Gymdesk vs Zen Planner (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Gymdesk grades higher than Zen Planner: 2.2 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Gymdesk grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Gymdesk
Membership, billing and booking software for gyms and studios
Zen Planner
Membership, scheduling and billing software for gyms and studios
Which one is for you
Pick Gymdesk if
- Fits if you run a gym of under 250 members and want every feature at every tier
- Works for gym owners who can use Gymdesk Payments in the US or Canada
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you grow: $150 at 101 to 150 members and $200 up to 250
- Watch out: the lower prices need Gymdesk Payments, available in the US and Canada, and your own processor costs $25 more
- Watch out: each extra location costs $50 a month with Gymdesk Payments, or $100 otherwise
- Skip it if you have over 250 members, since that is sized with the vendor
Pick Zen Planner if
- Fits if you run a martial arts or fitness studio and bill members every month
- Works for a studio that can predict its active member count, as the price follows it
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you grow, as the bill rises with active members and the $99 figure is only a starting price
- Watch out: card readers cost $39 a month each and a branded mobile app is $39 a month
- Watch out: Engage starts at $249 a month and a stand-alone website at $99, both sold apart
- Skip it if you want a trial, as the pricing page mentions none
- Watch out: payment processing carries extra fees
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAGymdeskFair | 1.6GPAZen PlannerWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$75 a month for up to 50 members with Gymdesk Payments, $100 without, in the middle of this category ($29.99 to $119). It rises with member count. | CFrom $99 a month, priced by active members, against a middle of $49.90 and a dearer quarter from $119. Plans run $99, $198 and $348, with readers and the app on top. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 30-day free trial with no card, and no free plan. | FNo trial or free plan on the pricing page. Plans run month to month. |
| Features | CMemberships and billing, class booking, leads, a gym website, reporting and facility access. Everything is on every tier. | CMemberships, billing, scheduling, a member app, lead capture, marketing and reports. Marketing automation is a separate product, Engage, from $249 a month. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You set up memberships, classes and payments before it is useful. | CNo store rating on record. A studio builds its programs, memberships and billing first. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Stripe, Square, Authorize.net and Smoothcomp named. | CWeb only on the listing, with one integration. A member app is sold as an add-on. |
| Best for | small gyms priced by member count | membership billing for martial arts and fitness studios |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Gymdesk and Zen Planner. How we grade
Price against what you get
Gymdesk starts at $75 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Zen Planner starts at $99 a month and scores 2.0.
Gymdesk scores higher and starts $24 a month lower. Of the other salon, spa and studio booking apps on the chart, 8 score higher than Gymdesk for less, and 12 score higher than Zen Planner for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Gymdesk also covers invoicing and email campaigns.
At a glance
| Gymdesk | Zen Planner | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $75 per month for up to 50 active members, with Gymdesk Payments ($100 without) | $99 per month and up, priced by active members |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card required | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Gymdesk | Zen Planner |
| Price read from | gymdesk.com | zenplanner.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Gymdesk
- The lower prices apply when processing payments with Gymdesk Payments or an approved partner, which is available in the US and Canada; elsewhere the partner route needs approval.
- Each extra location costs $50 a month with Gymdesk Payments or a preferred partner, or $100 with your own processor.
- A branded member app is $100 a month with the first month free, and door access is $100 a month for up to 3 doors plus $29 per extra door and a one-time hardware cost.
- Plans above 250 active members have no published price.
Zen Planner
- Prices are 'starting at' figures: the bill follows the active member count, and multi-location pricing is quoted in a demo.
- Payment processing carries additional charges or fees; the card readers cost $39 per month each, and a branded mobile app is $39 per month.
- Zen Planner Engage is sold separately from $249 per month, and a stand-alone website from $99 per month.
- The pricing page mentions no free trial; plans run month to month, with an annual contract available on request.
Key features
Gymdesk
- Memberships and billing
- Recurring memberships with automated billing, a point of sale and payment processing through Gymdesk Payments, Stripe, Square or Authorize.net.
- Class booking and attendance
- Members book classes and staff track attendance, with a member app for iOS and Android.
- Lead management and marketing
- Lead capture, landing pages, email and SMS, automations, referrals and review requests.
- Gym website
- Every plan includes a responsive gym website.
- Reporting
- Dashboard, attendance analytics, revenue forecasting and member insights.
- Facility access
- Door access control is listed as a beta add-on, priced per month for up to three doors.
Zen Planner
- Memberships and billing
- Membership management with automated billing and payment processing, plus attendance tracking and payroll management.
- Class scheduling and booking
- Online scheduling with member self-service, belt and skill tracking, and a staff mobile app.
- Member app
- A member mobile app comes with every package, and a custom-branded app is sold separately.
- Website and lead capture
- Essentials adds a custom website with SEO optimization and built-in lead capture and form integration.
- Marketing automation
- Ultimate, or the separate Engage product, adds automated email and text campaigns, AI-powered tools and lead follow-up workflows.
- Reporting and dashboards
- Reporting and dashboards in every package, with a SugarWOD integration for workout tracking.
Plans
Gymdesk
Micro Gym$75
per month for up to 50 members, with Gymdesk Payments ($100 without)
Full platform with unlimited staff accounts and a gym website; billed month to month.
Small Gym$100
per month for 51-100 members, with Gymdesk Payments ($125 without)
Same features as every tier; the price follows the active member count.
Medium Gym$150
per month for 101-150 members, with Gymdesk Payments ($175 without)
Same features as every tier; $150 a month at 120 active members is the page's own example.
Large Gym$200
per month for 151-250 members, with Gymdesk Payments ($240 without)
Same features as every tier, for gyms up to 250 active members.
EnterpriseCustom
For 251 or more active members; sized with the vendor.
Zen Planner
Zen Planner Studio$99
per month and up, by active members
Memberships, billing, class scheduling, attendance, payroll, reporting and staff and member apps. Price rises with active members.
Zen Planner Essentials$198
per month and up, by active members
Everything in Studio plus a branded, SEO-optimized website with lead capture.
Zen Planner Ultimate$348
per month and up, by active members
Everything in Essentials plus marketing automation, CRM, AI email and text campaigns and lead tools.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Gymdesk or Zen Planner?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Gymdesk is cheaper to start with: $75 a month, against $99 a month for Zen Planner. Gymdesk starts at $75 per month for up to 50 active members, with Gymdesk Payments ($100 without), and Zen Planner starts at $99 per month and up, priced by active members.
Which has a free plan, Gymdesk or Zen Planner?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Gymdesk nor Zen Planner has a free plan. Gymdesk has a free trial.
Which platforms do Gymdesk and Zen Planner run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Gymdesk lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.