How Much Does a Loyalty Program Cost in South Africa?
A clear breakdown of what a digital loyalty program costs a small business, how to work out the return, and how Cardless Club compares to paper stamp cards.
A digital loyalty program with Cardless Club costs R499 per month per shop, with no hardware, no card printing, and no setup fee. Because loyalty members typically spend 12 to 18% more per year, a small number of extra repeat visits usually covers the cost, which makes it worthwhile for most small shops.
How much does a loyalty program cost in South Africa?
Cardless Club costs R499 per month per shop, billed monthly in advance, with a minimum 3-month commitment. Each additional branch is its own subscription. There is no hardware to buy, no card stock to print, and no setup fee, because the whole system runs on a phone or tablet you already own.
| Cost item | Paper stamp cards | Cardless Club |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None, but you reprint cards | R499 per shop |
| Card printing | Ongoing, per batch | None |
| Hardware / scanner | Optional but common | None, uses your phone |
| Setup fee | Design and print costs | None |
| Lost-card replacement | Reprint and re-stamp | None, saved to account |
Is a loyalty program worth the cost for a small business?
For most small shops, yes. The return comes from existing customers spending more and visiting more often. Industry data shows the size of the effect:
12–18%
more annual spend from loyalty members
3.1×
more spent by reward redeemers
59%
average annual loyalty program activity rate
Sources: Fundera; Antavo 2025 loyalty statistics.
How do I work out the return for my shop?
- Estimate your average saleTake a typical customer’s spend per visit.
- Estimate extra visitsLoyalty members visit more often. Even a few extra visits per regular adds up.
- Multiply and compareExtra visits multiplied by average sale is your added revenue. Compare it to R499.
- Factor in retentionKeeping a customer is cheaper than finding a new one, so retained customers improve margin too.
Because the fee is flat, the more your program grows, the lower its effective cost per customer.
Are there any discounts or contracts?
The standard price is R499 per shop per month on a rolling monthly basis after the initial 3-month minimum. We may offer discounts or custom terms to selected merchants at our discretion. You can cancel at any time, effective at the end of your current billing cycle.
For the full picture of how the system works and which businesses benefit most, read our guide to digital loyalty programs for small businesses.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Cardless Club cost?
R499 per month per shop, billed monthly in advance, with a minimum 3-month commitment. Each additional branch is its own subscription. There is no hardware or setup cost.
Are there setup or hardware fees?
No. Cardless Club runs on a phone or tablet you already own. There is no scanner to buy, no cards to print, and no setup fee.
Is there a long contract?
There is a minimum 3-month commitment on a new subscription. After that it is billed monthly and you can cancel any time, effective at the end of the current cycle.
Is a loyalty program worth it for a small business?
For most small shops, yes. Loyalty members spend 12 to 18% more per year and reward redeemers spend several times more, so a small number of extra repeat visits typically covers the monthly fee.
Do I pay per branch?
Yes. Each shop or branch is its own R499 subscription. Linked branches can share one combined loyalty card as a franchise where configured.
Can I get a refund?
Payments are non-refundable except in the limited case of a continuous platform outage attributable to Cardless Club infrastructure, as set out in our Refund Policy.
Start for less than the cost of reprinting cards
Set up your shop on Cardless Club for R499 per month, with no hardware and no card printing.
Get started as a merchant