Mindbody vs StudioBookings (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, StudioBookings grades higher than Mindbody: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Mindbody grades higher on features and ease of use. StudioBookings grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Mindbody
Studio, gym, spa and salon software with a consumer booking app
StudioBookings
Class booking for yoga and fitness studios, priced by instructors
Which one is for you
Pick Mindbody if
- Fits if you run a yoga, Pilates or fitness studio and want to be listed on a consumer booking app
- Works for brands with several locations that need corporate-level controls
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to try it on your own first: there's no free plan or self-serve trial, only a demo
- Not for you if you want a full price list, as Accelerate and Ultimate are only priced on a sales call
- Tight if you want automated email and text campaigns or the AI front desk, which need Ultimate
- Watch out: a branded client app is an add-on, and room booking and Pick-a-Spot need Accelerate or higher
Pick StudioBookings if
- Fits if you run a yoga or fitness studio and just want class booking
- Works for solo instructors who want to pay $25
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: cancelling deletes all your studio and member data
- Watch out: card payments need a Stripe account that charges its own fees
- Pricey if you grow, as price rises to $115 at 15 instructors
- Not for you if you need memberships billing or door access, as the listing shows neither
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as there isn't one
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAMindbodyFair | 2.4GPAStudioBookingsFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CStarter is $79 a location a month and up, the only figure on the page, which is above this category's middle ($49.90). Accelerate and Ultimate have no published price, so the plans with marketing are priced only on a sales call. | B$25 a month for one instructor, $45 for up to five, with every feature included. That's the cheaper quarter of the category. |
| Free plan and trial | FNothing free: no free plan and no self-serve trial. New customers start with a demo. | C14 days free with no card, and no free plan. |
| Features | BClass and appointment scheduling with unlimited staff logins, memberships, packages, retail and payments, reports and a listing on the Mindbody app. Room booking, Pick-a-Spot, automated marketing and the AI front desk come on dearer plans. | CClass booking, waitlists, waivers, promo codes, a studio app, reports and texts. It does that job fully, but it's a smaller job than a full studio suite. |
| Ease of use | BMindbody rates 4.6 on the US App Store from 23,558 ratings, which puts it at B on our ease ladder. | CNo store rating on record, and class setup and Stripe connection take work. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, plus a business app for iPhone and Android and a listing on the Mindbody consumer app. ClassPass is the only integration on record, no API is listed, and there's no desktop app. | BWeb plus iOS and Android, with Stripe on record. No computer app. |
| Best for | fitness studios listed on a consumer booking app | yoga studios paying per instructor |
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: Mindbody and StudioBookings. How we grade
Price against what you get
Mindbody starts at $79 a month and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. StudioBookings starts at $25 a month and scores 2.3.
Mindbody scores higher, and starts $54 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other salon, spa and studio booking apps on the chart, 2 score higher than Mindbody for less, and 6 score higher than StudioBookings 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
- Mindbody also covers marketing automation and email campaigns.
- StudioBookings also covers reports.
At a glance
| Mindbody | StudioBookings | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | $79 per location / month and up | $25 per month for 1 instructor |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 14 days free, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | MINDBODY, Inc. | StudioBookings |
| Price read from | mindbodyonline.com | studiobookings.com |
| Checked | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Mindbody
- Plans are sold through a sales call: the page gives only a starting price of $79 per location a month and no figures for Accelerate or Ultimate.
- Automated email and text marketing and the AI front desk are limited to the top Ultimate plan.
- A branded client app is an add-on, and room booking and Pick-a-Spot need Accelerate or higher.
- There is no free plan or self-serve trial; new customers start with a demo.
StudioBookings
- The price rises with the number of instructors, from $25 for one to $115 for fifteen or more.
- Cancelling deletes all the studio's and members' data, so it must be re-entered to rejoin.
- Card payments need a Stripe merchant account, which charges its own per-transaction fee.
- The pricing page shows monthly prices only, with no annual discount stated.
Key features
Mindbody
- Class and appointment scheduling
- Schedule classes and appointments with unlimited staff logins, and on Accelerate and up book rooms, chairs and equipment and let members pick their spot.
- Mindbody app listing
- Every plan lists the business on the Mindbody consumer app, which Mindbody says reaches more than 3 million shoppers a month.
- Payments and point of sale
- Sell memberships, packages and retail in person or online with integrated payments, which Mindbody says carry no monthly fees or minimums.
- Business app
- Staff schedule, check clients in, take payments and look up clients from an iOS or Android app; some setup and deeper reports are easier on a desktop.
- Email and text marketing
- Ultimate adds automated campaigns triggered by client actions, list-growth tools and a lead dashboard to follow up on prospects.
- AI front desk and branded app
- Ultimate includes an AI assistant that answers calls and questions around the clock. A branded client app is sold as an add-on.
StudioBookings
- Class booking and waitlists
- Members book classes online, join waitlists and buy class passes, and staff see attendance at a glance.
- Waivers and promo codes
- Online liability waivers, promo codes, class notes and health reminders come with every plan.
- Logins for staff and members
- Staff logins with permissions, instructor rates and individual member logins, plus parent-to-child sharing.
- Studio-branded app
- An iOS and Android app carrying the studio's logo sends class notifications and reminders, at no extra charge.
- Reports
- Revenue and attendance reports, members by date joined, and inactive-member lists.
- Text messages to clients
- The site says SMS to clients is free with every plan.
Plans
Mindbody
Starter$79
per location / month and up
Booking, payments, website booking widgets, a business website, a Mindbody app listing and basic reports. Sold through sales; $79 is the stated starting price.
AccelerateCustom
Adds advanced reporting, room and resource booking, Pick-a-Spot for classes, promo codes and access to premium add-ons.
UltimateCustom
Adds automated email and text campaigns, a 24/7 AI front desk, a lead pipeline, retention analytics and lower rates on marketing messages.
StudioBookings
1 instructor$25
per month for 1 instructor
Every feature included, as in all plans; no contract.
2-5 instructors$45
per month for 2 to 5 instructors
Same features, for studios with two to five instructors.
6-10 instructors$65
per month for 6 to 10 instructors
Same features, for studios with six to ten instructors.
11-14 instructors$85
per month for 11 to 14 instructors
Same features, for studios with eleven to fourteen instructors.
15+ instructors$115
per month for 15 or more instructors
Same features, for the largest studios.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Mindbody or StudioBookings?
As of Nov 13, 2026, StudioBookings is cheaper to start with: $25 a month, against $79 a month for Mindbody. Mindbody starts at $79 per location / month and up, and StudioBookings starts at $25 per month for 1 instructor.
Which has a free plan, Mindbody or StudioBookings?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Mindbody nor StudioBookings has a free plan. StudioBookings has a free trial.
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.