Kicksite vs Gymdesk for Martial Arts Schools
Two martial-arts-rooted platforms with different pricing philosophies: everything included by student tier, or a full platform by member tier with add-ons. Published figures, dates, and a third option at the end.
At a Glance
| Comparison point | Kicksite | Gymdesk |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | By active student count, four tiers | By active member count, four tiers plus Enterprise |
| Published range | $49 (to 25 students), $99 (to 50), $149 (to 100), $199 (101+) (as of Sept 1, 2026) | $75 (to 50 members), $100 (to 100), $150 (to 200), $200 (to 400), Enterprise above (as of Sept 1, 2026) |
| Add-ons | None listed; every feature included at every tier | Branded member app $100/mo, door access from $100/mo, additional locations $50/mo each; website included |
| Contract terms | Not stated on the pricing page | Month to month from day one, no setup fee, no minimum term; 30-day free trial, no card required |
| Card processing | Through Basys: $29/mo plus 2.9% + 25¢, or members pay a 3.75% service fee (as of Aug 27, 2026) | Gymdesk Payments 2.9% + 30¢, ACH 1% capped at $5, or bring your own Stripe or Square (as of Aug 27, 2026) |
| Belt and rank tracking | Belt tracking and promotion tools listed | Native rank tracking; founder is a BJJ black belt |
| Texting | Unlimited one-way texting included | Marketing tools included |
| Languages | Portuguese not listed | English and Japanese listed |
| Heritage | Martial arts only, since 2007, Taekwondo origin; 2,100+ schools claimed | Founded 2016 as Martial Arts on Rails by a BJJ black belt; Austin-based |
| Review scores (Aug 27, 2026) | Capterra 4.8 from 127 reviews | Capterra 4.8 from 148 reviews; G2 4.8 from 21 |
Figures read from each vendor's own published pages on the dates stated. Prices and features change; verify before you buy.
Which One Fits
Choose Kicksite if
You run a traditional martial-arts school, want every feature without add-on math, value included one-way texting and a zero-net-fee processing option, and your roster sits inside one of the four tiers.
Choose Gymdesk if
You want a fast generalist with jiu-jitsu roots, an included website, month-to-month terms with a free trial, and control over your own payment processor.
The Math at 100 Students
Take 100 students at the $146 US average membership (Gold BJJ's State of Jiu Jitsu survey), about $14,600 in monthly billing.
Kicksite: the 51-to-100 tier is $149. Processing at $29 a month plus 2.9% + 25¢ across 100 charges is about $477 all in, so the month runs about $626, texting included.
Gymdesk: the 51-to-100 tier is $100. Processing on Gymdesk Payments at 2.9% + 30¢ is about $453, so the month runs about $553 before add-ons. At 101 members Gymdesk steps to $150 and Kicksite to $199.
For reference, Kmura at the same volume is $150 flat plus about $410 in processing at 2.6% + 30¢, about $560 a month at any size.
The Third Option: Kmura
Kmura is built for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specifically. Belts, stripes, promotion history and a fully customizable curriculum are the data model, not custom fields bolted onto a generic member record, so attendance rolls up into who is actually due for a stripe.
Instructor hours and classes taught are tracked, and tracking is where it stops, because Kmura is not payroll software. A nightly AI review reads your academy's activity, flags students who are drifting and pre-drafts the follow-up for your staff to send. It never sends anything on its own. Pricing is $150 a month per location, flat, with every feature included at every size and card processing at 2.6% + 30¢. The only thing billed outside that flat price is SMS, which is pay-as-you-go with the cost shown before you send. Migration is free and white-glove, and the whole platform runs in English and Portuguese.
A demo is a walkthrough with our co-founder, Todd Snider, Co-Founder & CEO.
Kicksite vs Gymdesk FAQ
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