Gymdesk vs Spark Membership (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Gymdesk and Spark Membership share a 2.2 GPA, neither has a free plan, and Gymdesk starts cheaper, at $75 a month against $199 a month.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Gymdesk grades higher on value for money. Spark Membership grades higher on features. They get the same grade on the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Gymdesk
Membership, billing and booking software for gyms and studios
Spark Membership
Membership software for martial arts schools and studios
Which one is for you
Pick Gymdesk if
- Fits if you run a gym of under 250 members and want every feature at every tier
- Works for gym owners who can use Gymdesk Payments in the US or Canada
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you grow: $150 at 101 to 150 members and $200 up to 250
- Watch out: the lower prices need Gymdesk Payments, available in the US and Canada, and your own processor costs $25 more
- Watch out: each extra location costs $50 a month with Gymdesk Payments, or $100 otherwise
- Skip it if you have over 250 members, since that is sized with the vendor
Pick Spark Membership if
- Fits if you run a martial arts school with belt testing and family accounts
- Works for dance, gymnastics or yoga studios that sell recurring memberships
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you run one small studio, as the flat price is $199 a month
- Not for you if you run general fitness or salon booking, as it is built mainly for martial arts schools
- Watch out: payment processing fees are not stated on the pricing page
- Watch out: the page does not say if $199 covers more than one location or caps students
- Tight if you want to self-start, as the trial leads into a demo and setup process
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAGymdeskFair | 2.2GPASpark MembershipFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$75 a month for up to 50 members with Gymdesk Payments, $100 without, in the middle of this category ($29.99 to $119). It rises with member count. | D$199 a month for the one plan, above the $149 where the category's dearest tenth starts. It includes every feature, but the price is the same for a small school. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 30-day free trial with no card, and no free plan. | CAn 8-week free trial before the $199 starts, and the listing does not say a card is needed. There is no free plan. |
| Features | CMemberships and billing, class booking, leads, a gym website, reporting and facility access. Everything is on every tier. | BStudent records with belt history, billing, online booking, kiosk check-in, texting and point of sale are all in the one plan. Nothing in the core job is missing for a martial arts school. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You set up memberships, classes and payments before it is useful. | CNo store rating on record, and the trial leads into a demo and setup call with an account rep. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Stripe, Square, Authorize.net and Smoothcomp named. | BWeb plus free iPhone and Android apps for owners and members. No integrations are listed. |
| Best for | small gyms priced by member count | martial arts schools with memberships |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Gymdesk and Spark Membership. How we grade
Price against what you get
Gymdesk starts at $75 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Spark Membership starts at $199 a month and scores 2.7.
Spark Membership scores higher, and starts $124 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other salon, spa and studio booking apps on the chart, 21 score higher than Gymdesk for less, and 6 score higher than Spark Membership for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Gymdesk also covers invoicing, reports and email campaigns.
- Spark Membership also covers marketing automation, inventory and appointment booking.
At a glance
| Gymdesk | Spark Membership | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $75 per month for up to 50 active members, with Gymdesk Payments ($100 without) | $199 per month, after an 8-week free trial |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card required | 8-week free trial, then $199 per month |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Gymdesk | Sensei Holdco LLC |
| Price read from | gymdesk.com | sparkmembership.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Gymdesk
- The lower prices apply when processing payments with Gymdesk Payments or an approved partner, which is available in the US and Canada; elsewhere the partner route needs approval.
- Each extra location costs $50 a month with Gymdesk Payments or a preferred partner, or $100 with your own processor.
- A branded member app is $100 a month with the first month free, and door access is $100 a month for up to 3 doors plus $29 per extra door and a one-time hardware cost.
- Plans above 250 active members have no published price.
Spark Membership
- Pricing is a single $199 monthly plan; the page does not say whether it covers one location or limits students.
- The 8-week trial leads into a demo and setup process with an account rep.
- It is built mainly for martial arts schools, so general fitness or salon booking may fit other tools better.
- Payment processing fees are not stated on the pricing page.
Key features
Gymdesk
- Memberships and billing
- Recurring memberships with automated billing, a point of sale and payment processing through Gymdesk Payments, Stripe, Square or Authorize.net.
- Class booking and attendance
- Members book classes and staff track attendance, with a member app for iOS and Android.
- Lead management and marketing
- Lead capture, landing pages, email and SMS, automations, referrals and review requests.
- Gym website
- Every plan includes a responsive gym website.
- Reporting
- Dashboard, attendance analytics, revenue forecasting and member insights.
- Facility access
- Door access control is listed as a beta add-on, priced per month for up to three doors.
Spark Membership
- Student CRM
- Student profiles hold belt history, family accounts and attendance trends, with a trial pipeline for new leads.
- Recurring billing and payments
- Spark Payments runs billing, checkout and reporting inside the platform, so memberships are charged automatically.
- Two-way SMS
- Text replies to new leads, class reminders and reschedule messages go out automatically, and parents can text the school directly.
- Online booking and attendance
- Students book classes online, and attendance is tracked, including from a kiosk app for front-desk check-in.
- Point of sale and inventory
- Sell uniforms, gear and other items at the desk and track stock alongside memberships.
- Member apps
- Free iPhone and Android apps are offered for owners and for members.
Plans
Gymdesk
Micro Gym$75
per month for up to 50 members, with Gymdesk Payments ($100 without)
Full platform with unlimited staff accounts and a gym website; billed month to month.
Small Gym$100
per month for 51-100 members, with Gymdesk Payments ($125 without)
Same features as every tier; the price follows the active member count.
Medium Gym$150
per month for 101-150 members, with Gymdesk Payments ($175 without)
Same features as every tier; $150 a month at 120 active members is the page's own example.
Large Gym$200
per month for 151-250 members, with Gymdesk Payments ($240 without)
Same features as every tier, for gyms up to 250 active members.
EnterpriseCustom
For 251 or more active members; sized with the vendor.
Spark Membership
Spark Membership$199
per month, after an 8-week free trial
One plan. The page says every feature is included, and student data migration is free.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Gymdesk or Spark Membership?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Gymdesk is cheaper to start with: $75 a month, against $199 a month for Spark Membership. Gymdesk starts at $75 per month for up to 50 active members, with Gymdesk Payments ($100 without), and Spark Membership starts at $199 per month, after an 8-week free trial.
Which has a free plan, Gymdesk or Spark Membership?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Gymdesk nor Spark Membership has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.