How digital loyalty cards work — and why 5+1 is different
A digital loyalty card is the modern equivalent of a paper stamp card. Costless 5+1 runs it entirely in the customer's browser — no app, no Apple or Google Wallet, no POS integration. Ten mechanic variants for cafés, restaurants, hotels, spas, and retail. Built-in birthday rewards and streak bonuses. Free forever for one location.
1What is a digital loyalty card
A digital loyalty card translates the physical paper card into a format that lives on a server and is accessible to the customer via a link. Instead of punching a hole, the system credits a "stamp" (or "Фішка" in UA, "Штамп" in RU) — a unit of accumulation on the digital card. When the customer collects enough stamps, they get a reward.
Costless 5+1 specifically
"5+1" is the format: collect 5 qualifying actions, get 1 reward on the 6th. The name stuck in cafés ("5 coffees, 6th free"), but it works for any business: 5 visits, 5 items in receipt, 5× 100 UAH spent. The threshold is configurable.
Costless 5+1 exposes 10 commonly-used variants from 16 valid configurations. Each variant fits a specific business shape — see mechanic families below.
2How a customer earns a stamp — the 6-step flow
Every stamp is credited the same way, regardless of which variant you've chosen. The server controls issuance — the client device can't create a stamp on its own.
3How a customer redeems a bonus — the 9-step flow
Redemption is a two-sided handshake: customer shows QR + 4-digit PIN, barista confirms. No automatic deductions without barista action.
4The 4 mechanic families
Costless 5+1 exposes 10 variants in 4 broad families. Choose based on how your business counts value — by visit, by item, by amount spent, or with a minimum threshold.
Stamp / Punch Card
"5 visits = 1 free" or "N items in cart = N stamps". The classic for cafés.
Tiered (S / M / L)
"Pick size — reward matches". XL customers get XL rewards. Fair across purchase levels.
Cumulative spend
"Spend $X cumulative = bonus". For restaurants with variable check sizes.
Qualifying visit (min check)
"Visit ≥ $X = 1 stamp". Protects margin, rewards real visits not micro-purchases.
5Which variant fits your business
6How it looks in practice
Brewmaster, Odesa
3 tiers: espresso · cappuccino · frappe. A daily espresso regular collects 30 S-stamps in a month → 6 free espressos. XL customers don't "dilute" small customers' progress.
tier-visit
Baklava, Kyiv
₴2000 cumulative threshold. Tiered bonus menu: S appetizer (₴200) · M drink (₴350) · L premium dessert (₴700). Customer chooses.
spend-tier
Vinarius, Kyiv
350 ₴ minimum per visit. 5 qualifying visits unlock a tiered menu: S wine glass (180 ₴) · M cheese plate (300 ₴) · L premium bottle (450 ₴).
visit-tier
7Birthday rewards — cross-variant
A program-level toggle — available on all 10 variants. If the customer has a birthday on file, AND visits within the configured window (e.g., the birthday week), AND has earned a minimum number of past rewards — one birthday reward per year automatically.
For tiered programs, the reward auto-binds to the lowest-tier cheapest product — so even a brand-new customer can claim it on their birthday.
8Streak rewards — cross-variant
Works on all 10 mechanics. Each qualifying scan advances the customer's streak (e.g., 3 consecutive visits in a week). When the streak hits the configured threshold — extra bonus.
If the customer misses the window — the streak resets. This creates a micro-incentive not to miss "their" days. Especially useful mid-week for restaurants and fitness studios.
9What you need to start
✓ Required
- Smartphone with camera (customer) and any device with browser (barista)
- Internet access
- Free Costless account
✗ Not required
- POS system or integration with one
- NFC device or hardware purchase
- App Store / Google Play account
- Apple Wallet / Google Wallet (by design)
Free tier (forever)
Free forever — not a 14-day trial. No credit card. Time to launch: under 5 minutes.
10Costless vs other platforms
The loyalty market splits into 3 categories: app-based (UDS, Stamp Me, Boomerangme), POS-tied (Square, Toast, Loyverse, Poster), and enterprise (iiko, Manzana). Costless aims at the space between them.
| Capability | Costless 5+1 | UDS / Stamp Me | iiko / Manzana | Square / Toast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer app install | No | Yes | App optional | No (POS handles) |
| Per-stamp tier tags at SMB price | ✓ | ✗ | Yes (enterprise pricing) | ✗ |
| 10 mechanics in one product | ✓ | Limited | Yes (enterprise complexity) | Limited |
| POS lock-in | None | None | Yes (iiko POS) | Yes (Square/Toast) |
| 19-language UI | ✓ | Fewer | Multi-lang (enterprise) | Fewer |
| Birthday + streak built-in | ✓ | Add-on | Yes (enterprise) | Add-on |
| Free forever for 1 location | ✓ | No (trial only) | ✗ | ✗ |
Competitor data verified 2026-05-28. Apple/Google Wallet deliberately omitted from the table — Costless does not use it (see /loyalty/methodology).
11Coming from paper or another platform
From paper cards
Don't try to "migrate" existing stamps — it's slow and only matters for regulars. Fastest path: launch Costless alongside, credit the first stamp on the next visit, paper cards fade out in a month. Some venues run both for 2–3 weeks "for stragglers".
From an app-based platform (UDS, Stamp Me)
Biggest win — the customer doesn't have to install yet another app. Launch Costless, post a sign saying "no app — just scan". Many customers who ignored the app will come back to the program.
What if a customer changes phones
The card lives in the Costless account. Open the link on the new device → magic link to email → logged in → same card, same stamps. No migration, no progress loss.