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Scheduling · head to head

Sawyer vs Zen Planner

Sawyer logo

Sawyer

Scheduling

Class and camp booking software for children activity businesses, with a marketplace that takes up to 30 percent

From
$189/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zen Planner logo

Zen Planner

Sports

Member management for fitness businesses

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Sawyer the Launch plan looks free but forces a marketplace listing at 30 percent commission, so a single high-value camp booking through the marketplace can cost more than a year of the Grow subscription would have.; Zen Planner limited staff app features compared to desktop version
  • They diverge on capability: Sawyer covers Class and camp registration, Zen Planner covers Member management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Sawyer and Zen Planner actually diverge.

Attributes where Sawyer and Zen Planner differ
AttributeSawyerZen Planner
Starting price$189/month$99/month
Pricing modelPer business per month, plus marketplace commissionUnknown
CategorySchedulingSports
FoundedUnknown2006

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Sawyer

  • Class and camp registration
  • Memberships and class packs
  • Consumer marketplace
  • Auto-billing
  • Waivers and e-signature
  • Multi-location

Only in Zen Planner

  • Member management
  • Automated billing
  • Class scheduling
  • Workout tracking
  • Marketing tools
  • Stripe
  • Mailchimp
  • SugarWOD

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Sawyer

  • A new kids activity studio with no mailing list that wants the marketplace to fill its first termsnot Zen Planner
  • An established music school moving off spreadsheets that will run Sawyer as software only and never list on the marketplacenot Zen Planner
  • A gym selling memberships, class packs and birthday parties that needs all three billed from one systemnot Zen Planner
  • A provider running summer camps alongside term-time classes who wants a single parent account for bothnot Zen Planner

Zen Planner

  • Workout trackingnot Sawyer
  • Nutrition managementnot Sawyer
  • Health monitoringnot Sawyer
  • Fitness coachingnot Sawyer
  • Wellness improvementnot Sawyer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Sawyer

  • The Launch plan looks free but forces a marketplace listing at 30 percent commission, so a single high-value camp booking through the marketplace can cost more than a year of the Grow subscription would have.
  • Marketplace commission applies to the order value, not the margin, so low-margin providers can lose money on a marketplace booking.
  • Payment processing fees are charged separately by Stripe on top of the subscription and any commission, which the plan comparison does not surface clearly.
  • The step from Grow to Scale doubles the monthly cost for account management and integrations rather than for capability most providers need, making the middle tier the only sensible choice for many.
  • It is built for consumer activity businesses, so providers who invoice schools, councils or corporate clients will find the billing model a poor fit.

Zen Planner

  • Limited staff app features compared to desktop version
  • System crashes and occasional bugs reported by users
  • Integration difficulties with certain third-party platforms
  • Customers report continued charges after completed cancellation

Pricing, plan by plan

Sawyer

$189/month
  • Launch$undefined/month
    • No monthly subscription fee
    • 3 percent per transaction
    • Marketplace listing required, 30 percent commission on marketplace orders
  • Grow$189/month
    • 189 USD per month billed annually, 219 monthly
    • Marketplace listing optional, 20 percent commission if used
    • Advanced scheduling, waitlists, free trials
  • Scale$379/month
    • 379 USD per month billed annually, 399 monthly
    • Marketplace listing optional, 15 percent commission if used
    • Dedicated account manager and registration launch support
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing for large multi-site operators

Zen Planner

$99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zen Planner review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Sawyer if

  • You need class and camp registration.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want memberships and class packs.
Sawyer review

Choose Zen Planner if

  • You need member management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automated billing.
Zen Planner review

Questions people ask

Is Sawyer or Zen Planner better?
Neither clearly leads. Sawyer starts at $189/month and Zen Planner at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Sawyer or Zen Planner?
Sawyer starts at $189/month and Zen Planner at $99/month.
Does Sawyer or Zen Planner run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Sawyer best used for?
Sawyer is most often used for a new kids activity studio with no mailing list that wants the marketplace to fill its first terms, an established music school moving off spreadsheets that will run sawyer as software only and never list on the marketplace, a gym selling memberships, class packs and birthday parties that needs all three billed from one system, a provider running summer camps alongside term-time classes who wants a single parent account for both. Of those, a new kids activity studio with no mailing list that wants the marketplace to fill its first terms and an established music school moving off spreadsheets that will run sawyer as software only and never list on the marketplace are not what Zen Planner is typically brought in for.
What can Sawyer do that Zen Planner cannot?
Sawyer covers Class and camp registration, Memberships and class packs, Consumer marketplace, Auto-billing. Zen Planner covers Member management, Automated billing, Class scheduling, Workout tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Sawyer: Is the Launch plan really free?

No. It has no monthly fee but charges 3 percent per transaction and requires a marketplace listing that takes 30 percent of marketplace orders.

Zen Planner: Does Zen Planner have a free tier?

No, Zen Planner does not offer a free tier. Pricing starts at $99 per month with no free trial mentioned in their standard offerings.

Source
Sawyer: Can I use Sawyer without the marketplace?

Yes, on Grow and Scale the listing is optional. On Launch it is required.

Zen Planner: Can Zen Planner integrate with ClassPass?

Yes. ClassPass seamlessly integrates with Zen Planner, allowing gyms to sync their schedule and avoid overbooking when offering ClassPass to members.

Source
Sawyer: What does the marketplace commission apply to?

The full order value of bookings originating on hisawyer.com, not to bookings from your own website.

Zen Planner: Does Zen Planner work with SugarWOD?

Yes. Zen Planner integrates with SugarWOD, making it a popular choice for CrossFit gym owners who want to manage both WOD tracking and gym operations in one system.

Source
Sawyer: Is there a contract?

Monthly plans are month to month with 30 days notice; annual billing saves roughly 5 to 14 percent depending on tier.

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