SocialHub.AI vs Capillary: A Capillary Alternative for Retail Loyalty
A side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right platform for your customer retention needs.
Overview
Capillary Technologies describes itself as "Managed SaaS Loyalty Solutions — Loyalty program design and technology platform for enterprise brands," covering loyalty, a CDP, omnichannel engagement and a rewards network, with the aiRA AI engine. Headquartered in Bengaluru, it lists offices including Minneapolis, Dallas (Plano), Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Dubai, London and Prague. In 2026 it acquired SessionM from Mastercard (closed May 1, 2026).
SocialHub.AI is a platform built around what it calls the Agentic Retention Loop: it captures customer behavior into a single profile, AI decides the next best action, the message goes out on the right channel, and each purchase builds points and tier status that feed the next cycle. Based in the Seattle area (Mercer Island, WA), it serves 50 enterprise clients in 12 countries, with the Americas, Europe and APAC as its target markets.
Both are enterprise loyalty platforms. Both offer managed services. The main differences are the operating model (Capillary positions itself as managed SaaS with expert services; SocialHub.AI pairs AI agents your team supervises with optional managed services) and ecosystem fit (SocialHub.AI runs on Microsoft Azure and works with Dynamics 365 and Microsoft 365 Copilot).
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | SocialHub.AI | Capillary Technologies |
|---|---|---|
| Platform scope | Customer data, AI decisions, messaging and loyalty in one platform | Product suite: Loyalty+, Engage+, Insights+, Rewards+ and CDP |
| Customer data | A single customer profile across stores, ecommerce and app; can read data in Snowflake, Databricks or Salesforce Data Cloud without copying it | Own CDP product |
| AI | AI agents that run campaigns within the permissions and budgets you set; human approval for spend; full audit log; works inside Microsoft 365 Copilot | aiRA AI engine; Nudge Framework |
| Loyalty management | Points and tiers (oldest points spent first, daily caps, rolling 12-month tiers); one points currency across store formats; mobile wallet cards; QR sign-up in store | Enterprise loyalty including multi-brand and coalition programs; industry solutions for retail, F&B, fuel, airlines, CPG and hospitality |
| Operating model | Run by your team with AI agents, or with SocialHub.AI managed services; cloud or on-premise deployment | Managed SaaS: platform plus expert services |
| Scale | SocialHub.AI supports a single global QSR brand with 200M+ loyalty members | 1.2B+ loyalty members (vendor-reported), total across customers; 1.95B+ annual transactions; 99.99% uptime (source) |
When to choose SocialHub.AI
- ✓ You want customer data, AI decisions, messaging and loyalty on one customer profile, replacing 5–6 separate tools.
- ✓ You want AI agents that take actions (draft, target, send, win back) within controls you set: per-action permissions, human approval for anything that spends money, a full audit log.
- ✓ You are a Microsoft customer and want Azure Marketplace purchasing, Dynamics 365 connectors or Microsoft 365 Copilot.
- ✓ You run several store formats and need one points currency across them.
When to choose Capillary
- ✓ Managed SaaS with expert services is how you want to buy loyalty, from a vendor that has built its offer around that model.
- ✓ You need coalition or multi-partner programs, or industry templates for fuel, airlines or CPG.
- ✓ You want a vendor with offices across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the US. In October 2026 Capillary announced work with PLDT and Smart to unify three loyalty programs in the Philippines.
Migration approach
SocialHub.AI follows a 90-day migration plan, which also applies to customers moving from other platforms; one example is a Hong Kong department store and supermarket chain that migrated from Salesforce.
- Phase 1 (weeks 1–4): bring member and transaction data into a single customer profile and match identities.
- Phase 2 (weeks 5–8): AI agents and automated journeys go live in parallel with your existing program.
- Phase 3 (weeks 9–12): launch points, tiers and coupons on SocialHub.AI, then retire the old system.
How members' existing balances are handled is agreed with you during planning.
FAQ
What is the main difference between SocialHub.AI and Capillary?
Capillary is a managed SaaS loyalty suite where the vendor's experts help run your program. SocialHub.AI centers on AI agents that run campaigns and loyalty actions your team approves and can audit, and also offers managed services and on-premise deployment.
Is SocialHub.AI a Capillary alternative for retail loyalty?
Yes. Both handle enterprise points, tiers, rewards and customer data for retail and consumer brands. SocialHub.AI adds AI agents with approval controls and runs on Microsoft Azure. Both offer managed services; Capillary also offers coalition programs and industry templates.
Does SocialHub.AI support brands in Asia-Pacific?
Yes. SocialHub.AI serves 50 enterprise clients in 12 countries, including customers in Southeast Asia.
Can SocialHub.AI handle large programs?
SocialHub.AI supports a single global QSR brand with 200M+ loyalty members. Capillary reports 1.2B+ loyalty members (vendor-reported) in total across its customers. Compare vendors at the size of your own program.
Which is better for Microsoft Azure customers?
SocialHub.AI is an Azure Co-Sell partner, and purchases through Azure Marketplace can count toward a company's existing Azure spending commitment (MACC). Ask Capillary about its own Microsoft options.