice?

If you're already all-in on Square for payments and want the simplest possible add-on with no new vendor, Square Loyalty's native integration is convenient.

When is Loop the better choice?

If you use a different POS, run multiple locations, or want loyalty plus referrals and UGC in one system without per-location fees, Loop is the more flexible and scalable fit.

Loop vs Square Loyalty: Which Is Better? (2026)

Comparing Loop vs Square Loyalty? The decision usually hinges on one question: are you locked into Square for payments, or do you want a loyalty program that works with any POS? Here's an honest 2026 breakdown.

Quick verdict

Choose Square Loyalty if you already run Square for payments and want the simplest native add-on. Choose Loop if you use a different POS, operate multiple locations, or want more than points — without paying a fee for every location.

Pricing compared (2026)

	Loop	Square Loyalty
Entry	Punch Card from $5/mo	~$45/mo per location
Premium	Full Rewards $79/mo + usage	~$49/mo per location (Square Plus)
Free option	Free trial (no free tier)	No
Multi-location	Flat plan	Fee multiplies per location
POS required	Any POS	Square only

The key difference: Square charges per location with no volume discount, so a three-location business pays about $135/month just for loyalty. Loop's pricing doesn't multiply that way.

Features compared

POS lock-in: Square Loyalty needs Square; Loop works with any POS or none.
Customer experience: Both enroll at checkout; Loop adds QR/phone enrollment with no app download.
Beyond points: Loop rewards referrals, reviews and UGC in one place; Square Loyalty is points-and-rewards focused.
Analytics: Square offers solid in-dashboard reporting; Loop focuses on loyalty-specific metrics like active members and visit frequency.

When Square Loyalty wins

If you're deeply embedded in Square and want zero new vendors, the native integration is genuinely convenient. For the full picture, see our Square Loyalty review.

When Loop wins

If you're on Toast, Clover, Lightspeed or a custom POS, run several locations, or want loyalty plus advocacy in one system, Loop avoids the per-location tax and the Square lock-in. See Loop's loyalty & rewards engine.

The bottom line

Square Loyalty is the path of least resistance for Square users. Loop is the better fit for everyone else — especially multi-location and non-Square businesses that want predictable pricing.

Part of our complete guide to restaurant loyalty programs.