Best email marketing software for Pilates studios compared

All pricing and features from September 2026

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What should Pilates studio email marketing software actually do?

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Strip away the templates and the dashboards, and a Pilates studio needs email to do four things at the very least:

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1. React to attendance: If someone books an intro class and doesn't show, or someone hasn’t attended for a month, you should be able to automate an email getting sent to them without having to do it manually.
2. Automate the waitlist and the no-show list: If a spot opens up, an email should be automatically sent to the waitlist to fill the valuable spot.
3. Nurture the intro offer: Emails that can help market your studio to new students.
4. Send the newsletter. Workshop announcements, schedule changes, etc.

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Which email platforms do Pilates studios actually use, and what do they cost?

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Two kinds of tools show up in Pilates studios: standalone email platforms and the email built into studio software. They're also often priced differently (per contact vs. per plan).

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What does a standalone tool add that your studio software doesn't?

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There are a few scenarios where you may want a standalone tool rather than or on top of studio software. Here are a few examples:

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Design flexibility - Flodesk's editor and template library are pretty top-notch, which might come in handy if your studio software is lacking.

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Deliverability features - Dedicated IPs, send-time optimization, and detailed bounce handling can be really helpful with high contact lists, and not all studio software will help there.

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Ecommerce flows - Klaviyo does this better than anyone. Cart abandonment is a great example of this.

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If you're still deciding on the studio software itself, we compared the main options in our guide to the best Pilates studio software.

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What does it really cost to run a booking system and an email tool together?

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Let's run it for two studios. Both use a booking system whose entry plan doesn't include marketing automation, plus a standalone email tool, because that's the stack most owners actually end up with.

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Studio A: 250 contacts, one location, two instructors.

• Booking software: Mindbody Starter, $79/mo. Automated campaigns are on Ultimate, not Starter.
• Email tool: Mailchimp Standard, $20/mo (the tier where multi-step automations start).
• Subscriptions: $99/mo, or $1,188/yr.
• Reconciling lists (export from booking system, import to Mailchimp, rebuild segments): call it 2 hours a month. That's 24 hours a year you're not teaching, and it's the part nobody budgets for.

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Studio B: 1,200 contacts, one location, five instructors.

• Booking software: $79/mo (same as above).
• Email tool: Flodesk Pro at the 2,500-subscriber tier, $39/mo (flodesk.com, checked Sept 9, 2026), or Klaviyo Email at 1,001–1,500 profiles, $45/mo.
• Subscriptions: $118 to $124/mo, or $1,416 to $1,488/yr.
• Reconciling: a bigger list with more segments. 3 to 4 hours a month is realistic, so 36 to 48 hours a year.

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Compare that to a plan where email is included.

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OfferingTree's Studio Starter is $100/mo and the price doesn't move when your list grows, because there's no contact cap.

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Which emails should a Pilates studio send, and how often?

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Six emails cover most of what a studio needs, and four of them should be automatic:

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1. Welcome - automatic, same day someone joins the list.
2. Intro-offer conversion - automatic, two or three emails across the intro period.
3. First 30 days - automatic, a check-in and a nudge toward a membership.
4. Lapsed client - automatic, at 30, 60, and 90 days without a booking.
5. Reformer waitlist / spot opened - automatic if your software can do it.
6. Newsletter or workshop promo - manual, two to four times a month.

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We've covered the copy for each of these in the four email campaigns every studio needs, so we won't repeat it here. And if you're weighing email against Instagram for your marketing time, this comparison makes the case for both.

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Frequently asked questions

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What's the best day and time to send studio emails?

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Whenever your clients are planning their week, which for most studios is Sunday evening through Tuesday morning. Test two send times over a month and keep the winner.

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Can I use Mailchimp with Mindbody?

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Yes, through a third-party integration or by exporting and importing contacts. Mindbody lists automated email and text campaigns on its Ultimate tier, so studios on lower plans often pair it with Mailchimp. That's the two-system setup this article is about. Our Mindbody comparison covers what's included at each tier.

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Is Flodesk worth it for a small Pilates studio?

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If email design is central to your brand, yes; Flodesk Pro starts at $28/mo for up to 1,000 subscribers, and the templates are good if your studio software doesn’t have the prettiest emails.

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Can I keep my newsletter tool and still use my studio software's automations?

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Yes, that's the hybrid setup above. Most studio platforms, OfferingTree included, let you run booking-triggered sequences while you keep sending your newsletter from wherever you like.

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