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Pros and Cons of Popular Training Tools (Fitness Business Software Review)

Table of Contents

A fitness instructor is typing on a computer that is resting on top of a yoga mat next to some weights.

Are you a fitness business owner looking to streamline your operations and boost your efficiency? Look no further! Whether you are a personal trainer, yoga instructor, or dance teacher, finding the right software can make all the difference in maximizing your productivity and enhancing the overall experience for you and your clients.

Today we will explore the key features, pricing, and pro’s and con’s of some of the most popular fitness business software options on the market. Let’s uncover everything you need to know about these game-changing software solutions!

WellnessLiving Review

Best suited for: Yoga teachers, Pilates instructors, & dance teachers

Overview
WellnessLiving offers a range of online tools that help you manage clients, take payments, gather client reviews, and market your business all in one place. They offer an integration with Zoom, making it easy to teach virtual classes. Plus, they allow you to make online classes available on-demand.

Key Features

  • Virtual training
  • Online booking
  • Payments
  • Client management
  • Email & SMS
  • Client apps
  • Loyalty program
  • Client reviews

Cost
Compare plans here.

  • Starter: $89.00/month
  • Basic: $129/month
  • Business: $159/month
  • Enterprise: Get a demo

Free trial: Not Available

Customer Rating
4.5 out of 5 on Google | Read client testimonials here.

Pro’s:

  • The integration with Zoom makes it easy to teach virtual classes
    Customer service is helpful and easy to contact
  • Robust platform with several features that are easy for fitness professionals to use
  • Easy to use from the client side of things

Con’s:

  • Can take some time to set up and get familiar with all the features
  • Sometimes glitches or bugs can take some time to fix
  • Can be hard to transition data from previous software to WellnessLiving, but support is typically good at helping you through this process

Visit the WellnessLiving website

A yoga teacher walking a student through an online class by livestreaming herself on a laptop.

Zen Planner Review

Best suited for: Personal trainers, yoga teachers, Pilates instructors, dance teachers, CrossFit coaches, spin instructors, & fitness instructors

Overview
Zen Planner allows you to manage your own business by offering integrated payment processing, automated billing, online scheduling, client management, website templates, and more. Their reporting system gives you a real-time look at how well your business is performing.

Key Features

  • Online scheduling
  • Automated billing
  • Custom website (with SEO)
  • Business success reports
  • Client app
  • Workout tracking
  • Email automation
  • Marketing resources

Price
Pricing depends on the number of clients (members) you have:

  • 0–45: $99.00/month

  • 46–60: $129.00/month

  • 61–75: $149.00/month

  • 76–100: $176.00/month

  • 101–150: $209.00/month

  • 151–200: $227.00/month

  • 201–250: $247.00/month

  • 251+: $267.00/month

Free trial: Not Available

Customer Rating
4.5 out of 5stars on Capterra | See client testimonials here.

Pro’s:

  • No yearly contracts to join
  • First time users get access to a one-on-one onboarding coach
  • Automatic reminders are sent to customers who book with you online
  • Easy-to-use interface
    Helpful and responsive support team

Con’s:

  • Some frustrations with the business reporting system
  • Clients may have a learning curve with the client app
  • Can be tricky to navigate when your clients are under 18 and reminders need to be sent to parents, but progress tracking is for the student
  • Initial set-up can take some time, but Zen Planner reps can walk you through the steps

Visit the Zen Planner website

A personal using fitness software on their cell phone next to some workout gear.

Acuity Scheduling Review

Best suited for: all fitness & wellness professionals

Overview
Acuity Scheduling is an online tool you can use to schedule your clients and book appointments. You can get clients to submit an intake form during booking, auto-adjust for time zones, send automated reminders, and more. If an all-in-one scheduling tool is all you need, this software is a great option for you.

Key Features

  • Manage availability
  • Automated client reminders
  • Option to cancel or reschedule
  • Built-in client intake forms
  • Sync your calendars
  • Accept online payments
  • Integrates with third-party systems
  • Customize the branding

Price
Annual and monthly payment plans are available. Compare plans here.

  • Emerging: $16/month
  • Growing: $27/month
  • Powerhouse: $49/month

Free trial: Available (7 days)

Customer Rating
4.8 out of 5 stars on Capterra

Pro’s:

  • Very easy to use for both you and your clients
  • Easy to integrate with a Google Calendar to show availability
  • A great option for anyone needing a simple scheduling tool for single appointments
  • Clean and professional look is well received by clients
  • Works with both one-on-one sessions and group sessions

Con’s:

  • No phone or 24/7 live rep support
  • Text reminders are not available on the lowest-tier plan
  • Some custom coding (CSS) knowledge is needed to customize branding

Visit the Acuity Scheduling website

A fitness instructor sits on the floor next to their gear while they work on their laptop.

Mindbody Review

Best suited for: all fitness & wellness professionals

Overview
Mindbody is an all-in-one fitness management system that allows you to control your scheduling, marketing, online payments, and more. Their virtual integration makes it easy to offer live and on-demand sessions. Additionally, the new AI front desk allows you to send automated messages to potential clients trying to contact you.

Key Features

  • Automated payments
  • Online scheduling
  • Flexible booking options
  • Digital marketing tools
  • AI front desk
  • Business insight reports
  • List your sessions on Mindbody
  • Manage it all from an app

Price
Pricing may change depending on business needs. You can receive more accurate pricing information by scheduling a demo. Compare plans here.

  • Starter: $159
  • Accelerate: $279
  • Ultimate: $499
  • Ultimate Plus: $699

Free trial: Not Available

Customer Rating
4 out of 5 stars on Capterra

Pro’s:

  • One-on-one setup and training, with data migration support
  • Helpful and reliable live customer support team
  • App for clients is very easy to use and navigate

Con’s:

  • One of the more expensive fitness management tools
  • May be better suited for professionals who are managing the schedules of employees, rather than those working independently
  • Can be hard to navigate and use from the business side

Visit the Mindbody website

A fitness instructor is carrying his gear under one arm and smiling at his phone in his other hand.

Fitli Review

Best suited for: Yoga instructors, dance teachers, personal trainers, Pilates instructors, and fitness instructors

Overview
Fitli makes it easy for you to manage your fitness business with scheduling, online payments, client communication, and more all in one place. All of their features are available on every payment plan, making it an affordable and accessible tool for all fitness instructors.

Key Features

  • Online scheduling
  • Automated payments
  • Direct client messaging
  • Automated email & SMS reminders
  • Customizable pricing & offerings
  • Client management & reviews
  • Third-party app integration
  • Business insights & reports

Price
Annual, semi-annual, and monthly payment plans are available. All plans include all their features; pricing depends on the size of your business and the amount of employees using the software. Compare plans here.

  • Solo: $32/month
  • Grow: $57/month
  • Expand: $74/month
  • Enterprise: $90/month

Free trial: Available (30 days)

Customer Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars on Capterra

Pro’s:

  • No yearly contracts to join
  • One of the most highly reviewed and rated fitness business software on the market
  • Great for individual fitness professionals looking to manage their business in one place
  • Fast and helpful customer support team
  • Affordable plans, all of which include all of their features at no extra cost

Con’s:

  • Glitches on the app can affect clients’ ability to schedule sessions
  • Can be difficult to navigate the first time, but Fitli’s customer service team works side-by-side with you to answer any questions
  • Notifications about upcoming appointments can be annoying for some users
  • Cannot process payments for clients in Canada

Visit the Fitli website

A fitness professional working on their laptop next to a tablet, a smart phone, and a cup of coffee.

MyStudio Review

Best suited for: Yoga instructors, personal trainers, dance teachers, CrossFit coaches, and Pilates instructors.

Overview
MyStudio gives instructors the ability to attract new clients, retain existing clients, promote their services online, manage their businesses, and more. One thing that stands out is the opportunity to keep track of client progress and motivate them through their goals. This allows you to keep in touch with clients in a more personal way.

Key Features

  • Online scheduling
  • Client tracking & management
  • Automated billing
  • Email, SMS, & push notifications
  • Business reporting
  • Lead capture tools
  • Custom landing pages
  • Manage special event bookings

Price
The Single Location Pricing is designed for individual fitness professionals who want to manage their clients. The Multi-Location/Franchise Pricing is for businesses that own and operate more than one physical location. We will be looking at the Single Location Pricing options.

Annual and monthly payment plans are available. Compare plans here.

  • Starter: $99/month
  • Growth: $199/month
  • Scale: $299/month

Free trial: Available

Customer Rating
4.5 out of 5 stars on Capterra

Pro’s:

  • Easy-to-use app for clients
  • Keep track of bookkeeping and finances
  • Ability to upload a fitness curriculum that clients can access when they want
  • Great for promoting special events you may be part of or hosting
  • Waivers can be easily filled out through the client’s app

Con’s:

  • The custom website is not as great as a website you might build through another platform
  • One-time clients don’t like the hassle of having to download and pay through an app, so it’s better for consistent clients you routinely work with
  • Works better for fitness professionals who oversee a staff and work out of one single studio or location

Visit the MyStudio website

A yoga instructor is teaching a virtual client via her laptop from her home.

PTminder Review

Best suited for: Personal trainers

Overview
If you’re a personal trainer looking to better manage your day-to-day activities, this software is a great option for you. PTminder gives you the ability to manage client schedules, collect online payments, track client performance, and even create virtual fitness and nutrition plans.

Key Features

  • Track client progress
  • Online bookings
  • Automated payments
  • Virtual training
  • Build client fitness plans
  • Email and SMS reminders
  • Record client assessments
  • Manage your schedule

Price
Pricing varies depending on the number of clients you have. Annual and monthly payment plans are available. Compare plans here.

  • 50 client plan: $53/month
  • 100 client plan: $62/month
  • 150 client plan: $98/month
  • 200 client plan: $116/month
  • Unlimited plan: $161/month

Free trial: Available (14 days)

Customer Rating
4.5 out of 5 stars on Capterra | Read customer testimonials here.

Pro’s:

  • Great for managing your business, clients, and finances all in one place
    24/7 access to live chat support
  • Your plan will automatically scale based on the number of clients you have, so you don’t have to worry about manually upgrading or downgrading your plan
  • Great for personal trainers wanting to build online fitness plans that include both exercise and nutrition advice
  • Access to a premade video library makes it easy to customize client workouts

Con’s:

  • Commissions are taken from every payment a client makes through their system
  • SMS plans are an additional cost on top of your plan
  • No way for clients to log information about workouts or diet tracking
  • Could have better marketing tools for trainers to utilize

Visit the PTminder website

A personal trainer is uploading a video on his phone to a fitness app.

Jackrabbit Dance Review

Best suited for: Dance teachers

Overview
Jackrabbit is one of the best dance studio management programs on the market. It gives dance teachers the ability to manage online registration, payments, recurring billing, costumes, direct messaging, and more. The integration with Quickbooks also makes it easy to track finances. Parents and students can easily check on class listings, receive notifications, availability, and more through the customer portal.

Key Features

  • Online class registration
  • Automated billing & payments
  • Costume management
  • Connect with parents & families
  • Track student skills
    SMS, email, and push notifications
  • Business reports
  • Find & assign substitute teachers

Price
Pricing depends on the number of students, and the type of plan you are selecting. There is a standard and plus plan available. Compare plans here.

Jackrabbit Dance standard plan

  • 0–100 students: $49/month
  • 101–250 students: $89/month
  • 251–500 students: $129/month
  • 501–1,000 students: $169/month
  • 1,001–3,000 students: $209/month
  • 3,001+ students: $245/month

Jackrabbit Dance Plus plan

  • 0–100 students: $89/month
  • 101–250 students: $139/month
  • 251–500 students: $189/month
  • 501–1,000 students: $229/month
  • 1,001–3,000 students: $279/month
  • 3,001+ students: $315/month

(A one-time, non-refundable setup fee of $169.00 plus app store fees will also be charged for Jackrabbit Plus plans.)

Free trial: Available

Customer Rating
4.6 out of 5 stars on Capterra | Read client reviews here

Pro’s:

  • Jackrabbit is the top choice for dance teachers and studios
  • Setup and support teams are there to help you easily migrate old data and information
  • No yearly contract to join
  • Very robust system that offers a lot of features for dance teachers
  • Helpful customer support team that will take the time to answer any questions
  • One centralized location for all the management tools dance teachers may need

Con’s:

  • May be better suited to dance teachers that are managing a studio with employees
  • No current way for students to purchase event tickets or studio apparel online
  • There is a processing time for online payments
  • Lacking better costume management features to help save time and make purchases easier for students
  • Can get tricky when you have multiple students in the same family

Visit the Jackrabbit Dance website

A young dancer is in her following along with her teacher who is livestreaming from the computer.

My PT Hub Review

Best suited for: Personal trainers, CrossFit coaches, nutritionists, & fitness instructors

Overview
My PT Hub is an all-in-one software for personal trainers and fitness coaches looking to customize their client experience. Manage clients, build workout plans, train virtually, create nutritional plans, and more from the web or a mobile app.

Key Features

  • Online scheduling
  • Automated billing & payments
  • Live-stream & on-demand events
  • Create unlimited client workouts
  • Direct messaging with clients
  • Track client results
  • Create custom programs
  • Manage unlimited clients

Price
Monthly and annual payment plans are available. Compare plans here.

  • Monthly plan: $55/month
  • Annual plan: $48/month

Free trial: Available (30 days)

Customer Rating
4.6 out of 5 stars on Capterra | Read customer reviews here

Pro’s:

  • Great for individual trainers and coaches looking to manage clients and sell online fitness packages
  • One of the most affordable personal training software with the most robust features
  • Easy to use and upload videos for clients to watch, and easy for clients to navigate
  • Very user-friendly interface to navigate through, with tutorial videos to help first-timers get their accounts set up

Con’s:

  • Stripe fees and mandated taxes can impact the amount of money you end up making
  • Glitches with the app can unsave progress or make programs inaccessible to clients
  • Like most other platforms, the programs are only available in English

Visit the My PT Hub website

A personal trainer is sitting on the ground with a laptop as he uploads some workout videos he just made.

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