Find the best software to help you manage your martial arts school.
We went over hundreds of user reviews from Capterra, Trustpilot, Product Hunt, and G2, We reviewed pricing, and features to bring you our top picks.
Best martial arts management software:
More martial arts management software:
1. 🥇 Fitune - The best martial arts management solution
Transparent pricing: Yes
Price: Free to $219/month
Free client app: Yes, included in all plans
Ideal for Martial Arts Schools: Yes
User score: 4.8 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Starting your martial arts business has never been simpler with Fitune. This platform enables a quick setup, allowing you to customize and launch your fully integrated website from day one.
Fitune also provide you with your own custom app to increase sales and engagement.
Save time and money with a single system that automates busywork
Fitune makes your schedules, bookings, and payments management easy. Users book themselves from your website and pay their classes or memberships in advance, ensuring your income is always on time.
This software also allows you to automate class reminders, manage memberships, and track student progress all in one place, saving you hours of management work.
The user-friendly system simplifies booking and payment processes, while the customizable website and free app help schools create a professional online presence.
Fitune’s customer support is also highly rated, ensuring schools get the help they need when they need it.
The platform also allows martial arts schools to handle both in-person and virtual classes, offering flexibility for students and instructors.
Your own custom website in minutes
Increase sales with your own free branded app
Simplify your scheduling to save hours every day
Fantastic user reviews
Fitune shines as the top choice for martial arts business owners who want to save time, automate bookings, and connect with more clients effortlessly. Its quick setup, comprehensive integration, and unique free client app make managing and growing your business easier than ever.
2. Arbox
Transparent pricing: Yes
Price: Free to $239
Free client app: Yes, but it’s not branded
Ideal for Martial Arts Schools: Good if you have +50 clients
User score: 4.8 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Arbox is a general purpose scheduling software that falls short for martial arts schools. Although it offers some specialized tools, its overall value may not meet expectations.
Arbox's pricing can be steep, ranging from $0 to $239 USD. However, its free version is severely restricted, limiting both the number of clients and weekly sessions you can offer.
This may be particularly frustrating if you're looking for a scalable solution. The more basic payment plans do not provide a video-on-demand feature, which is increasingly important for martial arts schools that offer online training options.
Limited Functionality
Many Arbox essential features come at a high cost.
Branding your client app is only available with the most expensive package, which may not justify the cost for many schools.
Email communication and in-depth analytics are restricted to higher-tier plans, leaving you with limited tools to manage client interactions and understand your business performance.
Arbox may have some specialized tools, but its high costs, restricted free version, and lack of essential features like video-on-demand make it a less appealing choice. Schools seeking a cost-effective, comprehensive solution may find better value elsewhere.
3. Acuity
Transparent pricing: Yes
Price: $16 to $49/month
Free client app: Yes, but it’s not brandable
Ideal for Martial Arts Schools: If you just want a backend system
User score: 4.8 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Acuity provides useful tools for client self-scheduling, appointment management, and integration with online meeting platforms like Google Meet and Zoom.
Customization options for branding and embedding the scheduler into your website are available, but these capabilities come with limitations.
The pricing plans for Acuity Scheduling range from $16 to $49 per month. But for customized site, you’ll need to pay for Squarespace as well, which can significantly increase your costs.
The necessity to manage two separate platforms will increase your workload. The learning curve associated with Squarespace, plus the additional expenses for a developer, makes Acuity a more costly and time-consuming investment than anticipated.
Limitations for Martial Arts Schools
Despite its backend functionalities, Acuity Scheduling isn't ideal for martial arts schools aiming for a straightforward, budget-friendly solution.
It does not support video on demand, a crucial feature for schools that want to offer online classes and monetize their content further.
Acuity limits the number of calendars you can manage, whereas platforms like Fitune allow for unlimited locations, providing greater flexibility.
Acuity's mobile app is not branded, which means your clients will interact with a generic interface rather than one that reflects your school's branding.
While Acuity Scheduling offers some useful features, its high costs, complex setup, and limitations make it a less attractive option for martial arts schools. For a more integrated, cost-effective solution with features tailored to your needs, other platforms may provide better value.
4. Glofox
Transparent pricing: No
Price: Undisclosed + App add-on
Free client app: No
Ideal for Martial Arts Schools: No
User score: 3.3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Glofox is a prominent name in the fitness industry, but it may not be the best fit for martial arts schools, especially considering recent issues that have led to a low user score.
Glofox provides a range of features, including class booking, payment management, and a merchandise shop.
The merchandise feature can be beneficial for businesses that rely on merchandise sales as a significant revenue stream. However, the member app, which is central to these functionalities, has faced issues that have led some studios to seek alternative solutions.
An unaffordable platform for most
One of the major drawbacks of Glofox is its pricing structure. The cost can exceed $200 per month, which can be prohibitive for small to medium-sized martial arts schools. Moreover, the pricing details are not transparently provided on their website.
While Glofox is designed with features suitable for larger chains and complex structures, it may not offer the best value for smaller schools.
Users have reported that the features provided do not align well with the high cost, and the lack of clear information on features versus pricing can be frustrating.
Glofox, despite its strong reputation in the fitness industry, may not be the ideal choice for martial arts schools.
The high cost, issues with the member app, and lack of transparent pricing make it a less attractive option compared to other platforms better suited for smaller operations and budget-conscious businesses.
5. Zen Planner
Transparent pricing: Yes
Price: $99 to $348/month
Free client app: Yes, but it’s not branded
Ideal for Martial Arts Schools: No
User score: 2.1 ⭐️⭐️
Zen Planner was praised by its users for its comprehensive feature set, including client management, scheduling, billing, and payroll.
These of tools helps streamline the operations of fitness studio owners by consolidating various business activities into one platform. It is particularly useful for managing a large staff and complex schedules.
Extremely low user reviews
Users are giving Zen Planner low ratings due to a combination of poor customer service, billing issues, and technical problems.
Many complaints focus on unresponsive support teams, with customers struggling to get help with critical issues like payment processing failures or system crashes.
Some users report being charged even after canceling services, and others mention being locked out of their accounts, making it difficult to access important data.
Finally, users have expressed frustration with deceptive billing practices and lack of resolution to problems, which has led to distrust in the company's integrity and reliability.
A steep cost for new businesses
Zen Planner’s pricing is concerning for smaller businesses. The cost can reach up to $349 per month for higher-tier plans, with even the basic plan starting at $99 per month.
The website creation feature is locked behind a $198 per month plan, adding to the overall expense. For boutique studios or smaller fitness businesses, this pricing structure may be prohibitive.
While Zen Planner provides a strong suit of features, its high cost and limitations, particularly with its mobile app and technical issues, make it a less ideal option for smaller martial arts schools or those just starting out. For businesses seeking a more budget-friendly solution with fewer drawbacks, other platforms may offer better value.
Conclusions for the best martial arts management software
Fitune stands out as the top choice due to its comprehensive features and user-friendly interface.
With its transparent pricing and robust capabilities, Fitune allows you to set up a fully integrated website quickly, start offering services immediately, and benefit from a free branded client app.
This makes managing both in-person and virtual classes seamless and efficient, saving you time and helping you grow your client base without the hassle of juggling multiple systems.
Other options like Arbox, Acuity Scheduling, Glofox, and Zen Planner each come with their own set of drawbacks that may not align well with the needs of smaller martial arts schools.
Arbox, while offering some specialized tools, is limited by its high costs and restrictive free version.
Acuity Scheduling, though functional, requires additional expenses and complexities due to its integration with Squarespace.
Glofox's high pricing and lack of transparent information can be prohibitive for smaller studios.
Zen Planner's steep costs, coupled with mobile app limitations and technical issues, may pose challenges for those just starting out.
Overall, while these platforms have their merits, Fitune's balanced approach and tailored features make it the most suitable choice for martial arts businesses looking for an efficient and cost-effective solution.
Ready to try Fitune? Start now for free or book a demo to learn how to grow you fitness business.
