If you run an independent yoga or fitness studio, you've probably looked at Mindbody. It dominates the yoga studio software space and has for decades. But "does a lot" and "right for you" aren't the same thing. This post lays out a direct comparison so you can make an informed call.
Two different outlooks on pricing
Mindbody does not publish its pricing publicly. Plans are available through a sales process, and costs vary based on studio size and needs. Based on widely reported figures from studio owners, monthly costs typically range from a few hundred dollars into the thousands depending on the tier.
Platsana never takes a cut of your revenue
At just 3.5% per transaction. A studio doing $1000 a month pays over $400 a year in fees before touching their subscription cost
Platsana publishes its pricing openly on their pricing page:
- Core $65 CAD / $50 USD per month. Up to 10 instructors. Can sell class-packs and unlimited access memberships.
- Studio $105 CAD / $80 USD per month. Unlimited instructors, plus class-limited recurring memberships.
- Multi-location $50 CAD / $40 USD per month per additional location. One location is included in both plans.
Platsana doesn't charge a platform transaction fee. Stripe's processing fee applies because that's just the cost of accepting cards, same as it would be with any software.
Which platform has easier scheduling and booking?
For students, booking a class should take seconds. In Platsana, your week's upcoming classes are on the home screen. If you want to browse further out or filter by class type, list and calendar views are one tap away. Students with an active pass can book in seconds.
On the owner side, your schedule lives in a table view. Filter by instructor, class type, or time range, locations, check the classes you want to update, and apply changes in bulk. Cancel a class, swap an instructor, update a description in a single interface.
Mindbody's student-facing booking is functional and generally well-regarded. The owner and admin experience is a different story. Reviewers consistently describe the backend as requiring too many steps for routine tasks, with a learning curve that takes real time to clear. For a small studio without dedicated admin staff, that overhead adds up.
Platsana vs Mindbody at a glance
| Platsana | Mindbody | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | Published openly | Requires sales call |
| Pricing currency | USD & CAD | Not publicly available |
| Platform transaction fees | ✗ | ✓ |
| Branded client app | All tiers | Higher tiers only |
| Automatic waitlisting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Class-limited memberships | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-location support | Transparently priced add-on | Supported, pricing not published |
| Virtual/Zoom integration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Built for independent studios | ✓ | ✗ |
Branded studio app: what each platform includes
Every Platsana plan includes a branded PWA (progressive web app). Your studio's name, logo, colors, installable on any client's phone from their browser. No app store submission, no approval process, no waiting, no app store fees.
Mindbody offers a branded app experience at higher tiers through the standard app store model.
What to look for in studio management software
- Transparent, published pricing
- Pricing in CAD for Canadian studios
- No transaction fees
- Branded client app included
- No app store fees on sales of digital goods to your students
- Automatic class waitlisting
- Class-limited recurring memberships
- Multi-location support
- Reporting and analytics
Who should choose Mindbody
Mindbody suits larger operations well, multi-location chains, studios with dedicated admin staff, businesses that need deep third-party integrations and have the budget to manage a complex platform. If that's you, it's worth evaluating.
Who should choose Platsana
Platsana is built for independent studios running one or a small number of locations who want straightforward software, flat predictable pricing, and a branded app without enterprise overhead. If you're spending more time managing your software than teaching classes, that's the problem Platsana is designed to solve.
Platsana is made for independent studios
No sales calls. Try it free for 30 days, no credit card required.
Frequently asked questions
Mindbody is built for scale, multi-location chains, studios with dedicated admin staff, and operations that need deep third-party integrations. Platsana is built for independent yoga studios who want straightforward software, transparent flat pricing, and a branded app without enterprise overhead.
For studios without dedicated admin staff, the most consistent criticism of Mindbody is backend complexity. Reviewers frequently describe routine tasks as requiring too many steps and a learning curve that takes significant time to clear. For an owner who is also teaching classes and managing client relationships, that overhead is a real cost even if it does not show up on an invoice.
Yes. Mindbody charges platform transaction fees on payments processed through the platform. The exact rate varies. Platsana does not charge a platform transaction fee. The only fee that applies is Stripe's standard processing fee, which is the cost of accepting cards regardless of which software you use.