Running a martial arts school is deeply rewarding, but let’s be honest, the admin side can stretch you thinner than a worn-out belt. Keeping track of students, scheduling classes, managing trials, collecting payments, and staying connected with families all takes time.
The good news? You can streamline a lot of this with the right software, even if you’re trying to keep costs low.
But here’s the part most owners don’t realize:
👉 Most martial arts software platforms don’t actually offer a true free plan.
They offer free trials or heavily restricted “starter” tiers that expire quickly.
So instead of giving you a long list of products that look free but aren’t, this guide focuses on the few tools that are genuinely free to use, plus what each one can realistically do for your dojo.
What to Look for in Free Martial Arts Software
Before you choose a platform, make sure it covers the essentials. Even on a free plan, you should expect:
✔ Member Management
A way to track students, attendance, ranks, and progress.
✔ Scheduling Tools
You need the ability to set up classes, manage capacity, and ideally let students book online.
✔ Basic Billing
Free tiers often limit automations, but you should at least be able to log payments or send reminders.
✔ Ease of Use
If it takes longer to learn the software than to run your dojo, it’s not the right fit.
Top Free Martial Arts Software Options
1. Recess: The Only Free All-In-One Martial Arts Software
If you want software that actually supports how martial arts schools run day-to-day, Recess stands out as the only free platform that includes the operational tools dojos rely on.
Instead of offering a limited trial or charging extra for core features, Recess gives martial arts owners a complete setup from day one, without forcing upgrades as your student base grows.
Why Recess Works So Well for Martial Arts Schools
Recess includes functionality designed around the real workflows of martial arts businesses:
- Student management & attendance tracking
- Belt and stripe progression tracking
- Family profiles & multi-student memberships
- Trial management & intro lesson scheduling
- Automated follow-ups for missed classes or trials
- Digital waivers and online registration
- Payments for memberships, drop-ins, and gear
- Class scheduling for programs, seminars, and private lessons
- Instructor payout calculations
- Curriculum hosting (forms, kata, grading requirements)
Because these features come included on the free plan, Recess can replace spreadsheets, booking apps, payment links, and manual admin with one unified dashboard.
More importantly, it’s intuitive enough for instructors, parents, and kids’ programs to use without training.
2. SimplyBook.me: A Basic Free Scheduling Tool
SimplyBook.me is one of the only other platforms offering a true free tier, though it’s not designed specifically for martial arts.
Think of it as a simple online booking widget rather than a full dojo management system.
What You Get for Free
- Online class bookings
- A basic booking page
- Email notifications
- Up to 50 bookings per month
What’s Missing
- Student profiles
- Belt or rank tracking
- Attendance history
- Memberships
- Family accounts
- Trial funnels
- Instructor management
If all you need is a lightweight way for students to reserve a class time, SimplyBook.me works. But most martial arts schools outgrow it quickly as attendance, ranks, and membership obligations get more complex.
3. Google Sheets + Stripe: The DIY Free Approach
This option is surprisingly common among very small dojos. It isn't “software,” but it is free.
With this setup, you can manually track:
- Students
- Ranks
- Attendance
- Curriculum
- Payments
It gives you full control, costs nothing, and works fine for early stages, but as soon as you’re busy, manual admin becomes overwhelming. Most schools use this only as a temporary solution before moving to something purpose-built.
Platforms That Aren’t Actually Free
Many comparison blogs list platforms that look free but aren’t. Below are some examples commonly mistaken for free:
- Gymdesk - free trial only
- PushPress - free trial
- OnMat - no free tier
- Kicksite - no free tier
- Zen Planner - no free tier
These are solid systems, but none are viable for schools looking specifically for free martial arts software.
So Which Free Option Should You Choose?
If you want:
✔ belt tracking
✔ automated follow-ups
✔ student management
✔ payments
✔ scheduling
✔ waivers
✔ trial conversion tools
✔ curriculum hosting
Then Recess is the only free platform that includes all of these without restrictions.
SimplyBook.me works for extremely simple scheduling needs.
Google Sheets works if you’re running a very small school manually.
But if your goal is to streamline operations, reduce admin time, and give students a more professional experience, Recess is the only free option built specifically for martial arts workflows.
