Zen Planner vs Upper Hand

Mindbody

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Compare Zen Planner and Upper Hand based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

Mindbody offers business management software for spas, salons, gyms, wellness practitioners and other class and appointment-based businesses.

Daxko Operations

Complete operations software for member-based nonprofits - integrating programs, billing, and check-ins in one secure system.

WellnessLiving

WellnessLiving is an all-in-one online booking, resource scheduling, lead generation, and reporting solution for health and wellness focused businesses. Designed for wellness establishments including yoga studios, spas, salons, personal training, fitness gyms, pilates studios, and dance clubs, WellnessLiving provides the tools users need to manage day-to-day business tasks, employees, memberships, sales, marketing, and more.

Custom fitness member management software with Staff & Member Apps, billing, appointments, retail, automations, website integrations & much more!

Access Controls/Permissions

Activity Dashboard

Activity Tracking

Alerts/Notifications

Application Management

Appointment Management

Appointment Scheduling

Attendance Management

Attendance Tracking

Automated Scheduling

Belt Ranking Classification

Billing & Invoicing

Booking Management

Calendar Management

Class Management

Class Registration

Class Scheduling

Client Management

Client Portal

Client Profiles

Communication Management

Community Management

Contract/License Management

Credit Card Processing

Customer Accounts

Customer Database

Customer Engagement

Customizable Branding

Customizable Forms

Customizable Reports

Customizable Templates

Data Import/Export

Dues Management

Electronic Payments

Email Campaign Management

Email Management

Email Marketing

Email Templates

Employee Management

Enrollments/Onboarding

Event Calendar

Event Management

Event Scheduling

Facility Scheduling

Fitness Performance Tracking

Fitness Plan

For Dance Studios

For Gyms

For Martial Arts

For Yoga/Pilates Studios

Group Scheduling

Instructor Management

Inventory Management

Lead Generation

Lead Management

Marketing Automation

Member Accounts

Member Communication

Member Database

Member Directory

Member Portal

Membership Management

Membership Renewals

Member Types

Mobile Access

Mobile App

Mobile Booking

Online Booking

Online Payments

Online Registration

Payment Processing

Point of Sale (POS)

Push Notifications

Real-Time Reporting

Recurring/Subscription Billing

Registration Management

Reminders

Reporting/Analytics

Reporting & Statistics

Secure Login

Self Check-In/Check-Out

Self Service Portal

SMS Messaging

Social Media Integration

Staff Management

Student Management

Task Scheduling

Team Management

Template Management

Third-Party Integrations

Transaction History

Visitor Management

Waiver Management

Website Integration

Website Management

Zen Planner

Web-based

Windows

iPhone

iPad

Android

Zen Planner Studio

Zen Planner Essentials

Zen Planner Ultimate 

Owner

Sometimes it's hard to find reports I want. When I'd look for a report sometimes the description of the report was what I was looking for but the content of the report wasn't.

The platform is not as intuitive as advertised, and simple tasks like issuing refunds or managing memberships require excessive steps. If you want reliable customer support and transparent billing, avoid Zen Planner at all costs.

Business Administrator

Zen Planner is a great tool for fitness studios/business to manage their companies and promote their services.

C.O.O.

Also, we have been using zenplanner for a really long time and have been able to grow our customer base and revenue exponentially.

The options they have to help run your gym are fantastic!

The UX is very easy to navigate and the customer service is very responsive and fast!

I finally got set up and asked him to reset my time and they told me they couldn’t do that so by the time I finally got set up it was time to bill me.

owner, chief instructor

Integrated a nice workout planner/calendar and timer for public display directly through the app.

Director

The system is slow, crashes often, and critical components (like online registration) are constantly breaking down.

Social Media Manager

It had great tools, but some features, like the mobile app timing out, could be improved to make the experience smoother.

President, Senior Instructor, Board member

We've used it for almost ten years now and it has been very helpful for tracking membership data.

I was having surgeries and medical procedures, but needed to kinda get the ball rolling.

This has lead to numerous problems and repeat data entry.

President

In December 2023, we decided to change banks and asked ZP and its payment processor, Gains, to do so.

I didn’t like that the mobile app would close after just a few minutes of not using it.

They have terrible customer service and unethical charges when you finally try to leave.

We started with ZP in late 2023 and had fully migrated by March 2024.

Front Desk Associate

The network had minimal lag when it was functioning properly.

Does not offer the flexibility needed for a business owner.

The uptime of the product is great for the web application.

Coach

The simplicity to have everything for my management in 1 place.

I got two months of nothing free and terrible customer service.

It saved us so much time and kept everything organized.

It was relatively low barrier to set up and simple enough to use at that time.

Trainer

Manager

From start to finish my days are so easy and organized.

HR Associate

Overall it's been one of the best scheduling apps I've used.

Front Desk Supervisor

Relatively easy to learn basics, and was relatively snappy.

Easy to use, and I would definitely recommend it

Our experience with Zen Planner has been nothing but frustrating.

Exec Director

There is no place for me to see what ticket number was written for - so if the email thread contained the original text - it would be easier.  

The software is easy to use and features important tools that simplify the operations of a company, such as integrated payment processing

Owner 

The fact that my clients can’t see the # of sessions unless they open it on the computer.

Billing and scheduling is made easy through ZP which is my only function right now.

I would like to see the support tickets be answered with the original support request data.  

Finance and Office Administrator

Grading (movement between programs and belt levels) is difficult.

SENSITIVE CONTENT] did our transition to GAINS payment processing and I couldn't have asked for more warm, knowledgeable and efficient support.

Changing password info every 3 months is my biggest gripe.

owner

It took me 3 months to get them to finish my cancelation as they kept sending emails to students saying they owed because their payments failed AFTER I switched to another system.

CEO/Owner

I was able to plan out all my belts, what skills are required and minimum of time with the school they need to have to test.

Member Services & Administration

Some functionality is not perfect for our use.

CEO 

I had to write a cancellation notice as well as call the different financial companies that had led our credit card transactions, etc.  

After calling them to see if they would be kind enough to refund our payments they wouldn’t oblige nor would they freeze our account so I had to cancel our membership which was a big headache.

After using their product for a couple of years and when covid forced our company to shutdown, they kept charging our business our monthly rate.

The front page overview of each member.  

Payment and Billing

Customer Support

Gym and Fitness Management

Cancellation and Refunds

Planner

Integrations

Pricing

Frequent software glitches

57% of reviewers feel negative about Zen Planner’s bugs and issues. Some users report experiencing persistent glitches in both the app and website, which can disrupt business operations and require repeated data entry. Reviewers indicate that system bugs sometimes affect their members, leading to frustration and additional troubleshooting. They mention that problems such as confusing workflows, unresolved technical issues, and unexpected logouts hinder their ability to use the software efficiently. Users feel that these ongoing issues detract from their overall experience and reliability of the platform.

Intuitive and clean design

84% of reviewers feel positive about Zen Planner’s user interface. Users think the interface is visually appealing, with a straightforward layout that makes navigation easy across devices. Some reviewers find that icons and menu tabs are logically organized, which helps them locate features without confusion. They indicate that the dashboard provides a clear overview of daily activities, and the clean design minimizes distractions. Reviewers appreciate that even those without technical expertise can quickly learn to use the system, making it accessible for a wide range of users.

Streamlined daily operations

88% of reviewers feel positive about Zen Planner’s ease of use. Reviewers appreciate that the software simplifies daily business management and automates routine processes, reducing the time and effort needed for administrative tasks. Some users report that the platform is intuitive for both beginners and experienced staff, making onboarding straightforward. They find that the user-friendly design allows them to quickly access essential features and manage operations efficiently. Many users say that Zen Planner’s simplicity helps them focus more on running their business rather than troubleshooting software complexities.

Zen Planner vs Upper Hand Comparison (2026)

Zen Planner

Upper Hand

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives