Best martial arts gym management software in 2026
There is no single best martial arts gym management software. The right one depends on how many students you have, whether you grade, how you take payments and what the bill looks like once you grow. This guide puts eleven platforms side by side on the things that are hardest to find out before you sign: the published price, what makes it rise, the contract, and whether belt ranks are built in.
Who wrote this. MatPilot publishes this guide, and MatPilot is one of the eleven platforms in it. So there is no winner here: the platforms are in alphabetical order, every price is copied from the vendor's own website on 4 November 2026, and anything a vendor does not publish says so. Prices change, so check the vendor's page before you sign, and tell us at support@matpilot.io if a figure here is out of date.
- There is no single best platform: the right one depends on your size, how you grade and how you take payments.
- Published entry prices run from free (MatPilot, PushPress) and $40 to $79 a month (MatGoat, MAAT, Martialytics, Gymdesk, Kicksite) to $199 a month (Spark Membership, Wodify's list price).
- Gymdesk, Kicksite, Martialytics and Zen Planner price by active students, so the bill rises as you grow; MAAT, MatPilot Pro and Spark Membership charge one price at any size.
- Compare what you pay on payments too: MAAT adds 1% and MatPilot 0.49% or 2% to Stripe's rate, while Martialytics and MatGoat add nothing.
- Several platforms ask for 30 days' notice to cancel, and Spark Membership's term renews for up to a year.
What to compare before you look at features
Every platform here takes payments, runs a timetable and records attendance. The differences that cost you money or time show up in six places:
- The price at your size, not the entry price. A per-student tier that looks cheap at 30 students may not be at 150.
- What moves the price: active students, locations, the plan, or add-ons such as a branded app or marketing.
- The contract and the notice period. A renewing term or 30 days' notice is worth knowing before day one.
- Payment processing: who processes your payments, whether the rate is published, and whether the platform takes a share on top.
- Belts and ranks: whether they are on your plan, whether each art keeps its own ladder, and whether the software or the coach decides who tests.
- Getting out again: whether your members and history export cleanly, and whether that costs anything.
The platforms at a glance
Prices as published on each vendor's own site on 4 November 2026, in US dollars unless stated, before add-ons and payment processing.
| Platform | Published price | What moves the price | Contract | Free plan or trial | Belts and ranks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gymdesk | $75 a month up to 50 active members, $100 up to 100, $150 up to 150 and $200 up to 250 with Gymdesk Payments, $25 to $40 more on your own processor, and a quote above 250 | Active members, and whether you use Gymdesk Payments | Month to month, no minimum term | 30-day free trial, no card | Yes, and it flags who is ready to promote |
| Kicksite | $49 a month up to 25 active students, $99 up to 50, $149 up to 100 and $199 above 100 | Active students | Monthly, or a yearly contract that renews; 30 days' written notice to cancel | 30-day free trial | Yes, a belt curriculum with one-click promotion |
| MAAT | $59 a month, or $49 a month paid annually, with unlimited members, plus 1% of each payment on top of Stripe's fees | One plan; monthly or annual | Month to month or annual, cancel anytime | 7-day free trial | Yes, with a notice when someone is ready to promote |
| Martialytics | $69 a month up to 50 active students, $99 up to 100, $129 up to 200 and $199 above 200 | Active students; leads and inactive students are free | No lock-in contract | 30-day free trial, no card | Yes, belt progressions and gradings |
| MatGoat | Basic $40 or €40 a month up to 50 students, Professional $60 or €60 a month with unlimited students, before tax | Students: up to 50, or unlimited | Cancel at any time | 30-day free trial, no card, and a 30-day money-back guarantee | Yes, belt and level per student |
| MatPilot | Free up to 20 members; Pro $79 or €79 a month with unlimited members | The plan only; Pro is the same price at any size | Month to month, no notice | Free plan up to 20 members, no time limit, no card | Yes on Pro, a ladder per art for nineteen arts; coaches decide who tests |
| Mindbody | From $79 a month per location in North America (€99 in Europe), with every plan quoted by sales | The plan and the number of locations | Depends on the plan; set with sales | No free plan or trial stated | Belt promotions triggered by visit counts |
| PushPress | Free at $0, Pro $159 a month and Max $229 a month, per location | The plan and the number of locations | Month to month; cancel 30 days before renewal | Free plan, no time limit | Yes, on Pro and Max |
| Spark Membership | $199 a month, one plan with every feature, after an 8-week free trial | One plan | Term set in your order form, renewing for up to a year; 30 days' notice not to renew | 8-week free trial | Yes, belt history and progressions |
| Wodify | Essentials $199, Accelerate $299 and Ultimate $499 a month, each $100 a month less if you book a demo by 30 November 2026 | The plan | Month to month | No free plan or trial stated | On Accelerate and Ultimate |
| Zen Planner | Studio $99 to $289, Essentials $198 to $388 and Ultimate $348 to $538 a month, across eight active-member tiers | Active members and the plan, plus add-ons | Month to month, annual on request; 30 days' notice | Demo, no free plan or trial | Yes, belts, stripes and skill milestones |
Each platform in brief
Gymdesk
Suits: Academies under 50 active members that want a low published price, a 30-day trial with no card, belt tracking that flags who is ready to promote, and no exit fee.
Worth checking: The price steps up at 50, 100, 150 and 250 active members and is $25 to $40 a month higher on your own processor. Gymdesk Payments is US and Canada only and its rate is not published.
Price: $75 a month up to 50 active members, $100 up to 100, $150 up to 150 and $200 up to 250 with Gymdesk Payments, $25 to $40 more on your own processor, and a quote above 250. An extra location is $50 a month ($100 on your own processor) and a branded app $100 a month. See Gymdesk's pricing page. Our longer side-by-side: MatPilot vs Gymdesk.
Kicksite
Suits: Schools that run belt testing around a curriculum, with one-click promotion and family accounts. Its lowest tier is $49 a month for up to 25 students.
Worth checking: The tier moves with your active student count, so the bill rises at 26, 51 and 101 students. Its terms ask for 30 days' written notice to cancel, and card processing runs through Basys at a rate it does not publish.
Price: $49 a month up to 25 active students, $99 up to 50, $149 up to 100 and $199 above 100. An annual discount is available on request, and data migration is free. See Kicksite's pricing page. Our longer side-by-side: MatPilot vs Kicksite.
MAAT
Suits: Jiu Jitsu and grappling academies that want one plan with unlimited members, a notice when a student is ready to promote, and parents paying for their children's profiles.
Worth checking: On top of Stripe's own fees it takes 1% of each payment, so the monthly price is not the whole cost. The free trial is 7 days.
Price: $59 a month, or $49 a month paid annually, with unlimited members, plus 1% of each payment on top of Stripe's fees. Migration is free. See MAAT's pricing page. Our longer side-by-side: MatPilot vs MAAT.
Martialytics
Suits: Schools that want belt progressions and grading insights, unlimited locations and users, and payments at Stripe's standard rates with no platform fee.
Worth checking: The price rises with active students at 51, 101 and 201. Its site does not say whether one parent can pay for several children.
Price: $69 a month up to 50 active students, $99 up to 100, $129 up to 200 and $199 above 200. Unlimited locations and users are included. See Martialytics's pricing page.
MatGoat
Suits: Small schools watching cost: the Basic plan is the lowest published paid price in this list, for up to 50 students, with belt tracking, family subscriptions and Stripe with no percentage fee.
Worth checking: Prices are before tax, and Basic stops at 50 students, after which Professional is $60 a month with no limit.
Price: Basic $40 or €40 a month up to 50 students, Professional $60 or €60 a month with unlimited students, before tax. Migration is included and there is no setup fee. See MatGoat's pricing page.
MatPilot
Suits: Academies that grade in more than one art and want ranks, billing and attendance in one place, at a price that stays the same as they grow. For Jiu Jitsu specifically, see MatPilot for BJJ academies.
Worth checking: Payments run only through Stripe, with a platform fee of 0.49% on Pro or 2% on Free on top of Stripe's rate. It does not tell you who is ready to test: it shows coaches the record and leaves the call to them. The Free plan allows one art and one membership plan, and keeps belt promotion, family billing and data export for Pro.
Price: Free up to 20 members; Pro $79 or €79 a month with unlimited members. Phone, a store and a website are optional add-ons. See MatPilot's pricing page.
Mindbody
Suits: Studios that want new clients to find them through Mindbody's consumer app, and businesses that run wellness or retail beside their classes.
Worth checking: Every plan is quoted by sales and the contract depends on the plan, so ask for the term in writing. Belt promotions are triggered by visit counts rather than a curriculum.
Price: From $79 a month per location in North America (€99 in Europe), with every plan quoted by sales. Its consumer app takes 20% (capped at $30) of a new client's first purchase made there. See Mindbody's pricing page. Our longer side-by-side: MatPilot vs Mindbody.
PushPress
Suits: MMA and fitness-led gyms that run conditioning, drop-ins and class packs beside martial arts, and want to start on a free plan.
Worth checking: The free plan is paid for through processing, at 4.99% + 30¢ a card payment against 2.89% + 30¢ on Pro. Rank tracking is on Pro and Max, not Free.
Price: Free at $0, Pro $159 a month and Max $229 a month, per location. A branded app is $97 a month, and Grow, with lead forms, landing pages and the full CRM, is $329 a month. See PushPress's pricing page. Our longer side-by-side: MatPilot vs PushPress.
Spark Membership
Suits: Schools that want one price with every feature, an 8-week free trial, belt history and family discounts applied automatically.
Worth checking: Payments go only through Spark's own processing, at a rate it does not publish, and the term is set in your order form and renews for up to a year unless you give 30 days' notice.
Price: $199 a month, one plan with every feature, after an 8-week free trial. Data migration is free. See Spark Membership's pricing page.
Wodify
Suits: Gyms that program workouts as well as classes, such as an MMA gym with a strength and conditioning side.
Worth checking: Belt tracking and family groups start on Accelerate, not Essentials, and an onboarding fee applies whose amount is not published.
Price: Essentials $199, Accelerate $299 and Ultimate $499 a month, each $100 a month less if you book a demo by 30 November 2026. A small onboarding fee applies; the amount is not published. See Wodify's pricing page. Our longer side-by-side: MatPilot vs Wodify.
Zen Planner
Suits: Established schools that want a long-standing martial arts platform with belts, stripes and skill milestones, and a published price for every size.
Worth checking: Marketing, a website and a branded app are add-ons, their terms ask for 30 days' notice, and a data export when you leave is charged at their standard fees.
Price: Studio $99 to $289, Essentials $198 to $388 and Ultimate $348 to $538 a month, across eight active-member tiers. Add-ons: Engage (marketing) $249, a website $99, a branded app $39 and a card reader $39 a month. See Zen Planner's pricing page. Our longer side-by-side: MatPilot vs Zen Planner.
Which platform fits which academy
- Fewer than 25 students and the lowest monthly bill: MatGoat Basic at $40, Kicksite at $49, or a free plan from MatPilot (up to 20 members) or PushPress. Add what each takes on payments before you compare.
- Grading is the centre of the academy: every platform here tracks ranks in some form, but not always on the entry plan: PushPress keeps it for Pro and Max, Wodify for Accelerate, MatPilot for Pro. Then decide whether you want the software to flag who is ready (Gymdesk, Kicksite, MAAT) or to show coaches the record and leave the call to them (MatPilot).
- Several arts with different rank systems: check that each art keeps its own ladder, and that an art with no ranks, such as boxing, does not get one forced on it.
- MMA with a conditioning side: PushPress and Wodify come from the fitness world and handle drop-ins, class packs and workouts well.
- Growing past 100 students: per-student tiers rise with you and a single price does not, so work out the cost at the size you expect to be in two years.
- New clients through a marketplace: Mindbody is the only platform here with a consumer booking app, and it takes a share of a new client's first purchase made there.
See what MatPilot costs
Free for up to 20 members, with no card. Pro is $79 or €79 a month with unlimited members and no contract.
FAQ
What is the best martial arts gym management software in 2026?
There is no single best one. On published prices, the cheapest starting points are the free plans from MatPilot and PushPress and MatGoat's $40 Basic plan. If grading is central, every platform here tracks ranks, but on some only on a higher plan. Choose by your size, how you grade and what you pay on each payment.
How much does martial arts gym management software cost?
Published entry prices on 4 November 2026: MatGoat from $40, Kicksite from $49, MAAT $59, Martialytics from $69, Gymdesk from $75, MatPilot Pro $79, Mindbody from $79, Zen Planner from $99, PushPress Pro $159, and Spark Membership and Wodify $199, with MatPilot and PushPress also offering free plans. Payment processing comes on top, and at a few thousand dollars a month in dues it can cost more than the software.
Which platforms have belt and rank tracking built in?
All eleven list belt or rank tracking, but not always on the cheapest plan: PushPress has it on Pro and Max, Wodify on Accelerate and Ultimate, and MatPilot on Pro. Mindbody triggers belt promotions from visit counts rather than a curriculum. Gymdesk, Kicksite and MAAT flag students who are ready; MatPilot leaves the decision to coaches.
Does martial arts gym software need a contract?
Most here are month to month. The ones to read carefully: Kicksite's annual plans renew yearly, Spark Membership's term is set in your order form and renews for up to a year, Mindbody's depends on the plan, and Kicksite, PushPress, Spark Membership and Zen Planner ask for 30 days' notice.
Can I move my members from my current software?
Member lists and attendance usually export to a spreadsheet and import into the next platform. Saved cards are the hard part: they sit with the payment processor, so moving them needs the processor's help, and some members may have to enter a card again. Ask about export fees too: Zen Planner's terms charge for a data export when you leave, and Gymdesk says it never will.
Is this comparison biased toward MatPilot?
We make MatPilot, so read it with that in mind. To keep it checkable, the platforms are in alphabetical order, every price links to the vendor's own page, and MatPilot's limits are listed with everyone else's: Stripe is its only payment processor, it does not flag who is ready to test, and its free plan stops at 20 members and keeps belt promotion for Pro.
How this comparison was put together
Prices for each of the eleven platforms were read from the vendor's own pricing page on 4 November 2026; features come from their feature and martial arts pages, last read between September and November 2026. Where a vendor publishes a price, it is quoted; where it sends you to sales, that is said instead of a guess. Third-party review sites were not used. The order is alphabetical because we make one of the products, and ranking ourselves first would tell you nothing.
Each platform's own page is linked so you can check it, and where we have a longer side-by-side comparison with MatPilot it is linked too. If something here is wrong or out of date, tell us and we will correct it.