Fons vs Trio
Fons
fons.com
Trio
musicaltrio.comSide by side
| Figure | Fons | Trio |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $19.95/mo | $5/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Spec score · Music School Software | 8.2 (#6) | 7.3 (#16) |
| Spec score · Music Lesson Scheduling Software | 8.1 (#8) | 7.3 (#21) |
| Billing | It offers three automated billing models intended to reduce invoicing and payment chasing. | Trio supports itemized family invoices, card and bank payments, autopay, and payment processing through Stripe; online payments require Pro or Max. |
| Purpose | Fons describes itself as studio management software for music teachers that automates and simplifies their businesses. | Trio helps music teachers schedule lessons, bill families, track student learning, and provide families with a portal for schedules, invoices, and practice assignments. |
| Scheduling | The product supports online booking, streamlined scheduling, and tracking cancellations. | Features include recurring and group lessons, family self-booking, makeup credits, and calendar feeds for Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, and Outlook. |
| Security | Fons publishes a vulnerability disclosure policy covering fons.com and fons.app and asks researchers to report issues responsibly. | Trio states that it uses TLS encryption in transit, database row-level security, access controls, audit logs for administrative actions, and magic-link, SMS-code, or passkey authentication. |
| Support | The Suzuki Association member offer includes concierge onboarding and training, ongoing business support, and webinars. | Free includes the help center and Ask Trio; Pro includes ticket support with a one-business-day target, and Max includes priority support with a four-hour target. |
Plans
In their own words
Trio
Trio is a web service for music teachers and studios to manage scheduling, billing, student learning, and family communication. Teachers can create recurring or group lessons, allow family self-booking, manage makeup credits, and publish calendar feeds for Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, and Outlook. Families receive a portal for schedules, invoices, and practice assignments. Billing supports itemized invoices, card and bank payments, autopay, and Stripe processing; online payments require Pro or Max. Students can use assignments, streaks, badges, reminders, practice-video uploads, and a repertoire library. AI features compile lesson notes, answer questions through Ask Trio, draft messages, and import library material; teachers approve generated notes before saving. Max adds MCP connections for external AI assistants. Trio says it uses encryption, access controls, audit logs, and several sign-in methods. Plans are Free, Pro at $5 per month, and Max at $20 per month.