How Many Students Do You Need to Start Using MAAT?

Is My Academy Too Small for a Gym Management Software?

If you're running a growing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school, you might be asking yourself: "Do I really need software to manage just 30 or 40 students?"‍

Short answer: Yes. But when does it actually make sense to adopt it?

Let’s break it down.

Gym management software like MAAT can be a powerful tool for streamlining operations, retaining students, and preparing your academy to scale.

The Sweet Spot: 40+ Active Students

From our experience working with hundreds of BJJ academies, MAAT starts to become a game-changer around the 40-student mark.

At that point, the admin work starts piling up:

• Following up on payments
• Tracking attendance manually
• Sending class reminders
• Monitoring student progress and promotions
• Organizing your class schedule

With 40+ students, managing all of that without a dedicated system usually means more stress and less time for coaching and growing your community.

Below 40 Students? It Still Might Be Worth It.

If you have fewer than 40 students, MAAT can still be a great fit if you're serious about growth.

Think of it this way:

• If you’re planning to scale, starting early saves you time and headaches later.
• You can set up your systems now, so you don’t have to rebuild them once you double in size.
• You’ll also present yourself as more professional to new students (and even to potential investors).

Adopting a system like MAAT early sends a strong message: This academy is serious about its future.

‍

What About While You're Still Under 40 Students?

If you're still building your student base and MAAT feels like too big a step right now, there are still practical ways to manage your academy without much cost.

Many small gyms start with:

• Spreadsheets to track attendance and payments
• Google Calendar or WhatsApp to communicate the class schedule
• Paper notes or simple apps to follow belt progress
• Manual invoicing tools to collect fees

These methods can work for a while, especially if you're just getting started and need to keep costs low.

‍

But if you want to understand why this setup becomes inefficient as you grow, check out our article on "MAAT vs Manual Academy Management"
We break down the limitations of spreadsheets, paper, and DIY tools and why many gym owners eventually switch to a dedicated system like MAAT.

Worried About Cost? We've Got You.

We understand that small academies don’t always have big budgets. That’s why MAAT offers discounted plans for academies with fewer students.

We want to support passionate gym owners, whether you’re just starting out or already running multiple locations. Our goal is to help you grow, not to drain your resources.

TL;DR: When Should You Start Using MAAT?

• 40+ active students? You’ll immediately see the benefits. MAAT pays for itself in saved time and smoother operations.
• 20–39 students and planning to grow? You’re in the perfect position to set your academy up for scalable success.
• Under 20 students? It might be too early but we’re happy to talk and help you plan for the future.

Ready to Talk?

Whether you’re coaching 20 students or 200, MAAT can help you build a more organized, professional, and scalable BJJ academy.

Book a free trial and see how MAAT can change your academy forever!