Cost Comparison Calculator

Compare BuildStability's pricing with competitors.

View buttons: Filter by Solo Trainer or Small Studio
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Assumptions: Listed below each table

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Toggle to see full cost comparison including Stripe processing fees. BuildStability shows standard Stripe pass-through rates.

Scenario 1: Solo Personal Trainer (12-15 Clients/Month)

Solo personal trainers can effectively manage 12-15 active clients per month. This scenario shows costs for a trainer needing:

Training plans and progression scheduling
Billing
Waivers
Training instructional videos

Platform	Base Monthly Cost	Required Add-Ons/Fees	Total Cost	Value/Vulnerability
BuildStability Starter Plan	$20	$0 add-ons All features included: waivers, forms, scheduling, billing, discount codes, payment reminders ✓ Unlimited team members (no per-user fees) Stripe rates only (no markup). See rates	$20	Predictable monthly costs with transparent Stripe rates. We pass through standard Stripe rates at cost: no markup, no penalties, no surprises.
Freemium Transaction-Heavy Model Processing ~$3250/mo	$0	Transaction fees: $140/mo (4.19% + $0.30 per transaction - PushPress free plan rate)	$140Transaction fees only (base plan is free)	Free plan incurs punitive transaction fees on all revenue See FAQ: Transaction fees
Generic Scheduling (Requires Paid Upgrade) Not fitness-specific; no fitness tools included	$0	Class scheduling: $15 to $40/mo upgrade required No fitness-specific features (no workout plans, progression tracking, or fitness waivers)	$15 to $40	Not fitness-specific: Generic scheduling tool with no workout plans, progression tracking, fitness waivers, or training instructional videos. Requires paid upgrade for class scheduling. See FAQ: Included features
Death-by-Add-On Pricing Base plan includes basic scheduling only	$30	True Cost Breakdown: Base price: $30/mo Forms/waivers: +$10/mo Video file storage: +$10/mo Calculated Base: $50/mo	$50	Core features like waivers and forms require paid add-ons. Costs increase as you add more features. See FAQ: Included features
Processor Lock-In Platforms Base: $99/mo	$99	Gateway Penalty Math: Base subscription: $99/mo Third-Party Gateway Fee: +$20/mo Calculated Base: $119/mo *Penalty charged if you try to use an external processor (like Stripe) to avoid their integrated proprietary rates.	$119	High price floor and processor lock-in. Pay $20/mo penalty to use your own processor, or be locked into their rates. See FAQ: Processor penalty
Commission-Based Platforms Base subscription: $129/mo minimum	$129	20% commission on new client revenue Example: 3 new clients/mo × $250/mo = $150/mo commission Commission charged on revenue from clients acquired through their platform Note: Base plan includes limited staff; additional staff may incur per-user fees (typically $12/mo per staff member)	$279$129 + $150 commission	Highest base price ($129/mo) plus 20% commission on all new client revenue. Your costs increase with every new client you acquire. See FAQ: Commissions
Per-Client Tier + Add-On Pricing Price scales with client count	$70	True Cost Breakdown: Pro plan (up to 30 clients): $70/mo Stripe payments add-on: +$10/mo Video coaching add-on: +$10/mo Calculated Base: $90/mo	$90	Per-client pricing tiers increase costs as you grow. Integrated payments and video coaching require paid add-ons. Custom branded app costs $169 one-time setup.
Flat Rate + Branded App Add-On Up to 50 clients included	$59	Optional Add-Ons: Branded mobile app: +$36/mo SMS credits: $7 to $40/pack *Branded app strongly recommended for client-facing experience	$59$95 with branded app	Branded app costs extra ($36/mo). SMS notifications require credit purchases. No built-in video hosting for exercise demos.
Workout-Focused, Limited Business Tools Unlimited clients included	$52	None (flat rate, unlimited clients) Limited payment methods (no invoices). No calendar integrations (e.g., Google Calendar).	$52	Strong for workout programming, limited for business management. No invoice generation, limited payment options, no calendar integrations. May need supplementary tools.

Assumptions: 13 clients/month; average solo fee $250/month; "Freemium" transaction fees calculated at 4.19% + $0.30 per transaction; commission examples assume 3 new clients/month. "Per-Client Tier" pricing based on the plan tier covering up to 30 clients. BuildStability transaction fees assume a blended payment mix of 70% card payments (2.9% + $0.30) and 30% direct debit (0.8% (capped at $5)), reflecting that recurring fitness billing often uses a mix of saved cards and bank direct debit. All Stripe rates are pass-through at cost with no markup — see current Stripe rates. Some platforms charge a percentage-only fee (no per-transaction fee) in certain jurisdictions. Currency conversions for display: 1 USD ≈ A$1.50 ≈ £0.80 ≈ €0.90 ≈ C$1.35. Competitor pricing based on publicly available information as of January 2026.

Scenario 2: Small Studio (3 Trainers/Staff, 50-100 Clients)

Small studios (yoga, pilates, boutique fitness, personal training) with 3 trainers/staff can effectively manage 50-100 active clients. This scenario shows costs for a studio needing:

Staff management
Training plans and progression scheduling
Billing
Waivers
Check-in
Recurring memberships
Training instructional videos

Note: Many platforms charge per user/staff member. BuildStability includes unlimited team members at no extra cost.

Platform	Base Monthly Cost	Required Add-Ons/Fees	Total Cost	Value/Vulnerability
BuildStability Pro Plan	$60	$0 add-ons All features included: waivers, forms, check-in, website, team management, discount codes, payment reminders ✓ Unlimited team members (no per-user fees) Stripe rates only (no markup). See rates	$60	Predictable monthly costs with transparent Stripe rates. We pass through standard Stripe rates at cost: no markup, no penalties, no surprises.
High Price Floor Platforms All-inclusive but expensive entry point	$99	None (All features included)	$99	High price floor ($99/mo minimum) limits entry for small startups. All features included but expensive entry point.
Death-by-Add-On Pricing Base plan: $50/mo for 3 staff members Additional staff members cost extra	$50	True Cost Breakdown: Base price: $50/mo Forms/waivers: +$10/mo Check-in app: +$10/mo Video storage: +$10/mo Calculated Base: $80/mo *Additional staff >3 cost $12/mo each	$80	The "Add-On Trap": Essential features cost extra. Branded mobile apps can cost $200+/month. Costs escalate quickly as you grow. See FAQ: Included features
Freemium Transaction-Heavy Model	$159 (Pro Plan)	None (Upgrade needed to lower 4.19% transaction fee)	$159	Forced to pay high subscription fee simply to achieve lower processing rates See FAQ: Transaction fees
Processor Lock-In Platforms Base: $99/mo	$99	$20/mo penalty if using external processor (e.g., Stripe) Or use their processor (no penalty, but locked into their rates)	$119	High composite costs for essential tools and processor lock-in. Pay $20/mo penalty to use your own processor, or be locked into their rates. See FAQ: Processor penalty
Commission-Based Platforms Base subscription: $129/mo minimum	$129	20% commission on new client revenue Example: 5 new clients/mo × avg $190/mo = $190/mo commission Commission charged on revenue from clients acquired through their platform Note: Base plan includes limited staff; additional staff may incur per-user fees (typically $12/mo per staff member)	$319$129 + $190 commission	Highest base price ($129/mo) plus 20% commission on all new client revenue. Your costs increase with every new client you acquire, penalizing growth. See FAQ: Commissions
Per-Client Tier + Add-On Pricing Studio plan (up to 500 clients)	$250	None at Studio tier (payments, video, branded app included) Massive price jump from Pro ($70 for 30 clients) to Studio ($250 for 500 clients)	$250	Expensive Studio tier ($250/mo). Steep price jump from Pro. Small studios with 50-100 clients forced to pay for 500-client capacity. See detailed Trainerize vs BuildStability comparison →
Flat Rate + Branded App Add-On Unlimited clients at higher tier	$109	True Cost Breakdown: Base plan (unlimited clients): $109/mo Branded mobile app: +$36/mo Calculated Base: $145/mo *SMS credits extra ($7 to $40/pack)	$145$109 + $36 branded app	Branded app is a paid add-on ($36/mo). SMS notifications require separate credit purchases. No built-in video hosting for exercise demos.
Workout-Focused, Limited Business Tools Unlimited clients, flat rate	$59	None (flat rate, unlimited clients) Limited payment methods (no invoices). No calendar integrations. Not designed for multi-trainer studio management.	$59	Affordable but limited for studios. No invoice generation, limited payment options, no calendar integrations. Lacks staff management, check-in, and advanced studio features.

Assumptions: 75 clients/month (about 60% solo at $250/month, about 40% group at $100/month); "Freemium" transaction fees calculated at 4.19% + $0.30 per transaction; commission examples assume 5 new clients/month. "Per-Client Tier" pricing based on Studio plan for up to 500 clients. "Flat Rate + Branded App" uses higher-tier plan for unlimited clients. BuildStability transaction fees assume a blended payment mix of 55% card payments (2.9% + $0.30) and 45% direct debit (0.8% (capped at $5)), reflecting that studios with recurring memberships typically have higher direct debit adoption. All Stripe rates are pass-through at cost with no markup — see current Stripe rates. Some platforms charge a percentage-only fee (no per-transaction fee) in certain jurisdictions. Currency conversions for display: 1 USD ≈ A$1.50 ≈ £0.80 ≈ €0.90 ≈ C$1.35. Competitor pricing based on publicly available information as of January 2026.

Understanding the Hidden Costs in Fitness Software

The "Add-On" Illusion

Many platforms advertise a low base price (e.g., $50/mo) that only includes bare-bones scheduling. To actually run your business, you're forced to buy add-ons: forms/waivers (+$10), check-in apps (+$10), video file storage (+$10), and extra staff seats. Your true cost quickly doubles or triples as your business grows.

Processor Lock-In & Penalties

Some platforms heavily push their own proprietary payment processors boasting higher rates (e.g., 2.97% + $0.47 per transaction) packed with hidden fees like PCI compliance charges. If you try to bring your own transparent Stripe account to avoid this, they penalize you with a strict monthly "Third-Party Gateway Fee".

Hidden Transaction Fee Markups

Standard Stripe processing is transparent (2.9% + $0.30), but many platforms inflate your cost in two ways. Some run captive in-house processors at steep rates like 3.5%+ on every online transaction — and their Terms of Service often forbid passing these fees to clients, forcing you to eat the margin. Others advertise "$0/mo" plans funded by punitive 4%+ transaction markups that quietly cost more than a paid subscription on $3250/mo in revenue.

Per-Client Tier Pricing

Some platforms charge based on how many clients you have, with steep jumps between tiers. A trainer with 13 clients might pay the same as one with 30. Worse, essential features like integrated payments and video coaching are often paid add-ons on lower tiers, only becoming "included" at premium price points.

The "Cheap on Paper" Trap

Some workout-focused platforms offer low flat rates with unlimited clients, but strip out essential business tools. No invoicing, no calendar integrations, limited payment methods, and no multi-trainer management. You end up paying for separate scheduling, invoicing, and communication tools on top — often exceeding the cost of an all-in-one platform.

Commission on Your Growth

Some platforms take a percentage of revenue from every new client acquired through their marketplace — typically around 20%. This means the more successful your marketing is, the more you pay. A studio gaining 5 new clients per month could lose hundreds in commissions on top of an already premium subscription fee.