Free migration included

The Modern Alternative to SwimBiz — Built for UK Swim Schools

Ready to move on from SwimBiz? Both platforms support GoCardless. ClassBase adds self-service mandate setup, monthly rolling billing, a full parent portal, and optional private pool hire booking — all in one cloud platform.

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9,999 student trial limit · UK-built · GDPR compliant · Cancel any time

Is switching worth it for your school?

Choose ClassBase if you want…

✓ Self-service mandates and monthly rolling GoCardless billing
✓ A modern parent portal and poolside browser access
✓ Optional private hire sharing the lesson calendar

Staying may make sense if…

• Your existing SwimBiz workflows already meet your needs
• You do not need monthly rolling or private-hire workflows
• Retraining now would cost more than the gains from switching

Where ClassBase goes further than SwimBiz

SwimBiz already covers core swim-school administration and offers GoCardless. ClassBase is the stronger fit when you want deeper automation, modern self-service and lessons plus private hire in one system.

Lessons and private hire together

Add public private-hire booking to the same availability engine as your lessons, rather than maintaining another calendar.

Cloud access on any device

Run ClassBase in a browser from the office, poolside tablet or phone, with one current view of the school.

Swim England and STA tracking

Teachers record framework skills poolside and parents see progress through their portal.

Deeper GoCardless automation

Parents set up their own mandates; ClassBase supports variable amounts, monthly rolling billing and automatic reconciliation.

Parent self-service

Families see lessons, invoices, progress and messages and can complete Direct Debit setup without office intervention.

Waiting-list workflow automation

Match by stage and availability, offer the place and trigger mandate setup as one connected workflow.

Designed specifically for swim schools

Not gymnastics software adapted for swimming. Not a generic booking platform. ClassBase is built around the way swim schools actually work.

Swim England stage tracking

Built-in Learn to Swim framework progression

Instructor certifications

Track DBS, first aid and lifeguard qualifications

Pool hire scheduling

Lessons and private hire from one calendar

Term-based scheduling

Set up terms, copy forward, handle holidays automatically

Parent communication

Email, SMS and portal messages to parents

GoCardless Direct Debit

Automated monthly collections, no chasing payments

Built and used daily at Vale Swim Academy — managing 350 customers and 200 swim students.

SwimBiz vs ClassBase

A side-by-side comparison of features.

Feature	SwimBiz	ClassBase
Lesson scheduling & timetable
Student & customer management
Waiting list management
Private pool hire & facility bookings	Not found in public materials
Public booking calendar	Verify current scope
Modern parent portal	Verify current portal
Swim England progress tracking	Verify framework depth
GoCardless Direct Debit (variable DD + self-service parent setup)	✓ Available
Monthly rolling billing	Verify current support
Staff permissions & RBAC	✓ Available
Guided migration from SwimBiz	Not applicable
Public pricing	Verify with provider	✓ £25 / £49 / £79
Migration support from SwimBiz	Not applicable

Start Free Trial — Migrate from SwimBiz Today

Move from SwimBiz in minutes

SwimBiz exports eight CSV files: customers, students, classes, class session enrolments, attendance history, invoice line items, credits and the waiting list. ClassBase auto-detects all eight in a single import — full operational state of your school, not just a contact list. The built-in wizard previews every column mapping before committing.

Export your SwimBiz data

Download the CSV files from SwimBiz

Upload to ClassBase

The wizard auto-detects columns and maps your data

Review and go live

Check the import, invite parents and start teaching

Free migration — no extra cost, no consultancy fees

ClassBase data import wizard showing auto-detected SwimBiz customer export template with 100% column match and pre-filled field mappings

See ClassBase in action

Plan your entire swim school at a glance

See every class, instructor and stage in one visual timetable. Identify gaps instantly, optimise utilisation and manage your entire term schedule in seconds.

ClassBase Swim England progress tracking

Track student progress in seconds

Teachers record Swim England stages poolside with a simple visual progress tracker. Parents receive automatic updates after each lesson.

Run pool hire alongside your lessons

ClassBase lets swim schools offer private pool hire, family swim sessions and facility rentals directly from the same calendar used for lessons. No more juggling multiple systems.

A modern parent experience

Parents receive updates, lesson feedback and notifications through the ClassBase portal. No more lost emails or paper reports.

ClassBase intelligent waiting list showing which class days are available and which are full

Intelligent waiting list — no more manual chasing

When parents register, they see exactly which class days have spaces and which are full — no guesswork, no phone calls. Classes showing "not available" automatically offer waiting list sign-up. When a space opens, the next parent is notified, a GoCardless Direct Debit mandate is triggered, and the student is enrolled — all without admin involvement.

Parents see live availability by day — "not available" classes show waitlist option
Matched by stage level, not just a specific session
Space opens → parent notified → DD mandate triggered automatically
Zero manual follow-up from your admin team

Simple, transparent pricing

No per-student fees. No setup costs. No long contracts. The complete core swim-school feature set is included on every plan; optional add-ons are separate.

Starter

£25/mo

150 students · 2 staff · 1 venue

Popular

Pro

£49/mo

500 students · 6 staff · 3 venues

Enterprise

£79/mo

9,999 students · 30 staff · 10 venues

Compare with typical swim school software: £80–£200+/month plus per-student fees.

Frequently asked questions

Is ClassBase a good alternative to SwimBiz?

Yes. Both ClassBase and SwimBiz offer GoCardless. ClassBase adds self-service parent mandates, monthly rolling billing, Swim England and STA progress tracking, a parent portal, and optional private pool hire management. It was built by a swim school owner who previously ran on SwimBiz.

Can I migrate my data from SwimBiz to ClassBase?

Yes. ClassBase includes a data import module with CSV upload, automatic column detection, validation, and rollback. A SwimBiz-specific import template is pre-loaded — the system auto-detects SwimBiz CSV exports and maps your customers, students, classes, enrolments, attendance history and waiting lists.

Does ClassBase support GoCardless Direct Debit?

Yes — ClassBase has a native GoCardless integration built into the invoicing, enrolment and parent portal. Generate term invoices in bulk, collect fees via Direct Debit with one click, and let parents set up their mandate online. ClassBase goes further with variable Direct Debit, self-service parent mandate setup, waiting list DD automation and monthly rolling billing.

How long does it take to switch from SwimBiz to ClassBase?

Most swim schools complete the migration in under a day. Export your CSV files from SwimBiz, upload them to ClassBase, review the import, and you're live. The free trial lets you run both systems in parallel while you transition.

Does ClassBase work for UK swim schools?

ClassBase is built specifically for UK swim schools. GBP pricing, Swim England and STA frameworks, GoCardless Direct Debit, UK term-based scheduling, monthly rolling billing, and GDPR controls are built in.

Is ClassBase free to try?

Yes — ClassBase offers a 14-day trial with a 9,999 student limit and no credit card requirement. You can evaluate the core platform, data import and optional modules such as Private Hire before choosing a paid plan.