Subscriptions and packs allow your customers to book into classes or appointments using pre-paid credits. Here are some differences between the two options.
Similarities
Both give your customers prepaid credits. These credits can be used on classes or appointments.
By default, both subscriptions and packs will allow customers to use those credits on all classes you have scheduled or will schedule going forward. Appointments will not be included by default, but can be if you update the 'what's included section'.
Reasons to go with one over the other
Subscriptions
The most common form of a subscription is to have an auto-renewing subscription.
For example, once a month, maybe once a fortnight, your customers on this subscription are automatically charged. This is done with 'Duration Settings: Absolute Interval: 1 month/fortnight; and the 'Auto-renewal' setting toggled on.
Unlimited vs Limited
Subscriptions can be unlimited, meaning the customer can book as many classes as they want. They can also be limited, where the customer gets, say, five classes per month. This is called a limited-use subscription. To learn more about how to set these up, search our knowledge base for 'limited-use subscription'.
Less manual work
In general auto-renewing subscriptions are less manual work over time for a business. They require little to no interaction with the customer after they've been initially sold.
Fixed Start Dates / End Dates
Subscriptions also allow you to create fixed start and end dates. One use case for this might be a seasonal thing (think New Years).
To create a sense of urgency among your customers you might offer a discounted limited time subscription that runs from January 1 - April 1. This can be achieved under 'Duration Settings' with 'fixed start dates and end dates'. By comparison, an auto-renewing subscription would require Durations Settings of, say, 1 month & and the 'Auto-renewal' setting turned on.
Packs
Packs are great for catering to those that like to go at their own pace.
Maybe you have a customer that makes it in a lot one month and then the following month can't really make it in due to work or something else. A class pack appeals to this customer because it allows them to use the pack's credits at their own pace. Packs can also be set to auto-fill when they run out of credits if your customers prefer this.
To learn more about Packs and Subscriptions, see the video above.
Whichever option you choose, make sure you've doublechecked its 'What's included' section to ensure it includes access to only the things it should.