From Studio to Screen: Build Your Profitable Online Fitness Platform 💻💪 - with Detailed Cost Breakdown
As a fitness professional—whether you're a Yoga, Pilates, strength training, or HIIT instructor—taking your business online can be transformative. It helps you reach more students, diversify income streams, and grow sustainably. This guide walks you through creating a professional, fitness-focused website and provides a detailed cost breakdown of the best platforms for your business.
Why Simplicity is Key
No matter your fitness focus—be it Yoga, strength training, or group classes—simplicity is essential. A clean, intuitive website allows clients to focus on your classes instead of navigating a complex site. The easier it is to find and book your sessions, the better the user experience.
Must-Have Features for Your Online Platform
Here’s what every fitness professional needs in their online platform:
👉 Membership Management – Offer tiered memberships with access to live sessions, on-demand content, or exclusive workshops.
👉 Live Streaming & Recording – Stream classes live, save sessions for on-demand access.
👉 E-commerce – Sell classes, memberships, and products like fitness equipment or merchandise.
👉 Booking System – Let clients book personal sessions or group classes directly through your site.
Choosing the Right Platform for Your Fitness Business
Here’s a breakdown of the top four platforms for fitness professionals, complete with a detailed cost breakdown.
1. Kajabi
💡 Best for: An all-in-one solution without the tech headaches
💰 Cost: $1,428/year (annually paid)
Kajabi offers a complete package, from managing memberships to live streaming and selling fitness products—all in one place. It’s ideal for fitness instructors who want to focus on their craft without having to worry about the technical details.
Why Kajabi?
All-in-One: Everything from courses, memberships, and live-streaming to product sales can be handled in one place.
Ease of Use: Kajabi is user-friendly and doesn't require coding or technical skills.
Membership & Marketing: You can manage subscribers and send marketing emails all from the same dashboard.
💵 Cost Breakdown:
Kajabi Platform Subscription: $1,428/year.
Additional Costs: Minimal—Kajabi handles all of the tech for you.
🚫 Cons: Higher cost and fewer customization options for design.
Perfect for: Instructors who want a simple, hassle-free setup.
2. Thrive Themes + Vimeo + WooCommerce
💡 Best for: Fitness pros who want a beautiful, conversion-focused site with minimal hassle.
💰 Cost: $800/year
Thrive Themes is a WordPress-based platform that offers pre-built templates and customization features aimed at conversions. Pairing this with Vimeo for video hosting and WooCommerce for e-commerce creates a seamless solution for fitness pros.
Why Thrive Themes?
Conversion-Focused Design: Thrive is built to help you convert visitors into paying customers, whether for memberships or one-off classes.
Ease of Use: Thrive's visual builder makes creating and updating the website simple.
Vimeo for Videos: Easily host and stream your live and recorded classes.
WooCommerce: Great for selling classes, physical products, and memberships.
💵 Cost Breakdown:
Thrive Themes Subscription: $299/year.
Vimeo Subscription: $240/year (assuming the Plus plan).
WooCommerce: Free, but some plugins may add extra costs (e.g., WooCommerce Memberships: $199/year).
Total: ~$800/year.
🚫 Cons: Thrive's flexibility is limited to its built-in tools, and custom coding might be needed for more advanced features.
Perfect for: Fitness instructors who want a solid, easy-to-maintain platform that looks professional.
3. WordPress + Vimeo + MemberPress
💡 Best for: Fitness pros who want full control over their site with more flexibility for growth.
💰 Cost: $800/year
This setup offers full control and flexibility for fitness professionals who want to create a customized site. By combining WordPress with Vimeo for video hosting and MemberPress for membership management, you can create a more tailored experience for your clients.
Why WordPress + MemberPress?
Flexibility: WordPress allows for customizations beyond what platforms like Thrive or Kajabi offer. You can create new features, integrate custom tools, and have control over the site's design.
MemberPress for Memberships: Manage subscriptions, drip content, and provide different access levels for your clients.
Vimeo: Host live and recorded classes with high-quality video streaming.
💵 Cost Breakdown:
WordPress Hosting: $100/year (or more, depending on hosting provider).
Vimeo Subscription: $240/year (Plus plan).
MemberPress: $179/year (for the Basic plan).
Total: ~$800/year.
💡 Optional:
WooCommerce: $199/year (if you plan to sell physical products or non-membership digital goods).
🚫 Cons: Requires more setup and ongoing maintenance, especially if you need advanced features or customizations.
Perfect for: Instructors comfortable with a more hands-on approach who want full control over their platform’s functionality and design.
4. Vimeo OTT
💡 Best for: Video-centric platforms with a subscription model.
💰 Cost: $1/subscriber + hosting fees.
If your focus is purely on delivering video content, Vimeo OTT is the perfect solution. It allows you to manage subscriptions, offer on-demand content, and scale with your audience.
Why Vimeo OTT?
Video-Centric: Ideal if your business model revolves around providing access to pre-recorded or live-streamed classes.
Subscription Management: Built-in tools for managing subscriptions, payments, and content access.
Scalable: As your subscriber base grows, Vimeo OTT scales with you.
💵 Cost Breakdown:
$1/subscriber (this can add up quickly depending on your subscriber count).
Hosting fees: Typically minimal, included with Vimeo's plans.
🚫 Cons: Limited in terms of offering non-video content or e-commerce features. Not great for selling physical products or one-on-one sessions.
Perfect for: Instructors focusing solely on subscription-based video content.
Structuring Your Offerings
After choosing a platform, structuring your offerings is crucial to maximize engagement and revenue. Here are some ideas:
👉 Recorded Classes – Give on-demand access to your sessions.
👉 Live Classes – Offer real-time engagement with your students.
👉 Workshops – Sell specialized content or courses.
👉 Private Sessions – Allow clients to book one-on-one coaching directly through your site.
👉 Merchandise – Sell fitness-related products, from equipment to branded items.
Cost Breakdown & ROI
Here’s a quick breakdown of platform costs and potential revenue streams:
Kajabi: $1,428/year, offering memberships, workshops, and more.
Thrive Themes + Vimeo + WooCommerce: ~$800/year, combining flexibility with ease of use.
WordPress + Vimeo + MemberPress: ~$800/year, offering maximum control and scalability.
Vimeo OTT: $1/subscriber, focusing on subscription-based video content.
Final Thoughts: Choose the Platform That Fits Your Fitness Brand
Each platform has its strengths depending on your goals and how much control you want over your site. Whether it’s an all-in-one solution like Kajabi, a fully customizable setup with WordPress + MemberPress, or a scalable video platform like Vimeo OTT, the key is to choose one that makes it easy for clients to access your offerings and fits your business model.
💡 Need Help Setting Up Your Fitness Platform?
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the options or just want to ensure that your fitness website is up and running smoothly, I’d love to help you! With over 10 years of experience in web design and development, I specialize in creating wellness-focused platforms that are easy to use and beautifully designed. Whether it’s creating a membership system, integrating live classes, or simply ensuring your site is optimized for performance, I’ve got you covered.
👉 Get in touch to see how we can build your perfect online fitness platform together. Let's make sure your clients can easily find, book, and enjoy your services!
