(New York, NY) Brand loyalty programs are popular with today’s cardholders, but free and paid offerings serve very different purposes. While free programs drive enrollment, paid programs encourage ongoing engagement, according to a recent issue of Auriemma Group’s Mobile Pay Tracker.

Over 8-in-10 credit cardholders (81%) are currently enrolled in at least one brand loyalty program, but enrollment alone tells only part of the story. Free programs champion enrollment, with 71% in a free program versus 45% in a paid program. Yet when it comes to likelihood of use over the next six months, paid programs dominate—Amazon Prime, Sam’s Club Plus, Walmart+, and Costco Executive Membership top the list of paid programs members plan to use.

The appetite for paid programs extends beyond current members. Over 7-in-10 cardholders say they would join a $50-per-year program offering free shipping, exclusive discounts, early access to sales, and members-only perks. Even 6-in-10 of those not enrolled in any loyalty program say the same. That willingness is grounded in what cardholders already value. Earning rewards on purchases, free or fast shipping, and access to exclusive discounts are the top motivators for joining a loyalty program—table stakes for a well-structured paid program.

Paid programs also move the needle for spending. Half of paid loyalty program enrollees say they spend more with the partner brand since joining, and only slightly fewer non-enrollees believe they would spend more if they did.

“Paid loyalty programs have a genuine engagement advantage over their free counterparts—members are more active, more likely to spend, and more committed to the brand,” says Jaclyn Holmes, Director of Research at Auriemma Group. “But that advantage only materializes when the value proposition is clear. Cardholders are telling us they need to feel confident they’ll use the benefits and that the cost is fair before they’ll commit to a fee.”

What keeps members in a paid program is the same thing that drives them out when it is missing—perceived value. 53% have cancelled a paid loyalty program, most often because the cost no longer felt worth it or because they simply were not using the benefits. Price sensitivity sharpens that dynamic further—62% are likely to enroll at $50 per year versus 52% at $100.

“Getting someone to sign up for a loyalty program is the easy part,” says Holmes. “Keeping them requires making sure the program’s value exceeds its cost.”

Survey Methodology

Mobile Pay Tracker

This Auriemma Group study was conducted online within the US by an independent field service provider on behalf of Auriemma Group (Auriemma) in July 2025 among 2,172 Mobile Pay (i.e., Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet) eligible adult credit cardholders. The number of interviews completed for both is sufficient to allow for statistical significance testing among sub-groups at the 95% confidence level ±5%, unless otherwise noted. The purpose of the research was not disclosed, nor did respondents know the criteria for qualifying.