Wallet pass vs. custom loyalty app
Big chains have their own apps, so maybe you need one too? Not necessarily. Here's how a wallet pass compares with a custom app, and when each makes sense.
What a custom app gives you
A custom app gives you full control. You can add online ordering, payments, menus, booking, a points program, and anything else you can design and pay for. For a business with many locations, a large customer base, and a budget for development and maintenance, an app can be a central part of the customer experience.
The challenges are real, though. Building an app takes time and a significant budget, it needs updates whenever iOS or Android changes, and it has to be published and maintained in both app stores. Most importantly, customers have to find it, download it, create an account, and keep it on their phone. Many people are reluctant to install an app for every shop they visit.
What a wallet pass gives you
A wallet pass is a card that lives in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, apps that come preinstalled on most phones. Customers scan a QR code at your counter, enter their name and phone number, and save the card. Nothing to download, and it takes no space on their phone.
The pass shows your brand color, icon, and photo, plus the customer's points or balance, and it updates automatically. You can send push messages through the card itself, and on iPhone use proximity alerts. What you can't do is build a full ordering or booking experience inside the pass: it's a loyalty card, not an app.
Side by side
| Custom app | Wallet pass (ClubWallet) | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Design and development | None; a monthly plan from $19 + VAT |
| Time to launch | Weeks or months, plus app store review | The same day |
| Customer effort | Find, download, create an account | Scan a QR code and save the card |
| Maintenance | Ongoing updates for iOS and Android | Handled for you |
| Loyalty program | Whatever you build | Points per visit, points per amount spent, or cashback |
| Notifications | App push notifications, if customers allow them | Push messages through the card, during business hours |
| Ordering, payments, booking | Possible | Not included |
| Online store | Custom integration | Shopify connection from the Growth plan |
When an app makes sense
If your business depends on in-app ordering or booking, you have many locations, and you have the budget to keep an app up to date, a custom app can be worth it. Even then, some businesses use a wallet pass alongside the app for customers who won't download it.
When a wallet pass is the better fit
For most small businesses, such as a coffee shop, salon, bakery, or retail store, the goal is simple: reward repeat customers and give them a reason to come back. A wallet pass does exactly that, with an employee scanner for your team, an optional birthday gift from the Entrepreneur plan, and points expiry if you want it, without the cost and friction of an app.
Want to see how quickly you could launch? Read how it works or start a 14-day free trial from our pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Is a wallet pass as secure as an app?
Points are only added or redeemed from your dashboard or the employee scanner, with a PIN for each employee. Customers can see their balance but can't change it.
Can I switch to an app later?
Yes. Starting with a wallet pass doesn't lock you in, and your plans have no long-term contract.
Do wallet passes work on both iPhone and Android?
Yes. ClubWallet creates one card that works in Apple Wallet on iPhone and Google Wallet on Android.
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