Gymdesk vs OSS Manager
See how OSS Manager compares to Gymdesk — pricing, features, and what's actually built for martial arts academies.
What is OSS Manager
OSS Manager is a management platform built specifically for martial arts academies, combining student and financial management with a gamification system designed to keep students training consistently.
What is Gymdesk
Gymdesk (4,500+ gyms in 34 countries) started in martial arts: custom rank systems with stripes, time-in-rank and promotion readiness, digital waivers, family accounts and a native member app. It also serves fitness, CrossFit and yoga. Its own payment processing is US-only; the interface is in English and Japanese.
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Feature-by-feature comparison
Gymdesk: $75/month (up to 50 active members) → $100 (51–100) → $150 (101–200) → $200 (201–400); +$50 per extra location, +$100 branded app, +$100 door access — 30-day free trial, no card required
| What matters | OSS Manager | Gymdesk |
|---|---|---|
| Market focus | Martial arts specialist (BJJ, judo, karate, Muay Thai, MMA…) | Martial arts first, also fitness |
| Free trial | 15 days, no card required | 30 days, no card required |
| Price | $40/month, or $33/month billed yearly (2 months free) — unlimited students and teachers | $75–200/month |
| Price scales with students? | No — single plan, same price at any size | Yes — 4 tiers + $50 per location |
| Fees on student payments | 1% on online payments + Stripe fees; manual payments (cash, transfer) free | Gymdesk Payments 2.9% + $0.30 (US only), or Stripe and others |
| Student mobile app | Yes — native iOS/Android for students, parents and teachers, included | Yes — native; branded +$100/month |
| Gamification / retention | Core system: XP, badges, streaks, monthly ranking, squads, retention alerts | None |
| Belt / graduation tracking | Native: belts, stripes, graduation requirements, certificates | Native: ranks, stripes, promotion readiness |
| Languages | 7 (PT-PT, PT-BR, EN, ES, FR, IT, DE) | English, Japanese |
| Support | WhatsApp and email, with real people | Human, same-day |
Gymdesk is a solid martial arts tool, but its price climbs with members and with each extra (location, branded app, door access). OSS Manager: $40 with unlimited students, gamification Gymdesk doesn't have (XP, badges, streaks, ranking) and 7 languages including Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian and German.
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Loved by instructors and academy owners
Real feedback from academies that switched to OSS Manager.
“Before OSS Manager, managing the academy was handled by another teacher, and I could already see how difficult it was to keep track of payments and students. Today, my wife and I manage the academy together, and everything has become so much easier and more practical. I get a much clearer overview of everything, and the day-to-day work is far less stressful. One of the biggest differences for me is Leanderson's support. Whenever I have a question, I send a message and he is always ready to help. That is truly exceptional. I recommend OSS Manager without hesitation, even to those who already use another platform. It is worth trying.”
“The previous system had no Portuguese interface, which made it harder for parents to get on board and took more of our time to provide support. With OSS Manager, we now have a modern, user-friendly platform fully available in Portuguese. If you're looking for a solution to simplify your school's management, give OSS Manager a try.”
“Before OSS Manager, I managed my academy using the notes app on my phone. Today, I save many hours every week and have a much broader view of my business—especially when it comes to payment management. What made me switch was the need to professionalize my academy, and the personalized support made all the difference. Since I started using OSS Manager, the number of students has doubled. If a fellow instructor were unsure, I would say: your students deserve an app that provides all the features every academy should have.”