A Comprehensive Mindbody Review: Is It Right for Your Gym?

Are you tired of managing your gym’s day-to-day operations with archaic systems that leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed?

Mindbody (also referred to as Mindbody Online) might just be the solution you’ve considered. Since its launch in 2001, Mindbody has become one of the best-known software tools in the fitness industry, trusted by thousands of gym owners worldwide. As a comprehensive software designed specifically for the fitness industry, Mindbody offers a range of features to help gym owners manage everything from scheduling and booking to billing and reporting. 

But with so many software options on the market, is Mindbody the right fit for your gym? 

This detailed review offers insights and feedback from fitness industry professionals. It explores the pros and cons of Mindbody and provides valuable information to help gym owners make informed decisions. 

Whether you’re looking to save time, improve efficiency, or enhance the overall client experience, this review of Mindbody is a must-read.

Key Features of Mindbody for the Business Owner

Membership Management

Mindbody lets you create different types of memberships with different prices, benefits, and restrictions based on factors like how long they last, how many visits they allow, or access to specific classes or facilities.

The app also helps staff set up automatic membership renewals, so they can keep track of when memberships expire and remind clients when it’s time to renew.

Members can use the app to access their account information, check their membership status and history, and sign up for classes or appointments.

Important! However, some people have reported that there can be issues with signing up for classes, so it’s important to test this feature to ensure it works well and doesn’t cause any problems for your business.

Billing Management

Mindbody provides various billing management features, which include the following functionalities:

Automated billing: Mindbody allows businesses to set up automated billing for their services, memberships, and packages. This means that customers’ credit card information is stored in the system, and payments are processed automatically on a recurring basis based on the billing cycle defined by the business.

Payment processing: Mindbody provides businesses with the ability to process payments for services and products using a variety of payment methods including credit cards, debit cards, and gift cards. 

Customizable pricing: Mindbody allows businesses to set up their own pricing structures for their services, packages, and memberships. This includes the ability to set up discounts, special offers, and promo codes.

Reporting and analytics: Mindbody provides businesses with detailed reporting and analytics on their billing and revenue streams. This includes real-time revenue tracking, customer purchase history, and sales reports.

Billing notifications: Mindbody sends out automatic billing notifications to customers, reminding them of upcoming payments, failed transactions, and other billing-related issues.

Refund management: Mindbody offers businesses a streamlined process for managing refunds and cancellations, allowing them to easily process refunds, track refunds, and manage customer accounts.

Overall, Mindbody has an extensive list of billing management features to help businesses manage their finances, automating payments, and analyzing their revenue streams.

However, as seen in the screenshot above, Mindbody’s payment and billing functionalities are a major pain point for some users. The payment system can be complex and difficult to navigate, and many gym owners have reported issues with billing errors and slow payment processing. Small business owners have also expressed their frustration over loss of revenue due to frequent malfunctions.

Point of Sale (POS)

Mindbody Online includes a Point of Sale (POS) system to process sales and accept payments on-site. Payments can be made in different ways like cash, credit card, and mobile transactions. It can also create invoices and process refunds and exchanges automatically.

Important! Some users have reported issues with the payment system being slow, and customer support can be slow to respond.

Mindbody also has an inventory management system to help gym owners track their stock levels, receive alerts when supplies are low, and automatically reorder products when needed. This system can also track product sales, margins, and profits to help owners optimize their inventory and pricing strategies.

The reporting and analytics features in Mindbody can generate detailed reports on sales trends, top-selling products, and customer behavior. This can help gym owners make data-driven decisions to grow their businesses.

© Mindbody website

Marketing and Customer Retention for the Health and Wellness Industry

Mindbody’s marketing features help gym owners build customer relationships, promote special offers, and foster loyalty and retention.

Customizable email templates and customer segmentation allow gym owners to tailor their messaging to different types of customers, grouped based on specific shared characteristics.

Custom referral campaigns and loyalty programs incentivize customers to refer friends and family to the gym. Promotions and rewards can include discounts, free classes, or gym merchandise.

Online reviews and reputation management allow owners to monitor and respond to customer reviews across multiple sites.

Customer retention reports give gym owners insights into customer behavior and retention. The system can track metrics such as customer churn rate, class attendance, and purchase history, allowing gym owners to identify trends and take action to retain customers.

Important! Although email automation is widely considered as a valuable feature for retaining customers and managing email databases, the lack of personalization in transactional emails is a common concern among users.

Scheduling and Class Management

As one of its primary features, Mindbody enables gym operators to schedule classes and appointments for their clients. Classes can be created with specific dates, times, and locations, and gym staff can also specify which instructors will be teaching each class. Once set up, members can view the class schedule online and book classes in advance at their leisure.

If a class is fully booked, Mindbody offers a waitlist management feature, which provides members with the option of joining a waitlist for that class. Then, if a spot opens up due to a cancellation, Mindbody can automatically notify the first person on the waitlist and offer them the spot.

In addition, Mindbody’s auto-enroll feature allows gym owners to automatically enroll members in certain classes, which can help save time and reduce administrative work for gym operators. On a similar note, attendance tracking allows staff to track which members attended each class and when, thus enabling them to analyze attendance trends and adjust class schedules accordingly.

The Mindbody suite also provides gym staff with a tool to manage class rosters that gives an overview of the roster for each class. Staff have the option of adding or removing members, as well as checking which members are currently checked in to the class.

Finally, Mindbody’s automated reminder feature is there to help reduce no-shows by sending members automated reminders via email or SMS before their scheduled appointment. Gym owners can customize the content and timing of these reminders to best suit their needs.

Important! According to customer reviews, the scheduling feature offered by Mindbody is regarded as their strong aspect. The platform is noted for its ability to prevent overbooking, particularly when it comes to scheduling group classes. Additionally, users appreciate the user-friendly interface which makes scheduling appointments easy.

Mindbody Pros and Cons

Now that we’ve reviewed Mindbody’s features and functionalities in detail, let’s look at the platform’s commonly noted pros and cons.

Pros (Customization)

• Comprehensive features and functionality. Mindbody offers a wide range of features to help gym, spa, and salon owners manage various aspects of their business, from membership management to marketing to class scheduling.
• Advanced customization options. Many of Mindbody’s features can be customized to fit the unique needs of different businesses. This includes the ability to create custom membership types and pricing, set up email templates, and create referral campaigns and loyalty programs.
• Integrations with other apps and software. Mindbody integrates with various other apps and software, including social media platforms, marketing tools, and accounting software, allowing business owners to streamline and centralize some of their admin work.
• Mobile app: The Mindbody app is available for both gym staff and members, which allows for convenient access to features such as class scheduling and account management on the go.

Cons (Reported Horrible Customer Service & Fees)

• High subscription fees. Mindbody can be expensive for small businesses, particularly those that are just starting out. The platform offers tiered pricing based on the number of staff members and locations, and some of the more advanced features may require additional fees.
• Unresponsive customer support: Some users have reported issues with Mindbody’s customer support, particularly when it comes to technical issues or payment processing.
• Performance issues: Some users have reported lag or slow performance when using certain features of the platform, such as the payment processing system or class registration functionality.
• Steep learning curve. Because Mindbody offers such a wide range of features, it can be overwhelming for some users to navigate and set up initially. This may require some training or additional support to fully take advantage of all the platform has to offer.
• Interface and design. Some users have criticized Mindbody’s UI and overall design as being clunky and not very user-friendly.

Alternatives to Mindbody

Best Mindbody Alternative: Gymdesk

Gymdesk is a membership management software solution that has gained the trust of hundreds of businesses. It offers a wide range of advanced features to help you onboard new members, expand your membership base, and automate your operations.

With Gymdesk, you can take your gym management online and streamline all aspects of your work with the help of some of its top features: 

• Membership management tools, including the ability to create and manage membership types and pricing, track member activity and attendance, and set up automatic membership renewals
• Point-of-sale features, including inventory management and sales reporting
• A range of reporting and analytics tools, including financial reports, attendance reports, and member engagement metrics
• Customer relationship management tools, including email marketing and member communication features
• A scheduling and class management system that allows gym owners to create and manage classes, schedule staff, and track attendance

Some other pros worth mentioning are:

• Easy-to-use interface: Gymdesk’s user-friendly interface is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, providing a seamless user experience for both gym operators and members.
• Advanced skills tracking: Gymdesk allows gym operators to track the skills and progress of their members, providing valuable insights into their training and progress.
• Customizable workout plans: Gymdesk’s workout planner allows trainers to create customized plans for their clients based on their individual goals and needs.
• Mobile app: Gymdesk offers a mobile app that enables members to access their accounts, view workout plans, and track their progress on the go.
• Marketing and communication tools: Gymdesk provides tools for gym operators to communicate with members and promote their services, including customizable email templates, referral campaigns, and loyalty programs.
• Excellent customer support: Gymdesk offers comprehensive customer support, including live chat, video call support, and email assistance, ensuring that gym operators and members receive prompt and helpful assistance when needed.

Sign up for a 30 days free trial and get started in just 5 minutes (no credit card required).

Other Alternatives

You may consider a few other similar services as well:

• Zen Planner is a gym management platform that provides many of the features we have already mentioned above. It is more affordable, customizable, and user-friendly compared to some of its competitors, making it a good option for smaller businesses. However, it may not offer the same level of advanced features and functionality as some of its larger competitors.

• Glofox is a gym management software platform that offers scheduling, membership management, payment processing, and reporting tools. This platform is best suited for boutique fitness studios and smaller gyms.

• Kicksite is a management platform designed specifically for martial arts schools and gyms, making it a good alternative to Mindbody for those in the martial arts industry who require a more specialized solution for their niche.

Best Practices for Using Mindbody

Get to know the software and its features

Before you begin using Mindbody, take the time to explore each feature and how (or whether at all) it can benefit your gym. We have described most of the app’s features and downsides in this article, but if you’re looking to commit to a management platform like this, it would be wise to schedule a demo with their sales rep. 

Train staff and users properly

To ensure that Mindbody is used effectively, especially considering its multitude of functionalities and options, it is important to train staff and gym users on its usage properly. Therefore, should you invest in this solution, hold training sessions and provide guides and other resources to help relevant staff understand the software. This will also help you find out if there are any major bugs or glitches that may impede your operations in any way.

Use automation features

Mindbody offers a number of automation features, including automatic appointment reminders, waitlist management, and membership renewals. Take advantage of these features to save time and reduce administrative work.

Use reporting and analytics

Mindbody’s reporting and analytics features can provide valuable insights into your business performance, including sales trends, customer behavior, and attendance data. Use this information to make data-driven decisions about your business operations, and adjust your strategies as needed. 

Monitor customer reviews

Use Mindbody’s online review and reputation management features to monitor and respond to customer reviews across multiple review sites. Responding to both positive and negative reviews can help build trust with your customers and improve your online reputation.

Conclusion

Ultimately, Mindbody remains a popular management software solution for fitness companies of all kinds but there are better options out there. The software suite is ideal for business owners who want to streamline and automate their operations while utilizing a single tool for numerous parts of their business, such as client management, marketing, and payments.

Mindbody is also great for those who want to keep up with current industry trends, such as incorporating virtual and remote services or technology into workouts and exercise programming.

Before investing in the Mindbody Online app, consider alternative gym software options more suited for smaller fitness businesses in terms of their pricing structures and range of straightforward functionalities.

And if you need a solution right away—sign up for Gymdesk today and use it for free for the next 30 days!

FAQ

Is the MINDBODY app legit?

Yes, the Mindbody app is a legitimate piece of software, and it is widely used by fitness studios, gyms, and wellness centers to manage their business operations.

Is MINDBODY online safe?

Mindbody takes necessary measures to ensure the security and privacy of its users’ information in terms of online safety. The company uses industry-standard encryption and security protocols to protect user data, and regularly undergoes third-party security audits to identify and address any vulnerabilities.

What is MINDBODY used for?

Mindbody is a cloud-based management platform used by businesses in the health and wellness industry to manage various aspects of their operations, including class scheduling, membership management, payments and billing, marketing and promotions, and reporting and analytics.