The Best Alternative to Spond for Kids’ Clubs

[.rt__btn]Try ClassForKids for Free[.rt__btn]

‍

If you run a children’s activity club, you’ve probably looked at Spond and ClassForKids as potential booking and management software options. Both simplify bookings, payments, messaging, and day-to-day admin. Spond is a popular free option that handles the essentials and holds a 4.6-star overall rating on Capterra. ClassForKids is built specifically for children’s activity providers and holds a 4.8-star overall rating on Capterra.

‍

While both have their strengths, the real question is which fits your kids’ club today, and which will help you get where you want to be in the future. This guide compares Spond and ClassForKids across ease of use, onboarding and support, pricing, and business growth. It’ll help you decide whether to go with Spond or try a Spond alternative such as ClassForKids.

‍

Which is the better fit for your club: Spond or ClassForKids?

‍

Ease of use: Spond vs ClassForKids

‍

What you get with Spond

‍

Spond is a mobile app that gives you a straightforward way to create groups, organise events, and take payments. Parents can book and pay for sessions or memberships directly through the app, while coaches and organisers track attendance and send messages to individuals or groups. Rated 4.8 out of 5 for ease of use on Capterra, Spond is a free platform that many club owners value for its simplicity and convenience.

‍

What you get with ClassForKids

‍

ClassForKids is a booking and management system designed for kids’ clubs of all sizes. With ClassForKids, parents can book and pay online in 3 clicks, and they can also see your policies and notes upfront, which means fewer questions in your inbox. Coaches also have everything they need at hand, from registers and medical notes to photo and video permissions, without chasing paperwork. Rated 4.7 stars for ease of use on Capterra, ClassForKids is often praised by clubs for making bookings simple for parents and saving staff valuable time.

‍

Verdict on usability

‍

Choose Spond if you want a free, simple system that helps you manage admin tasks like parent communication, booking, and payments.

‍

Clubs looking for a Spond alternative often describe ClassForKids as easy for parents and staff to use. It feels effortless, is designed around the needs of children’s activity providers, and helps reduce admin while supporting long-term business growth.  

‍

Onboarding and Customer Support

‍

Getting Started with Spond

‍

Spond offers help articles and automated support through its AI bot, and many clubs manage well with self-setup. On Capterra, its customer service is rated 3.3 out of 5, which suggests most users find the platform useful but would like more help when questions come up. There is no personalised onboarding, which can suit confident self-starters who are happy to set things up on their own.

‍

Getting Started with ClassForKids

‍

Rated 4.8 out of 5 on Capterra for customer service, ClassForKids gives every new customer free personalised onboarding, so you can start with confidence knowing everything is set up correctly. An onboarding specialist walks you through the setup step by step, showing you how to create your account, manage timetables, and set up payments. You’ll also get ready-made email templates to explain the change clearly to parents.

‍

Verdict on support

‍

Choose Spond if you are comfortable figuring things out and prefer self-serve support.

‍

Choose ClassForKids if you want a partner who sets the system up with you and is on hand with quick, human support when you need it.

‍

Pricing and Value

‍

Spond Pricing and Value

‍

Spond is free to download and use, which makes it appealing for clubs that want to keep costs to a minimum. Like most booking systems, it charges a processing fee on each transaction, but there is no monthly licence fee. The trade-off is that you won’t find the same level of ongoing support, business and marketing resources, or growth opportunities that a paid Spond alternative can provide.

‍

ClassForKids Pricing and Value

‍

ClassForKids uses a single, straightforward pricing plan that includes every feature along with unlimited coaches, customers, and bookings. With everything included, there are no surprises, which makes it easier to plan your budget and avoid the extra costs that come with models where you pay more to add coaches, customers, or premium features. Beyond the software itself, every ClassForKids customer also gets access to business growth and marketing support, which we’ll cover in the next section.

‍

Verdict on value

‍

Choose Spond if keeping software costs close to a minimum is your main priority.

‍

Choose ClassForKids if you want clear pricing and a Spond alternative that brings together admin tools, support, and growth resources in one plan. For clubs looking to expand, ClassForKids offers clearer long-term value.

‍

Business Growth and Marketing

‍

What you get with Spond

‍

Spond focuses on simplifying day-to-day admin. You can manage memberships and payments, run events, and even use it for fundraising. For many clubs, that’s enough. But if you’re aiming for growth and have bigger plans for your kids’ club, a Spond alternative like ClassForKids is likely to be the better fit.

‍

What you get with ClassForKids  

‍

ClassForKids gives you business growth and marketing resources on top of the core admin management features.

• Your club is listed on the ClassForKids Discovery Site, where thousands of parents search for children’s classes, camps, and activities every day. With filters for location, age, and activity type, it connects you directly with parents who are ready to book.
• Benefit from exclusive partnerships with industry experts and leading brands, attend free in-person and online events, and take part in competitions with prize packages worth up to £10K. You’ll also get access to special offers that boost your club’s performance.
• If you grow to multiple venues or decide to franchise, you can compare performance across branches, keep standards consistent, and make data-driven decisions with ease.
• Access the ClassForKids Academy, In The Club podcast, and The Scoop blog for marketing, finance, and growth strategies you can put into practice straight away. This is one of the reasons many clubs see ClassForKids as the best alternative to Spond, because it supports growth as well as admin.

On average, club owners using ClassForKids save more than 15 hours a week, grow £5,000 a year, and over 75% say it has supported their business growth.* ClassForKids is also ISO-certified and GDPR compliant, trusted by more than 4,500 clubs to manage bookings, payments, registers, and parent communication securely.

‍

[.blue__text]Want to see how other clubs like yours have grown with ClassForKids? Read their success stories here.[.blue__text]

‍

*Based on the results of our 2025 brand perception survey.

‍

Summary: ClassForKids vs Spond

‍

Both Spond and ClassForKids help you manage bookings, payments, registers, and parent communication. Spond is a free platform that only charges transaction fees per booking, making it a good starting point with a simple app experience.

‍

ClassForKids offers the same core features but adds free personalised onboarding, a single predictable pricing plan, free advertising on the Discovery Site, expert-led training, events, and franchise management tools. For ambitious clubs, these extras are why so many owners see ClassForKids as the best alternative to Spond.

‍

Ready to Explore the Best Alternative to Spond?

‍

If Spond has helped you get started, that’s already a success. But if you’re ready for a Spond alternative that helps you go further, ClassForKids is here to support you.

‍

Start your free trial today and see how simple it can be to manage your timetables, payments, and registers. Then decide for yourself if ClassForKids is the best alternative to Spond for your club.

‍

[.rt__btn]Try it for Free[.rt__btn]