The verdict in three sentences
A gym chain juggling an access control tool, a Direct Debit provider and a class booking app pays three subscriptions and never sees its at-risk members. Unified off-the-shelf software at 150 to 300 EUR per club per month (about 130 to 260 GBP) covers most needs up to 5 or 6 clubs, while a custom build at 40,000 to 80,000 EUR makes sense when you want to manage churn, open new clubs with no per-site fee and own your data. With 3.5% monthly churn, every point saved is worth more than the licence.
The hidden cost of three disconnected tools
An operator with 6 clubs and 5,200 members paying 35 EUR a month collects about 182,000 EUR monthly. Data is scattered: the entry badge does not know a payment failed, the class app ignores who has stopped coming, and finance reconciles failed collections by hand.
| Item | Current setup (3 tools) | Unified software |
|---|---|---|
| Software subscriptions for 6 clubs | 380 EUR per club per month, i.e. 27,360 EUR a year | 10,800 to 21,600 EUR a year (market) |
| Failed payments recovered | 40 to 60% | 85 to 95% (automatic retries) |
| Time to block an unpaid badge | 10 to 30 days | Immediate |
| Admin time per club per week | 6 to 8 hours | 2 hours |
| Inactive member detection | None | Alert after 14 days without a visit |
| Monthly churn | 3.5% | 2.6 to 3% target |
5-year cost: off-the-shelf or custom
The table assumes a chain growing from 6 to 9 clubs in three years, the typical scenario for a growing regional operator (2026 order of magnitude).
| 5-year item | Current tools | Off-the-shelf software | Custom build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | 0 EUR | 3,000 to 8,000 EUR | 40,000 to 80,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Licences or maintenance | 160,000 EUR | 75,000 to 150,000 EUR | 35,000 to 50,000 EUR |
| Cost per new club opened | 380 EUR per month | 150 to 300 EUR per month | 0 EUR licence |
| Direct Debit fees | 0.30 to 0.50 EUR per collection | Included or 0.25 to 0.40 EUR | Direct bank rate, 0.10 to 0.20 EUR |
| Estimated 5-year total | 175,000 to 190,000 EUR | 85,000 to 165,000 EUR | 80,000 to 135,000 EUR |
| Member data ownership | Fragmented | With the vendor | With you |
Under 5 clubs with no expansion plans, off-the-shelf software remains the best choice. From 6 clubs with planned growth, custom software becomes competitive from year three.
Scope delivered in 4 months
The project covers five building blocks: member records and contracts (fixed-term, rolling, student and corporate offers), Direct Debit collection with automatic retries, access control connected to existing turnstiles, class booking with waiting lists in a mobile app, and a retention dashboard flagging members absent for 14 days. SMS and email reminders go out automatically with a personalised comeback offer.
Mini case study
Tom runs 6 fitness clubs in Manchester with 5,200 members at 35 EUR a month and 3.5% churn, i.e. 182 cancellations a month. He invests 62,000 EUR in custom software and brings churn down to 2.8% thanks to inactivity alerts: 36 members retained every month. Over the first year, those members represent about 90,000 EUR of additional revenue, allowing for their own attrition. Add 27,360 EUR of cancelled subscriptions, minus 8,000 EUR of maintenance: payback in roughly 7 months.
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FAQ
How much does gym management software cost in 2026?
Off-the-shelf tools cost 150 to 300 EUR per club per month. Custom software for a chain costs 40,000 to 80,000 EUR excl. VAT, plus 7,000 to 10,000 EUR a year of maintenance.
Can we keep our turnstiles and badge readers?
In 80% of cases, yes: most access controllers expose a reusable communication interface. A 2-day audit confirms compatibility before the final quote.
How are failed Direct Debit payments handled?
Each failure triggers an SMS and email with a payment link, then the badge is blocked after 7 days. Recovery rises from 40 to 60% to 85 to 95%.
Is the software GDPR compliant?
Yes, data is hosted in Europe or the UK, consents are logged and former members' data is purged after 3 years of inactivity, in line with UK GDPR guidance.
How long does migrating 5,200 members take?
Migrating contracts and Direct Debit mandates takes 2 to 3 weeks. Existing mandates remain valid, so no member has to sign again.
Let's scope your project. Share your number of clubs, members and current tools: we will cost unified software between 40,000 and 80,000 EUR excl. VAT, deliverable in 4 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
