Studio software with no transaction fees: what that really means
The short answer
No studio software can remove card processing fees, because those go to the payment processor. What you can avoid is a platform fee: an extra percentage the software keeps from each sale. Look for a plan with no platform fee that connects your own Stripe account, so you pay only Stripe's published rate and the money lands directly with you.
Studio software with “no transaction fees” can only remove one kind of fee: the platform fee, a percentage the software keeps from each sale. Card processing fees always remain, because they go to the payment processor. The cheapest setup is software with no platform fee that connects your own Stripe account, so you pay only Stripe’s published rate.
What fees are taken from a studio’s online sales?
Three different fees can come out of a single class pass sale. Vendors often blur them, so it helps to name each one:
| Fee | Who keeps it | Typical size | Can you avoid it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card processing | The payment processor (Stripe, Square, Adyen) | 2.9% + CA$0.30 per domestic card on Stripe in Canada | No, only compare rates |
| Platform fee | The studio software | 1% to 5% of each sale, on some plans | Yes, by choosing the right plan or software |
| Marketplace fee | A booking marketplace that sent you the client | A share of the first purchase, often capped | Yes, by not relying on the marketplace for that client |
The card processing rate above is from Stripe’s Canadian pricing page (checked October 2026). International cards add 0.8%, and recurring subscriptions billed through Stripe Billing add 0.7%.
When a vendor says “no transaction fees”, ask which of these three they mean. Usually it is the platform fee, which is the one that matters for comparing software.
Which studio software charges a platform fee?
It depends on the plan more than the brand. From each vendor’s pricing page, checked October 2026:
| Software | Plans with a platform fee | Plans without |
|---|---|---|
| Momoyoga | Free: 5% of every online payment | Standard, Plus, Custom |
| Arketa | Individual plans: 3% on top of Stripe | Studio plans are negotiated, not published |
| OfferingTree | Solo Essentials: 2.9% | Solo Pro and all Studio plans |
| Punchpass | None | All plans |
| Mindbody | None on regular sales; 20% of a new marketplace client’s first purchase, capped at US$30 | Regular sales |
| elastudio | None | All plans, including Free |
None of these fees are hidden: each vendor publishes them. Platform fees are how free and low-cost plans pay for themselves, which is a fair business model. The point is to know which one you are on and to check the maths as you grow.
How much does a platform fee cost a growing studio?
A percentage fee grows exactly as fast as your studio. Here is a studio selling passes and memberships online, comparing a 3% and a 5% platform fee:
| Online sales a month | 3% fee a month | 5% fee a month | 5% fee over a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA$2,000 | CA$60 | CA$100 | CA$1,200 |
| CA$5,000 | CA$150 | CA$250 | CA$3,000 |
| CA$10,000 | CA$300 | CA$500 | CA$6,000 |
At CA$10,000 a month, a 5% fee costs CA$6,000 a year. That is more than most studios pay for their entire software subscription, and it comes on top of the CA$290 or more a month Stripe already charges on those same sales.
A simple break-even test
Use this on any platform:
- Take your average monthly online sales.
- Multiply by the platform fee percentage.
- Compare the result with the monthly price of a plan, or a competitor, with no platform fee.
If step 2 is bigger than step 3, you are paying for the “free” plan with your revenue. For example, CA$3,000 a month at 5% is CA$150, while Momoyoga Standard costs EUR 29 a month billed yearly, about CA$47. Moving up a plan saves about CA$100 a month.
Why does owning your Stripe account matter?
Apart from fees, how the software takes payments affects your cash and your freedom to leave. There are two common setups:
- Your own account. You hold the Stripe account. Payouts go to your bank on Stripe’s schedule, you see every charge, refund and fee in your own Stripe dashboard, and your customer and payment history stays with you if you switch software.
- A platform-managed account. The software runs payments through an account it controls. It can be simpler to set up, but you depend on its payout schedule and dashboard. Some platforms hold payouts for several days; Momoyoga, for example, holds payouts on its managed Stripe Connect plan for 7 days.
Neither is wrong, but if you plan to grow and want to keep your options open, your own account is the safer default.
Do processing rates differ between platforms?
Sometimes. Platforms that connect your own Stripe account pass on Stripe’s published rate, so you can check it yourself. Platforms that run their own payment service often do not publish the rate at all. Mindbody, for example, runs Mindbody Payments and does not publish its card rate on its pricing page; third-party reviews cite figures around 2.99% to 3.60% plus a fixed fee, which you should confirm in writing (checked October 2026).
A difference of half a percentage point sounds small. On CA$10,000 a month it is CA$50 a month, or CA$600 a year, which is why a published rate is worth asking for.
What should you check before you sign up?
- Is there a platform fee on the plan I will actually use?
- Is the card processing rate published, and by whom?
- Do payments go into a Stripe (or other processor) account in my name?
- How long until money reaches my bank?
- Does the software add any fee to refunds, memberships or intro offers?
- If I leave, does my payment history stay with me?
- Are there marketplace fees on clients who find me through the vendor’s app?
How does elastudio handle payments?
elastudio takes no percentage of your sales on any plan, including Free. Your studio connects its own Stripe account; members pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay inside your booking page, and the money goes to your Stripe balance, not ours. You pay only Stripe’s fees, directly to Stripe. Monthly memberships are billed by card through the same account, and every sale gets a Stripe invoice so your bookkeeper has one record. For studios in Brazil, Pix works in the same checkout.
Our plans are flat monthly prices: Free at CA$0, Starter at CA$29, Growth at CA$99 and Pro at CA$209, with 20% off when paid yearly and no setup fee.
See the full limits on pricing and what is included on features. Comparing platforms? Read our Mindbody alternatives guide and our Momoyoga alternative comparison. Sign-up is by request for now: write to support@elastudio.app.
Questions people ask
Is there studio software with zero fees on payments?
Not truly zero. Every card payment carries a processing fee from the processor, such as Stripe's 2.9% + CA$0.30 per domestic card in Canada. What some software avoids is adding its own platform fee on top of that.
Which studio software charges a platform fee?
Among tools we checked in October 2026, Momoyoga's Free plan adds 5%, Arketa's Individual plans add 3% and OfferingTree's solo Essentials plan adds 2.9%. Their higher plans do not, so the fee depends on the plan.
Why does it matter whether I use my own Stripe account?
With your own account, payouts go straight to your bank on Stripe's schedule, you can see every transaction and fee, and your payment history stays with you if you change software.
Is a platform fee ever the better deal?
Yes, when your online sales are small. A 5% fee on CA$500 a month is CA$25, which can be cheaper than a paid plan. Once the fee passes the price of the next plan, it no longer makes sense.