Upper Hand Reviews

“Helpful scheduling”

Pros

The scheduling tools, pricing setup and customer service have all been solid parts of this platform.

Cons

A few of my customers struggle to understand how it works so it doesn't feel very user friendly for everyone.

“reliable repoting capabilities”

Pros

Using it has been really easy and I love being able to pull revenue reports quickly while never having to worry about double bookings.

Cons

I do wish it allowed mass emails beyond just event related messages. It would also be much better to have a phone support hotline since the chat bubble rarely seems to get a response.

“packed with features”

Pros

Its functionality and versatility are the things I appreciate most.

Cons

At this point I haven't come across anything I dislike.

“Limited depth”

Pros

From both the customer side and the business side, the platform looks polished and gives off a very professional impression. It offers a wide range of features and they market it to have the groundwork in place to eventually support nearly everything a business would need for management.

Cons

That said quite a few of those features feel restricted in practice. For example, there's a payroll tracker but no actual payroll integration and it includes accounting tools yet they aren't really practical or usable from a true accounting standpoint.

“simple to setup”

Pros

Getting events scheduled isnt hard and the platform is simple to use overall.

Cons

Shifting credits around isn't very convenient and could be more flexible.

“user driven updates that deliver”

Pros

Over the years I've used Upper Hand, I've watched them roll out three or more changes based on suggestions I had made. They do an excellent job of evolving the product and putting real user feedback into action to make the software better.

Cons

The part I was least happy with was having to pay right after a session but from what I can tell that issue has been fixed. Now it's possible to book first and pay later.

“powerful admin tools”

Pros

From an admin side it is very easy to work with. It comes with plenty of useful features for tracking finances and sending automated emails to clients. The schedule is also simple to navigate and view and adding events quickly is very convenient when something needs to be entered on the fly.

Cons

I'd still like to see a more client friendly experience so scheduling is easier on their end. It would also help to have the option to apply one time discounts to fees after someone has already purchased a membership.

“saves time dramatically”

Pros

Switching to this was mostly about reducing how much time I was losing to scheduling and coaches' payroll and it has absolutely delivered. I'm spending far less time handling those tasks now and a lot more time focusing on growing the business which has been a huge win.

Cons

Some of the calendar features still feel lacking especially drag and drop functionality and a direct link from a calendar session to the client profile. I'd also like to see improvements to the client experience because a lot of clients get mixed up between parent and participant profiles. That's easily the biggest headache on my end and the most common complaint I hear is the confusion between those profiles.

“everything is unclear”

Pros

The platform has an appealing overall design and the way it's intended to function is a solid concept.

Cons

There are several limitations that make it frustrating to use. You can't issue refunds back as money, only not just credits and there's no way to assign time frames to resources. Credit sharing for families isn't available and credits also can't be transferred. The banking reports are unclear and payment records only allow amounts without adding check numbers. It also doesn't support a one time guest checkout. Another issue is that clients can't view available times on the calendar before choosing how many sessions they want to buy. It would also be much better to have a calendar view available when people are browsing events.

“Very convenient tool”

Pros

One of the biggest reasons our company moved to this app was the card on file feature. That capability ended up being the standout benefit for us and made the switch feel worthwhile.

Cons

It has a built in option for repeat booking but its not especially user friendly. Another downside is that the system only lets you fully block users from booking or registering, instead of giving you more control over what they can do on the client side versus the admin side.

“difficult membership proces”

Pros

There isn't much to praise since the platform isn't very user friendly.

Cons

We receive emails every single day about features not working properly. Even basic tasks like handling memberships and credits turn into a challenge. The wording throughout the system doesn't use everyday language which makes it hard to set things up without contacting customer service. And whenever I try to use the live chat, no one is available.

“feature packed platform”

Pros

There's a wide range of functionality in this software and it keeps getting better with regular feature updates. It lets you set up memberships, one time events, recurring events, camps, cage rentals and more.

Cons

Getting started with the software can feel a bit confusing at first. It definitely takes some time to learn and parts of the platform can occasionally feel repetitive or overlapping.

“Smart space management”

Pros

It does a really good job of managing the space in my gym when it's being used for multiple purposes.

Cons

The event offerings menu could be laid out better and I'd also like to see an integration for member keyfobs or an app based QR code for check in.