Choose your integration model

There are two ways to integrate with Spendstream. This page helps you pick the one that matches your team, your timescale and how much control you need over the customer journey.

Decision flow

 
flowchart TD
    A[Start] --> B{Do you want to build your own rewards interface}
    B -->|No| C[White-label]
    B -->|Yes| D[Full API]
    C --> E[Supply branding and build single sign-on]
    D --> F[Build the interface and call the API]

Comparison

White-label

Choose white-label if you want a fully branded rewards platform without building the front end. Spendstream hosts a storefront on your subdomain and runs the catalogue, checkout, fulfilment and payments. You supply brand assets and reward configuration once, and you build a single sign-on handover so that customers arrive already signed in.

Read White-label integration and the white-label single sign-on guide.

Full API

Choose the Full API if you want maximum control over the customer journey. You build the interface, call Spendstream endpoints directly, and control presentation, messaging and workflows. Spendstream continues to manage inventory, suppliers, fulfilment and affiliate connectivity.

Read Full API integration.

Site credit swap

Some publishers already run their own loyalty points or credit scheme and want users to convert that credit into gift cards, often at a bonus rate agreed commercially. This is built on the Full API path, using the gift card and balance endpoints. Speak to your account manager before you design a swap, so that the funding model is agreed first.

Questions to ask yourself

• Do you have front-end capacity to build and maintain a rewards experience?
• Does your brand need the rewards pages to sit inside your existing product?
• Do you need to launch in weeks rather than months?
• Do you want to control reward calculations and customer communications?

For a fuller comparison, see Choosing between white-label and Full API.

Related pages

• Platform overview
• Product configuration
• White-label integration
• Full API integration
• Choosing between white-label and Full API

Both models give your customers access to the same Spendstream rewards. The difference is who builds and runs the interface. This page compares them side by side.

Side-by-side comparison

Choose white-label when

• You want to launch quickly with limited engineering time.
• A separate branded rewards site is acceptable.
• You are content for Spendstream to run the storefront experience.

Choose the Full API when

• Rewards must sit inside your existing product.
• You need to control messaging, presentation and workflows.
• You have the engineering capacity to build and maintain the interface.

Can I start with one and move to the other?

Talk to your account manager before you commit. Each publisher account is configured for a particular set of products and a particular integration model, so a change of model is a configuration conversation rather than something you switch on yourself. Plan the model you need for launch, and raise any expected change early.

Next steps

• White-label: read White-label integration and the white-label single sign-on guide.
• Full API: read Full API integration and the API quickstart.

Related pages

• Choose your integration model
• White-label integration
• Full API integration
• Product configuration