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 150), $200 (to 250), Enterprise above (as of Oct 7, 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 (each tier $25 to $40/mo higher) (as of Oct 7, 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. Only add-on: SMS ($20 one-time registration + $5/mo + the cost of your texts; cost shown before every send).
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 except SMS and card processing at 2.6% + 30¢. Everything is included in $150/month per location except SMS, the only add-on. SMS has a one-time $20 registration fee, a fixed $5/month, and then costs the price of the texts you send. Before any text goes out, Kmura shows you the exact cost based on the number of recipients and segments. 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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