Kicksite vs Mindbody (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Mindbody grades higher than Kicksite: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Kicksite grades higher on the free plan. Mindbody grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Kicksite
Martial arts school software for billing, attendance and belts
Mindbody
Studio, gym, spa and salon software with a consumer booking app
Which one is for you
Pick Kicksite if
- Fits if you run a martial arts school and want belt tracking built in
- Makes sense if your student count is small, at $49 a month for 25
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you run a non-martial-arts studio, since it is built for dojos
- Pricey if you grow: $199 a month from 101 students
- Watch out: the page mentions discounted annual pricing but does not show it
- Watch out: the pages read list no mobile apps or named integrations
Pick Mindbody if
- Fits if you run a yoga, Pilates or fitness studio and want to be listed on a consumer booking app
- Works for brands with several locations that need corporate-level controls
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to try it on your own first: there's no free plan or self-serve trial, only a demo
- Not for you if you want a full price list, as Accelerate and Ultimate are only priced on a sales call
- Tight if you want automated email and text campaigns or the AI front desk, which need Ultimate
- Watch out: a branded client app is an add-on, and room booking and Pick-a-Spot need Accelerate or higher
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAKicksiteFair | 2.2GPAMindbodyFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$49 a month for up to 25 students, $99 for 50 and $199 for 101 or more, in the middle of this category ($29.99 to $119). | CStarter is $79 a location a month and up, the only figure on the page, which is above this category's middle ($49.90). Accelerate and Ultimate have no published price, so the plans with marketing are priced only on a sales call. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe first 30 days are free, and the page does not say whether a card is needed. No free plan. | FNothing free: no free plan and no self-serve trial. New customers start with a demo. |
| Features | CStudent profiles, attendance and belt tracking, billing, leads and communications, all on every tier. It is built for martial arts, so it suits other studios less. | BClass and appointment scheduling with unlimited staff logins, memberships, packages, retail and payments, reports and a listing on the Mindbody app. Room booking, Pick-a-Spot, automated marketing and the AI front desk come on dearer plans. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You set up students, belts and billing first. | BMindbody rates 4.6 on the US App Store from 23,558 ratings, which puts it at B on our ease ladder. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, and the pages read name no apps or integrations. | BWeb, plus a business app for iPhone and Android and a listing on the Mindbody consumer app. ClassPass is the only integration on record, no API is listed, and there's no desktop app. |
| Best for | martial arts schools that charge by student count | fitness studios listed on a consumer booking app |
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: Kicksite and Mindbody. How we grade
Price against what you get
Kicksite starts at $49 a month and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Mindbody starts at $79 a month and scores 3.0.
Mindbody scores higher, and starts $30 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, 6 score higher than Kicksite for less, and 2 score higher than Mindbody 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
- Kicksite also covers reports.
- Mindbody also covers marketing automation and appointment booking.
At a glance
| Kicksite | Mindbody | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $49 per month for up to 25 students | $79 per location / month and up |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | First 30 days free | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Kicksite | MINDBODY, Inc. |
| Price read from | kicksite.com | mindbodyonline.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Kicksite
- Built for martial arts; the vendor says one-size-fits-all software is a poor fit for them, so it suits other studio types less.
- The pricing page states discounted annual pricing exists but does not show it.
- The pages read list no mobile apps or third-party integrations by name.
Mindbody
- Plans are sold through a sales call: the page gives only a starting price of $79 per location a month and no figures for Accelerate or Ultimate.
- Automated email and text marketing and the AI front desk are limited to the top Ultimate plan.
- A branded client app is an add-on, and room booking and Pick-a-Spot need Accelerate or higher.
- There is no free plan or self-serve trial; new customers start with a demo.
Key features
Kicksite
- Student profiles
- Each student has one record with attendance history, signed documents, membership details and belt rank history, with family account support.
- Attendance and belt tracking
- Check-in tools and belt rank tracking with custom criteria for each program.
- Billing and payments
- Automated recurring billing, failed payment alerts and reporting, with integrated card processing at a flat rate.
- Lead management
- Landing pages and a CRM for tracking prospects from first contact to enrollment.
- Communications
- Built-in email and text messages, plus app announcements.
Mindbody
- Class and appointment scheduling
- Schedule classes and appointments with unlimited staff logins, and on Accelerate and up book rooms, chairs and equipment and let members pick their spot.
- Mindbody app listing
- Every plan lists the business on the Mindbody consumer app, which Mindbody says reaches more than 3 million shoppers a month.
- Payments and point of sale
- Sell memberships, packages and retail in person or online with integrated payments, which Mindbody says carry no monthly fees or minimums.
- Business app
- Staff schedule, check clients in, take payments and look up clients from an iOS or Android app; some setup and deeper reports are easier on a desktop.
- Email and text marketing
- Ultimate adds automated campaigns triggered by client actions, list-growth tools and a lead dashboard to follow up on prospects.
- AI front desk and branded app
- Ultimate includes an AI assistant that answers calls and questions around the clock. A branded client app is sold as an add-on.
Plans
Kicksite
0-25 students$49
per month for up to 25 students
All features included at every tier.
26-50 students$99
per month for 26 to 50 students
All features included; price follows student count.
51-100 students$149
per month for 51 to 100 students
All features included; price follows student count.
101+ students$199
per month for 101 or more students
All features included; one price for 101 students and up.
Mindbody
Starter$79
per location / month and up
Booking, payments, website booking widgets, a business website, a Mindbody app listing and basic reports. Sold through sales; $79 is the stated starting price.
AccelerateCustom
Adds advanced reporting, room and resource booking, Pick-a-Spot for classes, promo codes and access to premium add-ons.
UltimateCustom
Adds automated email and text campaigns, a 24/7 AI front desk, a lead pipeline, retention analytics and lower rates on marketing messages.
Ways to pay less
Kicksite
- Other savings
Free for the rest of 2026
A site banner offers switching schools no payment until 2027; it is described as a limited-time offer.
Mindbody
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Kicksite or Mindbody?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Kicksite is cheaper to start with: $49 a month, against $79 a month for Mindbody. Kicksite starts at $49 per month for up to 25 students, and Mindbody starts at $79 per location / month and up.
Which has a free plan, Kicksite or Mindbody?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Kicksite nor Mindbody has a free plan. Kicksite has a free trial.
Which platforms do Kicksite and Mindbody run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Mindbody lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.