GymMaster review

GymMaster is the gym software to beat if your doors open without staff. It builds 24/7 access control into the product — Bluetooth and RFID readers, key fobs, tailgating detection — and publishes every price, hardware included. The software itself is flat per site: $89, $129 or $209/mo depending on how many current members you have, plus $40/mo for door access.

Where the bill grows is branding and hardware: the branded member app is $150/mo plus a $450 setup fee, and door readers, gatekeepers and cameras are one-off purchases. Boxes that program WODs and log scores will find more in Wodboard.

• 24/7 and unstaffed gyms

  that need members to get in with a fob or their phone, with tailgating detection.

• Independent clubs of 100–1,300 members

  that want flat per-site pricing rather than per-member fees.

• Owners who want one supplier

  for software, door hardware and fobs, with phone support from real people.

It is a weaker fit for boutique class studios that want a cheaper branded app (TeamUp charges $99/mo) and for online coaches, for whom it is not designed.

Prices are per site, per month, before tax. Paying yearly takes 10% off the subscription. There are no lock-in contracts and GymMaster offers a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Who counts as a current member? Anyone on a paid-in-full or regular billing membership — including $0 memberships and future starts. Casual visitors without a membership, prospects and past members are not counted.

Members get in with an RFID key fob or with the GymMaster member app on Bluetooth door readers, and staff can unlock a door or check someone in from their phone. The rules come from the membership itself, so nobody has to manage a separate access list.

• Access by membership

  Each membership can have its own hours (standard, off-peak or 24/7), and specific doors can be limited by time, membership type or staff seniority, for example a women-only area.

• Payments enforced at the door

  Expired memberships are applied to member cards straight away, members who are too far behind on payments are refused entry, and staff are alerted when a member with a missed payment checks in.

• The Gatekeeper

  A $550 hub that connects the door, desktop and barcode readers, plus point-of-sale hardware, to your GymMaster database. It can also be wired to an alarm system.

• Works offline

  GymMaster keeps a backup of the database on site so doors keep working when the internet goes down.

• Tailgating detection

  It compares fob swipes with the number of people who walk in and sends staff an image and the member’s name when they do not match. It costs $400 per camera plus $40/mo.

The readers work with turnstiles, electronic door locks and spring barriers that take a 12V or 24V door release. GymMaster supplies the hardware and wiring diagrams; an electrician, locksmith or security company does the installation, so budget for that on top of the hardware prices above.

GymMaster has a 4.7/5 rating from 172 reviews on Capterra (checked October 27, 2026). We read a page of 25 of those reviews: 7 mention door access.

• What owners like

  Letting members in by tapping a button on their phone, seeing who comes and goes during unstaffed hours, a door release they describe as reliable, and how easy it is to give members swipe access.

• What they complain about

  One owner says door scanners sometimes drop offline and staff have to reset them; another wanted tougher fobs for members who wear them out, and GymMaster replied that its Bluetooth readers let members use the app instead.

• Support

  is the most praised part of the product. The one recurring complaint is time zones: an Australian owner found the New Zealand-based team closed during their evening, and GymMaster said it is extending support hours.

Running unstaffed hours? Compare it with RhinoFit, which sells a 24/7 plan with doors in the US, in RhinoFit vs GymMaster.

• Bookings, classes and club resources

  , online sign-ups and website integration (timetables, enquiry forms).

• Automated billing

  with integrated payment processing, invoicing and a point of sale with inventory.

• Member app

  for iOS and Android and a customizable member portal on every plan.

• Marketing and retention

  Automated email and push notifications, retention tools and automated tasks.

• Reporting

  in real time, staff timesheets and franchise reporting.

• AI template writing

  for gym communications (requires your own paid OpenAI account).

Every plan comes with phone and email support from GymMaster’s own team, which owners rate highly on Capterra (see what owners say above).

Head-to-heads: GymMaster vs TeamUp and RhinoFit vs GymMaster.