Best Gym Management Software in 2026
Software that works as hard as your members
By Toolradar Editorial Team · Updated
PushPress is excellent for CrossFit boxes and boutique gyms. Mindbody is powerful but expensive and complex. Gymdesk offers simplicity at a great price. For yoga studios, Momence is purpose-built and worth considering.
Gym software has gotten complicated. What used to be membership management and check-ins is now billing, class scheduling, personal training booking, retail sales, marketing automation, and member apps.
The challenge is that gyms have different needs. A CrossFit box operates differently than a yoga studio, which is different from a 24-hour access gym. The right software depends on your model.
What It Is
Gym management software handles member lifecycle: leads, memberships, billing, check-ins, class scheduling, and retention. Modern platforms include member apps, workout logging, digital waivers, and marketing automation.
The best systems reduce administrative burden while improving member experience.
Why It Matters
Member retention is everything in the fitness industry. Good software helps you identify at-risk members, automate engagement, and reduce the administrative work that takes you away from the floor.
Billing failures are also expensive—both in lost revenue and in awkward conversations. Automated billing with good failure handling increases collections.
Key Features to Look For
Recurring billing, payment failure handling, and plan management.
Track attendance with key fobs, apps, or kiosks.
Schedule classes, manage capacity, and allow online booking.
Let members book, check schedules, and track workouts from their phones.
Identify at-risk members and automate engagement.
What to Consider
Evaluation Checklist
Pricing Overview
Under 200 members — Gymdesk ($75-150) or PushPress ($159)
200-500 members — PushPress ($159) or Mindbody Accelerate ($259)
500+ members — Gymdesk ($200) or Mindbody Ultimate ($349)
Top Picks
Based on features, user feedback, and value for money.
CrossFit boxes and boutique fitness studios
Gyms who want core features without complexity
Yoga/pilates studios who want exposure through the Mindbody marketplace
Mistakes to Avoid
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Paying for Mindbody marketplace leads that don't convert — ClassPass and marketplace visitors have 10-15% conversion to full-price members; at $129-349/month software cost, calculate whether the new client volume justifies the premium
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Not enabling automatic billing failure recovery — 3-5% of credit cards fail each month; without auto-retry and backup payment methods, a 300-member gym loses 9-15 members/month to involuntary churn ($900-1,500/month in lost revenue)
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Underutilizing the member app — push class reminders, workout logging, and community features drive engagement; gyms using member apps see 20-30% higher retention than those relying on email alone
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Ignoring attendance decline data — a member who drops from 3x/week to 1x/week is 70% likely to cancel within 60 days; set up automated outreach when visit frequency drops by 50%+
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Over-complicating membership plans — more than 4-5 membership options creates decision paralysis; offer 2-3 core plans (unlimited, limited, drop-in) with one simple add-on (personal training)
Expert Tips
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Set up automated 'we miss you' messages at 7 and 14 days of inactivity — a simple text ('Hey [name], we noticed you haven't been in — everything okay?') recovers 15-20% of at-risk members
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Use check-in data to identify your most at-risk members weekly — sort by declining attendance, not just absence; a member going from 4x/week to 2x is a bigger risk than someone who's always been 2x/week
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Enable text message billing reminders 3 days before charge — SMS reminders have 95%+ open rates vs. 20% for email; members who know a charge is coming update expired cards proactively
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Keep membership plans to 3 options maximum — unlimited, limited (8x/month), and drop-in; every additional option reduces conversion by creating analysis paralysis
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Track revenue per member as your north star metric — if average revenue per member drops below $75/month, you're either underpriced or losing high-value members and retaining low-value ones
Red Flags to Watch For
- !Marketplace-dependent pricing — if the platform charges you per lead from their consumer marketplace (like Mindbody/ClassPass), you're paying for discount-seeking trial members with 10-15% conversion rates
- !No automatic payment retry logic — failed payments are the #1 source of involuntary churn in gyms; if the system doesn't auto-retry and attempt backup cards, you'll lose 3-5% of members monthly to billing failures
- !Per-member pricing above $1/member/month — at 300 members, $1/member adds $300/month to your costs; flat per-location pricing (PushPress, Gymdesk) is more predictable and scalable
- !No offline check-in capability — if your internet goes down during a busy class, members should still be able to check in via the app or a cached kiosk system
The Bottom Line
PushPress ($159/month flat) is excellent for CrossFit boxes and boutique studios — flat pricing means your costs don't grow as membership grows. Gymdesk (from $75/month) offers the best value for straightforward gyms that need core features without complexity. Mindbody ($129-349/month) is powerful for yoga/pilates studios that benefit from marketplace exposure, but calculate whether the lead volume justifies the 2-3x higher cost. Match the software to your gym type — a CrossFit box's needs are fundamentally different from a yoga studio's.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Mindbody marketplace worth it?
It depends on your market and model. The marketplace brings new customers, but many are deal-seekers using ClassPass or first-visit discounts. If you can convert them, great. If not, you're subsidizing trial workouts.
What about 24-hour access gyms?
You need robust door access control integration. Look for software that integrates with common access systems (Kisi, Brivo) or has built-in access management.
How do I reduce failed payments?
Use software with automatic retry logic and backup payment methods. Send payment failure notifications immediately. Make it easy for members to update card info. Most software improves collection rates significantly over manual billing.
Related Guides
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