AMES vs Harness

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.

Harness is a web-based calendar and studio management platform for private lesson instructors. Students can use shared scheduling or rescheduling links to choose available times, while families can view lessons, notes and invoices through a student portal. Instructors can customize rates, billing schedules and payers. Calendar tools include attendance and payment tracking, lesson events with assigned rates, drag-and-drop scheduling and availability annotations. Student profiles combine details, lesson history and payment balances, with automatic status tracking and intake forms. Finance features include income and expense tracking, invoices, Stripe-powered payments, profit and loss statements and Schedule C compliant exports. The free Hobby plan supports up to five students. Professional costs $15 a month and lists unlimited students, automated monthly billing, payment reminders, self-serve scheduling links and priority email support. A 30-day trial is available. The documentation says Harness is in active development.