Preferred Patron vs Smile.io
Preferred Patron
preferredpatron.comSmile.io
smile.ioSide by side
| Figure | Preferred Patron | Smile.io |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $29/mo | $15/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 6 |
| Spec score · Customer Loyalty Software | 7.6 (#13) | 7.7 (#10) |
| Integrations | The maker lists Lightspeed X-Series, Square POS, QuickBooks Online, PostcardMania, and ActiveCampaign integrations. | The integrations directory lists tools including Klaviyo, Gorgias, Judge.me, Recharge, Tapcart, and Shopify POS. |
| Rewards | Programs can use spend- or visit-based rewards, optional points, VIP tiers, bonus promotions, and digital rewards. | Points can be redeemed for percentage or fixed discounts, free shipping, free or exclusive products, and custom rewards. |
| Security | The company describes Cloudflare edge protection with DNS, DDoS mitigation, and TLS encryption, and its privacy policy also cites SSL encryption, firewalls, and backups. | Smile’s site states that it is SOC 2 Type II compliant. |
Plans
Preferred Patron
- Small Business$29 a month
- Growth Core$199 a month
- Growth Plus$249 a month
- Growth Max$299 a month
Smile.io
- FreeFree
- Essential$15 a month
- Standard$79 a month
- Growth$199 a month
- Plus$999 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
In their own words
Preferred Patron
Preferred Patron gives restaurants, bars, pubs, and grills a branded frequent-diner program for repeat visits and guest retention. Programs can use spend- or visit-based rewards, optional points, VIP tiers, bonus promotions, and digital rewards. SMS and email support birthday, anniversary, promotional, and win-back outreach. Additional options include gift cards, referrals, raffle or sweepstake campaigns, instant wins, and review collection. The maker says restaurants can use the service without replacing their POS, although transaction capture depends on the POS or integration workflow. Listed integrations include Lightspeed X-Series, Square POS, QuickBooks Online, PostcardMania, and ActiveCampaign. Members can use iOS and Android apps or a mobile web portal. Pricing starts at $29 a month under an annual agreement, paid monthly, for one to three locations; month-to-month terms cost 40% more. Growth pricing is per location and includes up to 10,000 active members on published plans. There is no self-service free trial; the company offers a live demonstration.