Rise.ai is a popular gift card, store credit, and cashback app for Shopify and Wix stores. It does a lot well, but a few things push merchants to look for Rise.ai alternatives.
Its plans are priced on your total monthly store orders, not just gift card orders, so the bill grows as your store grows. Its loyalty is built on store credit rather than points. And it only runs on Shopify and Wix, which is a problem if you sell on other platforms or through a POS it doesn’t support.
If any of that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place. Below, we compare 10 Rise.ai alternatives side by side, with features, limitations, pricing, and ratings for each one. We also show you how to move your existing gift card balances without losing a cent.
TL;DR: What Are the 10 Best Rise.ai Alternatives at a Glance?
Here’s how the 10 apps compare on the features most Rise.ai users care about.
| Tool | Best for | Gift cards | Store credit | Loyalty | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99minds | Gift cards, store credit, and loyalty in one platform, online and in-store | Yes | Yes | Points and store credit | Free plan, paid from $49/month |
| Gift Card Hero | Reloadable gift cards online and at Shopify POS | Yes | Yes | No | Free to install, 2% of gift card value |
| Vify | Budget-friendly digital gift cards | Yes | No | No | Free plan, paid from $9.99/month |
| GiftKart | Cashback and store credit campaigns | Yes | Yes | Cashback | $99/month |
| Govalo | Gift cards, giftable products, and gift subscriptions | Yes | Yes | No | Free to install, 2.9% of gift card value |
| Givy | Product gifting and bulk gift cards | Yes | Yes | No | $14/month plus 2% of gift value |
| Growave | Loyalty, reviews, and wishlists in one app | Higher plans | Higher plans | Points | Free plan, paid from $15/month |
| Smile.io | Simple points and referral programs | No | No | Points | Free plan, paid from $15/month |
| LoyaltyLion | Data-led loyalty for growing brands | As rewards | As rewards | Points | Free plan, paid from $199/month |
| Yotpo Loyalty and Referrals | Loyalty inside a wider retention suite | As rewards | As rewards | Points | Free plan, paid from $199/month |
If you want gift cards, store credit, and loyalty to work together, 99minds is the closest like-for-like swap for Rise.ai. If you only need gift cards, a dedicated app like Gift Card Hero or Vify will do. If you only need points, Smile.io, LoyaltyLion, and Yotpo are the usual picks.
Pricing and ratings in this post come from each app’s Shopify App Store listing as of November 6, 2026.
What Should You Look for in a Rise.ai Alternative?
Before you compare apps, get clear on what you actually use Rise.ai for today. Then check each option against these points:
- Pricing model: flat monthly fee, per-order pricing, or a percentage of gift card sales. Run the math at your real order volume, not the plan’s starting price
- Gift card types: digital, physical, reloadable, multi-currency, and bulk issuing
- Store credit: manual issuing, plus automated refund-to-credit for returns
- Loyalty model: points, store credit rewards, VIP tiers, or punch cards
- Platform and POS coverage: every storefront and in-store system you sell through
- Migration support: help moving existing codes and balances, so customers don’t lose value
10 Best Rise.ai Alternatives to Use in 2026
The list below mixes all-in-one platforms, dedicated gift card apps, and loyalty apps, so you can match the tool to the job you need done.
1. 99minds
99minds is a powerful unified value engine for retailers that sell online and in stores. It’s the best Rise.ai alternative if you want your gift card program, store credit, and loyalty rewards to work together instead of across three separate apps.
It runs on Shopify, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud, and syncs with Shopify POS, Square, Heartland, Lightspeed, and Clover. Rise.ai only runs on Shopify and Wix, so this matters most if you sell on more than one platform or use a POS other than Shopify POS.
Here’s what Sukoshi, an Asian beauty retailer with 20+ stores across Canada and the US, said in its Shopify App Store review:
“99minds has been a great partner for both our online and brick-and-mortar stores, helping us roll out an omnichannel gift card and loyalty solution. While it took a bit of time to get everything set up, their team was always quick to respond and happy to help along the way. We love the flexibility they offer with customization, which made it easy to create a solution that fits our needs and gives our customers a better experience.”
99minds best features
- Complete Gift Card Program: Sell digital, physical, and bulk gift cards, plus multi-currency gift cards that keep their original currency for international shoppers
- Store Credit and Returns: Built-in store credit software that sends refunds to store credit automatically, so returned revenue stays in your store
- Flexible Loyalty Programs: Run points, VIP tiers, store credit rewards, punch cards, and gamification like spin-to-win from the same dashboard
- AI-Powered Workflow Builder: Automates events like issuing points after an order or sending a refund to store credit, with no manual work from your team
- Referrals, Coupons, and Memberships: Launch referral programs, coupon campaigns, cashback, and paid memberships alongside your gift cards and loyalty
- Wallet Passes: Send Apple and Google Wallet passes with location-triggered notifications that remind customers about their balance near your store
- Advanced Reporting: Track gift card liability, gift card breakage, and redemptions, with the data you need for compliance and tax
99minds limitations
- With so many programs in one place, setup can take a little longer than a single-purpose gift card app
- Coupons start on the Pro plan and referrals on the Ultra plan, so smaller stores may need to upgrade for them
- It has fewer Shopify App Store reviews than apps that have been listed for longer
99minds pricing
- Free: free to install, with a monthly transaction allowance
- Basic: $49/month
- Pro: $99/month
- Ultra: $199/month
- Premium: $499/month
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
99minds ratings and reviews
- Shopify: 4.7/5 (41 reviews)
- G2: 5/5 (5+ reviews)
Switch From Rise.ai Without Losing a Balance
With 99minds, run gift cards, store credit, and loyalty inside one platform, and keep every existing gift card code and balance.
2. Gift Card Hero
Gift Card Hero is a focused gift card app for Shopify stores that sell online and in person. It’s known for reloadable gift cards and POS tools, so it’s a good fit if your counter staff sell and top up cards every day.
Gift Card Hero best features
- Branded digital and physical gift cards, sent straight to the recipient by email
- Reloadable gift card balances
- Shopify POS tools for selling and redeeming in-store
- Balance check widget and unused balance reminders
- Bulk tools and an API for developers
Gift Card Hero limitations
- It doesn’t include a loyalty program, so you’ll need a separate app for loyalty
- On the pay-as-you-go plan, costs rise with your gift card sales, up to the monthly cap
Gift Card Hero pricing
- Pay as you go: free to install, 2% of total gift card value (minimum $9.99/month, maximum $49.99/month)
- Pro: $19.99/month
- Shopify Plus: $39.99/month
Gift Card Hero ratings and reviews
- Shopify: 4.9/5 (180 reviews)
3. Vify
Vify is a budget-friendly gift card app built around customizable digital gift cards. If you just want to sell good-looking gift cards without paying for a full retention suite, it’s one of the more affordable options on this list.
Vify best features
- Custom gift card product pages and redemption page
- Custom email templates and email branding
- Gift card value adjustments and expiry reminders
- Bulk gift card import on paid plans
- Shopify Flow support
Vify limitations
- It’s built for gift cards, so store credit and loyalty need other apps
- Some merchants may find it lighter on in-store tools than apps built around POS
Vify pricing
- Free: $0/month
- Starter: $9.99/month
- Premium: $16.99/month
- Ultimate: $29.99/month (for Shopify Plus)
Vify ratings and reviews
- Shopify: 4.9/5 (137 reviews)
4. GiftKart
GiftKart has grown from a gift card app into a cashback and store credit tool. It’s a good match if you mainly use Rise.ai for cashback campaigns and want more room on issuing volume.
GiftKart best features
- Cashback campaigns on every purchase, paid out as native store credit
- Refunds returned as store credit
- Gift cards, bulk codes, and bulk sends
- Customer wallet and account widget
- Klaviyo and Omnisend integrations, plus reminder and expiry emails
GiftKart limitations
- There’s no free plan for live stores, so it may feel pricier for small shops just starting out
- Points-based loyalty isn’t part of the app
GiftKart pricing
- Development stores: Free
- Essential: $99/month (up to 10,000 cashback issuances per month)
- Enterprise: $199/month (unlimited issuance, plus gift card migration from your existing tool)
GiftKart ratings and reviews
- Shopify: 4.9/5 (116 reviews)
5. Govalo
Govalo covers gift cards plus giftable products and gift subscriptions. It suits brands that sell subscriptions through tools like Recharge and want customers to gift them.
Govalo best features
- Customized gift cards with scheduled delivery to the recipient
- Giftable products and subscriptions, with Recharge and Bold integrations
- Balance lookup tool and custom redemption page on paid plans
- Klaviyo, Omnisend, and Drip integrations
- Bulk gift card orders by CSV and API access on the Plus plan
Govalo limitations
- A percentage of gift card value applies on every plan, so costs grow as gift card sales grow
- Bulk CSV orders sit on the top plan
Govalo pricing
- Basic: free to install, 2.9% of total gift card value
- Advanced: $79/month plus 2.25% of total gift card value
- Plus: $399/month plus 1.5% of total gift card value
Govalo ratings and reviews
- Shopify: 4.3/5 (26 reviews)
6. Givy
Givy is a gifting app first and a gift card app second. Shoppers can send products, subscriptions, or gift cards as gifts, which makes it handy for brands that do well over the holidays.
Givy best features
- Product, subscription, and gift card gifting
- Bulk gift card creation and bulk sends
- Emails sent from your own domain
- Gift card import, useful when you’re moving from another app
- Gift wrapping and gift notes on the Growth plan
Givy limitations
- Most plans add a fee on the value of gifts and gift cards processed through the app
- It doesn’t include a loyalty program
Givy pricing
- Intro: $14/month plus 2% of gift and gift card value
- Basic: $49/month plus 1.5%
- Growth: $99/month plus 1%
- Enterprise: $249/month with no transaction fees
Givy ratings and reviews
- Shopify: 5/5 (52 reviews)
7. Growave
Growave bundles loyalty, product reviews, and wishlists into one app. Gift cards and store credit come in on its higher plans, so it’s worth a look if you want to replace a few apps at once.
Growave best features
- Points loyalty, referrals, and on-site nudges
- Product reviews and wishlists in the same app
- VIP tiers and store credit, online and at POS, on the Growth plan
- Gift cards and Apple and Google Wallet loyalty passes on the Growth plan
- Shopify POS and Shopify Flow support
Growave limitations
- Gift cards and store credit start on the $199 Growth plan
- Plans are priced by monthly orders, with extra charges above each plan’s limit
Growave pricing
- Free: up to 200 orders/month
- Entry: $15/month (500 orders, then $20 per extra 100 orders)
- Growth: $199/month (1,500 orders, then $15 per extra 100 orders)
- Plus: $499/month (3,000 orders, then $10 per extra 100 orders)
Growave ratings and reviews
- Shopify: 4.8/5 (1,287 reviews)
8. Smile.io
Smile.io is one of the best-known points and referral apps on Shopify. It’s a good alternative if you want to replace Rise.ai’s store credit loyalty with a classic points program and don’t need gift cards from the same tool.
Smile.io best features
- Points, rewards, and referrals with 15+ ways to earn and redeem
- Full branding customization and 20+ languages
- Shopify POS support
- Bonus events and gift card rewards on the Standard plan
- VIP tiers, points expiry, and redeem at checkout on the Growth plan
Smile.io limitations
- It doesn’t sell gift cards or manage store credit
- VIP tiers sit on the Growth plan, and pricing scales with monthly orders
Smile.io pricing
- Free: up to 200 monthly orders
- Essential: $15/month (up to 500 monthly orders)
- Standard: $79/month (up to 1,000 monthly orders)
- Growth: $199/month (2,500 monthly orders, then $20 per extra 100 orders)
Smile.io ratings and reviews
- Shopify: 4.9/5 (4,666 reviews)
9. LoyaltyLion
LoyaltyLion is a loyalty app aimed at growing brands that want detailed loyalty reporting and Klaviyo-driven campaigns. It’s a points program, not a gift card tool.
LoyaltyLion best features
- Customizable earning rules and rewards
- VIP loyalty tiers
- POS locations support
- Loyalty-attributed revenue reporting
- Klaviyo loyalty flows built for you on the Classic plan
LoyaltyLion limitations
- It doesn’t sell gift cards, and gift cards and store credit are only available as loyalty rewards
- Stores above 500 orders a month need a custom quote, so it may feel pricier than other options as you grow
LoyaltyLion pricing
- Free: up to 400 monthly orders
- Classic: $199/month
- Advanced and Plus: Contact for pricing
LoyaltyLion ratings and reviews
- Shopify: 4.7/5 (549 reviews)
10. Yotpo Loyalty and Referrals
Yotpo Loyalty and Referrals is the loyalty piece of Yotpo’s wider retention suite. It makes the most sense if you already use other Yotpo products and want loyalty in the same place.
Yotpo Loyalty and Referrals best features
- Points for purchases, exchanged for discounts
- Referral program
- Rewards page and extra ways to earn on the Pro plan
- Redeem points at checkout
- Webhooks and integrations with Klaviyo and Recharge
Yotpo Loyalty and Referrals limitations
- It doesn’t sell gift cards, and gift cards and store credit are only available as loyalty rewards
- The free plan is limited to stores with fewer than 100 monthly orders
Yotpo Loyalty and Referrals pricing
- Free: for stores with fewer than 100 monthly orders
- Pro: $199/month, with per-order charges from 500 orders a month
- Higher volumes: Contact for pricing
Yotpo Loyalty and Referrals ratings and reviews
- Shopify: 4.7/5 (969 reviews)
How to Migrate From Rise.ai to 99minds Without Losing Customer Balances?
We move every active Rise.ai gift card into 99minds in five steps, keeping the same codes and the same balances. Your customers keep redeeming their cards as usual, and our onboarding team runs the migration with you.
Here’s what moves across:
- Gift card codes, exactly as issued in Rise.ai
- The remaining balance on each card
- Optionally, creation dates, expiration dates, and transaction history
And here’s what stays behind:
- Rise.ai email templates, claim pages, and storefront widgets, which you rebuild in 99minds during setup
- Scheduled rewards and scheduled emails
- Zero-balance cards, unless you want to keep them for your records
One rule before you start: keep Rise.ai installed until the final import is verified. Your dashboard access ends when you uninstall, and Rise.ai deletes your data two weeks later, according to Rise.ai’s help center.
- Export your gift card data from Rise.ai. In Reports, click Export Report and export the Gift Card Sales Report, filtered to cards with a remaining balance. Export the Liability Report too, so you have the total outstanding balance to check against later. Only the store owner or an admin can export Rise.ai reports, and the emailed download link expires after two days
- Set up 99minds. Turn on gift card email templates or connect your email marketing tool, and add the 99minds gift card widget so customers can check their balances. If you sell in more than one currency, set up each one so every card keeps its original currency. You can do this while step one is in progress
- Share your files with us. Send the export and the liability report by Dropbox or email. Keep them in their original format, since opening and saving them in Excel can strip leading zeros from codes or change date formats
- Prepare the import file. We map your export to the 99minds import format. Only two columns are required, the gift card number and the remaining balance. We then run a test import with a few cards so you can check them before the full import
- Go live. On go-live day, we run the final import. You then send a second, smaller export of any cards sold or redeemed in Rise.ai since your first export, and we import that too. Finally, we check that your card count and total balance in 99minds match Rise.ai
A quick tip: pause gift card sales in Rise.ai for the few hours between that second export and its import, so no balance changes slip through. Once you’re live, test-redeem one migrated card at checkout, check a few balances in the widget, and then export any remaining Rise.ai reports before you uninstall.
Which Rise.ai Alternative Gives You Gift Cards, Store Credit, and Loyalty in One Place?
Most Rise.ai alternatives solve one part of what Rise.ai does. Gift Card Hero, Vify, Govalo, and Givy are strong Shopify gift card apps, but you’ll need something else for loyalty. Smile.io, LoyaltyLion, and Yotpo run solid points programs, but none of them sells gift cards. GiftKart and Growave cover more ground, with cashback, store credit, or gift cards on their higher plans.
If you want all three working together, 99minds is the best fit. You get gift cards, store credit, and a full loyalty platform on one dashboard, across Shopify, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud, with balances that sync to Shopify POS and other in-store systems. You can keep turning returns into store credit or gift cards for refunds, just like you did in Rise.ai, and our team moves your existing balances for you.
Want to see how it compares with your current setup? Read our full Rise.ai alternative comparison, or book a demo with our team.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rise.ai Alternatives
What is the best alternative to Rise.ai?
It depends on what you use Rise.ai for. If you need gift cards, store credit, and loyalty together, 99minds is the closest match, and it adds more eCommerce platforms and POS systems. For gift cards alone, Gift Card Hero and Vify are popular. For points loyalty alone, look at Smile.io or LoyaltyLion.Is there a free alternative to Rise.ai?
Yes. 99minds, Vify, Growave, Smile.io, and LoyaltyLion all have free plans on the Shopify App Store, though each one has usage limits. Gift Card Hero and Govalo are free to install but charge a percentage of your gift card sales. Rise.ai itself offers a seven-day free trial rather than a free plan.How much does Rise.ai cost?
Rise.ai's Shopify plans start at $19.99/month for 100 monthly store orders, then $59.99/month for 400 orders and $199.99/month for 2,000 orders. Each plan charges per order above its limit, from $0.20 down to $0.10 per order. Annual billing saves 15% to 20%, according to its Shopify App Store listing.Does Rise.ai charge only for gift card orders?
No. Rise.ai's plans count your total monthly store orders, not just orders that include a gift card. So if your store gets busier, your Rise.ai bill can go up even if your gift card sales stay the same. That's why it's worth running the numbers at your real order volume.Does Rise.ai offer points-based loyalty?
Rise.ai's loyalty runs on store credit and cashback rather than a points system. Customers earn credit they can spend on future orders. If you want a points program, you'll need a loyalty app like Smile.io or LoyaltyLion, or a platform like 99minds that offers both store credit and points.Can I move my Rise.ai gift card balances to another app?
Yes. You can export your active gift cards and the liability report from Rise.ai and import them into another app, keeping the same codes and balances. 99minds handles this for you in five steps, including a test import and a final check that your card count and total balance match.What happens to my data when I uninstall Rise.ai?
Your Rise.ai dashboard access ends as soon as you uninstall, and Rise.ai deletes your data two weeks later. So export every report you need before you uninstall, and keep Rise.ai installed until your new app has imported and verified all your balances.Can Shopify's built-in gift cards and store credit replace Rise.ai?
For simple needs, maybe. Shopify includes native gift cards and store credit for basic issuing and redemption. Rise.ai and other Shopify store credit apps add branded delivery, scheduled sends, bulk issuing, automated refund-to-credit, and reporting on top.Boost Customer Engagement with 99minds. The Ultimate Gift Card & Loyalty Solution!
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