AMES vs Clefwise

AMES provides connected activity management and enrolment software for swim schools, dance studios, martial arts academies, gymnastics clubs and other class-based operators. It includes class scheduling, occupancy visibility, waitlists, mobile booking and enrolment across multiple classes or siblings. Staff can record attendance and absences, generate credits and let parents book replacement sessions subject to availability rules. AMES Pay accepts cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay through Stripe Connect, and GoCardless Direct Debit for recurring class fees. Parent updates, reminders, message history and automated absence and credit notices are part of its communications workflow. Listed integrations include Google Calendar, Xero, QuickBooks, Gmail, Outlook, Facebook, Instagram and Google Reviews; custom API integrations can be built during onboarding. AMES says it helps import existing member data, configure the system with a team and provide support after launch. Standard charges a transaction fee on successful payments collected through AMES, starting at 1.25 % per contact, with no monthly platform subscription or setup fee. Payment-provider processing fees and certain communications and AI services cost extra.

Clefwise is a web-based platform for managing music teaching businesses, with scheduling, invoicing, parent access, teaching tools, and business analytics. It supports recurring lessons, availability windows, lesson credits, and Australian school-term scheduling. Invoices offer Stripe checkout, bulk sending, and overdue tracking, while a parent portal brings together schedules, lesson notes, invoices, messages, and information for each parent’s children. Teachers can manage practice tracking, repertoire libraries, student progress, recital programmes, and RSVP tracking. Business analytics include profit and loss, revenue charts, expense tracking, and tax-ready exports. Clefwise uses Stripe for payment processing and can optionally synchronize lessons with Google Calendar. Its Australian focus includes school terms for every state through 2027, AUD invoices with ABN and GST, and Sydney-hosted core data. The Free plan costs nothing and covers 3 students, scheduling, invoicing and online payments, a parent portal, and lesson notes. Pro costs A$200 a year. Students do not have their own accounts; a student-facing app is planned for a future release.