9 Best Shopify Referral Apps in 2026 (Refer-a-Friend Programs Compared)
Quick answer: The best Shopify referral apps in 2026 are Smile for points and referrals in one app, ReferralCandy for referral and affiliate programs with cash rewards, and BON for a free plan with anti-cheat referrals. For a free option, Fast Loyalty (built by our team) and Shopjar both cost nothing to start. First decide whether you need a referral-only app or a loyalty app with referrals built in, then compare pricing at your order volume.
- There are two kinds of referral app: referral-only apps (ReferralCandy, BLOOP, Shopjar, Gather) and loyalty apps with referrals built in (Smile, BON, Fast Loyalty, Appstle, LoyaltyLion).
- Seven of the nine apps have a free plan. ReferralCandy and Gather only offer a free trial.
- Pricing works three ways: by monthly orders, by referral revenue, or a monthly fee plus a cut of referral sales. Check the cost at your size before you install.
- Turn on fraud protection from day one. Self-referrals are the most common way referral programs lose money.
Word of mouth is still the cheapest way to win a new customer. A Shopify referral app turns it into a system: every customer gets a link or code to share, the friend gets a discount, and the referrer gets a reward when the friend buys. The app tracks it all for you.
We compared the best Shopify referral apps using their App Store listings, pricing and real merchant reviews, all checked in November 2026. This guide covers which app fits which store, what each one really costs, how to set up a referral program on Shopify, and how to stop referral fraud.
Which Shopify Referral App Should You Choose?
Choose by what you want the program to do. If you only want refer-a-friend, a referral-only app is simpler. If you also want points and VIP tiers, a loyalty app with referrals saves you running two apps.
| App | Best for | Price from | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
 Smile |
Points and referrals in one well-known app, starting free | Free, then $15/mo | VIP tiers only on the $199 plan |
 Referral |
Referral-first brands that want cash and gift card rewards | $9/mo + 10.5% fee | A success fee on every referral sale |
 BON |
Small stores that want anti-cheat referrals for free | Free, then $15/mo | Free plan stops at 150 orders a month |
 Fast Loyalty |
Referrals built into points, rewards and VIP tiers at no cost | Free | Built by our team; newest app here, fewer reviews so far |
 BLOOP |
Referral-first stores that also want affiliates | Free, then $39/mo | Price rises with referral revenue |
 Appstle |
Budget stores that want loyalty, referrals and store credit | Free, then $10/mo | Each plan has an order cap |
 Shopjar |
A simple, free refer-a-friend program with a floating widget | Free, then $7/mo | Self-referral protection starts at $7 |
 Loyalty |
Larger brands that want a custom loyalty and referral program | Free, then $199/mo | Big jump from free to $199 |
 Gather |
Bigger brands using referrals to grow sales and email lists | $350/mo | No free plan and few reviews |
Ratings, review counts and prices checked on the Shopify App Store, November 2026. Prices in USD.
| Your goal | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Simple refer-a-friend program | Shopjar or BLOOP, both free to start |
| Referral + loyalty points | Smile, BON or Fast Loyalty |
| Influencer/affiliate marketing | ReferralCandy, BLOOP or Shopjar (from $12) |
| Custom Shopify loyalty experience | LoyaltyLion or Fast Loyalty |
| Lower-budget loyalty + referrals | Fast Loyalty (free), Appstle or BON |
| Grow your email and SMS list | Gather |
Referral-Only App or Loyalty App With Referrals?
Both kinds give customers a link or code to share and reward them when a friend buys. The difference is what else comes with it.
When does a referral-only app fit?
Pick a referral-only app when your main goal is new customers from word of mouth. These apps focus on the referral itself: share pages, popups, tracking by link or code, more reward types such as cash and gift cards, and often affiliate programs too. ReferralCandy, BLOOP, Shopjar and Gather are in this group.
When does a loyalty app with referrals fit?
Pick a loyalty app with referrals when you also want repeat purchases. Customer referral rewards sit next to points and VIP programs in one widget, so customers see one rewards panel and you pay for one app. Smile, BON, Fast Loyalty, Appstle and LoyaltyLion are in this group. If you are comparing these in more depth, see our guide to the best loyalty app for Shopify.
How We Picked These 9 Referral Apps
We started with every referral and loyalty app on the Shopify App Store that has a customer referral feature, and kept the nine that scored best on these points:
- Referral features: rewards for both sides, reward types, tracking by link and code, and fraud protection.
- Real cost: the price at 200 and 1,000 orders a month, including any fee on referral sales.
- Merchant feedback: rating, number of reviews and what recent reviews say, good and bad.
- Shopify fit: Built for Shopify status, Shopify POS, Shopify Flow, and email integrations such as Klaviyo.
Every number in this guide comes from the app's Shopify App Store listing, checked on 7 November 2026. Apps change their pricing often, so check the listing before you install.
The 9 Best Shopify Referral Apps
1Smile: Best overall
Free plan: Yes, up to 200 orders a month, referrals included
Paid plans: $15, $79 and $199 a month (500, 1,000 and 2,500 orders)
Referral rewards: Discounts, free shipping and points
Works with: Shopify POS, Shopify Flow, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Judge.me, Gorgias, Recharge
Smile has the most reviews of any app on this list (4,663), and its referral program is part of every plan, including the free one. Customers get a referral link inside the Smile rewards panel, the friend gets a discount, and the referrer earns points or a reward after the friend buys.
Because referrals sit next to points, you can run a simple refer-a-friend program today and add VIP tiers later without switching apps. It also works in store through Shopify POS.
- Referrals included on the free plan
- 4,663 reviews, the most on this list
- Works online and in Shopify POS
- VIP tiers need the $199 Growth plan
- Free plan stops at 200 orders a month
What merchants say:
"Smile is the best and easiest loyalty program to set up"natuur
"the customer service response time is extremely slow"Moehair USA, May 2026
Who it suits: Stores under 200 orders a month that want referrals now and points later, without switching apps.
Setup tip: Launch referrals on the free plan first. Budget for the $199 plan only if VIP tiers become a priority.
2ReferralCandy: Best for referrals plus affiliates
Free plan: No, 7-day free trial
Paid plans: $9/mo + 10.5%, $79/mo + 3.5%, $249/mo + 1.5%, $799/mo + 0.25% of referral sales
Referral rewards: Coupons, store credit, cash, gift cards, free products and commission
Works with: Shopify POS, Klaviyo, Omnisend, ReCharge, Skio, Loop, Appstle
ReferralCandy is purpose-built for referral marketing, with referral and affiliate capabilities in one app. You can reward both the referrer and the friend, and pay out by PayPal, bank transfer, card or gift card.
Every plan has every feature. What changes is the success fee on referral sales, so do the maths before you pick a plan: a store with $2,000 of referral sales a month pays about $219 on Basic but about $149 on Grow.
- The widest choice of reward types, including cash
- Customer referrals and affiliates in one app
- Tiered rewards for your best advocates
- Success fee on every referral sale
- No free plan
What merchants say:
"The setup was straightforward, and it integrates smoothly with Shopify."HBADA EU
"Their fraud prevention is USELESS"Poppy's Picnic, October 2025
Who it suits: Brands where referrals and affiliates are a main sales channel and cash or gift card payouts matter.
Setup tip: Work out your monthly referral sales first. At around $2,000 a month, Grow ($79 + 3.5%) costs less than Basic ($9 + 10.5%).
3BON: Best free plan with fraud protection
Free plan: Yes, up to 150 orders a month, Anti-Cheat referral program included
Paid plans: $15, $29 and $129 a month (300, 500 and unlimited orders)
Referral rewards: Money off, percentage off and free shipping
Works with: Shopify POS, Shopify Flow, Klaviyo, Judge.me, Fera, PageFly, Hydrogen
BON has a perfect 5.0 rating from almost 2,000 reviews, and its free plan includes an Anti-Cheat referral program with automated referral emails. That makes it one of the safest free options if you are worried about customers referring themselves.
Points, rewards and referrals come on every plan. POS earn and redeem starts on the $29 plan, and VIP and B2B tiers on the $129 plan.
- Anti-Cheat referrals on the free plan
- 5.0 from 1,982 reviews
- B2B loyalty tiers on Growth
- Free plan capped at 150 orders a month
- VIP tiers need the $129 plan
What merchants say:
"BON works really well for us and helps to get repeat orders from customers."WOWEE COLLECTIBLES
"it is so easy for our customers to use."The Giclee Factory
Who it suits: New stores under 150 orders a month that worry about customers referring themselves.
Setup tip: POS earn and redeem starts on the $29 plan, so choose that plan if you also sell in store.
4Fast Loyalty: Best budget-friendly option
Disclosure: Fast Loyalty is built by our team. We included it because it is genuinely free, but it is newer and has fewer reviews than the other apps on this list.
Free plan: Yes, the app is free
Referral rewards: Rewards for referrer and friend: coupons, cash, gift cards and store credit
Languages: 20 languages
Works with: Shopify POS, Shopify Flow, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Judge.me, Recharge, Seal Subscriptions
Fast Loyalty is a Shopify-focused loyalty and referrals app that is free to use. It is best for merchants who want referrals integrated directly into a customer points, rewards, and VIP tier program, with a customizable branded experience on product pages, checkout and a loyalty page.
Customer-to-customer referrals give rewards to both the referrer and the friend, as coupons, cash, gift cards or store credit, with fraud detection built in. It supports 20 languages, works in Shopify POS, and connects with Shopify Flow and email tools such as Klaviyo and Mailchimp.
- Free, with points, VIP tiers and referrals
- Multilingual support in 20 languages
- Rewards online and in Shopify POS
- Launched in June 2026, so fewer reviews
- Smaller integration list than older apps
What merchants say:
"The app has been easy to customize, works well with my Shopify store."Aurelia Herb & Harvest
"Really easy to integrate and customise."Jane's Boutique
Who it suits: Stores that want points, VIP tiers and referrals in up to 20 languages without a monthly fee.
Setup tip: Because the app is new, test one referral end to end (link, friend discount and referrer reward) before you announce the program.
5BLOOP: Best for tracking by link or code
Free plan: Yes, up to $400 a month in referral revenue
Paid plans: $39, $149 and $449 a month (up to $2,500, $10,000 and $40,000 referral revenue)
Referral rewards: Discount, store credit, cash or a free product
Works with: Klaviyo, Mailchimp, BLOY, webhooks and API
BLOOP is a referral-first app with a branded referral page, widget, popup and affiliate portal. Referrers can earn a discount, store credit, cash or a free product, and affiliates earn commissions, with multi-level rewards for your most active advocates.
It tracks sales by link or by code, which helps when shoppers forget to click a link, and it blocks self-referrals and suspicious orders. You can also A/B test rewards to see which offer gets more shares.
- Tracks referrals by link or code
- Built-in fraud prevention on the free plan
- A/B testing of rewards
- Pricing grows with your referral revenue
- Klaviyo and Mailchimp sync starts at $39
What merchants say:
"Fantastic app! SO easy to use and set up"RoamBox
"Cassie was incredibly quick to help."4AM
Who it suits: Stores whose customers often share a code by word of mouth instead of clicking a link.
Setup tip: Use the A/B test feature to compare two reward offers before you settle on one, and budget $39 a month if you need the Klaviyo or Mailchimp sync.
6Appstle: Best low-cost paid plans
Free plan: Yes, up to 250 orders a month, referral program included
Paid plans: $10, $30 and $100 a month (500, 2,000 and 5,000 orders)
Referral rewards: Points, discounts and store credit
Works with: Shopify POS, Shopify Flow, Klaviyo, Omnisend, Mailchimp, Judge.me, Recharge, Seal
Appstle combines points, referrals and store credit in one program, and the referral program is included from the free plan up. Its paid plans are among the cheapest here, with 2,000 orders a month for $30.
It has one of the longest integration lists, including most subscription apps, which matters if your referral codes need to work on subscription orders.
- Referrals on every plan, including free
- Very low paid plans
- Works with most subscription apps
- Order caps on each plan
- App listing is English only
What merchants say:
"Switched to appstle because the cost was better"Rocks with Sass
"It's flexible, well thought out, and easy to test before going live."MomentumCN
Who it suits: Budget stores with 250 to 2,000 orders a month, especially stores that also sell subscriptions.
Setup tip: Check your monthly order count against each plan's cap, and confirm your subscription app is on Appstle's integration list.
7Shopjar: Best free refer-a-friend app
Free plan: Yes, unlimited members, orders and rewards
Paid plans: $7, $12 and $29 a month
Referral rewards: Discounts on free; store credit from $12; cash and 700+ reward types on $29
Works with: Klaviyo, PayPal, Tremendous, Wise, Shopify Flow
Shopjar gives every customer a unique referral link and coupon code on the free plan, with a floating "refer a friend" widget. There are no limits on members, orders or rewards.
Paid plans add landing pages, self-referral fraud protection, an affiliate program and cash payouts. In a Shopify Community thread, merchants recommended it because it credits the sale to the referral link even when the friend uses another discount code.
- Unlimited referrals on the free plan
- Floating referral widget
- Affiliates from $12 a month
- Fraud protection is a paid add-on
- Cash payouts need the $29 plan
What merchants say:
"Less is more: fantastic app and outstanding support!"Whisper of Botanicals
"Quick response and was able to help me set up"Natalie Martin, Australian Watercolour Artist
Who it suits: Stores that want a simple refer-a-friend tab at no cost, with room to add affiliates later.
Setup tip: The free plan has no self-referral protection, so move to the $7 plan before you promote the program widely.
8LoyaltyLion: Best custom loyalty experience
Free plan: Yes, up to 400 orders a month
Paid plans: Classic $199 a month; Advanced and Plus by quote
Referral rewards: Points and discounts for referrals
Works with: Shopify POS, Shopify Flow, Klaviyo, Gorgias, Attentive, ReCharge, Tapcart, Yotpo
LoyaltyLion is built for brands that want a loyalty program that looks and works exactly the way they want, with referrals as one of the ways customers earn. The Classic plan includes a free loyalty page design, VIP tiers and Klaviyo loyalty flows.
It suits brands with a marketing team and budget. Smaller stores should check which plan includes referrals before installing, because the free plan lists points and discounts but not referrals.
- Highly customizable program
- Strong Klaviyo and Gorgias integrations
- VIP tiers and win-back segments
- $199 a month after the free plan
- No Built for Shopify badge
What merchants say:
"It's easy to set up, simple for customers to use, and has helped us increase repeat purchases"WILLIES.CO.UK
"CUSTOMER SERVICE IS GARBAGE AND DISMISSIVE."Comics Elite Live, July 2026
Who it suits: Brands with a marketing team that want a fully branded program and Klaviyo loyalty flows.
Setup tip: On the free plan, confirm referrals are included before you build your program around it.
9Gather: Best for email and SMS list growth
Free plan: No, 30-day free trial
Paid plans: $350 a month or $3,150 a year, no commission fees
Referral rewards: One-sided or two-sided, single or tiered rewards
Works with: Klaviyo, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, Campaign Monitor, Dotdigital
Gather is a premium refer-a-friend app that can aim your program at sales, newsletter growth or SMS and email lead generation. Customers can invite friends by email, social media or messaging, and you can reward one or both sides, with tiers for milestones.
It charges a flat $350 a month with no commission on referral sales, so it only makes sense once referrals are a real sales channel for you.
- Referrals for sales or list growth
- No commission fees
- Auto-applied friend discount
- $350 a month, no free plan
- Only 16 reviews
What merchants say:
"We love the discount auto-apply feature"Keeo Hair
"it was so easy to get set up and the service from the team has been brilliant"The Richmond Candle Co.
Who it suits: Bigger brands that want referrals to grow email and SMS lists, not only sales.
Setup tip: Use the 30-day trial to check that referral sales or new sign-ups can cover the flat $350 a month.
SlashCart is a Shopify Plus agency. We set up referral and loyalty apps, connect them to Klaviyo and Shopify POS, and make sure referral codes work with your subscriptions and discounts.
How Much Does a Shopify Referral App Cost?
Referral apps charge in three ways: by monthly orders (Smile, BON, Appstle), by monthly referral revenue (BLOOP), or a monthly fee plus a success fee on referral sales (ReferralCandy). Gather and LoyaltyLion use flat or quoted prices. Here is what each app costs for two store sizes.
| App | 200 orders a month | 1,000 orders a month |
|---|---|---|
| Smile | Free | $79/mo |
| ReferralCandy* | $9/mo + 10.5% of referral sales | $79/mo + 3.5% of referral sales |
| BON | $15/mo | $129/mo |
| Fast Loyalty | Free | Free |
| BLOOP | Free under $400 referral revenue | $39/mo up to $2,500 referral revenue |
| Appstle | Free | $30/mo |
| Shopjar | Free ($7/mo with fraud protection) | Free ($7/mo with fraud protection) |
| LoyaltyLion | Free (check referrals are included) | Quote |
| Gather | $350/mo | $350/mo |
*Example: with $2,000 of referral sales a month, ReferralCandy costs about $219 on Basic ($9 + $210), $149 on Grow ($79 + $70) and $279 on Scale ($249 + $30).
How to Set Up a Referral Program on Shopify
Every app on this list follows the same basic setup, and most stores can launch in under an hour.
Install your referral app from the Shopify App Store and choose a refer-a-friend program. In loyalty apps, turn on referrals in the program settings.
Choose the friend's reward (for example, $10 off a first order over $50) and the referrer's reward (a coupon, store credit, points or cash).
Set a minimum order, an expiry date and one use per customer. Turn on self-referral protection and hold the referrer's reward until the return window closes.
Use the app's theme app block or embed to add a floating "Refer a friend" tab, a referral page, or a post-purchase popup.
Connect Klaviyo or Mailchimp so customers get their referral link after their first order, and referrers get a "your friend just bought" email.
Share a link to a new email address, place a test order and check that the discount applies, the referral shows in the app and the reward is issued.
What Referral Reward Should You Offer?
Most Shopify stores use a two-sided reward, such as "Give $10, Get $10". It is easy to understand, and both people have a reason to act. A good starting rule is to keep the total reward for both sides under your profit on an average first order.
- Fixed amount (Give $10, Get $10): best when your average order is over $50. It feels generous and is easy to promote.
- Percentage off (Give 15%, Get 15%): works for lower prices or wide price ranges.
- Points: works well inside a loyalty program, because points bring the referrer back to buy again.
- Cash or gift cards: best for influencers and power referrers. ReferralCandy, BLOOP, Shopjar and Fast Loyalty support cash rewards.
- Free shipping: a cheap friend reward. One dress store owner on r/shopify wanted "$20 off" for referrers and "free shipping or $20 off" for friends.
If you sell subscriptions, think long term. In a discussion on r/shopifyDev, merchants agreed that an ongoing share of revenue keeps referrers motivated for longer than a one-time reward.
How Do You Stop Referral Fraud?
The most common referral fraud is customers referring themselves with a second email address to collect both rewards. These steps stop most of it:
- Use an app with built-in fraud protection: BON (Anti-Cheat referrals), BLOOP, Fast Loyalty, Shopjar (from $7) and ReferralCandy all have it.
- Give the referrer's reward only after the friend's order is paid, and hold it until your return window closes.
- Limit the friend's discount to first orders, one use per customer and a minimum order value.
- Review referrals that share an address, card or device before you approve the reward.
- Stop referral codes from stacking with other discounts in your Shopify discount settings.
Does Shopify Have Its Own Referral Program?
Shopify does not have a built-in refer-a-friend feature for your customers, so you need an app like the ones above. Two Shopify programs are often confused with it:
- Shopify Collabs is Shopify's free app for working with creators and affiliates who promote your products for a commission. It is for influencers, not for customers referring friends.
- Shopify's own affiliate and partner referrals pay people who refer new merchants to Shopify. It has nothing to do with your store's customers.
Why Are My Shopify Referrals Not Tracking?
These are the referral problems merchants raise most often in the Shopify Community (for example, threads on tracking customer referrals and invalid referral codes), with the fix for each.
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Referral code shows "Invalid code" at checkout | The code expired, hit its usage limit or was deleted in Shopify Discounts | Check the code in Shopify Discounts and the app's expiry rules |
| Code doesn't work on subscription orders | The referral app creates codes for one-time purchases only (common Community issue) | Choose an app that lists your subscription app, such as Recharge or Seal |
| The wrong person gets the credit | The friend clicked a referral link, then typed another creator's code | Use an app that credits the referral link first, such as Shopjar |
| Referral sale not in the app's reports | The friend skipped the link and didn't use the code, or cookies were blocked | Use an app that tracks by link or code, such as BLOOP |
| Customer refers themself | No self-referral check | Turn on fraud protection and delay referrer rewards |
Final Verdict: The Best Shopify Referral App for Your Store
For most stores, Smile is the safest all-round pick: referrals on the free plan, points when you are ready, and the most reviews of any app on this list. If referrals and affiliates are your main growth channel, ReferralCandy gives you the most reward types, as long as you budget for its success fee.
For a free option, Fast Loyalty (built by our team) covers points, VIP tiers and referrals at no cost, though it is newer and has fewer reviews. Shopjar is also free, and BON adds anti-cheat referrals on its free plan. Whichever app you choose, set two-sided rewards, turn on fraud protection and test a referral end to end before you launch.
Shopify Referral App FAQ
What is the best referral app for Shopify?
Does Shopify have a built-in referral program?
Is there a free Shopify referral app?
Should I use a referral-only app or a loyalty app with referrals?
How and when do referrers get paid?
Can I give different referral rewards for different collections?
Can I track referrals with codes only, without links?
Do referral codes work with subscriptions?
How do I stop customers from referring themselves?
What referral reward should I offer?
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