The Loyalty Club vs Perkstar
UK-based QR-only loyalty with wallet passes. 8 card types. No NFC. Flat £15/mo unlimited pricing.
Quick Verdict
TLC is better if...
Any business that wants maximum customer adoption — no app, no signup, just tap and go
- +NFC tap (faster than QR)
- +NTAG 424 DNA anti-clone
- +Square POS integration
- +Card-linked auto-stamp
Perkstar is better if...
Budget UK merchants wanting simple QR loyalty with wallet passes
- +Cheaper (£15 vs £44.95)
- +8 card types
- +Established UK presence
Feature Comparison
| Feature | The Loyalty Club | Perkstar |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Engagement | ||
| NFC Tap-to-Stamp | NFC — impossible to clone, unlike standard NFC | No |
| NFC Anti-Fraud | Bank-grade cryptographic verification on every tap | No |
| QR Code Stamps | Yes | Primary stamp method |
| Bluetooth Beacon | No | No |
| Capacitive Touch Device | No | No |
| WiFi Captive Portal | No | No |
| Customer Experience | ||
| App Download Required | No | No |
| Apple Wallet Passes | Native passes with geofencing — auto-appears near the store | Yes |
| Google Wallet Passes | Coming soon | Yes |
| Account Creation Required | No | No |
| Personal Info Required | No | No |
| Push Notifications | Via Apple Wallet passes and location triggers | No |
| POS Integration | ||
| Square POS | Fully automatic card-linked stamping | No |
| Stripe POS | Planned | No |
| Clover POS | Planned | No |
| Lightspeed POS | Planned | No |
| Toast POS | No | No |
| Dojo | Planned | No |
| SumUp | Planned | No |
| Epos Now | No | No |
| Other POS Systems | Planned | No |
| Card-Linked Auto-Stamp | Pay with the same card and stamps land automatically | No |
| E-Commerce | ||
| Shopify Integration | Planned | No |
| WooCommerce Integration | Planned | No |
| Security | ||
| Anti-Fraud Measures | NFC anti-fraud + rate limiting + device fingerprinting | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | No |
| Marketing | ||
| Email Campaigns | No | No |
| SMS Campaigns | No | No |
| Automated Marketing | No | No |
| Referral Program | Planned | No |
| Cross-Merchant Network | No | No |
| Business Features | ||
| Multi-Location Support | Manage all locations from one dashboard | No |
| White Label / Branded | Your brand, your colours, your logo throughout | No |
| Developer API | Planned | No |
| Analytics Dashboard | See who visits, how often, and who stopped coming back | Basic stats |
How Stamp Collection Actually Works
Fewer steps = less friction = more stamps collected = more repeat visits
First Visit (Cash)
Customer pays cash, collects first stamp
First Visit (Card)
Customer pays by card, collects first stamp
Returning Visit (Cash)
Known customer pays cash, collects stamp
Returning Visit (Card)
Known customer pays by card, collects stamp
Pricing Comparison
The Loyalty Club
Unlimited customers, per-location pricing, 3 staff cards. No commission. Hardware sold separately.
Perkstar
Unlimited everything
Single plan, flat rate
First Year Total Cost (cheapest plan)
£348.00
TLC
£180.00
Perkstar
Perkstar entry price is lower, but TLC is flat-rate with no per-user fees, anti-fraud NFC, Apple Wallet, and zero app downloads.
What Real Users Say
App Store
Google Play
Review Summary
Brand new UK company (incorporated Feb 2025). Markets aggressively with SEO blog posts. No app download — uses Apple/Google Wallet passes with geo-triggered notifications. Staff scan customer QR code (2-3 seconds). 8 card types. Very new with no track record.
Common Complaints from Perkstar Users
Brand new company (Feb 2025) — no track record or proven reliability
No NFC stamp collection — staff must scan customer QR code
No POS integration — stamps are manually triggered
Very aggressive SEO marketing but no public customer count
8 card types may be confusing for simple coffee shop needs
Unknown longevity — startup risk
14-day trial only — no free tier
Choose Perkstar if you...
- Your #1 priority is the lowest possible monthly cost (£15/mo)
- You don't need NFC tap-to-stamp or anti-fraud protection
- Your customers are comfortable scanning QR codes
- You want Apple and Google Wallet passes right now
Choose TLC if you...
- You want NFC tap-to-stamp that can't be faked or cloned
- You want Square POS integration for automatic stamps
- You want a free tier to try before committing
- You prefer the speed and simplicity of tap vs scan
- Security and anti-fraud matter to you
Switching from Perkstar to TLC
Moving from Perkstar to TLC adds NFC tap-to-stamp and anti-clone security at a similar price point. Set up your TLC account, place your NFC tag, and customers can start immediately. Perkstar wallet passes continue working during transition.
Under 30 minutes
Full setup from scratch
Zero downtime
Run both in parallel
No data loss
Customers start fresh on NFC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Loyalty Club really better than Perkstar?
+
It depends on your needs. TLC is better if you want NFC tap-to-stamp with anti-fraud security and no app downloads. Perkstar may be better if: Budget UK merchants wanting simple QR loyalty with wallet passes. We believe in honest comparisons -the best platform is the one that fits YOUR business.
Can I switch from Perkstar to TLC?
+
Yes. TLC is designed for quick setup -you can be running in under 30 minutes. Your customers don't need to download anything; they just tap the NFC tag on their next visit. There's no complex data migration needed since TLC starts fresh with your customers.
What does Perkstar do that TLC doesn't?
+
Perkstar's advantages include: Cheaper (£15 vs £44.95); 8 card types; Established UK presence. TLC is focused on the core stamp card experience with maximum simplicity and security.
How much does Perkstar cost compared to TLC?
+
TLC Club is £39/month and VIP is £79/month per location. No hidden fees, no setup fees. NFC hardware sold separately from £12.95. See the pricing comparison section above for Perkstar's full pricing breakdown.
The research is clear: retailers with poorly-implemented loyalty programmes grew at just 2.28% — while those with no programme at all grew at 4.26%. McKinsey
Choosing the cheapest option can cost more than having no loyalty at all. See the full breakdown
Related Resources
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Set up NFC loyalty stamps in under 30 minutes. No app downloads. No hidden fees.