A monthly membership can be counted in two ways: by calendar month, where entries reset on the 1st for every student, or in 30-day jumps from the start date, where each student has their own window. The choice affects when you bill, what mid-month joiners pay, and how easy the business is to run.
Calendar-month memberships
Here the entry quota resets on the 1st of every month, the same for everyone, and renewing memberships are billed at the start of the month. For example: a 4-entries-a-month membership bought on January 10 gives 4 entries until January 31, and 4 new entries from February 1.
The key point is fair billing. In Medidate, someone who joins from the 4th until three days before the end of the month pays and gets entries pro rata for the days left. Someone who joins in the last three days of the month gets the rest of the month free, and full billing starts next month.
Advantages
- All monthly revenue comes in on the same date, so cash flow is easy to plan.
- Everyone starts the month together, so remaining entries are easy to explain.
- You can offer a first-month intro price, only with this method.
30-day memberships
Here each student has their own window: the quota resets every 30 days from their start date, and billing happens on the purchase date, with no proration. For example: a 4-entry membership bought on January 10 gives 4 entries until February 8, and 4 new ones from February 9.
Advantages
- No proration: every student pays full price and gets a full 30 days.
- Fits businesses that sell packages by period rather than by month.
So which one?
For most studios with renewing memberships, the calendar month is simpler: predictable cash flow, simple accounting and a fair price for new joiners. 30 days fits when you want every student to always get a full month from the day they started. In Medidate, when you turn on auto-renew the default is calendar month, and you can change it per plan.
Note: once students have bought a membership, its counting method locks so the purchase stays fair. Decide before you start selling.
How to set it up: creating memberships and punch cards. And why it matters when choosing software: how to choose studio management software.