The questions we hear most.
If yours is not here, write to support@joinaster.app. The founder answers.
The principle
Do my customers need to install an app?
No. The customer scans a QR code displayed at your counter, their card opens in their phone browser and can be added to Google Wallet or Apple Wallet. Nothing to install and no account to create.
Does Aster build my loyalty program for me?
No, and this is the most common misunderstanding. You define the reward, the number of visits required and the program type. Aster counts the visits, shows the customer's card and keeps it current.
It chooses nothing for you and funds none of your rewards: the free coffee comes out of your margin.
What program types can I create?
Four. The free offer, which is the stamp card. Points, where you decide yourself when to grant a reward. The session pass, for example a block of ten washes paid up front. And the time pass, for example unlimited access for thirty days.
Do I need special hardware?
No. Your iPhone is enough. You display your program QR code at the counter and scan customer cards with the app. No terminal, no reader, no tablet to buy.
Money, register and compliance
Does Aster record my sales?
No. Aster counts visits, not commercial transactions. When you scan a customer's card, exactly one thing is written down: one more visit on that card. Not an amount collected, not an item sold, not a payment method.
Revenue shown in statistics is an estimate, calculated from an average price you enter once when creating the program. Nothing is ever entered at the counter.
Do my customers' payments go through Aster?
Never. Your customers pay at the counter as usual, with your register and your usual payment methods. Aster neither sees nor touches those amounts.
The only flow of money inside Aster is your own Solo subscription, handled by Stripe, exactly like any other software you pay for.
Does Aster take a commission on my sales?
None. Ten visits a month or ten thousand, the amount stays the same. You pay only your subscription, known in advance, and the free plan costs nothing.
What data is collected from my customers?
A first name and a phone number, nothing else. No email address, no date of birth, no banking details. What is not collected can neither leak nor be misused.
Are my customers shared with other businesses?
No. Aster is not a shared loyalty network. Your customers are visible only to you, their points are valid only with you, and no other business can see your list.
In practice
How much does Aster cost?
The free plan costs nothing and allows unlimited programs and customers, with one program type. The Solo plan, at 19 CAD per month, unlocks every program type, advanced statistics and four promotions per month.
During the testing phase, full access is free for testers. See pricing in detail.
Which platforms is the app available on?
The merchant app is available on iOS only, version 1.0.3. There is no Android version yet, and we would rather say so than let you search for it.
Your customers install nothing: their card opens in the browser of any phone, Android included.
Does it work with Apple Wallet and Google Wallet?
Yes. The card is added to the phone wallet, on Android as on iPhone, and updates in real time on every visit.
Can I send promotions to my customers?
Yes. You write your offer, for example "25 percent off until June 5", and it appears on every customer's card for the period you set. Those who agreed to receive your offers also get a notification.
Only one promotion can be active at a time. The free plan allows one per month, the Solo plan four.
What happens if a customer loses their phone?
Their card is not lost: it is tied to their phone number, not to the device. They scan your QR code again with the new phone, enter the same number, and get their card and stamps back.
A question that is not here?
Write to us, including to tell us something is wrong.