Free migration included

The Modern Alternative to SwimBiz — Built for UK Swim Schools

Ready to move on from SwimBiz? ClassBase is the cloud-based swim school management platform that replaces SwimBiz with GoCardless Direct Debit, a full parent portal, and private pool hire booking — all in one platform.

Start Free Trial

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

Why swim schools are switching from SwimBiz

SwimBiz served the industry well, but swim schools today need more. ClassBase was built from scratch to solve the problems SwimBiz doesn't.

No private hire support

SwimBiz manages lessons only. If you hire your pool out, you need a separate system.

Outdated interface

Parents expect a modern experience. SwimBiz's interface hasn't kept up.

No skill tracking

No built-in Swim England stage progression. Teachers still rely on paper or spreadsheets.

Basic payments

GoCardless and Stripe exist but lack variable DD, billing requests, and self-service parent mandate setup. Chasing failed payments is still largely manual.

No parent portal

Parents can't see schedules, progress or invoices online. Everything goes through the office.

No waiting list automation

No automatic DD trigger when a space opens. Admins chase mandate setup manually every time a waiting list place is filled.

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
Public booking calendar
Modern parent portal
Swim England progress tracking
GoCardless Direct Debit (variable DD + self-service parent setup) Basic integration
Monthly rolling billing
Staff permissions & RBAC Basic roles
Built-in migration wizard
No per-student charges
Free migration support
Start Free Trial — Migrate from SwimBiz Today

ClassBase was built by a swim school owner who ran Vale Swim Academy on SwimBiz for years. Every SwimBiz workflow has a direct ClassBase equivalent — because it was designed by someone who used SwimBiz every day.

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.

1

Export your SwimBiz data

Download the CSV files from SwimBiz

2

Upload to ClassBase

The wizard auto-detects columns and maps your data

3

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

ClassBase weekly class schedule

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.

ClassBase public pool booking calendar

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.

ClassBase parent portal

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. All features included on every plan.

Starter

£25/mo

Up to 150 students

Popular

Pro

£49/mo

Up to 500 students

Enterprise

£79/mo

Unlimited students

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

Frequently asked questions

Is ClassBase a good alternative to SwimBiz?

Yes. ClassBase is a cloud-based alternative to SwimBiz that includes GoCardless Direct Debit, a parent portal, Swim England progress tracking, and private pool hire management — features SwimBiz does not offer. ClassBase was built by a swim school owner who ran on SwimBiz for years, so every workflow has a direct equivalent.

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 Learn to Swim framework, GoCardless Direct Debit, UK term-based scheduling (Autumn/Spring/Summer), and GDPR compliance are all built in — not bolted on.

Is ClassBase free to try?

Yes — ClassBase offers a free trial with a 9,999 student limit (most swim schools have fewer than 500 students, so it's effectively unlimited). No credit card required. Full access to all features including GoCardless DD, parent portal, pool hire and data import.

Ready to switch from SwimBiz?

Start your free trial today. Migration is free and takes less than an hour.

Start Free Trial