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Flat processing fees. AI-powered retention. Studio-grade reporting that actually closes your books. See why boutique fitness studios are switching from Arketa to Walla.
Arketa looks modern on the surface. But under the hood, operational depth, reporting, and fee transparency tell a different story.
| Feature | Walla | Arketa |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & Processing | ||
| Transparent, published studio pricing | ✓ $320-$599/mo | ✗ Custom quotes |
| Payment processing fees | ✓ 2.9% + $0.30 | Individual ~6%; studios negotiated* |
| Added platform fee on top of Stripe | ✓ None | ✗ 3% on Individual plan |
| Data migration | ✓ | Not published |
| Reporting & Finance | ||
| Real-time customizable dashboards | ✓ | Accuracy complaints |
| Reporting accuracy studios can rely on | ✓ | Complaints reported |
| Plan performance and retention reporting | ✓ | Basic |
| Multi-location unified reporting | ✓ | Limited |
| Payroll and pay rate setup | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI & Retention Intelligence | ||
| AI-powered churn prediction (WallaPredict) | ✓ | In marketing automations |
| Automated at-risk client re-engagement | ✓ | Via automations |
| Behavior-based marketing automations | ✓ Incl. in Pro | Basic workflows |
| AI front-desk / chat (Concierge Agent) | ✓ | ✓ Basic chatbot |
| Scheduling & Operations | ||
| Class, appointment, and enrollment scheduling | ✓ | ✓ |
| Book-a-Spot floor plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Waitlists with automatic notifications | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sub management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Equipment management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tasks management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Client Experience | ||
| Branded studio app | ✓ Incl. in Pro | Suite tier only |
| Push notifications | ✓ | Suite tier only |
| Video on-demand courses and library | ✓ | ✓ Strong |
| Two-way texting | ✓ Incl. in Pro | ✓ |
| Marketing & Growth | ||
| Full marketing automation suite | ✓ Incl. in Pro | Basic / tiered |
| Branded emails and newsletters | ✓ Incl. in Pro | ✓ |
| Google and Meta integrations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Unlimited audience segmentation | ✓ Pro | Limited |
| Support & Partnership | ||
| Response times under 3 minutes | ✓ | Weeks reported by reviewers |
| Support team with studio industry experience | ✓ | Decline reported in reviews |
| Dedicated onboarding consultant | ✓ | Mixed reviews |
| Unlimited users included | ✓ | ✓ |
*Arketa's published Individual plan adds a 3% platform fee on top of standard Stripe processing (2.9% + $0.30), an effective all-in rate of roughly 6% or more per transaction. Studio-tier processing terms are negotiated and not published.
Arketa's subscription price is only part of the story. On the published Individual plan, a 3% platform fee is layered on top of Stripe processing, and studio-tier processing terms are negotiated case by case.
A business processing $10,000 per month on Arketa's published Individual plan pays roughly $3,360 more per year on the 3% platform fee alone. Studio-tier processing is negotiated, so ask exactly what your all-in rate will be before you sign.
Arketa reviewers describe reports as inaccurate, confusing, and hard to reconcile. Walla delivers real-time customizable dashboards, multi-location performance tracking, and WallaPredict AI retention forecasting that identifies at-risk clients before they cancel.
On Arketa's published Individual plan, a 3% platform fee is layered on top of Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30, an all-in rate near 6% or more. Studio-tier fees are negotiated case by case. Walla charges flat Stripe standard rates with zero platform markup on every plan.
A clear pattern runs through recent Arketa reviews: support used to be excellent, and has declined as the company scaled. Studios describe week-long waits for answers and agents who can't resolve platform issues. Walla's support team is staffed by fitness industry professionals and most responses come back in under 3 minutes.
Book a 15-minute demo and we'll show you exactly how your studio would run on Walla.
"I feel like I'm getting business consulting built into my software, by people who know how to make fitness businesses successful and who are tapped into the science of retention."
"Walla took care of all the nitty-gritty details, like moving all our studio information over. Even credit cards got taken care of, too, without any issues."
"Any issue we've raised has been taken seriously and handled by a knowledgeable and responsive customer service rep. It feels like a partnership, not a software vendor."
Arketa serves a real segment well. Here's how to know which platform fits where you are.
The #1 fear studios have about changing platforms is the migration. We've helped hundreds of studios switch smoothly.
We transfer your member data, payment histories, and credit cards through Stripe. No data left behind, no extra charges.
Your onboarding specialist walks you through a structured launch plan. A real person who knows studios, not a help article.
Studio owners consistently report that their teams adopt Walla almost immediately. Intuitive design means less training and fewer mistakes.
Your client data belongs to you, not to us. We'll help you bring it over, and you own it from the moment you land on Walla.
Book a 15-minute demo. No pressure, no commitment. Just a clear look at how Walla works for boutique studios like yours.