The Zen Planner Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Zen Planner in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Zen Planner
The Insider’s Guide
Membership, scheduling and billing software for gyms and studios
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among salon, spa and studio booking apps, read from Zen Planner’s own pages.
Made by Zen Planner · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Zen Planner’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Zen Planner’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.6
GPA, above 1 of the 85 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade
Zen Planner is gym management software for martial arts schools, CrossFit boxes, yoga and fitness studios. The base Studio package covers memberships, class scheduling, billing, attendance, payroll and staff and member mobile apps. Higher packages add a custom website and marketing automation, and pricing follows the number of active members.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Zen Planner, taken from its own pages and our grades.
A studio builds its programs, memberships and billing first.
- 1
Best for membership billing for martial arts and fitness studios
Zen Planner covers memberships, billing, class scheduling, a member app and lead capture for studios.
- 2
Paid plans start at $99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $99 per month and up, priced by active members.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Memberships and billing
Membership management with automated billing and payment processing, plus attendance tracking and payroll management.
- 5
Class scheduling and booking
Online scheduling with member self-service, belt and skill tracking, and a staff mobile app.
- 6
Member app
A member mobile app comes with every package, and a custom-branded app is sold separately.
- 7
A 1.6 GPA, above 1 of 85
That is against the other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Zen Planner you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Zen Planner at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $99 per month and up, priced by active members
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Zen Planner
- Category
- Salon, Spa & Studio Booking
- Our grade
- 1.6 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for membership billing for martial arts and fitness studios
Zen Planner covers memberships, billing, class scheduling, a member app and lead capture for studios. Prices start at $99 a month and rise with your active member count, and card readers, the branded app and payments each cost extra.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | From $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 | F | No trial or free plan on the pricing page. Plans run month to month. |
| Features | C | Memberships, billing, scheduling, a member app, lead capture, marketing and reports. Marketing automation is a separate product, Engage, from $249 a month. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. A studio builds its programs, memberships and billing first. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only on the listing, with one integration. A member app is sold as an add-on. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Zen Planner is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Martial arts schools and CrossFit gyms
- Gyms that want to be billed only for active members
- Studios that prefer month-to-month terms
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$99
A month to start
Zen Planner is a paid product, starting at $99 per month and up, priced by active members.
No trial or free plan on the pricing page.
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.
Read from zenplanner.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Membership, scheduling and billing software for gyms and studios. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, reports, class booking, sMS marketing.
Memberships, billing, scheduling, a member app, lead capture, marketing and reports.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- SugarWOD
Zen Planner is made by Zen Planner.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
1/85
Other salon, spa and studio booking apps it is graded above
Zen Planner's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 1 of the 85 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on value for money (C, above 12 of 85) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $99 a month, against a middle price of $49 for the category: 43 of the 57 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 36 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 86 salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Zen Planner’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 12 of 85
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 85
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 85
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 85
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 85
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 58 salon, spa and studio booking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Zen Planner is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Zen Planner you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 74 of the 85 other salon, spa and studio booking apps grade higher. It costs $1,188 a year.
What you could make
- Class booking and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Zen Planner’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Wodify, PushPress, Gymdesk, Kicksite and Mindbody
The 5 tools Zen Planner is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
Wodify
Paid
Gym management software for CrossFit, martial arts and studios.
- Only Wodify lists iOS and Android apps.
- Zen Planner also covers sMS marketing.
- Wodify also covers appointment booking.
- 2.4GPA
PushPress
Free plan · from $159/mo
Gym management for CrossFit, martial arts and training gyms.
- PushPress has a free plan. Zen Planner does not.
- Only PushPress lists iOS and Android apps.
- Zen Planner also covers reports and sMS marketing.
- 2.2GPA
Gymdesk
Free trial · from $75/mo
Membership, billing and booking software for gyms and studios.
- Only Gymdesk lists iOS and Android apps.
- Gymdesk also covers invoicing and email campaigns.
- 2.0GPA
Kicksite
Free trial · from $49/mo
Martial arts school software for billing, attendance and belts.
- Kicksite also covers email campaigns.
- 2.2GPA
Mindbody
From $79/mo
Studio, gym, spa and salon software with a consumer booking app.
- Only Mindbody lists iOS and Android apps.
- Zen Planner also covers reports.
- Mindbody also covers marketing automation, email campaigns and appointment booking.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Zen Planner free?
No. Zen Planner is a paid product, starting at $99 per month and up, priced by active members.
How much does Zen Planner cost?
Zen Planner lists 3 plans. Zen Planner Studio: $99 per month and up, by active members.
What platforms does Zen Planner work on?
Zen Planner is available on Web.
Does Zen Planner have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Zen Planner is listed for Web.
Does Zen Planner have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Zen Planner is listed for Web.
Is Zen Planner open source?
Zen Planner is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
What does Zen Planner integrate with?
Zen Planner's listing names SugarWOD. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Zen Planner?
Zen Planner is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Zen Planner?
The closest alternatives to Zen Planner in our directory are Wodify, PushPress, Gymdesk, Kicksite and Mindbody.
How does Zen Planner compare with other salon, spa and studio booking apps?
Zen Planner's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 1 of the 85 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, and level with 10.
Is Zen Planner good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Zen Planner C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $99 a month, against a middle price of $49 for the category: 43 of the 57 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Zen Planner?
To replace Zen Planner you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Zen Planner’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Zen Planner's own pages on 12 November 2026. Its pricing page was blocked when we checked, so this rests on the listing. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Zen Planner. Prices change, so check zenplanner.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Zen Planner, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/zen-planner
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Zen Planner: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/zen-planner
Know someone choosing between salon, spa and studio booking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/zen-planner/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded salon, spa and studio booking apps after Zen Planner, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Salon, Spa & Studio Booking Insider's GuideEvery one of the 86 salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, compared
- Square Appointments Insider's GuideBooking, point of sale and payments for appointment businesses3.2 GPA
- Fresha Insider's GuideSalon and spa booking with a consumer marketplace for new clients3.0 GPA
- Barberly Insider's GuideBarbershop booking software with a branded mobile app2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Zen Planner’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Zen Planner is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Zen Planner. Prices and plans change: check zenplanner.com before you buy.