You built your studio. You trained your instructors. You designed the experience. So why is a third-party aggregator quietly taking a cut every time someone walks through your door?
ClassPass revolutionized how many boutique fitness studios attract new clients. However, for many studio owners, there were downsides. The commissions are high, so already small profits are diminished. The pricing is handled by ClassPass. The customers are more loyal to the app than to the studio. If you want to sell drop-ins and fill spots in your classes, you have many more options than you had before ClassPass. You aren’t the only one looking for alternatives.
This guide breaks down the best ClassPass alternatives available right now, how they work, and why making the switch could be the smartest business decision you make this year.
Why Studio Owners Are Moving Away From ClassPass
Image Source
ClassPass works by paying studios a discounted rate per reservation — often significantly below your standard drop-in price. The platform also controls dynamic pricing, meaning your classes may be listed at rates you never agreed to. Over time, this creates a troubling pattern: you fill seats, but your revenue per client shrinks, client loyalty stays on the app rather than with your brand, and you lose pricing power in your own market.
There is always a bigger issue at play beyond the monetary side. Studios that rely heavily on ClassPass struggle to convert ClassPass patrons into loyal, paying members. While you lose, ClassPass wins because its aggregator model incentivizes fitness consumers to jump from one studio to the next instead of focusing on just one.
However, there is a silver lining. There are plenty of independent booking and studio management tools available in the market as alternatives to ClassPass, and they give you the same advantages of increased discoverability and easier booking systems as well as the ability to sell drop-in classes with little to no cost and give you back your profit and client relationships.
The Best ClassPass Alternatives for Selling Drop-Ins
Mindbody
Image source
Mindbody is one of the most recognized names in fitness business software, and for good reason. It serves as a comprehensive, all-in-one platform that covers booking, payments, marketing automation, point-of-sale, and reporting. Importantly, Mindbody also operates its own consumer-facing marketplace, the Mindbody app, which lists your studio and helps new clients discover you organically — without the punishing commission structure of ClassPass.
Studios using Mindbody maintain complete oversight over their pricing and consumer data. You can sell drop-in classes, class packs, and memberships through a customized booking flow. The platform’s analytics reveal what items are selling, when classes are at full capacity, and the sources of the studio’s earnings. Mindbody’s pricing structures start at about $129 per month, a flat operational cost rather than a per-booking commission that would otherwise increase for the customer. Mindbody’s design is perfect for studios that are already multi-location and established. The studio’s management system is also designed to cater to organizations that require enterprise-level functionality.
Mariana Tek
For premium boutique studios that compete on experience, Mariana Tek is widely regarded as one of the most sophisticated platforms on the market. It was built specifically with boutique fitness in mind — think spin studios, yoga brands, and high-end HIIT concepts where the client experience is inseparable from the brand itself.
Mariana Tek has everything to manage a client-facing application with an automated retention system, such as drop-in bookings, waitlists, spot selection and branded floor maps, all in one place. It even offers built-in tools to distinguish a first-time client from a repeat. Personalized email marketing and interactive SMS are excellent marketing channels that can encourage clients to come back. The starting price for the application is $200. It offers unique value compared to ClassPass by helping studios develop their own brand and retain clients. With Mariana Tek, all booked clients are YOUR clients.
ABC Glofox
Glofox — now part of the ABC Fitness family — is a strong contender for studios that are growing and want a sleek, mobile-first experience without the complexity of enterprise platforms. It offers dedicated mobile apps for both clients and staff, built-in marketing tools, and flexible class and membership structures that make selling drop-ins straightforward.
Glofox is a ClassPass competitor that combines an easy-to-use platform with actual business intelligence. Studio owners can effortlessly track metrics such as the most popular classes, the stage in the booking funnel that leads to the most no-shows, and even auto-generate follow-up emails, all without requiring a marketing team. Glofox starts at a very reasonable $110 a month. Glofox is ideal for growing studios that want a scalable platform.
Vagaro
Image Source
If budget is a concern, Vagaro is arguably the most affordable, full-featured ClassPass alternative. At just $25 per month for a single location, it offers online booking for group classes, drop-ins, workshops, and appointments—all from a single dashboard. It also includes a consumer-facing marketplace, the Vagaro Marketplace, where potential clients can discover your studio without the commission-heavy dynamics of ClassPass.
Vagaro combines features such as automated waitlist management, a built-in point-of-sale system, marketing management tools, integrated client waiver management, and support for multiple locations. Vagaro is an ideal option for newer or smaller studios looking for professional-level tools at a lower price. While Vagaro’s check-in and drop-in sales system is difficult to learn and set up, it is designed to be fully automated once configured.
Arketa
Arketa is one of the newer players in this space, but it has quickly built a reputation as a forward-thinking platform for independent fitness and wellness businesses. It was designed for studios that want to operate across both in-person and digital channels — a relevant consideration as hybrid fitness continues to grow.
From a single platform, Arketa handles drop-in classes, memberships, on-demand videos, and workshops. It comes with a white-labeled website and booking page, so you can say goodbye to multiple disconnected tools. For studio owners hoping to create a direct-to-consumer channel, unencumbered by an aggregator (like ClassPass), Arketa is a clean, modern solution.
PushPress
PushPress was originally built for CrossFit affiliates and functional fitness gyms, but it has grown into a capable solution for a wide range of studio types. It offers free and paid tiers, which makes it particularly attractive for studios watching their overhead carefully.
The platform supports class scheduling, drop-in bookings, membership management, and automated billing. PushPress integrates with a variety of third-party tools, including CRM and marketing platforms. This flexibility allows studio owners to build a tech stack tailored to their specific workflow. As clients book directly through your customized PushPress page, no one takes a cut from the transaction.
Building a Direct Booking Strategy That Works
Switching away from ClassPass — or reducing your dependence on it — isn’t just about picking a new platform. It’s about building a direct relationship with your clients that no aggregator can interrupt. The studios that do this most successfully combine a strong booking tool with consistent email marketing, a loyalty or referral program, and an active social media presence that drives traffic to their own booking page rather than a third-party marketplace.
Furthermore, you should consider your local SEO strategy. If your prospective clients search for “yoga drop-in class near me” or “HIIT studio [your city]”, you want your website and Google Business Profile to appear — not ClassPass. A good first step to ensure your studio shows up in local searches is to follow Google’s SEO guide. The website that appears in local searches should also offer a frictionless direct-booking option to fill your classes sustainably. ClassPass will not take a cut of your revenue. Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO explains how you create organic discoveries that work in your favor.
Conclusion
ClassPass opened doors for boutique fitness studios — there’s no denying that. But the same model that once helped studios get discovered is now costing many of them dearly in margins, pricing control, and client ownership. The tools available today make it entirely possible to sell drop-ins, fill classes, and grow a loyal client base without giving a platform a cut of every seat you fill.
Whether you’re a high-end boutique that needs Mariana Tek’s premium experience, a growing studio ready to scale with Glofox, or a lean operation keeping costs low with Vagaro or PushPress, there is a direct booking solution built for your stage of business. The shift requires some upfront effort. But every client who books directly with you is one you own — and that’s worth far more than the exposure any aggregator can offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best ClassPass alternative for small fitness studios?
Vagaro is widely considered the best ClassPass alternative for small studios on a budget, starting at just $25 per month. It covers all the core functionality — drop-in bookings, memberships, marketing tools, and a consumer marketplace — without the revenue-sharing model that makes ClassPass costly for smaller operations.
Can I switch from ClassPass without losing clients?
Yes, and many studios do it successfully. The key is giving your current ClassPass visitors a compelling reason to book directly — whether that’s a first-visit discount, a loyalty program, or a class pack that offers better value than a ClassPass credit. Communicating the switch clearly through email and social media helps retain the clients who genuinely love your studio.
Do independent booking platforms offer client discovery as ClassPass does?
Several do. Mindbody, Vagaro, and Mariana Tek all have consumer-facing marketplaces where potential clients can find your studio. While these marketplaces may not match ClassPass’s user base in pure volume, they don’t come with the same commission structure — and they connect you with clients who are actively looking to book directly rather than aggregating across multiple studios.
How much do ClassPass alternative platforms typically cost?
Costs vary significantly by platform and studio size. Vagaro starts at $25 per month, Glofox at approximately $110, Mindbody at $129, and Mariana Tek at custom pricing typically above $200 per month. All of these are flat monthly fees rather than per-booking commissions, so your cost remains predictable regardless of how many drop-ins you sell.