Study: Online retail giant tops annual ranking of 'loyalty leaders'
The better a brand meets consumers’ expectations, the more loyal they will be.
That’s according to the 17th annual Brand Key Loyalty Leaders List, an identification of the top 100 brands according to their ability to create customer loyalty.
Amazon topped this years’ ranking, with digital innovation, entertainment platforms and long-standing heritage brands among 2025’s leaders. Rounding out the top five were google, Microsoft, Apple and Coca-Cola. (See list of top 25 brands at end of article.)
“A combination of generative AI, always-on CX, and brand experiences that consumers actually want is defining this year’s loyalty winners,” said Robert Passikoff, founder and president of Brand Keys Inc., New York-based loyalty and engagement research firm that conducts the survey. “More and more loyalty isn’t set in stone – it’s set in code.”
On average, consumer expectations have increased 30% year overyear, while brands are only gaining 9% to 11%, noted Passikoff. The gap is where brand loyalty lives – and why exposure to and experience with a brand, whether at retail, via streaming, or AI, has never been more critical, he said.
AI is fast becoming the most important bridge across that loyalty gap, according to the study. While it currently powers personalization and support, tomorrow it will reshape the very idea of what it means to be loyal to a brand. Generative AI companions will act as always-on brand emissaries, carrying the voice, values, and personality of a company into every customer interaction.
“Instead of static loyalty programs or simple points systems, AI will enable dynamic, adaptive loyalty experiences —anticipating shifts in mood, context, or life stage and responding in ways that make customers feel recognized at a near-human level,” noted Passikoff.
2025 Loyalty Leaders — Top 25
1. Amazon (Online Retail)
2. Google (Search)
3. Microsoft (Tech)
4. Apple (Smartphones)
5. Coca-Cola (Beverages)
6. Samsung (Smartphones)
7. Paramount+ (Video Streaming)
8. ChatGPT (AI)
9. TikTok (Social Networking)
10. Levi Strauss (Apparel Retailers)
11. Discover (Credit Cards)
12. McDonald’s (Fast Food)
13. Netflix (Video Streaming)
14. PayPal (Online Payments)
15. Dunkin’ (Coffee)
16. Disney+ (Video Streaming)
17. Hyundai (Automotive)
18. Walmart.com (Online Retail)
19. Toyota (Automotive)
20. Domino’s (Pizza)
21. Trader Joe’s (natural foods)
22. Nike (athletic footwear)
23. The Home Depot (retail home improvement)
24. American Express 9credit cards)
25. Jeep (automotive)
To see the complete Top 100 list, click here.
The Brand Keys Loyalty Leaders List analysis was conducted August 2025 and included 77,608 assessments U.S. respondents self-selected categories in which they are consumers and assessed 1,485 brands in 145 categories.
