Card Types Explained | Passtastic Help
Passtastic
Explore
Product
Loyalty app
Pricing
Use Cases
Customer Stories
Help
No account yet? Sign up free

Card Types Explained

Cards live inside programs. When you pick a card type you're really picking the design of the wallet pass inside a program. If you're new to the terminology, read Programs, Cards, Campaigns, and Messages first.

Loyalty cards (free for customers)

These cards are free for your customers to install. You use them to reward repeat visits and build loyalty.

Stamp Card

The classic "buy X, get 1 free". Customers collect a stamp on each visit. When the card is full, they earn a reward.

  • Best for: coffee shops, bakeries, salons — any business with frequent repeat visits
  • Example: "Buy 9 coffees, get 1 free"

Points Card

Customers earn points on each visit or purchase. Points accumulate and can be redeemed for rewards.

  • Best for: restaurants, retail stores — when you want flexible reward tiers
  • Example: "Earn 10 points per visit, redeem 100 points for a free dessert"

Membership Levels

Multiple tiers (e.g., Silver, Gold, Platinum) with increasing benefits. Customers climb tiers automatically — you choose whether they level up by visits (how often they come in) or by points earned. On a card that levels up by visits you can turn on Customers also collect points they can spend: a points balance for rewards, separate from the level, which you can set to expire (never, on a rolling window, or a fixed date). Spending points never lowers a customer's level.

  • Best for: businesses that want to reward their best customers with exclusive perks — and pair visible status with spendable rewards
  • Example: "Silver: 5% off, Gold: 10% off + priority booking, Platinum: 15% off + free upgrades — plus 1 point per visit to spend on treats"

Loyalty Card (VIP / Constant Reward)

A simple card with a fixed reward on every visit — no stamps to collect, no points to track. Scan it, get the benefit. It can also carry included benefits — extra perks like a free item every day, a limited set of guest passes, or a standing discount, on top of the fixed reward.

  • Best for: member-only discounts, VIP access, "show this card for 10% off"
  • Example: "Members get a free appetizer with every meal"

Coupon

A single-use offer. Once redeemed, the coupon is done. Great for attracting new customers.

  • Best for: first-time promotions, seasonal offers, event specials
  • Example: "20% off your first purchase"

Tip: Coupons can auto-convert to a loyalty card after redemption. A customer uses a "Free coffee" coupon, and their card automatically becomes a stamp card. This turns one-time visitors into regulars.

For these cards you choose How do customers pay? when you create them. Online, when they sign up means customers pay by card on your sign-up page and the money goes to your bank through Stripe, in the EEA, the UK and Switzerland. In person, I issue the card means you take payment yourself and issue the card. See Selling Memberships, Bundles & Store Credit Online for the online setup.

Want to sell a bundle, store credit, or membership without Stripe — collecting payment yourself instead? That stays fully self-serve: see Selling Bundles, Store Credit & Memberships Yourself.

Bundle (Prepaid Stamps)

Customer pays upfront for a set of visits or items, then redeems them one at a time.

  • Best for: service bundles, class packs, treatment packages
  • Example: "10 coffees for the price of 9" or "5 yoga classes for €45"
  • A bundle can hold up to 50 visits or uses.

Store Credit

Customer pays a discounted price and receives a higher credit balance to spend.

  • Best for: encouraging larger upfront purchases
  • Example: "Pay €90, get €100 to spend"

Membership (Subscription)

Customer pays a recurring fee (monthly or yearly) and receives a membership card with ongoing benefits. It can also include included benefits — the same benefits list described above — set up from the program's Setup tab.

  • Best for: gyms, clubs, coworking spaces, subscription services
  • Example: "€29/month for unlimited classes"

One program = one card

Each program in Passtastic uses exactly one card type. You can't combine two different types on a single card (e.g. a stamp card that's also a points card).

Instead, create a separate program for each offering. A customer can hold multiple cards from your business — for example, a stamp card for coffees and a membership card for VIP benefits. They'll see each of them separately in their wallet.

Choosing the right card type

Want to reward repeat visits?
Use a Stamp Card if the reward is simple (visit X times, get something free) or a Points Card if you want more flexibility.
Want customers to earn by how much they spend?
A stamp card counts visits, not amounts. Your staff can add several stamps at once in the dashboard (Customers → the customer → Stamp → Stamps to apply); the Scanner app adds one stamp at a time. If you've connected Square, a stamp card can earn per amount spent — see Connect Square POS. Lightspeed and Holded give one stamp per paid sale. For earning based on spend, a Points Card whose points rule has a Spend rule (points for every amount spent) usually fits better.
Want a reward halfway through a stamp card?
A stamp card has one reward, for the full card. For an extra reward partway, add a campaign — see Messages and Campaigns.
Want tiered membership?
Use Membership Levels for free tiers based on visits/points, or a paid Membership if customers should subscribe.
Want to attract new customers?
Use a Coupon with auto-convert to turn one-time visitors into loyalty members.
Want to sell prepaid packages?
Use a Bundle or Store Credit card. Collecting payment yourself (cash, your own card reader, an invoice) is fully self-serve — see Selling Bundles, Store Credit & Memberships Yourself. Want customers to pay online instead? Choose Online, when they sign up: see Selling Memberships, Bundles & Store Credit Online.