Running a successful martial arts studio or MMA gym requires a lot of hard work and even with a passion for martial arts and business-savvy tactics, one may still fall short, without the right martial arts software program. Martial arts school management software is a practical tool that can help reduce routine tasks such as data entry, paperwork, and more. With dedicated martial arts school software, you can free up your time and focus on the aspects of your business you do enjoy - training with your students and creating unforgettable customer experiences. This guide to martial arts software programs will give you an in-depth overview of the software and how to pick one that's right for your business. We will cover the following key topics:

What is Martial Arts School Software? 

Top Features to Look for in Martial Arts School Management Software

Try One of the Best Martial Arts Software in the Market

Vendors Who Offer Martial Arts Software Programs

How to Evaluate Martial Arts School Software

Other Useful Resources for Martial Arts Business Owners

What is Martial Arts School Software?

Xplor Recreation's martial arts school software lets you manage it all, from belt ranking to billing. Start your free trial here.

Before we dive in, have you come across any of these issues while managing your martial arts business? 

• • Frustrations with manual billing (all that time wasted punching in credit card numbers by hand)
• • Not being able to understand why students are dropping out or how to win them back
• • Spending countless hours on administrative tasks when you should be teaching classes
• • Not having the time or right tools to market your business online and convert leads into members

If you've experienced some of these issues firsthand, a martial arts software program may be what you need. Simply put, martial arts school software or MMA software helps you effectively manage all aspects of your martial arts school or MMA gym. This all-in-one management tool can help you streamline your business operations, save you time and money, and lighten your daily workload. The software usually covers a range of features including, membership management, staff management, online booking and scheduling, POS, automated billing, belt and rank management, marketing, and more.

But what does this look like in the day-to-day? Life with martial arts school software may start to look like this:

• • Your students will be able to easily sign up for classes, pay online, and self-check into their classes
• • You'll be able to run custom financial reports and find out exactly what's happening in your business
• • Communication with your students will improve through automated reminders, emails, and newsletters
• • You'll be able to automate a lot of admin tasks, such as manually collecting payments or following up on late fees

These are just a few benefits of using a dedicated martial arts management software. 

Top Features to Look For in Martial Arts School Management Software

What are some features you should look for when you start to research different martial arts software programs? These may differ from school to school, but in general, these are some features that are likely to simplify your day.

Belt and Rank Management

Whether you teach karate or jujitsu at your school, a customization belt and rank management system will make your life a lot easier. Instead of manually tracking who is ready to be promoted or how many belts to order, let your mixed martial arts software take care of this. Good software will allow you to automate your students' rank readiness based on criteria you select. You'll also be able to promote them easily, directly from the mat, and even print out a certificate.

Student Management 

Cut down on manual work when it comes to managing your students. Using dedicated martial arts school software, you'll be able to set up new memberships in minutes. You'll find it a lot easier to manage your student database as well. Good MMA software should allow you quick access to your student records as well as offer an online portal where you students can update their personal details, payment information as well as register for classes online.

Automated Billing

Manual billing is an onerous task and can overwhelming, especially when your school begins to grow in size. An automated billing feature can save a lot of time and hassle by automating your invoices, issue missed payment reminders, and allow for flexible billing options if you have more than one location. Being able to process payments easily online also means you'll be offering a better customer experience for your students, which goes a long way to retaining them.

POS & Online Store

An effective POS and online store feature will allow you to boost your sales by selling merchandise, memberships, and classes online. Managing an online pro-shop is also made easier as your software will help you track and manage inventory and help with re-ordering.

Marketing Automation

Integrated marketing automation allows you to create, build, and track all your marketing efforts from one place. You'll be able to promote your martial arts business online with built-in automation tools that lets you easily attract and convert leads into customers.

Try One of the Best Martial Arts Software in the Market

Xplor Recreation is one of the go-to choices for martial arts school management in the market. Originally developed by a martial artist to help manage his academy, this leading martial arts school software now has more than 500,000 users across 21 countries. The philosophy behind the software is simple - we offer powerful features to manage and simplify your business operations, giving you more time to spend on the mat, not behind your desk. We also help martial arts school grow and scale their businesses efficiently. You can see our software in action with a 14-day free trial. Besides the top features listed above, Xplor Recreation's mixed martial arts software also offers the following features to help you elevate your martial arts business:

Integrated Marketing Automation

Marketing your martial arts business is easy with our built-in integrated marketing automation technology that offers the following features:

Smart Email - Save time by sending targeted, scheduled emails to your database using specific parameters. You can build your own email templates or use pre-made ones. You'll also be able to easily track open rates and click rates. 

Campaign Management - Generate more leads for your business using our landing pages and automate interactions using custom workflows. You can tailor your marketing campaigns to specific audiences and nurture your leads into customers. 

Online Booking Widgets - You'll also be able add easy-to-setup widgets on your website to sell courses, classes, and appointments and customize information to create a tailored experience for your visitors. 

For more hassle-free marketing, check out our range of marketing services, complete with lead-generating campaigns, email nurturing, and an SEO-friendly website to grow your business. 

Intelligent Attendance Tracking

If you wish you had a feature that could help you reduce drop-outs, look no further. Xplor Recreation's intelligent ABC rating attendance-tracking system proactively monitors cancellation indicators and segments your students into groups, based on their attendance records. This will help you exactly pin-point which students are more likely to cancel or drop-out and you can work on a strategy to re-engage them. 

Innovative Facial Recognition Technology

One of our newest features is PerfectFace - an innovative facial recognition feature that allows your students to easily self-check-in by simply scanning their faces. This means you'll save time, money, and the environment as you'll not need membership cards or fobs. Learn more about PerfectFace here.

You can also take a look at our martial arts management software solution page for more benefits and features.

What Xplor Recreation Clients Say About Us On Capterra 

1. US Taekwondo Center

"Best management software & support! Xplor Recreation enables us to track billing and student progress. I could not efficiently run our school without this software. Their tech support is available 24/7 and top notch." - Gail Theriault 

2. DC Aikido Martial Arts

"Xplor Recreation has saved me time and money while helping to increase my revenue. The software is incredibly easy to customize to my specific business use. It is very easy and intuitive to learn. When I needed customer support, they were always available and very helpful. The software integrates seamlessly with all my other systems and programs. It is very easy for my staff to learn and use also." - Michael Veltri

3. Ryer Martial Arts Academy

"Xplor Recreation software is a part of our martial arts school's success! I like that Xplor Recreation has comprehensive features all in one software. I utilize it for my customer information, billing, marketing, and reporting. It's a "one stop shop" software. My overall experience has been exceptional. I have been a client for over ten years and I log-in and use the software on a daily basis." - Josh Ryer 

Vendors Who Offer Martial Arts Software Programs

Besides Xplor Recreation, there are other martial arts software programs that you can choose from. We have listed them below in alphabetical order so you can make an informed decision. 

How to Evaluate Martial Arts School Software

Xplor Recreation offers an integrated email automation program to increase your leads and improve retention. Start your free trial here.

Once you are aware of the choices, the next step is evaluating which martial arts software program to select. Whether you are a first-time buyer or looking to replace your existing platform, selecting software for your business is a big decision and the evaluation process can get overwhelming. Here are some questions you should consider to help you find the best solution for your martial arts business:

• • Does the software have features that are specific to your industry?
• • What are the automation capabilities? 
• • How is the pricing model structured? 
• • Is the software easy for students and parents to use? 
• • Does the software vendor offer free training resources? 
• • Are the vendors experienced? Have they been around for a while?
• • Do they have a free trial period? 
• • Do they offer free business resources? 

These are just some of the things to consider during the evaluation process. We've also created a useful checklist that outlines the features you should be looking for in your martial arts or MMA software and the kinds of questions you should be asking.
Download your free copy here.

Other Useful Resources for Martial Arts Business Owners

1. How to Make Your Dojo More Successful with Martial Arts Automation Software
2. 10 Essential Strategies to Retain Your Martial Arts Students
3. Black Belt Billing: Conquer Billing Issues with Martial Arts Management Software and Automation
4. How to Make $60,000 in 60 Days This Holiday Season
5. How to Improve Attendance Tracking at Your Martial Arts School
6. 7 Features Your Martial Arts Software Should Have