DynoComparisons / Class Manager
Class Manager vs Dyno
The Class Manager alternative with a native member app and in-app community, not just a parent portal.
What is Dyno?
Dyno gives class schools the same registers, waiting lists and Direct Debit billing, and adds a native iOS and Android app with a community feed, chat, ticketed events and progression tracking, so families stay engaged with the school between term-time classes.
What is Class Manager?
Class Manager is UK class-management software for dance, gymnastics, swimming and cheer schools, covering registers, class scheduling, waiting lists and Direct Debit billing through a parent portal. It is a capable admin system for children’s activity classes, but the family-facing side is a web portal rather than a native community app.
Why schools go looking for a Class Manager alternative
- Solid adminRegisters, term billing, waiting lists and Direct Debit collection through a parent portal are handled well.
- A web portalThe gap is on the parent side, where a portal competes with the polished apps families use daily.
- Everything elsewhereShow tickets, class photos and notices scatter across separate sites and Facebook groups.
- Retention leaksFor a business built on word of mouth, engagement drains out of the system holding the money.
How Dyno approaches the same job
- The admin you rely onRegisters, attendance, waiting lists and Direct Debit or card billing through Stripe.
- Family accountsOne parent manages and pays for several children, the normal shape of a class school.
- A parent appA native app carries the school’s feed, chat and bookings, so notices come home to your own space.
- Shows and progressionExams and gradings run as ticketed events, with grades, levels and badges tracked over time.
What switching from Class Manager actually involves
- We move your dataOur team migrates students, classes, family relationships and billing records across for you.
- Move at term boundaryMost schools run a short overlap over a term boundary rather than cutting over mid-term.
- Payments move with careCard authorisations, and Direct Debit mandates where UK clubs use them, re-establish through Stripe as members activate in the app, and the dashboard shows who has moved across and who still needs a nudge.
Class Manager vs Dyno: feature by feature
Dyno
Class Manager
Built for
Any club or school: dance, gymnastics, swim, martial arts, fitness and community clubs.
Class Manager: Dance, gymnastics, swim and cheer schools.
Registers & billing
Class registers and attendance with recurring Direct Debit or card billing via Stripe.
Class Manager: Registers and Direct Debit billing are a core strength, typically via GoCardless.
Family experience
Native iOS & Android member app for parents, with the school’s feed, chat and bookings.
Class Manager: Web-based parent portal for bookings and payments.
Community & engagement
Community feed, chat and leaderboards built into the app.
Class Manager: Portal and email communication rather than in-app community.
Events & ticketing
Shows, gradings and socials run as ticketed events in the same checkout.
Class Manager: Class and term booking focused; events are lighter.
Courses & term enrolment
Block-purchase term courses with priority re-enrolment for returning families and make-up sessions.
Class Manager: Term booking and registers are a core strength.
Safeguarding
Staff DBS and first-aid vetting records with reminders, a welfare register of medical flags and emergency contacts, per-child photo consent and child-safe account defaults.
Class Manager: Registers and parent communication rather than dedicated safeguarding tooling.
Progression
Grades, levels and badges tracked with promotion history, free on every plan.
Class Manager: Skill and level tracking is more limited.
Getting started
Free to start, no card required. Most clubs are taking payments the same day they sign up.
Class Manager: Paid plans by class or student count; onboarding support provided.
Best for
Schools that want a modern parent app and community alongside registers and billing.
Class Manager: Schools mainly needing registers, term billing and a booking portal.
Class Manager details are based on publicly available information and last reviewed July 2026; they may have changed, check Class Manager’s website for their current features and pricing.
See what Dyno gives your club and its families
Run your whole club from one place
Termly fees, attendance and membership growth on one live dashboard, with no booking fee added to what parents pay.
Track every child’s grades and levels
Build your grade ladder, set the criteria for each level and promote children, with certificates and progress parents can follow.
An app parents actually open
Your feed, chat, timetable and every child’s progress in one place, so booking becomes an ongoing relationship.
Dig into the details
Switching from Class Manager: common questions
- Does Dyno handle registers and term billing like Class Manager?
- Yes. Class registers, attendance and waiting lists are built in, and recurring fees collect by Direct Debit or card through Stripe on the schedule you set, including term-based structures. Family accounts let one parent pay for several children at once.
- Class Manager uses a parent portal. What do parents get with Dyno?
- Parents get a native iOS and Android app rather than a web portal: the school’s feed, chat, timetable, bookings, event tickets and their children’s progression, all in one place. It is the difference between a portal families log into when they have to and an app they actually keep on their phone.
- Can Dyno handle shows, exams and gradings?
- Yes. Shows, exams, gradings and socials run as ticketed events with capacity, member and non-member pricing, and payment in the same checkout, so you are not sending families to a separate ticketing site alongside their class fees.
- Does Dyno track grades, levels and badges?
- Progression tracking is built in and free on every plan: grades, levels and badges with full promotion history, which suits gymnastics stages, dance grades and swim levels. Students and parents can see progress in the app, and staff record promotions as they happen.
- Can you migrate our students and Direct Debits from Class Manager?
- Yes. We move students, classes, family relationships and key records for you, usually around a term boundary. Direct Debit mandates cannot be transferred between providers, so they are re-authorised through Stripe as families activate, and the dashboard shows who has completed the move.
- Does Dyno handle term courses and re-enrolment the way a class school needs?
- Yes. Families block-purchase a term as a course, and when the next term opens your existing families get a priority re-enrolment window before new joiners can take their place, which is how most dance and gymnastics schools protect regulars. Missed classes can be booked as make-up sessions, so the term structure you rely on is a first-class feature rather than a workaround.
- What does Dyno add for safeguarding a school of young students?
- Safeguarding is built in: staff DBS, first-aid and coaching records with renewal reminders, a welfare register holding each child’s emergency contacts and medical flags for coaches, photo consent captured per child with a clear no-photo indicator, and a published safeguarding lead and policy. Children’s accounts are locked down by default, with no messaging, discovery or public profile.
Switch from Class Manager to Dyno
A quick, personalised walkthrough, no slides, no commitment. Tell us a little about your club and we’ll be in touch.