If you're comparing studio software right now, you've probably noticed they all promise the same thing: less admin, more time. This guide will help you cut through the sales pitch and choose the dance studio software that fits how your studio runs.
Write down what's costing you time
Before you book a single demo, list the admin jobs you put off the longest each week. For most studio owners, that's some mix of:
Chasing unpaid fees
Answering the same parent questions over and over
Keeping class lists up to date
Taking attendance and storing it somewhere useful
Take that list into every demo and ask to see those jobs done from start to finish. A good platform will make them noticeably smaller. If the demo keeps drifting towards features you'll never use, make a note of it.
Still not sure you need software at all? Do I Need Dance Studio Software? is a good place to start.
Check the schedule works the way you teach
Every studio's timetable is different, and good dance studio scheduling software should fit yours without workarounds. Check that you can:
Run classes with more than one teacher
Hide classes from public view, for invite-only teams or private lessons
Sell packages of classes
Clone a class in a click instead of building each one from scratch
Manage trials and waiting lists in the same place as your classes
Class Manager does all of these, so different types of classes can sit side by side on the same timetable.
Make sure billing runs itself
Chasing payments is the job most studio owners want gone first. Look for software that:
Creates invoices automatically from your classes and enrollments
Takes payments from a card families save to their account
Sends payment reminders for you
Lets you bill in different ways, such as monthly, by term or season, weekly or per lesson
Lets you record cash and check payments alongside online ones
With Class Manager's automated billing, invoices go out on their own and payments are taken automatically, so you're not spending your evenings marking fees as paid.
Get the full picture on price
Pricing is where platforms differ most, and where it's easiest to get caught out. Many charge a monthly subscription that climbs as your student numbers grow, keep some features behind a higher tier, and add a fee to every payment.
Ask each provider:
What will I pay each month now?
What will I pay if my studio doubles in size?
Which features cost extra?
What's the fee on each online payment?
Here's how Class Manager answers. There's no monthly subscription and no paid tiers, so every studio gets every feature. When you grow, you're never pushed onto a pricier plan.
In Class Manager, you can create discount codes, choose when they can be used or how many times, and families enter them at checkout.
Look at it from the parent's side
The more parents can do for themselves, the less lands on your desk. Look for a family portal where parents can:
Book and pay for classes
Add discount codes at checkout
Review and accept your waivers and policies, such as medical waivers or photo consent
Buy uniforms and costumes from your studio shop
Message the studio and see your latest updates
See their dancer's progress, if you choose to share it
Ask to see the portal on a phone, not just the owner dashboard on a laptop. If it's clunky, parents won't use it, and you'll end up doing it for them.
Bring your messages into one place
When studio messages are spread across email, texts and social media, things slip through. Check whether the software lets you:
Message every family at once
Message a single class
Chat one-to-one with a parent
Schedule emails ahead of time
Send automated emails, such as welcome messages, trial reminders and payment reminders
Share updates and photos where families will see them
Class Manager's Chats handles broadcast, group and one-to-one messages, with AI Suggested Replies and Actions to help you answer common questions faster. Because conversations stay inside Class Manager, you and your teachers never need to hand out personal phone numbers.
Spotlight, our in-app feed, is where you can share studio news, photos and shout-outs. Every Chat and Spotlight post notifies families, so nothing gets missed. Read more in what studio owners need to know about parent portals.
Make progress easy to see
Families stay when they can see their dancer improving. Look for:
Skill tracking for each style and level
Teacher notes on individual students
Attendance that's quick to take and easy to review
Class Manager's skill tracking lets you build your own skills, levels and statuses for ballet, tap, hip hop, acro and more. Teachers can see at a glance who's ready to grade, and you decide what families can see in the Family Portal.
Teachers can also take attendance on their phone, and it feeds straight into your reports and billing.
Ask what the reports tell you
Software that stores your data is useful. Software that tells you something from it is better. At the very least, you want:
Finance reports showing who's paid, who owes and what came in
Student reports showing enrollment and attendance by class
These are the numbers that help you decide which classes to grow and which to rethink. Class Manager includes finance and student reports, so they're there whenever you need them.
Plan the move before you commit
Switching is the part owners worry about most. Before you sign up, find out:
Can they import your existing student and family data?
Will someone help you set up classes and billing?
What support is available once you're live?
Is there training for your teachers?
It's also worth switching between sessions if you can, so you and your teachers have time to settle in before registration opens.
A checklist to take into your demos
Score each platform as you go. It's much easier to compare once the demos start to blur together.
Question | Platform A | Platform B | Platform C |
Did they show my biggest admin jobs, start to finish? | |||
Does the scheduling fit how my studio runs? | |||
Is billing automated, with saved cards and reminders? | |||
What will I pay monthly now, and at double my size? | |||
Are any features locked behind a higher tier? | |||
What's the fee per online payment? | |||
Can parents book, pay and sign waivers on their phone? | |||
Can I message everyone, one class or one parent from one place? | |||
Does it track skills and attendance? | |||
Will they help me move my data across? |
If you'd like to see how Class Manager stacks up against each of these, our dance studio software feature overview goes through everything that's included, or you can browse all Class Manager features.
See your own classes in Class Manager
The quickest way to know whether Class Manager suits your studio is to see your own classes in it. Book a free demo for a personalized walkthrough with our team, or open your account and start today. No monthly subscription, ever.
