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The Zen Planner alternative

With similarities in tools, features, and integrations, at first glance it can seem as though there aren't too many differences between TeamUp and Zen Planner. Both are suited to serve the health & fitness sector as well as both structure their pricing model based on the number of active members a customer has.

  • We break down the key areas that differentiate TeamUp's software from that of Zen Planner’s.

  • We're not impartial, but we're realistic. We'll be as transparent as possible about the differences but also make recommendations where we think it will be helpful.

High-level comparison

Two of the most competitive management softwares on the market, Zen Planner and TeamUp share several similarities. But where the software mirrors in functionality, they contrast in stark differences, especially when it comes to how customers review Zen Planner. While fitness businesses are quick to sign up with Zen Planner, swayed by their marketing and guarantee of immediate business growth, they quickly realize how difficult it is to actually achieve this when there is a major lack in ease of use and understanding the complexities of the system.

High-level comparison

Two of the most competitive management softwares on the market, Zen Planner and TeamUp share several similarities. But where the software mirrors in functionality, they contrast in stark differences, especially when it comes to how customers review Zen Planner.

While fitness businesses are quick to sign up with Zen Planner, swayed by their marketing and guarantee of immediate business growth, they quickly realize how difficult it is to actually achieve this when there is a major lack in ease of use and understanding the complexities of the system.

Compare and contrast

In comparing Zen Planner to TeamUp, when it comes to features and tools offered to their customers, the two systems parallel. However, the selection of tools and features isn't the end all be all for customers. Previous Zen Planner customers have remarked that while they appreciated the variety of tools available to them, the software fell short in enough other places that they felt it necessary to switch providers. Problems with the integrated payment system, family accounts faltering, and over complicated instructions on using the system were all mentioned by former users when asked why they switched over.

We used independent review data from GetApp to provide a statistical reference of customer opinion.

TeamUp Zen Planner
Ideal number of customers that you serve per location. 50-1000 50-1000
Pricing. All-inclusive. Transparent pricing. All-inclusive.
Free trial. Yes. Yes.
Value.
GetApp Value for Money.		 Best value.
4.9/5		 Good value.
4.3/5
Customer support.
GetApp Reliability Rating.		 The best in the business.
5/5		 Could be better.
4.5/5
Features.
GetApp Features.		 Everything you need.
4.9/5		 Lots of features (functionality problems).
4.1/5
Ease-of-use.
GetApp Ease-of-use.		 Built better by design.
4.9/5		 Takes time to learn.
4.1/5
Payments. World-class integrations. No extras. Issues with PaySimple, the only option.
Contracts. Month to month, no fixed term. 30 days cancellation notice.

*based on a comparison in May 2021

TeamUp ideal customer checklist

  • The experience of your customers is your number 1 priority.

  • You think that software should be good value and pay for itself.

  • You value good design and ease of use.

  • You love the idea of support that really cares about and gets to know your business.

  • You want scalable pricing that allows you to get started without needing to visit your bank manager.

  • You don't want to be locked into a long term contract.

Comparison

TeamUp vs Zen Planner: quality over quantity

Full of fun but fiddly features

Zen Planner has a lot of features that attract potential customers to their platform. However, rushing out features to compete with other competitor software can lead to issues. Once bugs and glitches start to appear, it makes day-to-day admin work a chore and you'll spend extra time on the phone to customer service. User experience can be negatively affected as features are layered on top of each other.

"Feature-rich but hard to use" (Liz from Houston Sword Sports)

High quality over high volume

At TeamUp, we are dedicated to creating the best user experience while helping you offer the highest quality service to your customers. While Zen Planner attempts to outshine in only one category, TeamUp's complete offering of a fully functional and intentionally designed system that boasts ease of use, a design-first approach, and seamless understanding attracts customers who want the best for their business.

TeamUp vs Zen Planner

Simplify your workload with a system that boasts fully functioning tools and features and intuitive integrations.

Activity feed illustration

A long road to streamlining your administrative needs...

At first glance, Zen Planner seems like a catch with their promises of success painted all over their website. However, the long road to get there becomes apparent once the lengthy onboarding process begins. Setting up a client's dashboard and ironing out any kinks during onboarding has been reported as sometimes taking up to three months.

...but with TeamUp, you'll find setting up quick, efficient, and easy

When you sign up or make the switch to TeamUp, we will give you a full tutorial based on your specific needs that we'll review in detail with you. From setting up your calendars to showing you how to use our high-powered payment providers, to assessing your immediate and future needs in order to pair you with the best account manager to guide you through your software, we are here for you every step of the way. The onboarding process typically takes no more than one day, but if you ever need more time or to refresh, you can always book a call anytime with one of our team members or your personal account manager.

We also take care of migrating your data from your previous provider to your TeamUp dashboard for no extra cost. All you have to do is tell us what information you need to be brought over, and we'll do the rest.

"While Zen Planner had a lot of features, it was terribly difficult to use them. The software was not intuitive, and in many instances required 3 or 4 steps to complete a task when only 1 or 2 should have been needed. It also wasn't attractive in appearance on the business side or customer side. The app was terrible and lacked most of the desktop functionality."

Jeremiah
Jeremiah Evolve Fitness and Wellness

Reliability from your management software and their integrated apps

Hit and miss customer service

While Zen Planner's customer service has generally positive feedback regarding acknowledging issues, feedback isn't as positive when it comes to actually fixing them. Issues arise and easy fixes aren't available leading to complex responses and more confusion. When the problem is immediate and customer service is slow to respond or says it can't be fixed, it's frustrating, especially when clients are paying top dollar. Of course, things take time and not everything has a simple fix, but you want to be confident that you're investing in software that won't waste your time or money.

TeamUp’s customer service offers a more personal touch

While smaller than that of larger competitors, this is no hindrance to our customer success team's ability to take a hands-on approach with each and every customer. With an in-depth knowledge of the software, answers and solutions are quickly found and thoroughly explained by your personal account manager who will become a master at knowing your business inside and out from the moment you connect. You're in control of how you get in contact with us, via booking a call, sending an email, or using your chat widget to drop us a line anytime.

A sometimes over complicated integration system

Zen Planner's former customers say that processes that should be done in a couple of steps can take significantly longer. Simple admin tasks become hard and frustration occurs when you can't use the platforms and integrations you need. Users have also said that the app for the software lacks the overall performance of the desktop software. For customers who run their businesses away from desks and computers, like personal trainers leading sessions outside, the app becomes their only means to run the admin for their classes.

Keeping it simple and effective

TeamUp gives business owners one easy-to-access place to manage all of their administrative needs. Streamline bookings, payments, and use intuitive integrations to add additional functionalities to your business from email marketing to hosting online classes with Zoom, and automating Zapier triggers to elevate your customer experience. TeamUp's organised system allows business owners to use the same program on their mobile device or tablet.

If you are a franchise and have several locations that you want to link together - for example, to collect revenue share, TeamUp has a built-in system to achieve that.

Value for money

When it comes down to it, your monthly output for management software is inevitably going to be a factor in your choice of provider. While the payment plans for TeamUp and Zen Planner are designed around the same principle — a monthly payment based on the number of active members you have per location — Zen Planner is considerably more expensive.

While Zen Planner's monthly subscriptions start at $117 per month for 0-50 customers, at TeamUp the same plan will only cost you $35 a month. With a number of customers joining us from competitors, one of the most common testimonials we've received reflects the value for money compared to other apps and software on the market.

TeamUp testimonials: see what our customers have to say

Our customers have expressed that they find TeamUp to be a more modern and easy-to-use system, and a more user-friendly app while also citing the ability to have on-demand content with a better Zoom integration. We are also extremely proud of the support we offer both our new customers and our longer-term customers, and the testimonials speak for themselves.

Google
Capterra
Software Advice
Five stars
Trustpilot

“I love how easy it is to use. And if I ever do get stuck on something the telephone support team are super friendly and helpful. I also appreciate how quick it is to set up and get going.”
Becky, Becky Bagnall Pole and Aerial Studio

Capterra

“It's awesome, so easy to use and manages everything I need. Support is fantastic and the whole system just saves me so much time and stress.”
Karl, KDF Strength & Conditioning

Software Advice logo
five-stars-cropped.a5ac8ee206dd

Thinking about switching to TeamUp? Here are some common questions.

Where do I learn more about TeamUp?

From complete guides to “how-tos” and customer stories, we ensure that you have all the information you need about our features and the fitness types we cater for on our website. We're completely transparent about our software. You can find out about our pricing at all subscription levels, and there are no hidden fees. From the moment you sign up, you will have access to direct, free support from your account manager and any of our helpful team members at any time.

How much does TeamUp cost?

We want you to be able to use every tool and feature we offer, which is why our pricing is based on the number of active members you have, not the features you need. Your membership to TeamUp includes complete access to all of our features and tools. This includes the complete booking platform, online payments, financial reporting, both in-person and online classes, events, and courses, a mobile app to enhance your customers' booking experience, integrations, a website widget, free import service, free lifetime support and so much more. You can find all of the features available with TeamUp here.

How can I switch to TeamUp?

You don't pay until your active members pay. Our “go the extra mile” support at TeamUp allows you to take as long as you need exploring and setting up the software before allowing access to your customers. You get a free trial with the full set of features, and then once your trial period is over, you only pay based on the number of active members you have per location.

Does TeamUp integrate with the apps I need?

TeamUp integrates with some of the best and most popular apps on the market. With our Zapier integration, you’ll be able to link to 3000+ apps and services. We’re able to link you to the top payment processors, Zoom for your online or hybrid classes, and you can automate important tasks to help you run your business how you want to. Check out the full list of apps you can use here.

Can I import data from Zen Planner?

It's our main priority to ensure that your business can continue to run seamlessly once you decide to switch to TeamUp. Our import service is free, and we guarantee that your data is brought over to your new dashboard while you continue to run your business as normal. From customer accounts and membership subscriptions to automated payments and class schedules, everything you need to run your business will be added to your dashboard, ready to go. Simply let us know what you need to keep from your old provider, and we'll do the rest. With our PaySimple integration, we can migrate your payments from Zen Planner with zero interruption to your customers or any manual work needed at all.

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