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Loyalty and gift card software review

SumUp Connect

SumUp's loyalty and automated marketing service, formerly Fivestars, for neighborhood businesses such as coffee shops and quick-service restaurants. Guests join with their phone number at checkout and earn points, and automatic text, email and push messages bring them back.

By SumUpParent company: SumUp Inc.

RTC SCORE

5.2

#11 of 13 with enough data

SumUp also offers: Card processing

Not enough verified data yet

We've verified 7 of 9 key facts for this platform. Until we reach 80%, this page shows what we have, with sources, and it isn't a full review.

What we like

  • Published prices: Connect Plus is $269 a month on its own, or $199 a month bundled with SumUp's POS software.
  • Guests join with just a phone number at checkout or by text, and AutoPilot sends birthday, first-visit and win-back offers on its own.
  • POS and loyalty phone support 9 AM to 9 PM ET, 7 days a week.
  • Money Back Guarantee: if AutoPilot and promotion visits bring in less than your first year's fee, SumUp pays the difference.

What to watch

  • Connect Plus only includes 2 promotions a month; unlimited promotions need Pro, at $349 a month alone or $289 with SumUp POS.
  • The guarantee requires a 12-month subscription, and the agreement's exit terms are not public.
  • Apart from SumUp's own POS and Shopify, SumUp does not name the POS systems it connects to.
  • In its Nearby feature, your business appears on the checkout screens of other nearby SumUp Connect businesses, and theirs on yours (never a direct competitor).

How the score breaks down

RTC Score5.2out of 10

Methodology v1.0.0

Data completeness71%

We could verify 71% of the scoring data

Strongest points
12-month cost (reference restaurant), Published pricing, Automatic campaigns
Weakest point
12-month cost (reference restaurant)

Score by criterion

  • 12-month cost (reference restaurant)Weight 20%StrongestWeakest4.0 out of 10

    $2,388 over 12 months

  • Ways to earn rewardsWeight 8%2.5 out of 10
  • Rewards on your online ordersWeight 6%No data
  • App with your brandWeight 6%No data
  • Digital gift cardsWeight 6%5.0 out of 10
  • Published pricingWeight 5%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • Automatic campaignsWeight 5%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • Text message campaignsWeight 5%10.0 out of 10
  • Not tied to one POSWeight 5%10.0 out of 10
  • POS systems it connects toWeight 5%0.0 out of 10
  • Guest profiles with historyWeight 4%10.0 out of 10
  • Email campaignsWeight 4%10.0 out of 10
  • Physical gift cardsWeight 4%No data
  • Initial termWeight 4%No data
  • Live support hours a weekWeight 4%5.0 out of 10
  • Early termination feeWeight 3%No data
  • Guest feedbackWeight 2%No data
  • Your guest list when you leaveWeight 2%No data
  • Notice to avoid renewalWeight 1%No data
  • Dedicated specialistWeight 1%No data

All the data, with sources

Each value links to its source. "Not published" means the vendor doesn't disclose it; "Unconfirmed" means we looked and couldn't confirm it. Data points we have for fewer than four vendors are left out until we can compare them.

Pricing
Data pointValue
Monthly price$199/moSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)The cheapest way to get it is bundled with SumUp's own POS software. On its own, with the POS you already have, Connect Plus costs $269 a month.
Published pricingPublishedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)Plus and Pro prices are published, alone and bundled with the POS. Online ordering and e-commerce cost extra and are not priced.
Sold only with a POS planNoSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)Connect Plus and Pro are sold on their own; the POS bundle is just cheaper.
Text messages included a monthNot publishedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)Plus includes 2 promotions a month plus automated AutoPilot messages; Pro has unlimited promotions. SumUp does not say how many texts that means.
Price per extra text messageNot publishedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)No per-text price is published; extra promotions come with the Pro plan.
Setup feeNot publishedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)Installation and training are listed with the POS bundles; no setup charge is published either way.
Other feesE-commerce and online ordering need an extra subscription, priced separately. SumUp gift cards cost 3.5% plus 15¢ per card sold.Source: SumUp (opens in a new tab)
Loyalty program
Data pointValue
Loyalty programIncludedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)
How guests earnPoints for spending, Birthday rewardsSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)Points per purchase; AutoPilot sends birthday, first-visit and win-back offers. Other earning rules are not described.
Earn and redeem on online ordersUnconfirmedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)Online ordering is a separate paid subscription, and the pages do not say whether guests earn or redeem points on it. The help center only documents a Shopify connection.
App with your brandUnconfirmedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)No app with your brand appears on the SumUp Connect pages; guests join by phone number or text message.
Customer list and campaigns
Data pointValue
Guest profiles with historyYesSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)
Automatic campaignsYesSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)
Text message campaignsIncluded with an allowanceSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)Plus includes 2 promotions a month; Pro, unlimited.
Email campaignsIncludedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)
Guest feedbackUnconfirmedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)SumUp describes Review Boost (a reward for leaving an online review, on the Pro plan) but no guest survey.
Gift cards
Data pointValue
Digital gift cardsPaid add-on or separate productSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)A separate SumUp product, with no monthly fee and a charge on each card sold.
Physical gift cardsUnconfirmedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)The gift card page only describes digital cards bought online.
Fee on gift card sales3.5%Source: SumUp (opens in a new tab)Plus 15¢ per card sold.
POS and equipment
Data pointValue
Works with which POSConnects to several POS systemsSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)It also runs on its own Connect tablet next to the register.
POS systems it connects toOthersSource: SumUp Support Center (opens in a new tab)SumUp POS and Shopify (through CommerceBox). SumUp says it integrates with several POS systems but does not name others.
Extra equipmentIncluded (for example a tablet)Source: SumUp (opens in a new tab)The plans include hardware (the help center describes a Connect tablet); SumUp does not list it in detail.
Contract and exit
Data pointValue
Initial termQuote onlySource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)The Money Back Guarantee requires a 12-month subscription; the actual term is set in your agreement, which is not public.
Automatic renewalQuote onlySource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)Set in your agreement.
Notice to avoid renewalQuote onlySource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)Set in your agreement.
Early termination feeQuote onlySource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)The Money Back Guarantee requires a 12-month subscription; what happens if you leave early is not published.
Early termination clauseQuote onlySource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)Not published.
Right to raise pricesSumUp says the listed price is subject to change; how and with what notice is not published.Source: SumUp (opens in a new tab)
Your guest list when you leaveUnconfirmedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)No export or exit terms on the product pages, help center or public terms.
Support
Data pointValue
Support 24/7NoSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)
Live support hours a week84Source: SumUp (opens in a new tab)12 hours a day, 7 days a week, by phone; email any time.
Dedicated specialistUnconfirmedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)The POS bundles list dedicated installation and training, not an assigned specialist.
Language
Data pointValue
Support in SpanishUnconfirmedSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)The contact page does not mention Spanish for POS and loyalty support.
Website or help center in Spanish for the USYesSource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)SumUp's US site has a Spanish version that presents SumUp Connect, but the SumUp Connect pages themselves (features, pricing) are in English only.
Contract or terms in SpanishQuote onlySource: SumUp (opens in a new tab)The SumUp Connect agreement is not public. SumUp's general US terms have a Spanish version, but they cover payments, not SumUp Connect.

More about SumUp Connect

How we score