Cheapest studio software
Cheapest studio management software in 2026: the real numbers
Sticker prices and real costs are two different things in this market. Here's every platform we've researched, ranked by advertised starting price, with the honest catch next to each one.
Ranked by real starting price
| # | Platform | Starting price | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Momence (Basic) | $0/mo | +5% platform fee, +4% passed to client, on every transaction |
| 02 | Vagaro | $23.99/mo | Single calendar only - text marketing, intake forms, and website hosting are paid add-ons that push real cost to $100-200+/mo |
| 03 | StudioDeck (Starter) | $49/mo | Flat, published, everything included - no add-ons to bolt on |
| 04 | Gymdesk (MicroGym) | $75/mo | Everything included at every paid tier, but built for gyms, not boutique studios |
| 05 | WellnessLiving (Basic) | $89/mo | Branded app needs the $159/mo Professional tier; reviewers report hidden annual fees |
| 06 | Mindbody (Starter) | $99-159/mo | Priced per location; a 20% commission applies to any marketplace-sourced booking |
| 07 | TeamUp | $99-119+/mo | Scales with client volume, not feature tier - grows more expensive as you grow |
| 08 | Zen Planner (Studio) | $99/mo | Reviewers call it increasingly expensive; the Engage add-on is $249-299/mo more |
| 09 | ABC Glofox | $110-150/mo (reported) | Quote-only - the number isn't published; a 70% mid-contract increase has been documented |
| 10 | Virtuagym | $120-150/mo (reported) | Quote-only - no published number exists to check against |
| 11 | Pike13 (Essential) | $139/mo annual | That price requires a 12-month commitment - $159/mo billed monthly |
| 12 | Mariana Tek | $179-285/mo (reported) | Fully quote-only; marketing automation is a separate paid add-on |
The cheapest sticker price is rarely the cheapest real cost
Three products on this list are genuinely quote-only - you can't know the real number until you talk to sales, which defeats the point of comparison shopping. Two more (Vagaro, Momence) advertise a low or $0 entry price that climbs fast once you add the fees or features a real studio actually needs. The honest comparison isn't the number on the pricing page - it's what you'd pay for the features you'd actually use, with the fees you'd actually hit.
FAQ
What's the actual cheapest studio software?
By sticker price, Momence's free Basic tier - but its 5%+4% transaction fees mean the real cost scales with your revenue, not a flat number. For a flat, published, all-in price, StudioDeck's $49/mo Starter tier is the cheapest.
Why do some platforms not list a price at all?
Mariana Tek, ABC Glofox, and Virtuagym are quote-only - pricing depends on a sales conversation about your feature needs, add-ons, and location count.
Is the cheapest option always the right one?
No - Gymdesk and Zen Planner are cheap because they're built for gyms and martial arts, not boutique studios. Match the platform to what your studio needs, not just the price.
Does StudioDeck have hidden fees on top of the $49-149/mo?
No - standard Stripe processing rates apply with no markup, and that's the only additional cost beyond the published plan price.