In short: an own app gives you full control, and you pay for it with store fees, development, upkeep and the effort of getting every customer to install it. Fidelia is a ready-made loyalty card in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet from €29 a month. Build an app if loyalty is only one part of something bigger, like ordering or booking; pick Fidelia if you want loyalty running this week.
How do they line up?
Fidelia prices per month excl. VAT, as published on 25 October 2026. No build-cost figure is given for an own app: it depends on who builds it and what it does.
| — | Fidelia | Own app |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Essential €29, Pro €59 | Hosting, updates and support, depending on your developer |
| Apple store account | Not needed | 99 USD per membership year (prices may vary by region) |
| Google Play account | Not needed | US$25 one-time |
| Development | None, create the card yourself | Design and build, cost depends on the project |
| Customers install an app | No | Yes |
| Apple Wallet & Google Wallet | Yes | Only if you build it |
| Time to launch | Minutes | Depends on the project and on store review |
| Updates for new phone versions | Handled by Fidelia | Your responsibility |
| Push notifications | Pro €59 | Only if you build it |
| Ordering, booking, custom features | No | Anything you design |
| Full control of design and data | Your colours, logo and rewards | Yes |
| Customers and scans | Unlimited on every plan | Your own limits |
| Free trial | 14 days of Pro | Not applicable |
| QR counter stand | First one included and delivered | You design and print it |
Where is Fidelia stronger?
- Nothing to build. Choose the reward, upload your logo and the card is live the same day.
- No download barrier. A scan at the counter puts the card in Wallet, where it appears on the lock screen when you send a push in Pro.
- No store accounts. You skip the Apple and Google developer accounts, and the reviews that come with every update.
- No upkeep. New phone versions and Wallet changes are Fidelia’s job.
- Predictable cost. €29 or €59 a month, no setup fee, unlimited customers and scans.
- Built-in loyalty rules. Stamps, claims and corrections go through one consistent system, with staff scanning at the counter and no till connection.
- The QR stand is part of the plan. Your first A5 counter stand is delivered with your card.
Where is an own app stronger?
- Full control. Every screen, feature and data field is yours.
- More than loyalty. Ordering, booking, menus or anything else you want in one place.
- Your brand in the store. Your own icon on the customer’s home screen.
- No dependency on a vendor for the roadmap of your product.
Who should build their own app?
A chain or a business with an existing digital product, a development budget and a team to maintain it, where loyalty is one feature of a bigger customer experience. Even then, a Wallet card can run alongside, as an easy first step for customers who will not install anything.
Who should pick Fidelia?
Fidelia suits independent shops, cafés and salons that want customers coming back now, without a project. See our pricing for every plan.
How do you start without building anything?
- Create your Fidelia card with your reward, colours and logo, and start the 14-day Pro trial.
- Put the QR stand next to the till and ask at payment, “Would you like our card on your phone?”
- Watch what customers respond to: rewards, push messages, quiet-day offers.
- Decide later whether an own app is still needed, with real data from your customers behind the choice.
More comparisons: Fidelia vs paper cards, Fidelia vs Goodly, or the Belgian homepage.