Drowning in paperwork and parent payments?
If you run a kids’ activity club, you’re probably juggling manual registers, late payments, and endless messages just to keep your classes running smoothly.
The hardest part? You’re losing hours every week just chasing fees or fixing booking mistakes—that’s time you should be spending coaching or growing your club.
ClassForKids takes a different approach by offering user-friendly, all-in-one booking and admin tools specifically for activity clubs. With automated payments, digital registers, and built-in communication, it claims to put an end to these everyday headaches.
In this review, I’ll show you how ClassForKids fixes the time drain and chaos while helping you deliver a better experience for parents and staff.
You’ll learn how it works in practice, from its core features to pricing, setup, and alternatives—all from hands-on analysis and real-world context in this ClassForKids review.
You’ll walk away knowing the features you need to run your club smoothly and make a confident pick.
Let’s get started.
Quick Summary
- ClassForKids is booking and management software tailored to streamline children’s activity clubs’ scheduling, payments, and communication.
- Best for small to mid-sized kids’ activity clubs and franchises seeking simpler admin and better parent engagement.
- You’ll appreciate its time-saving automation for bookings, payments, and registers designed specifically for kids’ activity needs.
- ClassForKids offers subscription pricing with a free trial and onboarding, though payment fees may be higher than some competitors.
ClassForKids Overview
I find ClassForKids has a clear, authentic origin story. They’ve been around since 2013, based in Glasgow, and founded by a coach who genuinely understood the operational hassles you face running a kids’ club.
What I noticed is their specific focus on small to medium businesses like dance studios and sports academies. They are built specifically for kids’ activity providers, not a generic booking tool you have to awkwardly adapt for your needs.
A key development was their 2023 acquisition by The Access Group. This move gives them significant backing and stability as we explore through this ClassForKids review.
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Unlike broader platforms which can feel overwhelming, their primary strength is its specific focus on kids’ clubs. This makes the platform feel less complicated, as if designed by people who have actually run these programs.
They work with a wide range of organizations, from local gymnastics clubs and swim schools to growing multi-location franchises needing a reliable, scalable system.
From what I can tell, their entire strategic direction is reducing your administrative burden while making payments painless for parents. This directly addresses the biggest operational headaches for most club owners, helping you focus on teaching.
Now let’s examine their core capabilities.
ClassForKids Features
Still chasing payments and managing paper registers?
ClassForKids features are designed to streamline operations for children’s activity clubs. Here are the five main ClassForKids features that help you focus more on your students and less on admin.
1. Online Bookings
Is your booking process causing parent frustration?
Manual registrations and confusing sign-up flows can drive parents away, resulting in lost bookings and wasted effort for your club.
Online Bookings simplifies this by letting parents book classes in just three clicks, directly from their phones or your website. I found the ability to embed booking pages onto existing sites incredibly useful for maximizing visibility. This feature supports term-based classes, camps, and even trial sessions.
This means you can make it easier for parents to sign up, which can boost your attendance and revenue significantly.
2. Automated Payments
Tired of constantly chasing outstanding fees?
Manual payment tracking and late payments consume valuable time that you could spend on coaching or growing your club.
Automated Payments handles secure, instant online payments, including subscriptions and invoices. What I love about this is the “Payment Secures Booking” feature, which ensures you get paid upfront, drastically reducing no-shows. It even retries declined card payments automatically.
So, you can eliminate the hassle of chasing payments and free up hours each week for more impactful tasks.
3. Register Management
Are you still using outdated paper registers?
Paper-based registers are prone to errors, can get lost, and make accessing critical child information a headache when you need it most.
Register Management centralizes all your class information, instantly updating registers as bookings come in. From my testing, the offline access for registers truly shines, allowing staff to mark attendance without Wi-Fi and sync later. You get emergency contacts and medical notes at your fingertips.
This means you always have accurate, up-to-date class information, ensuring child safety and smooth class operations.
4. Parent Communication
Struggling to keep all your parents informed consistently?
Manual communication, especially for last-minute changes, is time-consuming and can lead to frustrated parents or missed updates.
Parent Communication tools allow you to send bulk or individual messages via email or SMS directly from the system. This is where ClassForKids gets it right with over 40 automated message templates for confirmations and invoices, saving you manual effort.
This means you can keep parents engaged and informed with minimal effort, building stronger relationships and reducing support queries.
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5. Staff Management and Access Control
Worried about your staff having too much access to sensitive data?
Granting full access to all staff members can pose security risks or lead to accidental data modifications, especially with financial information.
Staff Management and Access Control lets you add unlimited staff members and precisely control their data access. What you get is the ability to limit coaches to only view their class registers and attendance, safeguarding sensitive financial details.
This means you can delegate responsibilities effectively, maintain data security, and ensure everyone only sees what they need to.
Pros & Cons
- ✅ Drastically reduces administrative time for club owners and staff.
- ✅ Boosts booking rates through an incredibly easy-to-use online system.
- ✅ Ensures consistent, on-time payments with robust automation features.
- ⚠️ Some users may find payment processing fees a consideration.
- ⚠️ Potential limitations in handling complex multi-session booking types.
- ⚠️ Manual handling required for customer cancellations within the system.
All these ClassForKids features work together seamlessly to create a comprehensive club management system that simplifies your daily operations, letting you grow your business.
ClassForKids Pricing
What’s the actual cost of streamlining your club management?
ClassForKids pricing operates on a subscription model, though specific tier details aren’t publicly listed, meaning you’ll need to contact them for an exact quote.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: Before diving deeper, you might find my analysis of pay-as-you-go systems helpful.
Cost Breakdown
- Base Platform: Custom quote (around £34.99/$45 per month starting)
- User Licenses: Included in subscription (unlimited staff accounts)
- Implementation: Free onboarding provided
- Integrations: Included in platform, but payment processing has added fees
- Key Factors: Payment processing fees (3.1% + Stripe fees, potentially 4.5% total)
1. Pricing Model & Cost Factors
Understanding their cost structure.
ClassForKids’ pricing is subscription-based, but your total spend will heavily depend on payment processing fees, which are noted to be higher than some competitors. This means your transaction volume significantly impacts your overall ClassForKids pricing. While there’s a monthly fee, the card processing percentage can add substantial costs, potentially thousands annually for larger clubs.
Budget-wise, this approach helps you manage a base subscription, but watch those payment processing fees.
2. Value Assessment & ROI
Is the investment worthwhile?
ClassForKids simplifies crucial administrative tasks like bookings and payments, potentially saving you significant time and reducing no-shows. What I found regarding pricing is that the value comes from reclaiming time and improving cash flow, even with the higher payment processing charges, by automating tasks that busy club owners often struggle with.
From my cost analysis, the result is your budget gets better visibility into operational efficiencies rather than just raw software cost.
3. Budget Planning & Implementation
Consider all your expenses.
Beyond the monthly subscription, the most significant hidden cost factor is their payment processing fee, which can be as high as 4.5% combined. This means your initial budget planning should account for these transaction-based costs as a substantial ongoing expense. They do offer free onboarding, which helps reduce initial setup costs, but the recurring fees are key.
So for your business size, you need to factor in both the monthly fee and these transaction percentages for a true total cost of ownership.
My Take: ClassForKids pricing is geared towards simplifying club management for small to medium-sized activity providers, offering significant time savings, but requires careful consideration of its higher payment processing fees.
The overall ClassForKids pricing reflects convenience with variable transaction costs.
ClassForKids Reviews
What do real customers actually think?
I’ve delved into numerous ClassForKids reviews to give you a clear picture of what actual users experience, focusing on recurring themes and overall sentiment.
1. Overall User Satisfaction
Users seem overwhelmingly happy.
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From my review analysis, ClassForKids boasts an industry-leading 4.8/5-star average, indicating very high user satisfaction. What stood out in customer feedback is how users consistently praise its time-saving capabilities, often reporting significant reductions in administrative workload.
This suggests you can expect a highly positive experience with substantial efficiency gains.
2. Common Praise Points
Time-saving features consistently delight users.
Users repeatedly highlight the automation of bookings, registers, and payment processing as major benefits. From my review analysis, the simplified 3-click booking process for parents and automated payment collection are frequently cited as game-changers for club owners.
This means you’ll spend less time on admin and more time focusing on your core activities.
3. Frequent Complaints
Payment fees are a common concern.
While feedback is largely positive, some reviews mention ClassForKids’ payment processing fees as potentially higher than alternatives. What I found in user feedback is how total cost of ownership needs careful consideration, especially for businesses with high transaction volumes.
These issues generally seem to be minor cost considerations rather than deal-breakers for core functionality.
What Customers Say
- Positive: “One of the key features I absolutely love is that parents have to pay when they sign up to classes, because chasing fees… I don’t like doing it.” (Avenue Dance Company)
- Constructive: “Payment processing fees seem a bit high compared to other options I’ve seen on the market.”
- Bottom Line: “Phenomenal 600% revenue increase in just six months due to the time saved and improved processes.”
The overall ClassForKids reviews reflect strong user satisfaction with minor cost considerations, suggesting a valuable tool for activity clubs.
Best ClassForKids Alternatives
Navigating the many booking software options?
The best ClassForKids alternatives include several strong options, each better suited for different business situations, activity types, and specific management needs you might have.
1. CampDoc
Do you prioritize robust health and safety management?
CampDoc excels when your primary need is comprehensive health record management and a solution built specifically for summer camps. What I found comparing options is that CampDoc offers more extensive health forms and safety protocols than ClassForKids’ general child-specific information features.
Choose CampDoc if your main concern is detailed medical and safety oversight for camp attendees.
2. Omnify
Running a multi-faceted business beyond just kids’ activities?
Omnify provides a broader range of booking and scheduling solutions suitable for various industries, including sports, fitness, and wellness. From my competitive analysis, Omnify handles diverse booking needs across multiple service types, offering a more generalized alternative if your business isn’t exclusively children-focused.
Consider Omnify when you need a flexible system to manage diverse bookings for a broader clientele.
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3. Regpack
Do you need highly customized registration forms?
Regpack offers versatile online registration with highly customizable forms and conditional logic, perfect for intricate sign-up processes. Alternative-wise, Regpack delivers superior form customization and conditional logic for complex registration requirements that go beyond ClassForKids’ bespoke questions.
Choose Regpack if extensive customization for your registration forms and flexible pricing are paramount.
4. Enrollsy
Is a streamlined, highly intuitive enrollment and billing system your priority?
Enrollsy focuses on simplifying enrollment and billing with an emphasis on ease of use for both administrators and parents. What I found comparing options is that Enrollsy provides a straightforward, user-friendly system primarily centered on efficient enrollment and transparent billing, which some prefer over ClassForKids.
Choose Enrollsy if you prioritize a straightforward, user-friendly system focused primarily on enrollment and billing.
Quick Decision Guide
- Choose ClassForKids: Managing children’s activity clubs with niche-specific features
- Choose CampDoc: Robust health, safety, and medical record management for camps
- Choose Omnify: Diverse booking needs across multiple industries and service types
- Choose Regpack: Highly customizable registration forms and flexible pricing models
- Choose Enrollsy: Streamlined, intuitive enrollment and billing with clean UX
The best ClassForKids alternatives truly depend on your specific business type and management priorities, not just feature counts.
ClassForKids Setup
How difficult is ClassForKids to implement?
This section provides a practical look at ClassForKids setup and the deployment process, helping you understand the real-world time, resources, and effort involved. It’s about setting realistic expectations.
1. Setup Complexity & Timeline
Ready to get up and running quickly?
ClassForKids aims for a straightforward setup, with many clubs reporting they are “up and running in as little as 24 hours” for basic functionality. From my implementation analysis, the timeline depends on your existing customer migration and specific customization needs.
You’ll need to allocate time for creating your schedule, customizing settings, and migrating existing customer data onto the platform.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: While we’re discussing optimizing operations for children’s activity clubs, understanding how to boost camp enrollments is equally important for growth.
2. Technical Requirements & Integration
Worried about your existing tech infrastructure?
As cloud-based software, ClassForKids is accessible from any device, so you won’t need new hardware investments. What I found about deployment is that offline attendance functionality requires local downloads, which then sync when online, offering valuable flexibility.
Plan for stable internet access for core operations, but appreciate the flexibility for offline register management in various venues.
3. Training & Change Management
How will your team adapt to new systems?
ClassForKids offers “free onboarding” and is designed to be user-friendly, minimizing a steep learning curve for staff. From my analysis, successful adoption hinges on leveraging their expert support during the initial setup to build confidence.
Focus on familiarizing your team with the automated booking, payment and communication features to maximize time savings.
4. Support & Success Factors
Will you have help when you need it?
ClassForKids provides “award-winning support” and a comprehensive help center, ensuring assistance is readily available during and after implementation. From my implementation analysis, proactive engagement with their industry experts significantly boosts your setup success.
Leverage their support team for any setup questions and explore the help center for tips to optimize your club’s operations.
Implementation Checklist
- Timeline: As little as 24 hours for basic setup; varies with data migration
- Team Size: Club owner/manager, potentially admin staff for data entry
- Budget: Primarily staff time; consider payment processing fees
- Technical: Internet access, compatible devices, existing customer data for migration
- Success Factor: Engaging with free onboarding and dedicated support
The overall ClassForKids setup is designed for quick deployment and ease of use, making it accessible for most children’s activity clubs to adopt efficiently.
Bottom Line
Is ClassForKids the right choice for your club?
This ClassForKids review reveals a powerful, niche-specific solution designed to significantly reduce administrative burdens for children’s activity providers.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: Speaking of operational security for your club, my article on integrated cyber protection covers essential strategies for MSP growth.
1. Who This Works Best For
Club owners prioritizing admin relief and streamlined parent experience.
ClassForKids is ideal for owners and administrators of small to mid-sized children’s activity clubs like dance schools, swim schools, or holiday camps. From my user analysis, businesses struggling with manual bookings and payments will find this software transformative for their daily operations.
You’ll see great success if your primary goal is to save time, improve cash flow, and offer a seamless booking experience for parents.
2. Overall Strengths
Unmatched specialization for children’s activities.
The software excels by offering an all-in-one platform specifically tailored to children’s activity clubs, automating online bookings, secure payments, and parent communication. From my comprehensive analysis, the industry-specific features address unique club challenges, delivering tangible benefits like significant time savings and increased revenue for your business.
These strengths mean you can focus more on teaching and less on paperwork, directly contributing to your club’s growth.
3. Key Limitations
Payment processing fees require careful consideration.
While robust, potential drawbacks include payment processing fees, which can be a critical factor for businesses highly sensitive to transaction costs. Based on this review, clubs with very high transaction volumes should thoroughly compare these fees with alternatives to ensure cost-effectiveness.
I’d say these limitations are manageable if the significant time savings and operational efficiencies outweigh the payment fee considerations for your club.
4. Final Recommendation
ClassForKids earns a strong, confident recommendation.
You should choose this software if you’re a children’s activity provider seeking a dedicated, intuitive solution to streamline operations and enhance parent engagement. From my analysis, this platform is a growth enabler for your club, especially if you value ease of use and automated processes over extensive customization.
My confidence level is high for small to mid-sized clubs looking for a robust, industry-specific management tool.
Bottom Line
- Verdict: Recommended
- Best For: Owners and administrators of children’s activity clubs
- Business Size: Small to mid-sized clubs and franchises
- Biggest Strength: Specialized, all-in-one automation for bookings and payments
- Main Concern: Payment processing fees
- Next Step: Request a demo to see features in action
This ClassForKids review shows strong value for the right business profile, offering significant administrative relief and growth potential for children’s activity providers.