How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- PushPress offers a genuinely free plan for gyms, with paid tiers from $159 a month, making it the lowest-risk start for CrossFit boxes and martial arts studios.
- Mindbody's Starter at $139 a month looks reasonable until add-ons push real costs to $500-plus; budget the whole stack, not the headline.
- Zen Planner from $99 a month and TeamUp's usage-based pricing suit membership-driven gyms that bill hundreds of members.
- Vagaro at $23.99 a month is the value pick for appointment-led fitness businesses like personal training studios.
- Failed-payment recovery and retention automation drive more revenue than any feature list; ask every vendor about dunning specifically.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 PushPress | Gyms starting free | Free; paid from $159/month | Yes |
 Mindbody | Boutique studios wanting discovery | From $139/month | No |
 Zen Planner | Membership-driven gyms | From $99/month | Free trial |
 TeamUp | Studios billing many members | Usage-based; ~$189/month | No |
 Glofox | Boutique fitness chains | See website | No |
 Pike13 | Multi-instructor schools | $139/month | Free trial |
 Wodify | CrossFit boxes with retail | $199/site/month | No |
 Gymdesk | Simple gyms under 50 members | $75/month | Free trial (14 days) |
 WellnessLiving | Studios selling appointments plus classes | $69/month | No |
 Vagaro | Appointment-led fitness businesses | $23.99/month | Free trial (30 days) |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best fitness management software
The myth is that a serious gym needs Mindbody, full stop. Mindbody earned its reputation, but the logic is backwards. Most gyms pay for the marketplace and the brand while using a fraction of the platform, and the features that actually move revenue, failed-payment recovery, win-back automation, smart waitlists, sit on higher tiers or get ignored entirely. A gym on a $159-a-month platform with excellent dunning will out-earn a gym on a $500-a-month platform that lets failed cards quietly cancel memberships.
The correction is to buy for the money leaks, not the feature list. The average gym loses five to ten percent of monthly recurring revenue to failed payments. Multiply your MRR by that percentage and you have the budget the software should earn back. Then check retention automation: does the platform notice when a member's attendance drops and do something about it, or does it just store the data.
The second thing to get right is the business model. Class-based boutiques, open gyms, personal training studios and martial arts schools run on different logic: class packs versus recurring memberships versus appointment billing. The platforms below cluster around those models, and the wrong cluster will fight you every day.
Starting priceFree; paid from $159/month
Free planYes
PushPress is the gym-first platform that lets you start free. The free plan handles class scheduling and membership billing basics, which is enough to open the doors, and paid plans from $159 a month add the full workflow: programming, retail, reporting and automation. User ratings lead the category, and the platform speaks CrossFit and martial arts fluently.
The honest catch is the cliff between free and paid. The free tier's higher processing rates and limited features mean growing gyms face a real step up, and retail POS is thinner than Mindbody's. But for the new box that needs to conserve cash, starting free on software built for gyms beats starting at $139 a month on software built for boutiques.
What we like- Genuine free plan covers the basics for new gyms
- Paid tiers from $159 a month with gym-specific workflows
- Top user ratings in the category
Watch out for- Big jump from free to paid
- Limited retail POS capabilities
- Multi-location management only on higher tiers
Starting priceFrom $139/month
Free planNo
Mindbody is the 800-pound gorilla for a reason. No platform matches its consumer marketplace for putting your classes in front of people searching for workouts, and the feature depth for boutique studios, from dynamic pricing to advanced marketing automation, is unmatched. Established studios with strong brands extract enormous value from it.
The pricing is where eyes widen. Starter at $139 a month covers scheduling, basic payments and the marketplace listing. Marketing automation needs the $469 Ultimate tier. The AI assistant wants Ultimate Plus at $599-plus. Add branded apps and SMS marketing and you are at $500 to $700 a month before processing, which runs 2.99% plus 30 cents. Mindbody earns its price at scale. Small studios should model the full stack before committing.
What we like- Largest consumer marketplace for class discovery
- Deepest feature set for boutique studios
- Branded apps and advanced marketing on higher tiers
Watch out for- Starter at $139 is bare-bones
- Real costs reach $500-$700 with add-ons
- 2.99% + $0.30 processing is higher than rivals
Starting priceFrom $99/month
Free planFree trial
Zen Planner serves the membership-model gym: CrossFit boxes, martial arts schools and strength facilities where recurring billing is the business. Plans from $99 a month scale with active member count, which keeps small gyms affordable and grows the bill with revenue. Belt and skill tracking is a thoughtful touch for martial arts.
The Engage marketing add-on at $249 a month stings, since retention marketing is table stakes in 2026, and some reviews flag billing and support issues. But the core membership engine is solid and the member-count pricing is fair. For the gym whose business is monthly memberships rather than class packs, Zen Planner's model fits naturally.
What we like- Membership management priced by active member count
- Strong for gyms and martial arts schools
- Belt and skill tracking for martial arts
Watch out for- Marketing automation (Engage) costs $249 a month extra
- Interface feels dated
- Billing complaints appear in reviews
Starting priceUsage-based; ~$189/month
Free planNo
TeamUp prices by active customer count, which aligns the software cost with the revenue it manages. At around $189 a month for 101 to 200 active customers, growing studios pay more only as they earn more. The platform handles memberships, course packs and class scheduling together, which suits multi-instructor studios running varied programming.
There is no free tier, and the ecosystem of integrations is narrower than Mindbody's. But the 4.8-star user ratings reflect a product that does its job without drama. For the studio billing a few hundred members across classes and courses, TeamUp's usage model is one of the fairest in the category.
What we like- Usage-based pricing scales with active customers
- Strong for multi-instructor studios running memberships and courses
- Highly rated ease of use
Watch out for- $189 a month at 101-200 active customers is mid-tier pricing
- No free plan
- Smaller ecosystem than Mindbody
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Glofox, now part of ABC Fitness, targets boutique fitness chains that want a branded member experience across locations. Custom branded apps, centralized management and chain-level reporting serve the multi-site operator well. Gyms report costs from $100 to $600-plus a month depending on features and locations.
Single-location studios should look elsewhere. The quote-only pricing, the sales process and the chain-oriented feature set all assume scale you do not have. But for the growing boutique brand standardizing five or ten locations on one platform with one brand in members' pockets, Glofox is purpose-built for exactly that job.
What we like- Built for boutique fitness chains with branded member apps
- Strong class and membership management
- Now backed by ABC Fitness resources
Watch out for- Quote-only pricing, no public rates
- Overkill and expensive for single studios
- Sales-led buying process
Starting price$139/month
Free planFree trial
Pike13 serves the businesses that are equal parts appointments and classes: swim schools, martial arts academies, music studios, personal training. Plans and passes with unlimited client profiles at $139 a month keep the pricing simple, and the scheduling handles both private appointments and group classes without forcing you into one model.
Reporting is the weak spot reviewers name most, and the fitness-specific workflows are thinner than PushPress's or Zen Planner's. But for the multi-instructor school where the business is lessons as much as classes, Pike13's hybrid scheduling is the right shape. Pure gyms will find the gym-native platforms more fluent.
What we like- Unlimited client profiles on plans
- Strong for appointment-plus-class hybrids like swim and music schools
- Straightforward $139 starting price
Watch out for- Reporting draws criticism
- Smaller user community
- Fitness-specific depth trails the gym natives
Starting price$199/site/month
Free planNo
Wodify is the CrossFit box's operating system. Workout programming, performance tracking, class management and membership billing come with the box culture baked in: leaderboards, athlete profiles and community features that generic platforms bolt on awkwardly. The integrated retail POS handles the supplement and apparel sales that pad box revenue.
At $199 per site per month, it is priced for boxes that use the depth. Functional-fitness gyms outside the CrossFit orbit will find the specialization limiting. But for the affiliate where programming and community are the product, Wodify's specificity is the point, and the price reflects a platform that does one thing completely rather than ten things adequately.
What we like- Deep CrossFit programming and workout tracking
- Integrated retail POS
- Strong community features for box culture
Watch out for- $199 per site per month is premium for single boxes
- Narrower appeal outside CrossFit-style training
- Implementation takes commitment
Starting price$75/month
Free planFree trial (14 days)
Gymdesk is the simplicity play. For $75 a month covering up to 50 active members, small gyms get member management, attendance tracking, billing and basic marketing automation in a clean interface that staff learn in an afternoon. No enterprise modules, no quote process, no feature maze.
The member cap is the honest limit. Outgrow 50 active members and the next tier changes the math, and gyms wanting deep marketing automation or advanced programming will hit walls. But for the neighborhood gym, the garage box or the personal training studio getting organized, Gymdesk delivers the essentials without the enterprise tax.
What we like- $75 a month for up to 50 active members is simple and affordable
- Clean interface with short learning curve
- Covers member management, billing and check-ins
Watch out for- 50-member cap on the entry tier means growing gyms upgrade fast
- Marketing automation is basic
- Smaller feature set than the leaders
Starting price$69/month
Free planNo
WellnessLiving serves the hybrid wellness business: the studio that sells yoga classes, massage appointments and retail products from one front desk. At $69 a month, it undercuts buying separate class and appointment systems, and the rewards and loyalty features suit businesses built on repeat visits.
The breadth is also the weakness. Class management trails Mindbody's depth, appointment booking trails Vagaro's polish, and the interface carries the weight of doing everything. But for the wellness center that genuinely needs all three revenue streams in one system, WellnessLiving's price-to-coverage ratio is compelling.
What we like- $69 a month covers classes, appointments and retail in one system
- Rewards and loyalty features included
- Good for hybrid wellness businesses
Watch out for- Neither the best class tool nor the best appointment tool
- Interface tries to do a lot
- Support quality is mixed
Starting price$23.99/month
Free planFree trial (30 days)
Vagaro earns its place through price and completeness. Personal training studios, massage practices and appointment-led fitness businesses get online booking, POS, client management and marketing for $23.99 a month, a fraction of the fitness-native platforms. The 30-day trial makes evaluation painless.
Class-based businesses should stop here, though. Vagaro's class programming and membership depth are thin because salons, not gyms, are the core customer. But for the trainer selling sessions rather than memberships, paying $24 a month for a complete business system beats paying $139 for class features you will never open.
What we like- $23.99 a month per bookable calendar is the cheapest entry here
- Scheduling, POS and marketing included
- 30-day free trial
Watch out for- Built for appointments, not class programming
- Membership features are basic
- Fitness is a secondary vertical
The dunning test
Ask every vendor the same question: what exactly happens when a member's card fails? The good answers are specific: automatic retries on a smart schedule, emails and texts to the member, a grace period with access preserved, staff alerts, and a dashboard showing recovered revenue. The bad answers are vague.
Then ask for the recovery number. What percentage of failed payments does the platform recover in the first 30 days? Vendors with strong dunning know this number and will share it. Vendors without it will change the subject. A five-point difference in recovery rate on a $20,000 MRR gym is $1,000 a month, which dwarfs any subscription price difference in this list.
How the final ten were selected
We started from vendor pricing pages and documentation, then cross-checked against October 2026 comparisons and public reviews on Capterra, G2 and Software Advice. Every published price above reflects 2026 plan pricing, including Mindbody's $139 Starter, PushPress's free-to-$159 structure and Zen Planner's $99 entry. Where vendors keep pricing quote-only, we say so instead of repeating estimates.
We did not claim hands-on testing of any platform. We weighted gym-specific capabilities over generic scheduling: membership billing, class management, failed-payment recovery, retention automation, branded member apps and POS. Pure class-booking tools without membership depth and personal-trainer apps without gym operations did not make the cut.
Pricing traps in gym software
The headline price is the opening bid. Payment processing rates vary from 2.6% to nearly 3% plus 30 cents, and on $50,000 monthly volume, half a point is $250 a month, more than most subscriptions here. Marketing automation, branded apps and SMS credits frequently live on higher tiers or as add-ons. And per-location pricing multiplies everything for chains.
Model the total at your actual volume. A $139 platform with expensive processing and paid add-ons routinely costs more than a $199 platform with everything included. Ask each vendor for the all-in monthly cost at your member count and transaction volume, in writing, before you compare. The cheapest sticker price in gym software is rarely the cheapest platform.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a small gym budget for management software?
For under 100 members, $75 to $200 a month in subscriptions plus processing fees. Most small gyms land between $100 and $250 all-in. Budget processing separately: it usually exceeds the subscription.
Is Mindbody worth it for a small studio?
Only if you will use the marketplace and the marketing depth. At $139 for the bare Starter tier rising past $500 with the useful add-ons, small studios often pay for power they never touch. Model the full stack against PushPress or Zen Planner before deciding.
Can we start on a free plan and upgrade later?
Yes, and PushPress is built for exactly that path. The risk is data migration friction and retraining staff mid-growth. If you expect to pass 100 members within a year, price the paid tier now so the upgrade is a decision, not a surprise.
What is dunning and why does it matter?
Dunning is the automated process of recovering failed payments: retries, member notifications and grace periods. It directly protects monthly recurring revenue. Weak dunning silently cancels members whose cards expired. Strong dunning recovers most of them.
Do we need a branded member app?
It helps retention for boutiques and chains where the brand matters. For neighborhood gyms, a good mobile web experience suffices. Branded apps usually cost extra; buy one when members ask for it, not before.
How hard is it to switch gym software?
Painful enough to plan carefully. Memberships, billing tokens, class histories and attendance records all migrate, but expect a few weeks of parallel running and some manual cleanup. Switch in a slow month, never in January.
Sources we checked (12)
- https://www.pushpress.com/pricing
- https://www.mindbodyonline.com/pricing
- https://www.zenplanner.com/pricing
- https://www.teamup.com/pricing
- https://www.glofox.com/pricing
- https://www.pike13.com/pricing
- https://www.wodify.com/pricing
- https://www.gymdesk.com/pricing
- https://www.wellnessliving.com/pricing
- https://www.vagaro.com/pricing
- https://swipesavvy.com/resources/blog/savvy-life-gym-fitness-management/
- http://blog.zumvu.com/best-fitness-studio-class-booking-software/
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.