What Does Gym Software REALLY Cost?

When you're shopping for gym management software, the first thing you probably do is check the pricing page. You see a monthly number, compare it to a few competitors, and pick the cheapest one that looks decent.

That approach can cost you thousands of dollars a year — and you won't even realize it.

The real cost of gym software isn't just what you pay per month. It's a combination of your subscription fee, the transaction fees you pay on every single member payment, the cost of any add-ons you need to actually run your business, and the value of the time you either save or waste depending on how well the software works.

Let's break down each of these so you can make a decision based on what gym software actually costs — not just what it says on a pricing page.

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Software Subscription Costs

Monthly subscription fees are the most visible cost, and they vary widely across the market. In 2026, gym management software generally falls into three pricing tiers.

Free and entry-level platforms ($0–$99/month) offer basic scheduling, billing, and member management. PushPress Core is genuinely free at $0/month — not a trial, not a teaser, but a fully functional platform you can run your gym on from day one. The tradeoff is higher processing fees (4.19% + $0.30 per credit card transaction), but for a newer gym doing $5,000–$10,000/month in revenue, that's $210–$420 in processing — still less than what many competitors charge for subscription fees alone.

Mid-range platforms ($100–$200/month) are where most gym owners land once they're ready to scale. PushPress Pro at $159/month is the sweet spot: automated billing, class scheduling, member management, reporting, a member-facing app, and significantly lower processing rates. Compare that to Mindbody starting around $139/month (with higher processing fees and less gym-specific tooling) or Pike13 at $129/month.

Premium platforms ($200–$500+/month) add advanced features and priority support. PushPress Max at $229/month gets you the lowest processing rates plus dedicated support — and for gyms processing $20K+/month, the processing savings alone can offset the price difference from Pro. Meanwhile, Mindbody's comparable plans typically run $300–$600/month per location with custom quoting.

The PushPress difference: a modular approach. Rather than forcing you into an expensive all-in-one package, PushPress lets you add capabilities as your business grows. Need workout programming? Add PushPress Train for $79/month. Ready for full-scale marketing automation with CRM, lead nurturing, and a custom website? Add PushPress Grow for $329/month. Want your gym's own branded app in the App Store? Add that for $97/month. You build the stack that matches your stage — not someone else's idea of what you need.

Here's a snapshot of where the major players fall in 2026:

**Prices based on publicly available data as of March 2026. Actual pricing may vary by location, member count, and contract terms.

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But here's where gym owners get tripped up: a $99/month platform with expensive transaction fees and missing features can easily cost more over a year than a $159/month platform that includes everything you need and charges lower processing rates.

Transaction Fees: The Hidden Cost Multiplier

Transaction fees are the single most overlooked cost in gym software — and for most gym owners, they're actually a bigger line item than the subscription itself.

Every time a member pays you — whether it's a monthly membership, a drop-in fee, or a retail purchase — the payment processor takes a cut. Rates vary significantly across platforms, and the differences compound fast.

At PushPress, we're transparent about our processing fees, powered by Stripe. On PushPress Pro, credit card processing is 2.89% + $0.30 per transaction, and ACH payments are just 0.79% + $0.30. PushPress Max drops the credit card rate to 2.75% + $0.30. Even our Free plan — which offsets the $0/month subscription through processing — charges 4.19% + $0.30 for credit cards, which is still lower than some competitors' paid plans.

Compare that to Mindbody, which charges 3.5% + $0.15 for remote payments, or Wodify's free plan, which adds a 7.5% service fee on top of client transactions. Some platforms, like GymMaster, add per-transaction surcharges on top of whatever Stripe already charges.

Let's do the math. Say your gym processes $20,000/month in member payments via credit card:

**Rates shown are standard Stripe processing fees through PushPress. All plans include integrated payment processing with no additional gateway fees.

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On PushPress Pro or Max, you're paying $580–$608/month to process $20K — up to $11,000 less per year than a platform with marked-up rates. That difference alone dwarfs whatever you'd save on a cheaper subscription.

When evaluating gym software, always ask: what are the credit card processing rates? Are there ACH options? Does the platform add any surcharges on top of the payment processor's base fee? And if the platform offers a "free" plan, how is that plan subsidized — usually through higher transaction fees.

If you’re interested in a PushPress pricing breakdown, head here.

Time Savings: The Cost Most Gym Owners Ignore

Here's where the real math gets interesting. Research shows that gym owners and managers spend an average of 8+ hours per week on manual admin tasks — chasing failed payments, building class schedules, following up with leads, tracking attendance, and generating reports.

The right software can automate most of that. Multiple industry studies report that gym management software saves owners 10+ hours per week through automation of billing, scheduling, lead nurturing, and member communication.

What's that time worth? If you value your time at $50/hour (a conservative number for a gym owner), 10 hours per week of recovered time equals:

• $500/week in reclaimed productive time
• $2,000/month in opportunity cost savings
• $26,000/year in time you can redirect to coaching, member retention, sales, or simply being present in your gym

Here's where it breaks down by task:

**Based on a conservative $50/hour valuation of gym owner time. Actual savings vary by gym size, workflow complexity, and software capabilities.

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Even a platform that costs $200/month is paying for itself many times over if it saves you 10 hours of admin work per week. The cheapest software isn't the one with the lowest price tag — it's the one that frees up the most time for the work that actually grows your gym.

How to Calculate Your True Cost of Ownership

Stop comparing gym software on subscription price alone. Instead, calculate your total cost of ownership (TCO) using this framework:

Monthly TCO = Subscription + Transaction Fees + Add-Ons − Time Savings Value

Here's an example for a gym processing $20,000/month in payments:

**Core costs = subscription + transaction fees. Based on a gym processing $20K/month in credit card payments. PushPress Pro processing rate is 2.89% + $0.30 per transaction. Budget platform rate is an industry composite. Add-ons (workout programming, branded app, marketing) are optional and modular — most PushPress gyms pay $345/mo total with Pro + Train + Branded App. Your actual costs will vary based on revenue and payment mix.

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Even before add-ons enter the picture, the "cheaper" platform costs $82 more per month — because the higher processing fees eat the subscription savings and then some.

Now factor in the tools most gym owners actually need:

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The modular math works in your favor. A PushPress Pro gym adding Train and a Branded App pays around $345/month total in subscriptions — and gets lower processing rates than most competitors' base plans. Over a year, the processing savings alone can amount to $1,000–$1,700 compared to platforms charging 3.5%+ per transaction.

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Ready to see what PushPress can do for your gym? Compare our plans and pricing to find the right fit, or book a demo to see the platform in action.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How much does gym management software cost per month?

Most gym management software costs between $100 and $300 per month for a single-location gym. PushPress offers plans from $0/month (Free) through $159/month (Pro) and $229/month (Max), with optional add-ons for workout programming, marketing automation, and branded apps. Enterprise and multi-location plans from other providers can run $500+/month.

What are the hidden costs of gym software?

The most common hidden costs are transaction fee markups (platforms adding surcharges on top of standard payment processing rates), add-on fees for features like marketing automation or workout programming, branded app fees, setup/migration fees, and annual contract lock-ins. Look for platforms that are transparent about all costs upfront and offer month-to-month billing.

Is free gym software actually free?

The subscription is free, but you'll pay more in processing fees. PushPress Free, for example, costs $0/month but charges 4.19% + $0.30 per credit card transaction — on $10,000/month in revenue, that's roughly $420 in processing. That's still less than what many competitors charge for their paid subscription alone, making it a genuine starting point for new or smaller gyms. When you're ready to scale, upgrading to a paid plan with lower processing rates is a straightforward decision.

How much can gym software save me in time

Industry data shows gym management software can save owners 10+ hours per week by automating billing, scheduling, lead follow-up, and reporting. At a conservative $50/hour valuation, that's roughly $26,000/year in recovered productive time.

What transaction fee rate should I expect?

Rates vary by platform and plan. PushPress Pro charges 2.89% + $0.30 per credit card transaction and 0.79% + $0.30 for ACH, while PushPress Max drops the credit card rate to 2.75% + $0.30. Be cautious of platforms that add significant markups above standard processing rates — some charge 3.5% or higher, and "free" plans may add service fees of 5–7.5%.

Should I choose the cheapest gym software?

Not necessarily. Calculate your total cost of ownership — subscription plus transaction fees plus add-ons minus the value of time saved. A platform that costs more per month but charges lower processing fees and saves more admin time often has a lower true cost.

Use the Right Tool for the Job

Choosing gym software based on sticker price is like choosing a coach based on their hourly rate without asking about their results. The cheapest option isn't the one that costs the least per month — it's the one that delivers the most value when you account for every dollar that flows through it.

Before you commit to a platform, get clear answers to three questions: what's my total monthly cost including transaction fees and add-ons? How many hours of admin work will this software eliminate? And what happens to my data and my members if I need to switch?

The gym software market is projected to grow from $11.57 billion in 2025 to nearly $64 billion by 2035. That growth means more options, more competition, and better tools for gym owners — but it also means you need to be a sharper buyer.

Ready to see what PushPress can do for your gym? Compare our plans and pricing to find the right fit, or book a demo to see the platform in action.

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