Compare the cost of the working setup you need
You might need class booking, recurring memberships, waivers, customer records, retail checkout and help getting your team started. A plan that covers only part of that list can leave you paying for additional features or keeping separate subscriptions.
SIXPAC addresses that problem by including scheduling, memberships, waivers, customer management, POS, inventory and reporting in its software plans. You can see the software price, choose the support level you need and review payment costs separately.
Our approach is straightforward: the core tools are included, and the costs of support options and payment services are explained clearly. Here is how to compare that approach with the setup you use today.
Start with the work your software has to do
Write down the workflows you need today:
- Book group classes and private appointments.
- Sell memberships and class packs.
- Collect waivers and signed documents.
- Keep customer notes, purchases and payment history together.
- Sell merchandise and track inventory.
- Review sales and customer activity.
Then mark the tools you must keep, such as accounting or specialized workout programming. A broader operating platform may replace several subscriptions while still leaving a specialist tool worth paying for.
Separate the base plan from the configured price
For each provider, request a quote for the same number of staff, bookable calendars, customers and locations. List each required feature alongside its cost and confirm whether it is included, optional or unavailable.
Pricing structures vary. Vagaro's U.S. pricing page describes an a la carte model and additional bookable-calendar charges with a cap structure. Gymdesk's pricing is organized by active-member tiers, and its software rates also depend on the processing option selected. Those approaches can suit different businesses; they also mean the starting price may not describe your exact setup.
An optional feature can be worth its cost. Make sure the quote includes the features you plan to activate and the ongoing price after any introductory offer.
Current vendor pricing: Vagaro U.S. pricing and Gymdesk pricing.
Build a comparison you can check again next month
Use this worksheet for each option:
| Cost component | Your monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Base software subscription | $____ / month |
| Extra calendar, user or member-tier charges | $____ / month |
| Required feature modules | $____ / month |
| Messaging or other usage charges | $____ / month |
| Outside tools you still need | $____ / month |
| Ongoing onboarding/support charges, if any | $____ / month |
| Configured recurring software total | $____ / month |
Record one-time setup, migration and hardware costs separately. Include them when comparing the first-year budget, but keep them separate from the recurring monthly total.
For illustration, a hypothetical $40 base subscription plus $20 for forms, $20 for a separate CRM and $15 for retail software totals $95 per month. That is $1,140 over twelve months before processing, tax, hardware or one-time charges.
Those amounts are an example, not a quote from any provider. The point is to compare the complete setup rather than multiplying only the advertised base price by twelve.
Compare payment costs separately
Having payments inside the software does not mean processing transactions is free.
Ask for the current processing terms, any monthly payment-service charge and the hardware your business needs. Compare estimates using the same sales volume, transaction count and mix of in-person and online payments.
Keep processing costs visible alongside the software total. A lower subscription alone does not establish the lower overall operating cost.
Check what your support plan includes
Ask who will help import records, configure memberships and train your staff. Confirm which support channels are available on the plan you are comparing and whether a particular service costs extra.
Software features and support access can be packaged differently. A higher support tier may be valuable when you need implementation help, even if the underlying software tools are the same.
Test one normal day before you commit
Bring a realistic scenario to the demo: a customer books a class, signs a waiver, buys a pass and purchases a retail item.
Ask the provider to show where staff find that customer's booking, document, pass balance, purchase and payment history. Then ask which reports help you review the activity.
That walkthrough helps establish whether the quoted setup covers the work you need or leaves a separate tool and manual handoff in place. It also gives you a practical way to evaluate concerns you have seen in customer reviews.
The SIXPAC solution: core tools included, costs explained
You should be able to understand the software you are buying and the bill you can expect. SIXPAC puts the core operating tools in the software plan and publishes the distinctions between software, support and payment services.
| What you are comparing | How SIXPAC presents it |
|---|---|
| Core business software | CORE starts at $36/month; the full core system is included across software plans. |
| Customer and team-member access | Unlimited customers and team members included. |
| Onboarding and ongoing support | Published tiers explain the service level you receive. |
| Payment service | Listed separately at $5 per month when selected. |
| Transaction processing | Separate fees; review the terms for your payment setup. |
Scheduling, memberships, waivers, customer management, POS, inventory and reporting belong to the core software system. There are no separate software-feature charges to unlock those core tools. Customers and team members are unlimited, and the published support tiers explain the help included with each plan.
For example, CORE software at $36 plus the listed $5 monthly payment service totals $41 per month before transaction fees, applicable taxes and any other separately quoted costs for your setup. Choosing a higher support tier changes the subscription price. That breakdown lets you compare the components clearly.
Ask us to walk through the full quote for your studio, including the support plan you choose, payment terms and any hardware or other costs relevant to your setup. You should know which charges are recurring, which are one-time and which depend on usage.
SIXPAC does not replace every specialist application. Keep accounting, payroll or workout-programming tools when your business needs them, and include those costs in the comparison.
Run the numbers for your studio
Use the existing SIXPAC Studio Savings Calculator to list your current software costs and estimated administrative time. Then compare those costs with a SIXPAC plan that includes the core tools your studio needs. Keep subscription savings separate from the value you assign to staff time, and treat the result as an estimate.
Calculate your studio software cost
Want to see the included tools and review the full price for your setup? Book a SIXPAC walkthrough
Comparing Vagaro and SIXPAC for your setup?
Next, check whether the setup gives your team the answers it needs. Read Gym Software Reporting: What to Test Before You Switch.