Smart Loyalty

What Smart Loyalty does

SmartLoyalty AG is a German developer and vendor of customer loyalty systems headquartered in Wiesbaden, organized as an Aktiengesellschaft (German public limited company) and operating in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). The company designs, produces, and supports customer card programs — bonus cards, value/prepaid cards, gift cards, employee/social cards, and multi-partner city cards — for SMEs, retail chains, automotive dealer groups, franchise operators, and municipal governments. Its referenceable installed base spans more than 40 industries and includes 300+ automotive dealerships and 100+ municipal/city card programs, with named customers including major automotive brands (Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Volkswagen), German retail chains (REWE, Edeka, Reformhaus, Heimwerk Baumarkt), and municipal programs (Altöttinger CityCARD, MOIN Vechta, MühlackerCard, Mosbach-aktiv, Neuss points).

The core technology is the EcoSystem platform family, a vertically integrated stack comprising EcoData CRM/analytics software, EcoEasy multi-terminal hardware, EcoTab (phone/tablet POS), EcoWeb (PC/web POS), EcoApp smartphone customer card, EcoValue value-card evaluation software, EcoGutscheinkarten gift card module, and the EcoNOVA umbrella platform, with 20+ add-on modules (coupon, customer importer, points expiry, referral, welcome mailer, smartphone/tablet, online card activation, etc.) and an in-house print/lettershop for high-quality plastic card production in bank-grade quality. The architecture supports chip cards, QR codes, and digital wallet integration (Apple/Android), enabling both physical and digital loyalty deployments with inter-merchant settlement for multi-partner configurations.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: one-time hardware and card production sales, recurring software subscriptions for EcoData/EcoLoyalty, premium add-on module subscriptions, and professional consulting for CRM strategy and loyalty program design. Go-to-market is primarily direct B2B sales (inside sales by phone, field sales for enterprises, online demo booking via Teams video) supplemented by Google Ads/SEO-driven lead generation and an extensive example-center of case studies. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, and the company is self-described as founder-managed with no disclosed outside investors. No revenue, ARR, or funding figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

Smart Loyalty

Legal name

SmartLoyalty AG

Website

https://smartloyalty.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SmartLoyalty AG is a Wiesbaden-based German vendor of integrated customer loyalty systems (hardware terminals, CRM software, plastic and digital cards, and add-on modules) serving SMEs, retail chains, automotive dealer groups, franchise operators, and municipalities across the DACH region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Customer Loyalty Software

akta.pro primary industry

Price Comparison, Deals, Cashback & Loyalty Shopping Platforms (BPAMAGAH)

Keywords

• Customer loyalty software
• Loyalty card systems
• POS terminal hardware
• Customer relationship management
• Gift card platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Wiesbaden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Sale of customer card terminals (EcoEasy, EcoTab, EcoWeb), card reading devices, and plastic customer cards in corporate design
2. Software Subscriptions: SaaS-based software for customer data management, bonus point administration, and analytics. EcoData software with base modules and additional premium modules
3. Card Production and Personalization: Production of high-quality plastic customer cards using offset printing with protective lamination, various personalization options including thermal transfer, sublimation printing, and embossing
4. Additional Software Modules: Premium add-on modules for enhanced functionality such as coupon systems, customer informer, premium rewards, points expiry management, and smartphone integration
5. Consulting Services: Professional consulting for loyalty program design, CRM strategy development, and marketing optimization for customer loyalty systems

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SmartLoyalty AG develops, markets, and sells an integrated customer loyalty card system (the EcoSystem platform) combining software (EcoData CRM, EcoLoyalty database, EcoNOVA platform), POS hardware terminals (EcoEasy, EcoTab, EcoWeb), smartphone apps (EcoApp), and physical/digital card production for businesses. The offering covers bonus cards, value/prepaid cards, gift cards, and multi-partner city/association cards, supported by add-on modules for coupons, referrals, points expiry, and inter-business settlement. Customers span automotive dealerships, retail chains, gastronomy, pharmacies, municipalities, and franchise/shopping-center systems in the DACH region.

Product overview

SmartLoyalty AG bietet mit den EcoSystemen eine umfassende Produktfamilie für Kundenbindung durch Kundenkarten, Wertkarten und Geschenkkarten. Das Portfolio gliedert sich in die Produktlinien Kundenkarte (Basic/Starterpaket und Premium/CRM-Systeme), Guthaben- und Prepaidkarten (Wertkarte und Geschenkkarte mit EcoValue-Software), Multipartner-Kundenkarten (CityCard/Verbund-Karte) sowie KFZ-/Spezialkarten. Die Software-Infrastruktur basiert auf EcoData (Kundenkartensoftware mit Basismodulen Cockpit, Auswertungen, Marketing und Verwaltung) und EcoLoyalty (Premium-Datenbank-Basis), ergänzt durch die EcoApp (Smartphone-Kundenkarten-App) und die EcoNOVA-Plattform als übergreifende Lösung. Hardware-seitig umfasst das Angebot die Terminals EcoEasy (Multiterminal), EcoTab (Phone/Tablet) und EcoWeb (PC/Web). Zusatzmodule wie das Coupon-Modul, Prämien-Modul, Kunden werben Kunden-Modul, Schnittstellen-Modul, Smartphone/Tablet-Modul und viele weitere erweitern die Kernfunktionen. Ein Print-/Lettershop-Service sowie Beratungsleistungen komplettieren das Angebot.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EcoData: Customer card software for managing customer data and bonus points across multiple branches with analysis and marketing functions.
• EcoApp
• EcoSysteme
• EcoEasy
• EcoTab
• EcoWeb
• EcoValue
• EcoNOVA
• CityCards

Products and services

• EcoData – Customer Card Software Customer card software for managing customer databases and bonus points across single or multiple business locations, with analysis/reporting dashboards, marketing functions, and rights management. Functions as the base software of the EcoSystem platform.
• EcoApp – Customer Card Smartphone App Smartphone-based electronic customer card app that integrates loyalty programs into a customer's smartphone, with push notifications, digital wallet support, and social media connectivity for marketing.
• EcoEasy – Multiterminal POS Hardware Multifunctional card terminal (POS device) for capturing and processing customer card data at point of sale; supports chip cards, QR codes, and multiple card types as part of the EcoSystem hardware line.
• EcoTab – POS Software for Smartphone/Tablet POS software solution for capturing and processing customer card data via smartphones and tablets, enabling mobile point-of-sale customer card operations.
• EcoWeb – Web-based POS Software for PCs Browser-based POS software that enables customer card data management and analysis via desktop PC, completing the EcoSystem hardware/POS software coverage.
• EcoValue – Value Card Software Software for evaluating the key figures and KPIs around value card and prepaid card deployment, including turnover and usage analytics; part of the EcoWertkarten system.
• EcoGutscheinkarten – Gift Card System Gift card system bundling a multifunctional card terminal with high-quality corporate-design cards and EcoValue analytics software, enabling businesses to issue, sell, and analyse gift cards.
• CityCard / Multipartner Customer Card Multi-partner customer loyalty card for cities, municipalities, marketing associations, and shopping centres that allows multiple participating merchants to share a single loyalty programme with inter-business settlement functionality.
• EcoNOVA – Customer Loyalty Platform Overarching platform that consolidates EcoSystem software and CRM, add-on modules, EcoApp, and online shop interfaces as the central control point for customer loyalty programmes.
• Kundenkarte Basic – Starterpaket (Entry-Level Loyalty System) Entry-level out-of-the-box customer loyalty system (Starterpaket / Profisystem to go) for small businesses, bundling card terminals and basic software with quick installation and low initial costs.
• Kundenkarte Premium – CRM Customer Card System Premium customer card system with individual CRM strategy, comprehensive EcoLoyalty database, KPI dashboards, and modern technology for growing businesses and multi-location operations.
• B2B Customer Card Systems Specialised loyalty card systems targeted at B2B companies and agencies, available as part of the Premium system or as a separate offering for employee benefit and B2B customer retention use cases.
• Print- / Lettershop – Card Production and Personalisation In-house service that designs and produces high-quality, bank-grade plastic customer cards with multi-layer construction, scratch-resistant lamination, and personalisation options including thermal transfer, sublimation printing, and embossing.
• Beratung – Loyalty / CRM Consulting Professional consulting services for introducing customer card systems, developing individual CRM strategies, and optimising customer retention measures for client businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Studies show approximately 9% of gift card value is never redeemed due to lost cards or other reasons, providing direct revenue retention
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature7 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Smile.io: Smile.io offers a loyalty and rewards platform primarily for Shopify-based retailers and DTC brands. Compares to SmartLoyalty's SMB-facing Starter Package as a lower-cost, SaaS-only loyalty alternative.
• Antavo: Antavo is a SaaS loyalty cloud platform serving enterprise retail and fashion brands globally. Comparable as a modern loyalty technology provider competing for the same enterprise CRM/loyalty budgets as SmartLoyalty's Premium tier.
• Open Loyalty: Open Loyalty is a headless, API-first loyalty platform targeting mid-market and enterprise retail across Europe. Comparable to SmartLoyalty's digital/CRM-integrated tier but with a more modern, developer-oriented tech stack.
• Talon.One: Talon.One is a promotion and loyalty engine serving enterprise retail, travel, and food delivery. Comparable as a developer-friendly, API-first loyalty platform competing for the same enterprise marketing technology budgets.
• Yotpo: Yotpo provides a loyalty and rewards platform alongside reviews, SMS, and subscriptions for retail/DTC brands. An emerging cloud-native competitor with overlapping loyalty functionality targeting mid-market and enterprise retailers.

Broad incumbents

• Comarch Loyalty Management: Comarch provides enterprise loyalty management platforms for retail, telecom, and financial services globally. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering loyalty systems with multi-partner/affiliate program capabilities similar to SmartLoyalty's CityCard system.
• PAYBACK: PAYBACK is Germany's largest multi-partner loyalty program (DM, REWE, Aral, etc.), serving exactly the SMB/retail/city-card segments SmartLoyalty targets. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping multi-merchant capabilities and much greater scale.
• Square Loyalty (Block): Square Loyalty is the loyalty module of Block's payments and POS ecosystem, serving SMB retail and restaurants. Comparable to SmartLoyalty's SMB/entry-level offering but backed by much larger distribution and modern software infrastructure.
• Salesforce Loyalty Management: Salesforce Loyalty Management is an enterprise CRM-integrated loyalty solution from the Salesforce platform. Directly comparable to SmartLoyalty's Premium/CRM-integrated offering, with vastly greater scale and ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Lobyco: Lobyco is a loyalty platform purpose-built for grocery and retail, with strong DACH presence (serving Edeka, REWE-adjacent retailers). Directly comparable to SmartLoyalty's retail and grocery customer loyalty systems with white-label app and digital wallet capabilities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smart Loyalty