Zen Planner vs Kicksite for Martial Arts Schools
Two long-established platforms, priced two different ways. Here is how they compare on the things that decide the bill, with published figures and dates, and a third option at the end.
At a Glance
| Comparison point | Zen Planner | Kicksite |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | By active member count, eight tiers | By active student count, four tiers |
| Published range | $99 to $289 a month (as of Aug 27, 2026) | $49 (to 25 students), $99 (to 50), $149 (to 100), $199 (101+) (as of Sept 1, 2026) |
| Add-ons | Website $99/mo, Engage marketing automation $249/mo, branded app $39/mo, EMV devices $39/mo | None listed; every feature included at every tier |
| Contract terms | Month to month; annual contracts on request | Not stated on the pricing page |
| Card processing | Through Daxko Payments or a preferred processor; rate not published; Flex Fees can pass a fee to members | Through Basys: $29/mo plus 2.9% + 25¢, or members pay a 3.75% service fee (as of Aug 27, 2026) |
| Belt and rank tracking | Belt and skill tracking listed | Belt tracking and promotion tools listed |
| Texting | Marketing automation is the Engage add-on | Unlimited one-way texting included |
| Languages | Portuguese not listed | Portuguese not listed |
| Heritage | Fitness incumbent; part of Daxko since 2017; 6,000+ businesses claimed | Martial arts only, since 2007, Taekwondo origin; 2,100+ schools claimed |
| Review scores (Aug 27, 2026) | Capterra 4.3 from 270 reviews; G2 4.2 from 104 | Capterra 4.8 from 127 reviews |
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 Zen Planner if
You run a multi-program facility where martial arts shares the building with fitness classes, you want workout tracking and a member app from an incumbent with a large install base, and you will actually use the add-ons you pay for.
Choose Kicksite if
You run a martial-arts-only school, want every feature without add-on math, value included one-way texting, and your roster sits comfortably inside one of the four student tiers.
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, so the month runs about $626 before texting, which is included.
Zen Planner: the subscription depends on which of the eight tiers 100 members falls in, and the processing rate is not published, so the month cannot be computed from the website. Get the tier and the rate in writing, then add any add-ons you would run.
For reference, Kmura at the same volume is $150 flat plus about $410 in processing at 2.6% + 30¢, about $560 a month, with every feature included.
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.
Zen Planner vs Kicksite FAQ
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