Class packs and memberships solve different problems. A class pack sells certainty to the student: pay once, come when you can. A membership sells certainty to the studio: predictable income every month. Most studios that thrive sell both, priced so that students who come often find their own way to the membership.
In short
- Sell packs to occasional students, visitors and newcomers.
- Sell memberships to anyone training more than about twice a week.
- Price the 10-pack so it is cheaper per class than drop-ins but more expensive per class than unlimited, for a regular.
- Give packs an expiry date, and watch usage so you can offer the next step at the right moment.
What is the difference between a class pack and a membership?
A class pack is a prepaid bundle of a fixed number of classes that must be used within a set time, such as 10 classes in 60 days. A membership is access for a period, often unlimited within its rules, renewed every month, quarter or year. Packs are counted in visits; memberships are counted in time.
Who buys class packs?
Pack buyers are usually one of four people:
- The curious newcomer who wants to try your style before committing.
- The occasional regular who trains once or twice a week around work or family.
- The traveller or visitor, common in Dubai and other cities with many short-stay residents.
- The multi-studio student who mixes your classes with another studio’s.
None of them wants a monthly commitment. If you only sell memberships, you lose them.
Who should be on a membership?
Anyone who comes three or more times a week will save money on a membership and is likely to stay longer if they commit. Memberships also suit studios with fixed costs that need predictable income: rent, instructors on salary, and loan repayments on equipment.
How to price both so they work together
Price the rungs relative to each other. Take your unlimited monthly membership as the anchor (call it M):
| Product | Typical price | Per class at 2 classes a week |
|---|---|---|
| Drop-in | about 0.3 × M | 0.3 × M |
| 5-class pack | about 1.2 × M | 0.24 × M |
| 10-class pack | about 2.2 × M | 0.22 × M |
| Unlimited monthly | M | about 0.12 × M |
The pattern is deliberate. For someone coming twice a week, the 10-pack is good value, but the monthly membership is better still. That gap is your upgrade conversation.
How long should packs last?
Set the expiry by the student’s realistic pace. A 10-pack at twice a week is used in five weeks; giving it 60 to 90 days avoids the frustration of losing classes to holidays or illness. Very long expiries (a year) turn packs into a liability on your books and remove the gentle nudge to come back.
In GetGymPOS, the pack is a package with a duration, so the expiry is set when you sell it and shows on the student’s profile.
How to move pack buyers to memberships
Watch usage. When a student buys their second 10-pack within two months, they are training enough to save on a membership. That is the moment to offer it, ideally with the unused classes credited or a small first-month discount.
GetGymPOS logs every check-in against the member, so you can see how often each pack holder trains.
What about martial-arts schools?
Martial-arts schools often run monthly fees for students and use packs differently: as trial blocks for new families (“4 classes for the price of 3”), or for adults who can’t commit to a fixed schedule. Grading fees and uniforms sell as separate products. See martial-arts features and our notes for academies in Abu Dhabi and Lahore.
Common mistakes
- Packs cheaper per class than the membership for regulars. Students then never upgrade.
- No expiry. Unused classes pile up as an obligation, and students drift.
- Too many pack sizes. Three is plenty; five confuses the desk and the student.
- Not tracking usage. Without attendance data you can’t spot who is ready to upgrade.
Setting it up
- Create your classes and the packages that include them.
- Add a 5-class and a 10-class pack with expiries.
- Keep your unlimited membership as the anchor.
- Publish packs on your online store so newcomers can buy before their first visit.
Read more in the class packs feature page, or start the free trial and build your ladder with real prices.
Set log · 4 reps
Frequently asked
Are class packs better than memberships for studios?
How long should a class pack be valid?
How many classes should a pack have?
Can a student hold a pack and a membership at the same time?
GetGymPOS Product Team · Product and onboarding
We set up gyms, studios and martial-arts schools on GetGymPOS: membership packages, front-desk check-in, retail and trainer pay.
