Martial Arts Software Pricing Compared: Per-Student vs Flat Pricing (2026)
By Jonathan Yee, Dojo Champ. Prices verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Disclosure: we make Dojo Champ, which uses flat pricing.
The short answer
Martial arts school software costs between $0 and about $230 a month in published 2026 prices, with payment processing on top. Per-student (tiered) pricing is cheaper for small schools: at 50 students, Gymdesk is $75/month and Kicksite is $99/month. Flat pricing such as Dojo Champ's $199/month costs the same at any size, so it catches up at roughly 150 to 200 students and wins beyond that or as you grow. Payment processing can cost more than the software itself, so compare the two together. For a feature comparison, see the best martial arts management software roundup.
The four pricing models you'll see
1. Per-student tiers. You pay by how many active students you have, and the bill steps up when you cross a threshold. Gymdesk ($75 up to 50 members, up to $200 for 151 to 250) and Kicksite ($49 for up to 25 students, capped at $199 for 101+) work this way. Zen Planner also scales with active members but doesn't publish its tiers.
2. Flat pricing. One price whatever your size. Dojo Champ is $199/month with unlimited students. Spark Membership advertises $199/month after an 8-week trial.
3. Per-location pricing. Mindbody starts at $79/month per location and quotes its upper tiers. Students don't change the price, but locations and plan tier do.
4. Free or low software, higher processing. PushPress Core has no monthly fee but charges 4.99% + $0.30 per card payment. Core Pro is $159/month at 2.89% + $0.30, and Core Max is $229/month at 2.75% + $0.30.
Monthly software cost at 50, 100 and 200 students
Subscription only, one location, published US prices.
| Software | 50 students | 100 students | 200 students | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dojo Champ | $199 | $199 | $199 | Flat, unlimited students |
| Gymdesk (with Gymdesk Payments) | $75 | $100 | $200 | Tiered by active members |
| Gymdesk (your own processor) | $100 | $125 | $240 | Tiered by active members |
| Kicksite | $99 (26 to 50 tier) | $149 (51 to 100 tier) | $199 (101+ tier) | Tiered by active students |
| PushPress Core Pro | $159 | $159 | $159 | Flat plan; processing varies by tier |
| PushPress Core | $0 | $0 | $0 | Free; 4.99% + $0.30 per card payment |
| Spark Membership | $199 | $199 | $199 | Published monthly price; ask whether it changes with size |
| Zen Planner Studio | Quote (from $99) | Quote | Quote | Scales with active members; tiers not published |
| Mindbody Starter | From $79 | From $79 | From $79 | Per location; higher tiers by quote |
Annual software cost: Dojo Champ $2,388 at every size. Gymdesk (with Gymdesk Payments) $900 / $1,200 / $2,400. Kicksite $1,188 / $1,788 / $2,388. PushPress Core Pro $1,908.
What the table tells you
- Under 100 students, tiered pricing costs less. At 50 students, Dojo Champ costs $124/month more than Gymdesk and $100/month more than Kicksite.
- Around 200 students, they converge. Gymdesk ($200), Kicksite ($199) and Dojo Champ ($199) cost about the same.
- Past 250 students, tiers get uncertain. Gymdesk moves to custom Enterprise pricing at 251+ active members, and Zen Planner quotes at every size. Kicksite caps at $199. Dojo Champ stays at $199.
- Growth means price changes. A school that grows from 50 to 200 students on Gymdesk moves through four price tiers. On a flat plan the bill doesn't change.
Processing fees: the bigger half of the bill
Software is the smaller cost. A school collecting $15,000 a month in tuition pays roughly $450 to $780 a month in card processing, which is 2 to 4 times a typical software subscription.
Assumptions: 100 students paying $150/month, one payment each (100 transactions, $15,000 total). US rates.
| Setup | Software | Card processing | Total, all card | ACH processing | Total, all ACH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dojo Champ (Stripe 2.9% + $0.30; ACH 0.8%, $5 cap) | $199 | $465.00 | $664.00 | $120.00 | $319.00 |
| PushPress Core (4.99% + $0.30; ACH 2.89% + $0.30) | $0 | $778.50 | $778.50 | $463.50 | $463.50 |
| PushPress Core Pro (2.89% + $0.30; ACH 0.79% + $0.30) | $159 | $463.50 | $622.50 | $148.50 | $307.50 |
| PushPress Core Max (2.75% + $0.30; ACH 0.79% + $0.30) | $229 | $442.50 | $671.50 | $148.50 | $377.50 |
| Gymdesk, Kicksite, Zen Planner, Spark, Mindbody | See table above | Not published | Ask for a written quote | Not published |
- Moving families to ACH saves the most. At Dojo Champ's 0.8% ACH rate, the same $15,000 costs $120 to process instead of $465.
- "Free" software can cost more. PushPress Core's higher card rate costs $778.50 here, more than its own Core Pro plan in total.
- Get processing rates in writing. Gymdesk, Kicksite, Zen Planner, Spark and Mindbody don't publish full rates. Mindbody lists a fixed $0.10 to $0.30 per transaction on top of its rate.
Dojo Champ passes Stripe's fees through at cost with no added platform fee. Surcharging rules vary by state, province and country, so check yours before passing card fees on to families.
Add-ons to put on your list
| Add-on | Who charges extra (published) |
|---|---|
| SMS texting | Gymdesk: usage-based add-on plus carrier registration fees. Dojo Champ: 100 SMS credits included. Kicksite: free unlimited one-way texting. |
| Extra locations | Gymdesk: +$50/mo (Gymdesk Payments) or +$100/mo. Mindbody: priced per location. Dojo Champ: included. |
| Website and marketing | Zen Planner: website from $99/mo, Engage marketing $249/mo (packages $198 and $348). PushPress: Grow $329/mo. Mindbody: marketing automation on Ultimate (quote). |
| Branded member app | Gymdesk $100/mo, PushPress $97/mo, Zen Planner $39/mo. |
| Marketplace commission | Mindbody: 20% of a new app client's first purchase, capped at $30. |
How to work out your true monthly cost
True cost = software tier at your student count + (card volume x card rate) + (number of payments x per-payment fee) + ACH fees + add-ons.
Work it out twice: once at today's student count and once at your 2-year goal. You can also put your own numbers into the Dojo Champ cost calculator.
When each model makes sense
- Choose per-student tiers if you have under about 100 students and don't expect fast growth. You'll pay less each month.
- Choose flat pricing if you have about 150 students or more, run several locations, or want a bill that doesn't change as you enroll. Also consider it if the extra cost buys something you'll use, such as Dojo Champ's churn engine, which flags students likely to quit.
- Choose per-location pricing if you want a broad wellness platform and its consumer marketplace.
Frequently asked questions
How much does martial arts school software cost per month?
Published 2026 prices range from $0 (PushPress Core, with 4.99% + $0.30 card fees) to about $229/month for top tiers. Most schools pay $75 to $200/month for software, plus 2.75% to 4.99% card processing and per-transaction fees.
What is per-student pricing for martial arts software?
Per-student pricing means your monthly fee depends on how many active students you have. For example, Kicksite charges $49 for 0 to 25 students, $99 for 26 to 50, $149 for 51 to 100 and $199 for 101 or more.
Is flat pricing cheaper than per-student pricing?
Only once you're big enough. At 50 students, tiered tools like Gymdesk ($75) and Kicksite ($99) cost less than Dojo Champ's flat $199. At about 200 students they cost the same, and above 250 flat pricing is usually cheaper or easier to predict.
What does Dojo Champ cost?
Dojo Champ costs $199/month for unlimited students, with every feature included and no setup fee. Stripe processing is passed through at standard rates (for example 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment, and 0.8% ACH capped at $5) with no extra platform fee. The 30-day free trial requires a card, and the first charge is on day 31.
How much does Gymdesk cost?
With Gymdesk Payments, Gymdesk costs $75/month up to 50 active members, $100 for 51 to 100, $150 for 101 to 150 and $200 for 151 to 250. Above 250 it's custom. With your own processor it's $100, $125, $175 and $240.
Are payment processing fees more important than the software price?
Usually, yes. A school collecting $15,000 a month by card pays about $450 to $780 a month in processing at published rates, which is more than most software subscriptions. Moving families to ACH can cut that by more than half.
What hidden costs should I ask about?
Ask about SMS fees, extra locations, website and marketing packages, branded apps, marketplace commissions, processing rates in writing, data-export fees and contract notice periods.