GymDesk Alternatives for Martial Arts Schools (2025)

If you’re evaluating alternatives to GymDesk for your martial arts school, this guide gives you a practical, up‑to‑date comparison and a simple migration path. We focus on the features that matter most to dojos: quick attendance, clear billing, ranks/progress, and fast communications.

Looking at options beyond GymDesk? You might also find our Zen Planner guide useful: Zen Planner alternatives for martial‑arts schools.

TL;DR

• FightKit is purpose‑built for martial arts with instant QR or kiosk attendance, ranks, agreements, targeted email, and Stripe‑powered billing with no added platform fees. Free 30‑day trial — no card required.
• Other options worth a look: Zen Planner, TeamUp, Mindbody, and Kicksite.
• Switching isn’t hard: import students, import memberships and subscriptions, and announce your new flow. A one‑evening job for most schools.

What to look for (martial‑arts specific)

• Attendance that takes under 60 seconds (QR and kiosk, not just tap lists)
• Ranks and syllabus tracking without spreadsheets
• Billing that students trust (clear receipts, easy updates, automated retries)
• Targeted email to the right people (group, venue, rank, at‑risk)
• Digital waivers/agreements with snapshots for compliance

Quick comparison (at a glance)

Notes: Capabilities vary by plan and add‑ons. Always verify current details on vendor sites.

Alternative #1 — FightKit (martial‑arts first)

FightKit is built by and for martial‑arts instructors. The goal: remove admin friction so you can teach more.

• Instant attendance: students can check in using QR code or kiosk mode, in addition to smart register that learns who goes to what classes
• Smart messaging: email the right students by group, venue, membership, or rank (included; no extra cost)
• Ranks & progress: track belts and curriculum without extra tools
• Billing that makes sense: Stripe under the hood (no FightKit markup on Stripe fees), clear receipts. Manual billing also supported.
• Digital agreements: signed snapshots tied to students for a clean audit trail

Plans: £19 (≤20 students), £59 (≤100), £89 (≤250), £149 (unlimited). Monthly rolling or annual with 2 months free. No setup fee. See pricing →

Try it free for 30 days — no card required. Start your trial →

Alternative #2 — Zen Planner

Well‑known in gyms and fitness. Solid breadth, but some workflows feel general‑purpose. Good if you need wider fitness features; less tailored to martial‑arts attendance and ranks.

Consider if you need: integrations across mixed fitness and don’t mind more configuration.

Alternative #3 — TeamUp

Strong class scheduling and decent billing. Ranks and martial‑arts‑specific progress tracking are lighter.

Consider if you need: scheduling depth across many activities and a broad feature set.

Alternative #4 — Mindbody

Powerful and extensible, but can feel heavy for a single dojo. Often suits multi‑site, multi‑discipline facilities with dedicated admins.

Consider if you need: enterprise‑style breadth and have time to configure it.

Alternative #5 — Kicksite

Long‑time player focused on martial arts. Covers core admin needs with a more traditional approach.

Consider if you prefer: classic dojo admin flows and don’t need modern kiosk/QR attendance.

How to switch from GymDesk in one evening

1. Export your students data.
2. Import students into FightKit with a few clicks.
3. Optional — connect Stripe to seamlessly migrate membership plans and subscriptions to FightKit. This syncs your products/prices and minimizes setup work.
4. Or — Create memberships/plans in FightKit.
5. Set up your registration link(s) for trials or new sign‑ups
6. Announce the switch (email template below).

Student email template:

Subject: We’re upgrading how we run the school

Hi {FirstName},

We’re moving our membership and attendance system to FightKit this week to make things simpler: faster check‑ins, clearer receipts, and easier updates. No action needed today — we’ll let you know if we need anything from you.

Any questions? Just reply to this email. See you on the mats!

– {OwnerName}, {SchoolName}

Why schools choose FightKit

• You mark attendance in under a minute, every time
• You can actually reach the right students fast
• Belt/rank progress is built in — no spreadsheets
• Receipts and agreements are clear for students and parents

Ready to see it in action? Start your free 30‑day trial →

FAQ

Is there a contract? No — monthly and annual options. Cancel anytime.

Can I keep my Stripe account? Yes. If you already use Stripe, you can connect it.

Do you support kids programs and families? Yes — agreements, ranks and messaging work great for kids classes; family setups are supported.