Gymdesk vs Zen Planner
Gymdesk scores 7.8/10 vs 7.2/10. Best for: Small to mid-size gyms, martial arts schools, and CrossFit boxes that want all features included at every tier with no contracts.
Gymdesk scores higher overall at 7.8/10 vs 7.2/10. Gymdesk is an excellent choice for small gyms and martial arts schools that want simple, transparent pricing with all features unlocked from day one. The included free website and member app add strong value. Best suited for facilities with under 400 members who value simplicity over enterprise-grade analytics.
Gymdesk 
Zen Planner Rank
#10 of 21
Rank
#17 of 21
Features
15/18
Features
18/18
Starting at
$75/mo
Starting at
$99/mo
User reviews
4.8/5 (167)
User reviews
4.3/5 (365)
What they cost
| Gymdesk | Zen Planner | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting at | $75 /mo | $99 /mo |
| Free trial | Free tier available | No |
| Number of plans | 4 | 4 |
What the pricing really means
At first glance, Gymdesk looks cheaper at $75/month vs $99/month. But sticker price is only part of the story. Look at what is included on the base plan, how many users you get, and whether you need add-ons to get the features you actually need. The $99/month plan that requires $200 in add-ons is actually more expensive than the $250/month plan that includes everything.
Where Gymdesk wins
- All features are included in every plan with no feature gating or upselling
- Exceptional customer support with response times consistently within hours
- Free gym website included with every account, ready to use immediately
- No contracts, no hidden fees, and a free plan for up to 15 active members after trial ends
Where Zen Planner wins
- Member-count pricing with no feature gating: you get every feature at every price level, from $99/mo (0-50 members) up to $348/mo (251+ members)
- Belt and rank tracking built in for martial arts schools. Karate, BJJ, and taekwondo gyms can track student progression without a separate system
- All core features included at the base price. Scheduling, billing, attendance, and member management are never locked behind an upgrade
- Month-to-month contract. No annual commitment, cancel any time without penalty
Where Gymdesk falls short
- No dedicated staff mobile app, only a member-facing app
- Reporting tools are basic and lack advanced custom report building
- No built-in payroll management features
- Smaller company with a less mature ecosystem of integrations compared to larger competitors
Where Zen Planner falls short
- Add-ons inflate costs fast: website ($99/mo), marketing ($249/mo), and branded app ($39/mo) can push total spend over $500/mo
- Users report persistent bugs in scheduling and billing modules. Expect occasional glitches that require workarounds or support tickets
- Some gym owners report difficulty canceling their account or getting refunds for overbilled months
- Workout programming is basic compared to Exercise.com or Wodify. Strength and conditioning coaches will find it limiting
Who is each product built for?
Gymdesk
Target: 1-400 members
Gymdesk is an excellent choice for small gyms and martial arts schools that want simple, transparent pricing with all features unlocked from day one. The included free website and member app add strong value. Best suited for facilities with under 400 members who value simplicity over enterprise-grade analytics.
Zen Planner
Target: 1-5 locations
Buy Zen Planner if you run a single-location martial arts school, CrossFit box, or yoga studio under 300 members and want simple, transparent pricing with all features included. Skip if you need marketing automation or a branded app without paying $250+/mo in add-ons, because the extras get expensive fast.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Gymdesk | Zen Planner |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduling & Booking | ||
| Class/session scheduling | ||
| Online booking | ||
| Attendance tracking | ||
| Members & Staff | ||
| Member management | ||
| Membership plans | ||
| Staff management | ||
| Client portal/app | ||
| Payments & Billing | ||
| Payment processing | ||
| Automated billing | ||
| Retail/POS | ||
| Fitness Tools | ||
| Workout/program builder | ||
| Mobile app (client) | ||
| Mobile app (staff) | ||
| Waivers/forms | ||
| Marketing & Growth | ||
| Website builder | ||
| Marketing/email tools | ||
| Reporting/analytics | ||
| Integrations/API | ||
Common questions
Gymdesk scores 7.8/10 vs Zen Planner's 7.2/10 in our ranking. Gymdesk is the better pick for 1-400 members. Zen Planner is better if you need single-location martial arts schools, crossfit boxes, and yoga studios under 300 members who want transparent member-count pricing with no feature gating.
Gymdesk starts at $75/month. Zen Planner starts at $99/month. Watch for add-on costs — the base price often does not include all features. Pricing last verified 2026-03-01.
Gymdesk: Yes, 30-day free trial. Zen Planner: No free trial. Always test with your actual workflow before committing to an annual plan.
Gymdesk covers 15 of 18 features we track. Zen Planner covers 18 of 18. Zen Planner has broader feature coverage, but more features does not always mean better — pick the tool that covers what your business actually needs.
No, Gymdesk does not have a mobile app. Zen Planner does not have one either.
Yes. The main effort is migrating your data (customer lists, job history, invoices). Plan for 1-2 weeks of overlap where you run both. Most gym & fitness studio tools can import CSV data. Ask both vendors about migration support before you sign.
The bottom line
Pick Gymdesk if...
Small to mid-size gyms, martial arts schools, and CrossFit boxes that want all features included at every tier with no contracts.
Pick Zen Planner if...
Single-location martial arts schools, CrossFit boxes, and yoga studios under 300 members who want transparent member-count pricing with no feature gating