Two approaches to loyalty for a Belgian business
Goodly and Joyn are two Belgian loyalty solutions for local businesses: Joyn offers one shared card across a network of more than 3,000 merchants, used through the Joyn app, a physical card or the app of certain partner banks; Goodly offers a card in your own brand, added to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, with no app to download.
This comparison relies only on public facts, collected on joyn.eu on 10 October 2026 and on Goodly's pages (pricing, terms). Comparative advertising in Belgium is governed by article VI.17 of the Code of Economic Law: it must objectively compare material, relevant and verifiable features, without discrediting the competitor. That is the spirit of this article. Joyn may change its offer at any time: always check the source page before deciding.
Joyn in short: a network, not just a card
Joyn reports more than 2.2 million cardholders, more than 3,000 merchants, more than 1.2 million transactions per month and more than 1.1 million downloads of its app (joyn.eu, consulted on 10 October 2026). That is Joyn's main strength: established brand awareness in Belgium, particularly in Flanders, and a customer who often already holds a Joyn card before walking into your shop.
Joyn also relies on banking and payment partners. Its partners page lists KBC, CBC, Hello Bank and BNP Paribas Fortis, as well as Bancontact, Monizze and Edenred, plus till systems and webshops such as Lightspeed (joyn.eu/handelaar/partners, 10 October 2026). The help centre confirms that customers can collect Joyn points from KBC or CBC Mobile by scanning the QR code shown on the merchant's tablet (article dated 18 August 2023).
On the customer side, Joyn works with its app (App Store and Google Play) or with a physical card in paper or plastic, which the customer must register via the merchant's tablet or Joyn's website (joyn.eu/handelaar/platform/digitale-klantenkaart, 10 October 2026). Apple Wallet and Google Wallet are not mentioned on the pages consulted.
Goodly in short: your card, in the customer's Wallet
Goodly creates a loyalty card in your name and your colours, which the customer adds to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet by scanning a QR code. No app to install, no plastic card. You stamp from the dashboard, by scanning the customer's QR, with their 4-digit code or from a staff till. Stamps, points or tiers, push notifications, automated Google review requests, transfer of stamps from old paper cards, Shopify and Lightspeed connections, six languages.
Public prices excluding VAT are €29 per month (Pro), €69 (Business) and €149 (Multi-site, 5 sites, then €20 per site), with a 14-day trial, 15% off annually and 20% off over two years, and a 30-day money-back guarantee (see pricing). Goodly has no shared network: that is a choice, not an omission. Your customer sees only you.
The table: 7 verifiable criteria
| Criterion | Joyn | Goodly |
|---|---|---|
| Customer-side card | Joyn app, physical card to register, or KBC/CBC Mobile | Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, no app |
| Network and awareness | Shared card across more than 3,000 merchants, more than 2.2 M cardholders | Card specific to your business, in your brand |
| Monthly price excl. VAT | Lite €16.96, Connect €50.96, Expert €67.96 on an annual contract (-15%); from €19.95 monthly according to Joyn's article of 18 August 2023 | Pro €29, Business €69, Multi-site €149; -15% annually, -20% over two years |
| Contract and cancellation | Initial term of one year, renewed for one-year periods, 30 days' notice; termination for convenience excluded (T&C art. 11) | Monthly with no commitment, cancellation effective at the end of the period; annual binds for the chosen term (T&C art. 8) |
| Free trial and guarantee | No trial mentioned on the subscriptions page | 14-day trial, then a 30-day money-back guarantee subject to conditions (T&C art. 7) |
| Hardware and physical cards | Joyn Business App on tablet or smartphone; Joyn Box at €50 (333 cards, tablet stand); cards from €30 | Your phone or your till; no physical card to buy |
| GDPR role for customer data | Joyn and the merchant are joint controllers (T&C art. 18) | The merchant is controller, Goodly is processor under article 28 (T&C art. 13) |
Joyn sources: subscriptions page, merchant terms and partners page, consulted on 10 October 2026; monthly-billing price according to the article "Hoeveel kost het om met Joyn te werken?" of 18 August 2023.
What these criteria change at the counter
The customer-side card. With Joyn, a customer who already has the app or the Joyn card signs up with you very quickly. A customer who does not must download the app or register a physical card. With Goodly, the first visit takes a scan and a name, then the card lives in the Wallet the phone already has. The guide Wallet card or mobile app covers that trade-off.
The real price. The Joyn prices shown are for an annual contract. On monthly billing, the entry point Joyn quoted in 2023 was €19.95. The terms also provide for annual indexation (art. 10.4) and a possible revision with one month's notice if market changes exceed 2% (art. 10.5). At Goodly, the monthly price is the reference price; the annual and two-year discounts apply to the first commitment period.
The commitment. This is the most concrete difference. Joyn's terms state that "termination for convenience by the Merchant is excluded" and that amounts already paid are not refunded. For a business testing digital loyalty, Goodly offers a monthly plan with no commitment and a 14-day trial.
The data. In a network model, customer data also serves the network: Joyn and you are joint controllers. With Goodly, you remain the sole controller and Goodly acts on your instructions. For a merchant, that simplifies answering a customer request and keeping the processing register; see Loyalty cards and GDPR in Belgium.
For whom does Joyn remain the right choice?
Let us be clear: Joyn is a good choice if your customers already use Joyn heavily, if you value being visible in a network and in partner banks' apps, or if your till is among its integrations. A merchant on a Flemish shopping street where most neighbours use Joyn may find a real network effect there.
Goodly is the right choice if you want a card in your own brand, with no app for the customer, no annual contract, stamping from your phone or your till and notifications on the lock screen. A coffee shop, a bakery or a salon that wants to start this week needs nothing else. The guide to loyalty programmes in Belgium completes the picture.
Frequently asked questions: Joyn alternative
Is Goodly an alternative to Joyn?
Yes, for a business that wants its own card in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet rather than a network card. No, if your main goal is to appear in the Joyn network or in partner banks' apps: Goodly does not offer a shared network.
Do my customers need to install an app with Goodly?
No. The card is added to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet from a link or a QR code. The customer sees their stamps and your notifications without opening a third-party app.
Can I switch from Joyn to Goodly without losing my customers?
First check your Joyn contract: an initial one-year term renewed tacitly, 30 days' notice before the end of the term (T&C art. 11.1), and export of customer data on the merchant's express request (T&C art. 7.3). Then, Goodly lets you carry over earned stamps card by card, with human verification: see the guide on transferring paper stamp cards.
Is Joyn cheaper than Goodly?
Joyn's Lite plan (€16.96 excl. VAT per month on an annual contract) is cheaper than Goodly Pro (€29 excl. VAT). The Connect and Expert plans (€50.96 and €67.96) sit between Goodly Pro and Business. Compare above all what each plan includes and the length of the commitment: a low price with a fixed year is not necessarily the least expensive.
What if my customers want a physical card?
Joyn sells paper or plastic cards from €30 and a Joyn Box at €50. Goodly offers no physical card: the card lives in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, on the phone the customer already carries.
How do I try Goodly?
Create your card: 14-day trial, then a 30-day money-back guarantee if the card has been put into service with your customers (conditions in the terms).
Sources
- Joyn, merchant home page and key figures: joyn.eu (consulted on 10 October 2026).
- Joyn, subscriptions, Joyn Box and cards: joyn.eu/handelaar/abonnementen (consulted on 10 October 2026).
- Joyn, "Hoeveel kost het om met Joyn te werken?", article of 18 August 2023.
- Joyn, merchant terms and conditions, art. 7.3, 10.4, 10.5, 11.1, 11.2 and 18: joyn.eu/legal/algemene-voorwaarden (consulted on 10 October 2026).
- Joyn, digital card, app and physical cards: joyn.eu/handelaar/platform/digitale-klantenkaart (consulted on 10 October 2026).
- Joyn, partners: joyn.eu/handelaar/partners; points via KBC/CBC Mobile: help centre article of 18 August 2023.
- Goodly, pricing and terms, art. 7, 8 and 13.
- Code of Economic Law, art. VI.17 (comparative advertising), ejustice.just.fgov.be.