Overview

Cuppacard is a digital loyalty platform for independent businesses that want to reward repeat visits with stamps and rewards. It best suits local shops that need a branded loyalty card and a simple way to track returning customers. Its strongest reach is through Apple and Google Wallet; the NFC option is restricted to UK venues.

Key features

Businesses set their own stamp rules and rewards, including points rewards, and brand cards with their logo, colours and wording. That makes the offer adaptable to a coffee shop, salon or takeaway, but the focus is loyalty rather than a wider suite of business operations.

Customers can add a card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet by scanning a QR code, without installing Cuppacard or using hardware. This is the more widely usable option: wallet passes work worldwide. In the UK, the Cuppacard Tag adds NFC stamping. Customers tap their phone to collect a stamp and receive a push notification without staff action; the tag is posted free on all plans. NFC use requires the Cuppacard app, so it is not as friction-free for customers as a wallet pass.

The browser-based business dashboard reports stamps, redemptions and returning customers. Businesses can send offers based on loyalty progress or inactivity, but push notifications for those campaigns reach customers who use the Cuppacard app. The iOS and Android app is therefore relevant to customers using app-dependent features, while the dashboard gives businesses browser access.

Pricing

Cuppacard is freemium, with a free plan and paid plans from £10/mo. The Free Cuppacard Plan allows up to 15 monthly active users and includes a custom loyalty scheme, customer insights and custom offers. It is a sensible starting point for a small business testing a scheme, but the user cap makes it a poor fit once participation grows.

Cuppacard Plan costs £10.00 per month and supports up to 50 monthly active users. It includes a first month free, custom loyalty schemes, customer insights and custom offers. This is the clearest fit for a small venue with a modest repeat-customer base. Cuppacard Pro costs £20.00 per month for 51+ monthly active users, with unlimited users, the same listed features and a first month free. It suits a busier business that would otherwise outgrow the 50-user ceiling.

Both paid tiers are priced monthly and include a first month free. The free plan is capped at 15 monthly active users, while the paid tiers distinguish between up to 50 and 51 or more; businesses should judge the suitable tier against their expected active usage.

Platforms

Cuppacard supports Android, iOS and web. Customers can use Apple Wallet or Google Wallet passes worldwide without hardware; businesses can manage insights and campaigns through a browser dashboard. NFC stamping is limited to UK venues and uses the Cuppacard app and tag.

Who it's for

Coffee shops, bakeries, barbers, takeaways, salons and other shops with regular customers are the natural audience. A small venue can begin with the free tier, while a business with more active loyalty members can move to the 50-user paid plan or unlimited Pro tier. Businesses outside the UK can still use wallet passes, but should not choose Cuppacard specifically for NFC stamping.

Cuppacard says it does not process sensitive personal information and that payment data is stored by Stripe. It describes technical and organisational safeguards for personal information while acknowledging that security cannot be guaranteed completely. Questions about pricing, demos or product fit can be directed to hello@cuppacard.com.

Pros and cons

Pro: Wallet passes work worldwide and require neither hardware nor a Cuppacard app download, lowering the barrier for customers.
Pro: The free plan includes insights and custom offers, so a small business can use more than basic stamps before paying.
Pro: NFC stamping can collect stamps without staff action, and the tag is posted free on all plans.
Con: NFC is available only to UK venues and requires customers to use the Cuppacard app.
Con: The free plan's 15 monthly active-user limit can constrain a growing scheme; the £10.00 per month plan still caps activity at 50.
Con: Campaign push notifications reach Cuppacard app users, limiting that channel for customers who rely only on wallet passes.

Alternatives

For salon-specific options, compare Salon Loyalty Software. Choose Qashier instead if you need a broader retail platform with POS, product and store limits, unlimited staff, and CRM for up to 500 customers; its Essential plan is 5.00 USD per month, billed RM5/day, with prices excluding SST.

Salonist is worth considering when salon appointment booking and scheduling matter more than a focused stamp-and-reward scheme; its free Marketplace Listing includes 50 appointments per month. meed offers another freemium option, with a free plan for up to 50 members, if that membership model better fits your needs. SalonHub360 is another freemium alternative.

SpotOn Restaurant is a paid option for businesses looking beyond loyalty to POS software, hardware, ordering and payments; its All-In Plan has processing minimums and a two-year minimum term. DaySmart Salon is a paid salon alternative with a free trial. Insight Salon Software is a paid alternative with cloud plans for solo and partner editions. Puraskar has a free web/API plan with branch, staff and customer limits, making it an option to compare if those operating limits suit your business.

Verdict

Cuppacard is a strong fit for an independent business that wants branded digital loyalty cards, basic customer insight and targeted offers without asking every customer to install an app. Its worldwide wallet passes are the main reason to choose it; look elsewhere if you need a broader business platform, or if your plan depends on NFC outside the UK or app-independent campaign notifications.

	Cuppacard	Shortcuts
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	Yes
Paid from	£10/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, iOS, Web	macOS, Web, Windows
Free plan	Yes	—
Points rewards	Yes	—
Member limit	50 members	—

Cuppacard vs Shortcuts

Cuppacard

Shortcuts