When you sign up for studio management software, the monthly plan price is usually the first number you see. It is rarely the only one that matters.
What platform fees actually are
Most studio management software charges two layers of fees on every payment. The first is a standard payment processing fee, which goes to the card network handling the transaction. The second is a platform fee, an additional cut the software company takes on top simply for being the intermediary. These fees are not always visible until you are already in the system.
Mindbody's own pricing page acknowledges that transaction fees apply when you accept payments, use certain integrations, or when a new client discovers you through the app, depending on what you turn on. Mindbody's integrated payment processing uses a tiered pricing model, generally considered the least transparent structure available, and rates can be adjusted at any time.
One yoga studio owner reported that merchant account fees reached $70 per month on top of the monthly software subscription, and that some of those fees were not disclosed upfront.
$300 leaving your business every month before your subscription fee
If your studio processes $10,000 in payments in a month and your platform is taking 3% per transaction
How quickly they add up
The math is worth spelling out. If your studio processes $10,000 in payments in a month and your platform is taking 3% per transaction, that is $300 leaving your business every month before your subscription fee. Over a year, that is $3,600 on top of whatever your plan costs. For a studio where margins are already thin, that is a number worth knowing before you sign up.
Platsana charges no platform fees on transactions
The only fees that apply are Stripe's standard processing fees, paid directly to Stripe for handling the payment infrastructure. Stripe charges 2.9% plus $0.30 per online transaction as its standard rate. For current rates, Stripe publishes their pricing at stripe.com/pricing, and they vary by country and volume.
Your monthly subscription is your cost to Platsana. Everything students pay for classes and memberships, minus Stripe's processing fee, goes to your studio.
What to ask any platform before you sign up:
- Does the platform charge a transaction or platform fee on top of payment processing?
- What is the processing rate, and is it tiered or flat?
- Are there additional fees for marketing tools, memberships, or recurring billing?
- Can rates change after you sign up?
The subscription price on a pricing page is rarely the full picture. The fees on every transaction are often where the real cost lives.
Keep more of every transaction
Platsana is built for independent studios that want straightforward software. No platform fees on transactions, no annual contracts, and a 30-day free trial to start.
Frequently asked questions
Payment processing fees are charged by the payment infrastructure provider, such as Stripe, for handling the mechanics of a card transaction. Platform fees are a separate charge added by the studio management software on top of that. Not all platforms charge both, but many do, and the distinction is worth clarifying before committing to a platform.
Yes. Mindbody applies transaction fees in several scenarios, including when accepting payments, using certain integrations, or when a new client discovers the studio through the Mindbody app. The platform uses a tiered pricing model for payment processing, which is generally considered the least transparent fee structure, and rates can be adjusted over time.
No. Platsana charges no platform fees on transactions. The only fees that apply are Stripe's standard payment processing fees, paid directly to Stripe. Platsana has no financial interest in a studio's transaction volume. The monthly subscription is the full cost to Platsana.
It depends on monthly payment volume and the fee rate. A studio processing $10,000 per month at a 3% platform fee pays $300 per month in fees on top of its software subscription, which adds up to $3,600 per year before any other add-on costs are factored in.