Pricing Update 05/2026: Launch Promo & Free Plan Upgrade
Who this guide is for
All Joy Loyalty merchants. Current Free users, paid subscribers evaluating an upgrade, and stores that have not yet installed Joy.
What's changing
Starting May 25th 2026, three updates roll out together:
- Free plan order limit raised from 150 to 250 monthly orders, permanently. Applies to every Free store (new and existing).
- Launch promo for new paid subscribers: Essential at 50% off and Advanced at 30% off for the first 3 monthly billing cycles.
- Free white-glove migration service for every Advanced or Ultimate subscription. Joy moves your customers, points, VIP tiers, and earning rules from Smile, Rivo, Yotpo, BON, LoyaltyLion, or Growave at no cost.
Promo enrollment window: Starting on May 25th, 2026. Sign up for a paid plan during this window to qualify.
Find your path
Pick the row that fits your situation, then jump to the section that explains the next step.
| Your situation | What's in it for you | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| You're on Free today | Your monthly order limit jumps from 150 to 250, automatic on May 25th. No action needed. | Free plan details ↓ |
| You're new to Joy | Start free, or claim 50% off Essential / 30% off Advanced for your first 3 cycles. | Start free trial ↓ |
| You're switching from Smile, Rivo, Yotpo, BON, LoyaltyLion, or Growave | Free white-glove migration on Advanced / Ultimate. Joy moves your data so you don't lose customer trust. | Migration details ↓ |
| You're an existing paid subscriber | Your current rate stays — and you can earn Joy credits by introducing other Shopify merchants to Joy through the Merchant Referral Program. | Your path ↓ |
The new pricing snapshot
| Plan | Base Price | Promo Price (3 cycles) | Free Orders / Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter (Free) | $0 | No promo, always free | 250 (was 150) |
| Essential | $29 / mo | $14.50 / mo (50% off) | 500 |
| Advanced | $129 / mo | $90.30 / mo (30% off) | 2,000 |
| Ultimate | $499 / mo | No promo, custom service included | 7,000 |
14-day free trial stays available on Essential and Advanced. 30-day free trial stays available on Ultimate. The trial runs first, then the 3 promo cycles begin from your first paid charge.
How the promo works
The discount applies for 3 monthly billing cycles from your first paid charge, then your plan returns to full price on cycle 4.
What counts as a cycle
- A cycle equals one successful monthly charge on Shopify.
- The 14-day or 30-day trial is not a cycle. Cycles begin only after your first paid charge.
- If a payment fails, that cycle is not counted until it succeeds.
Who qualifies
- Any new Essential or Advanced subscription that starts on May 25th, 2026
- One promo per shop, lifetime. You cannot uninstall, reinstall, and claim the promo again.
- Existing paid subscribers (subscribed before May 25th, 2026) keep their current rate and are not retroactively given the promo. See Existing subscribers below.
Plan change scenarios
Joy handles plan changes automatically. The rule is simple: if you change plans during the promo, your discount continues at the new plan's percentage for the remaining promo time. Your monthly bill adjusts to match.
Tooltip you will see in the app: "If you change plans during the promo, your discount continues at the new plan's rate."
Scenario 1: Stay on Essential the whole promo
| Cycle | Plan | You Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Essential | $14.50 |
| 2 | Essential | $14.50 |
| 3 | Essential | $14.50 |
| 4+ | Essential | $29 (full) |
You save $43.50 vs full price over the promo.
Scenario 2: Upgrade Essential to Advanced during the promo
The discount continues at Advanced's 30% rate for the cycles you have left in the promo window. After the promo window, Advanced returns to $129/mo.
| Cycle | Plan | You Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Essential | $14.50 |
| 2+ | Advanced (rest of promo) | $90.30 per cycle |
| After promo | Advanced | $129 (full) |
Your upgrade takes effect immediately. Shopify automatically prorates the unused portion of your previous Essential charge and applies it as credit toward the Advanced charge.
Scenario 3: Downgrade Essential to Free during the promo
Downgrading to Free permanently ends your promo. You cannot reactivate the discount by re-upgrading later, even within the window.
| Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Downgrade Essential to Free | Promo ends immediately. Lifetime promo lock applied to your shop. |
| Re-upgrade to Essential or Advanced | You pay full price ($29 or $129). No second promo, ever. |
Scenario 4: Cancel and reinstall
The launch promo is one per shop, lifetime. To keep the discount running across all 3 cycles, stay on your paid plan during the promo window. Uninstalling and reinstalling later won't restart the offer — that's how we keep the promo fair for first-time subscribers.
What you cannot stack the promo with
- Merchant referral discount. If your shop already has an active referral discount from a Joy partner, you receive whichever percentage is higher (the referral discount or the launch promo). You do not get both stacked.
- Annual billing. The launch promo is for monthly plans only. Annual plans have their own pricing model and are not part of this offer.
- Multi-store. Each Shopify store has its own subscription and qualifies independently. The promo applies per store, not per merchant account.
Free plan: 250 orders per month
Every Joy Free store, current and new, now includes 250 monthly free orders (previously 150). Nothing to enable. The new limit applies automatically on May 25th, 2026.
When your store passes 250 orders in a month, the app shows an upgrade prompt to Essential. Your existing customers, points, and rewards continue working without interruption.
Heads up about AI features: Joy AI Agent is now a paid feature, available from Essential and above. Free stores can preview the entry point and upgrade to use it. See your AI Agent panel for details.
Free white-glove migration (Advanced and Ultimate)
When you subscribe to Advanced or Ultimate, Joy's team migrates your loyalty data for free from any of these competitors:
- Smile.io
- Rivo Loyalty
- Yotpo Loyalty
- BON Loyalty
- LoyaltyLion
- Growave
What we move:
- Customer points balances
- VIP tiers and tier history
- Earning rules and points-per-action rates
- Reward catalog and redemption history
What you need to do:
- Subscribe to Advanced or Ultimate.
- Open in-app chat or email sales@avada.io with the name of your current loyalty app.
- Joy's migration team contacts you within one business day to schedule.
Most migrations complete within 3 to 5 business days. Read the full migration guide.
Existing subscribers
If you subscribed to a paid plan before May 25th, 2026, your current rate stays the same. The launch promo runs on new subscriptions, but there's a separate path built for loyal subscribers like you.
Earn Joy credits through the Merchant Referral Program
Refer another Shopify merchant to Joy Loyalty. When they subscribe to a paid plan and complete their second monthly payment, Joy credits land in your account automatically — applied to your next billing cycle. Your referred friend also gets a discount on their first 3 months.
There's no cap on how many merchants you can refer, and milestone bonuses kick in once your referrals stack up.
→ Get your referral link in the Merchant Referral Program
Other things to know
- Grandfathered pricing from the February 2026 update continues to apply. See Joy Loyalty Pricing Update 02/2026 for details.
- The Free plan increase to 250 orders applies to everyone, including you if you ever downgrade.
- Migrating from a competitor on a second store? Email support@avada.io — we'll look at your case individually.
Frequently asked questions
Promo basics
Do I need a coupon code?
No. The discount applies automatically when you subscribe on May 25th, 2026. You will see the discounted price on the pricing screen and on every Shopify charge confirmation.
Will my next charge actually be the discounted amount?
Yes. Shopify's subscription system handles the discount directly. Your first 3 paid charges show $14.50 (Essential) or $90.30 (Advanced). From cycle 4, your charge returns to $29 or $129.
What happens at month 4?
Your plan returns to full price on the next billing date after your third promo charge. Joy sends a reminder email 15 days before the change, so there are no surprises.
Plan changes
Can I upgrade during the promo?
Yes. Upgrades take effect immediately. Your discount continues at the new plan's percentage for the rest of the promo period. There is no penalty for upgrading.
Can I downgrade and keep the promo?
Downgrading between paid plans (Advanced to Essential) is allowed. Your discount continues at the new plan's percentage. Downgrading to Free ends the promo permanently.
Can I switch from monthly to annual to extend the savings?
Not as part of this promo. Annual plans have separate pricing. Contact sales at sales@avada.io if you want to discuss annual terms.
Eligibility and edge cases
I uninstalled Joy last year. Can I get the promo when I reinstall?
Yes, if your shop has never used a launch promo before. The lifetime promo lock applies only after you have actually consumed the discount.
I have multiple Shopify stores. Does each one get the promo?
Yes. Each Shopify store is a separate subscription and qualifies on its own.
I am on a free trial right now. When does my promo start?
Your promo starts on your first paid charge, after the trial ends. The trial period is not counted as a promo cycle.
I have a referral discount from a Joy partner. Which one wins?
Whichever percentage is higher applies. Joy automatically picks the better deal for you at the time you subscribe.
Free plan and AI
Do I need to do anything to get 250 orders on Free?
No. The increase is automatic on May 25th 2026.
Is the AI Agent still free?
The AI Agent is now part of paid plans starting from Essential. Free users can see the feature but need to upgrade to use it.
Migration
Is the migration really free?
Yes, when you subscribe to Advanced or Ultimate. There is no setup fee and no per-customer charge.
How long does migration take?
Typically 3 to 5 business days, depending on the size of your customer base and the source platform.
Can I get migration help if I subscribe to Essential?
The free white-glove service is bundled with Advanced and Ultimate only. Essential subscribers can request paid migration support or follow the self-serve migration guide.
How to get help
- In-app chat: Click the support icon in the bottom-right corner of Joy Loyalty.
- Email support: support@avada.io
- Sales and migration: sales@avada.io
When contacting support, mention:
- "May 2026 promo" or "launch promo" for the fastest routing
- Your store URL
- Your current plan (or the plan you want to subscribe to)
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