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PushPress alternatives in 2026: options for the independent studio

An honest look at PushPress alternatives in 2026 — for gyms, CrossFit boxes, and boutique studios. Platform cut, free-tier fees, and cost vs KADRE.

If you run a gym, CrossFit box, or boutique studio and you're weighing PushPress, the alternatives worth knowing in 2026 are KADRE, Mindbody, Zen Planner, Glofox, and Vagaro. They differ most on whether the platform takes a cut of your sales, whether members book on your own branded channel, and how the monthly price and processing fees scale. PushPress's real strength is its gym/CrossFit focus and its free tier; the thing to watch is the processing rate on that free tier. This guide compares it honestly for an independent operator.

What PushPress is good at — and what to watch

PushPress is a purpose-built, "AI-first" gym operating system with the closest brand association to CrossFit — partner programming, affiliate tie-ins, and gym/box-native workflows. It offers a genuinely useful free tier (memberships, billing, scheduling, check-ins, waivers, member app) with no contract, which is a real strength for a new or small box.

The thing to watch is that PushPress's free tier carries a higher payment-processing rate, and paid tiers (which lower that rate) add a monthly subscription. Per PushPress's published pricing, as of 2026, the higher processing on the free tier can cost more per month than a paid tier's subscription-plus-lower-rate once you're processing meaningful volume — so the "free" plan isn't automatically the cheapest. Model your actual processing volume against each tier, and confirm current rates with the vendor.

PushPress also ships accounting integration (Xero) and a broader add-on suite (workout programming, growth/marketing, branded app) — capable, but priced as add-ons on top.

The alternatives, honestly

KADRE

Built for the independent, single-location studio to go live the same day. KADRE takes a 0% platform cut of your sales — you're the merchant of record, so payments go straight to your own Stripe account and the only fee is Stripe's standard processing (paid to Stripe, not a KADRE markup). Members book on your own branded site. Pricing is free up to 50 active members, then $1 per active member per month, hard-capped at $99/month; add-ons are off by default.

Mindbody

The category default with the deepest breadth and a consumer marketplace. Mindbody owns ClassPass — on network-sourced marketplace bookings, a cut can apply. Direct bookings are separate. Sold on per-location tiers.

Zen Planner

Established gym/box/martial-arts management, sold on flat-rate plans that scale with member count, with add-ons (marketing automation, branded app). Commonly cited as a migration source in independent reviews as of 2026 — but it covers core membership/billing/scheduling well.

Glofox

Boutique-fitness-focused (owned by ABC Fitness, acquired 2022) with a strong branded member app, sold on quote-based tiers (per Glofox's published positioning, as of 2026).

Vagaro

Popular across salon, spa, and fitness, sold on a base subscription plus per-staff-calendar and add-on fees, with marketplace-adjacent discovery (per Vagaro's published pricing, as of 2026).

Comparison at a glance

PlatformBest fitPlatform cut of your salesSales channelPricing model
PushPressGyms / CrossFit boxesSubscription-based (free tier carries higher processing, per PushPress's published pricing, as of 2026)Own channel + member appFree tier → paid tiers + add-ons
KADREIndependent single-location studio0% platform cut (you're the merchant of record; only Stripe's standard processing applies)Your own branded siteFree ≤50 members → $1/active member/mo, capped $99/mo; add-ons off by default
MindbodyStudios wanting a marketplace0% on direct bookings; a cut can apply on ClassPass network-sourced bookings (Mindbody owns ClassPass)Own site and ClassPass marketplaceSubscription (per-location tiers)
Zen PlannerGyms / martial arts / boxesSubscription-basedOwn channelFlat-rate plans by member count + add-ons
GlofoxBoutique gyms wanting a branded appSubscription-basedOwn channel + branded appTiered plans (quote-based)
VagaroSalon / spa / fitnessSubscription-basedOwn channel + discoveryBase + per-staff + add-ons

We don't publish competitor prices we can't verify from a primary source, and we don't cite ratings or review counts. Confirm current pricing on each vendor's own site.

How to choose for one location

A practical detail: with KADRE you can export your own data (members, attendance, sales) as CSV anytime — no lock-in — and KADRE drafts a storefront from your existing website to get you live quickly. There's no one-click importer from PushPress today; the honest picture is portable data and fast setup.

Frequently asked questions

What's the best PushPress alternative for a small box or studio?
If you want your own branded channel with no platform cut and predictable pricing, KADRE is built for that. If you're specifically a CrossFit box, PushPress's gym-native focus is a real strength.
Is PushPress's free tier really free?
There's no monthly subscription on the free tier, but it carries a higher payment-processing rate (per PushPress's published pricing, as of 2026). At meaningful volume, a paid tier's lower rate plus subscription can total less. Model your volume and confirm current rates with the vendor before choosing.
Does PushPress take a cut of my sales?
PushPress is sold as a subscription rather than a marketplace-cut platform; per its published pricing, as of 2026, the cost difference between tiers is mostly the processing rate. Confirm your exact rates with the vendor.
Can I move my data off PushPress?
Portability varies by vendor. With KADRE you can export your members, attendance, and sales as CSV at any time — there's no lock-in.
What does KADRE cost?
Free up to 50 active members, then $1 per active member per month, hard-capped at $99/month, at a 0% platform cut. Add-ons are off by default.

See also: KADRE vs Mindbody · Mindbody alternatives in 2026 · For CrossFit boxes · KADRE pricing

Questions about your studio? Email support@kadre.fit.