Booking a class on MoveMentors is the same flow whether you came in from a mentor profile, a studio profile, a search result, or a direct link. Here is what to expect.
The class detail page
Every class has a dedicated detail page at a URL like /<city>/<mentor-slug>/<class-slug> for mentor classes or /studios/<studio-slug>/<class-slug> for studio classes. The page has these sections:
- Title and hero image
- Mentor or studio card (the host)
- Next session info (date, time in your timezone, duration)
- Location (with a map and "directions" link)
- Price, capacity, available seats
- Cancellation policy (clear before you commit)
- What to bring / what's included
- Add-ons (mat rental, etc; optional)
- Booking sidebar (the form you fill in)
The booking sidebar sticks to the top-right on desktop so you can read the rest of the page while keeping the form visible.
Picking a date
If the class is a one-off, the form pre-selects that single date and shows no date picker.
If the class is recurring (multiple upcoming sessions), the form shows a date picker with all upcoming dates within capacity. Pick the date you want. Sold-out dates are disabled. Past dates do not appear.
The picker honours blackout dates the mentor has set (vacation days, etc) and any one-off cancellations.
Choosing how many seats
Most classes allow you to bring people. The "Number of seats" stepper lets you book 1 to (capacity minus already-booked) seats. If you book 3 seats, you reserve 3 spots; the mentor sees one booking with party size 3 attached to your account.
When you book more than 1 seat, the form asks for the names of additional attendees. These are not full MoveMentors accounts; just names on a list. The host can prep a sign-in sheet from this.
See bringing a group for the full details.
Picking add-ons
If the host has add-ons (mat rental, towel, water bottle, etc), they show up below the seat count with a checkbox or quantity stepper each. Each add-on is priced per-add-on, not per-seat, unless the mentor configured it as per-seat (rare, mostly for things like clothing rentals).
Add-ons are added to the total at the top of the form.
Filling in your details
If you are logged in, your name and email are pre-filled from your account.
If you are NOT logged in, the form asks for name, email, and phone. You can book as a guest; the booking gets tied to the email you used. You will receive the confirmation and reminder emails at that email. If you later create an account on the same email, your guest bookings get linked to the new account.
We strongly recommend creating an account because:
- You can see all your bookings in one place at /my-bookings.
- You can leave reviews (review submission requires an account).
- You get a more reliable email delivery path (the email is tied to a verified address).
- Cancellations are easier (you can self-serve from /my-bookings instead of asking the mentor).
Choosing a payment method
If the host has multiple payment methods enabled, you pick one. The options that appear are exactly what the host accepts:
- Card (Stripe): pay now, instantly. Charge goes straight to the host's Stripe Connect account.
- Bank transfer: pay later via the IBAN/account details we email you.
- PayPal / Venmo / Cash App / Zelle: pay later via the handle we email you.
- Cash: pay on arrival.
- Crypto: pay later via the wallet address we email you.
If the host only accepts one method, the picker is hidden and that method is the default.
See payment methods for a full rundown of how each method works.
Submitting the booking
Click "Book now". Two paths:
If the chosen method is card via Stripe
A Stripe Checkout session opens. You enter your card details on Stripe's hosted page (not on MoveMentors directly; we never see your card number). When the payment captures, Stripe redirects you back to the MoveMentors confirmation page. Your booking is now in CONFIRMED status. The host receives a "new booking" email; you receive a "booking confirmed" email with a .ics calendar attachment.
If the card is declined, Stripe shows you the reason inline and lets you try a different card. The booking is not created on our side until payment captures, so a failed Stripe attempt does not leave a phantom booking.
If the chosen method is manual (anything else)
The booking is created in PENDING status. We send the host a "new booking" email and you a "booking confirmation, awaiting payment" email with the host's payment instructions (IBAN, PayPal handle, etc).
Once the host confirms they received payment, they mark your booking paid in their dashboard. The booking moves to CONFIRMED. You receive a second email letting you know.
For cash: the booking stays PENDING until the day of class. Show up, pay on arrival, the host marks it paid.
Why two emails?
For card payments you get one email because the payment is captured and the booking is confirmed in the same moment. For manual methods we send a "you are pending" email immediately so you have the payment instructions, then a "you are confirmed" email after the host acknowledges payment. Two emails, one for each state transition.
After booking
You can see the booking on /my-bookings. The page shows status, payment status, and a "Cancel" button (subject to the cancellation policy).
The booking confirmation email includes:
- All the booking details (class, date, time, location, host)
- An .ics attachment so Gmail / Apple Mail can add it to your calendar in one tap
- The host's payment instructions (if you picked a manual method)
- A link back to the booking page
You get a reminder email 24 hours before the class starts (assuming you have not turned off booking reminders in /settings/notifications).
When a booking fails
A few common failure modes and what they mean:
"Class is fully booked" Capacity ran out between when you loaded the page and when you submitted. Refresh and try a different date or a different class.
"You have already booked this class" You already have a non-cancelled booking on this date. Go to /my-bookings to see it.
"Cannot book your own class" You are the mentor/studio who created this class. You cannot book your own class as a student through the same account.
"Payment failed" Stripe rejected the card. The booking was not created. Try a different card or a different payment method.
"Mentor's Stripe account is not set up" The host turned off Stripe in their payments settings, or never set it up. Pick a different payment method (cash, bank transfer, etc) if they offer one.
Common questions
Can I book a class that starts in less than an hour? Yes, as long as there is capacity. Mentors can set a "minimum lead time" on their classes (e.g. "no bookings within 2 hours of start"), which disables late bookings.
Can I book multiple sessions of a recurring class at once? Not yet. Each session is its own booking. Booking 8 sessions of a weekly class = 8 individual bookings. We have "class packs" via subscriptions for the volume use case (see subscription packs).
Can I move a booking to a different date? Not directly. Cancel within the policy window, then book the new date. This is intentional: it keeps the financials clean and avoids edge cases around partial refunds.
Will my payment go to the mentor or the studio if the class is co-listed? The class creator gets paid. If a mentor created a class and a studio is co-listed, the mentor's account receives payment. The studio shows the class on their profile but is not in the money path.
Next steps
- Curious about cancellation? Read Cancelling and refunds.
- Going with a friend? Read Bringing a group.
- Want to add the class to your calendar? See Calendar sync for students.