Friendbuy: Referrals & Loyalty vs Retainley: Retention & Rewards
Two Shopify apps, side by side: detected stores, momentum, reviews, plans, listed features and who runs each. Store counts as of Nov 9, 2026 for Friendbuy, Oct 24, 2026 for Retainley.
The short answer
- On the Shopify App Store: Friendbuy 4.9 from 14 reviews and Retainley 5.0 from 1 reviews.
- Only Retainley lists a free plan.
- Friendbuy lists 8 features Retainley’s listing doesn’t mention, including Badges, Donations, Early access.
Head to head
- United States
- Canada
- Slovakia
Momentum
New reviews each month
Review pace is the clearest public read on how fast an app is winning new merchants.
Free
Free
- · 1 campaign
- · 1 team seat
- · 300 orders / month
- · Email support
- · Onboarding call
- · Photo reviews
Starter
- · 1,500 orders / month
- · 3 team seats
- · 5 campaigns
- · Everything in Free, plus:
- · Loyalty Hub & widget
- · Third-party integrations
Pro
- · 10 team seats
- · 5,000 orders / month
- · AI review summaries
- · API & webhooks
- · Everything in Starter, plus:
- · Gamification & bonuses
Enterprise
- · 50,000 orders / month
- · Custom reports
- · Dedicated CSM
- · Everything in Pro, plus:
- · Paid memberships
- · SLA guarantee
Coverage counts what each App Store listing names. Every feature, checked off app by app, is in Shoplist.
See every featureAcquire new customers at a jaw-droppingly low CPA through word-of-mouth referrals, and increase customer retention with personalized loyalty rewards. Friendbuy automatically injects Friendbuy code into Shopify themes and checkout pages, so you can display referral and loyalty widgets and track conversions.
Retainley is a retention platform for Shopify D2C brands, built to grow repeat purchases. Customers earn cashback on orders, referrals, reviews and birthdays, watch it build in their wallet and redeem it at cart in one tap. VIP loyalty tiers keep your best buyers coming back.
- Customizable Referral Program and Loyalty Program templates to get live fast
- Comprehensive reporting, analytics, and concurrent A/B testing
- Reliable fraud detection that prevents self referrals, and accounts for returns
- Real-Time Data: Central dashboard for instant ROI tracking.
- Instant Onboarding: Quick setup with no technical delays
- Omnichannel Nudges: Auto-alerts via WhatsApp, SMS, and Email.
- Loyalty Funnels: Tiered rewards based on buyer behavior.
All the numbers
Every figure, side by side
A green dot marks the app ahead on a measured figure. Estimates, gaps and apps that leave no storefront trace never take the lead.
Adoption
| Measure |  Friendbuy |  Retainley |
|---|---|---|
| Detected stores | 107 | Not published |
| Net store change, 28 days | +1 | 0 |
| Stores added, 28 days | 1 | Not enough data |
| Big-brand share | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Top store categories | Apparel & Accessories, Health & Beauty, Home & Garden | Not published |
| Top store countries | United States, Canada, Slovakia | Not published |
Reviews
| Measure | Friendbuy | Retainley |
|---|---|---|
| App Store rating | 4.9 ★ | 5.0 ★(ahead) |
| App Store reviews | 14(ahead) | 1 |
| New reviews, 28 days | 1 | Not enough data |
| Reviewers a year or more in | Not enough data | Not enough data |
FAQ
Friendbuy and Retainley: common questions
- Is Friendbuy or Retainley cheaper?
- Only Retainley lists a free plan. Shoplist compares base prices only between monthly plans in the same currency; usage charges and annual plans vary, so check each plan’s limits.
- Which has better reviews, Friendbuy or Retainley?
- On the Shopify App Store: Friendbuy 4.9 from 14 reviews and Retainley 5.0 from 1 reviews.
- What features does each app list that the other doesn’t?
- Friendbuy lists 8 the others don’t mention, such as Badges, Donations, Early access, Exclusive access. Retainley lists 6 the others don’t mention, such as Affiliate programs, Cash back programs, Digital wallets, Events. A feature missing from a listing may still be supported; this compares what each App Store listing says.
- Where does this comparison’s data come from?
- Shoplist crawls Shopify storefronts to detect which apps each store runs, and reads each app’s Shopify App Store listing for reviews, pricing, features and integrations. Store counts are as of Nov 9, 2026 for Friendbuy, Oct 24, 2026 for Retainley; estimated figures are labeled.
How Shoplist compares apps
Store counts come from Shoplist’s crawl of Shopify storefronts, which detects the apps each store runs; they are as of Nov 9, 2026 for Friendbuy, Oct 24, 2026 for Retainley. Reviews, ratings, plans, features and integrations come from each app’s Shopify App Store listing. 28-day figures are labeled when estimated, and a figure that is missing or estimated never decides who leads. Read the methodology.