Are you unsatisfied with Mindbody Business? Join the club. Mindbody is a leader in the health and wellness software industry. It’s a go-to for business owners looking to manage clients and consumers looking to book fitness and health, and wellness services in their area. On the surface, Mindbody seems like a great option. And yet, their customer reviews tell another story.
Keep reading! We dig into common problems users face when running their business on the Mindbody Business app and compare MindBody to PocketSuite.
What Is Mindbody Business?
Mindbody Business is a business management software for gyms, spas, and salons. It allows business owners to sell classes and memberships, manage clients and receive payments.
Mindbody also functions as a marketplace for health and wellness businesses. Potential clients have their own consumer app, where they can browse through hundreds of businesses on the platform and purchase fitness classes and beauty services or even join memberships.
Mindbody is almost inescapable in the fitness, health, and wellness space. You might have used Mindbody to register for fitness classes at your local gym or even currently run your business on the platform. But, on both the business and consumer sides, there are pressing issues that can’t be ignored.
Don’t take our word for it: Just look at the thousands of complaints from clients and business owners who use the app.
What’s the Problem With Mindbody Business?
On the surface, the Mindbody Business app seems like a great solution to run your business. But, the reality is much different.
Here are the top four reasons Mindbody Business may not be a good fit for your business.
#1 Complicated Features
The MindBody app boasts a long list of business management features, a personalized branded app, and a suite of marketing features to help you attract and retain clients. However, the most useful tools like short-term “boost campaigns,” automated drip campaigns, and feedback and review requests are only available to Ultimate or Ultimate Plus subscribers, i.e., Mindbody’s most expensive tiers.
Customers report that the app is difficult to use or prone to breaking. According to reviews, even the most basic features, like booking, break often. And what’s the point of a booking app that doesn’t book correctly? It seems like what you’re left with is an over-complicated and frustrating experience.
You can find business software that has the same functionality as Mindbody, is more user-friendly, and performs consistently.
#2 Vague Pricing
If you go with Mindbody Business, you choose between four tiers: Starter, Accelerate, Ultimate, and Ultimate Plus. But, the company no longer discloses business pricing on its website. So, you’ll have to request a quote or demo to determine the real cost of the software to your business. According to Trust Radius, Mindbody Business tiers range from $129 to $599 per month!!!.
Don’t put away your calculator just yet. You will be charged an additional 20% discovery fee each time a new client finds and purchases your services through the Mindbody consumer app. The fee won’t apply to returning clients or membership purchases. But still, it feels like you’re being punished for growing your business. Not only do they charge hundreds of dollars more than competitors, but they nickel and dime their customers too.
And these aren’t the only fees you’ll pay. For example, Mindbody’s strongest selling point is probably its suite of marketing features, like promoting an introductory offer so your service gets more visibility in the Mindbody app. But this will cost you extra (on top of an already hefty price tag).
Not to mention, a look at complaints on Better Business Bureau shows that some users were unknowingly locked into an annual plan with no option to cancel. And it’s unclear from their website whether Mindbody Business offers a monthly plan at all.
Their prices seem unreasonably high for small business owners, especially when you can find apps that perform better for a fraction of the cost. PocketSuite offers access to premium features for $24.99 per month.
#3 Poor Customer Service
With all the complexity and issues surrounding the MindBody business app, you might find yourself reaching out to customer service… a lot. But, based on dozens of reviews, it won’t help much.
Mindbody Business’s customer support is severely lacking. It might take you a few days to hear back from an agent, and the responses aren’t always useful. Users report being bounced around between multiple customer support agents that can’t provide a solution to their problems.
Unfortunately, Mindbody had a major layoff in October 2022. This follows its 2020 layoff, where over 700 employees were let go. And it seems that customer support suffered. From the outside looking in, Mindbody’s customer support comes off as chaotic and underserved.
This is detrimental to business owners. When you or your clients have an issue, you should be able to get in contact with the booking platform immediately and leave with a reliable solution. That’s why PocketSuite offers a range of support calls where business owners are guaranteed to connect with our customer success team.
#4 Unhappy Clients
A lot of business owners choose Mindbody because it’s also a marketplace. This means clients come to you, which draws in businesses that are still building their own client base. But does the software fulfill its promise to small business owners?
If you’re considering Mindbody Business, make sure your clients will be happy with the software. If the app breaks or runs into issues, your clients may walk away. A quick look at their app store reviews shows that clients have lots of frustrations with the app, i.e., your booking software may be driving away customers.
The point of business software is to improve your client’s experience. Don’t risk isolating your clients and staff by choosing the wrong one.
What’s the Alternative to Mindbody Business?
The Mindbody Business app makes sense if you run a large spa or gym with a complex payroll. But small businesses and solopreneurs might get lost in all the complicated features and will have little to no support.
Some users report leaving Mindbody to use multiple apps for booking and payments. But there’s a simpler, all-in-one option: PocketSuite! PocketSuite was made with small businesses in mind.
PocketSuite has features that MindBody doesn’t, like a dedicated business line and a link tree to organize all your business links (all included in the price of your plan). And we pride ourselves on providing an 11-star customer support experience.
Not to mention, we’re mobile-first, so you and your clients have access to everything on the go.
Are You Happy With Your Booking App?
Mindbody Business has long been the standard software for fitness, health, and wellness professionals. But it may be time to call it quits. With complicated features, unreasonable pricing, and subpar customer support, you’re bound to be left with frustrated clients.
PocketSuite can fill in these gaps. We’re an all-in-one app to run your business and keep your clients happy!
