5 Best Zen Planner Alternatives for Fitness in 2025
Compare the best Zen Planner alternatives for fitness from Exercise.com, Glofox, Trainerize, and more.
Finding the best Zen Planner alternatives for fitness is crucial for gym owners, personal trainers, yoga studios, and martial arts schools seeking a software solution tailored to their needs. While Zen Planner is a popular choice, other platforms offer enhanced flexibility, customization, and scalability.
This article explores top Zen Planner alternatives, including Exercise.com, Trainerize, Glofox, Mindbody, and Momence, to help you determine the best Zen Planner alternative for fitness businesses.
If youāre searching for the best Zen Planner alternative for gyms or the best Zen Planner alternative for personal trainers, this guide evaluates each platform based on key features like mobile apps, workout programming, invoicing, custom branding, and marketing automations. Discover why Exercise.com is the top Zen Planner competitor for fitness professionals. From the best gym software, the best yoga studio software, the best martial arts software, or the best personal training software, Exercise.com is the best Zen Planner competitor for fitness businesses that want to scale and grow.
Comparison Table: Zen Planner Alternatives
| Platform | Booking | Mobile Apps | Workouts | Custom Branded | Payments | Waivers | Invoicing | Assessments | Messaging | Marketing | Automations | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise.com | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trainerize | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Glofox | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mindbody | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Momence | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| Zen Planner | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes |
#1 Exercise.com
Exercise.com is the best Zen Planner alternative for fitness businesses, offering a fully customizable platform for gyms, personal trainers, yoga studios, and martial arts schools. Its all-in-one solution simplifies operations and enhances client engagement.
Pros
- Comprehensive features for booking, invoicing, assessments, and workouts
- Custom-branded mobile apps to enhance brand recognition
- Advanced marketing automations for client retention
- Detailed reporting tools for business performance tracking
- Outstanding customer support and onboarding services
Cons
- Higher upfront cost compared to simpler platforms
- Advanced features require a learning curve
Exercise.com stands out with its custom-branded fitness mobile apps, allowing fitness businesses to provide seamless booking, workout tracking, and payment processing under their branding. Its detailed fitness assessment tracking tools and robust fitness marketing automations make it the ideal platform for businesses looking to scale and provide personalized services.
Compared to Zen Planner, Exercise.com offers unmatched flexibility and fitness-specific features, making it the best Zen Planner alternative for gyms and studios of all sizes. Exercise.com stands out as the superior alternative to Zen Planner for fitness businesses. Here’s a comparison table highlighting the key advantages of Exercise.com over Zen Planner:
| Feature | Exercise.com | Zen Planner |
|---|---|---|
| Customization | Fully customizable platform | Limited customization options |
| Branded apps | Custom-branded web and mobile apps | Generic app interface |
| Exercise library | Extensive library with custom exercise options | Challenging to use, no built-in exercise library |
| Workout software | Advanced, versatile system for creating and delivering workouts | Basic workout planning features |
| Fitness assessments | Comprehensive fitness assessment software | No assessment features |
| Nutrition tracking | Included in the platform | Not included |
| Business management | All-in-one solution for various fitness business types | Focused on specific segments (e.g., martial arts schools) |
| Client engagement | Enhanced features for client engagement and progress tracking | Basic client management tools |
| E-commerce | Comprehensive e-commerce capabilities | Limited e-commerce features |
| Integrations | Zapier support for thousands of app integrations | No dedicated Zapier support |
| Appointment scheduling | Easy drag-and-drop interface | Cumbersome process for changing appointments |
| Performance tracking | Advanced performance tracking and progress monitoring | Limited tracking capabilities |
Exercise.com offers a more comprehensive and versatile solution for fitness businesses compared to Zen Planner. While Zen Planner caters to specific segments within the fitness industry, Exercise.com provides a holistic approach that addresses all aspects of running a fitness business.
Exercise.com emerges as the best Zen Planner alternative by offering a more comprehensive, customizable, and scalable solution for fitness businesses, making it the superior choice for fitness professionals looking to grow and manage their businesses effectively.
Process payments for open gym, classes, and personal training.
Create gym landing pages easily.
Manage fitness challenges (Read More: 100+ Fitness Challenge Ideas)
Offer on-demand fitness content.
Create classes and fitness groups.
Conduct gym livestreaming easily.
Engage with members via automations.
Manage leads with a gym CRM.
Create and send fitness assessments with ease.
Use fitness habit tracking to inspire and motivate gym members and clients.
Use fitness progress photos to engage with members.
Use fitness leaderboards to track event performance and inspire healthy competition.
Create exercise supersets in a snap.
Program exercise rep max progressions with ease.
Use the exercise demonstration video library or create your own custom exercise demonstration videos.
Create workout plans for parents and dependents, teams and more.
Cast gym TV workouts to in-gym TV screens quickly and efficiently.
Manage multiple gym locations with ease.
Manage gym members with ease.
Book appointments for parents and dependents with ease. (Read More: Best Gym Booking Software)
Gym check-in software that makes your life easy. (Read More: Best Gym Check-In Software)
Communicate with gym members, athletes, team members, personal training clients, class members, parents, and dependents via SMS, email, and in-app push notification.
View performance over time, track personal records, and other fitness stats with performance reporting dashboards.
And of course, view all of your gym business reports easily too.
All from your custom-branded fitness apps (Read More: Best Gym Mobile Fitness Apps Software) Many people think they want to make a fitness app all on their own, but what they really want is the speed and efficiency of a custom branded fitness app using the best white label fitness app builder software: Exercise.com.
The fully customizable platform and custom-branded fitness apps of Exercise.com enhance professional image and client engagement. The advanced workout software, extensive exercise library, and comprehensive assessment tools allow fitness professionals to create highly personalized workout plans and track client progress effectively.
Exercise.com’s robust e-commerce capabilities, easy-to-use fitness scheduling system, and integration options provide a more streamlined and efficient fitness business management experience. The all-in-one nature of Exercise.com’s platform eliminates the need for multiple subscriptions, potentially saving time and money for fitness businesses.
#2 Trainerize
Trainerize is a fitness platform designed for personal trainers and small studios. It emphasizes remote coaching and client engagement.
Pros
- Excellent tools for remote coaching
- Integration with fitness apps and wearables
- Affordable for individual trainers
Cons
- Limited branding and customization options
- Basic business management tools
Trainerize excels in providing digital workout programming and client communication, making it a good choice for personal trainers. However, its limited branding options and lack of advanced business management features make it less versatile compared to Exercise.com.
While Trainerize is a strong option for remote coaching, it falls short of the all-in-one capabilities of Exercise.com, which is better suited for gyms and fitness businesses seeking scalability.
#3 Glofox
Glofox is a sleek and intuitive gym management platform designed for boutique fitness studios and small gyms.
Pros
- User-friendly interface with modern design
- Comprehensive booking and payment tools
- Marketing features like email campaigns
Cons
- Limited assessment and workout programming features
- Higher cost for premium features
Glofoxās simplicity and design make it an appealing option for smaller fitness businesses. However, its lack of advanced tools for assessments and detailed reporting may not meet the needs of larger gyms or trainers with diverse client demands.
Compared to Glofox, Exercise.com provides a more robust and customizable platform, making it the best Zen Planner alternative for fitness businesses aiming to grow and scale.
#4 Mindbody
Mindbody is a well-known platform for managing fitness studios, gyms, and wellness centers. It offers a broad range of tools for scheduling, memberships, and client management.
Pros
- Comprehensive booking and payment tools
- Marketing features like email campaigns and promotions
- Strong analytics and reporting tools
Cons
- Higher cost for premium features
- Complex interface may overwhelm smaller businesses
Mindbodyās extensive feature set makes it a popular choice for fitness studios, but its complexity and cost may deter smaller operations. Compared to Zen Planner, Mindbody offers more tools but lacks the fitness-specific focus and customizability of Exercise.com.
For businesses seeking an intuitive yet powerful platform, Exercise.com remains the best Zen Planner alternative for gyms and fitness studios.
#5 Momence
Momence is a flexible platform designed for fitness studios and instructors. It offers essential tools for scheduling, payments, and client management.
Pros
- Affordable pricing for small businesses
- Simple tools for scheduling and payments
- Useful client communication features
Cons
- Limited advanced features like workout programming
- Reporting tools are less detailed
Momence provides a straightforward solution for fitness businesses that need basic scheduling and payment processing tools. Its affordability makes it attractive for smaller studios, but it lacks advanced features like assessments and branded apps.
Compared to Exercise.com, Momenceās limited capabilities make it less suitable for scaling fitness businesses. Exercise.com offers the depth and flexibility needed to grow and succeed.
Who is Zen Planner’s biggest competitor?
Zen Planner’s biggest competitor is Exercise.com, which offers a fully customizable platform for fitness business management. Other notable competitors include Glofox, Mindbody, and WellnessLiving, which provide similar tools for scheduling, payments, and client engagement.
How many gyms use Zen Planner?
Zen Planner is used by thousands of gyms worldwide, particularly small to mid-sized fitness facilities. The exact number of gyms using the platform is not publicly disclosed but represents a significant portion of its client base.
How many fitness businesses use Zen Planner?
Zen Planner supports thousands of fitness businesses globally, including gyms, martial arts studios, yoga centers, and CrossFit boxes. Its features cater to a variety of fitness niches.
What are the best Zen Planner alternatives for fitness businesses?
The best Zen Planner alternatives for fitness businesses include Exercise.com, Glofox, and Mindbody. Exercise.com stands out with its comprehensive, customizable features that allow businesses to manage scheduling, memberships, and branded apps seamlessly.
What are the best Zen Planner alternatives for gyms?
For gyms, the best Zen Planner alternatives are Exercise.com, WellnessLiving, and Glofox. Exercise.com offers robust tools for performance tracking, multi-location management, and automated billing, making it a top choice for gym owners.
What are the best Zen Planner alternatives for yoga studios?
Yoga studios can consider Exercise.com, Momence, and WellnessLiving as alternatives to Zen Planner. Exercise.com provides class scheduling, client engagement tools, and branded apps tailored to the needs of yoga businesses.
What are the best Zen Planner alternatives for personal trainers?
Personal trainers looking for Zen Planner alternatives should explore Exercise.com, Trainerize, and TrueCoach. Exercise.com provides advanced client management, workout delivery, and payment processing tools specifically designed for trainers.
What are the best Zen Planner alternatives for martial arts?
Martial arts businesses seeking alternatives to Zen Planner can consider Exercise.com, MyStudio, and Glofox. Exercise.com supports martial arts studios with features like class management, automated payments, and tools for delivering skill-specific programs.
How much does Zen Planner cost per month?
Zen Planner pricing starts at $117 per month for small fitness businesses, with costs increasing based on the number of members and additional features. Businesses should contact Zen Planner for a customized quote based on their specific needs.
Is Zen Planner HIPAA compliant?
No, Zen Planner is not HIPAA compliant. Businesses handling sensitive health data should consider alternatives like Exercise.com for secure and compliant data management.
What percent does Zen Planner take?
Zen Planner charges standard payment processing fees through its integrated payment system, which typically includes a percentage of each transaction plus a flat fee. The exact rates depend on the payment processor agreement.
Who owns Zen Planner?
Zen Planner is owned by Daxko, a company specializing in software solutions for fitness and wellness businesses.
What is the difference between Gymdesk and Zen Planner?
The main difference between Gymdesk and Zen Planner lies in their target audience and features. Gymdesk is designed for simplicity, focusing on membership management and scheduling, while Zen Planner offers more robust tools, including performance tracking and automation. Exercise.com surpasses both by offering fully customizable solutions for diverse fitness businesses.
How do I cancel my Zen Planner gym membership?
To cancel a Zen Planner gym membership, contact your gym directly, as the membership management is handled by the individual fitness facility rather than Zen Planner itself. Follow their cancellation policies and procedures to complete the process.
Is Zen Planner down?
If Zen Planner is down, it could be due to scheduled maintenance or technical issues. Check Zen Planner’s status page or contact their customer support for updates.
Is there an app similar to Zen Planner?
Yes, apps similar to Zen Planner include Exercise.com, Glofox, and Mindbody. Exercise.com stands out with its customizable branded apps and comprehensive features for managing fitness businesses.
What is the top fitness app alternative to Zen Planner?
The top fitness app alternative to Zen Planner is Exercise.com, which offers all-in-one solutions for scheduling, client management, payment processing, and branded app creation, making it ideal for fitness businesses of all sizes.
Do you have to pay for Zen Planner?
Yes, Zen Planner is a paid platform, with pricing starting at $117 per month. Costs increase based on the number of members and additional features.
Why is Exercise.com the best Zen Planner alternative for fitness businesses?
Exercise.com is the best Zen Planner alternative because it offers a fully customizable platform with all-in-one tools for fitness businesses. Unlike Zen Planner, Exercise.com includes branded apps, advanced reporting, and workout delivery without requiring costly add-ons. Its scalability and exceptional customer support make it ideal for gyms, studios, and trainers.
