CoreBookings vs Momence: What Australian Studios Actually Need to Know

The Quick Comparison

New studio owner? Jump to the questions you're actually asking section below, or check our current pricing and free trial details.

CoreBookings Pricing (Clear & Simple)

CoreBookings pricing page - transparent, in AUD, no sales calls required

Momence Interface

Momence interface - to find real pricing, you need a sales call

Scroll horizontally to see all columns on mobile

Pricing Breakdown: The Real Cost

CoreBookings Pricing (AUD)

• Starter - A$59/month: Perfect for new or small studios. Includes unlimited clients, class bookings, workshops, pass packs, one location, email support.
• Growth - A$99/month: Most popular. Adds recurring memberships, coupon codes, manual waitlists, two rooms, teacher mobile app.
• Scale - A$149/month: Everything in Growth plus auto waitlists, multiple rooms, marketing automations, hands-on support and onboarding.

Transaction Fees: Stripe's standard fees + 1% platform fee. No revenue percentage cuts.

Add-ons: SMS marketing (A$19/month), white-label mobile app (custom pricing)

What Momence Actually Costs (Spoiler: More Than They Tell You)

What They Advertise

Momence's website shows these prices:

• Basic - "Free": Yeah, but they take 5% of your money plus add 4% to what your clients pay
• Pro - $60/month: Still takes 2.5% of every booking
• Custom - $199/month: Finally no platform fee, but this is just the starting point. Their pricing page also advertises "unlimited add-ons" on this tier

Momence Add-ons (App Store extras)

Momence doesn't publish a full add-on price list on its public pricing page. Many features live in the dashboard under Apps & Integrations → App Store, and Custom is marketed as including unlimited add-ons. Reported add-on pricing from reviews and secondary sources includes:

• Marketing Basic — about $45 USD/month (limited sequences/emails)
• Marketing Plus / Email & SMS Marketing Suite — about $125 USD/month (unlimited sequences, triggers, emails)
• Unlimited Two-Way Texting — about $45 USD/month (dedicated phone number)
• On-Demand Library & Courses — about $49 USD/month (when sold as an App Store add-on)
• Automatic Teacher Substitutions — about $29 USD/month
• Leads — about $49 USD/month
• AI Agent — about $399 USD/month

Momence Help Center also documents App Store apps such as the Marketing Suite, Leads, Automatic Teacher Substitutions, On-Demand/Community, and separate SMS Tiers (usage-based segment plans). Stack a few of these on Pro or Custom and you can see why studio owners report $250-300+ USD/month before processing fees.

Verify current add-on names and prices with Momence — App Store pricing can change and may differ by plan, region, or sales package.

What Studio Owners Actually Pay (From Reddit)

Here's what real studio owners report:

• Most studios end up at $250-300+ USD/month (that's A$375-450+)
• Multi-location? Try $250-$2,000+ USD/month
• The most common complaint on Reddit: "I can't figure out what this will actually cost without getting on a sales call"

The Transaction Fees Hit Different

Every time someone books a class, Momence charges 3.9% + $0.30. Multiple Reddit users also report an extra 1% on top of that.

For Australian studios, this gets worse. App Store reviews from Aussie users are pretty clear: you're getting charged over 3% because everything routes through overseas payment systems. One review said it perfectly: "As an Australian I expected fees to be 1-1.5% as usual but was horrified to see a fee of double that."

The Stuff About Momence They Don't Put on the Homepage

The Pricing Game

Look, this is the #1 complaint on Reddit for a reason. You can't figure out what Momence costs without getting on a sales call. Even then, studio owners report that the number keeps changing as they add staff, locations, or features they thought were included.

One Reddit user put it perfectly: "I'm trying to decide if I can afford this and I literally cannot get a straight answer about what the monthly bill will be."

The Australia Tax

Everything's in USD, which means you're dealing with currency conversion every month. But it gets worse for transaction fees.

Momence is US-based and processes everything through overseas channels. App Store reviews from Australian users are full of sticker shock when they see the fees. Instead of the 1-1.5% you'd expect for Australian card payments, you're getting hit with 3%+.

On $10,000 in monthly bookings, that's an extra $150-200/month in fees. Every month. That's $1,800-2,400 per year you're losing just because of how they route payments.

The Support Lottery

Here's the thing about Momence support: it's wildly inconsistent. Some people get great help. Others? Not so much.

From Reddit:

• "I've been trying to get someone to cancel my account for two months. Still getting charged."
• "Contacted by 10+ different agents with no continuity, no one knew what the previous person had said."
• "Support took three weeks to respond, then gave me a scripted answer that didn't address my actual problem."

When you're in the US and they're in the US, timezone works. When you're in Australia and something breaks at 9am Tuesday? Good luck.

The Fine Print Nobody Mentions

• Can't cancel easily: Multiple users report trying for months while still being charged
• Forced backlink: You have to link to momence.com from your website
• Credit card only: Can't pay via bank transfer, everything goes through their overseas payment system
• Surprise upgrades: Some users report being moved to more expensive plans without asking

If You're Starting a New Studio: The Questions You're Actually Asking

"Can I actually afford this while I'm getting started?"

CoreBookings: Yes. Start at A$59/month. That's less than one private client session. No setup fees, no forced upgrades, cancel anytime if money gets tight.

Momence: Probably not comfortably. Real cost is $250-300+ USD/month (A$375-450+). That's a lot when you're still building your client base.

"I'm not a tech person. Can I set this up myself or do I need to hire someone?"

CoreBookings: You can do it yourself. Takes a few hours. Add your classes, set your prices, connect Stripe for payments. If you get stuck, Australian support helps you through it. On the Scale plan (A$149/mo), they'll do hands-on onboarding with you.

Momence: More complicated. Reddit users describe it as a "steep learning curve" with "self-serve onboarding." Support might help, might not, depends on who you get.

"I have 30 clients in a spreadsheet. Can I import them or do I have to enter everyone manually?"

CoreBookings: Free data import. Send them your spreadsheet, they'll import it. Moving from another system? They'll help with that too.

Momence: They can import data, but based on Reddit complaints about support inconsistency, your mileage may vary on how smooth this goes.

"Do I need a website first or can people just book?"

CoreBookings: You get a booking page automatically. Share the link, embed it on your existing site, or use it standalone. No website required.

Momence: Also provides a booking page. But they require you to put a link back to momence.com on your site (multiple users complain about this).

"I'm teaching Pilates - can I book reformer slots, not just classes?"

CoreBookings: Yes. You can set class capacity to match your equipment (e.g., 6 reformers = max 6 people). Works for both group reformer classes and private equipment sessions.

Momence: Yes, also handles equipment capacity. Both systems work fine for Pilates.

"How do I actually get my money? Like, where does it go?"

CoreBookings: You connect your own Stripe account. Money goes straight to your Australian bank account. Stripe pays out in 2-7 days. You're in control.

Momence: Uses their own payment system. Money goes through their US-based processing. Australian users report higher fees because of overseas routing.

"What if a client's card gets declined?"

CoreBookings: For recurring memberships, it auto-retries. You get notified. The system tracks unpaid bookings so you can follow up.

Momence: Has auto-retry too, but Reddit has multiple reports of payment capture failures where the client got charged but the studio didn't get the money. Caused weeks of support hell to fix.

"Can clients pay different ways? Credit card, bank transfer, cash?"

CoreBookings: Online payments via credit/debit card (through Stripe). You can manually mark bookings as paid by cash or bank transfer for walk-ins.

Momence: Credit card only for online. Australian users specifically complain they can't pay via BSB/bank account, everything must go through credit card with overseas routing.

"It's just me right now, but what if I hire a teacher in 6 months?"

CoreBookings: Start at A$59/month solo. Add a teacher? Move to Growth (A$99/month). That's it. Teacher gets their own login, can manage their schedule, check in students.

Momence: Adding staff often means jumping pricing tiers. Based on Reddit, this is where costs start climbing beyond the advertised prices.

"What if this takes off and I open a second location?"

CoreBookings: Scale plan (A$149/month) handles multiple locations. One price, all locations included.

Momence: Multi-location pricing is behind the sales call wall. Users report anywhere from $250-$2,000+ USD/month for multiple locations.

"Am I going to outgrow this in a year and have to switch everything?"

CoreBookings: No. The Scale plan (A$149/month) handles serious studios - multiple locations, multiple teachers, thousands of clients. You won't outgrow it unless you're building a chain.

Momence: You probably won't outgrow the features, but you might outgrow your tolerance for the support inconsistency and pricing uncertainty.

"Will my clients get hit with extra fees?"

CoreBookings: No. Clients pay your prices. Transaction fees come out of your end (Stripe's standard rate + 1%).

Momence: On their "free" Basic plan, they add 4% to what your clients pay. On paid plans, clients don't get charged extra, but you're paying 3.9%+ in processing fees.

"What if I pick the wrong one?"

CoreBookings: 3-month money-back guarantee. Try it, if it sucks, get your money back. No contract, cancel anytime.

Momence: No contract either, but good luck actually canceling. Multiple Reddit users report trying for months while still being charged. Get cancellation confirmation in writing if you go this route.

Why Australian Studios Pick CoreBookings

1. You Know What You're Paying

CoreBookings shows you the real price upfront. A$59, A$99, or A$149 per month. That's it. No "well actually once you add..." conversations. No surprise bills. The price you see includes GST, it's in Australian dollars, and there's a simple 1% transaction fee on top of Stripe's standard rates.

2. Made By Someone Who Actually Teaches Yoga

The founder is a yoga teacher who got sick of terrible booking software. So they built what they needed. It shows. The software does what Australian studios need without drowning you in features you'll never use. Want to run 10-week term packages that follow school holidays? It's built in. Need to handle both in-studio and online classes? Works out of the box.

3. When Something Breaks, You Can Actually Talk to Someone

Support is in Australia. Same timezone as you. When you email, you're talking to the people who build the software. They know what you mean when you say "term packages" or "school holiday programs" because they're Australian.

Compare that to Momence where Reddit users report "being sent around a support loop with 10+ different agents" and "lockouts lasting weeks." Not great when you've got clients trying to book.

4. It Just Works

CoreBookings focuses on the stuff you actually need: scheduling classes, managing memberships, getting paid, talking to your clients. No enterprise bloat. No features you'll configure once and never touch again. Just clean software that does its job.

When Momence Might Still Make Sense

To be completely transparent, there are a few scenarios where Momence could work:

1. Video content is your primary business model

Both platforms include on-demand video. If you're essentially running an online course platform with some live classes and need very high video volume or specialised OTT features, Momence's unlimited video storage might still matter. For most studios, CoreBookings' included on-demand video covers what you need without the higher monthly cost.

2. You have a larger budget and need extensive automation

If budget allows for $400-500 AUD per month and you need sophisticated marketing campaigns, Momence's Marketing Suite can go deep — but it's an App Store add-on (often Marketing Basic ~$45 or Marketing Plus ~$125 USD/month), not free on Basic/Pro. Custom advertises unlimited add-ons; confirm what's actually bundled. Note that Reddit users also report these features as "wide but shallow" with issues like poor SMS deliverability. CoreBookings Scale ($149/month) includes marketing automation that studio owners actually use.

3. You're already deeply integrated with US-based tools

If your entire tech stack is US-based and you're comfortable working in USD with US support during US business hours, Momence integrates well with other US platforms like ClassPass, plus Zapier for connecting workflows to other apps (CoreBookings does not offer Zapier). However, as an Australian studio, you'll face higher transaction fees, overseas payment routing, and timezone challenges for support.

⚠️ Important Note: Before committing to Momence, Australian studios should:

• Request the FULL cost breakdown in writing, including all fees
• Test the cancellation process thoroughly during any trial
• Factor in currency conversion and higher transaction fees for Australian cards
• Read recent Reddit threads at r/YogaTeachers and app store reviews
• Ensure support hours align with Australian timezone

The Hidden Costs of Momence

Currency Conversion

Momence charges in USD. With conversion rates, the $199/month Custom plan becomes approximately A$300/month before any transaction fees or add-ons.

Transaction Fees

At 3.9% + $0.30 per transaction, Momence's processing fees are higher than CoreBookings' Stripe + 1% model. For a studio processing $10,000/month in bookings, that's approximately $390 vs $320 in fees.

Platform Fees on Lower Tiers

Unless you're on the $199/month plan, you're paying platform fees on every transaction. The "free" plan actually costs 5% of every booking, plus adds a 4% surcharge to your clients.

App Store Add-ons

Base plan price is only part of the bill. Marketing Suite, two-way texting, Leads, teacher substitutions, and AI Agent are commonly sold as separate App Store add-ons (often tens to hundreds of USD per month each). Custom advertises unlimited add-ons, but you still need to confirm which ones are included vs charged in your package. Verify current pricing with Momence before budgeting.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Class Scheduling & Bookings

CoreBookings: Unlimited classes, workshops, courses, terms, and private sessions. Recurring class series, room management, teacher assignments.

Momence: Unlimited classes, appointments, events. Multi-location scheduling, corporate dashboard for chains.

Winner: Tie - both platforms handle scheduling comprehensively.

Membership & Passes

CoreBookings: Class packs, intro offers, unlimited memberships, recurring payments, term packages, school-holiday workshops. All pass types included.

Momence: Memberships, packages, intro offers. Subscription management and automated renewals.

Winner: Tie - both handle memberships well.

Payment Processing

CoreBookings: Direct Stripe integration. You connect your own Stripe account, so payouts go straight to you. Stripe's rates + 1% platform fee. Australian Stripe payouts.

Momence: Built-in payment processing. Higher transaction fees (3.9% + $0.30) but includes POS for in-person payments.

Winner: CoreBookings for cost transparency and lower fees.

Mobile Experience

CoreBookings: Mobile-responsive booking page. Teacher mobile app included on Growth and Scale plans. Optional white-label client app available.

Momence: Momence-branded consumer app with 4.9 stars on iOS. Business app for staff management.

Winner: Momence for built-in client app.

Marketing Tools

CoreBookings: Email newsletters, automated booking reminders, email class attendees. Marketing automation included on Scale plan. SMS add-on available.

Momence: Sequences, email/SMS campaigns, win-backs, and retargeting via the Marketing Suite — an App Store add-on (not included on Basic/Pro; Custom markets unlimited add-ons). Two-way messaging and SMS tiers are also separate extras for many accounts.

Winner: CoreBookings for included marketing automation on Scale; Momence if you want deeper campaign tools and will pay for the Marketing Suite add-on.

Integrations

CoreBookings: Focuses on Australian studio workflows — direct Stripe, email/SMS tools, booking/membership management, and private health fund integration and claims (issue claim receipts with provider numbers and item codes from the class roll — especially useful for physio Pilates and allied-health style studios). It does not offer Zapier, ClassPass, Wellhub, Mailchimp, QuickBooks/Xero, Kisi, or the other third-party connectors listed below.

Momence: Broader third-party stack via Apps & Integrations (see Momence's Apps & Integrations help centre). No Australian private health fund claims workflow. Integrations CoreBookings does not have include:

• Automation: Zapier
• Discovery / aggregators: ClassPass, Wellhub, Urban Sports Club / MyClubs
• Marketing: Mailchimp, WhatsApp, Google Analytics (GA4)/GTM, Meta Pixel (see also our guide to email marketing for yoga studios)
• Bookkeeping: QuickBooks, Xero, Fiskaly
• Live / calendar: Zoom, Google Calendar
• Access control: Kisi, Passport door access
• Apps: Momence consumer app / branded app options (see yoga studio apps)

Winner: Momence if you need Zapier or a wider third-party integration stack. CoreBookings if you need Australian private health fund claims, or you'd rather keep payments and studio ops simple without managing a large integration catalogue.

Reporting & Analytics

CoreBookings: Business health reports, teacher payroll tracking, inactive clients, pass renewal alerts, revenue by pass type. Real-time transaction reporting.

Momence: Robust reporting with visualized insights. Revenue tracking, attendance analytics. Not available on Basic plan.

Winner: Tie - both offer strong reporting on paid plans.

Support & Service

CoreBookings: Australian-based email support. Hands-on onboarding on Scale plan. Team answers questions and understands local market.

Momence: US-based call center support. Dedicated support on Custom plan. Reviews report mixed experiences with escalation delays.

Winner: CoreBookings for Australian studios needing local support.

Real Studio Scenarios

Small Solo Yoga Teacher

Best Choice: CoreBookings Starter (A$59/month)

You need simple bookings, pass management, and payment processing. CoreBookings gives you everything you need without complexity at A$59/month. Momence's "free" Basic plan would actually cost 5% + 4% in fees (potentially hundreds per month), and their real starting price is $250+ USD (~A$375+) once you need basic features.

Savings with CoreBookings: A$316+/month = A$3,792+/year

Growing Studio with 2-3 Teachers

Best Choice: CoreBookings Growth (A$99/month)

You need recurring memberships, waitlists, and teacher accounts. At A$99/month with transparent 1% transaction fee, this is significantly cheaper and more predictable than Momence's average $250-300 USD/month (~A$375-450/month) with 3.9%+ transaction fees.

Savings with CoreBookings: A$276-351/month = A$3,312-4,212/year

Plus: Australian support in your timezone, no hidden fees, no forced backlinks, easy cancellation

Established Studio with Multiple Locations

Best Choice: CoreBookings Scale (A$149/month)

CoreBookings Scale gives you multi-location support with marketing automation at A$149/month. Momence for multi-location typically costs $250-$2,000+ USD/month (~A$375-3,000+/month) based on Reddit reports, with pricing opacity and potential for unexpected charges.

Savings with CoreBookings: A$226-2,851+/month = A$2,712-34,212+/year

Plus: Transparent pricing, Australian support, known costs, easy cancellation if needed

Studio Heavily Focused on On-Demand Content

Best Choice: CoreBookings (A$59-149/month)

On-demand video is included with CoreBookings, so you don't need a separate video add-on for standard library content. Even if video is a big part of your offer, CoreBookings at A$59-149/month is still typically far cheaper than Momence's $250-300+ USD/month (~A$375+), without the support issues, cancellation problems, and hidden fees reported on Reddit.

Savings with CoreBookings: Often A$200+/month vs typical Momence pricing, while still including on-demand video.

Common Questions

What does Momence actually cost?

This is the #1 question on Reddit. According to real studio owners: expect to pay $250-300+ USD/month (~A$375-450+/month) for a basic single-location setup. Multi-location studios report $250-$2,000+ USD/month. The published $60 or $199/month prices don't reflect real costs once add-ons and features are included. You cannot know the full price without a sales call.

Can I switch from Momence to CoreBookings?

Yes. CoreBookings offers free data migration support to import your clients and booking data. Neither platform has lock-in contracts. Important: Based on Reddit reports, get Momence cancellation confirmed IN WRITING and monitor your card for several months, as multiple users report being charged for 2+ months after requesting cancellation.

Why are Momence's fees higher for Australian studios?

Momence is US-based and routes payments through overseas channels. Australian app store reviews consistently report fees over 3% (vs expected 1-1.5% for Australian transactions). One reviewer noted: "Overseas fees over 3% are charged...routes through overseas channels." This adds significant cost for Australian studios.

Which has better customer support for Australians?

CoreBookings provides Australian-based support from the team that builds the software, in your timezone. Momence uses US-based call center support, and Reddit users report very inconsistent experiences - some get responsive help, others report "lockouts lasting weeks," "10+ different agents with no continuity," and support issues taking months to resolve or never being resolved.

Is Momence really "free" on the Basic plan?

No. While there's no monthly subscription, the Basic plan charges 5% of your revenue + adds a 4% fee to your clients. For a studio doing $6,000/month in bookings, that's $300/month in platform fees alone, plus 3.9% + $0.30 transaction fees. You'd pay less with CoreBookings Growth at A$99/month flat.

What are the biggest complaints about Momence on Reddit?

1. Pricing opacity - "Can't know what it costs without a sales call"
2. Can't cancel easily - Multiple reports of trying for months to cancel while being charged
3. Support inconsistency - Ranges from great to terrible with no pattern
4. Hidden fees - Real costs far exceed published pricing
5. Forced upgrades - Users report being moved to higher tiers without consent
6. High transaction fees - 3.9% + $0.30 plus additional 1% surcharge reported

Do both integrate with Stripe?

CoreBookings requires you to connect your own Stripe account for payments - you keep full control. Momence has its own payment processing (not Stripe) built in, which gives them access to stored cards and control over your payment flow.

Which is easier to set up?

CoreBookings provides straightforward onboarding, with hands-on support on the Scale plan. Momence has more features but Reddit users describe a "steep learning curve with self-serve onboarding" and support that may or may not be responsive when you need help.

Bottom Line: The Clear Choice for Australian Studios

If you're running a yoga or Pilates studio in Australia, CoreBookings delivers what matters:

Significant cost savings. Save A$3,000-30,000+ annually compared to Momence. Reinvest those savings into better equipment, staff development, or marketing.

Transparent pricing. A$59, A$99, or A$149 per month. No hidden fees, no surprise bills, no sales calls required to find out what you'll actually pay.

Local support when you need it. Australian-based support in your timezone, from people who understand term packages, school holidays, and how Australian studios operate.

No lock-in. Cancel anytime. 3-month money-back guarantee. Try CoreBookings risk-free, and if it doesn't meet your needs, get your money back.

When You Might Consider Momence

To be completely transparent, there are specific scenarios where Momence could work:

1. Video is 80%+ of your business

If you're basically running an online course platform that happens to have some classes, Momence's unlimited video storage might be worth the price premium. But CoreBookings already includes on-demand video, and for most studios it's still cheaper and simpler.

2. You have money to burn

If you've got $400-500 AUD per month sitting around and don't care about support being hit-or-miss or pricing being opaque, then sure. But most studio owners I know are watching every dollar.

3. You love complexity

If you want every feature under the sun and don't mind that half of them don't work quite right (check Reddit for SMS delivery complaints), go for it. But if you just want software that does its job without drama? CoreBookings.

Just Be Careful If You Go with Momence

Seriously, based on what studio owners report:

• Get the FULL price in writing before signing up
• Test cancellation during any trial period
• Factor in the Australia tax on transaction fees
• Read recent Reddit threads, not just their marketing site
• Make sure you can reach support during Australian hours
• Keep your client data backed up so you can leave if needed

Or, choose CoreBookings and avoid these common issues from the start.

What Australian Studios Are Saying

Related Reading

• Best Yoga Software for Teachers in Australia
• Which Is the Best Yoga Studio Management Software in Australia?
• Best Online Appointment Scheduling Software in Australia
• Best POS System for Yoga, Pilates & Fitness Studios
• Best Yoga Studio Software and Apps
• Email Marketing and Newsletters for Yoga Studios
• Browse the CoreBookings Docs