The True Cost of Mindbody for an Independent Canadian Gym
The published price is just the start. Here's a full breakdown of what Mindbody actually costs a 200-member independent gym in Canada.
Mindbody is the dominant gym management software in North America. It's also one of the most expensive when you account for every cost — not just the subscription.
The base subscription
Mindbody's "Starter" plan starts at $129 USD/month. At current exchange rates, that's approximately $175 CAD. The "Accelerate" plan, which most independent gyms need for full automation features, runs $299 USD ($405 CAD/month).
Per-door access fees
Mindbody charges a per-location access hardware fee on top of the subscription. For gyms with QR or fob-based entry, expect an additional $50–100 CAD/month.
Payment processing
Mindbody's integrated payment processor charges 2.75% per transaction — higher than Square (2.65%) and significantly higher than Interac e-Transfer (effectively 0%). On $15,000/month in membership fees, that's $412.50 vs $397.50 — a $15/month difference that compounds over years.
The Canadian e-Transfer gap
Here's the one that costs most. Mindbody does not natively support Interac e-Transfer. Canadian gym members love e-Transfer. Gyms on Mindbody either force members onto card (higher friction, higher fees) or manage e-Transfer manually outside the software (admin burden, reconciliation errors).
Hidden fees
- Onboarding: $200–500 USD setup fee - Support: advanced support tiers cost extra - Integrations: third-party add-ons (email marketing, booking widgets) are charged separately
The full annual cost
For a 200-member gym on Accelerate: - Subscription: $4,860 CAD/year - Access hardware fees: $900 CAD/year - Higher processing fees vs Interac: $540 CAD/year - Manual e-Transfer reconciliation labour (5 hrs/mo at $20/hr): $1,200/year
Total: ~$7,500 CAD/year
Tollana's Growth plan covers all of the above for $948 CAD/year (annual pricing). The difference is $6,552 — every year.