AMES vs Nova Music

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.

Nova Music is a studio management platform for music teachers, combining lesson scheduling, student records, billing, family messaging, and practice tracking. Teachers can schedule recurring lessons, view multiple calendars, detect conflicts, and manage availability; Pro adds makeup credit tracking. A PIN-based student portal lets students see upcoming lessons, submit assignments, track progress, access shared resources, and message their teacher. Practice tools include daily logs, streaks, goals, points, levels, and achievement milestones. The Free plan supports up to 10 students and includes scheduling, group lessons, basic attendance, direct messaging, a student portal, and 100 MB of file storage. Pro costs $10 a month, supports unlimited students, and includes invoicing, Stripe payments, calendar sync, and 5 GB of storage. The features page also lists cash, check, card, and Venmo as payment methods. Nova is available on iOS and the web; the iPhone app requires iOS 17.0 or later. The maker describes it as built for piano teachers, guitar instructors, voice coaches, and private studios.