Yoga Studio Class Size: Finding the Sweet Spot Between Revenue and Experience

The Class Size Dilemma

Every yoga studio owner faces this tension: pack more students into each class to maximize revenue per instructor hour, or keep classes smaller to deliver a premium experience.

Get it wrong in either direction and you lose money. Here's how to find your sweet spot.

The Math Everyone Gets Wrong

Most studio owners think: "My room fits 30 mats, so I should fill all 30 spots."

But they forget about:

• No-show rate (typically 15-25% for drop-in classes)
• Physical space for instructor to move and assist
• Buffer for popular classes (avoiding "sold out" frustration)
• Experience quality at capacity vs 80% capacity

A 30-mat studio's actual optimal capacity is often 22-24 spots, not 30.

The Retention Impact of Overcrowding

Here's what the data shows: when regular members experience overcrowded classes 3+ times, there's a 40% chance they'll cancel within 60 days.

Why? They feel like "just a number," they don't get attention from the instructor, they can't find a good spot, and they leave frustrated instead of zen.

What looks like smart revenue optimization ("we squeezed in 5 more students!") becomes a retention killer.

The Tiered Pricing Solution

Instead of one class size fits all, consider tiered experiences:

Premium Small Group: Max 12 students, hands-on adjustments, $28-$35 per class

Standard Class: Max 20 students, some individual attention, $18-$22 per class

Community Class: Max 30 students, lower price point, $12-$15 per class

Now you're not choosing between revenue and experience—you're offering different value propositions at different price points.

The Instructor Variable

Not all instructors can handle large classes. Some are amazing in intimate settings but lose the room at 25+ students. Others thrive with big groups.

Match instructor strengths to class size:

• Detail-oriented instructors → smaller classes
• High-energy performers → larger classes
• New instructors → smaller classes until they develop crowd management skills

The Safety Consideration

Overcrowded classes increase injury risk. When students are packed tightly:

• Harder to maintain proper alignment
• Higher chance of collisions during transitions
• Instructor can't spot risky form
• Students push beyond their limits to "keep up"

One member injury from overcrowding can cost you far more than the extra revenue from those 5 additional spots.

The Protection Layer

Smart studios include automatic accident protection for all class participants. If someone does get injured during class—even from their own mistake—their medical bills are covered.

This costs you about $1-$2 per participant. But it means:

• No angry member facing unexpected medical bills
• No bad reviews about "I got hurt and they didn't care"
• No lawsuit over a sprained wrist or pulled hamstring

You can even build it into pricing: "All classes include accident protection"—a value-add that members appreciate.

Finding Your Number

Here's how to determine your optimal class size:

1. Run A/B tests: cap half your classes at 80% room capacity for 30 days
2. Survey students after both types of classes (experience rating 1-10)
3. Track retention: do students in capped classes stick around longer?
4. Calculate lifetime value: what's a 10% retention improvement worth?

Usually you'll find that capping at 75-80% of physical capacity maximizes lifetime revenue, even though it reduces short-term revenue per class.

The Bottom Line

Maximize revenue per student, not revenue per class. A 20-person class where everyone has a great experience and comes back for months is worth more than a 30-person class where 25% never return.