What is the Difference Between Zen Planner and Glofox?

You’re ready.

You’ve done the upfront research and you’re convinced. If you want your gym to succeed, you’ll need gym management software that’s tailored to your needs. It’s a must if you want to stay on top of your gym operations. 

If you’re here, you’re looking at two options: Zen Planner and Glofox. 

Which one should you choose? If you know what you’re looking for, you already know what you need; but what if you don’t? What if you’re struggling to understand what makes one software better than the other?

Which one is right for you? 

What’s the difference between Zen Planner and Glofox? 

Both of these software tools serve the same audience. Like Gymdesk, their fitness software is designed for:

1. Fitness gyms/studios: These include your CrossFit, HIIT, and strongman/powerlifting gyms, which are primarily focused on strength and fitness. The training itself—building strength —is the ultimate goal. 
2. Boutiques: Pilates, Yoga, climbing, and group studios that are built and designed around a specific goal—flexibility, strength, control, etc. 
3. Performance studios: These gyms are more traditional, offering dance, gymnastics, and sports performance training. Like martial arts studios, these gyms serve as training hubs for a specific discipline. The training is designed to build competency in a particular skillset which also happens to require fitness—strength, speed, stamina, etc.
4. Martial arts studios: Gyms like MMA, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, boxing, Judo, and Taekwondo schools. These martial arts studios are fitness-oriented, sure, but these gyms have a completely different set of goals that are competency and results-driven. 

They all serve these industries. 

What makes one gym software better than the other? 

Quite a lot actually. 

These fitness tools differ in terms of pricing, features, and value. The user experience is different. Their approach to customer support is different. If you’re going to find the tool that’s best for you, you’ll need an in-depth breakdown that clarifies all of this. 

Don’t worry, we’ve made it easy for you.

Let’s dive in. 

Gym Software #01: Zen Planner  

Zen Planner is an all-in-one tool for gyms, particularly those with up-and-coming businesses. 

Founded in 2006, Zen Planner has matured into a powerful tool for up-and-coming gyms. They’ve grown to 5,500 customers—including martial arts studios, health clubs, fitness boutiques, and performance gyms. In 2017, they were acquired by Daxko; since then, they’ve continued to add new features to their product as their products and services have grown. 

Zen Planner’s cost is reasonable for startups if you know exactly what you need. 

What does that mean? 

Their products are à la carte—Zen Planner Studio starts at $99 per mo. and it includes everything you need to manage your day-to-day operations. If you’re looking for a standalone solution for member management, scheduling, staff attendance, and payment processing, Zen Planner Studio could be a fit.  

What about CRM and marketing management? 

That’s extra. 

If you’re looking to manage your website, create a blog, add landing pages and lead forms, or tie social media into your business, you’ll need to pay for their upgrade, which as of today, is an additional $299 per mo. plus a $300 setup fee. They also use a tiered pricing structure on top of that, so the more you grow, the more they make. 

Zen Planner Pros 

• Tiered pricing makes Zen Planner affordable for small companies
• All features available across all plans
• No contracts, plans are month-to-month
• Native and third-party integrations available

Zen Planner Cons

• CRM and marketing tools are limited until you purchase higher-tier plans
• Transaction fees increase costs quickly 
• A la carte and add-on pricing quickly increases costs
• Zen Planner has a preferred list of payment processors (which may not include yours)

Zen Planner Pricing

• Zen Planner Studio: $99 per mo. 
• Zen Planner Engage: $249 per mo. / $299 per mo. + a $300 setup fee for non-Zen Planner customers)
• Branded App: $39 per mo. 
• Sugar WOD: Contact for a quote

Gym Software #02: Glofox

Glofox Pros

• Their software is clean, intuitive, easy-to-use, and includes custom-branded mobile apps
• Consistently high marks for strong customer support
• Excellent scheduling and billing features
• Good member management features 
• Branded mobile apps
• Strong scheduling and billing options

Glofox Cons

• No free trial transparency; some customers get a two-week trial, others have reported 30 days
• No pricing transparency; you have to contact them for a quote
• Hidden fees are a common customer complaint
• Mandatory upgrades create business interruptions and frustrations for gym owners
• A pay-to-play pricing scheme means you’ll need to spend more to get the features you need
• Missing core features from their CRM and marketing product
• Limited reporting

Glofox Pricing

• There is no pricing transparency; you’ll need to contact them (submit your contact information) to request a quote for a clear pricing breakdown 

Gym Software #03: Gymdesk

Gymdesk is made for gym owners, by gym owners.

Founded in 2016, Gymdesk helps over 2,000 gym owners worldwide manage their operations more efficiently with modern, intuitive software. Our team is made up of martial artists, former gym owners, and technology professionals.

Unlike legacy gym management platforms, Gymdesk prioritizes ease of use, flexibility, and powerful automation that helps gym owners spend less time on admin and more time growing their members.

Here’s why Gymdesk is different. 

We grow when you do. 

We don’t nickel-and-dime you to death. We offer clear, upfront pricing and a service that’s designed to scale with your gym. We think the tiered pricing model is fair, here’s why. 

1. More customers = more resources: While our plans automatically adjust, we prioritize simple, flat rate pricing. This gives you the clarity you need to budget and grow your business efficiently. No surprise bills or sneaky hidden fees.  
2. Powerful all-in-one software at a startup price: Tiered pricing reduces the barrier to entry. Startups and small businesses gain access to powerful software that puts them on an even playing field with large, established chains, at a fraction of the price. 
3. Gymdesk is designed to boost revenue: When it comes to increasing revenue, our software has a proven track record. Gymdesk helps companies attract, convert, and retain profitable new members. Don’t take our word for it, here’s what Kevin Kist, founder and owner of RTS Barbell, had to say about Gymdesk. “We’ve been able to add hundreds of new members with Gymdesk.” 

Here’s his story. 

Gymdesk Pros

• Best overall value
• Free 30-day trial
• Free plan (post trial) with limited functionality
• All plans include all features
• Export your data before, during, or after cancellation
• Clear, upfront, and transparent pricing
• Month-to-month billing 
• No hidden fees
• No required add-ons
• No contracts
• Free onboarding and support
• Consistent 4.8 star rating across review platforms
• Software grows with you
• Scale up or down with no hidden fees

Gymdesk Cons

• Limited native integrations (third-party integrations available via Zapier)
• Website builder is limited 
• Admin log in flow needs improvement  

Gymdesk Pricing

• Micro gym:  $75 per mo. 
• Small Gym: (≤100 members): $100/mo
• Medium Gym: (≤200 members): $150/mo
• Large Gym: (≤400 members): $200/mo
• Enterprise: Custom

Here’s How Customers Rate Zen Planner, Glofox, and Gymdesk

These are aggregate review counts for Zen Planner, Glofox, and Gymdesk. Click each of the star ratings to see a detailed breakdown and read customer reviews. Look for trends and patterns in behavior. Look for common complaints and consistent praise.

Then, identify which review criteria matter most to you. 

Platform	G2	Capterra	Software Advice	Aggregate Reviews
Zen Planner	4.3	4.3	—	4.3/5
Glofox	4.5	4.4	—	4.4/5
Gymdesk	4.8	4.8	4.8	4.8/5

Head-to-Head Comparison: Which Gym Software is Best for You?

Take a look at this detailed breakdown of Zen Planner, Glofox, and Gymdesk.

Feature	Zen Planner	Glofox	Gymdesk
Pricing:	$99 – $348 per mo. + Add-ons and fees	~ $80 – $190 per mo. Contact for quote	$75 – $200 per mo. No hidden fees
Contracts:	Mo. to mo or annual; Add-on fees required.	Contact to learn more. Fee structure unclear	Mo. to mo. No hidden fees, add-ons, or extras
Member Billing:	Core billing/auto-pay	Full billing suite with custom apps	Full recurring, on-demand billing, and reporting
Scheduling & Check-ins:	Yes. Web + mobile + kioskoptions available	Yes, with a branded kiosk check-in system	Yes, mobile check-in with attendance analytics
Mobile App:	Basic mobile app	Branded mobile app included	Website + app integrations. Member/mobile friendly
POS & Store:	Limited via add-ons	In-app sales	Full POS with inventory management
CRM & Marketing:	Limited CRM in Ultimate tier	Basic lead gen tools	Fully integrated CRM, SMS, email, and automation tools
Training, Skills, Belt Tracking:	Yes	Limited	Comprehensive martial arts support
Reporting Dashboards:	Advanced reporting with higher plan	Basic reporting	Detailed analytics across all plans
Integrations:	Zapier, Sugar WOD, Mailchimp	Stripe, Mailchimp, Kisi	Stripe, Square, Zapier, Wix, Zoom, Kisi
Support and Onboarding:	Free standard support. Premium support for a fee	Good support with some additional cost triggers	Live chat, email, and help docs
User Ratings:	4.2/5 stars	4.4/5 stars	4.8/5 stars
Best tool for:	Yoga and fitness boutiques	Gyms looking for a branded app/kiosk	Gyms, studios, and schools looking for a transparent all-in-one tool

Use this breakdown to identify the factors that are most important for your business. Dig deeper into the factors that stand out to you. Make it your goal to identify the tool that’s the best overall fit. Do your best to avoid focusing on criteria like price or contracts.

The Difference Between Zen Planner, Glofox, and Gymdesk is Clear 

You’ve done the upfront research. If you want your gym to succeed, you’ll need gym management software that’s tailored to your needs. It’s a must if you want to stay on top of your gym operations. 

If you’re a small gym or martial arts studio on a shoestring budget, go with Zen Planner. If you need kiosk management tools and a mobile app that’s customized for your business, Glofox is your best bet. Need fully featured gym management software for your gym, fitness, performance, or martial arts operation? Try Gymdesk; It’s an affordable, fully featured software option with no contracts, add-ons, or hidden fees.