Tired of Arketa's hidden fees? Punchpass keeps it simple.
Arketa promises an all-in-one platform, then charges 3% on every transaction on top of your subscription. Punchpass gives you transparent pricing, proven reliability, and support rated 4.9/5 — with zero platform fees.
Punchpass vs Arketa at a Glance
Punchpass
- ✓ 4.8/5 overall on Capterra with 177 reviews
- ✓ Zero platform transaction fees on any plan
- ✓ Transparent pricing — $59, $99, or $149/mo, fully public
- ✓ Bootstrapped and profitable — no investor pressure to raise your costs
- ✓ Standing reservations, VIP access, Paylinks, family accounts
- ✓ Clean data export — your data is always yours
Arketa
- ✕ 4.4/5 on Capterra with 81 reviews
- ✕ 3% platform fee on all transactions (8% on free plan)
- ✕ Studio plan pricing hidden behind sales calls
- ✕ $23M in VC funding — investor pressure to grow revenue
- ✕ Users report features promised but never delivered
- ✕ Data portability concerns — billing info withheld when leaving
Ratings from Capterra
Seven Reasons Studios Switch from Arketa to Punchpass
Zero platform transaction fees — ever
Arketa charges a 3% platform fee on every transaction, on top of Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30. A studio processing $5,000/month pays $150/month ($1,800/year) in hidden platform fees alone. Punchpass charges zero platform fees on every plan. You connect your own Stripe account and pay standard processing rates — nothing more.
Transparent pricing you can plan around
Punchpass pricing is fully public: $59, $99, or $149/month. No surprises. Arketa's Individual plans start at $49/mo but add the 3% platform fee — and their Studio plans (for multi-instructor or multi-location studios) are hidden behind a sales call. Your real cost with Arketa is unpredictable because it scales with transaction volume. And unlike Arketa — which has raised $23M in venture capital and faces intense investor pressure to grow revenue — Punchpass is bootstrapped and profitable. We don't need to squeeze more out of you to satisfy our investors.
Customer support rated 4.9/5
Punchpass scores 4.9/5 for Customer Service on Capterra. Arketa scores 4.3/5. That 0.6-point gap is one of the largest in the category. Arketa users report being pointed to irrelevant help documents and overpromising during sales. Punchpass provides responsive, personal support when you need it.
Easier to use from day one
Punchpass scores 4.8/5 for Ease of Use on Capterra — Arketa scores 4.3/5. After the Sutra-to-Arketa rebrand, users describe the new dashboard as "significantly more complicated" and "not very intuitive." Punchpass is designed to be simple and stay that way.
Your data stays yours
Multiple Arketa users report that the platform withholds client billing information when studios try to leave — effectively holding data hostage. One user even filed a GDPR complaint after their data wasn't deleted months after requesting it. Punchpass lets you export your data cleanly at any time. Your data belongs to you.
We deliver what we promise
Arketa users consistently report features promised during sales that "never get implemented" — from membership freezing to plan upgrades, with fixes promised and never delivered. Punchpass doesn't overpromise. What you see is what you get, and it works.
Features that save real admin time
Punchpass includes standing reservations (auto-book your regulars weekly), VIP access (early booking for loyal students), Paylinks (shareable payment links), and family accounts — workflow tools that Arketa doesn't offer. These aren't flashy features, they're the ones that save you time every day.
Pricing: Punchpass vs Arketa
Arketa's subscription prices look comparable to Punchpass — until you add the 3% platform fee that's charged on every transaction. For any studio processing more than a few hundred dollars a month, Punchpass is the more affordable option.
| Punchpass | Arketa | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $59/mo (Willow) | $49/mo (Individual Basic) |
| Mid-tier price | $99/mo (Banyan) | $83/mo (Individual Growth) |
| Top tier price | $149/mo (Redwood) | $124/mo (Individual Suite) |
| Multi-instructor plans | All tiers (public pricing) | Studio plans (hidden — requires sales call) |
| Platform transaction fee | None, ever | 3% on paid plans, 8% on free plan |
| Extra cost at $5K/mo volume | $0 platform fee | +$150/mo ($1,800/yr) in platform fees |
| Capterra rating | 4.8/5 (177 reviews) | 4.4/5 (81 reviews) |
| Customer service rating | 4.9/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Ease of use rating | 4.8/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Data migration support | Free | Data export difficulties reported |
The real cost of Arketa's 3% platform fee
Arketa's subscription prices look competitive — until you add the 3% platform fee charged on every transaction, on top of Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30. Here's what studios actually pay in platform fees alone:
| Monthly volume | Arketa 3% fee | Annual cost | Punchpass fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3,000/mo | $90/mo | $1,080/yr | $0 |
| $5,000/mo | $150/mo | $1,800/yr | $0 |
| $10,000/mo | $300/mo | $3,600/yr | $0 |
| $20,000/mo | $600/mo | $7,200/yr | $0 |
These are platform fees only — both platforms also charge standard Stripe processing (2.9% + $0.30).
Ready for transparent pricing?
Start a free 14-day Punchpass trial. No credit card required. No platform fees — ever.
Is Punchpass right for your studio?
Punchpass is a great fit if you...
- ✓ Want transparent, predictable pricing with zero hidden fees
- ✓ Process significant transaction volume and don't want to pay a 3% platform tax
- ✓ Prioritize platform reliability over feature breadth
- ✓ Value responsive customer support (4.9/5 on Capterra)
- ✓ Want ease of use from day one — not a complicated dashboard
- ✓ Need features like standing reservations, VIP access, Paylinks, and family accounts
- ✓ Need a basic video content library for your customers
Arketa may be better if you...
- • Want a branded mobile app and website under one platform
- • Need built-in marketing automation (email/SMS campaigns, AI email builder)
- • Sell on-demand video content, courses, or digital products
- • Run events, retreats, or workshops as a significant revenue stream
- • Want ClassPass marketplace integration for discovery
Switching is easier than you think
We've helped many studios migrate from Arketa. The process is quick, painless, and completely free.
Start a free trial
Try Punchpass for 14 days alongside Arketa. No credit card, no obligation.
We migrate your data
Send us your Arketa exports and we'll upload your customers, passes, and memberships — usually within 24 hours.
You're up and running
Many studios launch while still in their trial. It's that straightforward.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The biggest difference is cost transparency. Arketa charges a 3% platform fee on every transaction — on top of your subscription and Stripe's standard processing fees. A studio processing $5,000/month pays $150/month ($1,800/year) in platform fees alone. Punchpass charges zero platform fees at every tier.
Beyond pricing, Punchpass rates higher on Capterra across every category: overall (4.8 vs 4.4), ease of use (4.8 vs 4.3), customer service (4.9 vs 4.3), features (4.6 vs 4.2), and value for money (4.8 vs 4.4). Punchpass also offers proven platform stability, clean data export, and unique features like standing reservations, VIP access, and Paylinks.
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Arketa does offer more features — branded apps, marketing automation, website builder, video library. But more features only help if they work reliably and don't cost more than expected.
Arketa users consistently report bugs that are "fixed" and reappear, features promised during sales that never materialize, and a dashboard that became harder to use after the 2024 rebrand. Punchpass does scheduling, booking, and studio management exceptionally well — and does it reliably, at a predictable cost, with support rated 4.9/5.
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More than most studios expect. A studio processing $3,000/month pays $90/month ($1,080/year) in platform fees. At $5,000/month, it's $150/month ($1,800/year). At $10,000/month, it's $300/month ($3,600/year). These fees are charged on top of your Arketa subscription and Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30.
Punchpass charges $0 in platform fees at every tier — just standard Stripe processing. For virtually any operating studio, Punchpass is the more affordable option when you account for the 3% tax.
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Punchpass is month to month. No contracts, no commitments. You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel anytime — and you won't be billed again once your current month ends.
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Absolutely. Start a free 14-day trial — no credit card required. You can run Punchpass alongside Arketa to see how it works before making any changes.
Many studios get fully set up during the trial period. You can add classes, test customer bookings, and explore the reporting before you commit.
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We've helped many studios migrate and we make it as painless as possible. If you can export your data from Arketa, we can upload your customer information for you — and we don't charge for data migration.
Note: some Arketa users have reported difficulty getting their data when leaving. If you run into issues, our support team can help you find workarounds to get your customer information transferred.
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Yes. Punchpass has deep, native Zoom integration so you can run virtual or hybrid classes directly from your schedule. Arketa also supports virtual classes through Zoom — this is one area where both platforms are capable.
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Punchpass integrates with Mailchimp and MailerLite, so you can sync your customer data directly with dedicated email marketing platforms that are purpose-built for the job. Many studios find that a focused scheduling tool plus a dedicated email platform gives them more flexibility and better results than an all-in-one that tries to do everything.
Punchpass also has extensive built-in emailing capability that many clients use for their studio marketing.
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Yes — Punchpass has an iOS app for students to browse schedules, book classes, and manage their passes. The admin side is mobile-friendly so you can manage your studio from any device. Arketa also has mobile apps — their branded app option is available at the Studio Suite tier (custom pricing with a sales call).
See how Punchpass can work for your studio
