MyStudio vs Spark Membership (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Spark Membership grades higher than MyStudio: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
MyStudio grades higher on value for money. Spark Membership grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MyStudio
Studio management for martial arts and enrichment programs
Spark Membership
Membership software for martial arts schools and studios
Which one is for you
Pick MyStudio if
- Fits if you run a martial arts studio and want unlimited students at a fixed software price
- Works for enrichment programs that run classes and memberships
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you dislike long contracts, as the listed prices are for a 24-month plan billed monthly
- Watch out: card payments cost 2.9% + $0.30 and ACH 1% on top of the software price
- Watch out: SMS texting is a paid add-on, and Growth allows only 10 automations
- Not for you if you want a free start, as no free plan or trial is listed
- Watch out: the page names only the US, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia as places it serves
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
| 2.0GPAMyStudioFair | 2.2GPASpark MembershipFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$79 a month per location on Essentials, between the category's $49 middle and $99 dearer quarter. Growth is $159 and Scale $239, all on a 24-month plan. | 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 | FNo free plan and no trial on record, so every use is paid from day one. | 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 | BClasses, check-in, rank and belt tracking, Stripe billing with retries, a member app and a studio website come in every plan. Texting is an add-on, which is a marketing gap rather than a core one. | 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, and a studio has classes, ranks and billing to build before it runs. | CNo store rating on record, and the trial leads into a demo and setup call with an account rep. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus a free iOS and Android app for members, with Stripe, Google Tag Manager and Meta Pixel. | BWeb plus free iPhone and Android apps for owners and members. No integrations are listed. |
| Best for | martial arts studios with unlimited students | 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: MyStudio and Spark Membership. How we grade
Price against what you get
MyStudio starts at $79 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Spark Membership starts at $199 a month and scores 2.7.
They score the same, and MyStudio starts $120 a month lower. Of the other salon, spa and studio booking apps on the chart, 4 score higher than MyStudio 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
- MyStudio also covers workflow automation.
- Spark Membership also covers inventory.
At a glance
| MyStudio | Spark Membership | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | $79 per location / month, on a 24-month plan billed monthly | $199 per month, after an 8-week free trial |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 8-week free trial, then $199 per month |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | MyStudio | Sensei Holdco LLC |
| Price read from | mystudio.io | sparkmembership.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
MyStudio
- Listed prices are for a 24-month plan billed monthly, so the commitment is two years.
- Card payments cost 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction and ACH 1%, on top of the software price.
- SMS texting is an add-on, and automations are limited to 10 on Growth.
- The page lists the US, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia as the places it serves.
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
MyStudio
- Scheduling and attendance
- Build classes with rosters and online booking, and check members in by QR code, PIN or name search on higher plans.
- Rank and belt management
- Track progress, testing and promotions; Growth adds testing events, bulk promotions and belt inventory.
- Billing and payments
- Recurring billing with automatic retries of declined cards, processed through Stripe inside the platform.
- Member app
- A free iOS and Android app for students and parents covers class booking, dues, rank progress and messaging.
- Built-in website
- Every plan includes a studio website that sells trials, memberships, events and retail with payments built in.
- Marketing automation
- Automated follow-ups based on triggers: 10 on Growth, unlimited on Scale. SMS texting is a paid add-on.
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
MyStudio
Essentials$79
per location / month, 24-month plan billed monthly
Built-in website, member app, rank tracking, online sales, class schedule and check-in. Unlimited students.
Growth$159
per location / month, 24-month plan billed monthly
Adds rank testing tools, bulk belt promotions, QR or PIN check-in and 10 automations.
Scale$239
per location / month, 24-month plan billed monthly
Adds your own branding, unlimited automations, a customizable checkout and ad tracking.
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.
Ways to pay less
MyStudio
- Other savings
Black Friday: 50% off the first year
New customers get 50% off the first year ($39.50 a month on Essentials), for the first 50 customers, until November 30. Regular price applies from month 13.
Spark Membership
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MyStudio or Spark Membership?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MyStudio is cheaper to start with: $79 a month, against $199 a month for Spark Membership. MyStudio starts at $79 per location / month, on a 24-month plan billed monthly, and Spark Membership starts at $199 per month, after an 8-week free trial.
Which has a free plan, MyStudio or Spark Membership?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither MyStudio nor Spark Membership has a free plan. Spark Membership has 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.