Patch Retention review: is it worth it for a local venue’s text marketing and in-person sign-ups?
Patch Retention, formerly CityGro, is SMS and email marketing software for local venues such as trampoline parks, golf clubs and gyms. Guests sign up at an iPad check-in kiosk running its app, and its Agency Services team can plan, build and send your campaigns. It publishes no venue prices; every start is a demo.
| Starting price | $395 a month (Shopify app plan, read October 22, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Free plan or trial | No |
| Standout feature | Check-in at an iPad kiosk can trigger a text while the guest is still on site |
| Maker | Patch Retention, Inc. |
In this review
Who is Patch Retention for?
Patch Retention suits a venue that checks guests in at a front desk, such as a trampoline park, golf club or gym. Guests type their number into an iPad running its kiosk app, and a text can go out while they are still on site. If you would rather not run the texts yourself, its Agency Services team can plan, build and send them.
Skip it if you run a restaurant and want a price before you talk to anyone. Its pages name venues and clubs, not restaurants, and the only published price is for its Shopify app. Its pages name no supplied iPad, and its terms make you responsible for your equipment.
Pros and cons
Pros
- In-person sign-up: an iPad check-in kiosk, a texted link or a QR code puts each guest’s phone number straight into its CRM
- A done-for-you option: Agency Services plans, builds and sends your email and SMS campaigns, with a named retention strategist
- Check-in can trigger a text while the guest is still on site
Cons
- No pricing page; the venue product and Agency Services are sold through a demo
- The kiosk is software on an iPad; no supplied device is named, and its terms make you responsible for your equipment
- The current site names venues, clubs and attractions, not restaurants
- The only published price is for its Shopify app
How much does Patch Retention cost?
| Plan | Price | Charged per | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify app | $395 a month | — | $0.02 per SMS on top. This is the price for the Shopify online-store install; the venue product is sold through a demo. |
Did we sign up for Patch Retention?
How it scored
| Criterion | Weight | Score (1-5) | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core job | 25% | 3 | SMS campaigns, two-way texting, automated journeys and kiosk check-in are described; no first-hand check. [source 1] [source 2] [source 3] |
| Fit for the category's buyer | 20% | 3 | Names local venues, not restaurants; done-for-you is a separate Agency Services offer bought through a demo, and the kiosk is its app on an iPad, with no supplied device named. [source 1] [source 2] [source 3] [source 4] |
| Pricing transparency | 20% | 2 | No pricing page on the vendor site; only its Shopify app lists a price, $395 a month plus $0.02 per SMS. [source 1] [source 2] |
| Setup and time to first result | 15% | 2 | The venue product is sold through a demo; a self-serve install exists only for Shopify stores. [source 1] [source 2] [source 3] |
| Integrations and data portability | 10% | 3 | The help centre documents Square and Smartwaiver integrations; REST APIs and webhooks are claimed, with no public API reference found. [source 1] [source 2] |
| Trust, security and support | 10% | 2 | SOC 2 is claimed, but there is no trust page or report; support is a ticket form and email, and a DPA is listed. [source 1] [source 2] [source 3] |
What do Reddit users say about Patch Retention?
What are the best alternatives to Patch Retention?
- Textmunication review: Self-serve texting with a restaurant page, from $29 a month, and a 30-day free trial.
- EZ Texting review: Self-serve texting with every plan priced, from $25 a month, and a 14-day free trial.
- Sendsational review: A done-for-you service that writes, sends and tracks your text offers and can provide and brand a sign-up kiosk for your location, sold by flat quote.
Where Patch Retention is ranked and compared
Frequently asked questions
Is CityGro still around?
CityGro is now Patch Retention. CityGro announced the change on August 24, 2022, and citygro.com now redirects to patchretention.com.
Does Patch Retention supply the kiosk tablet?
Its pages name no supplied device. The kiosk is its check-in app running on an iPad in kiosk mode, and its terms make the client responsible for the equipment it uses.
Will Patch Retention write and send my text campaigns for me?
Yes, through Agency Services, which plans, builds and sends your email and SMS campaigns with a named retention strategist. No price is published for it.
Does Patch Retention work for restaurants?
Its current site names trampoline parks, family entertainment centers, water parks, golf clubs, gyms and racquet clubs. It does not name restaurants.
Sources
- Patch Retention home page (citygro.com redirects here) (read )
- Patch Retention kiosk check-ins (read )
- Patch Retention Agency Services (read )
- Patch Retention SMS campaigns (read )
- Patch Retention data integration (read )
- Patch Retention terms of service (read )
- Patch Retention help centre (read )
- Patch Retention on the Shopify App Store (read )
- CityGro is now Patch (archived CityGro post) (read )
Changelog
- : First published, written from Patch Retention's own pages and its Shopify App Store listing, read on October 22, 2026. CityGro, the name it used until 2022, now redirects to patchretention.com. Not tested hands-on, and Reddit was not searched.