7 Netgym Alternatives for Managing Instructor Substitutions at Your Studio
Every studio owner knows the feeling. It's 6 AM, you're drinking your first coffee, and your phone buzzes. Your 7 AM yoga instructor is sick. Now you have 45 minutes to find a sub, notify clients, ...
7 Netgym Alternatives for Managing Instructor Substitutions at Your Studio
Every studio owner knows the feeling. It’s 6 AM, you’re drinking your first coffee, and your phone buzzes. Your 7 AM yoga instructor is sick. Now you have 45 minutes to find a sub, notify clients, and hope the class doesn’t fall apart.
This “firefighting” happens more often than anyone wants to admit. And while tools like Netgym have tried to solve instructor scheduling, many studio owners find themselves needing something more integrated with their booking, payments, and client management.
Here are seven Netgym alternatives worth considering if you’re tired of cobbling together solutions for last-minute substitutions.
Table of Contents
- Zipper’s Built-In Substitution Board
- SubSync for Group Fitness
- Sub Finder by ClassPass
- Mindbody’s Staff Management
- Momence Instructor Tools
- TeamUp Staff Scheduling
- Building Your Own System
1. Zipper’s Built-In Substitution Board
If you’re already using Zipper for booking and payments (or considering switching), the substitution board is a game-changer. Unlike standalone sub-finding tools, it’s built directly into your scheduling system.
What makes it different: Zipper’s substitution management isn’t a bolted-on feature. When an instructor marks themselves unavailable, the system automatically posts the shift to a substitution board. Qualified instructors can claim the shift themselves, or you can approve claims before they go live.
Why it works for busy studios: You’re not copying and pasting between apps or sending group texts hoping someone responds. Everything happens in one place. The substitute’s profile, pay rate, and qualifications are already in the system. When they claim a shift, clients automatically see the updated instructor name on their booking confirmation.
Best for: Studios that want one platform for scheduling, payments, and sub management. Works particularly well if you have 3+ instructors and regular last-minute changes.
The honest take: If you only need a sub-finding tool and don’t want to switch your booking system, this might be overkill. But if you’re frustrated with juggling multiple tools, having everything unified saves real time.
2. SubSync for Group Fitness
SubSync focuses specifically on the substitute instructor problem. It’s designed for group fitness studios and gyms where finding coverage is a daily challenge.
What makes it different: It’s purpose-built for sub management. Instructors can set their availability, see open shifts, and claim them from a mobile app. Studio owners can set approval requirements and track who’s covering what.
Why it works: The narrow focus means they’ve thought through the details. Notification preferences, blackout dates, instructor certifications all get handled cleanly.
Best for: Large studios or gyms with 10+ instructors where sub management is a full-time job on its own.
The honest take: You’ll still need separate tools for booking, payments, and client management. That means more logins, more monthly fees, and more places where things can fall through the cracks.
3. Sub Finder by ClassPass
ClassPass offers a sub-finding feature as part of their partner tools. If you’re already listing classes on ClassPass, you can tap into their instructor network.
What makes it different: Access to ClassPass’s network of instructors who teach at multiple studios. You might find a qualified sub you’d never have met otherwise.
Why it works: For studios in major cities, the instructor pool is deep. Someone is almost always available.
Best for: Studios in urban areas that already use ClassPass and want access to a broader instructor pool.
The honest take: You’re dependent on ClassPass instructors being available and interested in your rates. Quality can be inconsistent since these instructors don’t know your studio culture or regular clients.
4. Mindbody’s Staff Management
Mindbody is the 800-pound gorilla in studio software. Their staff scheduling includes some substitution features, though they’re not as specialized as dedicated tools.
What makes it different: If you’re on Mindbody, you don’t need another vendor. Staff scheduling, payroll, and sub management are part of the platform.
Why it works: Integration with your class schedule means less manual syncing. Clients see the right instructor name automatically.
Best for: Studios already committed to Mindbody who want to avoid adding another tool.
The honest take: Mindbody’s substitution features are functional but basic compared to Netgym or Zipper. Many studio owners report the interface feels dated and the mobile experience frustrates instructors. The price point is also significantly higher than most alternatives.
5. Momence Instructor Tools
Momence has grown rapidly by focusing on the boutique studio market. Their instructor management includes availability tracking and substitution workflows.
What makes it different: Modern interface, good mobile experience, and strong integration with their booking system.
Why it works: Instructors can manage their schedule from their phones without calling you. When they need a sub, the request flows to available team members.
Best for: Studios that prioritize user experience and are willing to switch booking platforms.
The honest take: Momence is solid but still catching up on some advanced features. If you need deep automation capabilities or complex pay structures, you might find limitations.
6. TeamUp Staff Scheduling
TeamUp offers staff scheduling as part of their gym management platform. It’s straightforward and gets the job done without a lot of bells and whistles.
What makes it different: Simple and affordable. No complicated setup or enterprise features you’ll never use.
Why it works: If you have a small team and straightforward scheduling needs, TeamUp handles it without overwhelming you.
Best for: Small studios (1-5 instructors) that want basic sub management without complexity.
The honest take: If you outgrow it, the migration to a more capable platform can be painful. Limited automation means you’re still doing more manual work than with Zipper or Momence.
7. Building Your Own System
Some studio owners piece together a system using Slack channels, Google Sheets, and group texts. It sounds scrappy, but it can work.
What makes it different: Zero software cost and complete flexibility. You design the workflow exactly how you want it.
Why it works: For very small studios with 2-3 instructors who communicate well, sometimes simple is better than adding another app to the stack.
Best for: Studios with tiny teams, tight budgets, and owners who enjoy systems tinkering.
The honest take: This approach doesn’t scale. Once you have more than a handful of classes or instructors, manual tracking becomes a liability. Missed notifications, forgotten updates to the schedule, and confused clients become regular problems.
Comparing the Options
| Feature | Zipper | Netgym | Mindbody | Momence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-service shift claiming | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Integrated with booking | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic client notifications | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Approval workflows | Yes | Yes | Basic | Basic |
| Mobile app for instructors | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in pay rate management | Yes | No | Yes | Limited |
| Pricing | Mid-range | Low | High | Mid-range |
What to Consider Before Switching from Netgym
Integration matters more than features: A specialized sub tool with amazing features doesn’t help if you’re constantly copying data between systems. Look for how the substitution workflow connects to your booking calendar, client notifications, and payroll.
Instructor adoption is everything: The best system fails if your instructors won’t use it. Ask for a trial period and get feedback from your actual team before committing.
Think about the 6 AM scenario: When you’re half-awake and panicking, what do you want the experience to look like? The fewer steps and apps involved, the better.
Ready to Stop Firefighting?
Last-minute instructor changes will always happen. But they don’t have to derail your morning. The right substitution management tool turns a stressful scramble into a quick checkbox.
If you’re tired of juggling Netgym with your booking system and want everything in one place, Zipper’s substitution board might be worth a look. You can set up your team, configure approval workflows, and let instructors claim shifts themselves.
Want to see how it works? Book a quick demo or start your free trial to explore the substitution board with your actual schedule.