The cost of a loyalty programme extends beyond its points rules to payments integration, reconciliation and redemption. Yoyo Rewards argues in July 15, 2026 guidance that enterprise retailers should compare an in-house build, standalone software and an API connection to existing loyalty infrastructure.

The article outlines the costs and complexities of building a loyalty program from scratch, including the need for a customer database, points engine, and mobile app, as well as the invisible integration work required to connect the points engine to every till, card processor, and store system. It also highlights the risks and challenges of building a points system that reconciles accurately against live transaction data across a multi-brand, multi-POS retail estate.

Build, SaaS or a loyalty API

The article presents three options for loyalty infrastructure: building in-house, buying a standalone SaaS loyalty program, and integrating with existing infrastructure through a single API. It discusses the pros and cons of each option, including the costs, flexibility, and scalability of each approach.

The build option gives companies full control over features, roadmap, and data ownership, but it is not a cost-efficient solution and requires a permanent specialist engineering team. The buy option is faster to launch and removes the burden of maintenance, but it still requires integrating the platform into existing POS and payments systems and may not be

Your free reader account

Continue reading for free.

Create your account or sign in to get unlimited access.

Continue with LinkedIn Continue with Google Continue with Facebook

No payment required. Newsletter signup is optional.