10 Mindbody Alternatives (And How to Pick the Right One)
Mindbody alternatives, Mindbody competitors, best Mindbody alternative
10 Mindbody Alternatives (And How to Pick the Right One)
Mindbody alternatives, Mindbody competitors, best Mindbody alternative
Last Updated on January 7, 2025
Running a boutique wellness studio means juggling classes, managing staff, and trying to keep your schedule full. If you’re growing frustrated with Mindbody, you’re not alone. Tired of juggling multiple add-ons, logins, and unexpected fees? Maybe you’re thinking it’s time to explore Mindbody software alternatives.
You’re not to blame. You’re already managing a lot, and software should simplify your life, not add to your headaches.
As an independent fitness or wellness business owner, you need a lot to run everything effectively. That includes an easy-to-use interface, free data migration from Mindbody, and an onboarding specialist who is dedicated to you and your business, at the very least.
There is no better form of marketing than a loyal customer’s word of mouth, after all. Or maybe you need a custom app to build your brand awareness. But where is the best place to find all of these features, and how much will it cost your business?
Of course, wading through a myriad of software options can be tiring, confusing and a huge time suck. That’s why we’ve provided you with a brief rundown on 10 Mindbody software alternatives, so you can make an informed choice.
What defines a Mindbody software competitor?
At the very least, a Mindbody competitor should offer online appointment booking and allow you to take payments both in person and online. You should be able to sell memberships, classes, events, and products from your website through a comprehensive website builder or plugins that you can add to your existing site.
Because Mindbody is an all-in-one business management and marketing platform, a viable competitor will allow you to streamline operations, consolidate workflows into a single software, and eliminate the need for dozens of platforms. A good competitor should offer email and SMS communication, client activity tracking, and segmented and automated marketing campaigns all in one place so you can keep in touch with current clients, past clients, and new leads.
By 2030, 90% of North Americans will have mobile phones, and these devices are checked 96 times per day on average. Mindbody offers the ability to create no-code apps for both clients and employees. Clients can book appointments, cash in loyalty program points for rewards, and buy products. Employees, on the other hand, can check their schedules, book services for clients, and clock-in only while on site. A competitor that runs neck and neck with Mindbody should make it easy to launch your own apps.
Why search for Mindbody software alternatives?
We’ll cut straight to the chase. Mindbody is a comprehensive software that offers the business, employee management, and marketing features you need, but it’s very expensive.
Once you start running your entire business with any platform, it can be difficult to make the switch later, so it’s important to do your due diligence and compare costs.
Mindbody will lock you into a high monthly subscription. Worse, you’ll have to continue to pay an add-on fee to launch a client app. Many studios find themselves paying hundreds of dollars per month just to access features that should be included in a base plan.
But with some Mindbody software alternatives, you can wrap the cost of an app into your plan. For example, with Zipper’s platform, a custom-branded Progressive Web App (PWA) is included at all pricing tiers. This gives your customers a native-like mobile experience without the app store hassle, and you don’t pay extra for it.
If you’re already up and running on Mindbody and decide to make the switch, make sure to choose a company that offers data migration and hands-on onboarding. The last thing you need is to lose customer data or spend weeks manually transferring information.
Quick Comparison Table
| Platform | Best For | Strengths | Tradeoffs | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zipper | Boutique wellness studios wanting all-in-one simplicity | Free Mindbody migration, included PWA, comprehensive automations | Newer platform, smaller user base | Contact for pricing |
| WellnessLiving | Studios wanting built-in marketing tools | Includes rewards program, transparent pricing | Can be complex for small studios | $69/month |
| Vagaro | Salons and spas needing POS integration | Strong POS features, inventory management | Add-ons can increase costs | Varies |
| Glofox | Fitness studios wanting branded apps | Custom branded mobile app, class management | Higher starting price, limited marketing | $110/month |
| Acuity Scheduling | Solo trainers and small studios | Simple scheduling, affordable | Lacks marketing and membership features | $14/month |
| Punchpass | Small studios on a budget | Very affordable, simple interface | No client app, limited features | $39/month |
| Virtuagym | Trainers creating meal and workout plans | Training plan creation, meal planning | Some reliability issues reported | Varies |
| Momence | Studios wanting affordable subscriptions | Lower monthly cost than Mindbody | Higher credit card processing fees | Varies |
| Bookee | Studios wanting low-cost mobile apps | Affordable app add-on, virtual classes | Lacks automated review requests | Varies |
| EZ Facility | Large facilities and recreation centers | Facility rentals, equipment management | Not ideal for boutique studios | Varies |
Top 10 Mindbody software alternatives to consider
Here are the top competitors to explore further.
1. Zipper
Zipper offers one easy-to-use platform for client data, appointment bookings, online and in-person payments, rewards programs, automated and segmented marketing, events management, inventory management, and more.
Zipper is a powerful solution for managing your fitness studio or wellness business at an affordable price. You get discounted credit card processing rates to save on merchant fees and communication options that eliminate the need to use third party applications.
Instead of paying more money every month to do things like run a rewards program or send targeted email and SMS marketing campaigns, Zipper offers advanced marketing and client engagement features in core plans. You can also maintain a client app for a much lower cost compared to Mindbody, with a custom-branded Progressive Web App included at all pricing tiers.
Who it’s best for: Boutique wellness studio owners (yoga, pilates, dance, fitness, martial arts) who want to consolidate tools, reduce monthly costs, and eliminate the need for multiple add-ons.
Core capabilities:
- Class and appointment scheduling with automatic session generation
- Online and in-person payment processing through Stripe
- Subscription and punch card management
- Automated email and SMS marketing campaigns
- Website builder with SEO tools and blog functionality
- Custom-branded Progressive Web App (PWA) included at all tiers
- Marketing Copilot for AI-powered social media content generation
- Review management and import from Google
- Staff management and pay rate tracking
- Comprehensive automations for workflows
- Lead management and contact lists
- Forms and waivers system
How Zipper reduces tool sprawl: Everything runs in one platform. No need for separate email marketing tools, scheduling widgets, or payment processors. Your website, booking system, marketing campaigns, and customer management all live in the same place.
Switching support: Zipper offers free migration from Mindbody, including customer data, payment account numbers (PAN), family relationships, and subscriptions. A dedicated onboarding specialist helps ensure all your data transfers safely and securely, your team is fully trained, and your business doesn’t skip a beat during the transition.
Pro tip: Zipper’s Mindbody importer handles the heavy lifting of data migration, including matching customers by barcode ID, transferring payment methods, and automatically detecting family relationships.
Ready to see how Zipper can simplify your studio operations? Start your free trial or book a demo to see these features in action.
2. WellnessLiving
WellnessLiving provides an all-in-one business management platform designed for fitness, health, and wellness industries. It offers online booking, client and staff management, marketing automation, and payment processing.
WellnessLiving is a powerful solution for managing your fitness studio or wellness business at an affordable price. You get discounted credit card processing rates to save up to 40% on merchant fees and communication options that eliminate the need to use third party applications.
Instead of paying more money every month to do things like run a rewards program or send targeted email and SMS marketing campaigns, WellnessLiving offers advanced marketing and client engagement features in core plans, which cost 30-40% less than Mindbody. You can also maintain a client app for a much lower cost compared to Mindbody.
Who it’s best for: Studios wanting built-in marketing tools without add-on fees.
What it does well: Includes rewards programs and marketing automation in base plans, transparent pricing, 24/7 support.
Where it falls short: Can be complex for small studios, interface may feel overwhelming for solo operators.
Switching notes: WellnessLiving offers free migration from Mindbody and dedicated onboarding support.
3. Vagaro
Vagaro is a viable Mindbody competitor for fitness studios and wellness businesses. You’ll get appointment booking, payments, membership sales, inventory management, email marketing, and SMS marketing. Vagaro offers almost everything you can get with Mindbody, but lacks events management and video libraries (for selling courses or offering free client onboarding).
Vagaro seems more affordable than Mindbody at first glance. However, they offer several different add-ons that can push their pricing over the edge. So be sure to calculate all the features you’ll plan to use in the coming years.
Who it’s best for: Salons, spas, and fitness centers needing strong POS and inventory management.
What it does well: Comprehensive POS system, inventory tracking, strong booking features.
Where it falls short: Add-on costs can add up quickly, lacks events management, no video library for courses.
Switching notes: Vagaro offers migration support, but be prepared to pay for additional features you might need.
4. Glofox
This software provider offers bookings, membership payments, lead management, client apps, check-ins, client data management, and social media marketing. Glofox offers an employee app so staff can check their schedules and assist clients on the go.
You can also use Glofox to send automated email notifications and push notifications to clients to remind them of upcoming classes and appointments. Glofox is more affordable than Mindbody. But it lacks some important marketing features like events management and automated review requests. You also can’t manage a rewards program with Glofox. So, if you’re looking for cost savings without sacrificing key features, consider Zipper.
Who it’s best for: Fitness studios wanting branded mobile apps and class management.
What it does well: Custom branded mobile apps, class scheduling, staff apps.
Where it falls short: No rewards program management, limited marketing automation, higher starting price than some alternatives.
Switching notes: Glofox offers migration support, but you may need to supplement with additional marketing tools.
5. Acuity Scheduling
Personal trainers, coaches, hair stylists, spa owners, and small fitness studios can use Acuity Scheduling to streamline the online appointment booking and payment process. If client scheduling is the main Mindbody feature you’re looking to replace, you can do it for about a tenth of the cost with Acuity Scheduling.
However, communications can only be sent as automated follow-up sequences after booking. Acuity Scheduling lacks marketing features that can help your business grow. For segmented campaigns, rewards programs, and client apps, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Acuity Scheduling could be a good fit for solopreneurs just starting out. But if you want to scale your business, you’re better off with Mindbody software alternatives.
Who it’s best for: Solo trainers and very small studios focused only on scheduling.
What it does well: Simple scheduling interface, affordable pricing, easy to use.
Where it falls short: No marketing features, no membership management, no client app, limited growth potential.
Switching notes: Easy to set up, but you’ll outgrow it quickly if you need more than basic scheduling.
6. Momence
With Momence, you get access to class and appointment scheduling, automated marketing, staff management, review requests, kiosk check-ins, and a variety of website plugins.
Momence does offer more affordable monthly subscriptions than Mindbody. But their credit card processing fees are higher than both Mindbody and WellnessLiving. Be sure to do some quick calculations to ensure you don’t end up spending more money with this alternative.
Who it’s best for: Studios wanting lower monthly subscriptions.
What it does well: Affordable base pricing, includes review requests, kiosk check-ins.
Where it falls short: Higher credit card processing fees can offset savings, less established platform.
Switching notes: Migration support available, but verify total cost including processing fees before committing.
7. Bookee
With Bookee, you’ll get all of the features you need for managing payments, staff schedules, online bookings, reminders, virtual classes, and email blasts at a much lower cost compared to Mindbody. You’ll also pay less to launch your own custom branded mobile app for clients, as the add-on for this is about half the price.
However, Bookee lacks automated review requests, which is an important feature for studios looking to grow their trust factor and SEO traffic.
Who it’s best for: Studios wanting affordable mobile apps and virtual class support.
What it does well: Low-cost mobile app add-on, virtual class support, affordable pricing.
Where it falls short: No automated review requests, limited marketing features compared to competitors.
Switching notes: Affordable option, but you may need to supplement with review management tools.
8. Punchpass
Punchpass is an affordable solution for small studios and trainers. For far less than Mindbody, it offers scheduling, payments, email and SMS notifications, and segmented marketing.
But for the lower price, you’ll sacrifice key features like a client app, staff app, rewards program management, and automated review requests. Consider choosing Zipper to get these features at an affordable monthly cost.
Who it’s best for: Very small studios and solo trainers on a tight budget.
What it does well: Very affordable, simple interface, basic scheduling and payments.
Where it falls short: No client app, no staff app, no rewards program, limited features for growth.
Switching notes: Easy to set up, but you’ll likely need to switch again as you grow.
9. Virtuagym
Virtuagym offers a comprehensive platform for fitness trainers, coaches, and studio owners. You can create meal plans, training plans, and communicate directly with coaching clients. In terms of business operations, Virtuagym gives you membership sales, appointment scheduling, staff management, a custom branded client app, email marketing, and SMS.
However, according to Capterra reviews (Virtuagym averages 3.8 stars), you might find that some of these features are unreliable or difficult to learn.
Who it’s best for: Trainers creating custom meal and workout plans for clients.
What it does well: Training plan creation, meal planning tools, client communication.
Where it falls short: Some reliability issues reported, learning curve can be steep, lower user satisfaction ratings.
Switching notes: Migration support available, but be prepared for potential feature reliability issues.
10. EZ Facility
EZ Facility was designed for larger facilities like fitness centers, ice skating rinks, shooting ranges, and parks and recreation agencies. The product offers membership sales, equipment and facility rentals, employee management, events management, and video libraries. You also get a variety of marketing tools including email and SMS automation.
Depending on the plan you choose, you might be able to save with EZ Facility. However, it lacks the review requests and rewards management features that Mindbody offers.
Who it’s best for: Large facilities and recreation centers needing equipment and facility rentals.
What it does well: Facility rentals, equipment management, designed for large operations.
Where it falls short: Not ideal for boutique studios, lacks review requests and rewards programs, complex for small businesses.
Switching notes: Better suited for large facilities than boutique wellness studios.
How to choose the right alternative
Use this checklist to help you find the best fit for your studio.
What you sell: Do you primarily offer classes, appointments, memberships, or retail products? Some platforms excel at one area but struggle with others.
How you market: Do you rely heavily on email campaigns, SMS marketing, automations, or referral programs? Make sure your chosen platform supports your marketing strategy without expensive add-ons.
Website and SEO importance: Do you need a built-in website builder, or are you happy with booking widgets? How important is SEO and blog functionality for your business?
Staff and locations: How many staff members do you have? Do you operate multiple locations? Some platforms charge per staff member or location.
Switching support: How much help do you need during the transition? Look for platforms that offer free migration, dedicated onboarding specialists, and comprehensive training.
Mobile app needs: Do you need a branded mobile app for your customers? Some platforms include this in base plans, while others charge significant add-on fees.
Total cost of ownership: Don’t just look at monthly subscription costs. Factor in credit card processing fees, add-on costs, and any per-transaction fees. A lower monthly fee might be offset by higher processing costs.
Feature priorities: Make a list of your must-have features versus nice-to-have features. This will help you eliminate platforms that don’t meet your core needs.
FAQ
Is it hard to switch from Mindbody?
It depends on which platform you choose. Platforms like Zipper and WellnessLiving offer free migration services that handle the heavy lifting, including customer data, payment methods, and subscription transfers. With proper support, most studios can complete a migration within a few days to a week.
What data can be migrated?
Most platforms can migrate customer information, class schedules, membership data, and payment history. Zipper specifically offers migration of customer data, payment account numbers (PAN), family relationships, and active subscriptions from Mindbody. Always confirm what can be migrated before committing to a platform.
What is the cheapest alternative?
Acuity Scheduling starts at $14 per month, but it’s very limited in features. Punchpass starts at $39 per month and offers more functionality. However, the cheapest option isn’t always the best value. Consider total cost of ownership, including processing fees and add-ons, when comparing prices.
Do I need a branded mobile app?
A branded mobile app can improve customer engagement and make booking easier for your clients. However, it’s not essential for every studio. If you do want an app, look for platforms like Zipper that include a Progressive Web App (PWA) in base plans rather than charging expensive add-on fees.
Can I keep my current website?
Most platforms offer booking widgets that you can embed in your existing website. However, if you want to consolidate tools and reduce costs, consider platforms like Zipper that include website builders with SEO tools, so you can manage everything in one place.
Will I lose customer data during migration?
Not if you choose a platform with proper migration support. Zipper, WellnessLiving, and other established alternatives offer free migration services that preserve all customer data, payment methods, and subscription history. Always work with a migration specialist to ensure nothing is lost.
How long does migration take?
Most migrations can be completed within a few days to a week, depending on the size of your customer database and the complexity of your setup. Platforms with dedicated migration tools, like Zipper’s Mindbody importer, can speed up the process significantly.
Can I try a platform before switching?
Yes, most platforms offer free trials. Zipper offers a free trial so you can test the platform before committing. Take advantage of these trials to ensure the platform meets your needs and feels intuitive to use.
Ready to make the switch?
Filling more class spots doesn’t require a bigger marketing budget. It requires smarter systems. If you’re tired of Mindbody’s high costs and add-on fees, there are plenty of alternatives that offer better value without sacrificing features.
Zipper stands out as the best choice for boutique wellness studio owners who want to consolidate tools, reduce monthly costs, and eliminate the need for multiple add-ons. With free Mindbody migration, included Progressive Web App, comprehensive automations, and dedicated onboarding support, Zipper makes switching simple and stress-free.
Your classes will be easier to manage, your clients will have a better booking experience, and you’ll spend less time juggling multiple platforms and logins.
Ready to simplify your studio operations? Start your free trial or book a demo to see how Zipper can help you run and grow your business.
- Mindbody is a trademark of Mindbody, Inc., and is not affiliated with Zipper.