Studio management software pricing: every platform, real numbers
Ten studio management platforms, head-to-head, with the prices their sales teams actually charge — not the marketing-page headlines. Payroll included or add-on? POS bundled? Contract length? Per-staff surcharges? It's all here.
The full comparison table
Pricing reflects publicly listed rates for the smallest viable plan on each platform as of 2026. Add-ons, per-staff surcharges, and contract terms often change the all-in cost dramatically — see "How to read this table" below.
| Platform | Starting price | Payroll | POS | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronix HubUs | $49/mo (launch) | Included | Included | Month-to-month |
| Mindbody | $99–$699+/mo | Add-on | Included | 12-month typical |
| Glofox | $130+/mo | Add-on | Included | 12-month typical |
| Vagaro | $30+/mo (+$10/extra calendar) | Add-on | Included | Month-to-month |
| WellnessLiving | $129–$499+/mo | Add-on | Included | 12-month typical |
| GymDesk | $75–$200+/mo | Add-on | Included | Month-to-month |
| Pike13 | $129–$249/mo | Add-on | Included | Month-to-month |
| PushPress | $159–$229/mo | Not offered | Included | Month-to-month |
| TeamUp | $99–$229/mo | Not offered | Add-on | Month-to-month |
| Punchpass | $39–$99/mo | Not offered | Not offered | Month-to-month |
Prices verified against public pricing pages and active customer disclosures as of 2026. Mindbody and Glofox typically require a sales call to confirm rates; numbers shown reflect the most common quotes.
How to read this table
Headline price is almost never what you pay. Most platforms quote the base plan price and leave everything else as an add-on. Payroll is the most common upsell, and it varies widely: Vagaro's payroll add-on lists at $34/month plus $5 per staff member, while Gusto wired into Mindbody via an iPaaS like Workato can run $100–$280/month all-in. POS terminal hardware, advanced reporting, and additional staff seats add another $20–$100/month. The all-in cost is usually 1.5–2.5× the headline.
Contracts matter more than monthly price. Mindbody, Glofox, and WellnessLiving typically require 12-month commitments with 30–60 day cancellation notice. Vagaro, Chronix Hub, GymDesk, Pike13, PushPress, TeamUp, and Punchpass are month-to-month. A $99/month platform you can leave any time is cheaper in practice than a $79/month platform that locks you in for a year, especially if the platform isn't working for you in month three.
The cheapest paid plan isn't always the cheapest total. Punchpass starts at $39/month, but doesn't include payroll or full POS. If you need those features, you'll bolt on a separate payroll tool (Gusto at $40/month, OnPay at $40/month) and a separate POS (Square at $30/month). Suddenly the $39 plan is a $109/month stack. Always price the full feature set you actually need.
Where Chronix Hub fits
Early-access launch pricing (locked for 24 months from signup): Starter $49/mo, Growth $89/mo, Business $159/mo. Once launch pricing closes, standard monthly rates are $69 / $119 / $219. Annual billing is roughly 20% off every tier. Enterprise (4+ branches or a single branch over 2,000 members) starts at $199/mo with custom quotes.
Every tier includes scheduling, payroll, POS (with tenant-defined payment method labels for record-keeping), CRM, invoicing, reports, the client booking portal, calendar feeds, schedule-card sharing, email reminders, and Kairos — the in-product AI assistant. One branch included on every self-serve tier; extra branches are roughly 75% of the base tier price each.
No setup fee. No contract. 14-day free trial with no credit card. 30-day money-back guarantee. You bring your own payment processor (Stripe, Square, or your local bank) and pay that processor directly at whatever rate they give you.
Pricing FAQ
What does studio management software typically cost in 2026?
Most platforms charge $49–$249/month for the base plan, with payroll, advanced reporting, and additional staff seats as add-ons that push the all-in cost to $150–$500/month for a single-location studio. Multi-location chains usually pay more per-branch on top.
Which studio software has the lowest all-in cost?
Chronix Hub at $49/month under launch pricing typically has the lowest software cost — payroll and POS are included, no contract, no per-staff surcharge inside the tier limits. Punchpass is cheaper at the very low end ($39/mo) but skips payroll and full POS, so most studios end up bolting on a separate payroll tool which pushes the stack higher.
Why is payroll listed as an add-on for most platforms?
Most studio software vendors unbundle payroll into a higher tier or a separate add-on. Pricing varies widely: Gusto wired into Mindbody via iPaaS often runs $100–$280/mo all-in, and Vagaro's payroll add-on is $34/mo plus $5 per staff member. Chronix Hub includes payroll on every plan because instructor pay is core to running a studio, not an upsell.
How do I compare platforms apples-to-apples?
Write down the all-in monthly cost for each: base fee + payroll add-on + POS add-on + any per-staff or per-location surcharge on your real headcount. The headline price almost never reflects what you'll actually pay. See our full reasoning in [Free vs Paid Studio Software](/blog/free-fitness-studio-software-vs-paid).
Run the math on your own studio.
Two weeks of full access to every Chronix Hub feature. No credit card. No contract. If the numbers don't beat what you're paying now, you can walk away on day 14 — or stay on day 15 starting at $49/mo under launch pricing (locked for 24 months from signup).