The Loyalty Club vs Square Loyalty
Built into Square POS. $49/mo (Plus). No NFC stamps. Phone number at checkout. The "good enough" default for Square merchants.
Quick Verdict
Square Loyalty is better if...
Square POS merchants wanting zero-effort loyalty built into their existing POS
- +Already built into Square
- +Zero extra setup
- +Partial card-linked
TLC is better if...
Businesses wanting zero-friction NFC stamps with anti-clone security and no app downloads
- +NFC tap-to-stamp (no phone number needed)
- +NTAG 424 DNA anti-clone
- +More stamp card customization
They're equal at...
- =Both help businesses retain customers through loyalty rewards
Feature Comparison
| Feature | The Loyalty Club | Square Loyalty |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Engagement | ||
| NFC Tap-to-Stamp | NTAG 424 DNA anti-clone tags | No |
| Anti-Clone NFC (NTAG 424 DNA) | Cryptographic verification per tap | No |
| QR Code Stamps | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Beacon | No | No |
| Capacitive Touch Device | No | No |
| WiFi Captive Portal | No | No |
| Customer Experience | ||
| App Download Required | No | No |
| Apple Wallet Passes | Planned | No |
| Google Wallet Passes | Planned | No |
| Account Creation Required | No | No |
| Personal Info Required | No | No |
| Push Notifications | Via wallet passes | No |
| POS Integration | ||
| Square POS | Full 7-phase integration | IS the POS — built-in |
| 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 | Card fingerprint matching via Square | Auto when phone linked to payment |
| E-Commerce | ||
| Shopify Integration | Planned | No |
| WooCommerce Integration | Planned | No |
| Security | ||
| Anti-Fraud Measures | NTAG 424 DNA + rate limiting + deduplication | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | No |
| Marketing | ||
| Email Campaigns | Planned | Via Square Marketing |
| SMS Campaigns | Planned | No |
| Automated Marketing | Planned | No |
| Referral Program | Planned | No |
| Cross-Merchant Network | No | No |
| Business Features | ||
| Multi-Location Support | Yes | No |
| White Label / Branded | Merchant branding throughout | No |
| Developer API | Planned | No |
| Analytics Dashboard | Yes | Square Dashboard |
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
Setup: £15 (includes NFC hardware). Unlimited stamps, customers, vouchers. No commission.
Square Loyalty
Included in some Square plans
First Year Total Cost (cheapest plan)
£554.40
TLC
$588.00
Square Loyalty
TLC saves £33.60 in the first year
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Loyalty Club really better than Square Loyalty?
+
It depends on your needs. TLC is better if you want NFC tap-to-stamp with anti-clone security and no app downloads. Square Loyalty may be better if: Square POS merchants wanting zero-effort loyalty built into their existing POS. We believe in honest comparisons — the best platform is the one that fits YOUR business.
Can I switch from Square Loyalty 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 Square Loyalty do that TLC doesn't?
+
Square Loyalty's advantages include: Already built into Square; Zero extra setup; Partial card-linked; Huge install base; Good enough default. TLC is focused on the core stamp card experience with maximum simplicity and security.
Ready to try the difference?
Set up NFC loyalty stamps in under 30 minutes. No app downloads. No hidden fees.