A BJJ academy runs on things regular gym software ignores: belts and stripes, a kids' program with its own promotions, open mat nobody supervises, and visiting black belts who want to drop in for a roll. This guide is about those things. For a broader comparison that also covers striking and MMA gyms, read our MMA gym software comparison.
No affiliate deals and no sponsored rankings. We built one of the platforms mentioned here, so we say where we are biased and where we fall short.
What a BJJ Academy Needs From Software
- Belt and stripe records. Who is a blue belt with two stripes, and since when? Most academies keep this in a spreadsheet or in the coach's head.
- Kids and adults on one family bill. A parent, two kids and a spouse should not be four separate subscriptions.
- Open mat and off-hours access. Open mat is the part of the schedule you are not there for, so it is the part where a lapsed member can just walk in.
- Drop-ins and visitors. Cross-trainers pay once, sign a waiver, and train. That should take two minutes, not an email chain.
- Waivers tied to check-in. A waiver nobody can find is not a waiver.
- Failed payments that do not become free training. A declined card should reach the member quickly, and the lapsed status should mean something at the door.
The Platforms, Through a BJJ Lens
Pricing below is the published price at the time of writing. Check each vendor's site before you decide, because plans change. Full pros, cons and pricing for each are in the MMA comparison.
Kicksite: the belt-tracking specialist
$49 to $199 by student count. Built for martial arts schools from day one, and widely regarded as the strongest on belt and rank tracking. The limits: it is aimed at traditional schools, it cannot take attendance for specific classes, it shows unpaid balances at check-in in front of other members, and it has no door access. Best for a belt-heavy school with a big kids' program that does not need access control.
Zen Planner: the deepest, and the heaviest
$99, $198 or $348 a month. Belt and rank tracking are built in, along with the deepest feature set here, and door access is available through Kisi. Add-ons such as the marketing module and branded app can push the real cost past $400 a month, it has a steep learning curve, and it is owned by Daxko. Best for a larger academy that needs rank tracking and can live with the complexity.
GymDesk: good value, with one belt annoyance
$75 to $200 by member count, with every feature at every tier. Belt ranking is included, but you cannot bulk-update ranks, which hurts the week after a promotion night. It was acquired by private equity, so watch the trajectory. Best for a small academy under about 200 students on a budget.
Kombat Evolve: built by a BJJ practitioner
Claims zero transaction fees and was designed specifically for BJJ and combat sports. It is also very new and small, with few reviews. Best for an academy willing to bet on a young platform.
Spark Membership, PushPress and Wodify
Spark ($239 to $499) is martial-arts focused with belt tracking, but reviewers report hidden setup and processing fees and bugs. PushPress (free to $229, with 4.99% + $0.30 processing on the free tier) and Wodify ($79 and up) were built for CrossFit and have no native belt tracking. They suit a box that also runs some BJJ, not a dedicated academy.
ManageMemberships: belts, billing and access control in one system
Free (50 members), Starter $29 a month (150 members), Core $99 a month (unlimited). Door access is $89 a month and POS is $59 a month. Full disclosure: this is ours, and the author trains BJJ at an academy that runs on it.
Strengths for BJJ: it is the only platform on this list where door access is native to the billing engine, so a failed payment can lock the door on its own, which matters for open mat. It also has waivers tied to check-in, QR kiosk check-in, family accounts, a built-in CRM, month-to-month terms and a free migration that carries over payment tokens.
Belt tracking: ManageMemberships tracks belts and stripes with belt-shaped badges split into 2 to 12 segments, which you can label and color to match your ranks and stripes. Staff record each member's progress, members see their belt in the member portal, they get an email when a badge is completed, and there is an achievements report for the whole academy. Kicksite is still the specialist if deep rank management is the only thing you need.
Quick Comparison
| Platform | Price | Belt tracking | Door access | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kicksite | $49–199 | Strongest | No | Belt-heavy schools |
| Zen Planner | $99–348 | Yes | Via Kisi | Larger academies |
| GymDesk | $75–200 | Yes (no bulk update) | Via Kisi | Small, budget |
| Kombat Evolve | Varies | Yes | No | BJJ-first, early adopters |
| Spark | $239–499 | Yes | No | Large single schools |
| PushPress / Wodify | Free–$229 / $79+ | No | Kisi / No | CrossFit boxes with BJJ |
| ManageMemberships | Free / $29 / $99+ | Yes (belt badges) | Native | Open mat, billing + access |
How to Choose
- Belts and a big kids' program are your headache: Kicksite, or Zen Planner if you are larger and can handle the complexity.
- Open mat, lapsed members walking in, or failed payments are your headache: ManageMemberships.
- You are small and watching cost: GymDesk, or ManageMemberships' free tier up to 50 members.
- Whatever you pick: month-to-month only, and ask whether they will migrate your card tokens so nobody re-enters a card. Our guide to switching without losing members covers that.
See how a BJJ academy runs on ManageMemberships
Billing, door access for open mat, waivers, kiosk check-in and family accounts in one system. No contracts, and we do the migration for you. See software for martial arts schools.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best software for a BJJ academy?
It depends on your biggest problem. Kicksite and Zen Planner are strongest for belt and stripe records. ManageMemberships is strongest where billing, waivers and door access need to work together, such as open mat and lapsed members. Most academies end up trading one strength for another.
Can gym software track BJJ belts and stripes?
Yes. Kicksite, Zen Planner, GymDesk, Spark, Kombat Evolve and ManageMemberships all have belt or rank tracking. ManageMemberships uses belt-shaped badges with labeled, colored segments for stripes, which staff update and members see in their portal.
How do I handle open mat and drop-ins?
You need a way for visitors to pay and sign a waiver quickly, and for access to follow billing status so a lapsed member cannot just walk in. ManageMemberships does this natively with kiosk check-in and door access tied to billing. Other platforms need a separate access system.
Can I switch BJJ software without losing my members?
Mostly it comes down to moving card tokens so nobody re-enters a card. Ask any vendor whether they will do that. ManageMemberships does the whole migration for free, payment tokens included.
