How We Compare

Studio Management Software

The software that runs your studio

Session tracking, contracts, scheduling, commissions, and reporting. This is what studio management software should handle. Here's how we compare to other platforms in this space.

	My Training Studio	Mindbody	Generic Gym Software
Scheduling
1-on-1 session booking	Built-in	Workaround	Workaround
Recurring client sessions	From contract	Manual
Trainer availability & conflicts			Limited
Calendar sync (Google, Apple, Outlook)		One-way	Varies
Session & Contract Tracking
Session package balances	Automatic	Manual
FIFO drawdown across contracts
Contract-to-schedule linking
Sessions-remaining alerts
Operations
Commission tracking		Add-on
Trainer payouts
Custom branding	All plans	Premium only	Premium only
Client portal			Varies
Reports & dashboard			Limited
Pricing
Solo trainer	$50/mo	$139+/mo	$30-$80/mo
Up to 5 trainers	$199/mo	$250-$400/mo	$100-$200/mo
Per-client fees	$0	$1-$3/client/mo	Varies

Payment Processing

How your payments are handled

Studio software and payment processing are two different things. Some platforms bundle them together (and take a cut). We let you own your payment account through Stripe.

	Stripe (via My Training Studio)	Square	Mindbody Payments
Processing Rates
Online / one-time	2.9% + $0.30	2.9% + $0.30	3.6% + $0.30
Recurring / subscriptions	2.9% + $0.30	3.5% + $0.15	3.6% + $0.30
Marketplace / new client commission	None	None	20% of first purchase (up to $30)
Ownership & Control
You own the merchant account	Your Stripe dashboard	Square is the merchant	Mindbody is the merchant
Client payment data portable	Stays in your Stripe	Locked to Square	Locked to Mindbody
Keep payment history if you leave
Revenue deposited to your bank	Direct from Stripe	Direct from Square	Through Mindbody
Risk of fund holds/freezes	Rare (you're the merchant)	Common (Square is the merchant)	Possible

What does that actually cost on $5,000/mo in recurring client payments?

Stripe (via MTS)

$145

2.9% + $0.30/txn

Square

$175

3.5% + $0.15/txn

Mindbody Payments

$180

3.6% + $0.30/txn

Why This Matters

Stop charging clients one session at a time

If you're swiping a card or sending an invoice after every session, you're leaving money and time on the table.

The problem with single charges

You chase payments after every session. Clients forget, delay, or dispute.
No-shows cost you money. If a client doesn't show and hasn't paid, you eat it.
Revenue is unpredictable. You can't forecast next month if every payment is one-off.
Clients can leave without notice. No commitment means no retention lever.
More transactions means more fees. Processing 20 small charges costs more than one upfront package.

What recurring billing gets you

Clients pay upfront for a session package or monthly subscription. Revenue lands before sessions happen.
No-shows are already paid for. You set a cancellation policy, not a payment reminder.
Predictable monthly revenue. You know what's coming in, so you can plan hiring, marketing, and expenses.
Clients commit. A 24-session package at 2x/week means 12 weeks of locked-in attendance.
Fewer transactions, lower total fees. One charge for a 12-session package vs. 12 separate swipes.

The math on fees alone

Say a client buys 12 sessions at $75 each ($900 total).

12 separate charges on Square

$33.30

12 x (3.5% of $75 + $0.15)

1 package charge on Stripe

$26.40

1 x (2.9% of $900 + $0.30)

That's about $7 saved per client per package on processing fees alone. Now multiply across a year of training:

Client trains 1x/week

~$30/yr

~4 packages/year

Client trains 2x/week

~$60/yr

~9 packages/year

Client trains 3x/week

~$90/yr

~13 packages/year

Across a 25-client studio with mixed attendance, that's roughly $1,500 a year in pure fee savings. And that's before you factor in the time you save not chasing payments after every session, or the retention boost from clients who commit upfront.