Dojo Forge vs Open Black Belt: Which Fits Your Dojo?
Open Black Belt is a purpose-built martial arts school platform (“Built for the Mat. Built for Business.”) at one flat, low price, with belt testing, attendance alerts, and a 14-day free trial. Dojo Forge is built for the same schools and puts its weight on the family side: one login for every child, absences reported by parents, and instructor notes families can read.
Dojo Forge is in beta, being built school by school, and this page plays it straight: where Open Black Belt is ahead today, it says so.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Dojo Forge | Open Black Belt |
|---|---|---|
| Alerts when students stop showing up | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile roll call | YesKiosk in beta | Yes |
| Belt exam readiness | Yes | Yes |
| One family login for several children | Yes | NoOne member per login |
| Parents report absences ahead of time | Yes | No |
| Instructor notes parents can see | Yes | No |
| Digital waivers | Yes | Yes |
| Online payments and autopay | PartlyIn beta | Yes |
| Setup | Self-serve in minutes | Self-serve CSV import |
| Free trial | 30 days | 14 days, no card |
Yes Partly No
Pricing
Dojo Forge
$250/month flat per school for founding members (30 days free, no setup fee; standard rate $500/month). Every student, family, and instructor included.
Open Black Belt
$49.99/month flat, all features, unlimited students. Card processing through Stripe at 3.15% + 30¢.
Open Black Belt costs less. Dojo Forge's case is the family side and a founder who answers your texts.
When to choose which
Choose Open Black Belt if
- Price is the deciding factor: $49.99/month is hard to beat.
- You want a shipped lead CRM today.
- You'd rather start a trial without putting a card down.
Choose Dojo Forge if
- You want one family login that covers every child.
- You want parents reporting absences and reading instructor notes.
- You want the founder answering your texts, not a support inbox.
Ready to see it on your roster?
30 days free, then $250/month flat for year one (first 10 schools). No setup fee, cancel anytime.
Your school's data is encrypted and never sold. Read our privacy policy or how we protect it.
Competitor details come from each company's public site, pricing page, and help docs as of September 2026 and may have changed. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.