Pilates studio KPIs: the 8 numbers to review every month
The short answer
Eight numbers are enough to run a pilates studio: occupancy per machine-hour, active members, churn, average revenue per member, revenue per open hour, trial conversion, visits per member and waitlist demand. Work them out once a month with the same formulas and compare with the month before.
Eight numbers are enough to run a pilates studio: occupancy per machine-hour, active members, churn, average revenue per member, revenue per open hour, trial conversion, visits per member and waitlist demand. Work them out once a month with the same formulas, compare with the month before, and act on trends rather than single months.
Why does a pilates studio need its own KPIs?
Equipment-based pilates has different math from a gym. Capacity is not the size of the room; it is the number of machines times the hours you teach. An empty reformer at 7 am is a spot you can never sell again.
That is why revenue alone hides a lot. Revenue can rise while members leave faster, or stay flat while full peak classes beg for more slots. KPIs (key performance indicators, the handful of numbers that tell you how the business is doing) show you where to act.
What are the 8 KPIs and how do you calculate them?
| KPI | Formula | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Occupancy per machine-hour | Spots filled ÷ spots offered | Whether the schedule is the right size |
| Active members | Members with a valid plan or pack at month end | The real size of the studio |
| Churn | Members who left this month ÷ active at start of month | Whether you keep people |
| Average revenue per member | Class revenue ÷ active members | What each member brings in a month |
| Revenue per open hour | Class revenue ÷ class hours offered | Which hours pay for themselves |
| Trial conversion | New members with a plan ÷ people who took a trial | Whether the front door works |
| Visits per member | Check-ins this month ÷ active members | Whether members are building a habit |
| Waitlist demand | People on waitlists per time slot | Where to open new classes |
Two rules make the numbers meaningful:
- Define each term once. What is an active member? What counts as leaving? Write it down and do not change it mid-year.
- Always use the same period, such as the first to the last day of the month.
A worked example
Picture a studio with 4 reformers and 45 class hours a week, about 195 hours a month.
| KPI | This month |
|---|---|
| Spots offered | 195 hours × 4 machines = 780 |
| Spots filled | 546 |
| Occupancy | 546 ÷ 780 = 70% |
| Active members at start / end | 120 / 124 |
| Members who left | 6 |
| Churn | 6 ÷ 120 = 5% |
| Class revenue | CA$27,000 |
| Average revenue per member | CA$27,000 ÷ 124 ≈ CA$218 |
| Revenue per open hour | CA$27,000 ÷ 195 ≈ CA$138 |
| Trials / new plans | 20 / 10, 50% conversion |
| Visits per member | 546 ÷ 124 ≈ 4.4 a month |
These figures are illustrative. What matters is what they say together. Occupancy of 70% with waitlists at 6 pm and 7 pm suggests opening a class at those times, not cutting prices. An average of 4.4 visits a month in a studio where most members have a twice-a-week plan (around 8 classes) shows many people are missing classes, and missed classes often come before cancellations.
What should you do when a KPI gets worse?
| Signal | Question to ask | Possible actions |
|---|---|---|
| Low occupancy at certain hours | Who is free at that time? | Off-peak offer, a different class format, cut the slot |
| Rising churn | Did the people who left have something in common? | Talk to leavers, reach out to members who stopped coming |
| Falling revenue per member | Are members moving to smaller plans? | Review your price ladder |
| Low trial conversion | Is the second class being booked? | Book the next class before they leave |
| Fewer visits per member | Are people missing classes without cancelling? | Reminders, a clear cancellation policy |
| Long waitlists | Is there a machine and an instructor for a new class? | Open a slot, move a class that rarely fills |
For empty slots, see how to fill off-peak pilates classes. For no-shows, reduce no-shows at your studio.
How often should you check each number?
- Daily: today’s classes, bookings, check-ins and sales. Five minutes.
- Monthly: the eight KPIs, on the same day, compared with last month. Half an hour.
- Quarterly: the three-month trend, to decide on price, schedule and staffing changes.
Changing the studio because of one bad month is usually hasty. Three months moving in the same direction is a signal.
How does elastudio help you track KPIs?
In elastudio, the today dashboard shows today’s classes, bookings and sales on every plan. From the Starter plan, ready-made reports cover attendance, sales, passes and first visit to second purchase conversion, with no spreadsheet to build. On Growth, the custom report builder lets you create your own views from your studio’s data, such as revenue by time slot or visits by plan. See how it fits your routine on the pilates studios page.
Common mistakes
- Watching revenue only. It hides occupancy, churn and attendance.
- Changing definitions along the way. Then no month compares with another.
- Measuring too much. Thirty KPIs become noise. Eight is enough.
- Reacting to one month. Wait for the trend before changing prices or the schedule.
- Ignoring the waitlist. It shows the demand you are not serving yet.
Start with last month
Define active member and churn, work out the eight numbers for last month and keep them in one place. See elastudio’s reports on the features page and compare plans on pricing. Questions: support@elastudio.app.
Questions people ask
What is a good occupancy rate for a pilates studio?
There is no official benchmark. The most useful comparison is your studio against itself: peak classes close to full show demand, and slots that stay low for months call for a different offer or a schedule change.
How do I calculate studio churn?
Divide the members who left during the month by the active members at the start of the month. Decide first what leaving means, for example not renewing, or 30 days with no class and no active plan.
How often should I look at these numbers?
Today's classes, bookings and sales daily. The eight studio KPIs once a month, on the same day. A bigger review every quarter before changing prices or the schedule.
Do I need software to track pilates studio KPIs?
You can start with a spreadsheet. The work is pulling attendance, sales and plans together every month, and that is where software with ready-made reports saves hours.