MAAT vs Kombat Evolve: Which BJJ Gym Software Actually Solves Retention?

You're researching BJJ gym software. You've found MAAT with their "simplest way to run your academy" tagline. Maybe you've looked at Mindbody or Gymdesk too.

They all promise to "streamline operations" and "manage members efficiently."

But here's what most gym software companies won't tell you: Managing operations doesn't solve the €25,000 problem.

The €25,000 problem is student churn.

As a BJJ black belt who's close to gyms owner and built software, I've lived both sides. I know what software companies promise versus what actually keeps students from quitting.

This is an honest, detailed comparison of MAAT and Kombat Evolve. I'll tell you exactly where MAAT excels, where we excel, and which platform fits your gym's actual needs - not just which one has the fanciest features list.

The Fundamental Philosophy Difference

Before we dive into features and pricing, understand this core distinction:

MAAT's approach: "The simplest way to run your academy"

• Primary focus: Financial operations and administrative simplification

• Belt progression: Added as a feature

Kombat Evolve's approach: "Solve the retention crisis first"

• Primary focus: Student retention through progress visibility

• Belt progression: Core differentiator and retention infrastructure

• Built by: BJJ black belt who watched students quit due to invisible progress

This philosophical difference drives everything else.

MAAT helps you run your gym more efficiently. Kombat Evolve helps you keep students from disappearing.

Both are valuable. But they solve different problems.

Pricing: The Full Truth (Including Hidden Costs)

Let's start with what really matters to gym owners: cost.

MAAT Pricing

Monthly subscription:

• €49/month (annual billing, 17% discount)

• €59/month (monthly billing)

• Unlimited members

• All features included

Transaction fees:

• 1% of all payments processed

• Plus Stripe payment processing fees

What this actually costs:

Let's say you have 100 students paying €80/month:

• Annual membership revenue: €96,000

• MAAT's 1% transaction fee: €960/year

• Software subscription: €588/year (€49 × 12)

• Total annual cost: €1,548

For a 150-student gym at €90/month:

• Annual revenue: €162,000

• Transaction fee: €1,620/year

• Software subscription: €588/year

• Total annual cost: €2,208

Kombat Evolve Pricing

Tiered by gym size (no transaction fees):

• €49/month: Small gyms (<50 students)

• €99/month: Medium gyms (50-100 students)

• €169/month: Large gyms (100+ students)

• 0% transaction fees

• Transparent European pricing

• SEPA, Stripe, Klarna supported

What this actually costs:

100-student gym:

• €99/month tier

• Total annual cost: €1,188

• €360 cheaper than MAAT

150-student gym:

• €169/month tier

• Total annual cost: €2,028

• €180 cheaper than MAAT

The Transaction Fee Reality

MAAT's 1% seems small until you multiply it by annual revenue.

Here's what 1% costs at different gym sizes:

The larger you scale, the more expensive MAAT becomes.

Kombat Evolve: Pay the same amount whether you process €50,000 or €200,000 in payments.

MAAT: Pay incrementally more as you grow.

When MAAT's Pricing Makes Sense

For very small gyms (<30 students):

• Low monthly revenue means transaction fee is minimal

• €49/month base is same as our small tier

• Worth considering if you prioritize their specific features

For gyms that might switch platforms:

• Lower entry cost to test

• Can leave cheaper if it doesn't fit

When Kombat Evolve's Pricing Wins

For growing gyms (50+ students):

• No transaction fees = predictable costs

• Transparent pricing, no surprises

• Better economics as you scale

For gyms serious about retention:

• ROI from reduced churn pays for software 10x over

• Progress tracking features drive retention

• €99/month that keeps 5 extra students = €4,800 annual value

Feature-by-Feature Breakdown

Let's compare what actually matters for running a BJJ gym.

Member Management & Billing

MAAT:

• ✅ Robust payment processing (Stripe integration)

• ✅ Automated billing and invoicing

• ✅ Multiple membership tiers

• ✅ Family account management

• ✅ Refund processing

• ✅ Financial dashboard

• ⚠️ 1% transaction fee on all payments

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Stripe Connect with European payment methods

• ✅ SEPA direct debit (critical for European gyms)

• ✅ Klarna integration

• ✅ Flexible pricing tiers

• ✅ GDPR-compliant by design

• ✅ Association structure support (common in France/Germany)

• ✅ Multi-gym management

• ✅ Zero transaction fees

Verdict: MAAT emphasizes financial operations heavily. Kombat Evolve focuses on European compliance and zero-fee economics.

Choose MAAT if: Financial dashboards and detailed revenue analytics are your top priority Choose Kombat Evolve if: You operate in Europe and want SEPA support with no transaction fees

Attendance Tracking & Analytics

MAAT:

• ✅ Check-in system

• ✅ Attendance reporting

• ✅ Class capacity management

• ✅ Basic attendance analytics

• ⚠️ Limited predictive insights

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Tablet kiosk mode (unsupervised check-ins)

• ✅ QR code check-in system

• ✅ Attendance pattern analysis

• ✅ At-risk student alerts (flags declining attendance before they quit)

• ✅ Attendance trend tracking per student

• ✅ Post-class feedback collection

• ✅ Retention analytics dashboard

Verdict: MAAT tells you WHO showed up. Kombat Evolve tells you WHO'S ABOUT TO QUIT.

The critical difference: MAAT tracks attendance as an operational metric. Kombat Evolve treats attendance as a retention signal.

Example: Student typically trains 3x/week, suddenly drops to 1x/week for 3 consecutive weeks.

• MAAT: Shows lower attendance in reports

• Kombat Evolve: Alerts coach with "At-Risk Student" notification

This early warning system is the difference between catching students before they quit versus wondering why they disappeared.

Belt Progression & Technique Tracking

This is where the biggest gap exists.

MAAT:

• ✅ Belt rank storage

• ✅ Promotion history tracking

• ✅ Notification system when students ready for promotion

• ✅ Stripe and belt tracking for kids and adults

• ⚠️ Limited progression visualization

• ⚠️ No technique mastery tracking

• ⚠️ Students can't see their own progress

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Comprehensive belt progression system

• ✅ Technique mastery checklists by belt level

• ✅ Student progress dashboards (students see their own advancement)

• ✅ Stripe promotion scheduling and tracking

• ✅ "BJJ Wrapped" annual summaries (viral social sharing feature)

• ✅ Automated promotion reminders for coaches

• ✅ Technique video libraries by belt

• ✅ Goal setting and milestone tracking

• ✅ Achievement notifications

Verdict: MAAT tracks belt progression as an admin tool. Kombat Evolve uses it as retention infrastructure.

Why this matters for retention:

Our data from 55+ gyms shows: Students who can see their progression have 40% better retention rates.

The "invisible student" problem (students who quit without explanation) happens because progress feels invisible. MAAT stores belt data for gym admin. Kombat Evolve makes progress visible to students.

Student Mobile Experience

MAAT:

• ✅ Mobile app (iOS/Android)

• ✅ Class booking system

• ✅ Schedule viewing

• ✅ Payment management

• ⚠️ Limited engagement features

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Student mobile app

• ✅ Personal progress dashboard

• ✅ Technique library access

• ✅ Post-class feedback submission

• ✅ Achievement notifications

• ✅ "BJJ Wrapped" annual summaries

• ✅ Community features

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

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

Analytics & Reporting

MAAT:

• ✅ Revenue reports

• ✅ Attendance summaries

• ✅ Membership analytics

• ✅ Financial dashboards

• ✅ Transaction volume tracking

• ⚠️ Standard operational metrics

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Retention analytics dashboard

• ✅ Churn prediction (who's likely to quit)

• ✅ Student engagement scores

• ✅ Progress milestone tracking

• ✅ At-risk student identification

• ✅ Revenue impact of retention improvements

• ✅ Cohort retention analysis

Verdict: MAAT shows you what happened. Kombat Evolve shows you what's ABOUT TO happen.

Example reports:

MAAT 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 save: €28,800 annual revenue"

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

Seminar & Event Management

MAAT:

• ✅ Event creation

• ✅ Registration management

• ⚠️ Basic event tools

• ⚠️ Limited payment integration

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Seminar management system

• ✅ Stripe payment integration for events

• ✅ Attendance tracking

• ✅ Post-event feedback collection

• ✅ Event attendance in student profiles

Competition Management

MAAT:

• ⚠️ Not a primary focus

• ⚠️ No tournament-specific features visible

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Competition preparation tracking

• ✅ Performance recording

• ✅ Competition results in student profiles

• ✅ Team competition coordination

• ⚠️ No tournament bracket management

Verdict: Neither platform specializes in tournament organization (that's Smoothcomp's domain).

Kombat Evolve focuses on gym preparation for competitions. MAAT doesn't emphasize this.

Customer Support & Team

MAAT:

• ✅ Funded startup (closed funding round 2024)

• ✅ Growing team

• ✅ Established support system

• ✅ Documentation and tutorials

• ✅ Support email: support@joinmaat.com

Kombat Evolve:

• ✅ Direct founder support (I'm a BJJ black belt under Alan Finfou)

• ✅ Fast response times (I respond personally)

• ✅ European time zone support

• ✅ Regular feature updates based on gym owner feedback

• ✅ Practitioner understanding (15+ years training)

• ⚠️ Smaller team (solo technical founder)

• ⚠️ Growing community

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

When you message MAAT: You get a support team When you message Kombat Evolve: You get someone who trains and has choked and been choked thousands of times

Which matters more depends on what you value.

The Retention Question: What Actually Drives Revenue?

Here's the metric that should drive your decision:

How much does student churn cost your gym annually?

Average BJJ gym stats:

• 80-120 students

• 25-30% annual churn

• €80-100 monthly fees

Churn cost calculation:

• 100 students × 25% churn = 25 students quit annually

• Lost lifetime value: 25 × €2,400 = €60,000

• Replacement cost: 25 × €150 acquisition = €3,750

• Net loss: €25,000-28,000 per year

Now consider: What if software reduced churn by just 10%?

• Keep 10 extra students annually

• Gain: €24,000 lifetime value

• Save: €1,500 acquisition cost

• Total impact: €25,500

Both MAAT and Kombat Evolve can improve retention. But through different mechanisms:

MAAT's retention path: Better operations → Less admin time → More coaching time → Better student experience → Potentially better retention

This works. Efficient operations matter.

Kombat Evolve's retention path: Progress visibility → Students see advancement → Motivation sustained → At-risk alerts → Coach intervention → Direct retention impact

This also works. But it's a direct mechanism, not a byproduct.

The question: Do you want retention as a hopeful side effect of better operations, or as the primary focus?

Real Gym Owner Perspective

I've talked to gym owners using both platforms (and competitors). Here's unfiltered feedback:

What MAAT Users Love

"Financial clarity"

• "The revenue dashboard is excellent"

• "Automated invoicing saves hours"

• "Transaction processing is smooth"

"Ease of use"

• "Team picked it up quickly"

• "Clean interface"

• "Students find booking easy"

"Multi-sport flexibility"

• "Works for our BJJ and Muay Thai classes"

• "Handles different belt systems"

What MAAT Users Wish For

"Deeper retention tools"

• "I can see students attended less, but no alerts"

• "Wish students could see their progress like Strava"

• "Would love predictive churn analytics"

"European payment clarity"

• "Transaction fees add up more than expected"

"More technique tracking"

• "Belt tracking is basic - just stores rank"

• "No way to track what techniques they've learned"

What Kombat Evolve Users Love

"Retention impact"

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

• "Students constantly check their progress in the app"

• "Belt tracking changed how we handle promotions"

"Practitioner-built"

• "Mans understands gym operations because he lives it"

• "Features actually solve problems I have"

• "No explaining BJJ concepts - he already gets it"

"European-first design"

• "SEPA worked immediately"

• "GDPR compliance wasn't an afterthought"

• "Understands association structures"

"No transaction fees"

• "€99/month flat is way cheaper than 1% of €96K"

• "Predictable costs make budgeting easy"

Honest assessment: MAAT has resources to move faster. Kombat Evolve moves more deliberately based on actual gym needs.

Which Should You Choose?

Let's make this concrete.

Choose MAAT if you:

• ✅ Prioritize financial operations and detailed revenue analytics

• ✅ Run multiple combat sports with different structures (BJJ + Boxing + Muay Thai)

• ✅ Have very small gym (<30 students) where 1% transaction fee is minimal

• ✅ Value established platform with funding and growing team

• ✅ Don't need deep retention-focused features

• ✅ Want institutional support infrastructure

  
  

Choose Kombat Evolve if you:

• ✅ Student retention is your primary concern (it should be - it's €25K+/year)

• ✅ Run a martial arts gym with ranking systems (BJJ, Judo, Karate, etc.)

• ✅ Want students to SEE their progression (proven retention driver)

• ✅ Operate in Europe and need SEPA/GDPR/association support

• ✅ Have 50+ students (pricing advantage with zero transaction fees)

• ✅ Value practitioner-built software (founder understands your world)

• ✅ Want at-risk student alerts and churn prediction

• ✅ Need transparent, predictable pricing

The Honest Truth About Both Platforms

MAAT is good software. They're well-funded, scaling fast, and emphasize financial operations. For gyms primarily struggling with billing and admin overhead, MAAT delivers.

Kombat Evolve is specialized software. We're retention-obsessed, practitioner-built, and laser-focused on the invisible student problem. For gyms bleeding revenue to student churn, Kombat Evolve delivers.

Neither is "better" universally.

The real question isn't "Which is better?"

The real question is: "What's your actual problem?"

The Problem-Solution Matrix

Your primary problem: Billing and financial chaos → MAAT's strength: Financial operations → Recommendation: MAAT

Your primary problem: Students quit before blue belt → Kombat Evolve's strength: Retention infrastructure
→ Recommendation: Kombat Evolve

Your primary problem: Need both operations AND retention → Evaluate total cost including transaction fees → Evaluate which problem costs you more money → For most gyms: Retention costs €25K+/year, operations costs time → Recommendation: Solve the bigger problem first

Your primary problem: Multi-location franchise scaling → MAAT has funding and team for scale → Recommendation: MAAT

Your primary problem: European compliance and association structure → Kombat Evolve built for this specifically → Recommendation: Kombat Evolve

Total Cost of Ownership: 3-Year Projection

Let's model what each platform actually costs over 3 years for a growing gym:

Scenario: Medium gym (starts 75 students, grows to 120)

Year 1 (75 students, €80/month avg)

MAAT:

• Software: €588 (€49/month annual)

• Transaction fees: €720 (1% of €72,000)

• Total: €1,308

Kombat Evolve:

• Software: €1,188 (€99/month)

• Transaction fees: €0

• Total: €1,188

Kombat Evolve saves €120

Year 2 (95 students, €85/month avg)

MAAT:

• Software: €588

• Transaction fees: €969 (1% of €96,900)

• Total: €1,557

Kombat Evolve:

• Software: €1,188

• Transaction fees: €0

• Total: €1,188

Kombat Evolve saves €369

Year 3 (120 students, €90/month avg)

MAAT:

• Software: €588

• Transaction fees: €1,296 (1% of €129,600)

• Total: €1,884

Kombat Evolve:

• Software: €2,028 (moved to large tier)

• Transaction fees: €0

• Total: €2,028

MAAT cheaper by €144 (but you're processing €130K/year at this point)

3-Year Total:

MAAT: €4,749 Kombat Evolve: €4,404

Kombat Evolve saves €345 over 3 years

But this ignores the retention impact:

If Kombat Evolve's retention features keep just 5 extra students over 3 years:

• 5 students × €90/month × 24 months average = €10,800 additional revenue

The software pays for itself 24x over.

Try Both. Decide for Yourself.

The best way to choose is to actually use both platforms.

MAAT offers demos: joinmaat.com Kombat Evolve offers demos: kombatevolve.com

Book demos with both. Ask these specific questions:

1. "Show me your belt progression features. Can students see their own progress?"

   • MAAT: Stores data, notifications to coaches

   • Kombat Evolve: Student-facing dashboards, technique tracking

2. "How do you help with student retention specifically?"

   • MAAT: Better operations → more coaching time → better experience

   • Kombat Evolve: At-risk alerts, progress visibility, engagement tools

3. "Walk me through total costs including transaction fees"

   • MAAT: Show the 1% impact at your revenue level

   • Kombat Evolve: Transparent tier pricing

4. "How do you handle European payments and GDPR?"

   • MAAT: Ask specifically about SEPA setup

   • Kombat Evolve: Built-in from day one

5. "What analytics help me predict who's about to quit?"

   • MAAT: Attendance reports

   • Kombat Evolve: Churn prediction, at-risk alerts, engagement scoring

The answers will tell you everything.

My Honest Recommendation

I built Kombat Evolve because I watched too many talented students quit BJJ after 8-12 months. Not because they didn't like training. Not because they weren't improving.

They quit because their progress felt invisible.

If your gym is operationally chaotic - billing issues, scheduling nightmares, financial confusion: → MAAT is probably the better fit. They emphasize operations.

If your gym runs okay operationally, but students keep disappearing: → Kombat Evolve will have bigger impact. We emphasize retention.

For most BJJ gyms, retention is the bigger revenue problem.

You can survive imperfect operations. You can't survive 30% annual churn.

Ready to see how retention-focused software works? Book a free demo and I'll personally show you how gyms across Europe are using progress visibility to reduce churn and increase revenue.

Book a Free Demo

Want to try MAAT too? Visit joinmaat.com for their demo. Seriously - compare both.

Already decided on Kombat Evolve? Start your 14-day free trial and see how progress tracking transforms student engagement.

FAQs

Is MAAT better than Kombat Evolve?

Neither is universally "better." MAAT excels at financial operations and multi-sport management. Kombat Evolve excels at student retention through progress visibility. Choose based on your primary pain point: operations chaos (MAAT) or student churn (Kombat Evolve).

What are MAAT's transaction fees?

MAAT charges 1% of all payment volume plus Stripe processing fees. For a gym processing €96,000 annually (100 students × €80/month), that's €960/year in transaction fees on top of the €588 software subscription.

Does Kombat Evolve charge transaction fees?

No. Kombat Evolve uses transparent tiered pricing (€49/€99/€169 per month based on gym size) with zero transaction fees. You pay the same amount whether you process €50,000 or €200,000 annually.

Can I switch from MAAT to Kombat Evolve?

Yes. We offer data migration assistance for gyms switching from MAAT or other platforms. Your student data, belt ranks, attendance history, and payment records transfer smoothly. Contact us for migration support.

Does MAAT track belt progression?

Yes, MAAT stores belt ranks and can notify coaches when students are ready for promotion. However, students cannot see their own progression details, and there's no technique mastery tracking system. It's an admin feature, not a student engagement tool.

How does Kombat Evolve's belt tracking differ from MAAT?

Kombat Evolve treats belt progression as retention infrastructure. Students see their own progress dashboards, technique checklists, achievement notifications, and "BJJ Wrapped" annual summaries. Coaches get at-risk alerts when progress tracking stops. MAAT tracks belts for admin purposes; Kombat Evolve uses progression visibility to prevent churn.

Which is cheaper: MAAT or Kombat Evolve?

Depends on gym size:

• Small gyms (<50 students): Similar cost, slight edge to MAAT

• Medium gyms (50-100 students): Kombat Evolve cheaper (€360/year savings)

• Large gyms (100+ students): Kombat Evolve slightly cheaper to slightly more expensive depending on revenue, but no surprise transaction fees

Calculate your total cost including MAAT's 1% transaction fee vs Kombat Evolve's tiered pricing.

Does it matter that Kombat Evolve's founder trains BJJ?

For some gym owners, yes. Practitioner-built software means features solve real problems (like the "invisible student" quitting without warning) rather than generic gym management. When you message support, you talk to someone who's been choked thousands of times and understands retention viscerally. For others, institutional support matters more. Your preference.

Can I use both platforms?

Technically possible but not practical. Both handle billing, attendance, and member management. Running parallel systems creates admin overhead and defeats the simplification purpose. Try both via demos, choose one.