DanceBiz

Overview

DanceBiz is studio-management software for dance schools that want scheduling, student administration and billing in one system. It is best suited to studios that need staff tools alongside customer-facing enrolment and payment options. Its broad administrative coverage is appealing, but the active-customer caps and possible add-on charges deserve close attention.

Key features

Scheduling and student records

A visual scheduler offers daily, weekly and staff views, with classes set up on daily, weekly or custom schedules. That flexibility can help studios with varied timetables, while attendance history, skill tracking, waiting lists and make-up class records keep routine student administration together. DanceBiz also supports instructor scheduling and recital management.

Billing and customer access

The system generates class invoices and can sync invoices and payments with Xero and Intuit QuickBooks Online. Stripe is the recommended payment gateway; Ezidebit and Worldpay are also supported for direct debit and card payments. For studios that want families to handle routine tasks themselves, the customer portal supports enrolments, payments, absences, make-up bookings and progress tracking. The portal, online registration and online bookings are add-ons, however, and some add-on features may cost extra, so the headline subscription may not cover every workflow.

Staff tools, setup and security

Subscriptions include account setup, customer-data import, free email and phone support, and unlimited staff logins. Two-step login authentication verifies identity by text message or email. Staff can use the smartphone app to view schedules, customer and class details, attendance, skill tracking and invoices; desktop applications are available for PC and Mac. The separate ThinkSmart Check-in app currently supports Android 13 or earlier, which may constrain studios using newer Android versions.

Pricing

DanceBiz is paid software with a 14-day trial and no free plan. The lower tiers suit smaller studios, but each plan is capped by active customers, not staff logins:

Biz50 and Biz100 offer rolling monthly terms for studios with smaller active rosters. Biz250 and Biz500 raise those caps at lower monthly prices than Biz1000, but require a 12-month commitment. Biz1000 has the largest stated allowance and returns to a monthly rolling term. Studios near a tier limit should weigh the next price step against their expected active-customer count, and budget separately for any required add-ons.

Platforms

DanceBiz is available on Android, iOS, macOS, the web and Windows. Desktop apps can be installed on PC and Mac, while the smartphone app is aimed at staff and covers core schedule and studio records. The Check-in app's Android 13-or-earlier compatibility caveat is worth checking for studios relying on newer Android devices.

Who it's for

DanceBiz fits dance studios that want scheduling, attendance, tuition invoicing, payment processing and student records under one roof, especially those that value included setup, data import, support and unlimited staff logins. It is less compelling for a very small studio seeking a free option, or for a studio that needs every customer-facing feature in the base price. The service terms also matter to operators with strict data-continuity requirements: ThinkSmart disclaims liability for data loss, server errors and downtime, and canceled-account data may be deleted within 30 days.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Scheduling, attendance, skill tracking, waiting lists, make-up classes, invoicing and recital management address a wide range of dance-studio operations.
• Pros: Unlimited staff logins, setup, customer-data import and email and phone support are included with subscriptions.
• Pros: Accounting integrations and multiple named payment services can fit studios already using Xero, QuickBooks Online, Stripe, Ezidebit or Worldpay.
• Cons: Customer portal, online registration and online bookings may add cost, making the full customer-facing workflow more expensive than the base plan.
• Cons: Every plan has an active-customer ceiling, and the mid-range Biz250 and Biz500 tiers carry 12-month commitments.
• Cons: The terms disclaim responsibility for downtime and data loss, and permit canceled-account data deletion within 30 days.

Alternatives

Compare dance studio management software if you want to weigh DanceBiz against a broader set of category options.

• DanceTide is a web-based freemium option for studios prioritizing a free plan.
• Stepsi offers a free plan and Android, iOS and web access; its Plus and Grow plans charge annually and cap active members at 100 and 250 respectively.
• OttoDance is a freemium Android, iOS and web option, with an organization-funded plan whose fees are absorbed by the organization and card processing charged at 2.9% + 29¢.
• Jackrabbit Dance is a paid Android, iOS and web alternative; its core plan is $49 a month and includes unlimited support.
• Kananas has a free tier for up to 50 contacts and paid plans starting at $99 a year, making it worth considering when contact caps and a free entry tier suit your needs.
• Rosterra is a paid Android, iOS and web option with a free trial; its Core plan is $30 a month per location for up to 25 active members.
• Class Manager offers a free plan with no monthly subscription, charging a flat service fee for online payments.
• Studio Pro is another paid option available on web, iOS and Android.

Verdict

Choose DanceBiz if your studio needs a substantial set of scheduling, student, billing and staff tools, and its customer caps and add-on costs fit your operation. Included setup, data import, support and unlimited staff logins strengthen the case. Look elsewhere if you need a free plan, want customer-facing tools included without possible add-on charges, or cannot accept its data and uptime terms.