Hostel loyalty points vs booking sites, is the extra legwork actually worth it?

I was standing in line at a hostel in CDMX last week and this guy in front of me was arguing with the front desk about a booking site canceling his reservation. The clerk said if he'd booked direct, he'd get a free night after 5 stays or something. I've always just used the big booking sites because they're easy, but this guy was fuming. I do the math sometimes and direct booking is usually $3-5 cheaper per night, plus points, but you have to check each hostel's own site and sometimes their forms are janky. On the flip side, booking sites have reviews and easy cancellation. So what's the real payoff here? Has anyone actually gotten a free night or upgrade from hostel loyalty programs, or is it just a way to make you feel committed to one place? Asking because I'm planning a 3 week trip through Peru and the difference adds up to maybe $60 total, which is a decent chunk of meals down there.

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