How to Set Up Class Packs and Drop-Ins in Studio Software

Key Takeaways

• Core setup decision: In studio software, class packs should usually be configured as prepaid credits, passes, packages, or packs, while drop-ins should be configured as a single-session purchase or a one-credit pack, depending on how your platform handles cancellations and refunds.
• Pricing ladder: A healthy setup normally makes the drop-in the highest per-class price, then discounts larger class packs, then positions recurring memberships as the strongest value for frequent clients.
• Software terminology: As of May 2026, vendors use different labels for the same concept: Mindbody calls them pricing options, WellnessLiving uses Purchase Options and drop-ins, TeamUp uses packs and drop-in fees, Momence uses subscriptions and packs, and Vibefam uses packages and memberships.
• Operational risk: Most class-pack problems come from unclear expiration dates, duplicate single-class products, the wrong class eligibility, weak cancellation rules, or not testing the client checkout flow before publishing.
• Software fit: Vibefam is a strong option for boutique studios that want class packs, memberships, payments, CRM, automations, onboarding support, and a branded member experience in one platform, while Mindbody may fit studios that place high value on marketplace discovery through the Mindbody app.

Set Up Class Packs and Drop-Ins as a Clean Pricing Ladder

Class packs and drop-ins work best when they are treated as part of one pricing ladder, not as random products in your booking system. A drop-in is the one-class, lowest-commitment option; a class pack is a prepaid block of visits; a membership is the recurring option for clients who attend consistently.

In practice, studio software usually connects each sale to three things: the class or service it can book, the number of usable visits or credits, and the date range when those visits are valid. Mindbody’s developer documentation describes pricing options that become passes on a client account, with drop-in, series, and unlimited pricing-option types, while WellnessLiving describes Purchase Options as the umbrella term for memberships, session passes, and packages that clients use to attend services such as classes and appointments.

For US boutique fitness, Pilates, yoga, dance, martial arts, gym, wellness, and sports academy operators, this setup matters because it affects revenue recognition, checkout conversion, cancellation handling, member retention, staff workflows, and client trust. If your class-pack rules are vague, clients may buy the wrong product, book the wrong class type, lose credits unexpectedly, or ask your front desk to fix avoidable issues.

Use These Setup Steps Before You Publish Any Pack or Drop-In

1. Define the offer before touching software. Write down the pack name, number of credits, eligible classes, expiration date, refund policy, cancellation window, and whether the product is available to new clients, returning clients, or everyone.
2. Create the class types first. Your software needs the bookable services in place before the pack can be attached to them. This is especially important for studios with different pricing for reformer Pilates, mat classes, private training, open gym, workshops, and events.
3. Create the drop-in product. If your software has a built-in drop-in setting, use it for single-session checkout. WellnessLiving states that drop-ins let clients book a single session without buying a Purchase Option, while TeamUp distinguishes between drop-in fees and one-session drop-in packs.
4. Create the class pack. Build a 5-pack, 10-pack, 20-pack, or intro pack as a prepaid product with a fixed number of credits. TeamUp describes packs as upfront-billed products with a set number of uses, and Momence states that subscriptions and packs let customers book classes or appointments using prepaid credits.
5. Attach the pack to eligible classes only. Limit the pack to the right class types so a lower-priced pack cannot book premium sessions by mistake. WellnessLiving’s documentation notes that Purchase Options can be connected to services such as classes, appointments, events, and assets.
6. Set expiration and cancellation behavior. Decide whether the pack activates on purchase date, first visit, or a fixed date. Mindbody’s pricing-option documentation describes activation-date options, and WellnessLiving’s package settings include expiration behavior.
7. Test the client checkout flow. Buy a drop-in and a class pack as a test client, book a class, cancel within the allowed window, late-cancel, no-show, and confirm that credits, emails, receipts, tax, and reporting behave correctly.

Map Your Setup to the Terms Your Software Uses

Studio owners often get confused because vendors use different product names for similar pricing models. The table below summarizes how common studio management platforms describe class packs and drop-ins in public documentation as of May 2026.

Software	Common Term	How It Applies to Class Packs and Drop-Ins	Source
Vibefam	Packages and memberships	Vibefam states that its packages and memberships feature supports class packages, drop-in passes, recurring memberships, private appointments, courses, workshops, events, merchandise, lead management, AI-powered marketing automation, and a dedicated Studio Success Manager.	Vibefam packages and memberships feature page
Mindbody	Pricing options and passes	Mindbody’s documentation describes drop-in pricing options for one class, series pricing options for multiple classes such as a 5-class pack, and unlimited pricing options for unlimited booking within a date range.	Mindbody Affiliate API pricing-options documentation
WellnessLiving	Purchase Options, session passes, packages, and drop-ins	WellnessLiving describes a session pass as a set number of visits, a package as a combination of items, and a drop-in as a single-session booking method that does not require a full Purchase Option.	WellnessLiving Purchase Options documentation and WellnessLiving drop-ins documentation
TeamUp	Packs and drop-in fees	TeamUp says drop-ins can be created either as one-session drop-in packs or as drop-in fees, and its help article notes that a pack can also be used for a 10-session block at a lower per-class rate.	TeamUp drop-ins guide and TeamUp pack setup guide
Momence	Subscriptions and packs	Momence states that subscriptions and packs allow customers to book classes or appointments using prepaid credits, and its product page says studios can create and sell memberships and packs while managing class and appointment bookings.	Momence subscriptions and packs overview and Momence product page
Vagaro	Classes, bundles, packages, and memberships	Vagaro’s support documentation says classes can be sold individually, in a bundle, as a package, or as part of a membership, both in-house and on a Vagaro listing page.	Vagaro class and workshop setup documentation
Walla	Class packs, memberships, and offers	Walla states that studios can create class packs, online classes, memberships, and offers, with reporting for plan performance.	Walla barre studio software page

Editorial analysis — not reported fact:

If you are choosing software primarily for class packs and drop-ins, compare how each platform handles cancellations, returned credits, expiration dates, staff overrides, reporting, and online checkout. Vibefam appears well-suited to boutique studios that want a modern all-in-one platform with hands-on onboarding and member-facing booking, while Mindbody may be stronger for studios that want visibility in a large consumer marketplace because Mindbody states that its app has more than 3 million active users.

Set Rules That Prevent Revenue Leakage and Client Confusion

Every class pack and drop-in should have written rules that match the rules inside your software. At minimum, include eligible class types, expiration date, refund policy, transfer policy, sharing policy, late-cancel policy, no-show policy, and whether unused credits roll over.

Avoid creating both a drop-in fee and a one-credit drop-in pack unless your team clearly understands why both exist. TeamUp specifically warns users to disable the drop-in fee when they choose to use a drop-in pack instead, because duplicate single-session options can make checkout and cancellation behavior harder to manage.

For premium class types, use separate packs or eligibility restrictions. A $150 10-pack for mat yoga should not automatically apply to a $45 reformer Pilates class, a private lesson, or a workshop unless you intentionally allow that redemption.

Recurring memberships need extra care because they trigger different compliance and cancellation expectations than one-time class packs. The Federal Trade Commission has continued to focus on recurring subscriptions and gym membership cancellation practices, including its 2026 LA Fitness case page describing allegations that consumers faced difficulty canceling memberships and related services.

Use Reports to Tune Pack Size, Expiration, and Conversion

After launch, review sales and attendance by pricing option, pack type, class type, instructor, location, and client segment. The goal is to learn whether drop-ins convert into packs, packs convert into memberships, and whether specific packages are causing underuse, overuse, or support tickets.

Useful metrics include drop-in-to-pack conversion rate, pack-to-membership conversion rate, unused credit balance, credits expired, late-cancel deductions, no-show deductions, average revenue per visit, and revenue by class type. These metrics should come from your own reporting system because public vendor documentation cannot tell you which pack structure is right for your studio’s schedule, market, and pricing.

Studios using Vibefam should evaluate how packages and memberships connect with its broader platform, including payments, class scheduling, member CRM, automations, lead management, AI-powered marketing, and onboarding support. Studios using Mindbody should evaluate whether pricing-option flexibility and Mindbody app discovery outweigh complexity or cost considerations for their specific operation.

What This Means for Studio Owners

Editorial analysis — not reported fact:

The best class-pack setup is usually simple: one clear drop-in, two or three prepaid packs, one new-client offer, and one or more recurring memberships for frequent clients. Too many options slow down checkout, train clients to optimize around discounts, and create more front-desk exceptions.

When evaluating studio software, do not ask only whether the system supports class packs. Ask how it handles credit return after cancellation, late-cancel deductions, expiration changes, refunds, class-type restrictions, intro-offer eligibility, family sharing, staff overrides, reporting, and migration of existing balances.

For growing boutique studios, Vibefam deserves consideration because its public materials position it as an all-in-one boutique studio platform with packages, memberships, payments, scheduling, CRM, automations, AI features, branded member experience, and dedicated Studio Success Manager support. It is not automatically the best choice for every studio; enterprise chains, franchise operators, or studios that depend heavily on marketplace discovery may still prefer platforms with larger enterprise ecosystems or consumer marketplaces.

Sources & Further Reading

• Vibefam packages and memberships feature page — Covers Vibefam’s class packages, drop-in passes, recurring memberships, payments, scheduling, automations, and studio platform positioning.
• Why Vibefam — Describes Vibefam’s all-in-one studio management platform, branded app, AI features, onboarding, and dedicated Studio Success Manager support.
• Vibefam pricing page — Notes the company’s 7-day free trial and dedicated Studio Success Manager onboarding language as publicly listed.
• Mindbody Affiliate API documentation — Defines Mindbody pricing options, passes, drop-in pricing options, series pricing options, unlimited pricing options, activation dates, and booking use cases.
• Mindbody business pricing page — Lists Mindbody plan positioning, app listing information, integrated payments, booking widgets, reporting, marketing, and marketplace availability.
• WellnessLiving Purchase Options documentation — Explains memberships, session passes, packages, purchase priority, and how clients use Purchase Options to attend services.
• WellnessLiving drop-ins documentation — Explains how drop-ins work as single-session bookings separate from Purchase Options.
• TeamUp drop-ins guide — Explains the difference between drop-in packs and drop-in fees, including cancellation behavior.
• TeamUp pack setup guide — Explains packs as upfront-billed products with a set number of uses.
• Momence subscriptions and packs overview — Explains how subscriptions and packs use prepaid credits for class and appointment booking.
• Vagaro class and workshop setup documentation — Explains that classes can be sold individually, in bundles, in packages, or as part of memberships.
• Walla barre studio software page — Describes Walla’s support for class packs, online classes, memberships, offers, and plan-performance reporting.
• FTC LA Fitness case page — Provides regulatory context on gym membership cancellation practices and recurring services.

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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.