You choose a Joyn alternative by first reviewing your own situation and only then comparing. Look at your contract and the cancellation date, what you really pay, how your customers use the card, what you can do with your customer data and what you would lose by leaving the network.
Joyn is a well-known name among Belgian merchants. This article does not say you should switch. It gives you a checklist so you can decide on facts, whether you stay or go.
What does Joyn cost exactly, and what do you count?
Joyn’s subscriptions page (checked on 25 October 2026) lists three plans:
| Plan | Per month, paid monthly | Per month, paid annually |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | 19.95 euros | 16.96 euros |
| Connect | 59.95 euros | 50.96 euros |
| Expert | 79.95 euros | 67.96 euros |
Joyn states that prices exclude VAT and apply to an annual contract. Customer cards (paper or plastic) are available from 30 euros, and the Joyn Box, which includes 333 cards, QR stickers and a tablet holder among other things, costs 50 euros. Joyn does not mention a trial period on that page.
What you add to the total depends on your usage: cards you reorder, the extra features of a higher plan, and your own time. Work out your current yearly cost before you compare.
For comparison: Fidelia Essential costs €29 a month and Pro €59 a month, excluding VAT. The first QR stand is included.
Which seven points should you check before switching?
- Term and cancellation date. According to article 11.1 of Joyn’s terms and conditions, the first contract runs for one year and renews every year unless you cancel at least 30 days before the end using the form at joyn.be/stop. Find your start date and put the cancellation date in your diary. Anyone who decides just after the renewal pays for another full year. Check your own contract, because terms can differ.
- Total cost per year. Subscription, cards, hardware and hours. Compare like with like, and check whether prices exclude or include VAT.
- How customers use the card. Joyn lets customers collect with the Joyn app or a Joyn card. With Fidelia, the card lives in the phone’s wallet, with no app. Ask yourself what your customers prefer, and how many of them actually use the card today.
- Which features you really use. Do you use the customer database, the e-mails, the coupons? If you only use a stamp or points card, you may be paying for more than you need. If you do use those extras, check that the alternative has them.
- Your customer data. Ask in writing which data you can take with you and in what format. Ask every alternative too: can you get an export at any time?
- The network. Joyn says on its own website that it has more than 2.2 million cardholders and more than 3,000 merchants (Joyn’s figures). A network can bring in customers. If your customers are mostly regulars from the neighbourhood, that advantage may weigh less; if you get a lot of passing trade, it may weigh more. You are best placed to judge.
- The transition. What happens to your customers’ points? Under Joyn’s terms, if the agreement ends after cancellation, you keep honouring customers’ points for one more month. Plan what you will do for customers, for example a gesture on their first visit with the new card.
When is it better to stay with Joyn?
Joyn can be the right choice if the network of cardholders matters to you, if you use the extended features of Connect or Expert, or if your customers are already used to the Joyn app or card. And if your contract has just renewed, it can be sensible to wait for the next cancellation date rather than rush.
When is an alternative worth considering?
An alternative is worth a look if you mainly want a simple stamp or points card, if your customers would rather not install an app, if you want a short trial before deciding, or if you would rather not have a one-year contract that renews automatically. With Fidelia, the card lives in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, scanning is done with the team’s phone, and you can try it free for 14 days.
How do you approach the switch?
- Find your Joyn contract and note the cancellation date.
- Ask which data you can take with you.
- Set up the alternative and test it with a few regulars while Joyn is still running.
- Cancel Joyn in time. The step-by-step plan is in the article Cancel Joyn.
- Tell your customers what is changing and how to add the new card.
In short
You choose a Joyn alternative based on your contract date, your total cost, how your customers use the card and your data. Joyn has its own strengths, and an alternative has others. See Fidelia’s pricing or go to the home page.