Mako

Mako is a web-based service for fitness studios, combining attendance review with a separate studio CRM. It is a strong fit for operators who want member-retention signals tied to staff follow-up; studios seeking CRM alone should weigh the introductory prices against the later renewal rates.

Overview

Mako’s Pulse workflow compares a member’s recent visits and rebooking with their usual pattern, then lets staff assign an internal follow-up. That makes attendance changes actionable rather than just another number to monitor. Studios can use Mako records or import compatible CSV and Excel attendance exports.

The separately paid CRM handles customer records, bookings, classes, memberships, invoices, payments, staff and reporting. Clients can book online, while the calendar brings together services, staff availability and reminders. The breadth will appeal to studios consolidating daily administration, but the paid plans cover one location and limit outbound US SMS.

Key features

Attendance review and follow-up

Pulse is free and includes attendance review, retention signals and internal follow-up tasks. Its focus is valuable for studios that want to notice deviations from a member’s routine without buying a full CRM. CRM is paid separately, so Pulse alone will not provide Mako’s booking, membership or payment-management features.

Studio operations and payments

The CRM combines records, classes, memberships, invoices, payments, staff and reporting with online booking. Stripe processes payments; where enabled, customers can pay by credit card, debit card or ACH bank transfer. Mako says it does not directly store card numbers or bank account details. Google Calendar sync is two-way, while QuickBooks Online is marked in progress.

Messaging and security

Each CRM location includes 1,500 outbound US SMS segments per monthly usage cycle, and sending pauses when that allowance is exhausted. That cap is worth monitoring for studios that depend on frequent text reminders. Mako’s privacy policy describes encryption in transit, organization-level row security, role-based access, verified authentication and API rate limiting. Deleted account data has a 30-day recovery period before permanent deletion.

Pricing

Mako Pulse is free with an account and includes attendance review, retention signals and follow-up tasks; it does not include CRM. The guided CRM demo requires a valid work email and does not require a credit card.

The annual introductory CRM offer is $89/month equivalent, billed $1,068 upfront for the first year, then $1,548/year, for the first location plus applicable tax. It includes all available CRM features, unlimited staff, one location and 1,500 outbound US SMS segments per monthly usage cycle. The upfront commitment makes this more suitable for studios ready to commit for a year than for operators wanting a low-cost monthly trial.

The monthly introductory offer is $99/month for the first six months, then $159/month, for the first location plus applicable tax. It includes all available CRM features, unlimited staff, one location and the same monthly SMS allowance. The monthly option avoids an annual upfront bill, but its introductory rate is temporary; the ongoing price is $159/month. Both paid options include 5,000 provider-accepted outbound email recipients. Studios that need more than one location or exceed the SMS allowance should factor those limits into their choice.

Platforms

Mako is available on the web.

Who it's for

Mako is best suited to Pilates, yoga, barre and HIIT studios that want attendance-based retention prompts alongside bookings and studio administration. Pulse is a sensible starting point for teams focused on follow-up, while a studio needing customer records, memberships, payments and online booking must budget for CRM. It is less compelling for a multi-location operator or a business whose SMS volume regularly exceeds the included allowance.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Pulse links attendance patterns to internal follow-up tasks, and is free to use with an account.
• Pros: The CRM combines bookings, classes, memberships, invoices, payments, staff and reporting; it also supports online booking.
• Pros: Unlimited staff are included in the introductory first-location plans.
• Cons: CRM is separate from Pulse, and introductory prices rise to $159/month or $1,548/year after their initial terms.
• Cons: Paid plans cover one location and cap outbound US SMS at 1,500 segments per monthly cycle, after which sending pauses.
• Cons: QuickBooks Online is still in progress, so studios needing that integration now should look elsewhere.

Alternatives

Fitness CRM Software is a broader directory for comparing fitness CRM options. Consider BuddyPT Fitness CRM if a free plan capped at 10 clients or a $35/month Growth plan capped at 25 clients better matches a smaller roster. TatvaCRM may suit teams looking for a general CRM with a free tier for three users, 1,000 records, one pipeline and 100 MB of storage; its Starter plan is $12/month billed annually per user.

UrbanGym is another option for a gym that can work within its free plan’s single location, 50-member and two-staff caps, with 100 SMS/month. MapleConnect is worth considering for a flat-priced CRM: its Essential plan is $199/month and includes full CRM plus automation without per-seat pricing. GymSales, Mywellness CRM, ACR and Keepme are other fitness-related options to compare.

Salon Commission Management Software is a separate category for readers comparing commission-management tools.

Verdict

Choose Mako if your studio wants to turn attendance changes into assigned follow-up and values having bookings and core studio administration in the same CRM. The free Pulse plan makes that retention workflow accessible, but the CRM’s post-introductory price and per-location SMS cap are the main reasons to compare alternatives before committing.