A Mindbody Alternative Built for Martial Arts Schools: Fees and Features Compared
Reviewed by Jonathan Yee, Dojo Champ. Mindbody fees verified Oct 9, 2026 from Mindbody's pricing page and support documentation.
Our verdict
Mindbody is broad fitness, beauty and wellness software. It starts at $79/month per location, and its higher tiers (Accelerate and Ultimate) are priced by quote. When its consumer app brings you a brand-new client, Mindbody charges a 20% new-client commission, capped at $30, on that client's first purchase. Dojo Champ is software built only for martial arts schools, at a flat $199/month for unlimited students. It charges no marketplace commission, and card payments run through Stripe at standard rates with no extra platform fee. Choose Mindbody if the app's marketplace exposure matters to you. Choose Dojo Champ if you want belt ranks, churn prediction and fees you can predict.
Why Schools Choose Dojo Champ
No marketplace commission
Flat $199/month, unlimited students
Belt ranks and churn prediction built in
Mindbody fees explained
From Mindbody's own pricing page and support documentation.
| Fee | What Mindbody publishes |
|---|---|
| Subscription | Starter "starting at $79 USD/month per location" (North America and Asia). Accelerate and Ultimate: contact sales. |
| Additional staff | No fee. Unlimited users per location on all plans. Price rises with each location. |
| Payment processing (Mindbody Payments) | A processing rate plus a fixed $0.10 to $0.30 per transaction. The rate varies by card-present vs card-not-present and payment type. |
| New-client commission (Mindbody app) | 20% of the purchase price excluding tax, capped at $30, charged once on the first eligible purchase by someone new to your business whom the app delivered. No fee if the client already knew you, came through a tracked referral link, or names you as how they found you. |
| Promoted intro offers and dynamic pricing | 20% of the promoted intro offer or dynamic-pricing purchase made through the Mindbody app. |
| Onboarding | No onboarding fee. Data transfer service available ("fees may apply"). |
| Contract | "Depends on the specific plan and billing terms you signed up for"; cancellation "may require advance notice." |
Worked example. A new student finds your school on the Mindbody app and buys a $199 first month. 20% would be $39.80, so the $30 cap applies, on top of processing. On Dojo Champ, the same $199 payment through your own landing page costs the Stripe fee only, about $6.07 at 2.9% + $0.30 on a US card. Compare totals on our software pricing page.
What owners are reporting
An August 2026 write-up by Studio Software Advice describes a 2026 Better Business Bureau complaint disputing a 20% "finder's fee", including a $40 fee on a $200 package, and says Mindbody's response mentioned credits and a review of the billing concerns. A social media post on Oct 7, 2026 described a similar complaint. We could not open the BBB record directly. The amount reported is higher than the $30 cap Mindbody publishes today, which may mean the complaint involved a different fee type or an earlier policy. If you use Mindbody, check your Payouts and Network Fees reports and ask your rep how "new client" is determined.
Who should pick Mindbody instead
- You run yoga, Pilates or fitness alongside martial arts, and you book appointments or rooms.
- You want new clients from a consumer marketplace and are fine paying a capped per-client commission for them.
- You want an enterprise vendor with financing (Mindbody Capital) and a broad partner ecosystem.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Dojo Champ Recommended | Mindbody |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Martial arts schools only | Fitness, beauty and wellness businesses |
| Price | $199/mo flat, unlimited students | From $79/mo per location; higher tiers by quote |
| Extra locations | Included | Priced per location |
| Marketplace commission | None | 20% of a new client's first app purchase, max $30 |
| Processing | Stripe standard rates, no platform fee | Rate plus $0.10 to $0.30 per transaction |
| Belt and rank tracking | Built in | Not listed on the pricing page |
| Churn prediction | Churn risk score on every student | No published predictive score |
| Website and landing pages | Hosted site and landing pages | Customized Website on the entry plan |
| Automated email and SMS marketing | Included (2,000 emails/day, 100 SMS credits) | Ultimate plan |
| Consumer marketplace | No | Yes, the Mindbody app |
| Free trial | 30 days, card required, first charge on day 31 | Demo via sales |
Transparent Pricing Comparison
Dojo ChampBest Value
$199/month, unlimited students
- All features included
- No setup fees
- 30-day free trial
- Cancel anytime
Mindbody
From $79/month per location
Mindbody publishes only the Starter price. Accelerate and Ultimate are by quote, and processing plus app commissions are charged on top.
What Schools Say About Switching
"The automated billing is flawless and has saved us countless hours chasing payments. It understands the needs of a dojo, especially belt tracking and class scheduling."
Stacey Bessmer
Martial arts school owner · Trustpilot
"Dojo Champ is an all-encompassing management software that has made managing our school much easier. The class check-in system makes it very easy to track student progress."
Derek L.
Capterra review
When Dojo Champ Is the Better Fit
Belt ranks and family billing
Ranks, promotions and family accounts are central to the product, not bolted on.
One predictable bill
$199/month, with no commission on students you sign up through your own pages.
Catch students before they quit
Dojo Champ's churn engine flags at-risk students so you can act before they cancel.
Your own public pages
Class, event and membership pages connect to Google and your website, so students you win there carry no marketplace cut.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mindbody charge a fee on new clients?
Yes. Mindbody charges a 20% new-client commission, capped at $30, on the first eligible purchase by a new client who came through the Mindbody consumer app. It doesn't apply to existing clients, tracked referral links, or bookings through your branded app or website.
What is Mindbody's finder's fee?
"Finder's fee" is how some owners describe Mindbody's new-client commission (once called a discovery fee): 20% of a new app client's first purchase, capped at $30. Promoted intro offers and dynamic-pricing purchases through the app also carry a 20% fee.
How much does Mindbody cost for a martial arts school?
Mindbody's Starter plan starts at $79/month per location in North America and Asia. Accelerate and Ultimate are priced by quote, and payment processing and app commissions are charged on top.
Is there a Mindbody alternative with no commission?
Yes. Dojo Champ charges a flat $199/month with no marketplace commission. You pay standard Stripe processing (for example 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment) and no extra platform fee.
Does Mindbody have belt tracking?
Mindbody's pricing page doesn't list belt or rank tracking. Martial-arts-specific tools such as Dojo Champ include belt ranks, promotions and curriculum tracking as standard. Ask Mindbody for a demo if this matters to you.
Can I move my students from Mindbody to Dojo Champ?
Yes. Dojo Champ's team imports your client list, memberships and history for free. Mindbody offers a data export, which it says may carry a fee, so ask for it before your contract's cancellation notice period.
Will I lose new students if I leave the Mindbody app?
Possibly some. The Mindbody app does send discovery traffic. Dojo Champ replaces it with your own public pages for classes, events and memberships, which connect to Google and your website, so the students you win there carry no commission.
Switching from Mindbody to Dojo Champ
Free white-glove migration, usually completed within a week. Here's exactly how it works.
1. Export your data
We provide a simple template, or our team pulls your students, payment history, attendance, and rank history straight from Mindbody.
2. We import everything
Our migration team loads members, families, memberships, ranks, and historical payments into your new Dojo Champ workspace, usually within a week.
3. Reconnect billing
Move recurring memberships to Stripe (included). We help schedule the cutover so no student gets double-charged.
4. Go live
Train your staff in a single session, archive Mindbody, and start using AI churn alerts, marketing automation, and the family portal on day one.
Sources, verified Oct 9, 2026
- Mindbody pricing
- Mindbody support: marketing platform and app fees
- Studio Software Advice: Mindbody price increases in 2026
- Dojo Champ pricing
Disclosure: Dojo Champ publishes this comparison. Competitor details come from their public pages and can change.