Kicksite vs Kombat Evolve: Which BJJ Gym Software Is Right for You?

Running a BJJ gym requires more than just great coaching. You need systems to track belt progression, manage payments, monitor attendance, and most importantly - keep students from quitting.

But here's the challenge: most gym software is built for generic fitness centers or broadly for "martial arts," not specifically for the retention problems BJJ academies face.

This article compares two options: Kicksite, a well-established martial arts platform used across multiple disciplines, and Kombat Evolve, a retention-focused platform built specifically for BJJ gyms by a practicing black belt.

We'll break down features, pricing, and help you decide which platform fits your gym's actual needs.

What Is Kicksite?

Kicksite is a comprehensive gym management platform designed for martial arts schools including BJJ, Karate, Taekwondo, and MMA. Founded in the US, it's known for strong lead management and marketing automation tools.

Kicksite's core strengths:

• Lead capture and nurturing

• Automated billing and payment processing

• Student portal for class registration

• Marketing tools (landing pages, email campaigns)

• Kiosk check-ins

• Belt rank history tracking

Kicksite's approach: All-in-one platform for martial arts school operations with emphasis on student acquisition and marketing.

Pricing: Starts at $49/month for up to 25 students, scales to $99-$149+ as student count grows, plus potential setup fees.

What Is Kombat Evolve?

Kombat Evolve is gym management software built specifically for BJJ and martial arts with ranking systems (Judo, Karate). Created by Mansour, a BJJ black belt under Alan Finfou, after watching too many students quit due to invisible progress.

Kombat Evolve's core strengths:

• Student retention through progress visibility

• At-risk student alerts (predicts who will quit)

• Comprehensive belt progression tracking

• Student-facing mobile app with progress dashboards

• European-first design (SEPA, GDPR, multi-language)

• Zero transaction fees

• BJJ Wrapped (annual student summaries)

Kombat Evolve's approach: Retention-first platform that treats belt progression as retention infrastructure, not just admin data.

Pricing: €44-224/month (January 2026 pricing) based on gym size, no transaction fees, no setup fees.

The Core Philosophy Difference

Kicksite's philosophy: Help martial arts schools acquire and manage students efficiently across multiple disciplines.

Kombat Evolve's philosophy: Solve the €25,000 student churn problem by making progress visible and catching at-risk students before they quit.

This philosophical difference drives everything else.

Kicksite is breadth-focused (works for many martial arts). Kombat Evolve is depth-focused (solves BJJ retention specifically).

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

1. Belt & Progression Tracking

Kicksite:

• ✅ Belt rank customization and historical tracking

• ✅ Stores promotion dates

• ✅ Supports multiple martial arts belt systems

• ⚠️ Admin-facing (coaches see it, students don't)

• ⚠️ Basic progression visibility

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Comprehensive belt progression system

• ✅ Students see their own progress (mobile app dashboards)

• ✅ Technique mastery checklists by belt level

• ✅ Stripe promotion scheduling based on attendance

• ✅ "BJJ Wrapped" annual summaries (students share on social media)

• ✅ Automated promotion readiness alerts for coaches

• ✅ Progress milestone notifications

Verdict: Kicksite stores belt data for admin purposes. Kombat Evolve uses progression visibility as a retention tool.

Why this matters: Students who can see their progress have 40% better retention rates. Kicksite tracks belts; Kombat Evolve motivates students.

Choose Kicksite if: You just need to store belt rank history

Choose Kombat Evolve if: You want students excited about tracking their own progress

2. Student Retention Tools

Kicksite:

• ✅ Attendance tracking

• ✅ Student achievements system

• ⚠️ No at-risk student detection

• ⚠️ No churn prediction

• ⚠️ Limited engagement features

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ At-risk student alerts (flags students whose attendance drops 50%+)

• ✅ Churn prediction analytics

• ✅ Post-class feedback collection (catches issues early)

• ✅ Student engagement scores

• ✅ Progress visibility (main retention driver)

• ✅ Retention analytics dashboard

• ✅ Cohort retention tracking

Verdict: This is Kombat Evolve's core differentiator. Kicksite doesn't focus on retention specifically.

The critical difference:

Kicksite approach: Track who attended, hope they keep coming

Kombat Evolve approach: Predict who's about to quit, intervene before they disappear

Real-world example:

Gym using Kicksite:

• Student normally trains 3x/week

• Drops to 1x/week for 3 consecutive weeks

• Coach doesn't notice (busy teaching)

• Student quits without explanation

• Coach surprised: "They seemed fine!"

Gym using Kombat Evolve:

• Student's attendance drops

• System alerts coach: "Student X at-risk - attendance down 66%"

• Coach reaches out: "Hey, everything okay?"

• Student: "Work's been crazy, feeling behind"

• Coach: "Let's do a catch-up session, get you back on track"

• Student stays

Choose Kicksite if: You don't struggle with student retention

Choose Kombat Evolve if: You lose students to the "invisible student" problem (70% of BJJ students quit before blue belt)

3. Payment Processing & Billing

Kicksite:

• ✅ Automated billing

• ✅ Payment processing (US-focused)

• ✅ Recurring payments

• ✅ Multiple membership tiers

• ⚠️ Some reliability issues noted in reviews

• ⚠️ Limited European payment methods

• ⚠️ Processing fees vary by region

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Stripe Connect integration

• ✅ SEPA direct debit (critical for European gyms)

• ✅ Klarna support

• ✅ Credit/debit cards

• ✅ Zero transaction fees

• ✅ GDPR-compliant by design

• ✅ Multi-currency support

Verdict: Kicksite works well for US gyms with standard billing. Kombat Evolve built for European market from day one.

Pricing comparison:

100-student gym at €80/month membership:

Choose Kicksite if: You're US-based with simple billing needs

Choose Kombat Evolve if: You're in Europe and need SEPA/GDPR compliance

4. Student App & Mobile Experience

Kicksite:

• ✅ Student portal for payments

• ✅ Class registration

• ✅ View schedule

• ⚠️ Limited mobile app features

• ⚠️ No progress tracking for students

• ⚠️ Basic engagement tools

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Full mobile app (iOS/Android)

• ✅ Personal progress dashboards (students see their advancement)

• ✅ Technique library access

• ✅ Post-class feedback submission

• ✅ BJJ Wrapped annual summaries (shareable on social media)

• ✅ Goal tracking

• ✅ Community features

Verdict: Kicksite's app is functional (booking/payments). Kombat Evolve's app creates engagement between classes.

The retention principle: Students who engage with your gym between classes stay longer.

Choose Kicksite if: You just need basic class booking Choose Kombat Evolve if: You want students opening the app daily to track progress

5. Marketing & Lead Management

Kicksite:

• ✅ Strong lead capture tools

• ✅ Landing page builder

• ✅ Email marketing campaigns

• ✅ Lead scoring

• ✅ Automated follow-ups

• ✅ Marketing automation

Kombat Evolve:

• ⚠️ Basic lead management

• ✅ Landing page builder

• ⚠️ No email marketing automation

• ⚠️ Focused on retention, not acquisition

Verdict: Kicksite wins decisively here.

Kicksite's strength: Student acquisition and marketing automation Kombat Evolve's strength: Student retention once they're in the door

The honest truth: Most BJJ gyms need BOTH. But if you have to prioritize:

• Can't get students in the door? → Kicksite's marketing tools help

• Can't keep students from quitting? → Kombat Evolve's retention tools help

Choose Kicksite if: Lead generation is your biggest bottleneck

Choose Kombat Evolve if: You get enough trials but students quit within 6-12 months

6. Class Scheduling & Check-Ins

Kicksite:

• ✅ Kiosk check-ins

• ✅ Live attendance feed

• ✅ Class capacity management

• ✅ Scheduling system

• ⚠️ No skill-level class filtering

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Tablet kiosk mode (unsupervised check-ins)

• ✅ QR code check-ins

• ✅ Class booking by belt level

• ✅ Attendance pattern analysis

• ✅ Calendar integration

• ✅ Automated reminders

Verdict: Both handle scheduling well. Kombat Evolve treats attendance as retention signal.

The difference:

Kicksite: "Who checked in today?" Kombat Evolve: "Who checked in today + whose pattern changed + who's at-risk?"

Choose Kicksite if: You just need basic check-in functionality Choose Kombat Evolve if: You want attendance data to inform retention interventions

7. Seminar & Event Management

Kicksite:

• ✅ Event scheduling

• ⚠️ Basic event tools

• ⚠️ Limited payment integration

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Seminar management system

• ✅ Stripe payment integration for events

• ✅ Attendance tracking

  
  

Verdict: Both handle events. Kombat Evolve integrates seminars into student progression tracking.

Kicksite approach: Seminar is a standalone event Kombat Evolve approach: Seminar techniques become part of student's learning journey

8. Analytics & Reporting

Kicksite:

• ✅ Revenue reports

• ✅ Attendance summaries

• ✅ Member analytics

• ✅ Billing reports

• ⚠️ Limited retention-specific metrics

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Retention analytics dashboard

• ✅ Churn prediction

• ✅ Student engagement scores

• ✅ Progress milestone tracking

• ✅ At-risk student identification

• ✅ Revenue impact of retention improvements

• ✅ Cohort retention analysis

Verdict: Kicksite shows operational metrics. Kombat Evolve shows retention insights.

Example reports:

Kicksite provides:

• "You had 120 students last month, 118 this month"

• "Total revenue: €9,600"

• "Average attendance: 2.8x per week"

Kombat Evolve provides:

• "12 students flagged as at-risk (attendance dropped 50%+)"

• "If you intervene now, projected retention value: €28,800"

• "Students with visible progress: 85% retention vs 60% without"

9. Geographic Focus & Localization

Kicksite:

• ⚠️ Primarily US-focused

• ⚠️ Limited multi-language support

• ⚠️ USD pricing

• ⚠️ US payment methods prioritized

• ⚠️ US time zones

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Built for European market

• ✅ Multi-language (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese)

• ✅ SEPA direct debit native support

• ✅ GDPR-compliant by design

• ✅ Understands association-based gym structures (common in France/Germany)

• ✅ European time zones

• ✅ Multi-currency support

Verdict: Kicksite works globally but optimized for US. Kombat Evolve designed European-first.

Why this matters for European gyms:

SEPA direct debit:

• Standard in Europe for recurring payments

• Lower fees than card payments

• Member expectation in many countries

GDPR compliance:

• Required by law for EU member data

• Heavy fines for violations

• Built-in vs bolted-on

Association structures:

• Non-profit gym models (common in France/Germany)

• Different pricing/billing requirements

• Government compliance needs

Choose Kicksite if: You're in the US or English-speaking markets Choose Kombat Evolve if: You operate in Europe and need SEPA/GDPR/multi-language

10. Support & Onboarding

Kicksite:

• ✅ Well-rated customer support

• ✅ Email and chat support

• ✅ Knowledge base

• ✅ Training resources

• ⚠️ No free migration assistance

• ⚠️ Self-managed setup

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Direct founder support (Mans responds personally)

• ✅ WhatsApp support (fast response)

• ✅ Email support

• ✅ Free migration assistance

• ✅ Guided onboarding

• ✅ Free trial with full features

• ✅ European time zone support

Verdict: Kicksite has institutional support. Kombat Evolve has practitioner empathy.

The founder difference:

Kicksite support: Professional support team Kombat Evolve support: BJJ black belt who's felt the frustration of students quitting

When you message Kicksite: You get a support ticket When you message Kombat Evolve: You get someone who trains and understands "the invisible student just quit and I have no idea why"

Choose Kicksite if: You prefer institutional support systems Choose Kombat Evolve if: You value talking to someone who actually trains BJJ

Pricing Comparison: Total Cost of Ownership

Kicksite Pricing Structure

Tiered by student count:

• $49/month (up to 25 students)

• $99/month (26-50 students)

• $149/month (51-100 students)

• Higher tiers for larger gyms

• Potential setup fees

• Stripe processing fees apply

Cost for 75-student gym:

• Base: $99-149/month (~€92-138/month)

• Annual: ~€1,104-1,656

• Plus processing fees

• Plus potential setup fees

Kombat Evolve Pricing Structure

Tiered by gym size (January 2026 pricing):

• €44/month: Small gyms (<50 students)

• €89/month: Medium gyms (50-100 students)

• €152/month: Large gyms (100-150 students)

• €224/month: Enterprise (150+)

• Zero transaction fees

• Zero setup fees

• Lock in January pricing forever

Cost for 75-student gym:

• €89/month (January rate)

• Annual: €1,068

• No transaction fees

• No setup fees

• €36-588 cheaper than Kicksite annually

Total Cost Comparison Table

Key insight: Kombat Evolve is cheaper or comparable at most gym sizes, with significantly more retention-focused features.

When to Choose Kicksite

Kicksite is the better choice if you:

✅ Are based in the United States

✅ Need aggressive marketing automation and lead generation tools

✅ Run multiple martial arts disciplines (Karate + BJJ + TKD)

✅ Prioritize student acquisition over retention

✅ Don't struggle significantly with student churn

✅ Want established platform with large user base

✅ Need landing page builders and email marketing

✅ Prefer broader martial arts platform vs BJJ-specific

Kicksite's core strength: All-in-one operations + marketing for multi-discipline martial arts schools

When to Choose Kombat Evolve

Kombat Evolve is the better choice if you:

✅ Operate in Europe (need SEPA/GDPR/multi-language)

✅ Run BJJ, Judo, or martial arts with ranking systems

✅ Struggle with student retention (70% quit before blue belt)

✅ Want students to see their own progress

✅ Need at-risk student alerts and churn prediction

✅ Value software built by a practicing BJJ black belt

✅ Want transparent pricing with zero transaction fees

✅ Prefer retention-first approach over marketing-first

✅ Need belt progression as core feature, not admin afterthought

Kombat Evolve's core strength: Solving the €25,000 student churn problem through progress visibility

The Real Question: What's Your Actual Problem?

Most BJJ gym owners think they need "gym management software."

But that's not specific enough.

The real question is:

Problem A: Can't Get Students in the Door?

→ Lead generation, marketing automation, trial conversion → Kicksite excels here → Strong lead capture, landing pages, email campaigns

Problem B: Can't Keep Students from Quitting?

→ Student retention, progress visibility, churn prevention → Kombat Evolve excels here → At-risk alerts, progression tracking, engagement tools

Problem C: Operations Are Chaotic?

→ Billing issues, scheduling nightmares, manual tracking → Both solve this reasonably well → Choose based on geographic fit (US → Kicksite, Europe → Kombat Evolve)

Most gyms have all three problems. But you can only solve one first.

Our data from 55+ European gyms shows:

• Average gym spends €5,000-10,000/year on marketing (acquisition)

• Average gym loses €25,000-28,000/year to student churn (retention)

The retention problem is 3-5x bigger than the acquisition problem.

Migration: Switching Between Platforms

Leaving Kicksite for Kombat Evolve

What transfers:

• Student roster and contact info

• Belt ranks and promotion history

• Attendance records

• Membership tiers

Kombat Evolve offers:

• Free data migration assistance

• Guided onboarding (no fees)

• 14-day free trial to test first

• Direct founder support during switch

Timeline: Typically 1-2 weeks for full migration

Leaving Kombat Evolve for Kicksite

What transfers:

• Standard member data exports

• Belt progression records

• Attendance history

Kicksite requires:

• Self-managed data import

• Potential setup fees

• Own onboarding process

Real Gym Owner Perspective

What Kicksite users love:

• "Strong marketing tools helped us grow from 40 to 80 students"

• "Lead management is comprehensive"

• "Works well for our multi-discipline school (BJJ + Karate)"

What Kicksite users wish for:

• "Would love better retention analytics"

• "Students can't see their own progression"

• "European payment options are limited"

What Kombat Evolve users love:

• "At-risk alerts saved 8 students in Q1 - that's €19,200 value"

• "Students constantly check their progress in the app"

• "Built by someone who actually trains and gets our problems"

• "Finally software that treats retention seriously"

What Kombat Evolve users wish for:

• "Would love marketing automation" (we're focused on retention first)

• "More integrations" (we're building strategically)

The Honest Comparison

Kicksite Strengths

• ✅ Comprehensive marketing tools

• ✅ Lead generation and nurturing

• ✅ Multi-discipline support

• ✅ Established platform (more users)

• ✅ Strong in US market

Kicksite Weaknesses

• ⚠️ Limited retention-specific features

• ⚠️ Students can't see own progression

• ⚠️ No at-risk student alerts

• ⚠️ Limited European market support

• ⚠️ Pricing scales quickly with growth

Kombat Evolve Strengths

• ✅ Retention-focused (at-risk alerts, churn prediction)

• ✅ Progress visibility for students

• ✅ Built by BJJ practitioner

• ✅ European-first (SEPA, GDPR, multi-language)

• ✅ Zero transaction fees

• ✅ BJJ-specific features (BJJ Wrapped, technique tracking)

Kombat Evolve Weaknesses

• ⚠️ No marketing automation

• ⚠️ No lead generation tools

• ⚠️ Newer platform (smaller user base)

• ⚠️ Less established than Kicksite

The Bottom Line

Neither is universally "better."

They solve different problems for different markets.

Kicksite:

• Best for: US-based multi-discipline martial arts schools prioritizing lead generation

• Core value: Marketing automation + operations management

• Philosophy: Help schools acquire students efficiently

Kombat Evolve:

• Best for: European BJJ/Judo gyms struggling with student retention

• Core value: Preventing the €25,000 churn problem

• Philosophy: Students stay when they see their progress

The decision framework:

Choose Kicksite if:

• You're in the US

• You need marketing tools

• Lead generation is your bottleneck

• You run multiple martial arts styles

Choose Kombat Evolve if:

• You're in Europe

• You need retention tools

• Student churn is your bottleneck

• You run BJJ/Judo with belt systems

Can't decide? Ask yourself:

"What costs my gym more money annually: not enough new students, or too many students quitting?"

For most BJJ gyms, the answer is retention.

Ready to see which platform fits your gym?

Try Kombat Evolve: 14-day free trial, no credit card required. See at-risk student alerts and progress tracking in action.

[Start Free Trial]

FAQs

Can I switch from Kicksite to Kombat Evolve?

Yes. We offer free data migration assistance for gyms switching from Kicksite or other platforms. Your student roster, belt ranks, and attendance history transfer smoothly. Contact us to discuss your specific migration needs.

Does Kombat Evolve have marketing tools like Kicksite?

No. Kombat Evolve focuses exclusively on student retention, not acquisition. If you need both, you might use Kicksite's marketing tools for lead gen and Kombat Evolve for retention, or choose based on which problem costs you more money annually.

Which platform is better for European gyms?

Kombat Evolve was built specifically for European gyms with native SEPA support, GDPR compliance, multi-language interfaces, and understanding of association-based structures. Kicksite is US-focused and works in Europe but wasn't designed European-first.

How does pricing compare for a 75-student gym?

Kicksite: ~€1,188-1,656/year depending on tier, plus processing fees Kombat Evolve: €1,068/year (January pricing), zero transaction fees Kombat Evolve is typically €120-588 cheaper annually for medium gyms.

Does Kombat Evolve track belt progression like Kicksite?

Yes, but significantly more comprehensively. Kicksite stores belt ranks for admin. Kombat Evolve shows students their own progress dashboards, technique checklists, achievement notifications, and "BJJ Wrapped" annual summaries. The difference is admin tool vs retention tool.

Which platform has better customer support?

Kicksite has professional institutional support (email, chat, knowledge base). Kombat Evolve has direct founder support (Mans responds personally via WhatsApp/email). Choose based on preference: institutional system vs practicing BJJ black belt who gets your problems firsthand.

Does Kombat Evolve work for gyms outside Europe?

Yes, but it's optimized for European gyms (SEPA, GDPR, EU languages). If you're US-based, Kicksite might be more familiar, though Kombat Evolve works globally with Stripe. The retention features work anywhere.