Best Simplybook.me Alternative: Exercise.com vs. Simplybook.me

Exercise.com: Your Simplybook.me Alternative

Why Choose Exercise.com?

Here are five reasons why fitness professionals use Exercise.com vs. Simplybook.me.

If you’re ready to get started with an easy-to-navigate, all-in-one fitness software, designed to fuel your business, request a demo with Exercise.com today.

And, if you want to see how Simplybook.me’s additional features stack up to Exercise.com software features, check out our in-depth guide below.

What is Simplybook.me?

Simplybook.me is primarily an appointment scheduling software. Simplybook.me is targeted at sports and fitness, beauty and wellness, educational, events and entertainment, personal meetings and services, and medical and health services. Scheduling functions can be set up for appointments, events, sessions, services, and meetings.

The number of bookings allowed per month depends on the pricing plan chosen. A booking website is included for clients to book and manage appointments. Email and browser notifications can also be set up for automation. Simplybook.me also included administrative functions for managers and staff and a point-of-sale system.

Simplybook.me has a 4.6 out of 5.0 rating based on 837 reviews on Capterra and GetApp. Customer service is rated as 4.6 out of 5.0, features and value for money are both rated as 4.5 out of 5.0, and ease of use is rated at 4.4 out of 5.0 on GetApp.

Unless otherwise stated, all images and reviews below are of/about the Exercise.com All-In-One Fitness Business Management software platform.

Fitness Business Management Software

The ideal fitness business management software should have the features needed to make your life easier. Scheduling options, gym/facility management, business dashboard reports, client automation, and dedicated support are a few of the features needed to allow your fitness business software to work for you.

While Simplybook.me is missing a few of these fitness business management software features, Exercise.com includes all of these options. This means you can spend less time on basic management functions and more time growing and managing your fitness business.

Client/Class Scheduling

Client/class scheduling features allow fitness professionals and fitness businesses to share availability for classes, programs, and events. Clients can seamlessly book from the mobile app or online dashboard in real-time. It’s easy to add details about programs or classes, such as location, trainer, time, or services offered to your calendar entries.

Both Simplybook.me and Exercise.com have client/class scheduling options. Members and clients can book sessions, events, and appointments easily. Scheduling can be included for multiple locations, multiple staff/professionals, and you can also collect client information upon scheduling.

The downside to Simplybook.me’s booking features is there is a limit on the number of allowed bookings per month. For example, the Free plan allows a maximum of 50 bookings per month, while the Premium plan allows a maximum of 2,000 bookings per month. A business owner would need to have an estimate of the bookings to know which plan to purchase.

Exercise.com allows unlimited bookings with its software platform. No need to track the number of bookings or to worry about fluctuations in the number of bookings per month.

Gym/Facility Management

Simplybook.me and Exercise.com have gym/facility management functions. The Simplybook.me admin app allows managers and staff to manage calendars and appointments. There are also options for staffing and financial management features. There is a limit to the number of professionals that can be used for scheduling. The Free plan allows for 5 providers/users and the Premium Plan allows for up to 50 providers/users.

Exercise.com is focused on fitness businesses and has the features needed to successfully manage your operations automatically. Administrative options can give staff access to the features they need without compromising secure information. The client check-ins, client profiles, attendance tracking, staffing reports, and payroll reports offered by Exercise.com will make management easier.

Business Dashboard Reports

Exercise.com and Simplybook.me both have business dashboard reports that can be customized to your business operations. These customizable reports can give you the insight you need to analyze and evaluate your business practices and offerings such as usage, staffing, and finances.

Client Automation

Simplybook.me and Exercise.com both include client automation features. Simplybook.me allows for email and browser automated notifications. Confirmations, cancellations, reminders, rescheduling, and feedback can be sent out to members.

Put your fitness business on autopilot and use that extra time to engage with current members and clients or interact with potential new members and clients. Exercise.com takes it one step further than Simplybook.me with client automation features that enable fitness professionals and fitness businesses to:

• Automate Emails and Texts/Other Automatic Features
• Automate Workout Delivery
• Automate Resource Delivery
• Automate Assessment Delivery
• Automate Reminders/Alerts via app, text, and email

Dedicated Zapier Support

Simplybook.me and Exercise both have dedicated Zapier support. Both software platforms have dozens of helpful and customizable platform features, but sometimes you need a little boost. Our partnership with Zapier allows you to integrate, automate, and innovate easily with over 2,000 applications so your platform is uniquely yours and runs at peak efficiency.

Dedicated Account Manager

This is one area where Simplybook.me is lacking in fitness business management. Simplybook.me does not include a dedicated account manager like Exercise.com does. A dedicated account manager allows Exercise.com users to reach out for any development need, large or small. If you need to change something small like a logo or graphic or something large like your website or app, your dedicated account manager with Exercise.com has your back.

Customized Software

Both Simplybook.me and Exercise.com included customized software features.

Exercise.com includes all customized software options, like mobile apps, websites, and marketing integrations, that a fitness business needs for a professional and consistent look. Your mobile app and website are fully customizable so your clients and members are easily able to recognize your brand, logo, graphics, fonts, and colors. Simplybook.me has some customization options but falls behind Exercise.com.

Custom-Branded

Your mobile app and website may be the first impressions that a potential client or member has of your fitness business. The number of custom features varies among each pricing plan. The Free plan only has one custom feature and the Premium plan has unlimited custom features. Branding options for the Simplybook.me client app are only included with the Premium pricing plan.

Exercise.com has the experience necessary to design a fully custom-branded mobile app and website experience. Potential clients and members will be wowed by the professional appearance of these vital marketing and communication tools.

iOS & Android Apps

Simplybook.me has two mobile app options. One is an admin app for staff and managers on iOS and Android, while the other is a client app. In the admin app, staff can see the booking calendar, upcoming bookings, recently scheduled appointments, and client lists.

The client mobile app is only available in the paid pricing plans. As mentioned above, only custom-branded features are included with the Premium pricing plan. The Simplybook.me client mobile app mainly focuses on booking and ecommerce. This means there are no options for marketing or to deliver workouts or resources that would be helpful for exercisers.

On the flip side, Exercise.com has a variety of features for mobile apps. There is no need to swap between an admin app and a client app with Exercise.com. Your fully customizable app will be available for Apple and Android devices and will be listed under your fitness business brand in both stores.

Websites

A booking website is included with Simplybook.me but this is a bare-bones website with a focus on appointment scheduling. Scheduling can be integrated with social media pages and Google Maps. Website templates are included and professionals can add logos, photos, and matching colors, but customization is limited.

Exercise.com allows fitness businesses to develop their customized and personalized website. From here, clients and members can get business information, find social media accounts, view calendars, or contact your business. Your fitness business website is an important way to market to potential clients and members and turns leads into new members.

Security Features

Exercise.com understands and values the importance of security features to protect private and sensitive client data, including health and payment data. That’s why the necessary security measures for Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance and SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certification are included.

Simplybook.me does not mention security features on their website, but uses payment integration with PayPal, Stripe, and Square.

Marketing Integrations

Simplybook.me does not include marketing integrations that would help improve your bottom line. Exercise.com provides plenty of marketing integrations that include:

• MailChimp
• ConstantContact
• ConvertKit
• Google Analytics
• Facebook Pixel

Workout Software

Simplybook.me has no workout software features. This software platform is missing essential features for fitness professionals to effectively train clients. This would mean fitness professionals have to either use another software platform or the old method of pen-and-paper for creating workouts, delivering workouts, and personal training.

Exercise.com workout software has robust features available for fitness professionals and exercise enthusiasts. A workout creator/logger, exercise library, and the ability to deliver training in any scenario are all features of Exercise.com.

Workout Creator/Logger

A workout creator allows trainers to create and share a personalized workout for their clients via the mobile app. Exercisers can view these workouts easily from any mobile device. A workout logger enables exercisers to track their exercise session to share with their trainer or keep for future reference.

Simplybook.me features do not include a workout creator or workout logger. Exercise.com includes these important features that allow trainers to engage with clients and keep them on track to meet their health and fitness goals.

1-1 Training

One-on-one personal training is still the central type of training for many fitness professionals. Exercise.com has options for trainers to create face-to-face and online personalized training programs for their clients, whereas Simplybook.me does not include this option.

Group Training

Exercise.com also allows trainers and fitness professionals to set up group personal training for groups of any size. Group training helps engage, excite, and motivate members, but still keeps an individualized approach.

Online Training

Online training has grown in popularity because of its flexibility. Online workouts are also great for business travelers or those on vacation who want to squeeze in a quick workout with only the use of a mobile device. Exercise.com makes it easy for fitness professionals and trainers to create online training programs to be shared near and far.

Exercise Library

An exercise library that includes a variety of exercises with detailed instructions or pictures. Simplybook.me does not include this useful feature with its software. On the flip side, Exercise.com’s exercise library has instructions and videos that make it easy for any exercise enthusiast to follow. There is also an option to add additional or customized exercises with videos showing your trainers doing the exercises.

Custom Exercises

Trainers using the Exercise.com software platform can create custom exercises for their clients, including combination movements and personalized videos. This customization feature gives trainers unlimited options for fitness routines and keeps workouts exciting for exercisers.

TV Workouts

TV workouts can be broadcast to a screen for all exercisers to view, which comes in handy with group fitness classes or group personal training. Exercise.com makes it simple for everyone to follow along on a big screen. Simplybook.me does not allow for TV workouts.

Ecommerce Software

Ecommerce software is an important component of growing your business. Payment processing, selling products, selling online memberships, and selling workouts create a new revenue stream for your fitness business. This a great opportunity that can add to your business offerings.

With Simplybook.me ecommerce software, there are options for payment processing, selling items, and selling workout plans but no features for selling online personal training and fitness memberships. Exercise.com has you covered with its numerous ecommerce features to help you reach your financial goals for your fitness business.

Payment Processing

Both Simplybook.me and Exercise.com include payment processing options. Simplybook.me includes integrations with Stripe, PayPal, and Square. Onsite payments of cash or credit card can also be accepted with the point-of-sale system.

Exercise.com allows clients and users to set up one-time or recurring payments with credit cards or ACH transfers via the mobile app or online dashboard. It is also simple to accept cash, checks, or credit cards in-person. Stripe and Paypal integrations make this process seamless and safe.

Sell Products

Fitness professionals and managers can sell retail items both online and face-to-face with Exercise.com. This is a great way to create member loyalty and market your fitness business. Simplybook.me has a point-of-sale system with all of its paid pricing plans. They are not included with the Free pricing plan.

Sell Workout Plans

Exercise.com recognizes the importance of this feature and includes what you need to sell workout plans for additional revenue. How would you like to sell your customized and individualized workout plans to anyone around the world? With Exercise.com you can take your training to a new level by selling your most popular workout plans to anyone anywhere, like a beginner strength training program or a 30-minute HIIT workout.

Simplybook.me also allows for the selling of workout plans through it’s point-of-sale system. The downside is these plans would have to be sent via email or another format because there are no options to deliver the workout plans straight from the mobile app.

Offer Online Workout Memberships

Online workout memberships are the future. Exercisers that have a home gym, those who travel, or busy moms who can’t make it to the gym, would benefit from an online workout membership. Trainers can either send workouts automatically or coach clients through a workout using Exercise.com’s online workout membership features.

With Simplybook.me’s software platform, members and clients can purchase memberships, but not online memberships. Exercise.com has a clear advantage with its online workout membership features.

Sell Workout Challenges

There are no options to sell workout challenges with Simplybook.me. Exercise.com also provides another avenue for engaging and connecting with clients. Workout challenges are a great way to increase motivation and encourage healthy competition.

Health and Fitness Assessment Software

Just like Simplybook.me is missing workout software, it is also missing health and fitness assessment software features. Health and fitness assessment software gives trainers additional opportunities to engage and connect with clients.

Exercise.com includes everything you need in its assessment software to gather baseline assessments, share assessment results with clients, generate and share performance and measurement reports, and to include nutrition tracking for clients.

Assessments

Simplybook.me does not include health and fitness assessments. Trainers that use Exercise.com can not only administer assessments with ease but can also custom assessments that best meet the skills and abilities of their clients.

These assessments can measure body composition, muscular fitness, aerobic fitness, flexibility, power, agility, or balance/stability. These results can be shared with clients so they can see their current scores when compared to others or for tracking to compare to future assessment data.

Performance & Measurement Reports

Exercise.com also enables clients to receive performance and measurement reports based on their assessment data. Trainers can use this information to plan an effective and safe exercise and fitness routine. Simplybook.me does not include individual performance or measurement reports for assessments.

Nutrition

Nutrition is an important factor when it comes to meeting individual health and fitness goals. Nutrition tracking and logs can help clients see what and how much they are eating and these can easily be shared with trainers. MyFitnessPal integration with Exercise.com is helpful in engaging members to meet their health and fitness goals.

Simplybook.me Pricing

Simplybook.me has pricing available per month or year, depending on the number of bookings, staff, and desired features. The pricing plans have a discount when paid yearly instead of monthly.

There are also additional packages for extra bookings and extra SMS notifications if needed. There is a 14-day free trial which includes most features and up to 50 bookings. No credit card is needed for the free trial.

Simplybook.me Alternatives

Other software platforms that focus on appointment scheduling include:

The Bottom Line: Pros and Cons

Simplybook.me has a wider focus than just fitness businesses because this software platform also caters to salons, educational meetings, event planning, and medical services. For businesses and organizations that focus solely on appointment scheduling, Simplybook.me would be a great fit. For fitness businesses, the missing features related to workouts and assessments prove to be a hurdle for successful growth and management.

Simplybook.me Cons

The main cons of Simplybook.me are the missing features for workout software, customization, and health/fitness assessments. These are useful features that a fitness business would use daily. A fitness professional would need an additional software platform or would need to track this information manually, which takes time away from marketing or client engagement.

The other con relates to the pricing plans. The four plans have many similar features, but the major variation in pricing plans is in the number of bookings allowed per month and the number of users/providers that can be added to the schedule and calendar. This requires extra tracking of these numbers and do not allow for monthly fluctuations in bookings and providers/users.

Exercise.com Pros

The Exercise.com software platform has all the features needed to effectively and efficiently manage any fitness business, big or small. The features described in this article make it easy for trainers, fitness professionals, and managers to access what they need to help all members and clients meet their health and fitness goals. The variety of features offered by Exercise.com save you time so you can focus on your current members and on reaching new potential members.

If you’re looking for an alternative to Simplybook.me and are ready to grow and manage your business with fully customizable software, book a demo with Exercise.com.