Martial Arts Studio SoftwareTechnology
Membership churn—otherwise known as attrition rate— is one of the most important metrics for understanding the long-term health of a martial arts studio. It measures the percentage of students who leave a program over a given period, usually over the course of a year. In disciplines like Taekwondo and Karate, attrition is influenced by a variety of factors, including age demographics, financial pressures, and how effectively students stay engaged in training. Youth programs, which make up a large portion of many studios, are especially vulnerable to turnover as families juggle sports seasons, school schedules, and other commitments.
Membership churn is a normal problem that all martial arts studios have to deal with. The question is how you can make a difference in this percentage and increase your retention rate annually.
Current data suggests that most martial arts studios experience an annual attrition rate of 20% to 30%—meaning only 70% to 80% of students remain enrolled year over year. This pattern holds across major styles, with youth-focused programs typically seeing higher attrition due to predictable seasonal drop-offs.
Users of the OnMat Membership Management system have a unique advantage over the competition. In a survey of OnMat studios, data showed the average attrition rate to be well below the average at 5.17% over 2024 and 2025. Better yet, half of the studios surveyed continued to show attrition improvements year over year after having started integrating OnMat.
How does OnMat make a difference? There are two key areas:
Communication: Parents and families who know what’s going on stay with the program. They feel attended to and valued. OnMat’s integrated email and texting platforms allow studio owners to easily stay in the loop with their members with everything from schedule changes to individual outreach.
Progress: Belt testing is an important way to help a student understand his or her progress. With OnMat’s built-in belt testing, not only do you save time in the process, but your members are also more likely to rise to the challenge to finish the next step when they can see their progress at any point.
Starting with OnMat is quick and simple. Sign up for your account here or download the app directly to mobile or tablet. You can get started for free and build your usage of the app however it fits your studio the best.
