Jackrabbit charges by student count, and a gymnastics gym in September has a lot of students.
The short answer
For most gymnastics gyms and dance studios, Recess is the strongest Jackrabbit alternative in 2026: it is free at any enrolment, so autumn registration does not move you up a price band, and it handles season enrolment, skills and levels, family billing and recital fees. Jackrabbit itself has the longest track record in children's programmes and that counts for something. iClassPro is the closest direct competitor. DanceStudio-Pro is the cheapest if you only teach dance.
| Platform | Best for | Starting price | One decisive capability | Where it falls short |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recess | Gyms and studios that want no price band | Free at any enrolment | Seasons, skills and levels, family billing, branded app, all included | Fewer integrations than the larger platforms |
| Jackrabbit | Programmes wanting the longest track record | From $49/mo, banded by student count | Deep experience in children's class businesses | Price rises with enrolment; branded app tier is $93/mo |
| iClassPro | Gyms wanting a close Jackrabbit substitute | Published plans, banded | Built for gymnastics, swim and dance specifically | Also banded by student count |
| DanceStudio-Pro | Studios that only teach dance | $49, $79 and $165/mo | Recital and costume workflow built in | $1 per recital ticket; branded app $69/mo plus a $169 build fee |
| Amilia | Community and recreation centres | Published plans | Built for municipal and community programmes | 1% invoice fee, and a 24-month term in their own agreement |
How This List Was Built
Every figure was read on the vendor's own pricing page on 8 September 2026. Where a company does not publish one, this article says so rather than repeating a number from a review site.
Recess is our own product. Each competitor here gets a real reason to be chosen.
Why Gyms Leave Jackrabbit
The pricing model, and the timing of it.
Jackrabbit bands by active student count starting at $49 a month, and the band that includes a branded app is $93. For a gymnastics gym or a dance studio, enrolment is not flat: it spikes in September and again in January. The month your registration finally works is the month your software bill steps up.
That is defensible pricing. It is also the reason owners start looking in autumn rather than in June.
The second reason is that a children's programme has particular needs that general fitness software handles badly: siblings on one bill, a season that runs to a recital rather than a rolling month, costume and competition fees, waivers signed by a parent rather than the student, and skills tracked on the floor by a coach with a tablet.
Recess
Best for gyms and studios that want no price band. Free at any enrolment.
Season enrolment that runs to a June recital rather than as rolling monthly memberships. Skills and levels tracked on the floor, so a coach records progress where it happens. Camps, team, open gym and autumn registration handled as their own things rather than bodged into a class schedule. Costume and competition fees charged per class. Several children on one family account: one payer, one login, one bill. Waivers signed by the parent. Per-class coach pay. Retail at the counter. And a branded app under your gym's name in both app stores, included rather than being a $93 tier.
Grow from 100 students to 400 over a September and the price does not change, because there is no price.
Where Recess loses. Fewer third-party integrations than the larger platforms, and Jackrabbit has two decades in this specific category that we do not.
Jackrabbit
Best for programmes wanting the longest track record. From $49 a month, banded by student count.
Jackrabbit has been serving gymnastics, dance and swim programmes for a very long time, and that shows in the details: the reporting a multi-programme gym actually needs, and staff at other gyms who already know the software.
Where Jackrabbit loses. Pricing bands by active students, so enrolment growth raises the bill. The tier that includes a branded app is $93 a month, which means the app is effectively an upgrade rather than a feature.
iClassPro
Best for gyms wanting a close substitute. Published plans, banded by student count.
Purpose-built for gymnastics, swim and dance, with published pricing and card rates, which is more transparency than several competitors offer.
Where iClassPro loses. It also bands by student count, so switching from Jackrabbit to iClassPro moves you between two versions of the same pricing model.
DanceStudio-Pro
Best for studios that only teach dance. $49, $79 and $165 a month.
The recital and costume workflow is built in rather than adapted, and for a dance-only studio that is a real fit.
Where DanceStudio-Pro loses. Recital tickets are charged at $1 each, which on a 400-seat show across three nights is a meaningful line. A branded app is $69 a month plus a $169 build fee. And it does not stretch to gymnastics or swim if your programme is broader.
Amilia
Best for community and recreation centres. Published plans.
Built for municipal and community programme delivery rather than for a single private gym, and strong in that context.
Where Amilia loses. A 1% fee on invoices, on top of card processing, and their own agreement carries a 24-month term. For a private gym, both are worth reading before signing.
What to Check Before You Move
- Does the price rise with enrolment? Most of these band by student count. Ask what September costs.
- Is the branded app a feature or a tier? Jackrabbit's is $93 a month, DanceStudio-Pro's is $69 plus a build fee.
- Are there per-ticket or per-invoice fees? $1 a recital ticket and 1% an invoice both add up quietly.
- How does family billing work? One card, one login, several children is the question every parent asks.
- What is the contract term? Twenty-four months is common and rarely mentioned upfront.
Recess Fits Here
If Jackrabbit's student bands or the $93 app tier is what brought you here, Recess is worth twenty minutes. Free at any enrolment, seasons and recitals handled properly, siblings on one bill, and the branded app included.
If your team knows Jackrabbit inside out and it is working, that familiarity is worth real money in a busy September.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Jackrabbit cost?
Jackrabbit publishes pricing from $49 a month, banded by active student count, with the tier that includes a branded app at $93 a month. The band you land in depends on your enrolment, so costs rise as your programme grows.
What is the cheapest Jackrabbit alternative?
Recess is free at any enrolment, with no student bands and a branded app included. Among paid options, DanceStudio-Pro starts at $49 a month for dance-only studios, though recital tickets are charged at $1 each.
Which alternative handles recitals and costume fees?
Recess handles season enrolment to a recital with costume fees charged per class and siblings on one family account. DanceStudio-Pro has a purpose-built recital workflow but charges $1 per ticket sold.
Does software pricing go up when enrolment goes up?
On Jackrabbit, iClassPro and most competitors, yes: pricing bands by active student count, so a strong September moves you up a band. Recess has no bands because it has no plan fee.
Can several children go on one family account?
Recess supports one payer, one login and one bill across several children natively, which is the standard question a parent asks at registration. Confirm how any platform handles it before switching, as implementations vary considerably.
What hidden fees should I ask about?
Three catch programmes out: per-ticket fees on recitals, per-invoice percentages, and branded app charges that sit in a higher tier or carry a build fee. Ask for all three in writing alongside the monthly price.
