Why Zen Planner Customers Are Switching Software

Last Updated on 5 September, 2025

Zen Planner is a fitness business management software designed for gyms, martial arts schools, and wellness studios. Its features include billing, scheduling, and reporting, with the goal of reducing manual administrative work and improving profitability. While many businesses have adopted Zen Planner, a significant number of user reviews highlight challenges with customer service, technical reliability, and billing practices.

Zen Planner: Key Takeaways

• Usability and billing frustrations are common – Customers report glitches, incorrect charges, and difficulties canceling subscriptions.
• Customer service often falls short – Many reviews describe delayed responses, dismissive support, or unhelpful troubleshooting.
• WellnessLiving prioritizes the customer experience – With responsive support, intuitive design, and community-driven innovation, WellnessLiving is a trusted alternative for businesses seeking reliability and growth.

User Experiences With Zen Planner

Misrepresentation and Technical Bugs

While Zen Planner advertises user-friendly design and business growth features, some customers have described persistent bugs and inconsistent performance. Gracie shared:

“Recent updates and integrations have caused more problems than they’ve solved, often adding extra fees without real value. The platform is buggy and complicated, disrupting our workflow.”

Another user, Kris, felt misled by marketing promises:

“(Zen Planner) misrepresent their software, then promise to get it working… you invest a significant amount of time setting it up, and more time every week doing manual workarounds waiting for a fix they never intended to make.”

Customer Transactions and Billing Issues

A recurring theme in reviews is frustration with billing and transactions. Kris noted that Zen Planner canceled memberships without sufficient time to transition billing. Apollo reported:

“They will repeatedly double charge your client and will blame it on their server issue.”

Similarly, Rodrigo described inconsistent billing charges, poor customer support, and even account cancellation after posting a critical review:

“Sometimes they charge students multiple times or not at all… their customer service becomes very slow and dismissive… They dealt with this situation very unprofessionally, focusing on making me remove my review rather than fixing the real issue.”

Incorrect charges can harm client trust and damage a business’s reputation, making billing reliability a critical factor when choosing software.

Difficulties With Canceling Plans

Business owners also raised concerns about Zen Planner’s cancellation process. Ross shared:

“It took me three months to get them to finish my cancellation as they kept sending emails to students saying they owed because their payments failed.”

Blaise reported a similar issue:

“They’ll continue to bill you for months after cancellation.”

Other customers also described unclear cancellation policies, including fees up to $499. For small businesses, unexpected costs and administrative delays can create unnecessary stress.

Lack of Responsive Support

Strong customer service is essential during onboarding and when technical issues arise. Multiple reviews, however, suggest that Zen Planner support does not consistently meet expectations. Justin explained:

“I started with (Zen Planner) and it took them about a month to call me back to explain things to me.”

Shannan Garcia echoed this frustration:

“You wait weeks for a response and then get no help anyway. I’ve continued paying even though my gym has been closed for two months. No one will bother to answer an email or call back.”

These experiences reflect a gap between customer needs and available support. According to a 2024 Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report, 61% of consumers say they would switch to a competitor after just one bad customer service experience.

Why WellnessLiving Stands Out

At WellnessLiving, we understand that reliable software and responsive support are the foundation of a strong customer experience. Our all-in-one platform is built to save time, reduce manual work, and empower businesses to grow confidently.

• Customer-first support – Our onboarding and customer care teams are committed to guiding businesses through every step, ensuring smooth transitions.
• Comprehensive tools – From advanced reporting and billing to staff management, marketing automation, and branded client apps, everything is designed to work seamlessly.
• Community-driven innovation – We actively gather feedback and enhance features based on real business needs.

Customer Success Stories:

“Compared to our previous gym management software, it’s like night and day. We can actually speak to someone when we need help. Issues are resolved much more quickly,” says Adam Trabulsi, owner of Habitual Fitness & Lifestyle. “The customer service is excellent. That’s the most important part.” 

“Thanks to WellnessLiving’s comprehensive metrics and automations, we have significantly improved our member engagement and retention strategies,” adds Chris Cristini, co-owner of Cristini Athletics. “WellnessLiving not only considers our suggestions but also enhances them, bringing innovative ideas to life in a new release.”

If you’re searching for a dependable alternative to Zen Planner, WellnessLiving offers the tools and support to help your business thrive.

👉 Book your free no-commitment demo today.

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FAQs on Zen Planner Alternatives

*Zen Planner is a trademark of Zen Planner, LLC, and is not affiliated with WellnessLiving.