November 17, 2025
5 min read
Choosing the right pricing model is one of the most important business decisions a Pilates studio can make. Whether you’re launching your first studio or looking to stabilize revenue after years of operation, the way you structure pricing directly impacts:
Two of the most common pricing models in Pilates are memberships (monthly recurring plans) and class packs (multi-session passes). Both have advantages—but they support very different business goals.
In this guide, we’ll explore the pros and cons of each approach, when to use them, and how Pilates studios can combine them for maximum revenue and predictable growth.
Memberships are recurring monthly (or weekly) plans where clients pay a fixed amount for a set number of classes—or unlimited classes—each month.
Memberships create consistent, predictable revenue, which makes operations smoother and financial planning easier.
Memberships help studios avoid the “boom and bust” cycle that comes with class packs. You know exactly how much money is coming in each month.
This helps you:
Memberships encourage clients to show up regularly. When they pay each month, they’re more committed to attending classes.
Retention tends to increase by 30–50% with membership-based models.
Membership clients typically:
This fills your schedule in advance and reduces no-shows.
Membership clients stay longer—even if they start slow. The average member stays 6–24 months, giving you a much higher long-term return.
A strong membership base allows you to project revenue and make confident hiring, equipment, and expansion decisions.
Some clients dislike commitment. If you require long contracts, you may scare off beginners or casual Pilates users.
You must define:
Many studios lose revenue by being too lenient.
Memberships are harder to manage manually. You’ll need a booking system that automates:
Tools like Pepperoni Booking are designed to handle this seamlessly.
Class packs—or “punch cards”—allow clients to purchase a bundle of classes that they can use at their own pace.
They’re flexible, simple, and familiar to most people.
Class packs feel safe for beginners. They let people try your studio without feeling obligated.
This makes them a powerful tool for:
When someone buys a 20-class pack, you get the revenue upfront—even if they use the classes over several months.
This improves cash flow.
Some clients prefer coming occasionally. Class packs keep them in your system without forcing a monthly payment.
No contracts. No renewals. Just a pack of classes.
Some months clients buy packs. Other months? Nothing.
This creates unstable cash flow and makes planning difficult.
Class pack clients tend to:
This leads to inconsistent attendance.
Because usage varies wildly, scheduling instructors becomes more difficult.
Many pack clients wait until the pack is empty—sometimes months later.
This slows revenue growth.
Memberships outperform class packs for long-term revenue and growth.
They lower the barrier to entry and can be an excellent marketing tool.
The most successful studios use both.
Here’s a proven structure used by top studios:
This builds your reliable monthly revenue.
Useful for:
Use simple upsell strategies:
Let pack clients experience the benefits of consistent training.
A lower-tier plan designed to get them started.
Your booking system should notify users when:
Pepperoni Booking handles this automatically.
❌ Pricing class packs too low
❌ Unlimited memberships without strict policies
❌ Allowing unused classes to roll over indefinitely
❌ No automated billing system
❌ Selling too many class pack promotions
❌ Not training staff on membership conversions
Fix these, and your revenue will rise immediately.
For most Pilates studios:
When used together in a smart hybrid model, you can:
The key is having a booking system that manages both pricing models without manual effort.
If you want this effect in your studio, tools like Pepperoni Booking make it simple to automate billing, attendance, renewals, reminders, and client flow—all in one place.
Founder
Join studio owners getting insights on booking, growth, and operations.
Founder
Founder
Founder
Join our beta community for tips on booking optimization, client retention, and growing your wellness business.
