Glofox vs Arketa 2026
A neutral 2026 comparison of Glofox vs Arketa for US boutique fitness, yoga, Pilates, gym, martial arts, and wellness studio owners, covering pricing, features, reviews, integrations, and best-fit use cases.
Key Takeaways
- Best fit for growing gyms and multi-location fitness brands: Glofox is the stronger fit when a studio prioritizes a branded member app, access control, franchise or multi-location controls, and gym-style membership operations, based on Glofox's 2026 plans page and Glofox's multi-location software page.
- Best fit for wellness-first studios and solo operators: Arketa is the stronger fit when a yoga, Pilates, wellness, or hybrid content studio wants visible entry pricing, on-demand video, website and app add-ons, marketing automations, and a lighter wellness-studio workflow, based on Arketa's pricing page and Arketa's help center overview.
- Pricing difference: As of September 2026, Glofox lists plans starting at $99 per month but still directs buyers to request pricing, while Arketa lists an Individual plan at $49 per month billed annually and custom pricing for Studio Core, Studio Growth, and Studio Suite.
- Review signal: GetApp lists ABC Glofox at 4.4 out of 5 from 356 verified reviews and Arketa at 4.3 out of 5 from 97 verified reviews, so Glofox has a larger public review sample while Arketa has a smaller but still meaningful review base, according to GetApp's ABC Glofox profile and GetApp's Arketa profile.
- Main buying risk: Studio owners should request a full written quote from both vendors, including payment processing, SMS, branded app, migration, support, contract term, renewal, cancellation, chargeback, and add-on costs, because Glofox and Arketa both use custom pricing for studio-level plans.
Glofox vs Arketa in 2026: The Short Answer for Studio Owners
For US boutique fitness studios comparing Glofox vs Arketa in 2026, the better choice depends less on broad feature checklists and more on operating model. Glofox is generally a better match for gyms, martial arts schools, boutique fitness studios, and multi-location operators that need member management, access control, branded app options, and franchise-style reporting. Arketa is generally a better match for yoga, Pilates, wellness, creator-led, and hybrid studios that want polished booking flows, on-demand content, marketing tools, and a wellness-specific interface.
Glofox, now branded as ABC Glofox, was acquired by ABC Fitness Solutions in 2022 and operates as a boutique gym and studio business unit inside a larger fitness technology company, according to Glofox's acquisition announcement. Arketa positions itself as a business management platform for fitness and wellness studios, with tools for class scheduling, appointments, on-demand video, client management, payments, marketing, and team payroll workflows, according to Arketa's help center.
Editorial analysis — not reported fact:
If you run a high-volume fitness studio with recurring memberships, door access, staff roles, and possible expansion plans, start your evaluation with Glofox. If you run a wellness-first studio where brand experience, content monetization, marketing automations, and lower visible entry pricing matter more, start with Arketa.
How We Compared Glofox and Arketa
This comparison focuses on public information available as of September 2026. We reviewed official vendor pages, pricing pages, help center documentation, product pages, and third-party review platforms where available.
- Booking and scheduling functionality
- Memberships, packages, and recurring billing
- Payment processing and POS capabilities
- CRM, automations, and retention tools
- Reporting and multi-location support
- Customer support, onboarding, and ease of use
- Pricing transparency and value for money
- Fit for US boutique fitness, Pilates, yoga, dance, martial arts, gym, and wellness studios
Because both vendors sell custom-priced studio plans, this article does not estimate total cost beyond published pricing. Owners should confirm final pricing directly with each vendor before making a buying decision.
Glofox vs Arketa Feature Comparison
| Category | Glofox | Arketa | Practical takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core market fit | Gyms, fitness studios, yoga, Pilates, boxing, cycling, martial arts, wellness, and multi-location fitness brands, according to Glofox's plans page. | Fitness and wellness businesses, including yoga, Pilates, group fitness, gyms, wellness, solopreneurs, single-location, and multi-location studios, according to Arketa's pricing page. | Glofox leans fitness operations and scale; Arketa leans wellness studio experience and modern booking. |
| Published pricing | Plans start at $99 per month, with Essential, Boost, Elite, and Enterprise tiers listed, according to Glofox's plans page. | Individual starts at $49 per month billed annually; Studio Core, Growth, and Suite use custom pricing, according to Arketa's pricing page. | Arketa is more transparent for solo users; both require sales contact for serious studio pricing. |
| Scheduling and booking | Essential includes booking and scheduling; Glofox's feature page lists classes, courses, appointments, waitlists, and reminders, according to Glofox's features page. | Individual and studio plans list classes, privates, event scheduling, appointments, semi-privates, livestream classes, waitlists, and booking windows, according to Arketa's pricing page. | Both cover everyday studio scheduling; verify recurring appointment and room logic during demos. |
| Payments and billing | Glofox lists payment processing in Essential and states that billing and payments include recurring billing, POS, Apple Pay, Google Pay, payment links, failed-payment retries, and card updating, according to Glofox's features page. | Arketa processes payments through Stripe; its pricing page lists a US Stripe fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 and a 3% Arketa transaction fee on the Individual plan, according to Arketa's pricing page. | Compare total payment economics, not only monthly software price. |
| Branded app | Glofox includes the ABC Glofox Mobile app and Staff App in Essential, and lists a custom branded member app as an add-on or included in Elite, according to Glofox's plans page. | Arketa lists a custom branded iOS and Android mobile app, Apple TV and Roku displays, push notifications, and brand customization in Studio Suite, according to Arketa's pricing page. | Both offer app paths, but plan inclusion differs. Ask whether app setup, store submission, and updates cost extra. |
| Marketing and CRM | Glofox Boost adds online lead capture forms, targeted communications, community content, task management, and advanced reporting, according to Glofox's plans page. | Arketa Growth adds email and text campaigns, automated workflows, lead generation and pipeline management, an AI-powered email builder, task management, and one-to-one text messaging, according to Arketa's pricing page. | Arketa's public plan page is more explicit about wellness marketing workflows; Glofox ties growth features to Boost and add-ons. |
| Multi-location support | Glofox lists bulk multi-location configuration in Elite and describes centralized control, roaming memberships, royalty management, and roll-up reporting for multi-location operators, according to Glofox's multi-location page. | Arketa Studio plans support multiple rooms and locations, and its multi-location page says each location can have its own schedules, pricing, and offerings with roll-up visibility, according to Arketa's multi-location page. | Both support multiple locations, but Glofox appears stronger for franchise-style control and access workflows. |
| Integrations | Glofox lists integrations with Stripe, GoCardless, Ezidebit, PayU, Kisi, Gantner, Passport Technologies, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Zapier, Facebook Pixel, Trainerize, API, and webhooks, according to Glofox's features page and Glofox's integrations help center. | Arketa lists integrations with Mailchimp, Google Calendar, ClassPass, Zoom, and Zapier on its pricing page; its help center also lists Wellhub, Kisi, Public API, and MCP for AI agents, according to Arketa's pricing page and Arketa's integrations overview. | Both integrate with common studio tools; verify whether each integration is native, Zapier-based, paid, or limited by plan. |
| Public review data | GetApp lists ABC Glofox at 4.4 out of 5 from 356 verified reviews, with 4.5 for ease of use and 4.4 for customer support, according to GetApp's ABC Glofox profile. | GetApp lists Arketa at 4.3 out of 5 from 97 verified reviews, with 4.2 for value, ease of use, and customer support, according to GetApp's Arketa profile. | Glofox has a larger review base; Arketa has fewer public reviews, so review interpretation should be more cautious. |
Pricing: Arketa Is More Transparent for Individuals, While Both Require Quotes for Studios
As of September 2026, Glofox lists plans starting at $99 per month and shows Essential, Boost, Elite, and Enterprise plan families, but the page still asks buyers to request pricing for a tailored quote, according to Glofox's plans page. The same page lists Essential features such as booking and scheduling, member management, payment processing, payroll, reporting and analytics, and ABC Glofox mobile and staff apps.
Arketa publishes an Individual plan at $49 per month when billed annually, with a 3% Arketa transaction fee plus Stripe fees, according to Arketa's pricing page. Arketa's studio plans, Studio Core, Studio Growth, and Studio Suite, are marked custom and require a demo for pricing.
Arketa states that US Stripe processing is 2.9% plus $0.30 and that Studio partners can discuss payment options with an account executive, according to Arketa's pricing FAQ. Arketa also states that plans renew month to month unless the customer chooses an annual plan.
Editorial analysis — not reported fact:
For a solo instructor or micro-studio, Arketa's published Individual plan makes early budgeting easier. For an established studio, both products should be treated as quote-based purchases because branded apps, payment processing, SMS, onboarding, migration, integrations, and premium reporting can materially affect total cost.
Feature Depth: Glofox Is Stronger for Fitness Operations, Arketa Is Stronger for Wellness Experience
Glofox's public feature set emphasizes gym and studio management in one platform, including scheduling and booking, memberships, billing and payments, a custom branded app, CRM and marketing, reporting, access control and check-in, staff management, and multi-location management, according to Glofox's features page. Glofox also lists access control integrations and states that door access can be tied to membership and payment status.
Arketa's public feature set emphasizes wellness business operations, including class scheduling, appointments, on-demand video, client management, payments, marketing, staff payroll, branded apps, branded websites, and automations, according to Arketa's help center overview and Arketa's pricing page. Arketa's Studio Suite also includes a branded website, app, push notifications, and visual brand controls.
Editorial analysis — not reported fact:
Glofox is likely easier to justify when your operational complexity comes from memberships, access control, staff workflows, and multiple locations. Arketa is likely easier to justify when your operational complexity comes from selling classes, privates, workshops, on-demand content, branded online experiences, and marketing campaigns.
Reviews and Support Signals: Glofox Has More Public Reviews, Arketa Has a Smaller Mixed Sample
GetApp's 2026 profile lists ABC Glofox at 4.4 out of 5 from 356 verified reviews, with category scores of 4.2 for value for money, 4.2 for features, 4.5 for ease of use, and 4.4 for customer support, according to GetApp's ABC Glofox review profile. GetApp summarizes positive Glofox themes around ease of use, class bookings, membership administration, branded app, payment processing, setup support, and admin reduction, while also summarizing negative themes around glitches, slow support, unresolved technical issues, payment processing issues, and some booking or membership limitations.
GetApp's 2026 profile lists Arketa at 4.3 out of 5 from 97 verified reviews, with category scores of 4.2 for value for money, 4.1 for features, 4.2 for ease of use, and 4.2 for customer support, according to GetApp's Arketa review profile. GetApp summarizes positive Arketa themes around ease of use, onboarding resources, smooth transitions, new feature releases, and client sign-up, while also summarizing negative themes around mixed support experiences, slow resolution, bugs, and glitches.
Trustpilot shows a different support signal. As of the current crawl, Trustpilot's ABC Glofox page lists a 3.6 TrustScore from 398 reviews, while Trustpilot's Arketa page lists a 2.8 score from 6 reviews. Arketa's Trustpilot sample is very small, so it should not carry the same weight as larger review sets.
Editorial analysis — not reported fact:
Use reviews to identify demo questions, not to make the entire decision. Ask each vendor to show how support escalations work, how urgent booking or payment bugs are handled, what support channels are included, and whether implementation has a named onboarding specialist.
Which Studios Should Choose Glofox?
Editorial analysis — not reported fact:
Choose Glofox if your studio looks more like a fitness operation than a creator-led wellness business. That includes gyms, martial arts schools, boxing studios, HIIT studios, cycling studios, and boutique fitness brands with recurring memberships, access control, staff permissions, POS, reporting, and multi-location ambitions.
Glofox is especially worth a demo if you need a branded member app, staff app, access control integrations, member payment automation, roaming memberships, centralized multi-location controls, or franchise reporting. Glofox's own materials list multi-location controls, royalty billing, roll-up reporting, roaming memberships, localized payments, and access control integrations, according to Glofox's multi-location page and Glofox's features page.
- Strong fit: Gyms, boutique fitness studios, boxing, martial arts, cycling, HIIT, and growing multi-location operators.
- Key strengths: Membership management, branded app options, access control, payment workflows, staff management, and multi-location tooling.
- Potential drawbacks: Studio owners still need a sales quote, and public reviews mention bugs, support friction, and payment or booking issues on some accounts, according to GetApp's ABC Glofox review summary.
Which Studios Should Choose Arketa?
Editorial analysis — not reported fact:
Choose Arketa if your studio needs a modern wellness-oriented booking and marketing experience more than heavy franchise controls. That includes yoga studios, Pilates studios, wellness spaces, hybrid in-person and online studios, teacher-led brands, and studios selling workshops, privates, events, memberships, and on-demand content.
Arketa is especially worth a demo if you want visible solo pricing, studio-level CRM, on-demand video, branded app and website options, automations, email and text campaigns, lead pipeline tools, and wellness-specific onboarding. Arketa lists these capabilities across its Individual, Studio Core, Studio Growth, and Studio Suite plans, according to Arketa's pricing page.
- Strong fit: Yoga, Pilates, Lagree, barre, group fitness, wellness, recovery, personal training, and hybrid content businesses.
- Key strengths: Wellness-focused booking, on-demand content, branded website and app options, marketing automations, Stripe payments, and client-facing experience.
- Potential drawbacks: Studio pricing is custom, public review volume is smaller than Glofox, and review summaries mention mixed support experiences and bugs, according to GetApp's Arketa review summary.
Questions to Ask Before Signing With Either Vendor
- Total monthly cost: What is the exact monthly software fee for my number of locations, instructors, rooms, active members, and admin users?
- Payment processing: What are the card, ACH, failed payment, refund, chargeback, payout, card updater, and international card fees for US studios?
- Contract terms: Is the contract month to month or annual, what is the renewal process, and how much cancellation notice is required?
- Branded app: Is the app included, optional, or plan-limited, and who pays for setup, app store submission, maintenance, push notifications, and updates?
- SMS and email: Are messaging credits included, metered, or billed separately?
- Migration: Will the vendor migrate clients, packages, memberships, waivers, purchase history, stored payment methods, attendance history, and reports?
- Support: Which support channels are included, what are the response targets, and what happens if booking, payment, or app issues affect class operations?
- Reporting: Can the platform export the reports your accountant, payroll provider, franchise team, or investors need?
What This Means for Studio Owners
Editorial analysis — not reported fact:
Glofox vs Arketa is not a simple best-versus-worst decision. Glofox is the more mature fitness-operations choice for studios that need scale, access control, memberships, staff workflows, and multi-location infrastructure. Arketa is the more wellness-experience-oriented choice for operators who care deeply about branded booking, on-demand content, marketing, and a modern client journey.
If your studio is already operating at high volume, run side-by-side demos using your real schedule, pricing options, memberships, staff roles, and failed payment workflows. If you are opening a new studio or moving from spreadsheets and basic booking tools, Arketa's lower published Individual entry point may make early testing easier, while Glofox may become more compelling if you expect to grow into a more gym-like or multi-location operating model.
The safest buying process is to request written quotes from both vendors and compare total annual cost, implementation effort, support commitments, and exit terms. Software switching is disruptive, so prioritize the platform that best matches your operating model for the next three to five years, not just the lowest month-one quote.
Sources & Further Reading
- Glofox plans page — official 2026 Glofox pricing and plan feature information.
- Glofox features page — official feature overview for scheduling, memberships, payments, apps, CRM, reporting, access control, staff management, integrations, and multi-location tools.
- Glofox multi-location page — official detail on Glofox multi-location, franchise, roaming membership, royalty, and reporting capabilities.
- Glofox integrations help center — official support documentation for Glofox integrations.
- ABC Fitness Solutions acquisition of Glofox — official announcement of Glofox's acquisition by ABC Fitness Solutions.
- Arketa pricing page — official 2026 Arketa pricing, plan, transaction fee, onboarding, and integration information.
- Arketa help center overview — official documentation describing Arketa's booking, video, client management, payments, marketing, and staff tools.
- Arketa integrations overview — official documentation for Arketa integrations, including Google Calendar, ClassPass, Wellhub, Kisi, Zapier, Public API, and MCP.
- Arketa multi-location page — official detail on Arketa's multi-location studio management features.
- GetApp ABC Glofox profile — third-party review data, ratings, review summaries, and integration information for ABC Glofox.
- GetApp Arketa profile — third-party review data, ratings, review summaries, and integration information for Arketa.
- Trustpilot ABC Glofox reviews — public Trustpilot review page for ABC Glofox.
- Trustpilot Arketa reviews — public Trustpilot review page for Arketa.
Editorial coverage based on publicly available sources. Studio Software Advice does not accept paid placement in rankings. Unless stated otherwise, Studio Software Advice has no commercial relationship with any software companies named in this article.